Patients are complaining the cost of legal medical cannabis puts it’s out of their reach. Is it time to further expand medical marijuana laws? Kevin Gallagher reports…:

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

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A study finds that hurricanes in 2020 and 2021 caused 579-million dollars in damages to the Louisiana fishing industry. Michelle Southern has the story…

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Michelle Southern” 

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A new study from LSU and the University of Florida compared shark attacks and moon phases and they found a trend. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Now that medical marijuana is available in a smokable form, some are complaining of the high price. One of the state’s 9 cannabis pharmacies is asking between $440 and $480 per ounce for the herb. Gretna Representative Joe Marino chairs the state’s Medical Marijuana Commission, and says the high price is due to the limited supply from only two growing operations…:

Cut 4 (11) “…to be the intent.” 

When first approved in 2015, only two cultivators were allowed, with a maximum of 10 “pharmacies”. There are currently nine. Marino says lawmakers clearly did not foresee expanding to allow smokable weed under medical cannabis when they first passed the law. Demand is heavy, but the high cost is a deterrent. Marino says having a cannabis monopoly in place puts the medicine out of the average person’s reach…:

Cut 5 (13) “…where it can be sold?”

Medical cannabis is rarely covered by health insurance.

Neighbor states with medical cannabis have anywhere from 8 to a dozen cultivators allowed, compared to Louisiana’s two, and their average prices are lower. Marino’s Medical Marijuana Commission will meet during the upcoming Redistricting Session, to discuss supply, demand, and patient concerns. He asks – if one regards medical cannabis as “medicine” – what other medicine does the state limit the number of companies that can produce it and where it can be obtained?

Cut 6 (07) “…expand this program.”

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says the hurricanes in 2020 and 2021 produced 579-million dollars in damages to the state’s fishing industry. LDWF biologist administrator Jason Froeba says a comprehensive study looked at monetary losses for infrastructure which includes vessels and revenue…

Cut 7 (07) “…that nature.”

The total amount of damages from the hurricanes to infrastructure was 304-million. Froeba says Hurricane Ida accounted for 70-percent of that 304-million…

Cut 8 (10) “…fishing industry members.”

Froeba says wind was the primary driver for the damages to the fishing industry from the 2020 and 2021 hurricanes, while flooding was a major source of destruction in 2005. He says this report could convince Congress that the state’s fishing industry needs federal assistance…

Cut 9 (09)  “…Louisiana’s fisheries.”

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Louisiana is expected to pass the one-million mark in total COVID cases this week. Many are hoping the peak of the Omicron surge is near. Children younger than 18 represent 27-percent of all COVID cases reported on Friday and State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter says that’s a possible sign the peak could be near

Cut 10 (11) “…prior surges.”

Kanter says based on what they’ve seen in other parts of the world, Omicron rages and then fades away almost as fast as it arrived…

Cut  11 (12)  “…right now.”  

Kanter wishes he can provide an answer on when the Omicron peak will arrive, but there’s no good modeling to predict this…

Cut 12 (10) “…I’ve seen.”

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The next time you want to impress your friends during Shark Week you can tell them that shark attacks are related to lunar phases. New research from LSU and the University of Florida compared attacks with the lunar phases and LSU Associate Professor Steve Midway says there appears to be a connection.

Cut 13 (10) “…closer to the new moon.”

Midway says even though very few shark attacks occur in US waters they wanted to gain a better understanding of why and when they happen. Midway says the moon’s influence on attacks is not from illumination because the vast majority of incidents take place during the day.

Cut 14 (08)  “…magnetic fields.”

And while it’s still too early to determine if the moon is the predominant influencer of shark attacks, Midway says he still advises against swimming in shark-infested waters no matter what lunar phase.

Cut 15 (12)  “…to shark attacks.”

You can read the entire paper in the journal, Frontiers in Marine Science

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The NFL playoffs continue tonight with one more wild card game as the Rams host the Cardinals. Former LSU Tiger Odell Beckham Junior will be playing in his second playoff game and his first season since the 2016 season with the Giants…

Cut  16 (16) “…good feeling”

The Bengals won their first playoff game in 31 years as Cincinnati held off the Raiders 26-19. Quarterback Joe Burrow threw two touchdown passes in the win…

Cut 17 (13) “ .next one” 

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The LSU men’s basketball team will likely drop in the polls today after suffering an upset loss to unranked Arkansas on Saturday. The Razorbacks went on a 17-2 run to finish the game and defeated the 12th ranked Tigers 65-58. LSU Coach Will Wade says the Hogs made the plays down the stretch and they didn’t…

Cut 18 (08) “ ..needed to be” 

Eric Gaines had 14 points to lead LSU, while Tari Eason and Alex Fudge each had 13 points. It was the second straight game LSU played without starting point guard Xavier Pinson, who has a sprained knee. Wade will not use Pinson’s injury as an excuse…

Cut 19 (25)_“…nice job” 

The loss ended LSU’s three-game winning streak. Wade says they couldn’t overcome their weaknesses.

