After months of speculation, Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt announces her candidacy for governor. Hewitt, who is an engineering executive, says she’ll put her business experience to work growing the economy, cutting taxes and creating more opportunity across Louisiana. Hewitt joins a race that also includes Jeff Landry, John Schroder and Hunter Lundy.

The deadline for open enrollment for health insurance through Healthcare.gov is Sunday. Whitney Thomas has more.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Whitney Thomas.”

Abita Springs Republican Representative Larry Frieman believes fathers should pay half of the out-of-pocket pregnancy-related expenses. After talking with family law attorneys, he learned that there is no law to help pregnant women recover those expenses, so he’s filed legislation to change that.
Cut 10 (10) “…scot-free.”
Frieman’s legislation is one of the first bills filed for the regular legislative session that begins in April.

Are you feeling lucky on this Friday the 13th? The jackpot for tonight’s Mega Millions drawing is an estimated 1.35 billion dollars. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison says superstition is not stopping lottery players from trying to win hundreds of millions of dollars…
cut 13 (08) “five point-one million”
The deadline to get a ticket is 9 PM tonight, the drawing is at 10 PM.