Senator-elect John Kennedy isn’t happy that Amazon will begin collecting Louisiana sales taxes. Halen Doughty has more…
Voicer 5 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

After record breaking heat this week, we’ll finally see a cold front. Roger Erickson with the National Weather Service says the front will give us more seasonable temperatures tomorrow. But he says this cool air will not last long.
cut 11 (08) “…our east”

2016 had its share of bizarre stories in Louisiana. Last June, the valedictorian at Amite High School was not able to attend graduation with the rest of his classmates, because he refused to shave his facial hair. Andrew Jones had his own special ceremony and Pastor Roosevelt Wright helped set up the event…
cut 10 (11) “…a baby”
Jones was one of several students that were asked to shave before they could attend the school’s graduation ceremonies.

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says there’s been an uptick in the number of flood insurance policies after the state was hit with two historic floods. Donelon says it’s a very wise investment for a property owner…
cut 5 (10) “….building itself”
Donelon says there are 29-thousand more policies now than in July.

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon announces more Louisiana residents are purchasing flood insurance since the two devastating floods Louisiana endured this year. Don Molino has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

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2016 was filled with bizarre stories in Louisiana. Halen Doughty has some of the highlights…

Cut 2 (26) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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More Louisiana residents are buying flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program after two historic floods devastated Louisiana this year. That’s according to Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon, who says flood insurance is the best purchase a property owner can make, even if you don’t live in a flood zone.

Cut 3 (11) “low risk area”

The NFIP has issued more than $2 billion in payments as a result of the August flood. Donelon says there were 451-thousand policies in place in July. He says that has grown to 480-thousand policies. He says they saw the biggest spike in areas in south Louisiana that were affected by the August flooding.

cut 4  (10) “East Baton Rouge Parish”

Ascension, Lafayette, and Tangipahoa parishes saw similar hikes in policies. Donelon says even he himself increased his flood coverage after the August flood. He says it’s important to make sure the contents of your home are covered as well, not just the structure.

Cut 5  (10)  “building itself”

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A 23-year-old Jeanerette man has been arrested in connection with the disappearance and death of 75-year-old Howard Poche. The elderly man was reported missing on Christmas day and the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s office says a significant amount of blood was found in his home. Capt. Richard Fleming says Jeffery Marks was taken into custody this morning.

Cut 6 (11)”degree murder”

Marks was booked into the Iberia Parish Jail and no bond has been set. The sheriff’s office says Poche’s body has also been located, but Fleming says they are not providing any other details…

CUT 7 (10)  “the investigation” 

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Louisiana saw it’s share of bizarre stories in 2016. Jackson Representative Kenny Havard proposed an amendment to a sex trafficking bill that suggested strippers must be younger than 28 and weigh less than 160 pounds. Even after an uproar from female legislators calling the joke sexist, Havard refused to apologize for the amendment, saying he never mentioned women.

Cut 8 (08) “160 pounds”

Perhaps even more bizarre was when Pamela Anderson suggested that prisoners at Angola should be fed a vegetarian diet. Spokesperson for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Dan Matthews, said not only is a vegetarian diet healthier for the inmates, it could also save the state money.

Cut 9 (08)  “this proposal”

This year a special graduation ceremony was also held for a high school senior who was not allowed to walk in his school’s ceremony because he refused to shave his facial hair. Co-organizer of the event, Pastor Roosevelt Wright said Andrew Jones was the valedictorian at Amite High School, and it was incomprehensible that he was denied this privilege because of his beard.

Cut 10 (11) “a baby”

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After record breaking heat this week, we’ll finally see a cold front. Roger Erickson with the National Weather Service says the front will give us more seasonable temperatures tomorrow, with temps in the upper 50s to low 60s . But he says this cool air will not last long.

cut 11 (08) “our east”

Erickson says warm weather will return this weekend and there is also a chance of severe weather.

cut 12 (08) “as well”

Erickson says this quick cold front will likely help ease the dense fog we’ve been experiencing the last several days.

Cut 13 (04) “drop out”

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A 23-year-old Jeanerette man has been arrested in connection with the disappearance and death of 75-year-old Howard Poche. The elderly man was reported missing on Christmas day. Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Captain Richard Fleming says Jeffery Marks was taken into custody this morning.
Cut 6 (11)”degree murder”
It’s been reported that Poche’s body was found in a trash can at his home.

Louisiana saw it’s share of bizarre stories in 2016. At the state Capitol, Jackson Representative Kenny Havard proposed an amendment that said strippers must be younger than 28 and weigh less than 160 pounds. Havard never apologized for what some called a bad sexist joke…
cut 8 (08) “…160 pounds”

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon announces more Louisiana residents are purchasing flood insurance since the two devastating floods Louisiana endured this year. Don Molino has more…
voicer 1 (31) “…I’m Don Molino”

Governor John Bel Edwards says state leaders are doing what they can to prepare for a decision in the Alton Sterling case.
cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

A 23-year-old Jeanerette man has been arrested in connection with the disappearance and death of 75-year-old Howard Poche. Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Captain Richard Fleming says Jeffery Marks has been charged with first-degree murder, even though they have let to locate Poche’s body…
cut 7 (04) “…Mr Poche”

More Louisiana residents are buying flood insurance after two historic floods devastated Louisiana this year. That’s according to Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon, who says flood insurance is the best purchase a property owner can make, even if you don’t live in a flood zone.
Cut 3 (11) “low risk area”
Donelon says there were 451-thousand policies in place in July. He says that has grown to 480-thousand.

