Monroe-based CenturyLink’s 24-billion-dollar acquisition of Level 3 Communications has been completed, making it the state’s largest public company.  Kelley Ray has more…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kelley Ray”

______________________________________

Open enrollment for health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act begins today and runs until December 15^th. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________________

The 24-billion-dollar acquisition of Level 3 Communications by Monroe based CenturyLink is now complete, expanding the largest public trading company in Louisiana to more than 350 metropolitan areas.   CenturyLink Spokesperson Ann Marie Sartor says the merger allows them to continue leading the telecommunications industry…

Cut 3 (09) “technology solutions.”

Sartor says besides expansion in the U.S., CenturyLink will be able to focus on overseas operations as a result of the merger with the added assets and manpower the former Level 3 Communications is able to provide…

Cut 4  (06) “for us.” 

Sartor says even though they are growing, CenturyLink will still keep their focus on their number one asset, their customers…

Cut 5  (06)  “for communications.”

CenturyLink is committed to Louisiana.  They have a state contract that keeps their headquarters in Monroe through at least 2020.

_______________________________________________________

Open enrollment for health insurance policies through the Affordable Care Act begins today and runs until December 15^th. Over 122-thousand Louisianans are covered through the online marketplace. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says most policy holders will see a double digit increase in premiums.

Cut 6 (11)  “last year”

In 2017, 86-percent of Marketplace enrollees in Louisiana received a subsidy. Donelon credits an average 18.5 increase in premiums to the uncertainty surrounding the Affordable Care Act.

Cut 7 (11) “its passage”

In Louisiana, the only insurers offering the Affordable Care Act health plans are Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana and Vantage Health Plan. Donelon offers some tips for those interested in purchasing or renewing their plans.

Cut 8 (11) “expenses”

Visit healthcare.gov to search policies.

_________________________________________________________

On the day Louisiana is releasing 19-hundred non-violent offenders, a state audit finds the Department of Corrections is not able to track offenders or know their exact release date.  They found 11 percent of offenders were at another facility other than what was reported in their computer system.  Another 19 percent had at least one error in their record.  Auditor Kristen Jacobs says the DOC does not have hard and fast policies which lead to improper reporting by local facilities…

Cut 9 (06)  “next month.” 

In several cases, the audit found that the DOC did not have proper methods in place to calculate correct prisoner release dates.  Jacobs says the DOC tried to plug up the holes in the records system.  They spent 3.6-million-dollars a few years ago on a computer data system that was quickly abandoned…

Cut 10 (07) “and testing.”

The DOC has been notified of their findings and Jacobs says they are willing to work on streamlining very complex procedures…

Cut 11 (12) “very complicated.”

_________________________________________________________

When it comes to popularity in Congress, both of Louisiana’s US Senators rank right about in the middle, according to a new Morning Consult poll. US Senator John Kennedy is ranked 39th out of 100 Senators, and Senator Bill Cassidy was number 62. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says the approval numbers are essentially the same, however..:

Cut 12 (11) “Affordable Care Act”

Cassidy received a 47% approval rating, while Kennedy had 50%. Cassidy is about three years away from re-election, and Stockley feels the Baton Rouge Senator is still more popular than he is unpopular…:

Cut 13 (10)  “Republican state”

Vermont US Senator Bernie Sanders was ranked the most popular in the poll, which Stockley says isn’t surprising given Sanders cult-like following throughout the entire nation. Stockley says he’s also not surprised that Republican Caucus leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was ranked least popular…:

Cut 14 (10)  “mentions in Tweets”

______________________________________________

The SEC matchup of the year is this Saturday when LSU takes of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Emelie Gunn takes a look at ticket sales on the secondary market…

Cut 1 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________________

19-hundred non-violent offenders will be released starting today as part of approved changes in criminal justice reform.  Kelley Ray has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Kelley Ray”

______________________________________

A Caldwell Parish teen is in police custody after he allegedly burned down a building that belonged to a historic church in Rayville. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3   (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

___________________________________________________

The hurricane season ends on November 30, but a named storm has never struck Louisiana in November in 167 years of record keeping.  State Climatologist Barry Keim says the state came close to breaking that streak in 2009 when Tropical Storm Ida churned in the Gulf…

Cut 4  (08) “was spared.”

