U.S. Senator John Kennedy is featured in a viral video that shows him stumping one of President Trump’s judgeship nominees. Emelie Gunn has more…

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Flu cases in the Deep South are on the rise with the highest numbers in Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. Emelie Gunn has more…

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Today is the deadline to sign up for health care through the Affordable Care Act.  If persons do not have health insurance for 2018, they have until 10:59pm tonight or pay a penalty.  The State Director of Navigators for a Healthy Louisiana Brian Burton says premiums have increased, but the government subsides are also up…

Cut 3 (07) “buying power.”

Burton says 144-thousand Louisianans have purchased a health care plan at health care dot gov, which is about a 20-percent increase of persons from 2017.  Burton says there are some 66-thousand in the state who qualify but don’t use it…

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Burton says if you haven’t secured health insurance yet and plan on using health care dot gov, get ready to wait a while…

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U.S. Senator John Kennedy is making headlines for his questioning of a President Donald Trump judgeship nominee. In the viral video, Matthew Spencer Peterson struggles to answer Kennedy’s legal questions while before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Here’s a snippet…

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Kennedy proceeds to ask Peterson about his experience with certain laws that would be necessary to understand if granted the position of federal judge.

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Kennedy says it was never his intention to bring this kind of attention to the situation but it’s his job to ask tough questions of those who could serve as a federal judge. He says the FBI vets all nominees but they don’t vet them on their knowledge of the laws.

Cut 8 (12) “in court.”

Kennedy says Trump’s advisers were wrong by allowing him to nominate Peterson. He says if Peterson became a federal district court judge…..

Cut 9 (12)  “the toughest”

A vote has not been taken yet on Peterson’s confirmation.

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Questions remain surrounding the death of two people found in a St. Landry Parish lake this week.  Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says the initial autopsy finds that 21-year-old Lia Ali Kazan of Shreveport and 30-year-old Anthony Michael Murray of Rapides Parish drowned.  Guidroz says they know that Murray kidnapped Kazan in a parking lot of an Alexandria motel and her vehicle ended up in the lake…

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Welch says Louisiana has already hit the CDCs highest criteria of widespread for flu activity. He says the Influenza A strain is very strong making people extremely sick and can even be fatal as we’ve seen in previous flu seasons in the Bayou State.

Cut 13 (08)  “taken lightly”

Welch says the active flu season can be blamed on the Influenza A strain and the flu vaccine is only 30% effective against it. But he still strongly suggests getting the flu shot because it helps protect against four different strains of the virus.

Cut 14 (11) “gather together”

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Former Governor Kathleen Blanco spoke at the 2017 commencement of her alma mater, UL-Lafayette, Friday morning. Earlier this week, Blanco announced a rare form of eye cancer she faced six years ago had returned and spread to her liver. She addressed her diagnoses as she spoke to UL-Lafayette grads.:

Cut 15 (08) “but I’m hoping not”

Blanco, who served as governor during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, urged graduates to persevere in the face of adversity. She says even though there are no known treatments to cure the type of melanoma she has, her hope remains alive…:

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The flu season is ramping up in the Deep South with the highest number of cases in Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. State Health Department Flu Bug Expert Dr. Frank Welch says it’s rare to see this many flu cases in December…:
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Welch says Louisiana has already hit the CDCs highest criteria of widespread for flu activity.

U.S. Senator John Kennedy is making headlines today after questioning one of President Donald Trump’s nominees for a federal judgeship in Washington D.C. Kennedy grilled Matthew Peterson about his experience with certain laws that would be necessary to understand if granted the position of federal judge..:
Cut 7 (11) “my disposal”
A vote has not been taken yet on Peterson’s confirmation.

There are still questions surrounding the deaths of two people found in Lake Dubbisson in St. Landry Parish this week. Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says the initial autopsy finds that 21-year-old Lia Kazan of Shreveport and 30-year-old Anthony Murray of Rapides Parish both drowned. Guidroz says they know that Murray kidnapped Kazan in a parking lot of an Alexandria motel and her vehicle ended up in the lake…:
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The investigation is ongoing.

When speaking at UL-Lafayette’s graduation ceremony today, former Governor Kathleen Blanco talked about her recent cancer diagnosis in her liver. She said even though there are no known treatments to cure the type of melanoma she has, her hope remains alive…:
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Blanco earned a bachelor’s degree in business education from the university in 1964.

U.S. Senator John Kennedy is featured in a viral video that shows him stumping one of President Trump’s nominees for a federal judgeship..:
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

If you don’t have health insurance, you have until just before 11 tonight to sign up on the federal exchange, or face paying a penalty. State Director of Navigators for a Healthy Louisiana Brian Burton says there are some 66-thousand Louisianians who qualify through the Affordable Care Act, but don’t use it…:
Cut 4 (09) “the assistance”
The website is healthcare.gov.

Former Governor Kathleen Blanco spoke at the 2017 commencement of her alma mater, UL-Lafayette, Friday morning. Earlier this week, Blanco announced
a rare form of eye cancer she faced six years ago had returned and spread to her liver. She addressed her diagnoses as she spoke to UL-Lafayette grads.:
CUT 15 (08) “but I’m hoping not”
Blanco, who served as governor during Hurricane Katrina, urged graduates to persevere in even the face of seemingly hopeless adversity.

In its latest update on influenza activity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies seven states reporting widespread flu activity, including Louisiana.

