Oral arguments are underway in the US Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on two articles of impeachment. Senators are required to be in attendance in the chamber for six days a week, and at least eight hours a day. Senator Bill Cassidy says yesterday they clocked a long day fighting over the trial rules.

Cut 12 (08) “…last night.”

Democrats will now have 24 hours in the Upper Chamber to make their case.

900,000 dollars of meth was seized by Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s deputies after a vehicle with busted lights was stopped on I-20. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Glenn Springfield says while talking to the suspect, he consented to a search of a vehicle and deputies deployed a K-9 on the vehicle.

Cut 10 (10) “…of about $900,000.” 

The suspect has been identified as Jose Luis Sosa of Houston.

A 17-year-old shot during an armed robbery has died from injuries and two teenagers are now facing first-degree murder charges. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut  2 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

The first US case of the Wuhan Corona Virus has been reported in Washington State, and while it’s has spread rapidly in China the CDC says the virus doesn’t pose much of a threat to Americans. The virus is now transmitting person to person in Wuhan City, China. LSU Health New Orleans Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Fred Lopez says take note if you’ve developed respiratory issues or fever, and…

Cut 3, 11 seconds, infection

The virus has killed 20 and infected about 450 people so far.

Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s deputies conduct a major drug bust on Interstate 20, discovering about $900,000 in meth.  Sheriff’s office spokesperson Glenn Springfield says the Special Crimes Apprehension Team was working last night when they noticed the suspicious vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.

Cut 9 (11) “…lights were defective.”

Governor Edwards indicates he is in support of undoing consolidation of LSU leadership that happened under Governor Jindal in 2012. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.” 

The wind has moved a tarp at the collapsed Hard Rock construction site in New Orleans and the remains of one of the workers who died can be seen from the street. The City is asking the public not take to photos. A controlled implosion of the construction site is scheduled for March.

Despite a pay raise for teachers last year, the average salary for a Louisiana educator remains below the southern regional average. Governor John Bel Edwards has indicated it may take the rest of his term to hit that target. Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter says the teachers would love nothing more than to have the upcoming legislative session that begins in March to lock in a meaningful pay raise.

Cut 8 (12) “…deserve that compensation.”

The state has about 50,000 public school teachers.

A candlelight vigil is scheduled for 17-year-old Matthew Carter, the Comeaux High football player fighting for his life after an alleged attempted car robbery ended with him being shot by two teens, ages 13 & 14.  The vigil will take place tomorrow at 4PM at the Comeaux football stadium.  Carter is hospitalized with critical injuries.

Billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s presidential campaign loads up on renown Louisiana political operatives for it’s push to win the state’s April 4^th primary.  Former Edwards Deputy Chief of Staff Richard Carbo is now the campaign’s State Director. He says the team will have a substantial presence in Louisiana.

Cut 4 (10) “…message.”

Bloomberg is currently polling 5^th in the race nationally.

Governor John Bel Edwards signals support for splitting the vacant LSU Presidency back into two jobs of leadership, one governing the Baton Rouge campus, and one running the other campuses.  Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says former President F. King Alexander’s expanded responsibilities happened in 2012 and were as a result of consolidation during the Jindal years.

Cut 10 (11) “…a long time.”

Despite a pay raise for teachers last year, the average salary for a Louisiana educator remains below the southern regional average. Governor John Bel Edwards has indicated it may take the rest of his term to hit that target. Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter says teachers can’t wait that long…
cut 7 (11) “…been hearing that”
The LFT will pressure lawmakers for an additional pay bump when the regular session begins in March.

In crime blotter news, Bossier City Police detectives are seeking clues in the fatal shooting of a woman found dead in her home last night. Two men were arrested last night in Rapides Parish for last week’s shooting death of 17-year-old Kendall Thompson Junior of Jeanerette. A total of four people are in custody.

