Monroe-based CenturyLink’s 24-billion-dollar acquisition of Level 3 Communications has been completed, making it the state’s largest public company. Kelley Ray has more…
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Open enrollment for health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act begins today and runs until December 15th. Emelie Gunn has more…
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The 24-billion-dollar acquisition of Level 3 Communications by Monroe based CenturyLink is now complete, expanding the largest public trading company in Louisiana to more than 350 metropolitan areas. CenturyLink Spokesperson Ann Marie Sartor says the merger allows them to continue leading the telecommunications industry…
Cut 3 (09) “technology solutions.”
Sartor says besides expansion in the U.S., CenturyLink will be able to focus on overseas operations as a result of the merger with the added assets and manpower the former Level 3 Communications is able to provide…
Sartor says even though they are growing, CenturyLink will still keep their focus on their number one asset, their customers…
Cut 5 (06) “for communications.”
CenturyLink is committed to Louisiana. They have a state contract that keeps their headquarters in Monroe through at least 2020.
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Open enrollment for health insurance policies through the Affordable Care Act begins today and runs until December 15th. Over 122-thousand Louisianans are covered through the online marketplace. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says most policy holders will see a double digit increase in premiums.
In 2017, 86-percent of Marketplace enrollees in Louisiana received a subsidy. Donelon credits an average 18.5 increase in premiums to the uncertainty surrounding the Affordable Care Act.
In Louisiana, the only insurers offering the Affordable Care Act health plans are Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana and Vantage Health Plan. Donelon offers some tips for those interested in purchasing or renewing their plans.
Visit healthcare.gov to search policies.
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On the day Louisiana is releasing 19-hundred non-violent offenders, a state audit finds the Department of Corrections is not able to track offenders or know their exact release date. They found 11 percent of offenders were at another facility other than what was reported in their computer system. Another 19 percent had at least one error in their record. Auditor Kristen Jacobs says the DOC does not have hard and fast policies which lead to improper reporting by local facilities…
In several cases, the audit found that the DOC did not have proper methods in place to calculate correct prisoner release dates. Jacobs says the DOC tried to plug up the holes in the records system. They spent 3.6-million-dollars a few years ago on a computer data system that was quickly abandoned…
The DOC has been notified of their findings and Jacobs says they are willing to work on streamlining very complex procedures…
Cut 11 (12) “very complicated.”
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When it comes to popularity in Congress, both of Louisiana’s US Senators rank right about in the middle, according to a new Morning Consult poll. US Senator John Kennedy is ranked 39th out of 100 Senators, and Senator Bill Cassidy was number 62. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says the approval numbers are essentially the same, however..:
Cut 12 (11) “Affordable Care Act”
Cassidy received a 47% approval rating, while Kennedy had 50%. Cassidy is about three years away from re-election, and Stockley feels the Baton Rouge Senator is still more popular than he is unpopular…:
Cut 13 (10) “Republican state”
Vermont US Senator Bernie Sanders was ranked the most popular in the poll, which Stockley says isn’t surprising given Sanders cult-like following throughout the entire nation. Stockley says he’s also not surprised that Republican Caucus leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was ranked least popular…:
Cut 14 (10) “mentions in Tweets”
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