Several state senators are urging Governor John Bel Edwards to call a special session this month to fix a one-billion dollar revenue shortfall for next fiscal year. Edwards is waiting on House Republicans to get behind tax bills to make up the shortfall. Port Allen Senator Rick Ward says for legislators to agree on a plan, they need to be at the State Capitol…
Cut 3 (11) “of happening.”
Edwards says he’s made progress with House leadership on proposals to solve the fiscal cliff, but not enough to call a special session just yet.

Workers are seeing a difference in their paychecks. The federal tax overhaul legislation has kicked in, giving the average worker, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, an additional one-point-six-percent more in take home pay. Co-owner of Metairie based Crescent Payroll Solutions Sanders Offner says…
Cut 7 (10) “their paychecks.”
Peninsula Pacific says they are looking at moving the DiamondJacks Casino in Bossier City to Tangipahoa Parish near the Robert exit on I-12. Before considering a move, Manager Brent Stevens says he’d like to get some input from the Tangipahoa community.
Cut 13 (11) “this case.”
Stevens says the public can weigh in at community-conversations-la-dot-com. He says the other option is to spend over 100-million dollars to upgrade DiamondJacks in Bossier City.

Many Entergy customers are looking at higher than normal electricity bills, because of higher usage during the January cold snap. Spokesperson Shelia Pounders says they will work with customers on a payment plan. Pounders also recommends levelized billing, which allows customers to pay about the same amount for electricty every month…
Cut 29 (08) “customers like.”

The owners of Diamondjacks Casino in Bossier City are considering whether to invest over 100-million dollars in their current facility or build a new casino near I-12 in Tangipahoa Parish…
cut 15 (09) “…exciting place”
That’s Peninsula Pacific Manager Brent Stevens, who says the public can weigh in by going to Community Conversations-la-dot-com.

LSU Professor Tammy Dugas has developed a new treatment for heart disease using antioxidants from red wine. Research has indicated that having a glass of red wine could be good for your heart, so Dugas has developed a stent that releases red wine antioxidants slowly over time to prevent blood clotting…
Cut 4 (09) “an artery”
Dugas says she’s also working on a baloon coasted with the same compunds to treat flood flow blockages throughout the body.

Louisiana’s Transportation Secretary is worried the state may miss out if Congress approves a massive infrastructure funding bill.
Voicer 2 (32) “I’m Kelley Ray.”

Because of the severe influenza season, the state health department will offer free flu vaccines at parish health units across the state until next Monday. L-D-H vaccinated about three-thousand people when they offered free flu shots last Wednesday. Hospitals continue to report large numbers of sick patients due flu and flu-like symptoms.

Los Angeles-based Peninsula Pacific says they are looking at moving the DiamondJacks Casino in Bossier City to Tangipahoa Parish near the Robert exit on I-12. Before considering a move, Manager Brent Stevens says he’d like to get some input from the Tangipahoa community.
Cut 13 (11) “this case.”
Stevens says the public can weigh in at community-conversations-la-dot-com. He says the other option they are considering is spending over 100-million dollars to upgrade DiamondJacks in Bossier City.

A group of bipartisan state senators is urging Governor Edwards to call a special session this month to approve legislation to fix a one-billion dollar revenue shortfall for next fiscal year. Edwards is waiting to hear from House Republicans on what tax proposals they will consider.

Many Entergy Louisiana customers have suffered sticker shock after seeing their most recent bill, following the extreme cold snap in January. For many, the storm restoration fee went up. Customer Service Director Sheila Pounders explains…
Cut 7 (11) “recovery cost.”
Pounders says Entergy is willing to work with customers if they can’t pay their bill.

LSU Professor Tammy Dugas has developed a stent that releases red wine antioxidants to treat heart disease. Dugas says the red wine can prevent excess tissue from building up and blood vessels from narrowing. Dugas explains how researchers learned red wine can benefit the heart….
cut 6 (11) “….that benefit”

The owners of DiamondJacks casino in Bossier City is considering whether to upgrade the riverboat in northwest Louisiana or move it to Tangipahoa Parish near the Robert exit off of I-12. Peninsula Pacific Manager Brent Stevens….
cut 14 (05) “…number of years”
Moving a gaming license requires voter approval in Tangipahoa and the state legislature along with the Louisiana Gaming Control Board would also have to approve it.

