LRN Newscast 06:30 January 1, 2015

The Centers for Disease Control says the flu has reached the epidemic level in the United States and the state Department of Health and Hospitals says it will get worse before it gets better in Louisiana.…
cut 1 (29) “…reporting”

It will be a dreary day in north Louisiana. Marty Mayeaux, with the National Weather Service in Shreveport, says we expect cold and rainy conditions…
cut 12 (06) “….of rainfall’
We’re also seeing showers in southwest Louisiana. The high temperature today in Lake Charles will be in the upper 40s.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is accepting applications from individuals who are interested in becoming an enforcement agent. L-D-W-F spokesperson Adam Einck says they are seeking 24 cadets, who will begin six months of intensive training in May…
cut 10 (09) “….enforcement personnel”
Applicants can apply online through the Department of Civil Service website.

With the start of a new year, the minimum wage is going up in 21 states. Here in Louisiana the minimum wage stays at $7.25. But Tulane Business Professor Mark Rosa says with nearly half of the states acting on their own, it wil spur more talk about raising the federal minimum wage…
cut 6 (10) “….has been changed”
Critics of a higher minimum wage say it forces businesses to reduce the size of their work force.