Where the first round of flood recovery dollars will go is the topic of the Restore Louisiana Taskforce meeting, which is currently underway. Michelle Southern has more…

Voicer 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

Get ready to bundle up this weekend. State climatologist Barry Keim says a cold front is sweeping across the state today.

Cut 13 (07) “and Monday”

Duck season officially opens statewide this weekend, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says there are twice as many ducks this year. State waterfowl study leader Larry Reynolds says they’re not sure why we’re seeing more ducks, but they have some theories.

Cut 7 (10) “migrants down”

Reynolds says the ducks could also be here because there are a lot of dry patches between Louisiana and Iowa.

The Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights gets underway this weekend across north Louisiana. Executive Director of the Webster Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau, Lynn Dorsey, says there are different festivals being held in Alexandria-Pineville, Monroe-West Monroe, Shreveport-Bossier, Minden and Natchitoches.

Cut 3 (09) “interest is”

For more information, go to HolidayTrailOfLights.com.

GOP leaders in Congress are optimistic about having a Republican in the White House again. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (27) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Good news for duck hunters, there are twice as many waterfowl in Louisiana as there were last year at this time, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Don Molino has more…

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Where the first round of flood recovery dollars will go is the topic of today’s Restore Louisiana Taskforce meeting. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Republicans in Congress are looking forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Jefferson Parish says one of their top priorities will be to replace the Affordable Care Act. He says GOP leaders in Congress have a bill that takes out provisions from Obamacare that are raising costs and hurting healthcare.

cut 4  (11) “their doctors”

Scalise says they also want to work on a strong border security bill, as well as go after radical Islamic terrorists. He says the GOP also wants to work to halt the flood of illegal immigrants into the U.S. because right now there’s no enforcement of the border.

Cut 5  (10)  “national security”

Scalise says another priority is to save the oil and gas industry. He says there’s too much government overhead in the industry, and we need to cut back on those regulations so the U.S. can become more energy independent.

Cut 6 (09) “in America”

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Surveys by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries find there are over twice as many ducks in Louisiana as there were at this time last year. State waterfowl study leader Larry Reynolds says they really aren’t sure why there are so many more ducks this year, but they have some theories.

CUT 7 (10)  “migrants down”

Reynolds says it could also be because there’s a lot of dry patches between north Louisiana and Iowa. He says duck season has already opened in the West and Coastal Zones, and it opens this weekend in the East Zone. He adds it should be a good weekend for some hunters, but probably not all of them.

Cut 8 (10) “few areas”

Reynolds says based on their flyovers, they estimated there’s three-million ducks in the state, which is almost two million more than their November 2016 projection. He says just because we’re starting out with more ducks than usual doesn’t mean it will last.

Cut 9 (09)  “the season”

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The Restore Louisiana Taskforce meets today to discuss how they will distribute the first round of federal disaster aid for flood victims. Congress approved 438 million dollars worth of assistance for Louisiana. The governor’s deputy chief of staff, Julie Baxter Payer, says they are recommending a program that has three different ways the money will be dispersed.

Cut 10 (09)  “for reimbursement”

Payer says unfortunately this first sum of cash from Congress is not enough to help all homeowners and businesses who experienced flood damage. She says the state wants to first provide relief for those, who are most at risk of losing their home due to lack of immediate resources.

cut 11 (11) “and disabled”

Payer says they still anticipate that Congress will approve another round of federal aid before the end of the year to help all flood victims…

cut 12 (10) “the recovery”

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Get ready for a big change in the weather. State climatologist Barry Keim says a significant cold front is sweeping over the state today, which will usher in much colder air. He says tomorrow is expected to be cool and breezy, with temperatures dropping even more by the end of the weekend.

Cut 13 (07) “and Monday”

Keim says the kickoff temperature for LSU is expected to be 59 degrees. He says Saturday will be one of coldest days we’ve experienced in quite a while.

cut 14 (10) “white sometime”

Keim says this front is going to bring some scattered showers and a small chance of some severe weather. But he expects most of the state will remain dry through the weekend.

