Louisiana State Police say they are aware of planned protests at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge as armed pro-Trump crowds are expected to gather at state capitol buildings across the nation. Lt. Nick Manale says the FBI reportedly issued a bulletin of planned protests leading up the inauguration on January 20th. He says they will have additional security measures in place…

Cut 4 (11) “…peaceful gathering” 

The House will vote on impeaching President Donald Trump Wednesday, alleging he spurred on last week’s mob assault on the Capitol. UL Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says he does not expect much Republican support for impeachment and would be highly surprised if any Louisiana Congressman voted in favor…

Cut 9 (11) “…trouble.”

Today President Trump told reporters that the impeachment effort is causing tremendous anger and danger in our country.

Sunday’s rare snowfall in parts of the Bayou State has some residents still in the dark. SWEPCO spokesperson Carey Sullivan says less than 10-thousand of their customers remain without electricity.

Cut 6 (11) “…wire down”

Cleco says at one time they had 53-hundred customers without power now they have less than 200, mostly in Sabine and DeSoto parishes.

Mega Millions is up to 615 million dollars for tonight’s drawing and Powerball is at 550 million for Wednesday night.  Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says the Powerball jackpot is the 9^th largest ever, and the Mega Millions draw is the 4^th largest…

Cut 11 (04) “top ten”.

The skyrocketing jackpots have more players buying tickets. Last week the state tallied 5.4 million in lotto sales, twice as much as it did that same time last month.

Louisiana State Police say they are aware of planned protests at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge as pro-Trump crowds are expected to gather at state capitol buildings across the nation. Lt. Nick Manale says they are in communication with their law enforcement partners.

Cut 3 (12)  “..and staff”

The FBI reportedly issued a bulletin that armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20th.

Ochsner Health continues COVID vaccine rollout to their employees and is also aiding with inoculations for those over the age of 70. Medical Director for Infection Prevention and Control at Ochsner Health Dr. Katherine Baumgarten says as of Monday they’ve administered 57-thousand doses, which includes…

Cut 4 (07) “…of 70.”

As political fallout continues from the storming of the Capitol last week, the question arises can your employer fire you for your political beliefs? Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says in Louisiana the answer is yes…

Cut 7 (11)  “…fire you.”

Ciolino says California is one of the few states where an employer cannot terminate you for engaging in political activities.

Mega Millions is up to 615 million dollars for tonight’s drawing and Powerball is at 550 million for Wednesday night’s drawing.

Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says we haven’t seen jackpots over half a billion dollars in over a year.

Cut 10 (09) “…2019.”

35 percent of all state lotto revenue goes to fund K-12 education in Louisiana.

Vaccine rollout enters its second week for those over the age of 70 in Louisiana. Brooke Thorington gives an update on how Ochsner Health is participating.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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As more people are being identified from Wednesday’s raid on the Capitol, many ask can you lose your job for even attending political events. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

_____________________________

Both Mega Millions and Powerball now have over half a billion dollar jackpots. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (31)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.”  

__________________________

Ochsner Health continues COVID vaccine rollout to their employees and is also aiding with inoculations for those over the age of 70 who just became eligible on January 4^th. Medical Director for Infection Prevention and Control at Ochsner Health Dr. Katherine Baumgarten says as of Monday they’ve administered 57-thousand doses, which includes…

Cut 4 (07) “…of 70.”

On the first day of the rollout for those over the age of 70, Ochsner received 56-thousand phone calls, before the record number of calls in one day was 20 thousand. Baumgarten says more than 200-thousand people in Louisiana are over the age of 70 so it’s been a challenge to accommodate the demand, in addition to staff focused on setting up appointments and answering the phones…

Cut 5 (12) “…or two.”

Baumgarten says their hospitals are extremely crowded with COVID patients and she’s seeing several cases of multiple family members hospitalized at once. Until herd immunity can be gained with vaccinations, she’s imploring the public to help.

Cut 6 (09) “…yet.”

Baumgarten says when you are scheduled for your vaccine you are scheduled for both appointments because the vaccine requires two injections.

________________________

As political fallout continues from the storming of the Capitol last week, the question arises can your employer fire you for your political beliefs? Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says in Louisiana the answer is yes, they can.

Cut 7 (11)  “…fire you.”

Ciolino says it’s not necessarily a matter of if you committed criminal activity at a political demonstration.

Cut 8 (10) “…activity”

Ciolino says a private employer in the Bayou State could choose to fire you if you attended a rally to support any political agenda.

Cut 9 (06) “…someone.”

