This morning lawmakers will meet to discuss the state of Louisina’s insurance market. Matt Doyle has the story.

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Last week’s storm has many residents working in their yards removing damaged plants. But you might be adding insult to injury.. Brooke Thorington explains.

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A 29-year-old Baton Rouge native is set to be the first cancer survivor ever launched into space. Matt Doyle has the story.

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A joint legislative task force meets today to discuss the state’s insurance market and insurance affordability issues.

A substantial package of tort reform went into effect January 1^st that supporters say will ultimately lead to lower premiums. Task Force Co-Chair Kirk Talbot says industry reps will be in attendance…

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The new law included a significant lowering of the state’s jury trial threshold among other changes.

Talbot says the task force will also take a look at why Louisiana’s medical billing costs are exploding faster than our neighbors…

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The task force will investigate the growing problem of insurance fraud and criminal rings staging wrecks with 18-wheelers to win big payouts…

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The meeting will begin at 10 AM.

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Two winter storms last week have crippled the City of Shreveport. While the city expects to have water service restored today, the city will remain under a boil advisory for remainder of the week. Mayor Adrian Perkins says it all began last Monday.

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Perkins says his water and sewer department is working around the clock along with contractors and state partners to get water restored. They have also set up water distribution sites for Shreveport citizens.

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Perkins says nationally Texas has received the most attention, but areas of Louisiana are also experiencing critical devastation. As for being prepared for the winter storms Perkins says there wasn’t much that could have been done considering the current infrastructure.

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Perkins says the National Guard, DOTD and GOHSEP have been assisting the City of Shreveport in recovery efforts.

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Many Louisianans are tempted to cut back and uproot plants after last week’s winter storms damaged tender plants, but LSU Ag Center professor Dr. Heather Kirk-Ballard says try to hold off until the spring to remove that unsightly foliage.

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Kirk-Ballard says we could still see another freeze so it’s best not to prune or uproot anything just yet because the damaged part of the plant can act as insulator and protect the crown of the plant.

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She says typically by March 15^th for south Louisiana and April 1^st for the northern half of the state we won’t see another freeze.

Kirk-Ballard says if you are in the mood to trim things back, work on trees and hardy summer foliage like roses.

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Kirk-Ballard says while many plants received damage above the ground, they are still alive beneath the soil and they will return from their roots.

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29-year-old Hayley Arceneaux of Baton Rouge has been tapped to make history as the first Cajun, first cancer survivor, and first civilian woman to ever get launched into space.

Arceneaux will take flight on Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission. Arceneaux, a spokesperson for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, calls it an honor…

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Arceneaux was diagnosed with osteosarcoma when she was just ten years old but was saved by treatment at St. Jude. Most of her femur had to be replaced with a prosthetic device.

Arceneaux with her background as a physician’s assistant, will be the flight’s medical officer as one part of the crew’s civilian run research project.

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Inspiration4 is a SpaceX flight, a civilian run space agency. The flight was purchased by tech billionaire Jared Isaacman to help raise awareness for causes like St. Jude. Isaacman will also piliot the craft.

Arceneaux will begin training for the mission once the final crew members are selected, but she says she’s already getting into the space-faring mood.

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The mission will launch at a future date from the Kennedy Space Center, spend about three days in space, and return via a water landing off the coast of Florida.

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A fatal shootout at a Gretna gun store over the weekend has shocked Jefferson Parish. The shooting spree by 27-year-old Jamal Williams began after Williams was asked to take his loaded gun out of the gun store and clear it, a common gun shop protocol. Sheriff Joe Lopinto says contrary to some reports there was no heated argument that preceded Williams beginning his spree and witnesses report he was not confrontational prior to the incident.

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The only people involved in the shootout were seven store employees and Williams. No other bystanders fired a weapon.

It appears the brutal winter storm we just endured killed about a third of the state’s strawberry crop. Owner of Harris Farmers in Springfield, Trey Harris says it’s worse than the great December freeze back in 2017…

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If you sustained winter storm damage the state would like you to fill out a form on damage-dot-la-dot-gov. Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Spokesperson Mike Steele says that reporting the damage will also help state officials determine where the most damage occurred.

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A Bienville Parish man was fatally shot Sunday morning by a truck driver after allegedly attempting to break into his 18-wheeler. Bienville Sheriff John Ballance says 35-year-old Jonathan Raney of Ringgold kicked in the front door of a liquor store, then targeted a nearby semi…

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Drug use is suspected but not confirmed as a possible motive.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto says video evidence and witness reports show 27-year-old Jamal Williams was not confrontational while in a Gretna gun store over the weekend. Video shows Williams exiting and entering the store and moving through the building exchanging fire with store employees before being shot in the parking lot. Lopinto says it could’ve been worse…

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Williams was killed along with a store employee and a customer.

