The Department of Children and Family Services is excited to announce Louisiana broke a record for the number of children adopted in a year. Emelie Gunn has more…
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AAA warns against drowsy driving this holiday season. Jeff Palermo has more…
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Former and currents Saints players showed up for the first day of Will Smith’s murder trial. Halen Doughty has more…
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Louisiana broke the state’s record for the number of foster children adoptions within a year. 735 children were adopted by 532 families between October of 2015 and September of 2016. Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Marketa Garner Walters says she couldn’t be more thankful for these families.
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Walters says all of the children in state care have a history of either abuse or neglect with a big majority being under the age of five. She says while it’s exciting so many children found foster homes, many are still without a family.
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For information on adopting a foster child, visit the department of children and family services website. Walters says many people adopt more than one child with 109 families adopting two kids, 19 families adopting three and nine adopting four children. She says foster parents get so much out of adoption…
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With people getting ready to hit the road for holiday travels, AAA warns drivers to avoid drowsy driving. According to the AAA Foundation report, you double the chances of getting into a wreck if you only get 5 to 6 hours of sleep, and the risk increases by 11 if you get less than four hours of shut eye. Spokesperson Don Redman says being tired behind the wheel is a form of impairment.
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Redman says nearly 21-percent of fatal crashes result in people falling asleep behind wheel, resulting in about 75-hundred fatalities nationwide a year. He says it’s no surprise most drowsy driving is reported between 2 am and 5 am. But he says a lot of people admit to being tired behind the wheel in broad daylight.
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AAA finds that nearly one in three drivers admitted to drowsy driving at least once in the past month. Redman says there are ways people can avoid being tired while driving on long trips.
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Ronald Gasser, the man accused of fatally shooting former NFL player and John Curtis star Joe McKnight last week, has been charged with manslaughter, so what will be the key factors in a likely trial? Legal analyst Tim Meche says Gasser’s testimony will be the biggest factor. He says if Gasser can explain a reasonable fear to the jury, he could be found not guilty….
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Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand says it’s possible the manslaughter charge could be upgraded or downgraded based on future evidence. Meche says the Jefferson Parish D-A’s office could also let a grand jury have a say….
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Meche says it appears the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted a very professional investigation in a tidal wave of criticism, which will likely help them build a better case. He says there is a state law that will play a big role in this case and that gives a person the right to shoot and kill someone attempting to invade your vehicle…
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The first day of the murder trial for former-Saints star Will Smith was filled with emotional testimony. Loyola law professor Dane Ciolino says the biggest surprise was that former running back Deuce McAllister took the stand early in the day to testify about his friendship with Smith and his time with the Saints.
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Current and former Saints players Drew Brees, Steve Gleason, Roman Harper, and Jahri Evans were also in the courtroom showing support for Smith’s family. Ciolino says it makes a difference who the victim is in any homicide case, which is the biggest problem Cardell Hayes’ defense is facing.
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The prosecution is arguing that Hayes was the aggressor in the incident because he rammed Smith’s car. The defense says that Smith was the aggressor and that he was reaching for a gun. Ciolino says the jury being sequestered will make everyone want to get through with the trial as quickly as possible.
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Some LSU fans are gearing up to head to Orlando for the Citrus Bowl later this month, but so far ticket sales are lagging a bit. That’s according to LSU ticket manager, Brian Broussard, who says so far only about 4-thousand tickets have been sold.
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The Tigers will face Louisville in the bowl game on December 31. Broussard says they still have over 5-thousand tickets available through their ticket office and you can get a good seat at a good price.
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Broussard says this game will be a good matchup and hopes fans will come out and support the Tigers. He says LSU fans shouldn’t let the 11 am Eastern Time kickoff discourage them.
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