Senator John Kennedy and Attorney General Jeff Landry warn Republicans not to allow Democrats any influence in the selection of the next Speaker of the Louisiana House.

The letter says the move is aimed at guaranteeing a more conservative Speaker takes office January 13th when the election is held. ULM Poli Sci Professor Joshua Stockley says it’s a highly partisan demand.

Cut 12 (11) “to see”

In Washington DC, House Democrats will support a new U.S. Mexican and Canadian trade agreement which could mean passage of the USMCA to replace NAFTA agreement.

The new deal requires partners to relax import restrictions on American products, mandates Mexico adopt better labor standards, and provides legal avenues for settling intellectual property disputes.

Cut 5 (08) “…countries”

Strain also notes a new trade deal with Japan appears to be imminent as well.

The Deepwater Horizon Open Ocean Trustees releases a final Open Ocean restoration plan, selecting 18 projects totaling almost $226 million to help restore fish, sea turtles, marine mammals and deep-seas coral habitat injured by the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

NOAA Deepwater Horizon Program Manager Rachel Sweeney…

Cut 9 (10) “…Mexico to date.”

The SEC Championship showed an amazing level of physical prowess including a half time competition to throw the highest number of footballs through an oversized Dr. Pepper soda can.

The winner of the 100,000 dollar scholarship prize is Baton Rouge native Andrea Gathercole. The Baylor university student says she practiced every day for three weeks.

Cut 6 (11) “…the real thing.”

Gathercole plans to put the 100,000 dollar scholarship toward finishing her Baylor degree with anything left over going toward her plans to attend medical school.