A federal report finds that 150-thousand Louisiana residents have signed up for health insurance through the Marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act. Senior Counselor to the Secretary at Health and Human Services, Avida Aron-Dine says that’s a strong number, considering the talk of repealing Obamacare. She expects the A-C-A will only get better and we will not see a huge spike in premiums going forward…
cut 14 (10) “…reinsurance program”

According to the national federation of independent businesses, optimism of small business owners is at its highest level since 2004….
cut 7 (09) “….increase then”
That’s Dawn Starns, state director of N-F-I-B and she says that strong sense of optimism can be felt in Louisiana too.

The Grant Parish Sheriff’s office has arrested a 31-year-old man after he allegedly beat up his grandparents with a baseball bat. Derrick Henderson of Georgetown has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and home invasion. The elderly victims received severe injuries.

WWE’s Wrestlemania will return to New Orleans in April of 2018. Michelle Southern has more on the big announcement…:
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Michelle Southern”

Small business optimism has skyrocketed in December, according to a survey from the National Federation of Independent Businesses. Emelie Gunn has more…:
CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office says one of their deputies was involved in a shooting with a man apparently trying to kill himself. They say 19-year-old Austin Rackley of Sulphur was located fighting with a family member and he had a gun. They said he refused to put it down when he was ordered to and deputies fired striking him in the neck – injuring him. The investigation is ongoing.

New Orleans will host Wrestlemania in 2018; the quickest the WWE event returns to a host city ever. That’s according to Governor John Bel Edwards who says when Wrestlemania last came to The Big Easy in 2014, over 75,000 fans came from around the world – which had an economic impact of $142 million dollars for the city…:
CUT 10 (10) “1 billion dollars”
He says it’s just another huge occasion to laud the 300th year of the founding of New Orleans.

Enrollment for Louisiana’s public school scholarship program is now open. It’s for low-income students in poor performing schools to go to private schools. President of the Louisiana Federation for Children, Ann Duplessis, says test scores have demonstrated voucher students are making academic strides…:
Cut 5 (09) “last year”
She says 65-hundred students currently receive taxpayer funded vouchers.

WWE’s Wrestlemania will be returning to New Orleans in April of 2018. Governor John Bel Edwards was on hand for the announcement and says it’s just another huge occasion to laud the 300th year of the founding of New Orleans…:
CUT 9 (10) “exciting time”
Edwards says when Wrestlemania came to New Orleans in 2014, it had an economic impact of $142 million dollars for the city.

Today is the start of the application period for the Louisiana Scholarship Program, which pays for low-income students at poorly graded public schools to attend a private school. President of the Louisiana Federation for Children, Ann Duplessis..:
cut 4 (06) “be educated”
She says every year, about 10-thousand families apply; and anyone in Louisiana can do so.

A survey from the National Federation of Independent Business finds small business optimism increased substantially in December. NFIB state director Dawn Starns credits the positive outlook to the November election which is also felt by Louisiana business in a huge way…:
Cut 6 (10) “new jobs”
The NFIB says small business optimism is at its highest level since 2004.

Officials in Alabama say a 20-year-old LSU student has died in Tuscaloosa after being struck by a train. They say Katie Keogh was walking with others after the college title game when she failed to make it across the tracks in time and died at the scene.

Discussions about what to do about the cost of the TOPS program are ongoing, and the state’s top higher education policy making board is looking at options. Higher Ed Commissioner Joe Rallo says one proposed change would require those getting the award to take 30 credit hours a year instead of 24. He says right now just 40 percent of TOPS students graduate in 4 years…:
CUT 8 (11) “a paycheck”
Any changes to the program would not take effect until 2018.

State and New Orleans City officials announced today that WWE’s Wrestlemania is once again returning to the Big Easy. Governor John Bel Edwards, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser and New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu were all on hand for this morning’s announcement that the premier wrestling event will be back in Louisiana in 2018.

For the first time since closing its doors following Hurricane Katrina, the state is going to clean out Charity Hospital in New Orleans. Jerry Jones withe LSU Heath New Orleans’ Facility Planning says this has been 10 years coming…:
CUT 12 (09) “reuse”
He says the facilities contain asbestos, mold, chemicals, and other hazardous materials, and the process should take about 180 days.

Many plants and vegetation were affected by this weekend’s freeze and Emelie Gunn explains they may not be destroyed…:
CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Changes could be coming to TOPS, as the Board of Regents will make recommendations to change the scholarship program next month. Higher Ed commissioner Joe Rallo says they’re looking at ways to change how the scholarship is awarded.

