State lawmakers begin a special session at 4 PM today. Teiko Foxx reports the top priority is drawing new boundaries for the state’s Congressional map…

Cut 1 (31)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx”

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A Cajun music legend passed away following a concert in Texas over the weekend. Colleen Crain has more on the life of Jo-El Sonnier…

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Colleen Crain.” 

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Winter weather is expected this week with the low predicted to be in the teens. Humane Society of Louisiana urge pet owners not to leave pets outside especially overnight. Director Jeff Dorson says if it’s too cold for you to be outside, its probably too cold for your furry friends.

Cut 3 (13) “…be comfortable.”

State law requires pet owners to bring pets inside when temperatures fall below fifty degrees. This means it will be illegal to leave a pet out in the cold this week.

When it comes to larger animals like livestock, Dorson recommends putting them in stalls, sheds, or barns and give them enough food. He says its important for owners to bring pets inside when the temperature dips to freezing conditions.

Cut 4 (09) “…as well.”

Another important precaution is to keep antifreeze away from pets or where they can get to it. Dorson says antifreeze has a sweet taste that animals like, so if you spill it – clean it up.

Cut 5 (11) “…it’s fatal.” 

If you see a pet left out in the cold, contact your local animal control office or police department.

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Snow sleet and freezing rain has been falling across northern parishes of Louisiana. LRN meteorologist Bill Jacquemin says it’s been a light dusting so far…

Cut 6 (09) “..ice up first” 

Jacquemin says there’s a hard freeze warning out for most of the state…

Cut 7 (07) “…on Wednesday.” 

For south Louisiana light rain is expected to change over to freezing rain this afternoon into tomorrow morning. Only a glaze ice is possible on roads and the ground. Jacquemine says the bigger concern for south Louisiana is cold temperatures…

Cut 8 (09) “…into tomorrow” 

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The Louisiana Legislature begins a special session at 4 PM today and the main priority is for lawmakers to redraw the Congressional boundaries with two majority minority districts, instead of one. Senate President Pro Tem and Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow believes they can get it done before the session ends on January 23rd…

Cut 9 (08) “…we agree on.” 

A federal judge has given the Louisiana Legislature a January 30th deadline to draw a six-district Congressional map, with two majority minority districts.

Barrow says House Democrats are proposing a second majority minority district that covers a significant portion of the Baton Rouge area, the Felicianas, Avoyelles Parish, the Mississippi River Delta parishes and northeast Louisiana…

Cut 10 (09) “..to be submitted.” 

Barrow says she expects the Republicans proposal for a Congressional District map will have significant implications for Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves…

Cut 11 (11) “…the question”

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Louisiana and the world of Cajun and Country music morns Jo-El Sonnier, the man who took the music of South Louisiana to the world. Saturday, while on tour in Texas, Sonnier received a standing ovation for one of his biggest hits, Tear-Stained Letter, before he left the stage to rest before signing autographs. Minutes later he suffered a fatal heart attack. Cajun Music Historian, Wade Falcon…

Cut 12 (11)  “…this world.”  

Sonnier died doing what he had done his whole life, bringing joy to his audience with his songs like No More One More Time, Come on Joe, Raining in My Heart and others. Falcon says the Emmy award winning Cajun brought music to the world on local and national record labels and stages, and his remarkable career started early…

Cut 13 (09) “…ever since then.” 

From a young age Sonnier learned from and played alongside great Cajun musicians from the post World War II Dance Hall era. Falcon says, Sonnier lived and breathed his style of music…

Cut  14 (11) “..multiple times.”

Sonnier had a reputation for generosity. He performed and collaborated with many well-known Cajun and Country artists.

A government watchdog group is concerned the call for this special session is too broad. Collen Crain reports legislators will attempt to approve new Congressional and Supreme Court district maps, make changes to campaign finance laws and switch to a party primary system for all elections.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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 The special session to redraw the state’s congressional districts gets underway this afternoon, and the governor wants lawmakers to address a dozen other issues too. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (33)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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North Louisiana is seeing winter precipitation this morning, while the entire state will experience below freezing temperatures Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

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If it was up to Governor Jeff Landry, he would not have called a special session a week after a new Legislature was sworn in. During an appearance on the Moon Griffon show, Landry says a mid-January special session is needed because a federal judge set a January 30th deadline to  redraw a Congressional district map with two majority-minority districts, instead of one..

