DeVonta Smith, the pride of Amite, won the Heisman Trophy last night after a stellar year at wideout for Alabama. The six-foot-one, 175-pound Smith hopes he can inspire kids who have been told they are too small to play big-time football.

Cut 5  (08) “…too big” 

Smith became the first receiver to win the Heisman since Desmond Howard in 1991.

Ochsner Physician Dr. Jay Brooks was among the first healthcare providers to be vaccinated in Baton Rouge and he’s now received his second injection of the COVID vaccine. As for side effects Brooks says he’s been somewhat achy after the injections.

Cut 6 (07) “…a one.”

Brooks says it’s comparable to the flu shot and not as rough as the shingles vaccine.

A United Health Foundation study shows Louisiana saw a notable uptick in healthcare spending per capita between 2014 and 2019, from 81 dollars a person to 94 dollars a person. United Chief Medical Officer Rhonda Randall says Louisiana also saw a seven percent increase in mental healthcare providers between 2016 and 2020, which is good but far below the curve…

Cut 15 (07)“…period.”

Starting next fall high schoolers can enroll in the Fast Forward initiative, which allows students to spend grades 9 and 10 in high school, but grades 11 and 12 at a post-secondary campus working in an apprenticeship program or towards an associate’s degree. State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says not every student needs four years of traditional high school education…

Cut 10 (04) “…next step.”

Some Congressional Republicans are expected to vote against certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win today. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

Attorney General Jeff Landry and Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin will hold a press conference at 11 am today concerning election integrity and announce the arrest of a city councilman accused of election fraud. It will be live-streamed on the attorney general’s Facebook page. And Governor Edwards will hold his first COVID briefing of the new year at 2:30.

Alabama wide receiver and Amite native Devonta Smith won the Heisman Trophy last night, becoming the first receiver to win the award since Desmond Howard in 1991.  Smith credits his win to the hard work he put in while growing up in Amite City.

Cut 3 (11)  “prove everybody wrong”

Despite choosing Alabama over the home-state LSU Tigers, Smith says his hometown has been very supportive throughout his college career.

A United Health Foundation study highlighted some good progress the state has made over the last decade in key healthcare-related areas. United Chief Medical Officer Rhonda Randall says the number of teen pregnancies dropped 49 percent between 2008 and 2018.

Cut 14 (11) “…half.” 

It’s a contentious day on Capitol Hill as the House and Senate will vote on whether to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory. Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins says he’ll vote no, because election laws were changed without legislative approval and he claims there were largescale voting irregularities…
cut 6 (09) “….fraud”
But Republican Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy says he will vote to certify the election because there’s no evidence of wide-scale fraud that would have impacted the election results.

State lawmakers have approved Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s plan for expanded mail-in balloting opportunities for elections that will be held in February, March and April. But Ardoin says early voting will not be expanded like it was for the Presidential election…
cut 12 (05) “…as well”

Louisiana usually ranks at the bottom of every healthcare study’s yearly report but one group highlighted a few of the things the state got right in the last decade. Matt Doyle has the story.
Voicer 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

The state health department has told hospitals they can use leftover COVID vaccines to vaccinate people 70 years and older. L-D-H reported yesterday that 56-thousand vaccine doses have been administered. Hundreds of people are on waiting lists for the vaccine at 107 selected pharmacies across the state.

Congress will vote today on certifying the results of the November Presidential Election and most of Louisiana’s Republican Congressional delegation will vote against it. Congressman Clay Higgins says he has a constitutional duty to vote against certification because many states changed their election procedures without legislative approval, resulting in illegitimate results.
Cut 4 (12) “…violated.”
Democrat and Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell has strong words for those who refuse to accept President-elect Biden’s victory…
Cut 5 (10) “…right.”
Senator Bill Cassidy is the only Republican in Louisiana’s Congressional delegation who has said he will vote for certification. Cassidy says there might have been isolated incidents of fraud, it’s not enough to change the election results.

