LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is undergoing a study to see if active video games can help improve health in overweight and obese children. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Today a state judge will hear the case regarding the LHSAA’s decision to remove the Amite football team from the Class 3A playoffs following a bench clearing brawl in their quarterfinal win over Bogalusa. Jeff Palermo reports…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Democrat New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu announces he will not run for the US Senate in 2016. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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 LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is studying whether active video games can help improve health, especially in overweight children. Pennington Assistant Professor Dr. Amanda Staiano says they’re launching the Game Squad study to see if some active games can get kids off the couch and moving. She says boys and girls ages 10 to 12 will be part of the study for six months.

cut 4  (11)  “lose weight”

 Staiano says they want the kids to play the games three times a week and the goal is to get them active for at least an hour a day. She says she’s optimistic the study will prove to be effective and there are a variety of games to keep your children interested.

Cut 5  (08)  “family activity”

Staiano says if you want your child to be a part of the study, call (225) 763-3000 to see if they qualify. She says when you play active games, you’re working up a sweat and raising your heart rate, which is exercise.

Cut 6 (10)  “children’s health”

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Today, a state judge will hear the lawsuit seeking to reverse the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s decision to remove the Amite football team from the Class 3A playoffs following a bench clearing brawl in their quarterfinal win over Bogalusa. LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine says sportsmanship rules clearly state that players who leave the bench area during a fight are automatically suspended for the next game…

CUT 7 (09)  “our state”

If the LHSAA’s ruling stands, St. James will advance to the Three-A title game to face the winner of Friday night’s semifinal contest between West Feliciana and Lutcher. Tangipahoa School system attorney Chris Moody argues that many Amite players left the sidelines because they had just scored a touchdown and the team was preparing to kick the extra point. Bonine is skeptical of that explanation…

Cut 8  (08)  “extra point”

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:30. Bonine is quick to point out that this entire situation is unfair to St. James High as they prepare for a game that may or may not happen tonight…

Cut 9 (09) “on Friday”

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 Louisiana ranks 5^th for the worst drivers in the country. That’s according to the website Car-Insurance-Comparison-dot-com, who says Louisiana is the worst state when it comes to obeying traffic signals. State Police Trooper Melissa Matey says Louisiana also has a problem with drunk drivers, as 42-percent of fatal crashes are due to drinking and driving.

Cut 10 (09) “the wheel”

Matey says another reason Louisiana could have some of the worst drivers is because many people drive on a suspended driver’s license, which is against the law. She says it’s required that everyone in the vehicle be buckled up and troopers often see people not wearing a seatbelt in the back seat.

cut 11 (10) “seating positions”

 Matey says often times speeding is linked to fatal crashes in Louisiana. She advises drivers to maintain the speed limit to stay as safe as possible.

Cut 12 (08) “regain control”

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Democrat New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu announces he will not run for Senator David Vitter’s senate seat. Landrieu, who is in his second term as mayor, says his work in the Crescent City is not yet done. Jeremy Alford, publisher of lapolitics.com says there are several democrats that could run, like former Congressman and US Attorney Don Cazayoux

Cut 13 (10)  “Gary Smith”

Alford says Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell is another possibble 2016 democratic senate candidate. He says it helps that Campbell is close to Governor-Elect John Bel Edwards…

Cut 14 (09) “and months”

Several republicans are also looking at a Senate run next year, including Charles Boustany, John Fleming, John Kennedy and Scott Angelle. Alford says democrats are looking to capitalize on Edwards surprise victory in the governor’s race…

Cut 15  (09) “in 2016” 

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Grambling State goes after its first SWAC title since 2011 when they take on Alcorn State University in Houston Saturday. The Tigers have come along since winning just one game in 2013. Broderick Fobbs took over as head coach in 2014 and one of the first things he did was to show he cares about the players

Cut 16  (18)  “comes to anything”

 G-S-U defeated Alcorn State earlier this year 35-34. Fobbs anticipates another great game….

Cut 17 (11) “puts in place”

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The Saints are a touchdown underdog heading into Sunday’s matchup with undefeated Carolina. New Orleans Quarterback Drew Brees says they’ll have to execute at a high level to beat the Panthers…

Cut 18 (14) “…good execution”

The Saints are mired in a three-game losing streak and they are out of the playoff picture. Brees says they have to stop making the mistakes that keep them from winning…

Cut 19 (17) “that around”

Governor-elect John Bel Edwards has named Democratic Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell as the co-chair of his transition committee looking at the state’s budget problems. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (27)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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The City of Alexandria kicks off their first ever AlexWinterFete and hopes people from all over will come out to experience the festival. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

===================

Governor-elect John Bel Edwards says he plans to issue an executive order with the intent of protecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender state workers and contractors from unfair treatment and discrimination. Edwards says this directive will not be something new to Louisiana…

