Only 171-thousand registered voters hit the polls for early voting for the runoff election, which is six percent of the state’s registered voters. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A new survey out of Tulane reveals US Senate candidate Republican John Kennedy has a healthy lead in the race against Democrat Foster Campbell in the runoff. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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It’s a cold, rainy day across the Bayou State, and state climatologist Barry Keim says this is typical for winter in Louisiana. He says a storm is tracking across the southern part of the state today, bringing more of the wet weather we saw all weekend.

Cut 3 (12) “half inches”

Flash flood watches are in effect until 3pm in southwest and central Louisiana parishes. Keim says there’s also the potential for severe weather today in south Louisiana as warm air is colliding with cold air.

cut 4  (10) “about it”

Keim says the rain should finally move out of the state today and then we can get ready for our real dose of cold weather before the weekend arrives.

Cut 5  (10)  “and Friday”

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Officials with the Camping World Independence Bowl in Shreveport are excited about their December 26^th contest that pits North Carolina State versus Vanderbilt. Bowl Spokesperson Stefan Nolet says the ACC and SEC matchup marks the second time in three seasons the two conferences have played each other in this bowl. He says both teams finished the season strong.

Cut 6 (10) “game here”

Kick off for the Independence Bowl is at 4 p.m. Nolet expects Vanderbilt fans are excited because they haven’t been to a bowl since 2013 and seem to travel well. But he says traveling on the day after Christmas can be tough, but…

CUT 7 (07)  “federal holiday”

Louisiana Tech is also excited about its bowl destination. The Bulldogs will play 25^th ranked Navy on December 23^rd in Fort Worth, Texas in the Armed Forced Bowl. Athletic Director Tommy McClelland expects this will be a high scoring game. He says the kick-off is at 3 p.m. and predicts tons of fans will attend, like in past bowl games.

Cut 8 (09) “large crowd”

McClelland expects anywhere from 500 to a thousand students will attend the game. He says they were presented the option to play Army in the Heart of Dallas Bowl or a top 25 Navy team, so they selected the team that would give players another new experience.

Cut 9 (09)  “three years”

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Only 171-thousand of the state’s 3 million registered voters cast their ballots during the early voting period. Pollster John Couvillion, with JMC Analytics, predicts turnout for the runoff to be 35-percent, at the most. He says a runoff during the holiday season has always been bad for turnout, plus this Senate race isn’t exciting voters.

Cut 10 (08) “this one”

Couvillion says early voting data showed Democratic enthusiasm is lacking, with the percentage of black voters lower than in the primary. He says the only exception to this is in East Baton Rouge Parish, because of the hotly contested mayoral race.

cut 11 (12) “Weston-Broome”

Former State Senator Broome is facing Republican State Senator Bodi White in the Baton Rouge mayoral election. Only six percent of the state’s registered voters hit the polls for early voting. Couvillion says he was very impressed with the number of early voters in the primary, but….

cut 12 (10) “turnout”

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A new survey out of Tulane reveals Republican John Kennedy has a healthy lead over Democrat Foster Campbell in the Us Senate runoff. Brian Brox, associate professor of Political Science, says 59% of respondents said they would vote for Kennedy, while 40% said Campbell is their choice. He says the Republican has always been favored in Saturday’s race…:

Cut 13 (07) “characteristics”

The survey found that, when the presidential vote of the respondent is considered, nearly 83 percent of Trump voters said they plan to vote for Kennedy. Brox says it’s interesting that just 69 percent of Clinton voters said they would vote for Campbell. He attributes that to people that voted for Clinton, because they didn’t want to vote for Trump…:

cut 14 (09) “in the runoff”

Brox says supporters of the Senate candidate who did not make the runoff are splitting along partisan lines. He believes many voters feel that voting for the Democrat in this race means choosing the minority party since Republicans will control the Senate…:

Cut 15 (09) “power”

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December marks the peak of flu season, and the Louisiana Department of Health urges the public to get their flu shot. Jeff Palermo has more….

