11:30 AM Newscast

Seven new outpatient addictions treatment clinics have now opened in South Louisiana. In recent years, the opioid crisis has hit Louisiana hard. Lake Wellness Center spokesperson Amy Jones says Louisiana averages 122 prescriptions per 100 people.

Cut 3 (11) “…in our state.”
Five people have been arrested on charges related to welfare fraud.  Attorney General Jeff Landry says the state is cracking down on those that are fraudulently getting on the Medicaid rolls. Landry says the expense of non-eligible recipients is has sent the Medicaid program spiraling out of control.

Cut 8 (10) “of our resources.”

60 years ago the Golden State, hoping to stem the tide of 20th century extinctions, agreed to ban the sale of “endangered” animal products in their state by 2020. One of the animals listed was alligators, and that could end up hitting the local gator industry, who relies on selling to Californian fashionistas. Louisiana Sea Grant Spokesperson Mark Shirley says the misinformed sentiment could end up putting Bayou State farmers out of business.
Cut 5 (10) “…industry.”
Harvesting gator skin and meat is a nearly 60 million dollar industry.
A bill is being proposed in the Legislature that would lift the cap on how big a bottle of wine you can have delivered to your home. Currently you can’t order a bottle bigger than 750 ml, but Senator Jack Donahue says it’s an unnessecary restriction, and that this one’s for all of the other wine lovers out there.
Cut 15 (09) “…to change that.”