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.

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

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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.

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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.

State health officials say we are seeing widespread flu cases as we approach the Carnival season. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is warning residents in south Louisiana about canine distemper, which is a rabies-like disease that veterinarians are seeing in raccoons and other animals. Complaints have been reported from Lafayette to the Florida parishes. L-D-W-F says the disease is spread among susceptible animals through contact with body fluids or droppings from an infected animal.

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine receives an 11.5 million dollar grant that will go towards the launch of the Center for Lung Biology and Disease. LSU associate Vice President for research and economic development, Gus Kousoulas says the state is swamped with lung disease issues, and further research into the biology of how the body reacts to initial infections and fights them off are crucial to addressing those problems.
Cut 11 (09) “…disease.”
Kousoulas says this type of research will lead to additional federal grants.

Louisiana Republcian Senator John Kennedy has invited a Senate custodian to attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address tonight…
cut 15 (11) “…works hard”
It’s the second year in a row Kennedy has invited a custodian who works at his Senate office building to the State of the Union.

President Trump will deliver his State of the Union address tonight. It comes after a contentious government shutdown centered on his demands for border wall funding. Senator John Kennedy expects the President will touch on three major issues.
Cut 13 (12) “…Jong Un.”
The speech will take place in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives.

Governor John Bel Edwards’ re-election campaign has released new digital ads with a message that the state is better off now compared to four years ago. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Edwards must start campaigning now, before his opponents begin to target him.
Cut 4 (10) “…to raise taxes.”
Edwards’ two announced Republican challengers are Ralph Abraham and Eddie Rispone.

A 2014 state law that puts another restriction on abortions in Louisiana will be a test case on where the new U-S Supreme court stands on abortion. Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says the nation’s highest court will determine whether the state’s admitting privilege law should have a full blown hearing. Ciolino says the Supreme Court previously rejected Texas’ admitting privilege law…
cut 8 (09) “…effect”
The nation’s highest court has yet to rule on any abortion cases since President Trump appointed two new conservative judges to the bench.

An Arnaudville woman is accused of stealing graveside flowers from a Cecilia cemetery and then selling them online. Major Ginny Higgins with the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s office says 42-year-old Rhonda Lagrange is in police custody…
cut 11 (10) “….make and sell things”
Investigators searched LaGrange’s home and found several silk flowers, floral arrangements, religious statues and vases.

The U-S Supreme court is considering an emergency appeal regarding a state law is set to go into effect that would require abortion doctors to have admitting privleges at a local hospital. Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says this is the first time the nation’s highest court has considered an abortion case, since President Trump appointed two conservative judges to the bench…
cut 9 (09) “….is possible”
Three years ago, the Supreme Court struck down a similar law from Texas.

John Bel Edwards’ re-election campaign has produced new digital ads that has the governor talking about how the state is better off than it was before he took office. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this is just the tip of the iceberg in campaign advertising befor the October primary…
cut 6 (09) “….in negative tone”

An Arnaudville woman has been accused of stealing flowers from a cemetery in Ceclia and then selling the items on the internet. St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s office Major Ginny Higgins says 42-year-old Rhonda Lagrange faces one count of simple burglary, but they suspect Lagrange has stolen graveside flowers on multiple occassions over the last three months…
cut 12 (09) “…reported it”
Further charges are pending on Lagrange.

Louisiana’s Congressional delegation will file into the chambers of the U-S House of Representatives to hear President Donald Trump’s state of the union address tonight. Each member of Congress can invite a guest, Senator John Kennedy on who he invited…
cut 15 (11) “…works hard”
Kennedy expects the President to touch on immigration, the economy, trade relations and North Korea.