CUT 3 (08)  “were governors”

Former Democratic Governors Edwin Edwards and Kathleen Blanco signed similar decrees to protect LGBT state workers from harassment when they were in office. Edwards stated during his campaign that he would issue such an order if elected and it appears the Governor-elect plans on following through…

CUT 4 (03)  “to do”

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Governor-elect John Bel Edwards has named Democratic Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell as the co-chair of his transition committee that will take a look at the state’s budget problems. Campbell says the committee members definitely have their work cut out for them…

CUT 5 (10)  “stands today”

Former inspector general and assistant legislative auditor Sharon Robinson will serve with Campbell as co-chair of the committee. Campbell says the committee’s task is to find solutions for the state’s budget deficit…

CUT 6 (11) “the situation”

He says this committee is truly bipartisan with members representing all walks of life across the state. Campbell says there are a lot of good people on this committee and believes they are ready to do right by Louisiana…

CUT 7 (09)  “to recovery”

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The City of Alexandria kicks off their first annual Alex Winter Fete today. The three day winter festival will take place in downtown Alexandria. Director of Community Services Daniel Williams says tonight will start out with a visit from Santa and a variety of street performers.

CUT 8 (08)  “the tree”

Williams says Saturday will be a full day of activities with bands on the main stage, as well as, a carnival aspect with food vendors everywhere. He says the biggest attraction for the festival is an ice skating rink, which will be open in the evenings.

CUT 9 (08)  “to 11:30”

Williams says Saturday there will be an Ugly Christmas Sweater 5-K run and an ugly sweater contest immediately following the run. He expects a lot of people to come out to Alex Winter Fete, especially because of the free ice skating rink.

cut 10 (09)  “a staple”

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LSU President F. King Alexander says the final decision on whether or not to keep Les Miles as head coach wasn’t made until after halftime of the Texas A&M game according to business-report-dot-com. Alexander says the cost of the buyout and the show of public support for Miles went into the decision. Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham says Miles went into that game not knowing his job status…:

Cut 11 (11) “found out”

The cost of Miles buyout was going to be paid by private donors, but Worsham says Alexander made it clear that the PR hit would have been tremendous either way…:

cut 12 (07)  “that matters”

Worsham says even though Miles gets to keep his job for now, it’s likely the fate of the Mad Hatter is still in limbo because the decision was made for political reasons. He says, looking ahead, Governor-elect John Bel Edwards has promised to fund higher education with more state money..:

cut 13 (10)  “this year”

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A report from the national Mental Health Association shows Louisiana as a state with among the highest occurrences of mental illness and the lowest rates to access to care. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has unveiled new rules for catfish. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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 Governor-elect John Bel Edwards spoke at the Council for a Better Louisiana’s annual luncheon and discussed future plans for his administration. Emelie Gunn has more…..

Cut 3 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A report from the national Mental Health Association shows Louisiana as a state with among the highest occurrences of mental illness and the lowest rates to access to care. The Bayou State ranks 47th on their 2015 list. Brittany Howard, Director of Mental Health America of Louisiana, says Governor-elect John Bel Edwards’ plan for Medicaid expansion gives them hope that these numbers improve…

cut 4  (09)  “access to care”

She says Medicaid expansion will improve access to the needy across the state who require care. But Howard says Medicaid expansion is just one part of the puzzle. She says lawmakers need to be educated more on the importance of access to health care…

Cut 5  (07)  “to succeed”

She says mental illness has developed a stigma due to it being associated to several mass shooting that have occurred around the country. Howard says they need to change that mindset because mental illness rarely turns violent and there is really nothing to be afraid of…

Cut 6 (10)  “anyone else”

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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has unveiled new rules for catfish. The mandate requires stricter inspection standards for the product before it can be sold as food. Chad Causey with The Catfish Institute says they applaud the implementation of the program by the USDA because it’s another step in making food safer…:

CUT 7 (11)  “healthy product”

Causey says the rule will require both US farmers and countries exporting catfish to the US to meet safety standards set by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service in a similar fashion to meat and poultry producers. He says catfish at grocery stores will have the stamp to let consumers know that the product has been inspected and passed by the USDA…:

Cut 8  (05)  “contaminants”

The rules go into effect in 90 days. Critics of the inspection standards say the rules will place a burden on the seafood industry and are designed to protect US catfish farmers from overseas competition. But Causey says the rules are the same across the board and if catfish imports are safe and free of contaminants, it will be allowed to come in…:

Cut 9 (09) “restaurant tables”

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The US House is expected to vote today on a transportation bill that would provide Louisiana an additional 100-million dollars a year in federal highway dollars. Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves helped craft the legislation and he says the bill also provides states with grant opportunities to help pay for major transportation improvements in south Louisiana

Cut 10 (09) “I-12″

Graves says the legislation also has a language in it that would help state and local governments interface traffic management with cell phones, Google and Waze maps…

cut 11 (11) “existing roadways”

Graves was a conferee during negotiations between the House and Senate over the final details of this five-year highway funding bill. He says there are some provisions in this legislation that are biased towards to Louisiana to help improve traffic flow…

Cut 12 (09) “by the day”

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Governor-elect John Bel Edwards previews what his administration will seek to do over the next four years. He spoke at the Council for a Better Louisiana’s annual luncheon. Edwards says he will continue to act on his promises made during his campaign and be as bi-partisan as possible to solve the state’s problems.

