Eight months from today, Louisiana voters will head to the polls to vote on who will be Louisiana’s governor for the next four years. In 2015, the race centered around former US Senator David Vitter’s ties to a prostitution scandal, but political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this year’s race will focus more on policy issues…
cut 12 (11) “….a governor”
Qualifying for all of the statewide races is in early August.

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are expected to spend nearly 21-billion for Valentine’s Day. Fewer Americans are spending money on Valentine’s Day compared to other years, but NRF spokesperson Katherine Cullen says those that are making purchases are spending enough money to make it a record-breaking year.
Cut 4 (04) “…and spending more.”
The average person will spend 162-dollars on their sweetheart this year.

The state department of environmental quality’s website has a new interactive map that shows swim and fish advisories for 58 bodies of water statewide…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Lawmakers have until Friday to cut a deal to avoid another government shutdown.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Lafayette native Lauren Daigle was one of the big winners at last night’s Grammys as she won for best contemporary Christian Music Performance for her song, “You Say” and also won best contemporary Christian music album, “Look Up Child.” New Orleans native PJ Morton tied with Leon Bridges for best traditional R-and-B performance for his song “How Deep is Your Love.”

The Owner of Mac’s Fresh Market, Reggy McDonald, says the message on his latest circular ad is one about faith not racism. The message says Heaven has a wall, a gate, and a strict immigration policy. Hell has open borders, let that sink in. McDaniel says religion has always been a part of his business…
cut 8 (11) “….me and him”
McDaniel says he’ll continue to put religious messages on his ad mailers in the future.

Alexandria Police Department Sergeant Keith Mouliere is being called a hero after pulling a woman out of a burning home early Sunday morning. Corpoal Wade Bourgeois says Mouliere was on patrol when he saw a house on fire and learned from a man that there were people inside…
cut 12 (11) “…of the window”
Bourgeois says once Mouliere rescued the woman, he clled for additional units to arrive, because there was still someone inside.

Lafayette native Lauren Daigle was one of the big winners at last night’s Grammys as she won for best contemporary Christian Music Performance for her song, “You Say” and also won best contemporary Christian music album, “Look Up Child.”
cut 30 (09) “…part of this”
New Orleans native PJ Morton tied with Leon Bridges for best traditional R-and-B performance for his song “How Deep is Your Love.” Buddy Guy won for best traditional blues album.

Baton Rouge and New Orleans rank in the top 10 for adults who go more than 90 days without making a payment on their student loan. But Student Loan Hero analyst Kali McFadden says most of the individuals who become delinquent are able to stay away from defaulting…
cut 6 (08) “…90 day point”
McFadden says Louisiana households make far less than the national average, which is a main reason why people fall behind on their student loans.

The state department of environmental quality has ordered the Drax Biomass Plant in Morehouse Parish to install pollution control systems to reduce smog-forming emissions. Environmental Integrity Project Attorney Keri Powell says this good news for the community and it should lead to better health…
cut 14 (10) “…respiratory issues”

Shreveport Representative Sam Jenkins has filed legislation that creates the crime of aggressive driving and a motorist could be charged with this crime when committing three or more different offenses that are associated with aggressive driving. Jenkins says his proposed law would punish drivers who commit this offense with hundreds of dollars in fines, possibly a prison sentence and the offender would have to participate in a court-approved driver improvement program…
cut 8 (06) “….involved”
The bill will be heard in the legislative session that begins in April.

Baton Rouge and New Orleans are in the top ten most likely cities for adults to be more than 90 days late on student loan payments, as more than 20 percent of borrowers have been delinquent. Student Loan Hero analyst Kali McFadden says that’s largely due to the fact that Louisiana households make 11,000 dollars less per year than the national average….
cut 4 (10) “…huge difference”

The state department of environmental quality has ordered Drax Biomass in Morehouse Parish to reduce its smog-forming pollutants that’s being released from its wood pellett manufacturing plant. Environmental Intergrity Project attorney Keri Powell says the state is requiring Drax to submit their preconstruction permit applications withing three months…
cut 15 (12) “….required pollution control”

Shreveport Representative Sam Jenkins has filed legislation for the upcoming session that targets motorists who engage in aggressive driving…
voicer 2 (30) “….I’m Conner Ferrill”

An Alexandria grocery store is facing backlash on social media for what they printed on an ad mailer. Mac’s Fresh Market put on the mailer in bold letters that Heaven has a wall, a gate and a strict immigrant policy, hell has open borders. Let that sink in. One Facebook post says how about we build a wall around your store.

Three Louisiana based artists took home Grammy’s last night. Lafayette native Lauren Daigle won in two categories, best contemporary Christian music album and best contemporary Christian music performance for “Look up Child” and “You Say” respectively. New Orleans native PJ Morton tied with Leon Bridges for best traditional R-and-B performance for his song “How Deep is Your Love.” Pointe Coupee Parish native Buddy Guy won for best traditional blues album.

State Representative Sam Jenkins, a democrat from Shreveport, has filed a bill for the upcoming session that creates the crime of aggressive driving. Jenkins says the penalty for careless operation is minimal, while vehicular injury or homicide carries heavy penalties, but he wants something in the middle…
Cut 7 (12) “…offenses.”
Under the proposal, offenders would have to participate in a driver improvement program.