Today is the deadline to sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. You’ll have until 10:59pm tonight to get enrolled, or face a penalty if you’re not insured. State Director of Navigators for a Healthy Louisiana Brian Burton says premiums have increased, but the government subsides are also up…:
Cut 3 (07) “buying power”
You can enroll online at health care dot gov.

UL-Lafayette alum and former Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco is at this hour speaking at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Fall 2017 Commencement ceremony. UL-Lafayette President Joe Savoie says the plans for Blanco to give the address were made before she announced she was fighting liver cancer…:
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He says Blanco will also receive an honorary doctorate.

U.S. Senator John Kennedy is making headlines today after questioning one of President Donald Trump’s nominees for a federal judgeship in Washington D.C. Matthew Spencer Peterson struggles to answer Kennedy’s tough questions while before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Here’s a snippet…:
Cut 6 (09) “okay”
Kennedy says Trump’s advisers were wrong by allowing him to nominate Peterson. He says if Peterson became a federal district court judge…:
Cut 9 (12) “the toughest”
The exchange between Kennedy went viral after another member of the committee tweeted out the video calling the terms Petersen struggled with “basic questions of law.”

A State Legislative Audit into possible misuse of state funds by former State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson has been released.  Jeff Palermo has more.

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The flu is hitting Louisiana hard this year.  Health officials say there are numerous reports of widespread flu activity.  There is concern that this flu season will be a rough one since more than 90 percent of flu specimens tested nationwide are type A.  Hospitalizations and deaths are higher when type A is dominant…

Republican U.S. Representative Mike Johnson along with Democratic Florida Representative Charlie Crist have established a bi-partisan Honor and Civility Caucus to restore trust and confidence in American politics. Johnson, who represents the northwestern parishes of Louisiana it’s sad that an issue has to be made about this topic to remind people to be polite.

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Former Governor Kathleen Blanco will give the Commencement address at UL-Lafayette at 11am.   Blanco announced last week she is fighting liver cancer.  University President Joe Savoie (Savv-wah) says the plans for her to speak today were made before her latest diagnosis…

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Blanco served as Governor from 2004 to 2008.  Savoie says she is a perfect fit for the speech as she led efforts to improve higher education funding during her term as governor.

U.S. Representative Mike Johnson of Shreveport helped to establish a bi-partisan Honor and Civility Caucus to restore trust and confidence in American politics. He says the goal is to hold other lawmakers accountable for their actions and encourage respect in Congress…:
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He says it’s time to change the tone of the way politics is done.

The mother of LSU student Max Gruver, the pledge who died in an apparent hazing incident at a fraternity house, said she believes her son was murdered. Ann Gruver made the comments on Good Morning America Thursday, the same day an East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury began the process of determining whether to charge 10 men in connection with Gruver’s death. Max died with a BAC of .495, an amount of alcohol which is mother believes is not physically possible to consume unless you are forced.

Former Governor Kathleen Blanco will give the Commencement address at UL-Lafayette today. University President Joe Savoie says when Blanco served as governor from 2004 to 2008, she led efforts to improve higher education funding…:
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Blanco recently announced she’d been diagnosed with liver cancer, but Savoie says she’s feeling good and ready to go for graduation.

The State Legislative Auditor says they believe former State Police Col Mike Edmonson knew about an expensive side trip some troopers took on their way to a work conference in California. Edmonson retired in March after it was learned several troopers billed taxpayers for sight seeing trip to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon. State Auditor Roger Harris…:
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Edmonson says he plans to respond to the audit by January 15th.

Matters keep looking worse for embattled former State Police Col Mike Edmonson. The state legislative auditor released findings which point to Edmonson possibly misusing power and taxpayer dollars. State Auditor Roger Harris says Edmonson and his family lived in a state owned building without proper authority…:
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Edmonson says he plans to respond to the audit by January 15th.

Governor John Bel Edwards has the created the Governor’s Justice Implementation Oversight Council as a part of the sweeping criminal justice reform effort…:
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That’s the Governor’s Communications Director Shauna Sanford.

Former Governor Kathleen Blanco will give the Commencement address at UL-Lafayette today….:
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The man who confessed to killing his girlfriend’s convicted molester inside a Zachary trailer, then stuffing his body into a 55-gallon container, was quickly found guilty of second-degree murder Thursday in Baton Rouge. Prosecutors argued that 23-year-old Jace Crehan of Walker should not have taken justice into his own hands in 2015. The girlfriend, Brittany Monk, pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this year. She faces up to 40 years behind bars — Crehan life in prison.

A State Legislative Audit into possible misuse of state funds by former Superintendent Mike Edmonson has been released…:
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Former Governor Kathleen Blanco, who recently announced she is battling liver cancer, will give the Commencement today at her alma mater, UL-Lafayette. University President Joe Savoie says he can’t wait to see her speak..:
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Governor John Bel Edwards has created a council to oversee the state’s new criminal justice reform laws. Shauna Sanford, administration spokesperson, says they want to take a close look to see if the changes are working, and if not they’ll submit proposals as to what should be modified…:
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A required annual report will be submitted to the Governor starting at the end of 2018.

Republican U.S. Representative Mike Johnson of Shreveport took part in establishing a bi-partisan Honor and Civility Caucus aimed at restoring trust and confidence in American politics. He says it’s time to change the tone on Capitol Hill…:
Cut 7 (11) “an example”
Johnson says the goal of the caucus is to hold other lawmakers accountable for their actions and encourage respect in Congress.