Cut 4 (12) “..do it”

Five of the six Congressional districts have white majorities. Republicans fought for this map when it was approved in 2022, but a federal judge ruled it violates the Voting Rights Acts, because a third of the state’s population is Black. During an appearance on the Moon Griffon Show, Landry says legislators will draw a map with a second majority Black district…

Cut 5 (12) “…control the outcome.”

Lawmakers have until September 23rd to complete their redistricting work. Landry says after that they’ll turn their attention to a special session that will attempt to lower the crime rate…

Cut 6 (06) “…to work on.”

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This afternoon, Louisiana lawmakers convene a special Legislative session to address the court-ordered redistricting of Louisiana’s congressional map and there are several other complicated issues on the agenda. The special session must conclude on January 23rd. Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says legislators do not have a lot of time…

Cut 7 (12) “…campaign finance.”

Erwin says it takes at least five days to pass a bill and with an eight-day special session, he’s concerned some lawmakers are trying to tackle too much, including Governor Landry’s proposal to move from jungle primaries to closed party primaries….

Cut 8 (10) “…new lawmakers.” 

The special session was called because a federal court ordered the Bayou State to redraw Louisiana’s congressional districts to include a second majority-black district by January 30^th. Erwin understands the need for a special session now, but maybe legislators should just focus on redrawing the Congressional map…

Cut 9 (10)  “…would look like.”

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The special session gets underway this afternoon for lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional district map after the current six-district map with one majority Black district was ruled unconstitutional because the courts believe there should be two majority Black districts. LA-Politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says it’s anybody’s guess what will happen this time around…

Cut 10 (07) “…or not.”

During the brief session scheduled to end a week from tomorrow, lawmakers will also, at the request of the State Supreme Court, redraw the state’s judicial districts, which Alford says a second Black majority district could be added to that map as well.

Cut 11 (12) “…make of.” 

Governor Landry issued a proclamation that outlined twelve additional items for lawmakers to debate during the special session. Alford says among them is changing from open primaries to closed party primaries elections.

Cut 12 (08) “…gum up the works.” 

The topics on Landry’s agenda are all related to elections, ranging from campaign finances to amendments to the state code related to the implementation of elections.

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The entire I-20 corridor is under a winter storm warning as snow, sleet and freezing rain is expected to fall through the afternoon hours. Ryan Knapp is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Shreveport….

Cut 13 (14) “..sleet accumulations”

There’s a chance for freezing rain for entire the state. It will be very light for south Louisiana. Knapp says central Louisiana could see one to two-tenths of an inch of freezing rain…

Cut 14 (11) “..heavier impacts.” 

And it will be cold for the next few days. Highs for north Louisiana will be in the mid to upper 20s today. Central Louisiana will see highs near the freezing mark. Mid-40s for south Louisiana today. Cameron Kowalski with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles says tomorrow will be the coldest day for south Louisiana…

Cut 15 (11) “…the coast”

Kowalski says this storm system will also produce northerly winds of 20 to 25 miles per hour which is why there is a wind chill advisory for nearly the entire state…

Cut 16 (12) “..single digits” 

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The seventh ranked LSU women’s basketball team’s 16-game winning streak ended yesterday with a 67-62 defeat to unranked Auburn. It was a back and forth game that saw 17 lead changes and seven ties, but LSU shot just 42-percent from the field. Coach Kim Mulkey says Auburn’s defense was disruptive…

Cut 17 (15) “…came at us” 

The loss drops LSU’s record to 16-2, 3-and-1 in the SEC. It was the first conference win of the year for Auburn. After the game, Mulkey spent a long time in the locker room with her team. She says they talked about what they could have done better…

Cut 18 (23)  “…accountable.” 

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The LSU men’s basketball team also lost in Auburn this past weekend as the Bayou Bengals trailed by as many as 28 points in the second half before falling to 16th ranked team in the country 93-78. Coach Matt McMahon says Auburn is an elite team with no weaknesses…

Cut 19 (19) “…in transition” 

LSU turned it over 17 times and shot jut 42-percent from the field. Trae Hannibal came off the bench and scored 18 points in a losing effort…

Cut 20 (12) “…stay together.”

LSU hosts Ole Miss on Wednesday.