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The jury selection in the Cardell Hayes case, the man accused of killing former Saints player Will Smith, is scheduled to begin today. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The France-Louisiana Cooperation Accord has been extended until 2020 after it was signed by Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The Louisiana Department of Health reminds the public that December is the start of peak flu season. Dr. Frank Welch with LDH says flu activity has been low so far this year, as only 2 out of every 100 doctor visits in Louisiana have been flu related. He says there are things people can do to avoid getting sick.

cut 4  (08) “other people”

Welch says we’re at a higher risk of catching the flu during the holiday season. He says many people think that’s because the weather is cold, but it’s really because people spend time in close quarters at holiday parties and avoiding the cold.

Cut 5  (09)  “those situations”

Welch advises people to clean frequently used surfaces like door knobs when they have people in their homes. He says it’s not too late to get a flu shot, but the shot takes two weeks to take effect. He says even though for most people the flu is a mild inconvenience, it’s important for everyone to get their shot because for some people, the flu can be life threatening.

Cut 6 (10) “you and I”

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A recent poll from Southern Media and Opinion Research finds Governor John Bel Edwards’ approval rating is at 63-percent. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says that’s a big improvement over the governor’s approval rating earlier this year.

CUT 7 (10)  “we had”

A poll from Morning Consult found Edwards’ approval rating was only 45-percent in the spring, while a UNO poll showed 56-percent of respondents approved of his job performance in October. Pinsonat says Edwards’ response to all the floods, tornadoes, and other issues the state has seen this year may have helped boost his numbers.

Cut 8 (09) “8 months”

The poll also found that the state is split on the direction Louisiana is heading. Pinsonat says 41-percent of respondents believe the state is heading in the right direction, while 40-percent say it’s the wrong direction. He says that’s understandable given all the issues Louisiana faces.

Cut 9 (12)  “the state”

The poll shows 42-percent of voters think conditions will improve, while 19-percent say it will get worse.

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The jury selection is expected to begin today in the trial of Cardell Hayes, the man accused of killing Former Saints defensive end Will Smith. A judge has determined that the jury will be sequestered for the entire trial.  Legal Analyst Chick Foret says it will be hard for potential jurors to leave their families during the holiday season.

Cut 10 (10)  “on Tuesday”

Foret says it’s important to make sure the jury will hear the testimony from the witnesses, the evidence and nothing else.

cut 11 (10) “Judge Buras”

Jurors will not have access to TV’s or telephones. But Foret says Judge Camille Buras has promised to move the case along quickly and trial testimony will be heard even on weekends.

cut 12 (08) “this case”

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Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser extends the France-Louisiana Cooperation Accords for four more years.  Nungesser says it’s a program that brings French teachers to teach the French history, culture, and language in Louisiana schools.

Cut 13 (11) “across Louisiana”

The agreement extends the mutual agreement until 2020. Nungesser says this program supports French immersion programs and the Francophone culture. He says learning French opens doors for Louisiana students.

cut 14 (10) “to them”

Nungesser says the first French course in Louisiana was offered in 1969, and the earliest teachers that were sent by France were military personnel. He says French culture is a huge part of Louisiana heritage.

Cut 15 (09) “in Louisiana”

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The Saints appear to be heading towards another losing season as New Orleans played poorly in a 28-13 loss to the Detroit Lions. The Black and Gold committed 10 penalties and Quarterback Drew Brees threw three interceptions. Detroit jumped out to a 10-0 lead, which did not please Coach Sean Payton…

Cut 16 (16) “lose that battle”

The loss drops New Orleans record to 5-7.The Black and Gold are heading towards their fourth losing season in the last five. Payton was frustrated during the post game…

Cut 17 (10)    “poor start “

Payton also denied rumors that the Saints are interested in trading wide receiver Brandin Cooks during the offseason..

