A 29-year-old Baton Rouge native is set to be the first cancer survivor ever launched into space. Matt Doyle has more on Hayle Arceneaux…
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

According to data analyst Jeff Asher, about half of Louisianians over the age of 70 have received at least one of their COVID-19 vaccine shots. Asher says that’s a big deal since 70-percent of the Louisiana residents who have died from COVID-1( are over the age of 70. Asher says over 10-percent of Louisiana’s population has received one shot.

Three of the state’s largest cities are under boil water advisories, Lake Charles, Alexandria and Shreveport. Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins says the city expects to have water service restored today, but more work needs to be done…
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Alexandria is also asking residents to conserve water so the system can catch up.

The Task Force on Affordable Automobile Insurance, which was created to analyze the state’s auto insurance premium rates meets today at the state capitol. Co-chairman of the task force and state senator Kirk Talbot says a new law went into effect January first that changes how auto insurance lawsuits are handled and the hope is that the tort reform will lead to lower premiums…
cut 4 (07) “….at us”

Shreveport, Alexandria, and Lake Charles are under boil water advisories, but officials from each city say they are making progress in restoring their water delivery systems. Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins says there wasn’t much that could have been done from preventing the damage that occurred during last week’s winter storms…
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The Task Force on Affordable Automobile Insurance meets today at the State Capitol. The state legislature created the task force last year and they will spend this year studying auto insurance premium rates and statistics. Co-chairman and state senator Kirk Talbot says they will also investigate the growing problem of insurance fraud and the staging of wrecks with 18-wheelers to win big payouts…
cut 6 (11) “…dollars”

President Joe Biden has amended Louisiana’s disaster declaration for Hurricane Laura, which results in direct federal assistance increasing from 75-percent to 90-percent of the total eligible costs, except for assistance previously authorized at 100-percent.

Last week’s winter storms damaged a lot of outdoor plants, especially tender tropical plans. Brooke Thorington reports an LSU AgCenter horticulture expert says don’t pull anything out of the ground yet…
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Three of the state’s largest cities are under boil advisories as a result of last week’s winter storms. Several water distribution sites will open at noon today in Caddo Parish and Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins says they are also delivering water…
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The city of Alexandria is advising its residents to conserve water. Lake Charles says its plants and distribution lines are operating 100-percent at this time, but the city is under a boil advisory.

A 29-year-old Baton Rouge woman has been chosen to be part of the first all civilian space flight. Later this year Hayley Arceneaux will be one of four people to board Space X’s Falcon nine rocket and orbit the earth for three days. Arceneaux is a physician’s assistant and will be the flight’s medical officer…
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Arceneaux battled cancer as a child and was treated by doctors at St. Jude.

This morning lawmakers will meet to discuss the state of Louisiana’s insurance market. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto has called a 2 PM press conference to discuss Saturday’s shooting at a gun range that resulted in three deaths and two others injured. Investigators say the shooting started when 27-year-old Joshua Williams of New Orleans started an argument with store staff. Williams was killed, so was a store clerk and a customer.

A Bienville Parish man was fatally shot Sunday morning by a truck driver after allegedly attempting to break into his 18-wheeler. Bienville Sheriff John Ballance says 35-year-old Jonathan Raney of Ringgold kicked in the front door of a liquor store, then targeted a nearby semi…
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Ballance the driver fired four shots and Raney was taken to Ochsner LSU Health where he died. No charges have been filed against the driver.

Louisiana officials are asking residents who suffered damage during last week’s winter weather to report it, as the state plans to submit that information to the federal government. Taylor Sharp has more
Cut 1 (31) “ …I’m Taylor Sharp.”

A strawberry farmer in Livingston Parish says the winter weather cost him between 30 to 35-percent of his crop. Trey Harris says consumers could see higher prices for strawberries, but he says Louisiana is not the only one having issues…
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Starting today, teachers can receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter…
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Pregnant women are also eligible to be vaccinated, but some wonder is it safe to do so?
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Louisianans aged 55 to 64 years old can also get the vaccine if they have certain health conditions.

Louisiana has experienced the largest spike in drug overdose deaths in the country. That’s according to data from the C-D-C. Jefferson Parish Coroner Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich says drug overdose deaths have been rising the last seven years, despite optimism it would slow.
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Instead, the state saw a 53-percent increase in overdose deaths between July 2019 and July 2020, 17-hundred Louisiana residents O-D during that period.

Mandeville Representative Richard Nelson has filed a bill for the regular session that begins in April that would change the state’s motto from Union, Justice and Confidence to We Live and Die for Those We Love. Nelson thinks that’s a more appropriate motto, but is not pushing to remove the current motto entirely…
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Nelson says it’s only appropriate when new state buildings are constructed that the motto be used, and current structures are not altered.

Jefferson Parish authorities continue to investigate Saturday’s shooting at a gun range that resulted in three deaths and two others injured. The three people who died are 27-year-old Joshua Williams of New Orleans, 47-year-old Noah Fiscbach, a store clerk, and 59-year-old Veronica Billiot who was at the store to pick up a gun she previously purchased. Investigators say the shootout started when Williams got into an argument with the store staff.

The C-D-C says Louisiana had a 53 percent increase in drug overdose deaths between July of 2019 and 2020 compared to the previous year.
Cut 3 (28) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

K-through-12 teachers, daycare staff, some people with health conditions, and pregnant women are among the 475-thousand people who are now eligible to receive the COVID-vaccine. There’s some public concern the vaccine can affect fertility, but West Jefferson Medical Center OBGYN Doctor Jennifer Bigelow says there’s no evidence that it does…
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Bigelow says the COVID vaccine is also safe for pregnant mothers.

Mandeville Representative Richard Nelson has filed a bill for the upcoming session to change the state’s motto from Union Justice and Confidence to We Live and Die for Those We Love. Nelson says he was first intrigued by the slogan when it appeared on his law degree and he’s also seen it on state landmarks…
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The legislative session begins April 12th.

Several Shreveport-Bossier neighborhoods are dealing with low or no water pressure and Natchitoches Mayor Ronny Williams Junior has declared a state of emergency in an effort to get residents to conserve water.

Still waiting for more information from Jefferson Parish authorities on Saturday’s shooting at a gun range that resulted in three fatalities and two people injured.

Teachers can get the COVID-19 vaccine starting today. Matt Doyle has more…
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Pregnant women are also among the 475-thousand people who become eligible today for the COVID-19 vaccine. But there are expectant mothers who question whether the vaccine is safe? West Jefferson Medical Center OB/GYN Dr. Jennifer Bigelow says talk to your personal physician first, but she recommends it.
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COVID vaccine clinical trials for pregnant women are currently underway to gather more data.

One lawmaker is hoping to change the state motto in the upcoming legislative session. Mandeville Representative Richard Nelson wants “We Live and Die for Those We Love,” to be the new state proverb.
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The current state motto is “Union, Justice and Confidence.”