A big political story for 2016 was the election of Republican Treasurer John Kennedy to fill the U.S. seat vacated by David Vitter. La-politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says there were also some other big happenings with Louisiana’s Congressional delegation….
cut 6 (10) “….for Louisiana”

Senator-elect John Kennedy isn’t happy that Amazon will begin collecting Louisiana sales taxes. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s office has made an arrest in the disappearance of 75-year-old Howard Poche. The Jeanerette man has been missing since Christmas Day. Twenty-three-year-old Jeffery Lee Marks has been charged with first-degree murder. The search for Poche’s body continues.

A major story in 2016 was the shooting death of Alton Sterling, a black man, who was killed after a confrontation with two white police officers. Governor John Bel Edwards says since then police departments have been asked to re-evaluate how they train officers…
cut 8 (10) “…law enforcement officers”
Edwards says the public also has a responsibility to make sure they’re interacting with the police in a proper fashion as well.

2016 ends on Saturday, so what can you do to lessen the tax hit you might face when you file your 2016 returns. Metairie CPA Gina Rachel says charitable donations are one way to save on your taxes. She says monetary donations aren’t the only way to give….
cut 13 (08) “…donations as well”

It was another wild year in politics for Louisiana. Publisher of La-politics-dot-com, Jeremy Alford, says the first big development was the election of Republican Taylor Barras as House Speaker. That was not Governor John Bel Edwards’ choice and Alford says it set up a contentious battle over tax bills…
cut 5 (09) “….important sessions”
Governor Edwards pushed tax hikes as a way to close a massive budget deficit.

It’s end of the year and Metairie tax preparer Gina Rachel says many will give to charities over the next couple of days so they can receive a deduction on their 2016 returns. Rachel says there are some moves you can do after January 1 that can also lessen your tax bill…
cut 15 (09) “…that as well”

A big story in 2016 was the police shooting of Alton Sterling. It raised the need to improve police and community relations. Governor John Bel Edwards says they’ve asked police departments to re-evaluate how they train officers, but he also says the public has a responsbility to make sure they’re interacting with the police in a proper fashion. He says they are looking at ways to educate the public…
cut 9 (08) “….for example”
An expected announcement from the Department of Justice about potential charges against the officers involved in the Alton Sterling shooting is expected in 2017.

Webster Parish Sheriff Gary Sexton is doing okay today after he was involved in a crash with a stolen vehicle. Sexton’s department issued pickup truck and a State Police patrol car were parked at an exit off of I-20 that stolen car tried to drive through. The collision ended a high speed chase that started in Texas. An 18-year-old from Dallas was arrested.

State Treasurer and U.S. Senator elect John Kennedy is upset that Amazon will begin collecting state and local sales taxes on purchases made by Louisiana shoppers on January 1st. Louisiana law requires taxpayers to self-report their online purchases and pay taxes, but most online shoppers do not. Kennedy says it’s not the fault of the consumer, it’s the state Department of Revenue’s fault for not enforcing the law….
cut 12 (12) “…bad guy”
It’s been estimated the Amazon tax collection policy will generate between 30 to 50 million dollars for the state’s cofers.

The search continues for a missing 75-year-old Jeanerette man. Iberia Parish Sheriff deputies have been looking for Howard Poche since Christmas Day and authorities suspect foul play after finding a considerable amount of blood in his home.

Governor John Bel Edwards says state leaders are doing what they can to prepare for a decision on the Alton Sterling case.
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

There’s a few more days left in the year, so is there anything you can do, to lessen the tax bill you may have to pay when you file your 2016 returns? Metairie tax preparer Gina Rachal with the Louisiana C-P-A Society says accelerate any deductions that might expire in 2017..
cut 14 (10) “…lose that”
Rachel says federal higher education deductions will expire next year as well.

State Treasurer and U.S. Senator-elect John Kennedy is not happy with Amazon’s decision to begin collecting state and local sales taxes on purchases made by Louisiana customers. Kennedy says when you start talking about the internet and taxes, you’re taking the first step down a very slippery slope….
cut 11(09) “…sooner or later”
Amazon’s new tax collecting policy goes into effect January 1st.

A decision from the Department of Justice regarding criminal charges against the two police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Alton Sterling are expected in 2017. Governor John Bel Edwards….
cut 7 (09) “….that announcement”
July 5th was when Sterling was killed during a scuffle with two Baton Rouge police officers.

2016 was a hectic year for Louisiana politics. Emelie Gunn has more…
voicer 1 (30) “…I’m Emelie Gunn”

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is expecting a hearing soon to determine whether a baby found in a trash can in a New Roads Wal Mart restroom will remain in state custody. Officials have named the baby Olivia and New Roads Police Chief Kevin McDonald says the baby girl is doing well. The mother, 34-year-old Kyandrea Thomas, has been charged with attempted second-degree murder.