Cut 13 (11)  “political spectrum”

During the 17 minute speech, Edwards hinted at making changes to the state’s accountability system for public education. He wonders if our students are taking too many standardized tests.

Cut 14 (10) “too many things”

Even though Edwards spoke before a group of business leaders, he expressed his wish for equal pay between men and women and a higher wage for the state’s poorest workers.

Cut 15  (09) “kid or two” 

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A very frustrating season for the ULM Warhawks comes to a close this Saturday when they host New Mexico State in the regular season finale. ULM has lost ten in a row and interim head coach John Mumford says getting a win for the seniors on Saturday is important…

Cut 16  (16)  “right way”

ULM’s last win was on September 12th against Nicholls State. The latest defeat came this past Saturday as they fell to Hawaii 28-26. Mumford admits the losing has taken its toll

Cut 17 (17) “winning games”

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The Ragin Cajuns regular season finale is Saturday as they host Troy. At 4-7, UL Lafayette still has an outside shot of getting a bowl bid, because there’s not enough bowl eligible teams and the NCAA will alow teams with a 5-7 record to go to a bowl. Coach Hudspeth says a team with a losing record doesn’t deserve to go to a bowl, but they would still accept an invite

Cut 18 (16) “….give ya”

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The Saints welcome the 11-0 Carolina Panthers to the Mercedes Benz Superdome for a 3:25 kickoff this Sunday. Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is having an MVP type season as he’s thrown for 24-hundred yards and 20 touchdowns. Coach Sean Payton says Newton is generating a lot of big plays…

Cut 19 (18) “poised and confident”

The Saints are 4-and-7 and the playoffs look like a longshot. Payton dismisses the idea that handing Carolina its first loss of the season would make their season

Cut 20 (18) “is on”

Governor-elect John Bel Edwards has publicly endorsed New Orleans Democrat Walt Leger as the next state Speaker of the House. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (28)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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The Amite high school football team has been ousted from the playoffs by the LHSAA. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

===================

Governor-elect John Bel Edwards has publicly endorsed New Orleans Democrat Walt Leger as the next state Speaker of the House. Edwards spoke about the Speaker position at a joint news conference with Governor Bobby Jindal…

CUT 3 (09)  “young man”

Leger currently serves as Speaker Pro Tempore of the Louisiana House. Current House Speaker, Republican Chuck Kleckley of Lake Charles, is leaving the House due to term limits. The Governor-elect feels Leger has proven his willingness and talent in working with Republicans…

CUT 4 (09)  “in Louisiana”

Although Republicans hold a majority of state House seats, the governor has traditionally played a big role in the selection of the Speaker. Edwards believes Leger’s ability to work across the isle will reinforce the Governor-elect’s bipartisan approach to state government…

CUT 5 (06)  “effective legislature”

============================

Governor Bobby Jindal says the letter from the White House indicating the state would start getting detailed information about the Syrian refugees resettling in Louisiana, is not good enough. President Obama’s Chief of Staff says a monthly report will be provided to governors with refugees entering their state. Jindal says the response is not up to par…:

CUT 6 (10) “into our state”

The letter also said the federal government’s vetting of refugees is “the most robust screening process for anyone coming into the US.” But Jindal feels the state should get details about those escaping the Syrian civil war before they come to Louisiana to resettle, not after…:

CUT 7 (09)  “being placed here”

Jindal says he’s calling on Congress to stop the Obama Administration from allowing the Syrian refugee operation to continue in the United States…:

CUT 8 (06)  “of our security”

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State Police say a shooting at the Morehouse Parish Courthouse has left one man dead. Trooper Michael Reichardt says 42-year-old Keith Atkins was in court for a hearing when the incident happened…

CUT 9 (06)  “committed suicide”

He says, during a scuffle, Atkins took a bailiff’s gun and committed suicide. It has been reported that Atkins was in jail on kidnapping and drug charges stemming from a February arrest. Reichardt says the situation was over rather quickly…

cut 10 (04)  “that was it”

No one else was injured in the incident. The State Police investigation is ongoing. Reichardt says the public was never in any real danger…

