Could Houston Head Coach Tom Herman be the next head football coach of the LSU Tigers? Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Louisiana State Police is reminding hunters to watch where they leave their vehicles or they could be ticketed. LSP says many hunters park their trucks alongside the trees on the side of the highway because it’s easier access to their land but when motorists see cars on the side of the road they often think someone needs help and it becomes a hazard. Parking on the side of a state or federal road is against the law.

Tomorrow night’s Powerball jackpot has reached 403 million dollars, that’s a cash value of 243.8 million dollars. Louisiana Lottery Spokesperson Kim Chopin says she expects a lot of people will be out buying tickets for Saturday’s drawing because they’re already out Black Friday shopping.
Cut 14 (10) “retailers”

She says this is the 9th largest jackpot in Powerball history.

Small Business Saturday is tomorrow and many local businesses are expecting a busy day. Spokesperson for the National Federation of Independent Businesses in Louisiana, Todd Pack, says those who plan to shop locally tomorrow say they value the contributions these local businesses have on the community.
Cut 4 (11) “Business Saturday”

Houston’s Tom Herman is a top candidate to be LSU’s next head football coach. Glen Guilbeau of the USA Today Network and columnist for Tiger Rag Magazine says LSU also approached Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher but he declined an offer that would pay him about 7 million dollars a year. He says interim head coach Ed Orgeron still remains a candidate.

Cut 10 (09) “the job”

Tigers Athletic Director Joe Alleva met with Coach O earlier this morning as planned.

Tomorrow’s Powerball jackpot drawing has soared to a massive 403 million dollars. Louisiana Lottery Spokesperson Kim Chopin says this is the second year in a row we’ve seen a big jackpot during the holidays, as last year it reached 1.6 billion dollars. She says this year’s winner will be able to buy a lot of Christmas gifts.

Cut 13 (06) “is yours”

The cash value is 243.8 million dollars.

Small Business Saturday is tomorrow and local, independent businesses are expecting a big turnout. Spokesperson for the National Federation of Independent Businesses in Louisiana, Todd Pack, says a recent survey shows more people than ever are aware of Small Business Saturday and 62-percent of those plan to shop at small retailers.

Cut 3 (08) “the owner”

The survey found 63-percent of consumers are willing to spend more on items if it comes from a locally owned business.

Holiday shopping is in full swing. Executive Director of the Louisiana Retailers Association Dawn Johnson says this is  an important time for retailers that were impacted by the historic floods in March and August.

Cut 7 (09) “or better”

She expects it will be a successful holiday shopping season for retailers.

Small businesses are hoping for a ton of customers tomorrow as it’s Small Business Saturday. Michelle Southern has more…
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

Early voting for the December 10th runoff election beings tomorrow. The polls will be open from 8:30 am to 6 p.m until Saturday, December 3rd, except for Sunday. To find your early voting location visit Geauxvote.com. All voters will also receive the Louisiana Blue Dog I voted sticker.

 
The holiday shopping season is underway. Executive Director of the Louisiana Retailers Association, Dawn Johnson, says it’s a different kind of holiday shopping season in the Bayou State, because of the flooding that took place earlier this year…
Cut 6 (10) “people there”

Johnson says they’re hopeful this is be a great holiday shopping season for Louisiana businesses.

Tomorrow’s Powerball jackpot has reached a whopping 403 million dollars. Louisiana Lottery Spokesperson Kimberly Chopin says it’s the 9th largest jackpot in Powerball history.
Cut 12 (10) “million dollars”

Last year the jackpot reached a record 1.6 billion dollars.

With Thanksgiving behind us, it’s time to get ready for Christmas, and that means finding a Christmas tree. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Early voting for the December 10^th election begins tomorrow and runs until December 3^rd. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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It’s Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Don Molino has a preview on what to expect….

Cut 3 (24) “Don Molino”

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Now that Thanksgiving is over, people are getting ready for Christmas, which starts with finding the perfect tree. Owner of Steele’s Christmas Tree Farm in Washington Parish, Kevin Steele, says families start coming to his farm on Thanksgiving Day to find their tree. He says people should make sure their tree is healthy before they take it off the farm.

cut 4  (12) “and healthy” 

Steele says the most common problem people run into while Christmas tree shopping is picking out a tree that’s too big for their home. He advises families to measure their doorways and ceilings to see how big of a tree they can fit in their house.

