Louisiana is in the midst of a financial crisis, but analysts say other states have been through this too. Michelle Southern reports…:
CUT 1 (29) “I’m Michelle Southern”
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Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards and Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy will each give their views on the budget crisis tonight. Jeff Palermo has the story…
CUT 2 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”
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The State Department of Health and Hospitals is investigating two possible Zika cases in Louisiana. Dr. Frank Welch, with the Louisiana Office of Public Health, says officials learned of these two cases after the patients complained to their doctors about feeling ill after visiting the Caribbean.
CUT 3 (06) “completely recovered”
Neither of the patients required hospitalization and they were counseled to avoid mosquito bites, so the disease doesn’t spread in Louisiana. Welch says at this point, Louisiana residents shouldn’t be concerned about getting the Zika Virus, because local transmission is very unlikely at this time….
CUT 4 (08) “right now”
Most people who get the Zika virus are unaware they have it. Welch says it’s a mild illness, but it can cause birth defects if pregnant women are infected. He says Zika could become a problem in Louisiana when the weather gets warmer.
CUT 5 (08) “be prepared”
Welch encourages people to do what they can to prevent the spread of the virus by wearing long sleeves and bug repellent, avoiding standing water, and watching for possible Zika symptoms.
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Louisiana is going through some major financial trouble right now, but analysts say we aren’t the first or last state to see issues like this. Political pollster Ron Faucheux says most states have improved their fiscal situation since the the Great Recession in 2008 and 2009…:
CUT 6 (09) “have rebounded”
Governor John Bel Edwards is broadcasting a rare address this evening to let the public know exactly what Louisiana is facing. The projected shortfall for this fiscal year is around $870 million dollars, and the budget year that begins July 1st is short about $2 billion. Faucheux says, unlike Louisiana, other states struggle when gas prices are high…:
CUT 7 (11) “after the hurricane”
Faucheux says this doesn’t mean Louisiana is isolated from the rest of the nation, but economic waves tend to be felt here on a different time table. He says raising taxes and cutting spending are quick ways to rebound, but
money matters here run much deeper…:
CUT 8 (09) “in the state”
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Louisiana Researchers have played a role in detecting gravitational waves, which Albert Einstein predicted would occur as part of his general theory of relativity. LSU astronomy professor, Gabriela Gonzalez, says their observatory in Livingston Parish observed the ripples in the fabric of spacetime on September 14th….
CUT 9 (09) “black holes”
Gonzales says two black holes colliding some one-point-three billion years ago created the gravitational wave that was detected in Livingston Parish and at another facility in Washington…
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Instruments recorded the sound of the black holes colliding. All it is was a “chirp” that lasted less than a second. But Gonzales says this type of discovery can help scientists learn more about how the universe works…
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State Police is partnering with Blue Cross to help with the safe disposal of prescription medication in central and northwest Louisiana. Trooper Michael Reichardt says in the front of the Troop F station in Monroe they’ve set out a box similar to a mail box for people to safely discard old or unwanted medication. He says the abuse of prescription medication in teens has become a growing problem…
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Reichardt says the normal methods of flushing old prescriptions down the toilet or throwing them in the trash are still effective. He says this is just an additional option of getting rid of the medications.
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Reichardt says drop boxes are outside of Troop E and F stations in Monroe and Alexandria. He says they won’t take any needles or intravenous drugs in the boxes.
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After an identity hearing in California today, a judged has ruled Frank Selas is former Monroe TV personality “Mr. Wonder” who is accused of committing sex crimes in Louisiana in the 70s. Lt. Tommy Carnline with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office says now the process of getting Selas back to Louisiana begins…
cut 15 (09) “governor’s warrant”
Mr. Wonder was living in San Diego at the time he was arrested. Carnline says everyone in Rapides Parish is anxious to get Selas back in Louisiana.
cut 16 (08) “37 years”