Cut 15 (08) “that regard”

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LSU’s Arden Key enters tomorrow’s game against Florida three sacks away from tying the school record for most sacks in a season. Oliver Lawrence holds the record. He had a dozen in 1989. The sophomore pass rusher, who said before the season he would get 20 sacks, says he would love to tie the school record on Senior Day…

Cut 16 (12)” good bang”

LSU will honor 19 seniors before the game, including defensive back Tre’ Davious White. The Shreveport native likes how the team has come together since Head Coach Ed Orgeron took over…

Cut 17 (12) “next to none”

The Gators are the second best team, behind Alabama, when it comes to defending the run. Tigers center Ethan Pocic says Florida is excellent at swarming towards the football…

Cut 18 (17) “ limit that”

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The Ragin Cajuns play their final non-conference game of the year on Saturday when they visit the S-E-C’s Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday. UL Lafayette is 4-and-5 on the season, but Coach Mark Hudspeth believes his young team is better than what their record shows

Cut 19 (18)   “moving forward”

Hudspeth says the team is also looking to make Acadiana proud with a good showing at Sanford Stadium. The football program has received negative criticism as a result of a viral vieo that showed four players using vulgarity and singing an anti-Donald Trump rap song. He says the players have learned from that mistake…

cut 20 (19) “you that”

The Baton Rouge Police Department arrested a mother for allegedly trying to kill her 8-year-old son by slitting his throat. Cpl. L’Jean McKneely says 40-year-old Gloria Ross’ two other children and the victim were able to escape and call 911. He says when Ross was questioned she told investigators she had a reason.

Cut 13 (06) “parish prison”

The victim was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Many people are concerned about changes that will come after president-elect Donald Trump takes office. Governor John Bel Edwards says one policy he does foresee going into effect is the ability to buy health insurance across state lines. He says he hasn’t heard much opposition to it from members of Congress.

Cut 11 (09) “prices down”

Edwards says at this point, he’s ready to see the country come together.

There are statewide gains in student achievement, according to the Louisiana Department of Education’s annual school report cards. But Superintendent John White says at the same time there are challenges the school grading system doesn’t reveal. He says the system doesn’t fully reflect the gains made by many schools that are making progress.

Cut 7 (10) “quality is”

The report finds the number of schools receiving A grades has increased to 16, up from 10 last year.

Duck Dynasty, featuring the Robertson family of West Monroe, will be coming to an end in April after 130 episodes. The show originally drew in over 10 million views but has since declined. But Korie Robertson, Willie’s wife, says that decline hasn’t stopped people from visiting West Monroe.

Cut 5 (10) “from everywhere”

Governor John Bel Edwards has released a statement on the state’s $313 million budget shortfall on the eve of a budget stabilization meeting. The governor says Louisiana is still recovering from years of mismanagement, and unfortunately our options are limited. He says they are working with government agencies to prepare for more cuts. He says if lawmakers can work together in the next session, Louisiana will be in a strong financial position in the future.

The Louisiana Department of Education has released its yearly school report cards. Emelie Gunn has more on those results…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

An 8-year-old boy is recovering in a Baton Rouge hospital after his mother tried to slit his throat. Baton Rouge Police Cpl. L’Jean McKneely says the boy was transported to a local hospital with a non-life threatening laceration to the throat. He says the mother, 40-year-old Gloria Ross is charged with attempted first degree murder and second degree cruelty to a juvenile.

Cut 14 (07) “issues”

Ross told police she attacked her son because Jesus told her to.

The Robertson family of West Monroe say they are hanging up their reality show Duck Dynasty following this final season. President of the West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce, Courtney Hornsby, says even though the show is ending, she doesn’t see them slowing down, as the family has also opened a diner and boutique in town.

Cut 4 (09) “our community”

The show is scheduled to end in April after 130 episodes.

An 8-year-old boy is recovering in a Baton Rouge hospital after his mother tried to slit his throat. Baton Rouge Police Cpl. L’Jean McKneely says the boy was transported to a local hospital with a non-life threatening laceration to the throat. He says the mother, 40-year-old Gloria Ross is charged with attempted first degree murder and second degree cruelty to a juvenile.

Cut 14 (07) “issues”

Ross told police she attacked her son because Jesus told her to.

Many people are concerned about what will come after president-elect Donald Trump takes office. Governor John Bel Edwards says he does expect some changes, especially with Medicaid.

Cut 9 (11) “look like”

341-thousand people have enrolled in Louisiana’s expanded Medicaid program.

Student achievement is on the rise in Louisiana, according to the Louisiana Department of Education’s annual school report cards. Superintendent John White says school and district letter grade ratings have improved, and he credits better student results.

Cut 6 (10) “enrollment credits”

There are 16 A rated school districts this year, up from 10 last year.

Duck Dynasty has been giving yuppies around the country a taste of the Louisiana lifestyle since 2012, but the show is finally coming to an end. President of the West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce, Courtney Hornsby, says the show about the Robertson family has spiked an interest in West Monroe.

Cut 3 (09) “backyard”

The show will end in April, after 130 episodes.

The Baton Rouge Police Department arrested a mother for allegedly trying to kill her 8-year-old son by slitting his throat . Cpl. L’Jean McKneely says 40-year-old Gloria Ross’ two other children and the victim were able to escape and call 911. He says when Ross was questioned she told investigators she had a reason….
Cut 13 (06) “parish prison.”