This hurricane season has not been quiet.  Keim says it ranks high on the list with the second most major hurricanes in a season with one month to go…

Cut 5  (06)  “major hurricanes.”

Louisiana prior to this year was spared hurricane or tropical storm landfalls for four seasons.  Keim says Mother Nature made up for it this year…

Cut 6 (09) “early October.”

_________________________________________________________

LSU takes on the Alabama Crimson Tide this Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium and ticket sales are on fire. Cameron Papp with Stub Hub says ticket prices range from 90 dollars to over 500 dollars for a seat to see the highly anticipated match up. He says this is the highest selling Alabama home game this season so far.

Cut 7 (08)  their calenders”

Papp says traditionally tickets sell for a little more when the game is played in Tiger Stadium but these ticket prices match up to what we saw two years ago at Alabama’s last home game against the Tigers. He says the average ticket price is going for about 300 bucks.

Cut 8 (11) “college football”

Papp says there is still plenty of time left for fans to purchase tickets.

Cut 9 (07)  “game time”

_______________________________________________________

Over 19-hundred prisoners will be released today as part of the state’s criminal justice reform legislation enacted this year. The Edwards Administration says this will lower the highest incarceration rate in the country and produce better outcomes for non-violent offenders.  Winn Parish Sheriff Cranford Jordan (jer-dun) doesn’t see how releasing inmates will lead to better public safety…

Cut 10 (11)  “job properly.”

Jordan says the system is flawed from the start.  He says Louisiana needs to take a cue from Texas and begin rehabilitation before prisoners are released…

Cut 11 (11) “them out.”

Non-violent offenders will be eligible released after serving 35 percent of their sentence under the new law, but they will be still monitored according to Department of Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc…

Cut 12 (11) “control of.”

It is estimated the reform effort will reduce the state’s prison population by ten percent over ten years.  LeBlanc says many parish jail inmates are released without additional education or skills.  He says this reform will help in that regard as programs will be put into place to help released inmates stay out of jail…

Cut 13 (06) “need attention.”

It is estimated the new program will save the state 262-million-dollars over 10 years, with 70-percent of that money to be reinvested into training and prisoner rehabilitation programs.

________________________________________________________

A Caldwell Parish juvenile is in custody after allegedly destroying a building that belonged to St. Paul Baptist church in nearby Richland Parish.  Sheriff Gary Gilley says the suspect also stole an Entergy truck before setting fire to the structure…

Cut 14 (12) “Caldwell Parish.”

Authorities say the suspect also damaged several vehicles at Caldwell Parish High School. Gilley says they are still trying to determine why this teen burned down a building belonging to a church that’s been around for 137 years…

Cut 15 (08) “this happended.”

The fire started around 9:30 AM on Tuesday and Gilley says the suspect was taken into custody early that afternoon. He says witnesses told investigators they saw a young white male at the church in an Entergy truck when the blaze started…

Cut 16  (16)  “this time.”

_________________________________________________________

After a long layoff, UL Lafayette returns to the football field this Saturday when they visit South Alabama. The Cajuns last played on October 19th, when they were blown out by Arkansas State 47-3. Coach Mark Hudspeth says his players are not dwelling on that lopsided loss…

Cut 17 (23)  “from us”

Also in the Sun Belt this Saturday, ULM hosts Appalachian State. The Mountaineers are 4-0 in league play and Warhawks Coach Matt Viator says they have one of the top defenses in the Sun Belt…

Cut 18 (06) “excited about it” 

____________________________________________________

LSU will bring a three-game winning streak into Saturday’s SEC showdown with top ranked Alabama. Crimson Tide Head Coach Nick Saban says the Tigers are the best team they’ve seen this year and their season turned around after losing to Troy…