A Bienville Parish man was fatally shot Sunday morning by a truck driver after allegedly attempting to break into his 18-wheeler. Bienville Sheriff John Ballance says 35-year-old Jonathan Raney of Ringgold kicked in the front door of a liquor store, then targeted a nearby semi…

Cut 9 (12) “…window out”

Louisiana officials are asking residents who suffered damage during last week’s winter weather to report it, as the state plans to submit that information to the federal government. Taylor Sharp has more

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Strawberry farmers are surveying crops after last week’s winter storms and it appears 30 to 35 percent of the crop is lost. Owner of Harris Farms Livingston Parish, Trey Harris says despite covering the berries, the length of the storm impacted the crops.

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The Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto says video evidence and witness reports show 27-year-old Jamal Williams was not confrontational while in a Gretna gun store over the weekend. Lopinto says Williams held a concealed carry permit, had no major criminal history and was in the store for seven minutes before he began shooting. Lopinto says contrary to their initial impressions…

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Three people were killed in the shootout.

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is seeking information via survey on damage.la.gov from anyone who sustained damage from the winter weather, which could potentially lead to federal assistance.  GOHSEP Spokesperson Mike Steele says filling out a survey will help speed up the recovery process.

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A Bienville Parish man was fatally shot this morning after allegedly attempting to break into an 18-wheeler and being confronted by the trailer’s driver.   Beinville Sheriff John Ballance says 35-year-old Jonathan Raney allegedly kicked in the front door of a liquor store, then targeted a nearby 18-wheeler… Ballance says the driver fired four shots and they believe the shooting was justified.  

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Ballance speculates Raney’s erratic behavior was the result of drug use but says they are awaiting toxicology reports.

It looks like Strawberry farmers have lost 30 to 35 percent of their crop is lost after last week’s storm. Owner of Harris Farmers in Springfield, Trey Harris says strawberries prices should be up for a while because of lack of volume, and it’s not just Louisiana that’s having issues…

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The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office has released new details about a fatal shootout over the weekend at a Gretna gun store. Sheriff Joe Lopinto says 27-year-old Joshua Williams was asked by store employees to leave the store to unload a loaded gun he had brought. Video shows moments later, as Williams was standing in the store’s doorway seemingly about to leave he fires a shot out across the street, then fatally shoots his first victim.

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Contrary to previous reports no customers were involved in the shootout.

If you suffered winter storm damage then the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness wants to hear from you. GOHSEP Spokesperson Mike Steele says filling out out a survey at damage.la.gov could help us win federal aid…

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Louisiana Strawberry farmers are pulling up tarps and surveying damage from last week’s winter storms. Brooke Thorington has more.

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The state’s winter-storm related low COVID reporting totals continued today with only 468 new reported cases. But the state’s daily death totals continue to remain low with only 11 new COVID related fatalities today, down from daily averages in the 40s last month. COVID hospitalizations also continue to decline, now down to 740.

A Bienville Parish man was fatally shot this morning after allegedly attempting to break into an 18-wheeler and being confronted by the trailer’s driver.   Beinville Sheriff John Ballance says 35-year-old Jonathan Raney allegedly kicked in the front door of a liquor store, then targeted a nearby 18-wheeler… Balance says the truck driver woke up and warned Raney to leave… 

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Balance speculates Raney’s erratic behavior was from the use of drugs, but they are awaiting toxicology results.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto will old press conference this afternoon to discuss Saturday’s fatal shootings at a gun range that resulted in three deaths and two others injured. Investigators say the shooting started when 27-year-old Joshua Williams of New Orleans started an argument with staff at the gun store. Williams was killed, so was a store clerk and a customer. The press conference will be at 2 o’clock.

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is seeking information via survey on damage.la.gov from anyone who sustained damage from the winter weather, which could potentially lead to federal assistance.  GOHSEP Spokesperson Mike Steele says that reporting the damage will also help state officials determine where the most damage happened.

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Steele explains that this doesn’t guarantee federal assistance, but it could certainly help.

Strawberry farmers in the state are looking at a preliminary 30 to 35 percent loss in crops after the winter storms. Trey Harris of Harris Farms in Livingston Parish says the last time he saw damage this bad was the snow of December 2017, but it gave them enough time to recover because it takes 21 days for a bloom to produce a strawberry.

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Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto has called a 2 PM press conference to discuss Saturday’s shooting at a gun range that resulted in three deaths and two others injured. Investigators say the shooting started when 27-year-old Joshua Williams of New Orleans started an argument with store staff. Williams was killed, so was a store clerk and a customer.

A Bienville Parish man was fatally shot Sunday morning by a truck driver after allegedly attempting to break into his 18-wheeler. Bienville Sheriff John Ballance says 35-year-old Jonathan Raney of Ringgold kicked in the front door of a liquor store, then targeted a nearby semi…
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Ballance the driver fired four shots and Raney was taken to Ochsner LSU Health where he died. No charges have been filed against the driver.

Louisiana officials are asking residents who suffered damage during last week’s winter weather to report it, as the state plans to submit that information to the federal government. Taylor Sharp has more
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A strawberry farmer in Livingston Parish says the winter weather cost him between 30 to 35-percent of his crop. Trey Harris says consumers could see higher prices for strawberries, but he says Louisiana is not the only one having issues…
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