The State Department of Health predicts the mumps outbreak in Louisiana is going to keep growing for now. Medical director of the state Immunization Program Dr. Frank Welch says the viral infection has a long incubation period so it could be a few weeks before we know how bad it will get here. He says it’s a good idea to know the symptoms…:
cut 4 (08) “both sides”
He says mumps is spread through saliva so limit kissing time and don’t share drinks when you’re celebrating St. Patty’s this weekend.

US Senator John Kennedy says there are problems with the House Republican’s plan to overhaul the nation’s health care law, but he’s confident it will be improved as it moves through the legislative process. Kennedy likes that the GOP plan is not as generous with tax credits as Obamacare, but it’s not ungenerous either…:
Cut 6 (10) “to buy insurance”
Opponents of the proposal say more people will become uninsured.

A man in Washington Parish is facing animal cruelty charges for allegedly shooting and killing 5 puppies. Deputy Mike Haley with the Sheriff’s Office 25-year-old Shawn Glen Jones of Angie initially denied being involved in the February incident, but then the truth came out…:
CUT 10 (09) “at the location”
Jones is booked on five counts of cruelty to animals, and he’s being held in the Washington Parish Jail on a $15,000 bond.

The effort to recall Jefferson Parish President Mike Yenni is over; and was not successful. Organizers say they came up more than 40,000 signatures short and they needed more than 90,000 from Jefferson Parish voters. The recall petition began in October, when reports surfaced that Yenni had sent inappropriate text messages of a sexual nature to a 17-year-old boy.