The Louisiana Department of Education is launching what they call the Fast Forward Initiative, which Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says will personalize high school for juniors and seniors to help prepare them for their next step beyond high school graduation. Brumley says the goal is to increase the number of high school grads with an associate’s degree…
Cut 8 (07) “…next day.”
Data from 2019 shows only 159 out of 42-thousand graduates earned both a diploma and an associate’s degree upon graduation from high school.

State lawmakers have agreed once again to allow expanded mail-in opportunities for voters for elections that will be held in February, March and April. Senate Governmental Affairs Chairperson Sharon Hewitt says only a small percentage of absentee voters used COVID as an excuse on why they couldn’t vote in person last year…
cut 13 (07) “…opportunity”

U-S Senator John Kennedy and Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins have said they will vote against certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory. Kennedy is pushing for the formation of a commission to conduct an emergency 10-day audit of the results in the disputed states. But Democrat and Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says Congressmen who vote against certifying know what they are doing is wrong…
cut 7 (10) “…Louisiana”
Kennedy is up for re-election next year.

A United Health Foundation report finds that from 2014 to 2019 there was a 16-percent increase in public health funding, 91-dollars per person in Louisiana, which ranks us 26th in the country. United Chief Medical Officer Rhonda Randall…
cut 16 (08) “….go”

Beginning next fall more high school juniors and seniors will have the option to “Fast Forward” their education. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Former Amite High Standout and Alabama wide receiver Devonta Smith won the Heisman Trophy last night. He’s only the second Louisiana native to win the prestigious award. Springhill native John David Crow won the award in 1957 after a standout season as a halfback for Paul Bear Bryant at Texas A-and-M

Republican members of Louisiana’s Congressional delegation are expected to vote against certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win…
cut 1 (31) “….I’m Matt Doyle”

The state health department has told hospitals to begin using current and future COVID vaccine allotments on individuals over the age of 70 and an expanded group of health care workers. L-D-H reported yesterday that 56-thousand vaccine doses have been administered.

The state legislature has approved Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s plan to allow COVID-19 emergency rules to be used again for a special election in February and local and congressional elections in March and April due to the ongoing pandemic. Ardoin says only a small number of voters used the COVID-19 rules in last year’s elections.
Cut 11 (11) “…one-thousand two-hundred-seventeen.”

The state department of education is launching a new program designed to increase the number of high school grads who earn an associate’s degree or participate in a high-demand apprenticeship program during high school. Superintendent of Education Doctor Cade Brumley says the Fast Forward Initiative would allow a high school junior or senior to take classes on a postsecondary campus or a postsecondary satellite campus…
cut 9 (09) “…..electrician”

Some Congressional Republicans are expected to vote against certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win today. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

_______________________________

Beginning next fall more high school juniors and seniors will have the option to “Fast Forward” their education. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

_____________________________

Louisiana usually ranks at the bottom of every healthcare study’s yearly report but one group highlighted a few of the things we got right in the last decade. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.”  

__________________________

Congress will vote today on certifying the results of the November Presidential Election.

Congressman Clay Higgins says he has a constitutional duty to vote against certification because many states changed their election procedures without legislative approval, resulting in illegitimate results.

Cut 4 (12) “…violated.”

Those claims were rejected by the US Supreme Court but are supported by a faction of Republicans, including Higgins and Senator John Kennedy. It is unclear where most of the state’s Republican Congressional delegation stands on a certification vote.

Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell is calling on the delegation to vote to certify. He had strong words for those who refused to accept President-elect Biden’s victory…

Cut 5 (10) “…right.”

But Higgins says along with legal concerns over altered voting procedures he’s also seen evidence of largescale voting irregularities.

Cut 6 (09) “…fraud.”

Louisiana’s senior Senator Bill Cassidy, who says he will vote to certify the election, says no such evidence has been presented showcasing the kind of wide-scale fraud needed to impact the election. Higgins did not name any specific cases of fraud during the interview.

Campbell says Congressmen who vote against certifying know what they are doing is wrong.

Cut 7 (10)  “…Louisiana.”

________________________

The Louisiana Department of Education is launching a pilot program aimed at encouraging more high school juniors and seniors to “Fast Forward” their education. Superintendent Cade Brumley says the Fast Forward program allows students to be better prepared for life after high school while still in school.

