Only 171-thousand of the state’s 3 million registered voters cast their ballots during the early voting period. Pollster John Couvillion, with JMC Analytics, predicts turnout for the runoff to be 35-percent, at the most. He says a runoff during the holiday season has always been bad for turnout, plus this Senate race isn’t exciting voters…:
Cut 10 (08) “this one”

This non-stop rain has many flood weary folks in the Bayou State feeling nervous, but State Climatologist Barry Keim says the wet weather will finally leave today and then we can get ready for our real dose of cold weather before the weekend arrives…:
Cut 5 (10) “and Friday”

A new survey out of Tulane reveals US Senate candidate Republican John Kennedy has a healthy lead in the race against Democrat Foster Campbell in the runoff. Brian Brox, associate professor of Political Science, says they found 59% of respondents said they would vote for Kennedy, while 40% said Campbell is their choice. He says the Republican has always been favored in Saturday’s race…:
Cut 13 (07) “characteristics”
The race will be held this Saturday.

LSU star running back Leonard Fournette made it official today and announced that he will be declaring for the 2017 NFL draft after the Tigers’ bowl game on December 24th. Fournette said he wanted to get it out there now so that there wouldn’t be speculation and distractions while they prepare to face Louisville in the Citrus on New Years Day. After battling a nagging ankle injury this season, Fournette has totaled 3,830 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns..

The rain has been coming down throughout the Bayou State over the past several days, and State Climatologist Barry Keim says there is a potential for severe weather today in south Louisiana as warm air collides with cold air..:
CUT 4 (10) “about it”
Flash flood watches are in effect until 3pm in southwest and central Louisiana parishes.

The jury selection in the Cardell Hayes case, the man accused of killing former Saints player Will Smith, has begun. Emelie Gunn has more..:
Cut 2 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Louisiana Tech is excited about its post season game this year as The Bulldogs have accepted a bid to play in the Armed Forces Bowl on December 23rd against No. 25 Navy. Athletic Director Tommy McClelland predicts tons of fans will attend, like in past bowl games…:
Cut 8 (09) “large crowd”
Kick-off is at 3 p.m.

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating a drowning in Lake Charles that claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy. They say friends reported the teen slipped and fell into a canal and was swept through a culvert that was about 75 feet long. His body was later located several hundred feet away. The investigation is ongoing.

It’s a cold, rainy day across the Bayou State, and state climatologist Barry Keim says this is typical for winter in Louisiana. He says a storm is tracking across the southern part of the state today, bringing more of the wet weather we saw all weekend…:
Cut 3 (12) “half inches”
Keim says the rain should finally be gone by today before it gets really cold and dry once again.

The murder trial of the man accused of shooting and killing former Saints defensive end Will Smith has begun. Cardell Hayes is charged with second degree murder. Legal analyst Chick Foret says potential jurors are being questioned right now and picking the right people will be crucial as the judge has ordered they be sequestered dude to the cases’ high profile…:
CUT 1 (10) “Buras”

Only 171,000 people showed up statewide to early vote in the December 10th runoff election, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. That’s compared to the 427,000 people who cast a ballot ahead of election day in the primary. Polls are open Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Officials with the Camping World Independence Bowl in Shreveport are excited about their December 26th contest that pits North Carolina State versus Vanderbilt. Bowl Spokesperson Stefan Nolet says the ACC and SEC matchup marks the second time in three seasons the two conferences have played each other in this bowl…:
Cut 6 (10) “game here”
Kick off for the Independence Bowl is at 4 p.m.

The LSU Tigers will conclude the 2016 season by facing Louisville in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve day in Orlando, Florida.

Jury selection for Cardel Hayes’ murder trial is underway, and a judge has determined that the jury will be sequestered for the entire trial of the man accused of killing former-Saints player Will Smith. Legal Analyst Chick Foret says it will be hard for jurors to leave their families during the holiday season.

Cut 10 (10) “on Tuesday”

Jurors will not have access to TVs or telephones.

Governor John Bel Edwards approval rating is 63-percent, according to a poll from Southern Media and Opinion Research. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says that’s a big improvement from earlier this year.

Cut 7 (10) “we had”

A Morning Consult poll found the governor’s approval rating was just 45-percent in the spring.

We’ve entered the peak of flu season, and the Louisiana Department of Health reminds everyone to get their flu shot. Dr. Frank Welch with LDH says although the flu is just an inconvenience for most people, it can be life threatening for others.

Cut 6 (10) “you and I”

Welch says it takes about two weeks for the flu shot to take effect.

The France-Louisiana Cooperation Accords has been extended until 2020 by Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser. The agreement brings French teachers to teach the French heritage and language in Louisiana. Nungesser says learning French opens doors for students.

Cut 14 (10) “to them”

Nungesser says this agreement supports French immersion programs and the Francophone heritage.

Jury selection in the murder trial for the accused killer of former Saints player Will Smith is underway. Cardell Hayes could be looking at life in prison on the charge of second degree murder. The judge has ordered that the jury be sequestered, but legal analyst Chick Foret says she’s promised to move the case along quickly…:
CUT 12 (08) “this case”
Jurors won’t have access to TV or telephones during the length of the trial.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser extends a program that brings French teachers to the state through 2020. He says this is important because French culture is a huge part of Louisiana heritage…:
Cut 15 (09) “in Louisiana”
Nungesser says this program supports French immersion methods. He says learning a second language will benefit students throughout their lives.

