16:30 LRN Newscast January 25

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy says drug traffickers can pay for the proposed U-S Mexico border wall. Cassidy says billions of dollars in drug money crosses the border each year and he says the US is only intercepting a fraction of it…
cut 13 (11) “…going back”
One estimate says it will cost 18-billion dollars to build the border wall.

LSU’s all-time leading rusher and three time Super Bowl Champion Kevin Faulk has been named as the Director of Player Development for the LSU football program. Faulk says he will help the players not only on the field, but away from the game as well…
Cut 3 (09) “long time.”
Head Coach Ed Orgeron says their mission is to develop every aspect of a young man’s life while they are a part of the program and Faulk will be instrumental in this process.

A new Tulane study finds Louisiana is making slow progress in electing minorities and women to judgeships. Political Science Professor Sally Kenney says another concern is that most of Louisiana’s minorities and women judges are serving in certain areas, like Orleans…:
Cut 7 (09) “would show”
She says minorities are 36% of the state’s population, but non-white judges were only at 22 percent. Women judges comprised less than 32 percent of all state and federal judges in Louisiana. But 51% of the state is female.
Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis is confident they’ll be able to sign Quarterback Drew Brees to a new contract. The 39-year-old’s contract is set to expire in March, but Loomis doesn’t have a time line on when a new deal may get done…
cut 11 (11) “…Drew Brees”
Brees is one of seven Saints players that will play in Sunday’s Pro Bowl.