Another star LSU player is reportedly leaving the program. Several media outlets say freshman tight end Arik Gilbert is really, really homesick. Sources say the Georgia native was not at practice yesterday and the Tigers second-leading receiver could enter the transfer portal as early as today.

This news broke after Coach Ed Orgeron met with the media for his regular Monday Press Conference. Orgeron was asked about convincing draft-eligible players to return to LSU. Coach O admits there are some guys who are dead set in leaving early for the NFL draft and the others who are on the fence are receiving a sales pitch…
cut 17 (18) “….drafted higher”
LSU is at sixth-ranked Florida on Saturday night.

ULM Athletic Director Scott McDonald says the school and head football coach Matt Viator have mutually agreed to part ways. The Warhawks are 0-10 and have not led in any game this season. The Monroe News-Star says possible replacements include Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs, Southeastern Louisiana Coach Frank Scelfo, and former Cajuns Coach Mark Hudspeth.

The Cajuns are losing inside linebacker coach Austin Armstrong. He has agreed to become the new defensive coordinator at Southern Miss. Napier says Armstrong will still coach for the Cajuns in the Sun Belt Championship game on December 19th…
cut 20 (26) “…for that”

The Louisiana Health Department adopts revised CDC guidelines to shorten the quarantine period following a COVID exposure. Regional public health director for Acadiana, Doctor Tina Stefanski says the recommendation of a 14-day quarantine is not always practical.
Cut 4 (07) “…school.”
Under the new policy, a person who comes in a contact with a person who tests positive for COVID should quarantine for ten and as few as seven days with a negative test, as opposed to 14 days.

LSU turns over 60 plus case files of alleged incidents of sexual misconduct committed by students to a law firm investigating the school’s alleged mishandling of those allegations. Interim President Tom Galligan says all of the documents forwarded to Husch Blackwell are from a period between 2016 and 2018.
Cut 7 (09) “…reports.”

The Louisiana Department of Corrections unveils a new program that allows inmates nearing their release date to apply for jobs. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

The state health department announces it’s adopting the C-D-C’s updated guidance that calls for a shorter COVID quarantine period. Instead of 14 days, it’s now ten days or as few as seven with a negative test for those who may have been exposed. Several school superintendents have been pushing to minimize the number of days teachers and students must miss because of positive tests and contact tracing.

DOTD has created trash sculptures as a visual reminder to stop littering. Brooke Thorington has more…
cut 2 (29) …I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The lone constitutional amendment on Saturday’s ballot was soundly rejected by voters as it failed on a 76-24 vote. The amendment would have allowed out-of-state residents to sit on college management boards…
cut 7 (09) “….amendment”
That’s Jeremy Alford, publisher of LA-politics-dot-com. The Louisiana Republican Party came out against the amendment claiming it would lead to rich outsiders doing political favors in an effort to receive such an appointment from the governor.

Metairie Republican Eric Skrmetta has been re-elected to a third and final six-year term on the Public Service Commission, which regulates utility companies. Skrmetta says his goal is to keep utility rates in Louisiana among the lowest in the nation…
cut 12 (12) “…that status”
Skrmetta defeated Democrat Allen Borne, a lawyer from New Orleans, in Saturday’s run-off election.

The state reported 1,016 new coronavirus cases and 23 more COVID-19 deaths today. Hospitalizations also increased by 31 to surpass for 14-hundred. Louisiana Treasurer John Schroder has been released from the hospital as he’s battling complications from COVID-19.

Voters soundly rejected a constitutional amendment Saturday that would have allowed out-of-state residents to sit on college management boards. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (28) “ …I’m Matt Doyle.”

DOTD has created visual displays of trash they’ve collected from roadways across the state as a reminder to Keep Louisiana beautiful. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallet says the six-foot-tall 3-D letters spell out D-O-T-D and are filled with trash…
cut 9 (10) “…a year”
Mallett says that nine million dollars could be used to overlay about 90 miles of roadway instead.