December marks the peak of flu season, and the Louisiana Department of Health urges the public to get their flu shot. Jeff Palermo has more…:
CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

A recent poll from Southern Media and Opinion Research finds Governor John Bel Edwards’ approval rating is at 63 percent. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat…:
CUT 8 (09) “8 months”
A poll from Morning Consult found Edwards’ approval rating was only 45 percent in the spring, while a UNO poll showed 56 percent of respondents approved of his job performance in October.

The jury selection in the Cardell Hayes case, the man accused of killing former Saints player Will Smith, is scheduled to begin today. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 2 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

December is the peak of flu season and the state Department of Health has some tips for folks to avoid getting the virus. Dr. Frank Welch with LDH says risk increases when it’s cold outside, but it’s a misconception that sickness is tied to the weather itself…:
CUT 5 (09) “those situations”
That’s why he says it’s important to wash hands and cover your mouth.

Only 171,000 people showed up statewide to early vote in the December 10th runoff election, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. That’s compared to the 427,000 people who cast a ballot ahead of election day in the primary. Polls are open Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A recent poll from Southern Media and Opinion Research finds 41 percent of people believe the state is heading in the right direction, while 40% are’t happy with how things are going. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says it makes sense given all Louisiana is going through right now…:
CUT 9 (12) “the state”
But he says this isn’t affecting Governor John Bel Edwards numbers as the poll showed the governor with a 63 percent approval rating.

The LSU Tigers will conclude the 2016 season by facing Louisville in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl; 10am on New Year’s Eve day in Orlando.

Jury selection begins today in the trial of Cardell Hayes, accused in the shooting death of former Saint Will Smith in April. Selecting the jurors could be somewhat problematic due to the pre-trial publicity regarding Smith’s death. Legal analyst Chick Foret says it’s important to make sure the jury will hear the testimony from the witnesses, the evidence and nothing else…:
cut 11 (10) “Judge Buras”
Hayes is facing second-degree murder charges.

The Louisiana Department of Health reminds the public that December is the start of peak flu season. Dr. Frank Welch with LDH says flu activity has been low so far this year, as only 2 out of every 100 doctor visits in Louisiana have been flu related. He says there are things people can do to avoid getting sick…:

cut 4 (08) “other people”
He says it’s not too late to get a flu shot.

It’s going to be another wet day across Louisiana, and Flash Flood watches are in place for southwest and central Louisiana until 3 this afternoon. The ground is already soaked due to rains over the weekend, and forecasters say an additional 1-2 inches is possible through this afternoon — with higher amounts possible.

The France-Louisiana Cooperation Accord has been extended until 2020 after it was signed by Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

The jury selection is slated to begin today in the trial of Cardell Hayes, the man accused of killing Former Saints defensive end Will Smith. A judge has determined that the jury will be sequestered for the entire trial. Legal Analyst Chick Foret says it will be hard for potential jurors to leave their families during the holiday season…:
Cut 10 (10) “on Tuesday”
Jurors will not have access to TV’s or telephones during the trial.

A recent poll from Southern Media and Opinion Research finds Governor John Bel Edwards’ approval rating is at 63-percent. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says this is huge for the governor…:
CUT 7 (10) “we had”
33.6 rated Edwards unfavorably and 3.5 percent said they were not sure.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser extends the France-Louisiana Cooperation Accords for four more years. Nungesser says it’s a program that brings French teachers to teach the French history, culture, and language in Louisiana schools…:
Cut 13 (11) “across Louisiana”
The agreement extends the program to until 2020.

The 20th ranked LSU Tigers will get a chance to spend the final week of 2016 in sunny Florida where they’ll play 13th ranked Louisville in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl on December 31st. Kickoff is set for 10am. In the New Orleans Bowl, UL-Lafayette will take on Southern Mississippi on December 17th.

Protests are taking place over the fact that the shooter of former-NFL player Joe McKNight was released after claiming self-defense. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand responds to a report that McKnight was trying to resolve the issue with 54-year-old Ronald Gasser.

Cut 13 (10) “Mr. Gasser”

Two arrests have been made in the case of the Bourbon Street shooting that left Demontris Toliver dead and 9 others injured. NOPD Chief Michael Harrison says 20-year-olds Jordan Clay and Kavon Manuel of Lafayette have been charged with 2^nd degree murder. He says a multi-agency investigation led to the suspects’ arrest.

Cut 3 (12) “federal partners”

The suspects also face 9 counts of attempted murder.

Three DOW Chemical plant employees who were being monitored after a chemical leak have been released, after a chlorine leak was reported yesterday afternoon. Three employees were reportedly observed at the Plaquemine facility’s onsite health services center, and 16 others drove themselves to local hospitals. All non-essential employees were evacuated after the small chlorine leak reportedly happened when the plant lost power. The leak has since been stopped.

The Edwards’ family is getting in the holiday spirit as they will spend their first Christmas in the Governor’s Mansion. The family was displaced during the August flooding but are now settling back into life in the mansion. First Lady Donna Edwards has been revamping the mansion since moving back into the home.

Cut 6 (08) “with that”

The basement took on 7 feet of water during the August flood.