The Republican side of the 2019 governor’s race is now wide open after Senator John Kennedy bowed out, leaving the GOP with no clear standard-bearer to lead the charge against the southeast’s only Democratic governor. UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross says not having to face Kennedy is a major boost to Edwards’ re-election chances.
Cut 4 (07) “the vote″
Baton Rouge businessman Eddie Rispone is the only Republican to officially join the race, but Congressman Ralph Abraham is expected to get in.

The Louisiana health department has released six recommendations that a panel of experts believes can address the opioid epidemic . Assistant state health officer Doctor Joseph Kanter says the recommendations call for improving access to non-opioid treatments for pain and treating addiction as a chronic illness…
cut 8 (10) “…addicition”
Over 400 Louisianians died of opiod overdose in 2017, a 20-percent increase over 2016.

A doctor in St. Landry Parish is recovering after he was shot in what authorities are calling a home invasion. At last report, Doctor John Vallain was said to be in critical condition after he was shot in his home. Witnesses told deputies they saw someone walking from the victim’s home carrying something in their hands.

Cool Canadian air is back in Louisiana this morning, after an unusually warm streak of weather to start December. State Climatologist Barry Keim says north Louisiana is seeing temperatures in the mid 30s this morning, while south Louisiana is in the 40s, about 10 to 20-degrees colder than yesterday. And it will be even colder tomorrow….
Cut 10 (09) “…low 50s.”
But Keim says it will warm up later in the week, but there’s also the potential for locally heavy rainfall as we head into the weekend.