8:30 LRN Newscast

The United Way ALICE report shows in 2016, 48 percent of all households in the state did not make enough money to pay basic needs, up six-percent from 2014. Louisiana United Way President Sarah Berthelot says 29-percent earn above the poverty level, but it’s still not enough…
Cut 4 (09) “…smartphone.”
The report shows a single adult needs to make 19,548 dollars a year to pay the bills, and the average family needs 54,000.

The U-S-D-A announces there will not be an interruption in food stamps, even though there is a partial government shutdown. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told reporters during a conference call that they’ve come up with a plan to make sure food stamp recipients will continue to receive their benefits through February…
cut 13 (11) “…at the time”
Nearly one in five people in Louisiana receives food stamps.

A Louisiana Congressman supports pending legal action against federal agencies who refuse to administer 2016 flood grant money to SBA loan recipients, despite legislation passed in October…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

St. Martin Parish is mourning the loss of cajun chef and restaurateur Lionel Robin who died in a small plane crash in California. Robin and another man died when their private plane went down during a hunting trip. The 71-year-old Cecilia native owned and managed Robin’s Restaurant in Henderson for several decades and also served as the official hospitality chef for Tabasco Pepper Sauce.