Cut 20 (19) “..you deserve”  

A major cold front will enter the state Saturday bringing rain, wind, and near-freezing temps. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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The state announces it will receive a billion dollars over the next five years from the federal government to rebuild bridges. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31)…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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Fans of Betty White are giving the beloved actress a true Mardi Gras send-off on what would have been the day before her 100^th birthday Sunday. Retired New Orleans realtor, Santa T Claus says it began as a passing thought the day after her death and has now grown into a full-blown parade and fundraiser.

Cut 3 (04) “…think now.”

White’s birthday would have been on Monday but due to the Martin Luther King holiday, the parade was moved to Sunday. Claus says because the first lady of television loved animals’ attendees are more than welcome to bring their well-behaved four-legged friends. The parade begins at 4 o’clock at the corner of Bourbon and Canal.

Cut 4 (10) “…Jackson Square(x2).”

Claus says attendees are also encouraged to bring a pet toy to donate and they are also raising money for the Villalobos Rescue Center in memory of the actress.

Cut 5 (09) “…to California.”

It’s not the first time a Mardi Gras parade has memorialized an out-of-town celebrity, in 2017 actress Carrie Fisher was honored, and in 2016 both David Bowie and Prince received memorial parades.

For more information visit FaceBook forward-slash Santa Claus New Orleans

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reports thousands of fish – and over one hundred birds, snakes and other animals – died as a result of a pipeline spill in St. Bernard Parish. LDWF Oil Response Coordinator Laura Carver says 75 alligators have also been captured for rehabilitation…

 Cut 6 (06) “…for rehab” 

The spill from a severely corroded & ruptured pipeline was discovered in late December. Most of the diesel fuel spilled into two artificial ponds. Cleanup work continues. Carver says the spill killed 25-hundred fish…

Cut 7 (05) “…shad.” 

Dozens of snakes and birds were also killed.

Carver says in addition to rehabbing alligators, they are also rehabbing birds, snakes and turtles…

Cut 8 (07) “…rehabilitation center.” 

Carter says at least cleanup work is moving quickly since the spill was contained to a small area. Collins Pipeline Company operates the pipeline and federal records reportedly show the operator delayed needed repairs on the pipeline.

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Get your winter coat ready because it’s going to be a chilly weekend as a cold front enters the state Saturday. According to State Climatologist, Barry Keim areas north of I-20 could experience a wintery mix of precipitation tomorrow.

Cut 9 (13) “…Floriday parishes”

Keim says Saturday will be a big transitional day with rain and possibly a wintery mix in the northern parishes.

Cut 10 (08)  “…most of the state.”

Keim says the wind chill will make it feel even colder on Sunday and you’ll need that extra blanket for a few more nights because it will be even colder on Monday

Cut  11 (10)  “…behind that.”

Keim says it shouldn’t be a deep enough freeze to wrap your pipes but definitely bring in the pets and plants.

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The governor’s office announces Louisiana is receiving a billion dollars to repair crumbling bridges The money comes from the recently approved Infrastructure Law. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the federal government allocated the dollars based on need and Louisiana is getting a big slice of the pie…

Cut 12 (08) “…our condition.”  

The state owns 78-hundred bridges with nearly 800 of them needing to be replaced or in need of major repair. About another 800 locally owned bridges are also in desperate need of rehab or replacement.

Wilson says the state will spend about 200-million of the one billion this year and they’ve released a list of bridge projects that will see funding this year…

Cut 13 (11) “…this year”

Among the projects that will see funding…The Jimmie Davis Bridge Replacement in Caddo Parish, I-20 Orange Street Overpass Repair in Ouachita Parish, and Berwick Bay Bridge Rehabilitation in St. Mary Parish.

Wilson says Louisiana will receive the one-billion dollars over the next five years. He says more planning is needed to use any of it on a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge, but for Lake Charles…

Cut 14 (12)  “…one project” 

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The State Fire Marshal’s office says a Lacombe man died after going back into a burning home to rescue his pets. Spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says the home caught fire early Tuesday morning. Two people in their 60’s made it safely outside, but the man went back inside to save the family dogs…:

Cut 15 (07) “…died a day later.” 

The 60-year-old man’s name is withheld for now. He died in the hospital a day after the fire. Firefighters say the damage was too bad to determine if the home had working smoke detectors. Rodrigue has this advice for everyone who finds themselves escaping a burning building..:

Cut  16 (12) “…if we lose that.”