Cut 11 (07) “to the public”

============================

The Louisiana High School Athletic Association executive committee has removed the Amite football team from the Class 3A playoffs as a result of a benches clearing fight that erupted in a quarterfinal victory over Bogalusa. Tangipahoa School system attorney Chris Moody says they’ve filed a suit and hope a state judge reverses what he calls a “harsh” decision

cut 12 (07)  “next year”

LHSAA’s sportsmanship rules say that players who leave the bench area during a fight are automatically suspended for the next game. But Moody argues many players left the sidelines because the Warriors had just scored a touchdown and the team was preparing to kick the extra point…

cut 13 (06)  “to fight”

If the LHSAA’s ruling stands, St. James advances to the Three-A title game where they’ll play the winner of Friday night’s semifinal contest between West Feliciana and Lutcher. Moody says they believe the LHSAA’s punishment doesn’t fit what happened towards the end of the game

cut 14 (11)  “next game” 

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Corrected to show the time change on voicer 2 is 27 seconds, not 30.

Today starts the three day qualifying period for presidential candidates to get on the March 5^th primary ballot for Louisiana. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Governor Bobby Jindal and Governor-elect John Bel Edwards met in Baton Rouge Tuesday to discuss the plans to transition from one administration to another. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (27) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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 LSU will find out its bowl destination this week. Jeff Palermo looks at the possibilities…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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After some unseasonably warm temperatures over the Thanksgiving holiday, cooler temperatures are in store for the Bayou State. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a cold front moved through the state Tuesday, bringing cooler air for the next few days. He says frontal overrunning weather conditions are affecting much of the state today….

cut 4  (09)  “all day”

He says you can expect clouds and scattered showers across much of the state today with temperatures mostly in the 50s. Keim says skies should begin clearing tonight, bringing chilly temperatures to Louisiana Thursday…

Cut 5  (10)  “the state”

He says some areas of the state will see low temperatures in the 30s for the next couple of days. Keim says these cooler conditions will be short lived…

Cut 6 (08)  “beautiful out”

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Today begins a three day qualifying period for candidates to sign up and get on the ballot for Louisiana’s March 5^th Presidential Primary Election. Political Analyst Clancy Dubois says since Louisiana’s presidential primary falls a few days after “Super Tuesday,” Louisiana will not have a strong say on who the parties will nominate.

CUT 7 (07)  “many delegates”

Secretary of State Tom Schedler expects most of the candidates to qualify by mail or sending a representative to his office to qualify. Dubos says the two Republican frontrunners are Donald Trump and Ben Carson and predicts that nomination process will be very competitive.

Cut 8  (09)  “could change”

Republican Presidential candidate Marco Rubio is bringing his campaign to New Orleans today and candidate Jeb Bush began assembling a campaign team in the state soon after Gov. Bobby Jindal dropped out of the race. Dubos says we’re seeing more interest on the Republican side because that race is more closely contested.

Cut 9 (06) “the nominee”

______________________________________

Governor Bobby Jindal and Governor-elect John Bel Edwards met in Baton Rouge Tuesday to discuss the plans to transition from one administration to another. Edwards will be sworn into office on January 11th. At the Governor’s Mansion, Jindal said the two met for about an hour..:

Cut 10 (07) “as possible”

Jindal, a Republican, says they’ve told the Edwards team that they have full access to the cabinet officials, agency heads and any other information the Democratic Governor-elect may need… :

cut 11 (09) “over an hour”

Edwards thanked Jindal for being so open with information and says he believes the transition is going very smoothly. He says there is a lot of work to be done in a short period of time…:

Cut 12 (11) “cooperation”

Edwards says one of the best parts of our democracy is transitioning of power…:

Cut 13 (11)  “done that”

________________________________________

We’ll find out this weekend which bowl game LSU will play in this year. Jerry Palm makes bowl projections for cbs-sports-dot-com and Palm says LSU could play in a bowl game in Florida or the Texas Bowl in Houston, but it’s hard to predict because the league office has a big say on bowl assignments

Cut 14 (10) “sorts of things”

There’s been some speculation that LSU could play Miles’ alma mater, Michigan, in the Citrus Bowl. Palm says the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans will likely feature Baylor and the loser of the SEC Championship game between Alabama and Florida, even though Ole Miss fans think they are going to the Sugar…

Cut 15  (06) “if Florida loses” 

Palm says Louisiana Tech could play in the R-and-L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. He says Southern Miss could be the other option from Conference USA to play a school from the Sun Belt…

Cut 16  (11)  “Liberty Bowl”

Today starts the three day qualifying period for presidential candidates to get on the March 5^th primary ballot for Louisiana. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Governor Bobby Jindal and Governor-elect John Bel Edwards met in Baton Rouge Tuesday to discuss the plans to transition from one administration to another. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