Ciolino says California is one of the few states where an employer cannot terminate you for engaging in political activities.

________________________________

Mega Millions is up to 615 million dollars for tonight’s drawing and Powerball is at 550 million for Wednesday night’s drawing.

Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says we haven’t seen jackpots over half a billion dollars in over a year.

Cut 10 (09) “…2019.”

35 percent of all state lotto revenue goes to fund K-12 education in Louisiana.

The Powerball jackpot is the 9^th largest ever, and the Mega Millions draw is the 4^th largest…

Cut 11 (04) “top ten”.

The skyrocketing jackpots have more players buying tickets. Last week the state tallied 5.4 million in lotto sales, twice as much as it did that same time last month.

So, what are the odds of striking it rich on back to back lotto nights? Chopin says it’s pretty low, but not impossible…

Cut 12 (11) “…25.”

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Louisiana is one of only eight states to receive a green rating from the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety’s 2020 Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws.

Government Relations Director Allison Kennedy says the state has 10 of their 16 recommended laws, most crucially a primary enforcement seatbelt law that covers all occupants of a vehicle.

Cut 13 (08) “…occurs.”

Kennedy says along with our strong seatbelt laws we also received high marks for our all rider motorcycle helmet law, child passenger safety laws, and graduated drivers licensing for teen drivers.

We still have some room to improve according to Kennedy, who says we’d do well to enact a more optimal child booster seat law.

Cut 14 (07) “…key.” 

Louisiana is the only southern state to receive a green rating.

Kennedy says adopting more comprehensive safety laws is an important part of reducing roadway injuries and deaths, which is more important now than ever…

Cut 15 (11)“…right now”

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The Saints and Buccaneers will meet for a third time this season on Sunday when the two NFC South rivals meet in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. New Orleans won the two regular-season matchups, including a 38-3 trouncing of Tampa Bay on its home field on November eighth. Coach Sean Payton says that last game will not factor into what will happen this Sunday

Cut 16 (14) “…entirely different.”

Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady is looking to play in his tenth Super Bowl. Payton says they know Brady will be well prepared to face the Saints defense…

Cut 17 (25) “..this year.”

During the season the Buccaneers signed four-time All-pro receiver Antonio Brown. In has last four games, Brown has caught a touchdown pass in each game for the Bucs. Payton they will have to game plan for the veteran wide out…

Cut  18 (14) “…getting him the ball.”

North Louisiana is enjoying a snow day as up to half a foot of snow fell from a rare winter storm. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Jeff Palermo.”  

Crews are working to restore power to those in north Louisiana who found themselves without power in addition to snow. Cleco representatives say they hope to have all their customers up and running by the end of the day, however it might be tomorrow for those in rural areas because the weather also caused trees to come down hindering access.

13 Louisiana law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2020 according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, CEO Marcia Ferranto says nine of the 13 are believed to have died from getting infected by coronavirus on the job.
Cut 10 (09) “..duty.”
Two of the other fatalities were related to firearms and the last two were traffic incidents.

As students and faculty return to campus at LSU today, they’ll find a few more changes pandemic wise. LSU Interim President Thomas Galligan, Jr. says in addition to voluntary COVID testing on campus, five percent of the campus population will be sent notices every two weeks that they are to report for mandatory COVID testing.

Cut 13 (08)“…required.”

It’s a day off from school and many businesses are closed because of the snow. KNOE-TV evening news anchor Jeff Horchak says kids are enjoying the snow and so are adults.
Cut 5 (07) “…snow man”
Cleco says they are working on restoring power and hope to have most of the power restored by end of the day but some rural areas due to tree being down might go with outpower until tomorrow
13 Louisiana law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2020 according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, CEO Marcia Ferranto says nine of the 13 are believed to have died from getting infected by coronavirus on the job.
Cut 10 (09) “..duty.”
Two of the other fatalities were related to firearms and the last two were traffic incidents.

LSU Interim President Thomas Galligan Jr says the school is receiving a limited number of vaccines this week for healthcare students who have direct contact with COVID patients. As for when the vaccine is more widespread, Galligan says if they will implement a requirement for the vaccine remains to be seen.
Cut 14 (12) “…vaccinations.”
The spring semester started today.

The Saints will face the Buccaneers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Sunday for the third time this season. Many say beating the same team three times is a rarity, but NFL Analyst Mike Detillier says Who Dat fans should be familiar with a three-game sweep because the Saints accomplished it back in 2017.
Cut 8 (10) “…one year cycle.”

