The U-S Senate is expected to vote today on dueling proposals that would open the federal government, but they are not expected to get the 60 votes needed for approval. Republican Louisiana Senator John Kennedy blames Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the stalemate…
cut 5 (09) “….not middle ground”
One of the proposals up for vote today is the President’s plan for border wall funding, the other measure supported by Democrats, would re-open the government through February 8th.

Saints fans continue to mourn over Sunday’s heart breaking loss in the NFC Championship game, but General Manager Mickey Loomis says the franchise is moving forward…
Cut 13 (12) “…win the game.” (2x)

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety are praising Louisiana’s highway safety laws, ranking them 7th best in the nation…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

State Police has issued an endangered-missing child advisory for 11-year-old Tia Myshell McFarland of Monroe. She’s a four-foot-10 black female with long black hair and is said to have family on the south side of Monroe.

Governor John Bel Edwards re-election effort is officially underway as he made two campaign stops today in Lafayette. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says despite good approval ratings it’s not a sure thing that Edwards will be re-elected..
Cut 6 (10) “…Louisiana.”
Meanwhile, Republican challenger and Congressman Ralph Abraham held a lunchtime fundraiser in Lake Providence today.

Governor Edwards has fired off a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell urging him and the owners to change the rules so that another team doesn’t get robbed at its chance of playing in a Super Bowl…
cut 5 (11) “…problem is”
The NFL competition committee will reportedly discuss whether instant replay should be expanded to look at pass interference calls.

Starting next week, Louisiana abortion clinics will be legally compelled to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Get ready for a cold night, especially in north Louisiana, as Shreveport, Monroe and Natchitoches can all see morning lows that get below 30-degrees. Chris Nuttall is with the National Weather Service in Shreveport…
Cut 12 (09) “…tonight.”

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry says starting Monday the state can enforce a new law that would require physicians who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Landry says a federal appeals court has decided not to reconsider a legal challenge to the 2014 law, so now the law can go into effect….
cut 10 (10) “…of Health”
The Center for Reproductive Rights says there are only three abortion clinics left in Louisiana.

There’s been speculation former Louisiana Congressman John Fleming of Minden may enter the governor’s race. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says that would not be good for G-O-P Congressman Ralph Abraham, who is already in the race…
cut 8 (10 “…north Louisiana”
Abraham held a lunchtime fundraiser in Lake Providence today.

Governor John Bel Edwards has sent a letter to Roger Goodell urging the NFL Commish to make sure another team is not robbed of going to the Super Bowl. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Former LSU Tiger and West Monroe star Andrew Whitworth says the complaining over the no-call on pass interference is just an excuse. The Rams offensive tackle says on the possession before, the refs missed a face mask penalty on quarterback Jared Goff. Whitworth also points out the Saints had the ball first in O-T and didn’t score.

Governor John Bel Edwards re-election effort is officially underway with campaign stops today in Lafayette. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says despite good approval ratings it’s not a sure thing that Edwards will be re-elected..
cut 6 (10) “”….Louisiana”
Meanwhile, Republican challenger and Congressman Ralph Abraham holds a lunchtime fundraiser in Lake Providence.

Saints defensive back P.J. Williams has been arrested on drunk driving accusations. New Orleans Police say Williams was traveling 80 miles per hour on the Crescent City Connection Bridge when the speed limit is 50 miles per hour.

The silence continues from the NFL’s Commissioner’s office. The league has not said anything official about the missed pass interference call in the NFC Championship game. Governor Edwards wrote a letter to Goodell that says Saints fans will never forget.

The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp regulation on a state level, so could we see it legalized in Louisiana? Matt Doyle talked to one group pushing to make it happen…
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

We are seeing heavy rainfall in the Monroe and Alexandria areas as another cold front sweeps through Louisiana. State Climatologist Barry Keim says once the cold front moves through, temperatures will drop….
cut 9 (07) “….across northern parishes”
Temperatures are in the mid 30s in northwest Louisiana.