Democratic presidential candidate Mike Blomberg has announced his 2020 Louisiana campaign team. Bloomberg has self-financed his campaign hundreds of millions of dollars and has hired several former staffers of Governor John Bel Edwards…
Cut 6 (10) “talent”
That’s Richard Carbo, who will lead Bloomberg’s campaign efforts in Loisiana. Carbo previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Edwards.

It’s an exciting day Louisiana sports fans as Zion Williamson is set to make his long-awaited debut tonight for the Pelicans, who host San Antonio. Williamson missed the first half of the year after undergoing knee surgery. Locked on Pelicans podcast publisher Jake Madison says expect Williamson to only play 10 to 20 minutes as he begins his NBA career…..
cut 14 (08) “…bench”

Governor John Bel Edwards has pledged to give teachers another pay raise so that their salary matches the Southern Regional Average…
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The wind has moved a tarp at the collapsed Hard Rock construction site in New Orleans and the remains of one of the workers who died can be seen from the street. The City is asking the public not take to photos. A controlled implosion of the construction site is scheduled for March.

Governor John Bel Edwards says he supports splitting up LSU leadership duties, having a chancellor running the Baton Rouge campus and a president who oversees the entire LSU system. Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says the two jobs were consolidated during the Jindal administration and there were concerns what it would mean for the flagship university…
cut 11 (09) “….up the flagship”
The LSU Board of Supervisors has an opportunity to split the jobs again, now that there’s an interim president in place.

Rookie Zion Williamson makes his long-awaited NBA debut when the Pelicans host the Spurs for an 8:30 tipoff tonight. Publisher of the Locked on Pelicans podcast, Jake Madison, says with the Pels playing good basketball, the team will not rely on him to score a ton of points…
cut 15 (09) “…impact”
New Orleans has won 11 of its last 16 as it makes a push for a playoff spot.

Governor John Bel Edwards says he supports the idea of splitting the top job at LSU, creating the position of chancellor and system president, which would run the entire LSU system. Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says a chancellor would be tasked with running the Baton Rouge campus and allow for the hiring of two leaders with different skillsets…
cut 12 (10) “…thing unto self”
LSU currently has an interim president after F-King Alexander left for a job in Oregon.

Former New York City Mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg has announced his Louisiana campaign team and it features several former staffers of Governor Edwards. State director Richard Carbo says the campaign has already opened its first office in New Orleans and additional offices will be opened across the state…
cut 5 (10) “…weeks”
The Louisiana Presidential primary is April 4th.

An 18-year-old Sulphur woman has been charged with multiple counts of first-degree rape and authorities say the victims were five and three-years-old. Calcasieu Parish investigators say Lakien Perry shared her sexual encounters with the children on her Instagram account. Judge Robert Wyatt has set Perry’s bond at two-point-eight million dollars.

Rookie sensation Zion Williamson will play his first minutes for the Pelicans tonight after a pre-season injury forced him to miss the first half of the season…
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Governor Edwards indicates he supports splitting the top job at LSU and creating two positions, chancellor which would run the university and president which would oversee the entire system. Kevin Barnhart reports it would undo consolidation of LSU leadership that happened under former Governor Bobby Jindal in 2012.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

We’re seeing a wintry mix this morning in Caddo, DeSoto and Sabine Parishes. The Shreveport Regional Airport is reporting a mixture of light rain and ice pellets.

Louisiana public school teachers received a pay raise of one-thousand dollars last year, but the average salary in the Bayou State for a teacher is still not at the Southern Regional Average. Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter says they will lobby lawmakers to get teacher salaries to the southern regional average this year…
cut 9 (11) “…for school employees”
Teachers on average make about 50-thousand dollars in Louisiana, 18-hundred dollars short of the regional average.

Rookie sensation Zion Williamson takes the court for the Pelicans tonight against the Spurs in New Orleans, the top overall pick’s first game with the team after tearing his meniscus in the preseason. Locked on Pelicans podcast publisher Jake Madison says Williamson joins a team that is clicking, winners of 10 of their last 14.
Cut 13 (12) “…career”
Tip off is at 8:30.