Kick off is a 5:30

North Louisiana is enjoying a snow day as up to half a foot of snow fell from a rare winter storm. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Jeff Palermo.”  

LDH announces that 209 vaccine providers in all 64 parishes will receive vaccines this week. Last week as more residents became eligible to receive the vaccine supply was extremely limited. More pharmacies and health care centers have been added this week. To set up an appointment or find a provider visit CovidVaccine.La.GOV

As students and faculty return to campus at LSU today, they’ll find a few more changes pandemic wise. LSU Interim President Thomas Galligan, Jr. says in addition to voluntary COVID testing on campus, five percent of the campus population will be sent notices every two weeks that they are to report for mandatory COVID testing.

Cut 13 (08)“…required.”

Galligan says after you’ve tested positive, and isolated properly you will not be required to be tested again for 90 days.

The Saints will face the Buccaneers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on Sunday for the third time this season.  New Orleans won the first two matchups and while many believe it’s difficult to beat the same team three times in a season, NFL Analyst Mike Detillier says the numbers say otherwise.

Cut 7 (10) “incorrect narrative.”

The Saints have opened as a three-point favorite.

It’s a winter wonderland across north Louisiana today after a rare snowfall ended this morning. National Weather Service Meteorologist Chris Nuttall says two to four inches of snow fell across the region.

Cut 3 (12)  “…snow band was”

Nuttall says two-to-three inches of snow fell along the I-20 corridor, while as much as a half-foot of snow fell in Zwolle.

As the vaccine rollout continues some question the safety and speed at which the vaccines were approved, Assistant Dean for Translational Science at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, Doctor Lucio Miele says the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are the safest vaccines he’s ever studied, and 70-thousand participants were involved in the clinical trials.

Cut 6 (11) “…and Moderna.”

Chief Nursing Officer at Baton Rouge Woman’s Hospital Cheri Johnson says they thought birth rates would decline due to uncertainty and financial fallout from the pandemic, but birth rates are up. Visitation restrictions however have changed the experience for families, but Johnson says families have gotten extremely creative as they wait for the delivery.

Cut 9 (07) “…a birth.”

After winning both Georgia Senate races Democrats now control both chambers of Congress for the first time in a decade. Political analyst Clancy DuBos says expect dems to push through another, larger COVID relief bill. DuBos says that means bigger stimulus checks, but not without other priorities attached…

Cut 10 (12) “…vaccine.”

Mutations of the coronavirus raise concerns the vaccines being used in the US will not be effective. Brooke Thorington spoke with a physician at LSU-Health New Orleans

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Even though the pandemic has changed hospital visitation, families are making unique adjustments when it comes to childbirth. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

_____________________________

Lost in the crush of news last week was the fact that Democrats now control both chambers of Congress. Matt Doyle spoke with an analyst about what to expect in the short term from the new blue majority…

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.”  

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As two new mutations of the coronavirus have been reported, questions arise if the current vaccines being rolled out in the US will provide adequate protection. Assistant Dean for Translational Science at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, Doctor Lucio Miele said they will.

Cut 4 (10) “…vaccine.”

Miele says we take the flu vaccine annually because it mutates, so a mutation in a virus is nothing new, however, the RNA science that’s developed the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can be easily adapted when needed.

Cut 5 (12) “…the past.”

While some question the safety and speed at which the vaccines were approved, Miele says the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are the safest vaccines he’s ever studied and 70-thousand participants were involved in the clinical trials.

Cut 6 (11) “…and Moderna.”

He says while the mutated strains in Britain and South Africa are much more contagious, they do not necessarily affect the body as severely as COVID-19. While the mutations need to be observed, currently Miele says vaccine-wise the mutations do not pose a threat.

________________________

Chief Nursing Officer at Baton Rouge Woman’s Hospital Cheri Johnson says they thought birth rates would decline due to uncertainty and financial fallout from the pandemic. But instead they’re seeing a slight uptick and they believe changes in the work environment are why many are choosing to add a member to the family.

Cut 7 (05)  “…childcare”

Johnson says on average they have about 8,100 deliveries annually and they are expecting 200 more births than normal next quarter. She says one of the hardest things about the pandemic has been the change in visitation for childbirths.

Cut 8 (09) “…restrictions”

But despite visitation restrictions, Johnson says families are extremely creative as they wait for the delivery.

Cut 9 (07) “…a birth.”

Johnson says she has also witnessed several unique gender reveals by baby-gaters, for example, some dads set off a pink or blue smoke bomb in the parking lot.

