State health officials say we have reached the peak of the influenza season as every five out of 100 doctor visits are because patients have the flu. Doctor Frank Welch with the Louisiana Department of Health says they are also seeing other illnesses that first started as the flu…
cut 7 (10) “….pneumonia”
Welch says the H-3-N-2 strain is making people very sick.

Ascension Parish Sheriff deputies have arrested a Baton Rouge business owner for allegedly defrauding over a dozen homeowners who were victims of the August flood. Sheriff Jeff Wiley says any other contractors who are doing the same thing need to take heed…
cut 14 (07) “…to operate”
Wiley says 39-year-old Matthew Morris faces several charges.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board said today that Wednesday’s deadly explosion at Packaging Corporation America in Beauregard Parish occurred as contractors were welding near a tank during a facility shutdown. State Police Sergeant James Anderson says they have an idea what was inside that tank…
cut 16 (09) “….this time”
Three people were killed and one person remains hospitalized. The investigation is continuing.

Cleanup continues in the Crescent City where an EF 3 twister damaged over 900 homes in New Orleans East. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says temporary repairs should be made, because policy holders have a legal obligation to minimize their damage…
cut 10 (11) “…further damage”
Donelon also encourages tornado victims to document their loss with pictures.

Governor John Bel Edwards is expected to unveil his tax reform plan today when he meets with the Committee of 100 in Washington, D.C. President of the Council for a Better Louisiana, Barry Erwin, says comprehensive tax reform is needed because many of the tax hikes approved last year will expire next year…:
Cut 7 (07) “a decade now”‘
Tax changes could be made during the regular session, which is set to begin in April.

The governor is also in Washington for the D-C Mardi Gras festivities. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the parties are a lot of fun, but it’s also a chance for Louisiana to sell the state to corporate leaders in business meetings during the day….
cut 11 (08) “….DC”
Pinsonat says Saturday’s Ball is one of the biggest social events of the year in D-C.

State judge Mike Erwin in Baton Rouge has been banned from a popular eatery in the Capital City called Sammy’s Grill, because he allegedly used a racial slur during a dispute over a chair at the bar. Legal analyst Tim Meche anticipates the Louisiana Judiciary Commission will investigate. He says in 2004 a judge in Houma was suspended for a year for wearing a blackface costume at Halloween…
cut 14 (12) “…being suspended”
Erwin’s staff has issued a no comment regarding the situation.

Cleco’s chief executive officer Darren Olagues, who was arrested in December for domestic abuse strangulation in an incident involving his wife, has resigned. The charges against Olagues were dropped at the request of his wife last month. Bill Fontento will serve as interim CEO for the Pineville-based utility company.

State Police say three people were killed and seven were injured as a result of an explosion that occurred inside a packaging plant near DeRidder. Chief Deputy Joe Toler of the Beauregard Sheriff’s Office says a tank burst into flames at around 11 AM resulting in a flood of first responders to the scene…
cut 13 (10) “…out there”
A Lafayette TV station is reporting the explosion may be the result of a welding operation on a tank that contained wood chips.

East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore is not expecting the results of a federal investigation into the officer-involved shooting of Alton Sterling anytime soon. Moore says since his office recused itself early on in the case, he can’t be exactly sure but…:
Cut 8 (10) “have taken”
Moore made the comments while issuing a report on officer-involved fatal shootings last year in East Baton Rouge Parish and said mental illness, the presence of guns and domestic violence were a major factor in these cases.

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office says a man who was jailed on a probation violation was beaten to death by at least a dozen inmates. Michelle Southern reports.
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

Tuesday’s tornado that slammed New Orleans east was unfortunately one for the record books. The National Weather Service says the twister that officials say destroyed 300 buildings and seriously damaged another 640 was an EF 3, the first of its kind in Orleans Parish. That means winds were around 140 miles an hour.

Just one day after a tornado ravaged the town of Donaldsonville, Mayor Leroy Sullivan says residents have a lot to be thankful for. He says 15 to 20 homes inside the city limits sustained at least moderate damage, while several more were impacted outside the city, but fortunately no one was seriously injured…:
Cut 6 (09) “to me”
Mike Steele with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says teams are gathering data, so Louisiana can make a case for federal assistance to help those that lost everything and rebuild public infrastructure…:
cut 4 (09) “those teams”
Mayor Mitch Landrieu says the tornado hurt 33 people in his city and 300 properties are severely damaged.

An explosion near DeRidder has killed three and injured seven others, according to the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office. Chief Deputy Joe Toler says authorities received a call just after 11 a.m. of an explosion at Packaging Corporation of America on U.S. 190. He says the scene has been contained and the fire is out…:
cut 11 (10) “they do”
No word on what caused the explosion.

A state judge in Baton Rouge has been banned from a popular local restaurant chain after he allegedly used a racial slur towards an african-american woman. Sheriff deputies responded to the incident on Friday night at Sammy’s on Highland Road. The woman shared her experience on Facebook that said Judge Erwin called her the “N” word during an argument over a seat at the bar. No charges were filed against the judge and he denies the accusation, but the owners of Sammys say Judge Erwin is no longer allowed at any of their restaurants.

The cleanup continues today after the Governor’s Office estimates at least 7 tornadoes touched down in southeast Louisiana on Tuesday. Mike Steele with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says the state is very lucky that no one was killed….
cut 3 (08) “…were hit”
The Louisiana National Guard says they’ve mobilized 150 personnel to help with recovery efforts. There will be guardsmen at 25 traffic control points in New Orleans East.

Officials say three people were killed and seven injured in an explosion that occurred this morning at a packaging plant near DeRidder. Joe Toler is the chief deputy of the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s office…
cit 12 (05) “…air med”
Some of the injured were taken to a hospital in Rapides Parish. A cause for the exploision is not known.

State Police are looking for a father and son from Thibodaux who were allegedly involved in the kidnapping of a Lafayette man. Trooper Jesse Lagrange says the suspects are 45-year-old Jeffery Slack Senior and 20-year-old Jeffery Slack Junior…
cut 15 (08) “….these subjects”
Four people have already been arrested in the case where the victim was taken to a residence in Thibodaux where he was restrained and beaten overnight.

East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore believes it will still be a few months before we hear a decision from the Department of Justice on whether charges are warranted against two police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling. Moore says once the decision comes down, they are expecting done peacefully and factually…
cut 10 (10) “…for months”

An explosion near DeRidder has killed at least three and injured several others at an industrial plant. Chief Deputy Joe Toler, with the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s office says authorities received a call just after 11 a.m. of an explosion at Packaging Corporation of America on U.S. 190. He says the scene has been contained and the fire is out….
cut 11 (10) “…they do”
Toler says they are not sure what caused the explosion.

East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore said today that he expects it will still be several months before we hear from the U-S Justice Department regarding their investigation into the Alton Sterling shooting. Moore reminds potential protesters of rules that have been put in place when a decision is announced….
cut 9 (11) “…that purpose”

The clean-up is ongoing from yesterday’s tornado outbreak across southeast Louisiana. Donaldsonville in Ascension Parish was hit hard by one of the twisters. Mayor Leroy Sullivan says they’ve spent today cleaning up debris….
cut 7 (11) “…some normlacy”
Dozens of homes were destroyed. Mike Steele, with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, says shelters have been set up in New Orleans and Donaldsonville…
cut 5 (12) “…down there”
Entergy says it could take three to five days to restore the power in New Orleans east. The National Weather Service says the tornado that went through their was an EF 3, with winds between 136 and 165 miles per hour.