New poll data shows Governor John Bel Edwards approval rating at 49-percent. The survey comes from Morning Consult, who polls the popularity of governors nationwide. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Edwards is doing well as a Democrat in a red state, because of his pro-gun and pro-life stance and budget stability…
Cut 7 (09) “surplus year”
The poll found 30-percent of respondents disapprove of Edwards’ performance, while 21-percent are undecided.

It’s the Saints and the Eagles in an NFC divisional round playoff game on Sunday in the Dome. It looked like Philadelphia’s season was over when the Black and Gold dismantled them 48-7 in November. Saints linebacker Demario Davis says he’s not surprised to see the Eagles again in the postseason…
Cut 12 (11) “…shoulder”
Kick-off Sunday is at 3:40.

A 52-year-old Lake Charles man and his 59-year-old wife are dead in what authorities believe was a murder suicide early this morning. Calcasieu Sheriff Tony Mancuso says they believe David Bendley stabbed his wife and son and then fatally stabbed himself. Mancuso says the son survived the attack, but this family will never be the same…
cut 5 (09) “….unfortunate”
Mancuso would not speculate on what sparked the attack.

The Lafayette Economic Development Authority has determined that the Acadiana area has lost 11-thousand oil and gas jobs from 2008 to 2018. LEDA President Gregg Gothreaux says many of these laid off workers found employment in the petrochemical industry and may never work in the oil industry again….
cut 11 (09) “….changed so much”

New polling data puts Governor John Bel Edwards approval rating at 49-percent. Jeff Palermo has the story…
voicer 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

The administrator of the Louisiana Tax Commission is facing 65 criminal counts related to payroll fraud. State Police investigators say 51-year-old Charles Abels of Baton Rouge was paid for time he did not work. Authorities also say Abels used a state rental vehicle for personal use and submitted unauthorized fuel requests.

Calcaseiu Parish Sheriff’s deputies are investigating what appears to be a murder suicide that left a married couple dead, and their son injured. Sheriff Tony Mancuso says deputies were dispatched to a home in south Lake Charles early Friday morning regarding a man stabbing his son.
Cut 3 (12) “…in danger inside.”
When deputies entered the home, they found 52-year-old David Pendley dead along with his 59-year-old wife, Katherine. The son has been released from the hospital.

The Lafayette Economic Development Authority estimates the Acadiana area lost 11-thousand oil and gas jobs from 2008 to 2018. LEDA President Greg Gothreaux says much of the loss is linked to the drop in oil prices, a thousand jobs were also lost because of changes to the industry….
cut 10 (11) “…in oil prices”

New poll data shows Governor John Bel Edwards approval rating at 49-percent. The survey comes from Morning Consult, who polls the popularity of governors nationwide. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Edwards is doing well as a Democrat in a red state, because of his pro-gun and pro-life stance and his ability to bring budget stability…
Cut 7 (09) “surplus year”
The poll found 30-percent of respondents disapprove of Edwards’ performance, while 21-percent are undecided.

Louisiana has purchased 515-acres of farmland in Terrebonne Parish so they can move residents of Isle De Jean Charles from their vanishing island along the Gulf Coast. Office of Community Development Director Pat Forbes says the planning of their new community continues…
cut 12 (13) “….the highway frontage”
At last count about 100 people still lived on the island that’s being swallowed up by the Gulf.

Calcasieu Parish sheriff deputies found two people dead at a home in Lake Charles early this morning. Investigators believe 52-year-old David Pendley stabbed himself to death and his wife. His 24-year-old son was also stabbed, but he’s been released from a hospital.

State health officials are seeking a pharmaceutical partner to purchase drugs at a lower cost that can be used to treat hepatitiis C, which is a disease that damages the liver and can lead to death. At least 39-thousand people in Louisiana’s Medicaid program and prison system suffer from hepaititis C infection. Alex Billioux with the state office of public health says the plan also includes increased training for physicians, aimed at helping them identify patients who may be infected.
Cut 15 (09) “…Hepatitis C.”
The state hopes to have a contract in place by July.

