In a conference call with reporters, Republican U-S Senator John Kennedy says it’s time for Governor Edwards to fire Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Rebekah Gee. Kennedy is frustrated that L-D-H has discovered 37-thousand Medicaid recipients are no longer eligible for the taxpayer funded health care, because they make too much money. The health department credits a new computer system for finding the ineligible Medicaid recipients, but Kennedy doesn’t buy it…
cut 16 (12)”…ten times faster”
Gee says the majority of those found ineligible made just above the elibility line and would still be considered working poor…
cut 14 (08) “…any money”
Kennedy would like to see the legislative auditor do a thorough audit of the Medicaid program.

The Edwards administration says Louisiana set another record high for total Gross Domestic Product in the third quarter of 2018. The state’s GDP rose to 252 billion in the third quarter, up 2.3 billion from the second. Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says it continues the success story for the state’s economy.
Cut 10 (11) “…record number.”
Pierson says the numbers are even more impressive when you consider the negative impact a series of trade wars have had on Louisiana’s agricultural and export/import based economy.

Court documents filed today by the defense attorney for Matthew Naquin, the former LSU student, charged with negligent homicide, in the suspected hazing death of Maxwell Gruver, portrays Gruver as a party animal, who drank a lot and smoked marijuana, before he died in 2017. Legal analyst Tim Meche says Naquin’s lawyer is doing what he should be doing…
cut 11 (12) “…period of time”
The Gruver family posted on Facebook “Let the Victim shaming begin.” The trial is set for July.

Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy is unsure how he will vote on a congressional measure that seeks to block President Donald Trump’s national emergency over the southern border wall.
Cut 3 (06) “…I see that.”
Cassidy says his big concern is the precedent that the national emergency sets for future presidents.

State Superintendent of Education John White is not happy the governor’s budget proposal to lawmakers does not include extra dollars to help low income families pay for early childhood expenses. White says they have a waiting list of 33-hundred families seeking assistance and the waiting list will grow to 10-thousand once a federal subsidy runs out…
cut 14 (09) “…their child”
A statement from the governor’s office says Edwards has committed to giving teachers a pay raise this year and he’ll push for an increase in early childhood funding in 2020, if he’s re-elected.

There’s been a 44-percent drop in the violent crime rate in northeast Louisiana according to the U-S Department of Justice. US Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, David Joseph, credits the prosecution of 200 defendants in the past year on gun charges, more than 60 of which have been in the Monroe area…
cut 7 (07) “…in office”
The state has also provided a special prosector as well.

The Raise the Age Act legislation approved in 2016 goes into effect Friday. It says 17-year-olds charged with non-violent crimes will be prosecuted in the juvenile justice system, instead of as an adult. Rachel Gassert, with the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights says it’s a good thing for troubled 17-year-olds, because there is a better chance these teenagers will not re-offend if they are in the juvenile court system compared to the adult system…
cut 5 (12) “….the process”

Yahoo Sports reports LSU Basketball Coach Will Wade will be subpoenaed for a federal basketball corruption trial that will begin in April. Wade says he has not been following the case and his focus is on tonight’s game against 13th ranked Texas A-and-M. Back in October, Wade’s name reportedly appeared in a transcript from a separate federal trial involving a man who was found guilty of multiple felony fraud charges.

Senator Bill Cassidy says he wants to see more of an an effort in freeing a Lake Charles man from a Venezuelian prison. Tomeu Vadell is one of six Citgo executives who faces what their families claim to be trumped-up corruption charges. Cassidy says political unrest in the country is complicating their efforts….
cut 8 (10) “…war criminals”
Cassidy says he’s working to maintain diplomatic contact with Vadell, even as the political situation in Venezuela grows more chaotic.

Bayou Tech Brewing in Arnaudville will release a new limited-edition beer on March 2nd called Cajun Breakfast Stout. It’s a beer brewed with coffee, cane syrup and boudin.Karlos Knott says it tastes like nothing, you’ve sipped before…
cut 13 (10) “…the hops”
Knott says they are sure that this is the first beer to ever include boudin in its recipe.

With four more regular season games left, 13th ranked LSU is in a three-way tie for first place in the Southeastern Conference after the Tigers thrilling 82-80 overtime win over 5th ranked Tennessee on Saturday. Starting point guard Tremont Waters missed the game, because of an illness, but Javonte Smart and Skylar Mays combined for 52 points, Smart had 29. Coach Will Wade says Smart was phenomenal…
cut 16 (20) “…our team”
Tennessee and Kentucky are the other two teams tied with LSU for first place. The Vols and Wildcats will play each other on Saturday, while the Tigers will play three teams down the stretch that have a losing record in conference play, including Texas A-and-M on Tuesday.

For the first time since 2014, LSU is off to a 7-0 start. The Tigers completed a three-game sweep of Bryant with a 4-3 victory over the Bulldogs on Sunday. Josh Smith and Zach Watson each had two hits, while Antoine Duplantis drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the sixth inning. Aaron George was the winning pitcher as he struck out three in relief and Todd Peterson had a six-out save.