Cut 8 (07) “…next day.”

Brumley says about half of the students do not carry a full schedule their last two years of high school giving them more flexibility to changes courses.

Cut 9 (11) “…electrician.”

The program is expected to launch next fall. Brumley says the entry point into the career field is an associate degree, a certificate in a technical craft, an apprenticeship, or a four-year degree.

Cut 10 (04) “…next step.”

Brumley says he’s impressed with the collaboration of higher education and workforce commission in building the FAST FORWARD initiative.

________________________

The legislature approves Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s proposal to allow COVID-19 emergency rules to be used again in the spring and special congressional elections due to the ongoing pandemic.  Ardoin says only a small number of voters used the COVID-19 rules in the July, August, and November elections along with the December run-off to vote absentee.

Cut 11 (11) “…one-thousand two-hundred-seventeen.

While there were extended early voting days and hours for the November election, Ardoin says however for the December run-off election days and hours were not extended for early voting.

Cut 12 (05) “…as well.”

When Ardoin presented the plan last year, many Republicans expressed concern it would allow for voter fraud.  The plan was approved without any objections. Republican Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt…

Cut 13 (07) “…opportunity.”

The measure now awaits Governor John Bel Edwards’s signature.

_______________________________________________

A United Healthcare study highlighted some good progress the state has made over the last decade in key healthcare-related areas.

United Chief Medical Officer Rhonda Randall says the number of teen pregnancies dropped 49 percent between 2008 and 2018.

Cut 14 (11) “…half.” 

Louisiana saw a seven percent increase in mental healthcare providers between 2016 and 2020, which is good, but far below the curve…

Cut 15 (07)“…period.”

Louisiana also increased its per-person healthcare spending from 2014 to 2019 from 81 dollars per person to 94 dollars per person, good for 26^th in the nation. Randall says it’s important to note…

Cut 16 (08) “…go.”

On the downside, we saw excessive drinking rise to 21 percent from 18 percent between 2014 and 2019, the percent of adults with frequent mental stress increased from 15 percent in 2011 to 18.5 percent in 2019.

__________________________________________

The LSU men’s basketball team looks to bounce back tonight against Georgia following last Saturday’s loss to Florida. Tigers coach Will Wade says the Bulldogs like to play at a fast pace and they lead the SEC in rebounding margin

Cut 17 (16) “…for us.”

LSU is 1-1 in the SEC and six and two overall. Wade says he had a spirited talk with his team following the loss to Florida…

Cut  18 (16) “…capable of being.”

_______________________________________________________

The Saints will host the Chicago Bears on Sunday in the first round of the NFL playoffs.  Even though the Saints are playing well, Tight End Jared Cook says the team will need to raise its level of play in the postseason.

Cut 19 (11) “…next step.”

The team is hoping to get All-pro receiver Michael Thomas back after he missed the last few games to rest his injured ankle. Cook says having Thomas on the field makes it harder for teams to double-team a particular player.

cut 20 (17) “…red zone.”

Senator John Kennedy will vote against certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s election win tomorrow in Congress. LSU Poli Sci Professor Robert Hogan says it’s not surprising considering Kennedy is up for reelection in two years and may have greater ambitions…

Cut 10 (11) “…behind”

Senator Bill Cassidy will vote to certify.

A new law took effect this year that requires health insurance companies to cover newly developed precision genetic treatments for cancer patients. River Ridge Senator Kirk Talbot who authored the bill says before most cancer patients couldn’t get coverage for these types of treatments without a serious fight.

Cut 5  (08) “…treatment” 

Talbot says those denied coverage as recently as last month should now be eligible.

Unemployed workers are receiving an extra 300-dollars a week on top of the 247-dollars they receive from the state. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (31) ….I’m Jeff Palermo”  

The Louisiana Department of Health has authorized hospitals to begin vaccinating anyone in the public who is currently in an eligible group with any excess COVID vaccines they may have that exceed their uptake. This comes as public demand this week massively outstripped supply as those over 70 became eligible.