Louisiana is seeing Covid cases rise, and the worst flu season in 5 years. Michelle Southern reports now is the time to get updated on vaccines before the holidays…:

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern.”

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In Saturday’s election, 30-year-old political newcomer Davante Lewis defeated three-term incumbent Lambert Boissiere for a seat on the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Both are Democrats. Marsanne Golsby has more.

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State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is hopeful another incentive program will alleviate the state’s insurance crisis. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Covid cases are on the rise and flu is at its highest level in 5 years, so the Louisiana Department of Health is strongly encouraging residents to get boosters and vaccines before holiday gatherings. LDH reported nearly 4500 new Covid cases in its last count. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter…:

Cut 4 (13)  “…COVID-19.”

Kanter says at the start of the month, over 10% of healthcare visits in Louisiana were for flu-like illness. He says now is the time to take precautions…:

Cut 5 (12) “…severe disease.”

The updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to offer continued protection against the original strain while also offering new protection against the Omicron and other variants. Kanter says getting the shots now will give your body time to bolster immunity before the height of gatherings…:

Cut 6 (12)  “…holidays.” 

Louisiana residents should also consider getting tested ahead of gatherings. Home testing kits are widely available or you can call 211 to find a test site near you.

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It would only make sense that the state’s favorite crustacean is the topic of ongoing research at Nicholls State. Biosciences Associate Professor Chris Bonvillain says they’ve been looking at how water quality and low oxygen levels impact wild crawfish in the Atchafalaya Basin.

Cut 7 (12) “…at a time.”

And while crawfish are surviving in waters with low-oxygen levels, Bonvillain says they’re maturing smaller in size as a result.

Cut 8 (12)  “…smaller eggs.”

Preliminary studies show low oxygen produces fewer eggs and Bonvillain says the next phase of research will look at egg size. He says unhealthy crawfish tend to produce fewer eggs…

Cut 9 (05)  “…as well.”

Bonvillian says he’s also received feedback from Louisiana crawfish farmers who say they too are seeing smaller crawfish than in the past.

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Florida’s Legislature begins a special session today to address the state’s property insurance crisis. Thousands of Louisiana property owners are forced to find new private insurance carriers as many companies are either folding or no longer writing policies in Louisiana. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says a possible solution, is an incentive program, similar to the one used after Katrina and Rita, which led to new private insurance companies in Louisiana.

Cut 10 (06) “…last resort.” 

Louisiana lawmakers are waiting to see how much money the Revenue Estimating Conference says is available for such a program. The REC is meeting this week.

Donelon says yes, it’s dire but not as bad as it was after Katrina, and it’s not just that some companies have left the state entirely….

Cut 11 (07)  “…consumers.”

After Katrina and Rita, Donelon says the state faced a $23.3 billion crisis with a million claims. The last two hurricane seasons total $14 billion and 800-thousand claims.

While those without coverage are forced to turn to Citizens the state’s insurer of last resort, Donelon is hopeful incentives will resolve the insurance crisis.

Cut 12 (12) “…in Citizens today.”

At least 10 insurance companies have left the state in the last year.

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Thirty-year-old progressive policy advocate Davante Lewis unseated three term Public Service Commissioner Lambert Boissiere in a Saturday runoff election for the District Three Public Service Commission seat. Lewis is the first openly LGBTQ person to win elective office in Louisiana, but he does not think his sexual orientation was as a factor in the race.

Cut 13 (13) “…affect them.”

Lewis, of Baton Rouge,  says anger about high utility bills and a desire for more renewable energy helped him. He won with 59 percent of the vote. The fifty-seven-year-old Boissiere, of New Orleans, was supported by prominent Democrats including Congressman Troy Carter and Governor John Bel Edwards.

The race received national attention. Lewis was supported by powerful national environmental groups who mounted a massive grassroots campaign and poured money into the race.

Lewis says his first priority will be to try to reinstate a rule the PSC repealed in 2018 allowing net metering for solar power. He says net metering credits solar panel owners for the electricity they add to the grid.

Cut 14 (06)  “…credit back.”

Lewis says only two percent of the energy used in Louisiana comes from renewable sources.

Cut 15 (08)  “…the grid.”

Lewis’s election doesn’t change the commission’s political ratio. There are still three Republicans and two Democrats.