ULM has reportedly fired football coach Matt Viator with two years left on his contract that pays him about 350-thousand dollars a year. The Warhawks have lost eleven in a row. ULM has had just one winning season since 1994. KNOE-TV sports director Aaron Dietrich says it’s been difficult to build a winner at ULM…
cut 5 (12) “….head coach”

40-year-old Luke Letlow is Louisiana’s newest congressman as he won a run-off election on Saturday beating Alexandria state representative Lance Harris. Letlow says he wants to bring jobs to northeast and central Louisiana and help businesses grow…
cut 12 (10) “…times”
It’s Letlow’s first political office, but he has served as an aide to Congressman Ralph Abraham and former Governor Bobby Jindal.

Because of COVID-19, the holiday season could be more difficult for some, especially if they experienced the loss of a loved one because of the pandemic. LSU Health New Orleans Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology Doctor Richard Costa…
cut 6 (12) “….negative thought”

The 2019 Louisiana Health Insurance study shows only 11-percent of adults are uninsured in the state. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

State Treasurer John Schroder is out of the hospital after receiving treatment for complications related to COVID-19. KNOE-TV is reporting ULM’s Matt Viator is out as head football coach as the Warhawks have lost 11 in a row. Ragin Cajuns Coach Billy Napier says he’s staying at U-L Lafayette after receiving consideration from South Carolina to be their head coach.

Republican Luke Letlow from Richland Parish has been elected as Louisiana’s next fifth District Congressman. He’ll replace Ralph Abraham, who decided not to seek re-election after three terms. Letlow says he’ll represent conservative values in a U-S House controlled by Democrats…
cut 11 (11) “….as well”
The 40-year-old Letlow received 62-percent of the vote to defeat fellow Republican Lance Harris.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is beginning a three-month process of moving the date when many food stamp recipients will receive their benefits each month. Deputy Assistant Secretary Jean Guinta says instead of all SNAP recipients receiving their benefits in the first two weeks of every month, it will be spread out over the first 23 days.
Cut 7 (10) “…grocery shelves.”
Food stamp recipients have been notified about the changes.

The state health department says a new survey finds that the percentage of uninsured adults in Louisiana is at 11-percent, a decrease from 23-percent in 2015. Interim Medicaid Executive Director Tara Leblanc credits the expansion of the Medicaid program in 2016, which also helped reduce the racial disparity in insurance coverage…
cut 15 (05) “….in healthcare”
The uninsured rate of Black adults was 10-percent and the uninsured rate of white adults was 11-percent.

At this time of year, we normally see holiday gatherings, but instead many people are living in isolation because of the coronavirus pandemic. LSU Health New Orleans Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology Dr. Richard Costa says isolation for many is difficult.
Cut 4 (10) “…pretty quickly.”
The department of health offers free counseling through The Keep Calm Through COVID hotline at 1-866-310-7977.

Luke Letlow is Louisiana’s newest Congressman as he won the 5th Congressional District runoff, beating fellow Republican Alexandria state representative Lance Harris. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

Also on Saturday, voters in southeast Louisiana re-elected Eric Skrmetta to another six-year term on the Public Service Commission. Voters statewide overwhelmingly rejected Constitutional amendment one on the ballot. It asked voters if out of state residents can serve on college management boards.

The state health department says an LSU study has found that 11-percent of Louisiana adults live without health insurance which is below the national average. Interim Medicaid Executive Director Tara Leblanc says the adult uninsured rate in Louisiana was 23-percent in 2015 and it dropped significantly after the Medicaid program was expanded in 2016…
cut 13 (08) “…need it”
Leblanc the Federal Marketplace has also substantially reduced the racial disparity in insurance coverage.

The holidays usually bring people together, but with the coronavirus pandemic, government and health officials are urging people to not gather in large groups. LSU Health New Orleans Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology Doctor Richard Costa says if you are struggling with isolation or feeling depressed, do not feel ashamed to ask for help…
cut 5 (06) “.referrals”