Cut 7 (09) “at LSU”

Rallo says another possibility would be to award freshmen 80-percent of their tuition and increase the amount each year.

Crews begin cleaning up Charity Hospital in New Orleans today, as the historic building has been unused since Hurricane Katrina. Jerry Jones with LSU Health New Orleans says all the equipment is rusted and not usable, so it will have to be stripped and used as scrap metal.

Cut 11 (09) “disposed of”

The process is expected to take around 6 months.

A Pierre Part man is behind bars after accidentally texting an Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Deputy to arrange a drug deal. Commander Lonny Cavalier says 39-year-old Dwayne Hebert was arrested with two firearms along with crystal meth. He says this really is an unusual case.

Cut 15 (08) “his part”

Hebert’s bond has not been set.

After last weekend’s freeze, many people are asking what can be done about their damaged plants. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill says even if your plant has signs of damage, it might not be dead.

Cut 4 (10) “…seven days”

Gill says if your plant is okay, just prune the affected areas.

Higher Ed Commissioner Joe Rallo says the Board of Regents is proposing changes to the TOPS scholarship program since the legislature opted not to fully fund awards for the first time beginning this year. He says one option would be into selling naming rights for the program..:
CUT 9 (12) “to come in”
TOPS recipients are paying more than 50% of the award this spring. Any changes to the program would require legislative approval.

The Bossier Parish man accused of raping and sexually abusing young foster children in his care has been indicted by a grand jury on the charges. 51-year-old Terral Parfait is charged with three counts of first degree rape of alleged victims between the ages of 9 and 12. He faces mandatory life in prison if convicted as charged.

If any of your plants were damaged in the weekend’s freeze, they may not be ruined. LSU Horticulturist Dan Gill says with tropical plants, oozy, mushy, and foul smelling damaged tissue should be removed. But woody plants are different..:
Cut 5 (11) “not sprouting”
He says sometimes permanent damage may take a week before it shows up.

Talk about a wrong number. The Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office says they made a sting arrest of a man who is accused of texting a deputy by mistake about a possible drug deal. Commander Lonny Cavalier says when they busted Dwayne Hebert, he had crystal meth and two guns with him..:
CUT 14 (10) “substances”
Hebert is jailed and awaits a bond hearing.

The Louisiana Board of Regents is recommending several changes to the TOPS scholarship program that will need legislative approval. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Governor John Bel Edwards is holding a news conference tomorrow after his call in radio show to talk about his first year in office. He will deliver remarks reflecting on the challenges and successes Louisiana has seen since his inauguration on January 11th, 2016. Later this morning, the governor will take part in the official announcement that WWE’s Wrestlemania is returning to New Orleans in 2018.

For the first time since closing its doors following Hurricane Katrina, the state is going to clean out Charity Hospital in New Orleans. Jerry Jones withe LSU Heath New Orleans’ Facility Planning says this has been 10 years coming…:
CUT 12 (09) “reuse”
He says the facilities contain asbestos, mold, chemicals, and other hazardous materials, and the process should take about 180 days.

This past weekend’s unprecedented freeze affected plants throughout the state, but they may not be completely ruined. That’s according to Dan Gill, horticulturist with the LSU Ag Center. He says don’t get discouraged if a covered tropical plant still received damage…:
CUT 6 (10) “tropical again”
Gill says if you scratch a woody plant with your thumbnail and the tissue is green, it’s still alive, but not if it’s brown underneath.

Recommendations have been presented by the state Board of Regents on ways the TOPS scholarship program could be changed to become more affordable. Higher Ed Commissioner Joe Rallo says one proposed change would require those getting the award to take 30 credit hours a year instead of 24. He says right now just 40 percent of TOPS students graduate in 4 years…:
CUT 8 (11) “a paycheck”
Any changes to the program would not take effect until 2018.

The clean-up process for Charity Hospital in New Orleans begins today. Jerry Jones with LSU Health New Orleans’ Facility Planning, says everything inside the building has been there since closing after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and must go:
Cut 10 (09) “equipment”
He says this project will cost over 6.4 million dollars.

Many plants were affected by this weekend’s freeze and Emelie Gunn has tips on how to treat them…:
CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office says a man is under arrest for allegedly texting a deputy by mistake about a possible drug deal. They say Dwayne Hebert said that crystal meth was ready for delivery…:
CUT 13 (09) “arrested him”
That’s Commander Lonny Cavalier.