 LSU will find out its bowl destination this week. Jeff Palermo looks at the possibilities…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

After some unseasonably warm temperatures over the Thanksgiving holiday, cooler temperatures are in store for the Bayou State. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a cold front moved through the state Tuesday, bringing cooler air for the next few days. He says frontal overrunning weather conditions are affecting much of the state today….

cut 4  (09)  “all day”

He says you can expect clouds and scattered showers across much of the state today with temperatures mostly in the 50s. Keim says skies should begin clearing tonight, bringing chilly temperatures to Louisiana Thursday…

Cut 5  (10)  “the state”

He says some areas of the state will see low temperatures in the 30s for the next couple of days. Keim says these cooler conditions will be short lived…

Cut 6 (08)  “beautiful out”

______________________________________

Today begins a three day qualifying period for candidates to sign up and get on the ballot for Louisiana’s March 5^th Presidential Primary Election. Political Analyst Clancy Dubois says since Louisiana’s presidential primary falls a few days after “Super Tuesday,” Louisiana will not have a strong say on who the parties will nominate.

CUT 7 (07)  “many delegates”

Secretary of State Tom Schedler expects most of the candidates to qualify by mail or sending a representative to his office to qualify. Dubos says the two Republican frontrunners are Donald Trump and Ben Carson and predicts that nomination process will be very competitive.

Cut 8  (09)  “could change”

Republican Presidential candidate Marco Rubio is bringing his campaign to New Orleans today and candidate Jeb Bush began assembling a campaign team in the state soon after Gov. Bobby Jindal dropped out of the race. Dubos says we’re seeing more interest on the Republican side because that race is more closely contested.

Cut 9 (06) “the nominee”

______________________________________

Governor Bobby Jindal and Governor-elect John Bel Edwards met in Baton Rouge Tuesday to discuss the plans to transition from one administration to another. Edwards will be sworn into office on January 11th. At the Governor’s Mansion, Jindal said the two met for about an hour..:

Cut 10 (07) “as possible”

Jindal, a Republican, says they’ve told the Edwards team that they have full access to the cabinet officials, agency heads and any other information the Democratic Governor-elect may need… :

cut 11 (09) “over an hour”

Edwards thanked Jindal for being so open with information and says he believes the transition is going very smoothly. He says there is a lot of work to be done in a short period of time…:

Cut 12 (11) “cooperation”

Edwards says one of the best parts of our democracy is transitioning of power…:

Cut 13 (11)  “done that”

________________________________________

We’ll find out this weekend which bowl game LSU will play in this year. Jerry Palm makes bowl projections for cbs-sports-dot-com and Palm says LSU could play in a bowl game in Florida or the Texas Bowl in Houston, but it’s hard to predict because the league office has a big say on bowl assignments

Cut 14 (10) “sorts of things”

There’s been some speculation that LSU could play Miles’ alma mater, Michigan, in the Citrus Bowl. Palm says the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans will likely feature Baylor and the loser of the SEC Championship game between Alabama and Florida, even though Ole Miss fans think they are going to the Sugar…

Cut 15  (06) “if Florida loses” 

Palm says Louisiana Tech could play in the R-and-L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. He says Southern Miss could be the other option from Conference USA to play a school from the Sun Belt…

Cut 16  (11)  “Liberty Bowl”

A recent survey by Morning Consult on Louisiana’s US Senators shows both David Vitter and Bill Cassidy’s job approval ratings in the mid-40s. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Richland Parish Congressman Ralph Abraham is back from his Thanksgiving trip to visit US troops in Afghanistan. Emelie Gunn has more….

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

===================

Governor-elect John Bel Edwards spoke before the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus about the future of higher education in Louisiana. Edwards told the group that it’s important to fight to make sure children all over the state of Louisiana have opportunities to succeed…

CUT 3 (10)  “higher education”

Edwards was the keynote speaker at last weekend’s Bayou Classic Scholarship Jazz Brunch. The Governor-elect says he will begin his term with a focus on education…

CUT 4 (09)  “in Louisiana”

He says proper funding for higher education is a priority. Edwards says it’s imperative that the state’s general fund component for higher education is increased…

CUT 5 (06)  “for me”

============================

Today is Giving Tuesday and that means it’s your chance to give back to charities. The American Red Cross is participating in their third Giving Tuesday and hopes everyone who can, will give back in a meaningful way. Louisiana Region Spokesperson Nancy Malone says the holiday season is a time of warmth and giving.

CUT 6 (09) “overnight”

Malone says the power of giving in the community can change the lives of so many people in need. She says you can visit Red-Cross-dot-org-slash-gifts (redcross.org/gifts) to donate and see how your dollars can add up, plus you’ll see heartwarming stories from people across the world who have been helped by the Red Cross.

