Governor John Bel Edwards has now received his annual flu shot and a booster for his previous two Pfizer Covid-19 shots.  More from Dave Brannen.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Dave Brannen.”

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A Baton Rouge military veteran and commercial pilot says he wants to put the state first before partisan politics unlike his opponent. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Legal betting on sports events makes its Louisiana debut. More from Kevin Gallagher…:

Cut 3 (32)  “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.” 

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Attorney General Jeff Landry is announcing some of the details important to a legal settlement with several pharmaceutical firms over the manufacturing and marketing of opioids.  Louisiana’s share of the 26-billion-dollar agreement is just over 325-million-dollars.  But, Landry says there is a catch.

Cut 4 (12) “…agree and participate.”

The funds will be used to mitigate the damage to the state’s citizens from opioid abuse and to help treat those in need.

Landry says local governments will decide how to allocate the funds in their particular area but the distribution must meet a certain criteria.

Cut 5 (08) “…treatment on addicts.”

Landry considers this settlement another step towards assisting Louisiana in curbing the damage done by opioids in Louisiana.

Cut 6 (06) “…this crisis.”

A crisis that Landry indicates has been all too deadly.

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Governor John Bel Edwards traveled to Baton Rouge General Hospital to receive his annual flu shot and Pfizer Covid-19 booster shot Wednesday. He’s urging Louisiana residents to follow his example, noting that getting your flu shot has one of the same benefits the COVID shot has.

Cut 7 (12) “…fact had Covid.”

Edwards says it’s been several years since the Bayou State experienced a bad outbreak of flu.

Cut 8 (10) “…flu that year.”

The governor says despite the deadly flu season four years ago, last year’s was not as bad because of some of the steps taken to ease the spread of COVID.

Cut 9 (10)  “…light flu season.”

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Baton Rouge commercial pilot and Navy veteran Luke Mixon is running for Senate in an effort to unseat the state’s junior senator John Kennedy in 2022. Mixon says he’s frustrated with the partisan politics in DC and Louisiana is not getting their fair share of natural disaster assistance.

Cut 10 (12)  “…bickering (x2).” 

42-year old Mixon was raised in Avoyelles Parish and graduated from the naval academy. He also completed four deployment supporting missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Even though he’s running as a democrat, Mixon says he feels most voters are more concerned with the candidate versus party.

Cut 11 (11) “…their party.”

When asked about Senator Kennedy’s lack of support for the infrastructure bill, Mixon says it was a bipartisan bill where 69 senators compromised and developed a plan to help everyone, not just their party.

Cut 12 (12) “…natural disasters (x2).”

When not working as a commercial pilot Mixon says he will be out campaigning.

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Legalized last year by the state legislature, sports betting has come to Louisiana, as Paragon Casino in Marksville opens its Vegas-style “Draft Room” sports book facility. Paragon General Manager Marshall Ray Sampson says they have partnered with Betfred Sports to offer sports book in our state…:

Cut 13 (08) “…the right direction.”

Sampson says being out in front of legalized gaming is nothing new for them, as they were the state’s first legal casino 20 years ago. He says Paragon’s Draft Room will offer over a hundred big screen TVs and a comfortable atmosphere…:

Cut 14 (11)  “…square feet.”

Native American casinos got first dibs on legal sports book in Louisiana, but other casinos are soon to follow suit. Sampson says Paragon offers gaming enthusiasts the chance to bet on most any sporting event…:

Cut 15 (14)  “…be offered.”

(Former Saints receiver Joe Horn made the first bet at Paragon; a seven-game parlay)

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The Saints are getting ready to play the Washington Football Team this Sunday.  Both teams are 2-and-2. Coach Sean Payton says W-F-T has a good defensive line and playmaker at running back by the name of J-D McKissic who is excellent out of the backfield as a pass-catcher

Cut  16 (19) “…in Heinicke”

The Saints are coming off a tough home loss to the Giants. Payton says they want to avoid a two-game losing streak

Cut 17 (20) “..improvement from.” 

The Saints have made a change at kicker as Cody Parkey replaces Aldrick Rosas. Payton says they are glad to have Parkey

Cut.. 18 (20)”…mentally tough.”

