The United Health Foundation released its 25th annual America’s Health Rankings and once again Louisiana is 48th in the nation — the same rank we had last year. Dr. Catherine Palmier, Chief Medical Officer for the Foundation’s East Region, says Louisiana has a very high rate of preventable hospitalizations…:
CUT 6 (13) “good control”
Palmier says other factors keeping our rank near the bottom in the nation is the high rate of obesity at 33% of the population, physical inactivity which is 30% and smoking which at 23%.

With a check on gas prices, they keep dropping as the price of crude tumbles. The current statewide average for a gallon of regular is $2.46 down a penny from last night and over a dime less than this time last week.

State Education officials announce that Louisiana has been awarded a federal grant of up to $32 million over four years to provide new and improved pre-k classes for over 10,000 children. State Superintendent John White hopes this will help quell complaints of uneven quality and standards of early childhood education in Louisiana…:
CUT 4 (06) “got to change”
Louisiana is one of 13 states to receive this grant.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand has fired a deputy who allegedly cut a deal with a woman to have sex with him so she wouldn’t go to jail. Investigators say Deputy Brian Martin confessed to having sex with the woman after going to her home to investigate a report that some items had been stolen from her car. The cop found out that the woman reporting the theft had an outstanding warrant for her arrest and Sheriff’s Spokesman, Col. John Fortunato says that’s when Martin negotiated with the woman to avoid going to jail by having sex with him.