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”

The Saints clinched a playoff berth yesterday as they defeated Atlanta 21-16 for their ninth straight win. Taysom Hill threw his first two touchdown passes of his NFL career as he continues to take the snaps for the injured Drew Brees. New Orleans is now 8-0 over the last two seasons without Brees. Coach Sean Payton says it’s been a team effort…
cut 16 (12) “…we played”
There’s a chance Brees could return next Sunday.

Luke Letlow is Louisiana’s newest congressman as he defeated Lance Harris in an all-Republican runoff on Saturday. The Richland Parish native joins the Republican minority in the Democrat-controlled House…
cut 10 (12) “….class”
Letlow previously served as retiring Ralph Abraham’s chief of staff.

Many are finding this holiday season more difficult with the pandemic this year as gatherings are limited. Brooke Thorington talks with a psychologist
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The state health department reported 24-hundred new coronavirus cases today and 22 deaths to bring Louisiana’s death toll to 6,548. The number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital also increased by 32 to 1,357 and ventilator use increased by 12 to 154 patients.

In Acadiana, the state health department reports just four ICU beds are available….
cut 2 (31) “….I’m Brooke Thorington”

The U-S Justice Department has launched an investigation into why the state department of corrections is keeping inmates locked up several days, sometimes months past their release date. New Orleans civil rights attorney William Most says not only is the practice unjust and illegal, its costing taxpayers a lot of money…
cut 5 (08) “….didn’t”
A department of corrections spokesperson says they take this very seriously and will cooperate fully with the D-O-J.

Tomorrow is election day, but Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin predicts a turnout of only around 20-percent after a turnout of 70-percent for the presidential election. Ardoin says after a rough year, many voters are fatigued…
cut 13 (12) “…burnout”
Polls are open from 7 AM to 8 PM.