Impeachment proceedings continue this morning in House Judiciary where members will review articles of impeachment drawn up over the weekend…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

________________________________________

Work on widening and improving portions of I-12 is scheduled to begin before the end of the year. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

____________________________________________

The LSU Board of Supervisors is concerned a new ACT policy may be discriminating against students from lower income households. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (30) “ I’m Matt Doyle.”

__________________________________________________

The House Judiciary Committee meets again this morning to review articles of impeachment drafted this weekend by Democrats. Impeachment proceedings are beginning to move quickly, and Judiciary Committee member and Benton Congressman Mike Johnson says we could see a resolution soon.

Cut 4 (08) “…week”

The articles are being drawn up in response to the President’s alleged effort to pressure Ukraine into investigating political rivals using Congressionally appropriated military aid.

Johnson says Republicans are being kept out of the loop on what to expect today, so no one is really sure how Democrats will approach crafting the articles.

Cut 5 (04) “…develops”

New Orleans Democratic Congressman Cedric Richmond also sits on the committee.

Johnson, a Republican, says the new sense of urgency from Democrats leading the impeachment charge is thanks to a political clock that is starting to rapidly tick down…

Cut 6 (07) “…comming up”

Several Democratic primary contenders are either Senators or Representatives, and a protracted impeachment process could pull them off the campaign trail.

______________________________________________________

Work to widen and improve I-12 between US 190 and LA 59 begins in the upcoming weeks. The first phase is being handled by James Construction Group and is estimated to cost $55 million.  DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the project has been in the works for a while.

Cut 7 (10) “…potential rear ends.”

A second phase will cost about $38 million.  Wilson says while funding for the initial two phases is coming from both St. Tammany Parish and the state, much of the funding is federal grant money.

Cut 8 (12) “…competitive and successful.”

DOTD is also preparing for the third phase of improvements between LA 1077 and LA 21.

Wilson says the DOTD is asking motorists to be patient as they are traveling through the upcoming construction zones.

Cut 9 (07) “…pinch in traffic.”
Wilson anticipates construction to take about two years for all phases to be completed.

______________________________________________________

LSU is in the college football playoff for the first time ever. The Tigers are the number one seed and they’ll play Oklahoma in a national semifinal game in Atlanta on December 28. LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says getting into the playoff is an accomplishment, but it’s not the final destination

Cut 10 (10) “takes us”

The winner between the Tigers and Sooners, will face the winner between Ohio State and Clemson. The national championship game will be played January 13th in New Orleans.

The LSU-Oklahoma game is matchup of two of the top five highest-scoring offenses in the country. And both teams are led by quarterbacks who transferred from another school, Jalen Hurts for Oklahoma and Joe Burrow for LSU. Orgeron says they wouldn’t be here without Burrow…

Cut 11 (09) “without him”

This is Oklahoma’s fourth appearance in the playoff, but they have yet to win a game. Sooners coach Lincoln Riley says the experience will help, but it will not determine who wins in Atlanta…

Cut  12 (12) “…to that” 

The number one seed has yet to win the C-F-P in five years.

_________________________________________________________

Members of the LSU Board of Supervisors express concern that a new ACT policy allowing students to retake specific sections of the test is economically discriminatory.

Board member Remy Starns says many kids from poor families don’t have the luxury of constantly retaking the vital college admissions test.

Cut 13 (10) “…once.”

Starns notes 15 percent of students take the test four or more times already.

Students are already allowed to retake the full test as many times as they want, but Starns says allowing test takers to focus in on just one section when for a specific test day creates an unlevel playing field.

Cut 14 (09) “nature.” 

The company that distributes the ACT says their studies show allowing multiple retakes does not advantage kids from higher-income families.

Starns says the test system is already biased towards well off kids, because at this time because while 70 percent of students take the test more than once…

Cut 15 (10) “…some do”

VP for enrollment management Joe Aviles notes as other states allow the policy, Lousiana may be forced to join them to allow their students to remain competitive.
______________________________________________

The Saints no longer control the opportunity to have the number one seed in the N-F-C playoffs after losing a wild 48-46 contest to the San Francisco 49ers in the Superdome. This game had six lead changes. Coach Sean Payton ‘s team falls to 10-and-3 on the season

Cut 16  (13)  …needed to” 

The Saints took a one-point lead with 53 seconds left when Drew Brees connected with Tre’Quan Smith on an 18-yard touchdown pass. But the 49ers won it on a 30-yard field goal by Robbie Gould. George Kittle’s 39-yard reception on fourth and two was the big play. Payton on how they tried to defend it…

Cut 17  (17) you in the end ” 

Payton’s postgame press conference lasted three minutes and this is how it ended…

cut 18  (13)     that way”  