Louisiana Tech split a Sunday doubleheader with Troy. The Bulldogs hit four home runs in an 11-4 victory over the Trojans. Taylor Young and Mason Mallard each had three hits, including a home run. Troy took Game two 7-5.

ULM also split a doubleheader with S-I-U Edwardsville, Sam Houston State defeated the Ragin Cajuns nine to two. Nicholls swept a doubleheader from Grambling, while Southern split a doubleheader from Northwestern State.

Texas State defeated McNeese five to three in eleven innings and Southeastern Louisiana shutout Stony Brook 8 to 0.
And in the NBA tonight, the Pelicans, who are coming off a win over the Lakers, are at the 76ers.

37-thousand people enrolled in Medicaid have been told they no longer qualify for the taxpayer funded health care coverage, because they make too much money. Louisiana Health Secretary Rebekah Gee says a new computer system does a more thorough job of checking to make sure a Medicaid recipient qualifies for the program…
cut 8 (08) “…effectively managing”
If you received one of these notifications and can’t prove you no longer meet the income qualifications, your Medicaid coverage will end by March 31st.

LSU announces the administrators put on leave last week so an investigation can be conducted into what they knew about the hazing allegations at Delta Kappa Epsilon have been cleared of any wrongdoing. LSU says an investigation determined they did not try to sweep under the rug accusations of hazing that were allegedly taking place inside the DKE frat house.

Federal and state officials signed an agreement to allow construction on a $760 million flood protection project estimated to benefit over 60,000 people in St. James, St. John and St. Charles parishes. Congressman Garret Graves says it took 45 years for the state to gain the funding and construction on 18.5 miles of earthen levees should begin later this year.
Cut 5 (08)“…being made here.”
The levees will protect against storm surge that impaced the river parishes during Hurricane Isaac in 2012.

Six men will be inducted into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame in Winnfield today. They are former Secretary of State Paul Hardy, former first gentleman Raymond Blanco, the husband of former governor Kathleen Blanco, the C-E-O of Acaidan Ambulance Richard Zuschlag, former state representative Ron Gomez, Fourth circuit court of appeals judge Edwin Lombard and Marion Edwards, who is the late brother to former governor Edwin Edwards.

Thousands of Medicaid patients have been told they are no longer eligible for the taxpayer financed health care coverage after an improved computer system found they no longer meet the income requirements. Louisiana Health Secretary Rebekah Gee says most of those who no longer qualify are low-wage income workers, and may qualify for subsidies through the Affordable Care Act.
Cut 7 (09) “…for it.”
Gee says they usually find about 18,000 individuals every month who no longer qualify for Medicaid, this month the total was 37,000.

The Edwards administration has recommended a 30-million dollar budget plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. It includes pay raises for public school teachers, fully funds TOPS and provides more money for juvenile justice. But funding is uncertain, since House Republican leadership has yet to go along with a recommendation to raise the state’s income forecast.

Governor Edwards and the U-S Army Corps of Engineers has signed an agreement that allows construction to begin on a $760 million flood protection project that would protect an estimated 60,000 people in St. James, St. John and St. Charles parishes. This area saw extensive flooding during Hurricane Isaac in 2012. Congressman Garret Graves says it’s estimated this massive flood control project can reduce annual damaged from flooding by 865-million dollars over the next 50 years….
Cut 4 (12) “…of the interstate″
The 760-million dollars will pay for 18.5 miles of earthen levees.

A large portion of the state from I-10 to the north is under a slight risk for severe weather today. Northeast Louisiana is under an enhanced risk. Strong winds, hail and tornadoes are possible.

The Edwards administration has submitted a spending plan to lawmakers for next fiscal year that fully funds TOPS, gives public school teachers a raise and increases funding for social services, but it remains unclear if the funding is available. State economists project higher tax revenues than previously estimated, but Republican House Speaker Taylor Barras has blocked efforts to raise the income forecast. Barras says the economy is volatile and the Revenue Estimating Conference has been wrong before, so why not wait…
cut 10 (05) “…smaller and smaller”
Barras says he doesn’t want to appropriate money the state might not have.

Somebody missed out on a chance to claim a one million dollar Powerball prize. A ticket worth that amount from an August 26th drawing expired Thursday, with no one claiming the prize. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison says the money will go into an unclaimed prize fund…
cut 13 (05) “….throughout the years”
The ticket was sold in New Oleans.

Officials have signed an agreement that sets into motion the construction of a $760 million flood protection project for the river parishes. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Some strong thunderstorms are set to move through northwest Louisiana this morning. Most of the state from I-10 to the north is under a slight risk for thunderstorms. Northeast Louisiana is under an enhanced threat as damaging winds and tornadoes are possible later today.