Cut 19 (20) right now“

Saban says his players need to be ready for a physical game on Saturday…

cut 20 (19)  “understand that” 

The suspect in the high profile Grambling State University double murder has hired a defense team to argue his innocence. Michelle Southern reports:

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

The police chief in Shreveport is on paid administrative leave after he fired his gun at an armed robbery suspect. Emelie Gunn has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________________

A woman was arrested after allegedly using pepper spray one several people inside a Chuck E Cheeses restaurant in Metarie.  Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Jason Rivarde says they were called to the scene and arrested Katarian Marshall of New Orleans after an apparent argument…

Cut 3 (07) “the woman.”

Rivarde says Marshall hit children and adults with the pepper spray.  Five adults and two children were treated at the scene…

Cut 4  (06) “by paramedics.” 

Marshall is charged with disturbing the peace by fighting.  She was released on a 250-dollar bond.

_______________________________________________________

Baton Rouge Police are investigating a crash off Airline Highway, which left two people dead including a toddler. Sgt. Don Coppola says witnesses told detectives they saw the driver of a 2009 Mustang driving erratically and crossing over the median multiple times before hitting an 18-wheeler head on.

Cut 5  (11)  “his injuries”

A 19-year-old male was a passenger in the vehicle and was transported to the hospital with moderate injuries. Coppola says the driver was identified as 23-year-old Wallacea Swazer of Baton Rouge and two year-old Carter Northern.

Cut 6 (06)  “the crash”

______________________________________________________

The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office says two men, one of them armed with a handgun, stopped a school bus because they felt the bus driver was speeding. Lt. Col. Ward Webb says the bus was traveling down the road with students on board yesterday afternoon when 58-year-old Clifton Hamby and 60-year-old Kerry LaSaicherre(Les-sha-share) refused to let the driver pass.

Cut 7 (10) “with speeding”

Webb says after producing a copy of the ordnance, an altercation apparently ensued and the bus driver drove away and called police. He says it’s always the best to call police if faced with a similar matter.

Cut 8 (11) “the peace”

Webb says one of the men was opening carrying a handgun on his waist when the incident occurred.

Cut 9 (10)     “is legal” 

_________________________________________________________

The suspect in the high profile Grambling State University double murder has hired a defense team to argue his innocence. Attorneys Ronald Haley and Dedrick (Deed-Rick) Moore would not reveal 19-year-old Jaylin Wayne’s side of the story, but said the focus should switch to the environment at Grambling. Moore says there is a culture of gun violence on campus:

Cut 10 (08) “continue to take place”

Cops had said the incident in which Earl Andrews, another GSU student, and Monquiarious Caldwell were killed, was the result of a personal fued and isolated. Haley says there was yet another shooting on campus just this past weekend, and they feel more light should be shed on a bigger problem at Grambling. He says school officials aren’t saying everything…:

Cut 11 (11) “3.6 GPA”

Wayne was arrested on first-degree murder charges. GSU President Rick Gallot said it became clear early on that this was not some random act of violence…:

Cut 12 (07) “who knew one another”

______________________________________________

State Police is reminding those out of the street for trick or treating or attending Halloween parties that this holiday is more dangerous for drunk driving than New Years. Trooper Melissa Matey says last New Year’s Eve there was 7 deaths in Louisiana and five were alcohol related.

Cut 13 (09)  “to alcohol”

The U.S. Department of Transportation says deaths from impaired driving make up half the all traffic fatalities between 2011 and 2015 on Halloween. Matey encourages people to make smart decisions before heading out to parties tonight.

Cut 14 (10)   to drink”

A report from the Centers for Disease Control finds children are four times more likely to be hit by a vehicle on Halloween than any other night of the year. Matey also adds it’s illegal for sex offenders to participate in any Halloween events where children may be present. She says L-S-P will be out in full force tonight.

Cut 15 (09) “the wheel”