After months of speculation, Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt announces her candidacy for governor. Hewitt, who is an engineering executive, says she’ll put her business experience to work growing the economy, cutting taxes and creating more opportunity across Louisiana. Hewitt joins a race that also includes Jeff Landry, John Schroder and Hunter Lundy.

The deadline for open enrollment for health insurance through Healthcare.gov is Sunday. Whitney Thomas has more.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Whitney Thomas.”

Abita Springs Republican Representative Larry Frieman believes fathers should pay half of the out-of-pocket pregnancy-related expenses. After talking with family law attorneys, he learned that there is no law to help pregnant women recover those expenses, so he’s filed legislation to change that.
Cut 10 (10) “…scot-free.”
Frieman’s legislation is one of the first bills filed for the regular legislative session that begins in April.

Are you feeling lucky on this Friday the 13th? The jackpot for tonight’s Mega Millions drawing is an estimated 1.35 billion dollars. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison says superstition is not stopping lottery players from trying to win hundreds of millions of dollars…
cut 13 (08) “five point-one million”
The deadline to get a ticket is 9 PM tonight, the drawing is at 10 PM.

The Pentagon has reversed its mandatory COVID vaccine policy, after a lawsuit is filed against them for two Louisiana service members.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

The Louisiana State Police Commission approves unpaid suspensions for two state troopers, Lt. John Clary and Master Trooper Kory York, indicted last month for their roles in the 2019 fatal arrest of Ronald Greene in Union Parish. They are among the five law enforcement officers charged, two of the troopers indicted no longer work for State Police and the other officer is a Union Parish Sheriff’s Deputy.

For those seeking health care, the deadline to get a plan through the federal Affordable Care Act is Sunday. Director of the Office of Minority Health Doctor LaShawn McIver (Mc-key-ver) says individuals can enroll or re-enroll for health insurance coverage by visiting health-care-dot-gov or call 1-800-318-2596….
cut 5 (08) “…a week”
The federal government says nearly 16-million people have signed up for coverage through healthcare-dot-gov, a 13-percent increase over last year.

The Jackpot for tonight’s Mega Millions drawing is an estimated 1.35 billion dollars. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison says it’s the fourth biggest prize in U-S lottery history…
cut 14 (07) “…good luck”
the drawing takes place at 10 PM. The jackpot has been growing since October 18th.

More legal trouble for nursing home owner Bob Dean as the U-S Justice Department has filed a complaint against Dean alleging four-million dollars that belongs to the nursing homes instead went into his personal bank accounts that paid for cars and guns. Dean is also facing state criminal charges for putting hundreds of nursing home patients in an ill equipped facility in Tangipahoa Parish for Hurricane Ida.

State lawmakers have started filing bills for the upcoming legislative session and one proposal would hold fathers accountable for half of out of pocket pregnancy-related medical expenses.
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The Pentagon has ended COVID vaccine mandates for U.S. servicemen and women. The Pelican Institute for Public Policy sued on behalf of Master Sergeant Robert Galey and Senior Airman Faith Crocker, who cited religious reasons for not wanting the vaccine. Attorney Sarah Harbison says their pleas fell on deaf ears…:
Cut 8 (11) “…requests were denied.”
Up to 8-thousand U.S. servicemen and women have been discharged over refusing the COVID shots.

Open enrollment for Healthcare.gov health insurance ends on Sunday. Director of the Office of Minority Health Dr. LaShawn McIver (Mc-key-ver) says anyone in need of health insurance can visit Healthcare.gov and apply.
Cut 4 (08) “…insurance premiums.”
January 15th is also the deadline for those already enrolled to make changes to their current health plan.

It was seven years ago today Governor John Bel Edwards expanded the state’s Medicaid program which provided an additional 500-thousand working Louisianans with health insurance. The governor’s office says during that time hundreds of thousands of Louisianans received treatment for cancer, hypertension and mental health. The governor’s communications director Lauren Leist says it was the best decision the governor has made during his time in office…
cut 6 (10) “…at home”

State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter says we are seeing another uptick in COVID cases as a result of a new variant that’s considered highly transmissible.
cut 8 (10) “….to us”
Protections in the form of previous COVID infection antibodies, vaccines, boosters, and oral therapeutics.

Optimism for the near-future continues to drop among Louisiana’s small businesses. NFIB State Director Dawn McVea says a recent national survey resulted in a 12th straight month of member businesses who feel the next 3-to-6 months will be rough…:
Cut 10 (07) “…growing their business.”
51-percent of NFIB member businesses say their outlook for the next six months has gotten worse.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation announces plans to repair the Interstate 10 eastbound overpass at I-49 in Lafayette after a truck driving under the overpass caused extensive damage to three of the eight grinders on the eastbound bridge. DOTD spokesperson Deidra Druilhet says the repairs will come in two phases, with the first phase taking place a week from Friday…
Cut 13 (14) “…on I-10.”
Expect interstate closures when the work takes place January 20th to 22nd.

The newest strain of COVID, XBB.1.5. (XBB-dot-1-dot-5) is rapidly spreading. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says currently it accounts for about 18 percent of cases in Louisiana.
Cut 7 (11) “…would imagine.”
Kanter says at this point the new variant is not producing a large increase in severe cases.

Seven years ago today, Governor John Bel Edwards expanded the state’s Medicaid program on his first full day in office which gave more than 500-thousand working Louisianans access to health care. The governor’s communications director Lauren Leist says having more people with health insurance played a critical role in the state’s battle against COVID…
cut 5 (11) “…from COVID”

The National Federation of Independent Business says small business optimism for the near-future has dropped again, for a 12th straight month…
Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

California-based Niagara Bottling announces plans to build a 160-million dollar state-of-the-art production facility near Hammond. Niagara has more than 40 production facilities worldwide and the Tangipahoa Parish facility will be the first location in the state. Construction is set to begin in the second quarter of 2023 and the production facility will employ 70 individuals with an average annual salary of 55-thousand dollars.

Today marks the seven-year anniversary of Governor John Bel Edwards expanding the state’s Medicaid program. Whitney Thomas has the story.
Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Whitney Thomas.”

Another candidate has entered the 2023 governor’s race. 68-year-old Lake Charles small business owner and attorney Hunter Lundy says he will run as an independent. Lundy says he has a servant’s heart and a stubborn desire to talk about things that should be done. The primary is in October.

State health officer Doctor Joe Kanter says a new COVID-19 variant has caused a bump in COVID infections coming out of the holidays. The XBB.1.5 variant is expected to become the most dominant version in the next few weeks. Kanter says fortunately it’s not increasing hospitalizations at this point, but he expects cases to continue to rise.
Cut 9 (11) “…with earlier.”

The NFIB says small business optimism has dropped as fewer owners are expecting better business conditions over the next six months. Inflation remains the biggest problem. NFIB state director Dawn McVea says many owners are hoping government can help…
cut 12 (13) “….from all of this”