__________________________________________________

Louisiana Tech is heading to a bowl game for a sixth consecutive season and they will not have to travel far. The Bulldogs will face Miami in the Walk On’s Independence Bowl on December 26th at Independence Stadium in Shreveport. Tech Coach Skip Holtz is glad they’ll be home for Christmas

cut 19 (20)  26th ”  

Miami’s head coach is Manny Diaz, who was a former defensive coordinator under Holtz at La Tech. And the Hurricanes defensive coordinator is Blake Baker, who spent four seasons in Ruston under Holtz. So the Bulldogs have an idea on what they’ll face…

cut 20 (18) “the ball”    

Two State Fire Marshal deputies have been arrested in separate investigations. Jeff Palermo reports one of the deputies was taken into custody after it was learned his K-9 died from malnourishment…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

_________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality sustained a 30 percent budget cut between 2008 and 2018 according to a study out of D.C. Matt Doyle has more…

cut  2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”    

__________________________________________

The State Fire Marshal’s Office announces the arrest of two of their deputies on malfeasance charges. An investigation began on one of the deputies after it was determined his K-9 died from a lack of food and water. Executive Director of the Louisiana Humane Society Jeff Dorson

Cut 3 (06) “…food and water”

Corporal Robert Fain from Bossier Parish faces several charges including a count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals. Another corporal, Clay Barrett of Calcasieu Parish, has also been arrested on malfeasance as a result of a separate investigation.

A necropsy of Maily revealed neglectful malnourishment as the cause of death as opposed to a lengthy illness as claimed by Fain. Dorson says agency supervisors should conduct random inspections of their issued police dogs …

Cut 4 (10) “…healthy”

Fain is also facing additional charges for allegedly claiming fraudulent hours and expenses related to working with the dog. Investigators have also learned Fain took steps to cover up incomplete investigative work. Dorson says Fain should receive a stiff sentence…

Cut 5 (12) “…high penalties”

Barrett’s charges are the result of investigators finding out that he allegedly took steps to cover-up incomplete and -or incorrect investigative work in two of his fire cases.

_______________________

A Brookhaven, Mississippi man is $1.2 million richer after purchasing a jackpot-winning Louisiana Lotto ticket at a Circle K store in Kentwood. Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison says it is not every day that someone line 72-year-old Darryl Jordan comes in and claims such a large prize.

Cut 6 (04) “…of this year.”

Jordan won the prize during the Wednesday night drawing. Mississippi now has its own lottery, but Annison says that won’t keep Jordan from playing in Louisiana as he has done for years.

Cut 7 (08) “…to play it.”

Annison says Jordan already has plans for his winnings.

Cut 8 (05) “…his big win.”

_________________________________

A Calhoun man is in jail accused of holding his girlfriend captive for days and beating her multiple times at various locations.  Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s spokesperson Glen Springfield says the harrowing episode ended when witnesses called authorities after seeing 22-year-old Michael Vaughn taking the victim by the hair…

Cut 9 (11) “…her abdomen.”

Springfield says the victim claims multiple attacks took place over two days later when she was attacked at their home with a closed fist and a baseball bat.

Cut 10 (13) “…the phone was.”

Springfield says if it wasn’t for the quick response of witnesses calling authorities, this situation could have seen a different conclusion.

Cut 11 (07) “…as it was.”

Vaughn was already on probation and now faces four felonies.

______________________

A report by the D.C. based Environmental Integrity Project shows the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality saw it’s budget cut by 35 percent between 2008 and 2018.

Those cuts came while the state saw an increasing number of petrochemical projects take hold, but DEQ Secretary Chuck Brown says it hasn’t significantly hampered their capabilities.

Cut 12 (10) “we have” 

The department also saw a 35 percent decline in staffing during that period, the fourth-highest percentage of cuts to staffing of any state during that period, but LDEQ spokesperson Greg Langley says much of the losses were not to regulatory staff.

Brown notes the department does not get money from the state general fund, but their staffing levels, and how much they can charge in fees are determined by the state.

Cut 13 (08) “…sustained”

The Secretary says despite the cuts in staff and funding, they’ve never failed to obtain key benchmarks set by the EPA.

Cut 14 (09) “…St. Bernard”

_________________________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards pledges more money for higher education. Edwards increased funding for public colleges by 47-million for this fiscal year, but the Board of Regents is requesting a 156-million-dollar boost for the upcoming budget. UL System President Jim Henderson says the increase in funds would entice high quality faculty…

Cut 15 (12) “…faculty.”

Henderson says additional money is also needed to ensure that TOPS students will have their tuition paid for throughout a four-year college career…

Cut 16  (10)  …bargain.”