Transportation is expected to be a major topic in the upcoming regular legislative session. Michelle Southern reports…:

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There was an increase in first time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending January 9th. According to the state Labor Department, initial claims jumped to 4,203 from 2,459 the previous week. This week marked the beginning of a new quarter for new claims which usually results in an increase because some claimants regain their eligibility for benefits.

Electronic cigarettes may not help smokers quit smoking regular cigarettes. A new Lancet Respiratory Medicine study finds that adults who use e-cigarettes to stop smoking are 28 percent less likely to quit. Professor and Associate Dean for Research at LSU Health New Orleans Dr. Edward Trapido says not enough is known about the long term effects of smoking e-cigarettes to know if they’re a harmless alternative…

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says two Louisiana whooping cranes that were part of an experimental population have been found dead in Texas. Biologist Sara Zimorski says it’s frustrating to lose two more birds when the population is so small to begin with…

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She says a person has been charged in the whooping crane deaths.