A New Orleans attorney has filed a lawsuit in an effort to get NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to invoke a rule that gives him authority to say a game should be replayed because of the missed pass interference call in the final two minutes of the NFC Championship game. Lawyer Frank D’Amico…
cut 15 (10) “…from that point”
Governor John Bel Edwards has written a letter to Goodell asking him and the owners to change the rules to make sure another obvious, blatant and intentional penalty at the end of a championship game doesn’t go uncalled again….
cut 3 (04) “…the league”
There’s been a report the NFL competition committee will look during the offseason on whether pass interference should be the subject of an instant replay review.

Saints defensive back P-J Williams has been charged with a D-W-I. New Orleans Police say Williams was going 80 in a 50 mile per hour zone.

Another cold front is moving through the state. State Climatologist Barry Keim…
cut 7 (08) “….said and done”
And just like on Saturday, temperatures will drop. High temperatures only in the 40s for north and central Louisiana today and we’ll see freezing temps for much of the state tomorrow morning.

The Louisiana High School Athletic Association annual convention gets underway today and there’s a proposal on the table to allow the private schools, hold championship events in football, basketball, baseball and softball at sites that are in different locations from public schools. Teurlings Catholic principal Mike Boyer says ideally, “select” teams could host the championship at the higher seeded team’s home field to save on rental costs.
Cut 10 (10) “non-revenue sports”
LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine doesn’t like the idea of having football championship games outside of the Superdome.

Stormy weather is impacting the Monroe area this morning as another cold front sweeps through the state today. State Climatologist Barry Keim says once the cold front moves through, temperatures will drop….
cut 9 (07) “….across northern parishes”
Temperatures are already in the mid 30s in northwest Louisiana.

An organization is gearing up to push for hemp legalization in Louisiana after the 2018 Farm Bill allowes states to regulate it. Louisiana Industrial Hemp Alliance Representative Arthur Walker says it’s a lucrative cash crop and is found in a range of products.
Cut 4 (11) “…can do.”
The big sticking point for some state legislators is that hemp contains THC, the same chemical found in marijuana that’s responsible for getting a user high. But supporters of hemp production say there’s not enough THC in hemp to distort the mind.

The LHSAA Convention gets underway in Baton Rouge today and there will be a discussion to allow private schools to have their own championship sites in football, basketball, baseball and softball. LHSAA executive director Eddie Bonine believes this is a bad idea, especially when it could mean that a football championship game would not be played in the Superdome…
cut 11 (11) “…argument wise”
But Teurlings Catholic Principal Mike Boyer says student-athletes are not motivated by the venue, they’re motivated by the title…
cut 12 (07) “…might be”
Boyer says he wants separate championship venues because the current format creates attendance issues, bad start times for title games and financially schools are not seeing the same type of revenue for playing in a title game than they did in the past.

New Orleans Attorney Frank D’Amico says his lawsuit against the NFL seeking that Commissioner Roger Goodell replay the end of the NFC Championship game because of a missed pass interference call is not a publicity stunt…
cut 16 (14) “…not doing so”
A hearing is scheduled for Monday in New Orleans and there’s a separate suit by a Lafayette attorney seeking an injunction to stop the Super Bowl. And Governor Edwards has written Goodell urging him and the owners to make sure a missed call of this level never keeps a team from reaching the Super Bowl again.

Another cold front is moving through Louisiana. State Climatologist Barry Keim…
cut 8 (07) “…northern parishes”
In Shreveport, the real feel temperature at this hour is 26-degrees.

Expect a push in the legislative session that begins in April to legalize hemp. Hemp is used in clothing, plastic composites and construction materials. Louisiana Industrial Hemp Alliance Representative Arthur Walker says while hemp does contain T-H-C, the same chemical in marijuana, he says the level of T-H-C is not high enough to get a person stoned…
cut 6 (10) “….you high”
The state legislature would have to pass a regulatory bill for hemp growth to be allowed here.

The LHSAA Annual Convention begins today in Baton Rouge. A vote could take place on Friday that would allow private schools to hold state championship games at venues other than the Superdome for football or Sulphur for baseball and softball. Basketball title games would also be held at a site closer to the school with the higher seed. But LHSAA executive director Eddie Bonine believes the Association’s constitution doesn’t allow for this proposal to happen…
cut 13 (09) “…gonna play”