CUT 7 (11)  “look at”

Malone says if you can’t donate monetarily, there are other ways to help out, like donating blood or volunteering. She says their latest program during the holiday season is called Holiday Mail for Heroes.

CUT 8 (10)  “you involved”

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A recent survey on Louisiana’s US Senators shows both David Vitter and Bill Cassidy’s job approval ratings in the mid-40s. The report, by Morning Consult, shows 47-percent of Louisiana voters approve of Vitter’s job performance and Cassidy only gets a 44-percent approval rating. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says Cassidy’s low rating is surprising…

CUT 9 (06)  “to Cassidy”

The report shows about 24-percent of respondents didn’t know enough about Cassidy to rate him. Vitter has announced that he will not seek re-election next year which will make Cassidy Louisiana’s senior senator. Cross says this will seriously damage Louisiana’s power in the Senate…

cut 10 (10)  “US Senate”

Cassidy is finishing his first year in the upper chamber. Cross says Cassidy’s involvement in health care issues and public policy will see his stature in the Senate grow in the coming years…

Cut 11 (07) “to posturing”

============================

Richland Parish Congressman Ralph Abraham is back in Louisiana after spending his Thanksgiving holiday with American soldiers in Afghanistan. Abraham says he was honored to spend time with the people who let us sleep safely every night. He says the men and women are optimistic about their mission of training Afghan soldiers to battle terrorism in their country.

cut 12 (10)  “hostile enviornment”

Abraham spent his trip having lunch with Louisiana soldiers, as well as, meeting with Afghan President Ghani. He says if President Obama will listen to his advisors on the ground in Afghanistan, keeping 9,800 troops in the country will be effective to combating terrorism.

cut 13 (09)  “lead the way”

Abraham says they want to give Afghanistan the democratic type of government that they want. He says it likely won’t entail all the freedoms we see in America, but it will better the country’s current status.

cut 14 (08)  “that’s attainable” 

============================

Will Governor-elect John Bel Edwards look to raise the state’s $7.25 minimum wage when he takes office next year? Jeff Palermo reports…

CUT 1 (27) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The American Automobile Association says December could bring the lowest gas prices we’ve seen in 7 years.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Revenue’s 2015 Louisiana Tax Amnesty gets underway today. Eric Gill reports…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Eric Gill”

______________________________________

Will Governor-elect John Bel Edwards look to raise the state’s minimum wage when he takes office next year? Edwards said during the campaign that he supports raising the minimum wage that currently sits at $7.25. Louisiana Budget Project Director Jan Moller says the new governor gives supporters of a minimum wage increase hope…

cut 4  (10)  “few more months”

Louisiana is one of five states that has not set a minimum wage, instead defaulting to the federal government’s rate. Opponents of a higher minimum wage say new mandates would have an adverse effect on the current state of the economy. But Moller says minimum wage increases have worked in other parts of the country…

Cut 5  (11)  “come to pass”

He says it’s too early to predict whether a minimum wage bill will make it to the governor’s desk. Moller says an LSU poll conducted last year shows that 72-percent of residents support increasing the minimum wage to at least $8.50 per hour…

Cut 6 (09)  “poverty line”

______________________________________

The American Automobile Association of Louisiana says the plunging prices at the pump have the state moving into a direction that could bring them to their lowest since 2008. The current statewide average for a gallon of regular is about $1.86. AAA fuel analyst Don Redman says we might reach a low point this month that we haven’t seen in nearly 7 years…:

CUT 7 (08)  “$1.60 a range”

Redman says the earlier forecast by the US Department of Energy showed that by December we’d be looking at a national average of about $2.00, but it seems it will be even lower than that. He says this is coming at a great time for the motoring public as they put their budget together for the holidays…:

Cut 8  (08)  “for the family”

Louisiana’s average prices are down about 4 cents from last week, 8 cents from last month and 72 cents lower than last year. Redman says, statewide, we could be in the $1.60 range by mid-December, and dropping…:

Cut 9 (08) “current thought”

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After a brief suspension, the Louisiana Department of Revenue’s 2015 Louisiana Tax Amnesty gets underway today. Deputy Secretary Jarrod Coniglio (ca-nig-lee-oh) says this is the final amnesty period for at least 10 years. He says the delay was prompted by a mistake with with the information included in some of the original invitation letters sent out in early November…

Cut 10 (10) “December 31st”

The amnesty will run through December 31st. Coniglio says their goal is to raise $50 million during the amnesty period. He says this is a great opportunity to clear the slate when it comes to delinquent taxes. Coniglio says the department is offering incentives to taxpayers to clear their bill…

cut 11 (09) “of the interest”

During the amnesty period, the Department of Revenue will waive 33-percent of the penalty and 17-percent of the interest owed when 100-percent of the tax debt is paid. Coniglio says you can even set up an installment plan if you cannot make full payment by December 31st…