________________________________

After winning both Georgia Senate races Democrats now control both chambers of Congress for the first time in a decade. Political analyst Clancy DuBos says expect dems to push through another, larger COVID relief bill. DuBos says that means bigger stimulus checks, but not without other priorities attached…

Cut 10 (12) “…vaccine.”

The Senate is split 50-50 with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris set to be the deciding vote should lawmakers break along party lines. The House is still under Democratic control, but the majority shrunk in the recent election.

DuBos says after the Democrats tackle COVID-related issues expect them to move onto two other topics that have widespread support in the caucus.

Cut 11 (08) “…Presidency.

DuBos also says to expect the majority to move onto more controversial, partisan issues once they take care of their pandemic priorities…

Cut 12 (11) “…change.”

______________________________________________

Roadways are slick in areas where snow has fallen. State Police Trooper Brent Hardy says if you do not have to drive anywhere, stay at home

Cut 13 (10) “…want that.”

Hardy says if you do have to drive, reduce your speed, increase your following distance behind other vehicles and anticipate stops

Cut 14 (12) “…too quickly.” 

Hardy also reminds motorists that bridges and overpasses freeze quicker and stay frozen longer than the rest of the roadway. He says use the 5-1-1 system to get the latest on road closures

Cut 15 (11)“…have to travel”

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The Saints led 7-3 at halftime, but dominated the second half and defeated the 21-9 Bears to advance to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. The defense held Chicago to 239 total yards and just one third down conversion. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns…

Cut 16 (20) “…great teams do.”

Michael Thomas returned from injured reserve to catch his first touchdown pass of the season and Alvin Kamara came back from the COVID-19/reserve list to rush for 99 yards and a touchdown. Kamara says he felt fresh after not playing last week or practicing leading up to the game…

Cut 17 (17) “..didn’t miss a beat”

The win sets up a third game this season against NFC South rival Tampa Bay. New Orleans won the first two match-ups and Brees is looking forward towards another meeting against Tom Brady and the Bucs

Cut  18 (12) “…inevitable.”

__________________________________________________

Cut 19 (23) “…the past.”

cut 20 (23) “…fascinating race.”

Donald Trump says he will not be attending Joe Biden’s inauguration. Baton Rouge Republican and Congressman Garret Graves, who’s called on Trump to effectively resign, says that was the right decision…

Cut 14 (13) “…healing our nation.” 

House Democrats appear set to file new articles of impeachment against the President Monday.

Rouses is facing calls for a boycott after pictures circulated on social media showing co-founder Donald Rouse Sr. at Wednesday’s stop the steal rally. Chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus and Baton Rouge Representative Ted James supports the boycott and says Rouses’ behavior was wrong, even if he didn’t participate in storming the Capitol…

Cut 7 (10) ..problematic.”

Rouse says he does not support the Capitol Hill mob.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission is inundated with calls about the new round of 300 dollars federally boosted unemployment benefits that went into effect this week. Secretary Ava Dejoie says if you need a question answered or need to file a claim, please try to do it at louisianaworks.net first…

Cut 4 (10) “…way.” 

The new round of checks comes as a result of the most recent COVID relief bill.

A winter storm looks set to dump some snow on north Louisiana this weekend. Shreveport National Weather Service Meteorologist Davyon Hill says Over an inch of snow could fall north of Natchitoches and Jena to the Arkansas state line. The last major show event for the region was January 16, 2018, so we’re due…

Cut 11 (06) “…other year.”

Louisiana Congressman Garret Graves gives strong comments on how Donald Trump should spend his final few days as President. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (28) …I’m Jeff Palermo.”  

The state reported 105 deaths from COVID today the second-highest daily death toll from the virus in Louisiana. Governor Edwards said we’ve lost nearly ten months of hard work to slow the spread of COVID and despite all warnings, some still insist on ignoring mitigation measures. Currently, 2,069 COVID patients are hospitalized.

A storm system moving through the south is expected to drop snow on the northern half of Louisiana this weekend. National Weather Service Meteorologist Davyon Hill says it will be a cold weekend and rain will begin to fall Sunday afternoon…

Cut 9 (12) “…morning.”

Over an inch of snow could fall north of Natchitoches and Jena to the Arkansas state line.

Chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus and Baton Rouge Representative Ted James calls for a boycott of Rouses after a photograph of co-owner Donald Rouse Sr. attending the pro-Trump Rally in DC Wednesday circulated. Rouse issued a statement saying he attended to support Trump but condemns the violence. James questions why Rouse only condemns violence at the Capitol.

Cut 6 (12) “…in Virginia.”