Just in time for Christmas, flu activity is rampant across the country, especially in Louisiana. Dr. David Janese (juh-NEESE) with Ochsner LSU Health says emergency rooms throughout the state are seeing more and more people sick with the flu.
Cut 10 (07) “…illness criteria.”
Dr. Janese says nearly one-fourth of all flu tests are coming back positive.
The flu is also infecting wild birds in the form of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says the birds can transmit the virus to domestic dogs and cats, and in rare cases, humans. State Wildlife Veterinarian Jonathan Roberts says if you find a sick or dead wild bird, contact LDWF and have an agent pick it up.
There’s a new policy that streamlines the process for data centers and other large projects to access the energy they need, and the public service commissioner who spearheaded it is clearing up some misconceptions about it. Commissioner J.P. Coussan says it’s not a rubber stamp for utility companies to charge what they want to charge in order to expedite these big projects.
Cut 15 (10) “…of this project.”
Here we go again with a huge Powerball jackpot up for grabs. The estimated jackpot for tonight’s drawing is 1.7-billion dollars. Chrislyn Maher (“mayor”) with the Louisiana Lottery says while no one has won the big prize since September 6th, almost 100 people across the country have come agonizingly close but still came away with huge paydays.