The year-end holiday travel period, as defined by AAA, begins today and this year is expected to reach the highest level on record. Spokesman Don Redman says more than 103 million Americans are forecast to travel today through January 2nd, a 1.5% increase over 2015…:
CUT 7 (10) “smashed that”
Redman says increased travel this year is being driven by additional consumer spending because the labor market is improving and wages are rising.

And unfortunately, with the holiday season comes flu season. Dr. Frank Welch with LDH says we’re seeing a slight uptick in the number of flu cases in Louisiana…:
cut 4 (08) “1.5 percent”
Welch says illness is more prevalent this time of year because so many people stay indoors, which allows viruses to spread.

A Houma substitute teacher has been arrested for allegedly having sex with teenagers. Halen Doughty has the story…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

A judge in Baton Rouge says Angola officials need to keep using the new ways for controlling heat levels on death row. He didn’t require air conditioning, just said the state should keep ice chests modified to blow cool air into the inmates cells during the summer heat. This is a result of a lawsuit from 2013 saying keeping death row dangerously hot is cruel and unusual punishment.