Before President-elected Biden moves into the White House he’ll decide on cabinet appointments and one Louisiana Congressman is most likely on the short-list.  Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (31) “   I’m Brooke Thorington”

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The race for PSC Commissioner in District One is headed for a run-off. Brooke Thorington on the incumbent and his challenger

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington” 

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The Shell Convent refinery is set to cease operation at the end of the month and 700 jobs and 24 million dollars of tax revenue is on the line if a new buyer can’t be found. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

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Louisiana Representative Cedric Richmond who was just re-elected for his six-term to Congress is a co-chair of President-Elect Joe Biden’s campaign team. Political Analyst Clancy Dubos says Richmond’s close friendship with the former Vice President could parlay into an appointment.

Cut 4 (07) “…offer is”

Clancy says Richmond could be presented with several options to serve President-elect Biden like Senior Policy Director on the domestic front or…

Cut 5 (12) “…to Louisiana”

Clancy says another possibility for the New Orleans native could be an appointment as a trade representative.

Cut 6 (12) “…our state”

If Richmond is appointed a special election will be held to fill the 2nd Congressional Seat.

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Incumbent Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta will face off with Allen Borne Jr. in the Dec. 5 runoff for the Louisiana regulatory body’s 1st District post.  Borne says he feels the PSC needs someone to look out for the interest of the people because it’s being ignored and he wants to help companies move towards green technology.

Cut 7 (11)  “…environment”

Eric Skrmetta says he’s running for third-term because he wants to continue to serve the public and he’s proud of making Louisiana’s utility rates one of the lowest in the country.

Cut 8 (07) “…them”

Borne says sister states, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia do not allow campaign contributions from the companies the PSC regulates, and Louisiana shouldn’t either. Borne says the incumbent accepts contributions from utility companies and it’s a conflict of interest.

Cut 9 (08) “…otherwise”

Skrmetta responds how can he be in the pocket of companies he regulates when he’s helped return rate credits of over a billion dollars to customers.

Cut 10 (09) “…personal attacks.”

Skrmetta garnered 31-percent of the vote to Borne’s 25-percent, five other candidates were also on the  November 3rd ballot.

The 1st District covers all or parts of Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Tammany, Ascension, Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes.

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President Donald Trump failed in his national reelection effort but once again won Louisiana handily, less than a year after Democrat Governor John Bel Edwards eked out a reelection win.

UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross says the President’s ten-point gain on Eddie Rispone’s 2019 numbers are a great reminder of the split between local and national politics.

Cut 11 (11) “..differently”

Trump won a near-identical 58 percent of the vote in both 2016 and 2020. Edwards won 51 percent.

Edwards won the classically Republican suburban stronghold of Jefferson Parish by 14 points in 2019, but in 2020 Trump once again comfortably won the parish…

Cut 12 (10) “…boxes”.

Cross says the results show how uniquely positioned the Governor was to triumph in the ruby red and getting even redder Louisiana.

Cut 13 (09) “…Louisiana”

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St. James Parish is still in shock after last week’s news that Shell would be shuttering their Convent oil refinery by the end of the month, a move impacting 700 jobs.

LSU Economist Dr. Loren Scott says Convent is a great site but all refineries are in a pickle right now, the primary reason being COVID.

Cut 14 (10) “… worse” 

A Shell statement says the closure was part of a companywide move towards more integrated sites and their lower-carbon future.

But Scott is optimistic that those the facility won’t be offline forever. He says it’s high tech, well maintained, and strategically located. He doesn’t expect Shell will have trouble finding a buyer.

Cut 15 (06) “… to sell”

Reports indicate Shell has been trying to sell the facility since July.

Scott says he is not concerned that the closure of the Convent site portends any greater trend towards future refinery closures and Louisiana is still positioned as one of the top refining states.

Cut 16 (10) “…big”

Scott warns if a buyer is not found those 700 jobs could impact over 5,000 other jobs statewide.

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The Ragin Cajuns are back in the AP Top 25 after beating Sun Belt West rival Arkansas State 27-20. Louisiana comes in at number 25 in the latest poll. On Saturday, the Red Wolves tied the game at 20 late in the 4th quarter on a long pass play, but the Cajuns quickly came back and Elijah Mitchell and scored on a two-yard touchdown run for the winning score. Coach Billy Napier

cut 17 (17)     should work”  

The Cajuns host South Alabama this Saturday.

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The Saints proved they are still the class of the NFC South last night as they conducted an absolute beat down of the Buccaneers trouncing Tampa Bay 38-3. New Orleans started fast as Drew Brees threw two first quarter touchdown passes and finished with four on the night as 12 different players caught passes. It was one of Sean Payton’s best nights as a play caller…

cut 18 (17) ” good football team”  

The Black and Gold’s defense made Tom Brady look bad as the future Hall of Famer was intercepted three times and finished with his third lowest passer rating in his career. Payton says they were locked in…

cut 19 (15) were playing”    

The Saints hit the halfway point of the season on a five-game winning streak, a six-and-two record overall and they’ve already completed a season series sweep over the Bucs. But Payton says they have to remain on top of their game…

cut 20 (16) beginning tomorrow”    

US Senator and physician Bill Cassidy believes a vaccine will be approved for COVID by the end of the year or January. Brooke Thorington has more on the approval process.