Cut 18 (09) “ thanks”

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The LSU Tigers will conclude the 2016 season by facing Louisville in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve day in Orlando, Florida. It will be an early start for the Tigers, as the game will kick-off at 11 AM eastern time. Nonetheless, LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron is proud to represent the Bayou Bengals in the bowl game…

Cut 19 (18)   “at LSU”

The game will feature LSU’s stingy defense against one of the best players in college football. Louisville Quarterback Lamar Jackson is considered a front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy. Orgeron calls Jackson a dynamic athlete…

cut 20 (11)   “on defense”

More the 351-thousand Louisianans are now enrolled in Medicaid as part of the expanded healthcare program, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Bayou Country Superfest has announced the lineup for their first show in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A bill co-authored by US Senator Bill Cassidy that seeks to reform mental healthcare has passed the US House and could receive Senate approval next week. Cassidy says this legislation is two years in the making, with the goal of making sure patients are not denied care. He says the bill should foster more mental health professionals, as well as create more outpatient treatment settings.

Cut 3 (11) “behavioral healthcare”

Cassidy says someone with mental illness dies 20 years younger than someone without it because physical health problems aren’t addressed. In his bill, the same day rule allows someone to be seen by a psychiatrist and physical health doctor on the same day. He adds there’s three times more mentally ill people in prisons than hospitals.

cut 4  (10) “often end”

Cassidy says some privacy laws inhibit communication between mental health providers and in-home care givers. He says the bill also establishes a Grant program focused on intensive early intervention for children who demonstrate signs of mental illness.

Cut 5  (09)  “early age”

The bill also provides for suicide prevention and substance abuse programs.

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More than 86-hundred Louisiana residents are receiving care for chronic conditions under the expansion of Medicaid. That’s according to the Louisiana Department of Health, who says enrollment has surpassed 351-thousand individuals. LDH Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee says many people are now getting healthcare they weren’t receiving while uninsured.

Cut 6 (10) “breast cancer”

Gee says treatment has started for nearly 600 adults newly diagnosed with diabetes and over 3-thousand adults received colonoscopies and 786 patients had precancerous polyps removed. She says the Medicaid expansion should lead to better health outcomes for working citizens who were previously uninsured.

CUT 7 (09)  “healthcare”

Gee says they are still unclear with will happen with the expanded Medicaid program when President-elect Trump takes office. She says if the expansion were to be repealed, Louisiana would lose 4 billion dollars and thousands would be uninsured.

Cut 8 (11) “different reality”

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The Cajundome will host its first event tonight since completing a 22-million dollar renovation, as the Ragin’ Cajuns basketball team will take on Nicholls State tonight. Cajundome Director Greg Davis believes people will be impressed with the updates.

Cut 9 (10)  “basketball court” 2x

Davis expects the renovated dome will help them recruit better basketball players. He says they’ll also be at an advantage competing for big name acts, adding that they are still able to host events like monster truck shows, ice hockey games, and circuses.

Cut 10 (11) “live entertainment”

Davis says the flow of the facility has also been updated to give patrons easier access to restrooms. He adds that the overall experience in the Cajundome has been greatly enhanced.

cut 11 (11) “been renovated” 2x

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The lineup for next year’s Bayou Country Superfest over the Memorial Day weekend has just been announced, featuring super stars Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, and Hank Williams Jr. Producer Quint Davis says it’s all new again because it’s coming to New Orleans for the first time.

cut 12 (10) “country music”

Davis says they’re doing it big this year with 6 acts a night, instead of 5, and three headliners each night. He says it will be interesting to see how Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert interact over the Memorial Day weekend, since the two divorced last year.

Cut 13 (08) “about that”

The 3-day festival was moved to the Superdome after LSU could not host the fest in its usual venue, Tiger Stadium, due to renovations. Davis expects the festival to have a huge impact on tourism in New Orleans.

cut 14 (08) “holiday weekend”