Cut 12 (07) “of 2016″

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State police say they worked four fatal crashes over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend that resulted in ten fatalities. The youngest victim was a two month old infant from Baton Rouge, while the oldest was an 87-year-old man from Ville Platte.  L-S-P Sergeant Nick Manale says everyone needs to take safety precuations to prevent more fatalities

Cut 13 (08)  “distracted”

Manale asks drivers to be vigiliant during this holiday period…

Cut 14 (10) “while impaired”

Manale says if you happen to notice aggressive driving or impaired driving, don’t hesitate to call State Police…

Cut 15  (08) “your way” 

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LSU sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris did not finish the season strong as he struggled in November and didn’t perform well in the win over Texas A&M. Harris completed just seven passes  for 83 yards and he was intercepted once in the win over the Aggies. Coach Les Miles says Harris looked much better earlier in the season

Cut 16  (15)  “do there”

Sophomore Malachi Dupre led the team in receiving during the regular season as he caught 39 passes for 602 yards and 6 touchdowns. Dupre says LSU’s passing game is still a work in progress…

Cut 17 (17) “execute the plays”

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McNeese State is getting ready to host Southland Conference rival Sam Houston State in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Cowboys are a four-seed in the tournament and received a bye into the second round, while the Bearkats beat Southern Utah in a shootout 42-39. McNeese Coach Matt Viator hopes the week off will not hurt their play for Saturday’s game…

Cut 18 (14) “….little rusty”

Sam Houston used two quarterbacks to beat Southern Utah, Jeremiah Briscoe and Jared Johnson. Viator says Briscoe is a good passer, while Johnson is good running the football…

Cut 19 (20) “for sure”

Today marks the end of the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane season and it was a good one for Louisiana as no storms threatened the state. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (28)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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It appeared LSU’s Les Miles was set to lose his job, but he remains the Fighting Tigers head coach. Jeff Palermo looks at how that happened….

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Today marks the end of the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane season and it was quite favorable for Louisiana as no storms threatened the state. State Climatologist Barry Keim says forecasters were were pretty accurate with their predictions this season…

CUT 3 (10)  “major hurricanes”

He says there were 11 named storms this hurricane season, one below the long term average. Four of those storms became hurricanes, two major hurricanes, but none threatened to make landfall in the United States. Keim says you can thank wind shear created by El Nino for that…

CUT 4 (08)  “protect us”

He says the last hurricane to make landfall in Louisiana was Category 1 Hurricane Isaac in 2012. It’s been ten seasons since a major hurricane has made landfall in the United States. Keim says some are wondering if we’re moving into a period of less severe hurricanes…

CUT 5 (08)  “plays out”

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So how did Les Miles keep his job as head coach of the LSU Tigers. It appeared Miles was coaching his final game in Tiger Stadium on Saturday, but after the victory, athletic director Joe Alleva announced Miles would return for another season. Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham says LSU’s president saved Miles’ job…

CUT 6 (12) “as the coach”

If Miles was fired before January 1st, LSU would owe him 15-million dollars. Worsham says for LSU president and chancellor F King Alexander, who is pushing for more state funding to help the academic side of the university,  the 15-million dollar buyout was too tough of a pill to swallow, even though private donors would have paid the buyout

CUT 7 (07)  “football team”

Some are now calling for athletic director Joe Alleva to be fired for mishandling this situation. Worsham doesn’t see that happening…

CUT 8 (07)  “through 2020”

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Today is Cyber Monday, a day where retailers promote huge online sales. The annual online shopping spree celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. LSU Marketing Professor Dan Rice says Cyber Monday shopping is a growing trend…

CUT 9 (10)  “of that impetus”

Last year, sales on Cyber Monday reached a record $2.68 billion. According to the research firm ShopperTrak, Black Friday sales fell 10-percent this year and Rice feels that online shopping played a factor in that…

cut 10 (10)  “to do it”

But he says just because you find a discounted item on Cyber Monday, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s at its best price of the year. Rice says as shoppers become more savvy to finding deals online, Cyber Monday could begin to lose some of its luster…

Cut 11 (09) “of the year”

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The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office says a teenager came home from a hunting trip over the weekend, and discovered her step-father, mother and two young half brothers dead in an apparent murder suicide. Col John Fortunato says the 18-year-old had been gone since Friday, and returned to her Marrero home Sunday morning…:

cut 12 (10)  “pool of blood”

The deceased are identified as 46-year-old David Mata, 40-year-old Kelli Mata, 4-year-old Caden Mata and 2-year-old Liam Mata. He says cops arrived and discovered the Mata’s dead from apparent stab wounds in the living room, and their children in separate bedrooms laying in bed, also pronounced dead from apparent stab wounds…:

cut 13 (09)  “took his own life”

