The National Retail Federation expects holiday sales will break a record this year with total sales of 850-million dollars. LSU marketing professor Dan Rice says inflation has driven the cost of everything up, so expect the dollars spent to increase accordingly for merchants…
cut 5 (08) “…the board”
Rice says the Labor Department has shown price increases over the last year of 13% for TVs, furniture 11% and appliances 7%.

The Bayou Classic is back in New Orleans and organizer Dottie Belletto says besides tomorrow’s game between Southern and Grambling State there’s plenty to do, like…
Cut 10 (10) “…thrown for that.”
Tonight it’s the Battle of the Bands inside the Superdome.

It’s Small Business Saturday tomorrow and local retailers hope to exceed last year’s profits even with a few hurdles. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

A woman was shot at a Walmart in Opelousas on Thanksgiving Day during a child exchange. Authorities says the suspect, 22-year-old Jordan Sereal was arrested in Lafayette, while the female victim was taken to a local hospital with a gunshot wound to her upper torso. Police say the Walmart was closed at the time and there was no danger to the community.