Cut 5  (07)  “really is”

Steele says real Christmas trees have a lot of advantages over fake trees, like not ending up in landfills when they go bad. He adds that an acre of trees produces enough oxygen for 18 people to breath for a full year. But he says the most important thing about getting a live tree is supporting American farmers.

Cut 6 (07) “own enjoyment”

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Early voting for the December 10^th runoff is tomorrow and runs until Saturday, December 3^rd. Secretary of State Tom Schedler expects somewhere between 35 to 40-percent voter turnout for this election. He says the presidential election took a lot of wind out of the voters’ sails but we still have some hotly contested races.

CUT 7 (10)  “parishes”

Some voters just have one item on the ballot, that’s the U.S. Senate race. But Schedler says other ballots have several items and they’ll have a better idea of voter turnout once early voting is over. He says with the holiday season upon us, it’s likely easier for people to get out and early vote.

Cut 8 (10) “somewhat brisk”

Schedler say he expects a little voter fatigue because people are burned out after the presidential election. He encourages voters to check out what’s on the ballot before hitting the polls.

Cut 9 (09)  “December runoff”

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It’s one of the busiest shopping days of the year and LSU marketing professor Dan Rice says shoppers are savvier than ever thanks to technology. Rice says just because the malls are packed today, doesn’t mean that shoppers are ready to buy from that store…

Cut 10 (11)  “of that”

Rice says even though more shoppers are purchasing gifts online than ever, Black Friday remains a big day for your brick and mortar stores, because they have a big advantage over the internet…

cut 11 (11) “to buy”

The National Retail Federation anticipates consumers to purchase 935-dollars during the holiday shopping season. Rice says here in Louisiana, some of your big purchases are not gifts, but items to rebuild flooded homes…

cut 12 (07) “few years”

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Louisiana State Police is advising hunters to pay attention to where they leave their vehicles, or they could get a ticket. Master Trooper Scott Moreau says many hunters park their trucks along the tree line on the side of the highway. He says when motorists see the vehicles on the side of the road, they often think someone needs help.

Cut 13 (09) “quite frequently”

Moreau says sometimes hunters can access their land easier from the side of the highway than a side road. But he says not only is parking on the side of state or federal roads against the law, it’s also dangerous to other drivers.

cut 14 (09) “because of it”

Moreau says this isn’t a new problem, but it’s more prevalent during hunting season. He reminds drivers not to stop on the side of the highway unless it’s an emergency, or risk getting a ticket.

Cut 15 (10) “be cited”

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Louisiana Tech closes out its regular season today as they host a struggling Southern Miss team. The Golden Eagles have lost five of their last six. Southern Miss starting quarterback Nick Mullens has missed the last two games with a head injury and he’s questionable for today’s contest. But Bulldogs Coach Skip Holtz says Southern Miss does have a one-thousand yard rusher in Ito Smith….

Cut 16 (17)” their problems”

Last year, Southern Miss pounded the Bulldogs 58-24 in Ruston. Holtz says they are not using revenge as motivation to win today….

Cut 17 (18)    “this year “

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The Ragin Cajuns wrap up their home schedule tomorrow as the host Arkansas State, who is a perfect 6-0 in the Sun Belt. Before the game, UL Lafyaette will recognize 18 seniors who will play their final game at Cajun Field. Coach Mark Hudspeth says it’s always an emotional moment…

Cut 18 (17) “ their parents”

The Cajuns are coming off a 35-21 loss to Georgia and they need to win their final two games in order to be eligible for a bowl game. Hudspeth says the players are confident, despite the loss to the Bulldogs…

Cut 19 (19)   “our jobs”

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The Saints and Rams will face each other in the Superdome on Sunday. Both teams are 4-6 on the year. Los Angeles defensive coordinator is Gregg Williams. He was the defensive coordinator for the Saints during the Super Bowl, but was suspended for the 2012 season because of the bounty scale. Quarterback Drew Brees says he chooses to focus on the positive…

cut 20 (13) “beat them”

This year Thanksgiving is different for many south Louisiana flood victims who still have not returned to their homes after the August flood. Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry says despite trying times, many people are thankful in his community. He urges people to reach out to those who are less fortunate.

Cut 4 (10) “rebuilding process”

Governor John Bel Edwards gets to celebrate his first Thanksgiving in the Governor’s mansion after being displaced because of flood damage to the basement. Edwards encourages everyone to give thanks this holiday season, because we live in the greatest state of the greatest country on earth.