Louisiana health officials aim to have a contract in place by July to offer Medicaid patients and inmates unrestricted access to drugs to treat Hepatitis C, which is a disease that damages the liver…
Cut 13 (08) “…infection.”
That’s Governor John Bel Edwards who says Louisiana has started the process in finding a pharmacuetical partner so they can treat 10-thousand individuals by the end of 2020.

A man who had been serving a life sentence for rape since 1981 is now a free man. Eric Prudholm walked out of Angola yesterday after a state judge vacated his convictions and sentence for aggravated rape and armed robbery. The Innocence Project says new DNA evidence in the case out of Bossier Parish conclusively proved that Prudholm did not rape the victim. Prudholm is now 58-years-old. He was 21 when he was thrown in jail.

Louisiana Office of Community Development Director Pat Forbes hopes the state can begin construction later this year on a new community for the residents of Isle De Jean Charles, which are in jeopardy of losing their homes on an island because of coastal erosion. Forbes says inhabitants of the island have been offered interim housing.
Cut 11 (10) “…the project done.”
The state has paid 11.7 million dollars in federal money on a 515-acre property of land in Terrebonne Parish about 40 miles north of the island to resettle the residents of Isle De Jean Charles in a new community.

A study shows the University of Louisiana System contributes nearly 11-billion dollars to the state’s economy. Economic Modeling Specialists International conducted the study. UL System President Jim Henderson…
cut 8 (09) “…these studies”

One man is dead following a police shooting in Lake Charles. Authorities say a man threatened another man with a gun inside a convenience store at about 1 AM this morning. Police say an officer came across the possible suspect a block away. It’s unclear what exactly happened next, but a statement says an officer opened fire, killing the man with a gun.

The state has purchased land in Terrebonne Parish for residents of the Isle De Jean Charles, who live on an island that’s being swallowed up by the Gulf of Mexico. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (29) “I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

Eight parishes are under a state of emergency declaration due to flooding concerns from high river levels. And rain is in the forecast for tonight, into tomorrow. Deputy Director of GOHSEP Casey Tingle says the declaration allows the state to support local emergency managers who are taking proactive measures to deal with the high river levels…
cut 6 (09) “….that trend continues”
The eight parishes in the declaration are Beauregard, Bossier, Caddo, Calacsieu, Catahoula, Rapides, St. Tammany and Washington.

The University of Louisiana System President Jim Henderson says a study has been produced that shows the nine universities in the system have nearly a 11-billion dollar economic impact on the state. Henderson says this goes along with the system’s mission to train adults for an ever-changing job market…
cut 9 (12) “….what we do”

Health officials say at least 39-thousand people in Louisiana’s Medicaid program and prison system suffer from hepatitis C infection, which is why the state is working on a plan to purchase normally expensive hepatits C drugs at a lower a cost to treat the contagious and sometimes fatal liver disease….
cut 14 (09) “…as possible”
That’s Louisiana Health Secretary Rebekah Gee, who says the department of health’s goal is to treat over 10-thousand Medicaid-enrolles and prisoners by the end of 2020.

A Lake Charles Police officer was involved in a fatal shooting early this morning. The L-C P-D says the officer responded to a complaint that a man entered a store and threatened another individual with a gun. An officer arrived three minutes later and found the suspect and the officer involved shooting left the man with a gun dead. State Police is conducting an investigation.

The state has completed the purchase of a 515 acre track of land to resettle the residents Isle De Jean Charles community who will lose their homes on an island that will one day be covered by the Gulf of Mexico. The 11.7 million dollar land purchase outside of Schriever is the first step in relocation. State Office of Community Development executive director Pat Forbes says they hope to start construction on the new community later this year.
Cut 10 (12) “…preliminary master plan.”
The island in south Terrebonne Parish has lost 98 percent of it’s landmass since 1955.

State emergency planners are concerned about flooding along rivers with more rain in the forecast for tonight and into Saturday morning. Deputy director of GOHSEP Casey Tingle has this message for drivers who come across any flooded roadways…
cut 5 (09) “…flooded roads”