President Donald Trump is pushing Congress to pass a massive infrastructure funding bill. But state Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson is not sure it will help Louisiana, because it will take a large sum of money from the states to receive federal matching dollars under the President’s plan…
cut 12 (09) “…these dollars”

Many Entergy customers are having to pay a very high utility bill from January, because it took a lot more energy to keep their homes warm. Customers may notice their storm restoration fee which dates back to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita also went up. Entergy spokesperson Shelia Pounders says the storm restoration fee goes up and down depending on monthly usage…
cut 8 (10) “….from that”

LSU health professor Tammy Dugas is using antioxidant compounds found in red wine to treat heart disease. Dugas is developing a new stent that releases red wine antioxidants slowly over time to prevent blood clotting and inflamation. Dugas says its posssible you could get same effects by ingesting certain supplements, but…
cut 5 (11) “…red wine”

President Trump has asked Congress to pass a one-point-five-trillion-dollar infrastructure funding bill. But will Louisiana see any of those dollars? State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says Louisiana doesn’t have enough transportation dollars to match what the federal government might be willing to offer…
Cut 10 (09) “those dollars.”
Wilson has pushed for a higher state gasoline tax.

Many Entergy customers are looking at higher than normal electricity bills. Usage was increased due to the cold weather in January. Spokesperson Shelia Pounders says they will work with customers on a payment plan. Ponders also recommends a levelized billing program, which allows customers to pay about the same amount for electricty every month…
Cut 9 (08) “customers like.”

LSU scientists are working on a program that treats heart disease using antioxidants derived from red wine. Matt Doyle has the story.
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Many people are still reporting flu like symptoms in Louisiana, but the state health department sees a glimmer of hope. State immuniziation director Dr. Frank Welch says they are seeing fewer people at doctor offices suffering from the flu…
Cut 3 (08) “of flu.”
Welch says to help minimize the spread of the flu bug, stay home, if you are suffering from symptoms.

State Police arrest a 20-year-old Kaplan man for a hit and run crash that killed two high school students. Sergeant Jared Sandifer says Tyler Meaux was driving a Ford F-150 and heading the wrong way on U-S 167 last night when he slammed into a Honda Civic, carrying four teenagers. Sandifer says they believe Meaux was drunk.
Cut 8 (08) “of that”
Those killed are identified as 16-year-old Alana Duhon of Abbeville and 15-year-old Sydney Colomb of Maurice.

Former ULM Quarterback Doug Pederson is basking in the glow of a Super Bowl Championship. Pederson made several gutsy decisions that led to the Eagles upset win over New England…
cut 11 (11) “…yourself aggressive”

Former Newman High stars Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Junior are also big winners night for their Super Bowl ad that spoofed the famous scene from “Dirty Dancing”
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

The state health department says the percentage of doctor visits for the flu has declined slightly over the last few weeks, but there is a concern the number of influenza cases may go up again, because of Mardi Gras parties. Immunziation Director Doctor Frank Welch has a few simple tips…
cut 5 (11) “….or glasses”
The state is offering free flu shots at parish health units through next Monday.

Two Vermilion Parish teenage girls are dead from a head on crash on US 167. Twenty-year-old Tyler Meaux of Kaplan is facing charges after he was allegedly drunk behind the wheel. State Police Sergeant Jared Sandifer says Meaux attempted to flee after the crash…
cut 7 (09) “…was impaired”
The girls killed attended North Vermilion High School.

Former Louisiana high school football coach and ex-ULM quarterback Doug Pederson is a Super Bowl champion after guiding the Eagles to an upset win over the Patriots. Philadelphia was not given much of a chance at winning, but Pederson kept the faith.
Cut 12 (12) “of these”
Pederson becomes just the eighth coach to win a Super Bowl within his first two years on the job.

Former LSU star Odell Beckham and New Orleans native Eli Manning showed off their dance moves during NFL Super Bowl ad that has received a lot of good reviews. Nelson Stewart, O-B-J’s former coach at Newman High School, says Beckham once danced his way out of a penalty…
cut 14 (11) “…his skills”
In case you didn’t see it, Beckham and Manning recreated the famous scene from the movie Dirty Dancing.

State Police arrest a 20-year-old Kaplan man for a hit and run crash that killed two North Vermilion high school students. Sergeant Jared Sandifer says Tyler Meaux was driving a Ford F-150 and heading the wrong way on U-S 167 last night when he slammed into a Honda Civic, carrying four teenagers
Cut 6 (10) “we believe”
The fatal victims have been identified as 16-year-old Alana Duhon and 15-year-old Sydney Colomb.

One man died and another was hospitalized after a Mardi Gras parade route shooting in Jeanerette on Sunday. Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman Major Wendell Raborn says the shooting happened around 4PM and deputies responded shortly after.
Cut 9 (08) “is related.”
No arrests have been made and a motive is unclear as well.

Former ULM Quarterback Doug Pederson is basking in the glow of a Super Bowl Championship. Pederson made several gutsy decisions that led to the Eagles upset win over New England…
cut 11 (11) “…yourself aggressive”

Former Newman High stars Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Junior are also big winners night for their Super Bowl ad that spoofed the famous scene from “Dirty Dancing”
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”