Cut 11 (08) “this year”

Edwards’ family lived in a State Police facility in East Baton Rouge parish while repairs were being made.

Jimbo Fisher is reportedly LSU’s top choice to become their next head football coach. But will Fisher leave Florida State? Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The USDA recommends that people do not wash thier turkey because washing raw meat can spread bacteria up to three feet away. Louisiana Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says it’s also a good idea to cut the turkey off the bone and refrigerate within two hours of cooking. He adds that leftovers are good for up to four days in the refrigerator.

Thanksgiving is different this year for flood victims still displaced after the August flooding. Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry says it’s a struggle for homeowners to find qualified workers to fix up their homes and repairs are expensive.

Cut 3 (09) “retirement savings”

Landry says despite all the challenges this year, we have a lot to be thankful for.

Governor John Bel Edwards is spending this Thanksgiving back in the Governor’s Mansion. Edwards and his family just moved back into the historic building as they were displaced, because of flood damage.

Cut 10 (07) “we do”

Edwards says he and First Lady Donna Edwards are thankful to be back in the mansion for the holidays.

After spending the day with family and friends, many people be gearing up to find the best deals tomorrow for Black Friday. Jill Gonzales with WalletHub advises shoppers to avoid wholesale stores like Sam’s Club or Costco.

Cut 8 (09) “Black Friday”
Gonzales says shoppers will spend an average of 950-dollars on gifts this holiday season.

After tonight’s game between LSU and Texas A&M, the Tigers are expected to make a push this weekend to hire Florida State Jimbo Fisher to be the Tigers next head coach. Football analyst Mike Detillier says after seven seasons as a head coach in Tallahassee, Fisher might be looking for a new challenge.

Cut 13 (08) “this stage”

Thanksgiving will be different for many south Louisiana families this year, who still have not returned home after the flood. But Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry says despite all the struggles, many people are thankful today. He says they also thank God for small favors, as the flood could have been even worse.

Cut 5 (10) “themselves”

Governor John Bel Edwards reminds Louisianans that we have a lot to be thankful for today and every day because we live in the greatest state of the greatest country on earth.

Cut 9 (07) “every day”

The governor and First Lady Donna Edwards are spending Thanksgiving back in the Governor’s Mansion after the basement took on 7 feet of water during the flood.

After LSU’s regular season ends tonight, the Tigers are expected to make a strong push to hire Florida State Head Coach Jimbo Fisher. The search for a new head coach began in September when Les Miles was fired after a 2 and 2 start. Football analyst Mike Detillier says LSU must have a good feeling they can lure Fisher away from FSU, because he was the top candidate then and is still the top now.

Cut 14 (08) “this search”

Fisher is in his 7^th season at Florida State and has the highest winning percentage in ACC history.

Millions of Americans are expected to shop on Black Friday. Jill Gonzales with WalletHub says while Macy’s has the beast deals at about 64-percent off, shoppers will find good deals just about everywhere.

Cut 6 (08) “percent off”

But she says some online retailers like Amazon and wholesale stores like Costco are only offering 25-percent off.

The Office of Motor Vehicles will resume accepting some cash payments beginning December 5th. OMV Commissioner Karen St. Germain says they will only accept small amounts of cash, for driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations.

Cut 13 (10) “of cash”

State lawmakers called for the no cash policy to be reversed because not everyone carries debit or credit cards.

U.S. Senate runoff candidates could not agree on a date or conditions for the debate scheduled for December 2. LSU political communications Professor Martin Johnson says it’s disappointing the public won’t have a chance to hear Republican John Kennedy and Democrat Foster Campbell discuss their platforms.

Cut 3 (09) “not happening”

The runoff is December 10.

92 protestors who were arrested after the shooting death of Alton Sterling will each receive 230-dollars as part of a settlement that was approved by the Baton Rouge Metro Council. Council member John Delgado voted against it because he believes this payment will encourage bad behavior in future protests.

Cut 9 (07) “pay us”

The ACLU of Louisiana is pleased because they say protesters first amendment rights were violated.

State Police’s Click It or Ticket Campaign is in effect for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Trooper Melissa Matey says wearing a seat belt can save your life.

Cut 11 (11) “properly buckled”

Matey says motorists can visit 511.la.org for traffic updates.