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After a tough start to the season with Hurricane Ida and playing some tough opponents, Nicholls has moved back into the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. The Colonels are ranked 25th after home victories over North Alabama and Houston Baptist. Nicholls coach Tim Rebowe says his team has improved in recent weeks…

Cut 19 (16)  “…every week” 

The Colonels close out a three-game homestand this Saturday when they host 14th ranked Southeastern in the River Bell Classic. The Lions are led by the reigning Walter Payton Award winner, Cole Kelley. The senior from Lafayette has thrown for nearly 16-hundred yards and 13 touchdowns in four games. Rebowe says Kelley gets everyone involved…

Cut 20 (16)  “…our defense” 

More healthcare workers in Louisiana are choosing to battle Covid-19 vaccine mandates by their employers.  More from Dave Brannen.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m  Dave Brannen.”

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LSU announces star cornerback Derek Stingley Junior had surgery on his foot and there’s no timetable on his return. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31)…I’m Jeff Palermo.”  

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As recovery efforts continue in Lafourche Parish after Hurricane Ida, Sheriff’s spokesman Brennan Matherne says things are getting better for some, while others are still struggling with little things that are piling up. That includes educational needs.

Cut 3 (12) “….a half weeks.”

And Matherne says a concern on that issue includes parents worrying about how to get uniforms for their children. He says fortunately a non-profit is helping out with that.

There are still a lot of people without their original homes in Lafourche Parish and having to deal with temporary housing, if not having to find more permanent arrangements for a residence.  Sheriff’s spokesman Brennan Matherne on the number of homes lost to Hurricane Ida.

Cut 4 (10) “…else to go.”

He says while a number have acquired travel trailers or the like, Matherne says a large number of residents are still waiting for FEMA to roll temporary housing into the parish, rather than just having a congregate shelter.

Lafourche Sheriff’s spokesman Brennan Matherne tells us today that more than five weeks after Hurricane Ida, only about one-third of the debris from the storm has been picked up. It’s one of the frustrations that residents are facing.

Cut 5 (09) “…or vice versa.”

Matherne says huge piles of debris along the parish’s highways are still causing issues, including for motorists.

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Sixteen hospitals in the state that deliver babies have met new standards designed to improve the state’s poor maternal death rate. Medical Director of the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative Dr. Veronica Gillespie-Bell says they are working to reduce maternal death rates in which hypertension and hemorrhage are the leading causes.

Cut 6 (11) “…and outcomes.” 

The collaborative was launched in 2018 joining healthcare providers and community advocates to improve birthing outcomes. Gillespie-Bell says they began with 31 hospitals and have grown to 42 which covers 95-percent births in the state, and they’ve seen a 35-percent reduction in adverse outcomes

Cut 7 (06) “…procedures.”  

So, of the sixteen hospitals that are meeting the collaborative’s standard should expectant mothers forgo undesignated birthing hospitals in Louisiana?  Gillespie-Bell says not necessarily.

Cut 8 (10) “…outcomes.”

For a listing of hospitals visit Louisiana Radio Network.com

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Healthcare workers in Shreveport and Monroe are taking Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport, St Mary Medical Center and Ochsner LSU Health Monroe to court over mandates by those facilities to be vaccinated. Jimmy Faircloth, an attorney for the plaintiffs, says the suits filed today are part of an employee’s fight for medical freedom.

Cut 9 (12) “…don’t get vaccinated.” 

The suit seeks to enforce the affirmative right under Louisiana law to refuse medical treatment.

Faircloth says there is no legal backing for the vaccine mandate for healthcare workers and hospital staff.

Cut 10 (09)  “…own healthcare decisions.” 

Attorney Faircloth says the lawsuits filed today request a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to enjoin the Ochsner vaccine mandate.

Cut  11 (09)  “…to opt out.”  

He says Ochsner’s vaccine mandates are “an unlawful forced choice; not a free choice.”

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Louisiana has joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s “Race to Zero” campaign. It’s a global effort that involves thousands of governments, higher education institutions, and businesses committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Governor Edwards says Louisiana must do its part because it’s on the front lines of climate change

Cut 12 (08) “..more severe”  

Last year, Edwards signed an executive order that commits the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050. The governor has also launched a Climate Initiatives Task Force…

Cut 13 (12) “..get there”

Edwards says investments have already been made in Louisiana by companies looking to develop renewable energy and he says there’s interest in using the Gulf of Mexico to produce wind energy…

Cut 14 (11) “…already have”