Governor John Bel Edwards indicates it may take the rest of his term to hit the southern regional average for teacher pay raises, but teachers might start to skip town before that time. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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Governor Edwards indicates he is in support of undoing consolidation of LSU leadership that happened under Governor Jindal in 2012. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.” 

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Zion Williamson will play his first minutes for the Pelicans tonight after a pre-season injury kept him out the first half of the season…

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

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Billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s presidential campaign loads up on renown Louisiana political operatives for it’s push to win the state’s April 4^th primary.

Former Edwards Deputy Chief of Staff Richard Carbo is now the campaign’s State Director. He says the team will have a substantial presence in Louisiana.

Cut 4 (10) “…message.”

Bloomberg is currently polling 5^th in the race nationally after a late entry behind Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Joe Biden. No Louisiana primary polls exist yet.

The Democratic primary is currently focused on the February 3^rd Iowa Caucus, but Bloomberg is pinning his hopes on later states. Carbo says so far they’re the first to really pour money into Louisiana.

Cut 5 (10) “…weeks”

33 Democratic primaries will be held before Louisianans vote April 4^th, with roughly 65 percent of all delegates already having been won.

Bloomberg has self-financed his campaign hundreds of millions of dollars and is picking up Democratic staffers across the south, which in Louisiana means former Governor Edwards’ employees…

Cut 6 (08) “talent”

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Despite a pay raise for teachers last year, the average salary for a Louisiana educator remains below the southern regional average. Governor John Bel Edwards has indicated it may take the rest of his term to hit that target. Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter says teachers can’t wait that long…

Cut 7 (11) “…been hearing that.”

The LFT will pressure lawmakers for an additional pay bump.  Carter says the teachers would love nothing more than to have the upcoming legislative session that begins in March to lock in a meaningful pay raise.

Cut 8 (12) “…deserve that compensation.”

Louisiana’s average teacher pay is just over $50,000, about $1,800 shy of the regional average and Carter says it is important to close that gap now.

Cut 9 (11) “…for school employees.”

The state has about 50,000 public school teachers.

____________________

Governor John Bel Edwards signals support for splitting the vacant LSU Presidency back into two jobs of leadership, one governing the Baton Rouge campus, and one running the other campuses.

Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says former President F. King Alexander’s expanded responsibilities happened in 2012 and were as a result of consolidation during the Jindal years.

Cut 10 (11) “…a long time.”

At the time of the consolidation, Erwin says the opinion was split on what the outcome would be, and there’s always some politics involved in choosing how to run the state’s flagship system.

Cut 11 (09) “…up the flagship.”

Erwin says if the old model is brought back, it’s a chance to hire people with different skillsets for both Chancellor and President, as each job caters to different students and facilities.

Cut 12 (10) “…thing unto themself.”

_____________________________________

Rookie sensation Zion Williamson takes the court for the Pelicans tonight against the Spurs in New Orleans, the 1^st overall pick’s first game with the team after tearing his meniscus in preseason.

After a horrendous start to the season, the Pels are one of the hottest teams in the league, just 3.5 games out of the playoffs. Locked on Pelicans publisher Jake Madison says the team is really clicking.

Cut 13 (12) “…career”

He’ll be joining the team’s new young star, former Laker forward Brandon Ingram, who is averaging 26 points a game.

As exciting as his return is, Madison cautions that you likely won’t be seeing much of Zion for the next few weeks. He expects Williamson to get about 10 to 20 minutes a game for the short term.

Cut 14 (08) “…bench”

He’ll have to find his way into a starting lineup of Jrue Holliday, Lonzo Ball, JJ Reddick, Brandon Ingram, and Derrick Favors that’s led a mid-season charge.

Zion will have to find his way in an offense that’s really hit a groove, and Madison says that likely means he’ll see less of the ball than you typically might expect of a young star.

Cut 15 (09) “…impact.”

It’s a late game, tip off set for 8:30.