Former Governor Kathleen Blanco is asking for prayers in the fight for her own life against cancer. She said in a letter to Louisianians, friends and family that melanoma has invaded her liver and that no treatments have yet been identified to cure the type of illness. In a statement, Governor John Bel Edwards said Blanco is a strong woman of incredible faith, and asked the people of this state to join him in prayers for the former governor.

LaPolitics Weekly reports Congressman Ralph Abraham is considering a run for governor in 2019. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley believes that at this point US Senator John Kennedy, AG Jeff Landry or Congressman Garret Graves have the better change to defeat Governor John Bel Edwards:
Cut 11 (10) “disadvantage”
Stockley says Abraham is popular in the top half of the state, but would need to campaign heavily in South Louisiana to have a chance. Abraham says he has yet to decide.

A dozen juvenile whooping cranes have been released in Vermilion Parish as part of an ongoing effort to protect them from extinction. LDWF Biologist Sara Zimorski says these are beautiful birds…:
Cut 14 (12) “in 1950″
She says the whooping crane population in Louisiana is now at 72.

WWL-TV is reporting that the winning Louisiana Lotto ticket from Saturday’s drawing was sold in St. Landry Parish. The jackpot was hit at $350,000.

The State Department of Transportation announces plans to help keep traffic at a minimum during the holidays. They say on December 25th and 26th, and on January 1st and 2nd, all oversize and overweight vehicle movement on all State highways will be prohibited.