Sudent loan borrowers in Louisiana’s two biggest cities have some of the highest rates of late payments in the nation…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s office knows who committed a recent burglary at home in St. Martinville, because the suspect left his own vehicle in the victim’s driveway…
cut 11 (07) “….in it”
That’s Major Ginny Higgins who says 21-year-old Brayton Galentine of Lafayette is wanted for breaking into a victim’s home and stealing their Ford Fusion.

Student Loan Hero ranks Baton Rouge and New Orleans in the top 10 for most likely cities for people to be more than 90 days late on student loan payments, as more than 20-percent of borrowers have been delinquent. Analyst Kali McFadden on why there are so many in Louisiana who are delinquent on student loan payments…

cut 5 (05) “….graduating”

According to the report, Louisiana students graduated with 27,210 dollars of student debt on average, a little less than the national average.

Investigators with the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office are asking for the public’s assistance in locating 21-year-old Brayton Galentine of Lafayette, who is wanted in connection with a burglary and vehicle theft last month. Major Ginny Higgins says Galentine is accused of breaking into a home in St. Martinville and stealing keys to the home owners Ford Fusion, but he left a pretty incriminating piece of evidence behind.

Cut 10 (08) “…in their driveway.”

Higgins they don’t have a motive in the crime.

The state has ordered Drax Morehouse Biomass Plant, a wood pellet plant near Bastrop, to install air pollution controls following a challenge by environmental groups. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (33) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Filing your taxes will be a bit different this year.  Kevin Barnhart speaks to CPA Carrie Grinnell to find out what to expect.

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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Measles is on the rise nationwide and The Louisiana Department of Health says it’s a good reminder to make sure your kids are getting vaccinated.

Cut 2 (30) “…Jeff Palermo”  

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Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is warning residents to be on the lookout for symptoms of a virus that could kill your dog.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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LSU has the 6^th ranked recruiting class according to 247Sports heading into National Signing Day today. 247Sports analyst Billy Embody says at the top of the list is the battle for one of the best defensive tackles in the nation, Ishmael Sopsher from Amite in the perpetual recruiting battleground of Tangipahoa Parish.

Cut 4 (09) “…that parish.”

LSU has six scholarships left to offer.

The Tigers are considered the leaders in the race for four star defensive back Maurice Hampton out of Memphis, but even if he signs his letter of intent, Embody says he may not be sticking around, instead opting to play baseball…

Cut 5 (1) “…draft.”

Ishmael Sopsher isn’t the only Amite star the Purple and Gold are racing to lock up. Four star prospect, cornerback/wide receiver Devonta Lee is also reportedly leaning towards Baton Rouge. Embody says it’s been a long hard fight for the Tangipahoa star, but it looks ready to come to a close…

Cut 6 (12) “…pick LSU.”

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Filing your taxes will be a bit different from recent years with 2018 being the first year of the Trump administration’s implementation of a new tax plan.  CPA Carrie Grinnell says the taxpayers will notice the standard deduction is higher, but the forecast is that a majority of taxpayers may see that offset by the lack of itemized deductions.

Cut 7 (09) “…the standard deductions.”

Grinnell says while the presentation of the tax forms were pitched as being simpler, she says it appears it’s a bit more spread out.

Cut 8 (10) “…to successive pages.”

Grinnell says she’s heard from the IRS that tax refunds should be processed and distributed just as timely as it was in past years despite the recent government shutdown, but…

Cut 9 (04) “…another shutdown looming.″

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There’s been a rash of measles outbreaks across the country, and Louisiana Department of Health Immunization Director Frank Welch says it’s a great reminder to make sure you and your children are vaccinated against the virus. Welch says before mass vaccinations, measles was a serious threat to young children, and could leave them permanently disabled or worse…

Cut 10 (10) “…children”

The vaccine was created in 1963, and the number of new cases has dwindled to just thousands.

Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, but there’s been an uptick in the number of cases in recent years. Most new cases are directly linked to travelers returning from unvaccinated countries, and Welch says almost all of those infected share one thing in common…

Cut 11 (08) “….vaccinated.”

Welch says the vaccination is highly effective, and recommends children get two, the first when they turn one, and the second when they turn four.

The doctor says the disease is spread through coughing and physical contact with infected surfaces, and that it can at first feel like a run-of-the-mill sickness.

Cut 12 (07) “…feeling great.”

Once an infected person coughs, the virus can linger in the air in that area for up to two hours.

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The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is warning residents of south Louisiana to be aware of a rabies-like disease spotted in animals such as raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and skunks.  It’s called canine distemper and it is contagious to unvaccinated dogs. State wildlife veterinarian Dr. Jim LaCour says the virus will affect a dog’s gastrointestinal tract to start with.

Cut 13 (10) “…in unvaccinated dogs.”

LaCour says if you feed your dog outside, you should bring in food and water dishes inside after they are done eating and he recommends having your dog vaccinated.

Cut 14 (08) “…7-in-1 shot.”

In the event you think your dog may have been infected, LaCour says take your pet to the vet as distemper can be diagnosed clinically as well as through lab tests.

Cut 15 (10) “…in unvaccinated dogs.”

The virus has no effect on humans.