Cut 1 (30) “   I’m Brooke Thorington”

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Shells’ Convent refinery will close by the end of the month. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (28) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

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Governor Edwards has extended the public health emergency order into December as the nation records record-breaking numbers of new cases. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

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US Senator and physician, Bill Cassidy says currently there are four active COVID-19 vaccine trials going forward, Cassidy anticipates a vaccine will be approved by the end of the year or first of January and begin distribution.

Cut 4 (08) “…and effective”

Cassidy says an independent board, not the government or pharmaceutical companies, is monitoring the effectiveness of the vaccines and they will decide if the vaccines should move forward in the approval process.

Cut 5 (09) “…vaccine work”

Cassidy says then the FDA and independent board sends their findings back to the company producing the vaccine.

Cut 6 (05) “…market it”

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Shell announces it will shutter its Convent refinery by the end of the month, laying off 700 workers and costing the St. James Parish government an estimated 24 million dollars a year in tax revenue.

The facility has been around since 1967 and accounts for an estimated 27 percent of local tax revenues. Parish President Pete Dufrense (Doo-Fren) says the hit to services will be substantial.

Cut 7 (11)  “..first”

The closure will cost 3.8 million to local law enforcement, 8.7 million to the school system, and 6.7 million in parish government Ad Valorem tax loss.

Dufresne says Shell told the parish the closure was due to the site’s lack of profitability and that they have been working to find an interested buyer for the location since July.

Cut 8 (13) “…reopen”

Those working at the facility will remain employed until February of next year and Shell says they will attempt to place them elsewhere in the company, potentially at Norco, Geismar, Port Allen, or other sites throughout the state. Shell employs about 4,000 Louisianans.

St. James Sheriff Willy Martin says the company has committed to cleaning out the facility.

Cut 9 (10) “…shutdown”

The official Shell statement on the closing reads “The decision is part of the company’s global strategy to invest in a core set of uniquely integrated manufacturing sites that are also strategically positioned for the transition to a low-carbon future.”

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Governor Edwards extends the current Phase Three pandemic public health restrictions until December 4^th.

This comes as opponents are challenging the orders in court. Edwards says it’s vital we continue to keep our caseloads down as the rest of the country experiences explosive increases.

Cut 10 (08) “…progress.”

Next Thursday a Baton Rouge Judge will hear arguments in a case determining the constitutionality of a State House petition that claims to override the public health emergency declaration.

Fifteen states set new daily records for cases yesterday and the nation as a whole saw 100,000 new positive tests. Governor Edwards notes we’re actually doing pretty well comparatively.

Cut 11 (09) “…standing”

Edwards says our current plateau of cases and hospitalizations is higher than the early summer though that saw us at our lowest transmission rates since the pandemic began.

Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says much of the rise is being traced back to small, intimate gatherings between friends and family where people aren’t masking up.

Cut 12 (10) “…elsewhere”.

Kanter says Thanksgiving is right around the corner and our current standing is tenuous at best. He says residents should begin asking themselves if getting together is really worth it.

Cut 13 (08) “…will be”

Louisiana hospitalization numbers have been slowly rising and are now at 636 their highest number since mid-September.

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Eyes are once again on the tropics as Tropical Depression* Eta is expected to move into the Western Caribbean after punishing Central America and re-intensity into a Tropical Storm. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Eta is predicted to track northeastward and cross Cuba on Sunday, then the National Hurricane Center has it tracking northwestward back into the Gulf of Mexico.

Cut 14 (06) “… is 2020” 

Keim says there’s a lot of uncertainty with this storm but if Eta holds true to form…

Cut 15 (10) “… to Louisiana”

Keim says Eta is definitely taking an unusual path, the National Hurricane Center has Eta crossing the Caribbean, Cuba and headed straight to Florida and then a hard left into the Gulf over the next five days.

Cut 16 (07) “…bares watching”

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The Saints will battle the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday night in a game that will go a long way towards deciding who will win the NFC South. The Bucs are 6-2 and playing great on defense. New Orleans Quarterback Drew Brees says he plans to use all his weapons on offense to move the football…

cut 17 (14)     the ball”  

One of the Saints’ biggest weapons is receiver Michael Thomas, who has missed most of the season with an ankle injury.  Thomas has a chance to play on Sunday and Brees says he’s excited to have him in the lineup.

cut 18 (20) ” lineup”  

Thomas’ return will surely help the passing game, which is important because rushing yards might be hard to come by against this defense. The Bucs have the best run defense in the NFL, allowing just 70 yards on the ground a game. Running back Alvin Kamara explains why the Bucs are so good at stopping the run.

cut 19 (20) the run”