7:30 LrN Newscast December 14

A report out of Loyola University in New Orleans says Louisiana has the second highest rate of food insecurity in the country, a result of the state’s substantial poverty rate, and proliferation of food deserts where residents don’t have access to, or can’t afford healthy food. Jesuit Social Research Institute Director Father Fred Kammer says food deserts can be found in urban and rural areas.
Cut 7 (12) “…our cities.”
The report concludes that food insecurity in Louisiana must be understood as a social injustice issue of the highest priority, requiring attention from all levels of government.

According to the Associated Press, the Secretary of State’s office could not spend 90-thousand dollars to upgrade software for businesses registrations and other computer systems, because that money went towards settling the sexual misconduct settlement involving former Secretary Tom Schedler.

Louisiana drops one spot to dead last in America’s health rankings. Kevin Barnhart has more.
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

Former Congressman Charles Boustany says the trade war with China is failing, and Louisiana taxpayers have paid so far an additional 85-million dollars in additional tariffs, 19-million dollars in October alone. Boustany says the trade war is a hurricane, and we’re starting to feel the first bands of bad economic weather…
Cut 10 (10) “…get hurt”
Boustany is a spokesman for Tariffs Hurt the Heartland. The World Trade Center of New Orleans says the biggest impact they’ve noticed is in the energy sector, which relies on imported steel and aluminum.