LRN PM Newscall November 17

Beginning tomorrow through next Saturday, extra law enforcement will be patrolling the roads and looking for seat belt violations during the statewide Click It or Ticket campaign. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 1 (33)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx.” 

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Three statewide races, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Treasurer will be decided in the runoffs Saturday. Brooke Thorington has more on the predictions.

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Click It or Ticket campaign begins tomorrow (Saturday) and goes through the Thanksgiving weekend. Spokesperson Greg Fischer says state troopers and local law enforcement will be on the lookout to see if drivers are buckled up…

Cut 3 (11) “….the road.”

A LHSC report found at least 55 percent of adults killed in a vehicle crash in the Bayou State last year were not properly wearing their seat belts.

Fischer says a first offense for anyone not wearing a seatbelt is $50 and $75 for repeat offenders. He says their latest observational survey found fewer than 15-percent of people in Louisiana go unbuckled…

Cut 4 (09) “…every year.”

During Thanksgiving weekend last year, there were 10 fatalities and more than 100 accidents with serious injuries.

Freeman says the state’s passenger safety law requires everyone in a vehicle whether they’re driving or in the back seat to be properly restrained. He says a ticket is better than a tragedy.

Cut 5 (12) “ …for you.”  

The campaign runs through next Saturday.

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Three statewide races will be decided Saturday in the run-off for Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Treasurer. After a voter turnout of only 36 percent in the October primary, political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says it could be even lower for the runoff. He says Republicans are favored to win all three.

Cut 6 (08) “…will increase.”

For areas with legislative or local races in the run-off, Pinsonat expects voter turnout will be higher. For example, the mayor’s race in Lafayette. Incumbent Josh Guillory is in a heated race with the daughter of former Governor Kathleen Blanco, Monique Blanco Boulet…

Cut 7 (06) “…name Blanco.” 

Both Guillory and Boulet are Republicans.

Another contentious runoff is the Shreveport-Bossier City senate race between two current state representatives, Democrats Cedric Glover, and Sam Jenkins. Pinsonat says it’s just too close to call…

Cut 8 (08) “…big question.” 

Polls open at 7 AM and close at 8 PM. For poll locations and a sample ballot use your GeauxVote app.

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Governor-elect Jeff Landry has concerns about the potential cost of Louisiana’s new policy that allows state workers who welcome a new child to receive six weeks of paid leave. The state has 70-thousand employees and the benefit begins January 1st. Landry questions whether the state can afford it…

Cut 9 (07) “…pay for it” 

Metairie Republican Cameron Henry is expected to be the new House Speaker and Eunice Republican Phillip Devillier the new Senate President. Landry says he’s asked for the financial details of this new policy….

Cut 10 (08) “…a look at it” 

The Louisiana Budget Project says Tennessee, Georgia, Texas and South Carolina have adopted a similar family leave policy for its employees in recent years.

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Despite the rain this week, the latest drought monitor indicates 99 percent of the Bayou State is still in drought and 88-percent is either in extreme or exceptional drought. Which state climatologist says are the worst two classes of drought.

Cut 11 (10) “…those rains.”

Since August 1st Keim says Louisiana has received 6-point-four inches of rain, but 15-point-seven inches would be considered normal for that time period. He says that’s only about 40 percent of the normal rainfall amount.

Cut 12 (09) “…really change.”  

But he says there’s some hope rain-wise for the state. On Monday a warm front will move through the state and be quickly followed by a cold front that will produce widespread rain across the state. Keim says some areas could see upwards of one to two inches of rain.

Cut 13 (06) “…we’re in.”