According to media reports, Mata pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife Kelli in 2010, and in 2002 David Mata pleaded guilty to possessing 1,000 anabolic steroid tablets. Fortunato says they believe David Mata killed his wife and their kids before taking his own life. He says they have no idea why David Mata would commit such a horrific act…:

cut 14 (05)  “in this matter” 

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A UL-Lafayette researcher is trying to find the burial grounds of the first Acadians in an effort to discover the location of their colony. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (27) “I’m Eric Gill”

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What’s ahead for Governor Bobby Jindal professionally as his second term ends? Jeff Palermo reports…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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 The Attorney General’s Office is giving online holiday shoppers some tips to keep secure. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A UL-Lafayette researcher is trying to find the burial grounds of the first Acadians in an effort to discover the location of their colony. Anthropologist Mark Rees says the goal of the New Acadia Project is to discover the location of the New Acadia Colony that dates back to the mid-18th century…

cut 4  (12)  “around Loreauville”

He says they believe the colony was set up along Bayou Teche in Iberia Parish around Loreauville. Rees says they have received permission from the state and property owners to exhume the graves that possibly belong to the first Acadians. But he says they are approaching this in a cautious way…

Cut 5  (11)  “be reburied”

He says finding the graves is just the first step in finding the settlement that must be nearby. Rees says if these graves do contain the remains of the first Acadians, it will be an enormous breakthrough…

Cut 6 (08)  “were like”

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There are six weeks remaining in Bobby Jindal’s final term as Governor of Louisiana. Jindal has said that he and his family will remain in Baton Rouge after his term ends, but what’s ahead for him professionally? Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Jindal will likely use his experience in government to land a job…

CUT 7 (08)  “national boards”

Pinsonat says Jindal will probably use his expertise in government to pick up a job with a national company as a consultant. As far as the governor’s political future, Pinsonat doesn’t see Jindal seeking political office in the foreseeable future…

Cut 8  (08)  “in Louisiana”

He says Jindal’s current unpopularity in Louisiana will probably keep him from running for office for quite a while. Pinsonat believes Jindal’s presidential aspirations really damaged his political future in Louisiana…

Cut 9 (10) “very unpopular”

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Les Miles is still the coach of the LSu football team despite a couple of weeks of speculation that he will be fired at the end of the regular season. But Athletics Director Joe Alleva announced after Saturday’s win over Texas A&M that Miles will remain the Tigers coach. Miles was asked if there were any hard feelings over the speculation that he could lose his job.

Cut 10 (09) “that way”

Miles and the Tigers ended a three-game losing streak by beating Texas A&M 19-7. Before Miles began his postgame press conference, Alleva announced that Miles would return next year. The mad hatter is grateful for a chance to the lead the Tigers again next season…

cut 11 (12) “quality men”

There are still questions whether offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will return. His contract is set to expire after the bowl game. Miles was noncommittal about Cameron’s future, but he expects the offense next year to feature running back Leonard Fournette.

Cut 12 (12) “bit much”

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The Attorney General’s Office has some tips to keep online holiday shoppers secure. Assistant Attorney General Lisha Landry advises people to make sure they’re using private wireless connections that are password protected, not unsecure wifi from coffee shops or other public locations. She says also make sure the website you’re using is secure before entering credit card information.

Cut 13 (07)  “is secure”

Landry says always pay my credit card rather than using money orders or debit because there is an added protection. She says make sure to keep records after making online purchases.

Cut 14 (05) “return policy”

Landry says feel free to contact the Attorney General’s Office to check the consumer dispute database. She says if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Cut 15  (10) “a scam” 

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Louisiana Tech’s regular season ended in a frustrating manner as the Bulldogs turned it over seven times in a 58-24 loss to Southern Miss. The defeat keeps the Bulldogs from playing in the Conference USA Championship game. Head Coach Skip Holtz says it was a disappointing way to end the year…

Cut 16  (12)  “for it”

 Tech finishes the regular season with an 8-4 record and they’ll find out on December sixth when it comes to which bowl game they’ll play in. It’s been projected Tech will get an invite to the New Orleans Bowl. Holtz says he’ll team wait to hear its fate..

Cut 17 (19) “field again”

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The Saints dropped their third straight game on Sunday as the Houston Texans topped New Orleans 24-6. Offensively, the Saints could only muster two field goals, so for the first time in 155 games the Saints failed to score a TD. Coach Sean Payton on the disappointing loss..

Cut 18 (14) “….of it

New Orleans was held to 268 total yards, just 50 yards on the ground. The loss drops the Saints record to 4-7. Brees remains optimistic the Saints can make a run at the playoffs, but they have undefeated Carolina coming to town.

Cut 19 (14) “for us”