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The 2022 Prep Classic saw two of the state’s winningest coaches win a state championship. Jim Hightower has been involved in over 500 games and he’s never seen a finish like the one he experienced on Friday as his St. Thomas More Cougars rallied from 10 points down in the final two minutes to stun Lafayette Christian 52-48. Hightower says it was a wild finish…

Cut  16 (16)  “..pretty special” 

Louisiana’s winningest coach, J-T Curtis, captured his 27th state championship on Saturday night as the John Curtis Patriots blanked Brother Martin 23-0 nothing. Curtis saw his veer offense grind out a 99-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter, which set the tone…

Cut 17 (11) “….played very hard” 

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The Pelicans won their seventh straight last night as they defeated the Suns 129 to 124. New Orleans also beat Phoenix on Friday in the Smoothie King Center and with an 18-and-8 record the Pels have the best record in the Western Conference. Zion Williamson says it a nice accomplishment for December…

Cut 18 (15) “…deep team” 

Williamson has been outstanding during this seven game winning streak and he scored 35 points in yesterday’s overtime win. In O-T, Pelican fans chanted “M-V-P” when Zion was at the free throw line. Williamson says he loves feeling the love from the home fans…

Cut 19 (18) “….way they do”

Williamson has scored 30 or more points four times during this seven-game winning streak. Coach Willie Green is impressed with the former number one pick is doing, especially after missing all of last year with a foot injury…

Cut 20 (20) “…with us”

The Pels begin a three-game road trip in Utah on Tuesday.

Two 15-year-old boys are charged with making a bomb threat at Port Barre High school Monday. Marsanne Golsby has more.

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Three members of Southern University’s Human Jukebox band were killed in a crash involving an 18-wheeler near Natchitoches last night. Brooke Thorington has the tragic details….

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A new statewide poll shows a majority of Louisianans accept climate change as a reality, but feel it’s not up to the U.S. alone to address it. John Couvillon, with JMC Analytics & Polling, says the survey of over 600 residents found a majority (42%) feel it’s a real problem…:

Cut 3 (08) “…something about it.” 

Majorities polled feel climate change contributes to the severity of hurricanes, and that congress should work to address it. However, Couvillon says, large percentages also feel it’s not only up to the U.S. to fix, and favor an alternative approach…:

Cut 4 (11)  “…heavy polluter or not.” 

The U.S. has already lowered greenhouse gas emissions (believed to aggravate warming) tremendously, while other countries have not. What’s more Couvillon says his survey revealed large numbers of us would be willing to alter our consuming habits, if it meant helping slow climate change..:

Cut 5 (14) “…higher polluting country.”

You can view the entire survey at “winwithjmc.com”, click on “blogs.”

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After responding to four overdose deaths in a 72-hour period over the weekend, police in Monroe have one suspect in custody. Detective Matt Schmitz says 47-year-old Jarrell Lee Walker has been arrested and charged with the deaths of two persons who were found deceased on December third.

Cut 6 (07)  “…illicit drug.”

Walker faces several charges including two counts of negligent homicide. Schmitz says they are still waiting on toxicology reports, and they believe fentanyl is suspected to be involved in the deaths. As for the other two overdose deaths…

Cut 7 (05)  “…other two.”

Due to the number of drug overdose deaths in such a short period, Schmitz says they are warning the public of a suspected deadly batch of fentanyl circulating in the area. And they urge those with addiction issues to seek help.

Cut 8 (08)  “…their life.“

Walker was booked and processed at the Ouachita Parish Correctional Center.

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Authorities are investigating a double traffic fatality that happened around 4 pm Tuesday in Tangipahoa Parish. Trooper William Huggins says 67-year-old John Bitter was driving a Nissan and traveling eastbound on LA Highway 40 near Highway 445 when the single-vehicle crash occurred.

Cut 9 (11) “….a tree.” 

The passenger, 64-year-old Janice Pellegrin was also killed. Both victims are from Covington.

Huggins says Bitter and Pellegrin were both properly restrained and died as a result of the crash.

Cut 10 (09) “…under investigation.” 

Huggins says the investigation will include obtaining phone records and crash data recordings. Huggins says that’s similar to a Blackbox recording on a plane and it has valuable information like…

Cut 11 (09)  “…happened.”

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Port Barre (BARRY) police have arrested two fifteen-year-old boys for allegedly making a bomb threat at Port Barre High School Monday.  Police chief Deon Boudreaux one of the boys wrote a threat on a school bathroom wall, and the other conspired with him to do it.

Cut 12 (09) “… a lot of chaos.” 

Boudreaux says one boy is charged with terrorizing, and the other with accessory to terrorizing….

Cut 13 (08) “…two guys.”  

Boudreaux says the two are in the custody of their parents because the juvenile jail is full. Port Barre High School and Middle School are on the same campus. He says similar threats were made at the middle school on November 23^rd and December first^. The chief says the two suspects arrested for the alleged high school threat are not suspects in the threats at the middle school. He says they do have some suspects in the investigation at the middle school.

Cut 14 (10)   “…expert.”

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Three Southern University band members were killed in a crash involving an 18-wheeler last night. The students were reportedly on their way home to Texas for Christmas break. Captain Tony Moran with the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office says it happened on I-49 near Natchitoches around 7 pm.

Cut 15 (09) “…situation.”

State Police are investigating and say Tyran Williams, Dylan Young, and Broderick Moore were killed while trying to change a flat tire.

Moran says multiple first responders worked the accident.

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Southern University is offering grief counseling to students.