The victim was taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries.

Many people have expressed concerns about a Trump presidency, but Governor John Bel Ewards says he’s interested in seeing the nation unite. Edwards says one policy he does foresee going into effect is the ability to buy health insurance across state lines. He says he hasn’t heard much opposition to it…
Cut 11 (09) “prices down”

The Louisiana Department of Education’s annual school report cards found statewide gains in student achievement. But Superintendent John White says at the same time there are challenges the school grading system doesn’t reveal. He says the system doesn’t fully reflect the gains made by many schools that are making progress.
Cut 7 (10) “quality is”

The report finds the number of schools receiving A grades has increased to 16, up from 10 last year.

The Duck Dynasty series, featuring the Robertson family, will be coming to an end after 130 episodes. The show originally drew in over 10 million views but has since declined. But Korie Robertson, Willie’s wife, says that decline hasn’t stopped people from visiting West Monroe.
Cut 5 (10) “from everywhere”

The Department of Education in Louisiana says that our public schools keep showing improvement. Superintendent John White says, in its annual report card, the number of school districts receiving an “A” grade is 16, up from 10 the prior year. He says students and teachers are stepping up.
Cut 8 (07) “is up”

Duck Dynasty announces after 130 episodes, the show is coming to an end this April. Halen Doughty has more…:
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Entergy Louisiana says it intends to break ground in August on a new $869 million dollar power station in St. Charles Parish, in an effort to increase power supply for the growing market. The electricity provider has been given the green light by the Public Service Commission to build the natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power plant about 30 miles from New Orleans. Entergy says the new plant will provide southeast Louisiana with a reliable source of clean, affordable energy to meet customer demand and help drive economic growth.

President-elect Donald Trump ran on a platform of immigration reform, often mentioning mass deportations, and Governor John Bel Edwards said on his monthly call-in radio show that state and federal laws could come into play. He says they’ll have to wait and see what politics come out of the Trump Administration…:
CUT 10 (09) “obviously”
Mr. Trump is slated to be sworn into office on January 20th.

The Louisiana Department of Education has released its yearly school report cards. Emelie Gunn has more on those results…:
Cut 2 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The Baton Rouge Police Department arrests a woman for allegedly attempting to kill her 8 year old son by slitting his throat. Cpl L’Jean McKneely says the suspect, 40-year-old Gloria Ross, grabbed a kitchen knife as her kids were getting ready for school, and approached the young victim…:
CUt 12 (07) “to his throat”
McKneely says the woman told cops that Jesus told her to kill her son.

While many people around the country are concerned about what will happen when president-elect Donald Trump takes office, Governor John Bel Edwards says he is more interested in seeing the country come together. Edwards says he does expect some changes to Medicaid, but it’s too early to tell what those changes might be…:
Cut 9 (11) “look like”
The state expanded the Medicaid program this year, and 341-thousand people have enrolled so far.

There was no winner of the $293 million Powerball drawing held on Wednesday, and the jackpot has now soared to $320 million dollars with a cash option of $202 million.

The Louisiana Department of Education has released its annual school report cards and found statewide gains in student achievement. Superintendent John White says the distribution of school and district letter grade ratings has improved. He credits this to an improvement in student results….:
Cut 6 (10) “enrollment credits”
The number of school districts receiving an “A” grade is 16, up from 10 last year.

TOPS recipients will be responsible for more than half of their spring tuition, and Governor John Bel Edwards said on his monthly call-in radio show that funding the program was a top priority for him in the last session…:
Cut 13 (07) “not to”
But House Appropriations Chairman Cameron Henry said the governor is to blame for the TOPS cut because he was more concerned about funding other services, like public-private hospitals.

There was an arrest made of the cop accused of shooting Philando Castile in Minnesota – an incident that happened the same week Alton Sterling was killed during a confrontation with Baton Rouge Police officers. But experts say a decision in the Sterling case will take much longer. Legal analyst Tim Meche says federal authorities are handling the Sterling case which history has shown they don’t get in a hurry…:
Cut 1 (10) “taking longer”
DA Hillar Moore recused himself from the Sterling matter which is why it’s in the hands of the US Attorney…unlike in Minnesota.

The West Monroe Robertsons say they are hanging up their reality show Duck Dynasty following this final season. The family says it was a joint decision by them and A&E. President of the West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce, Courtney Hornsby, says even though the show is ending, she doesn’t see them slowing down…:
cut 4 (09) “our community”

Governor John Bel Edwards appeared on his monthly call in radio show Wednesday and took the opportunity to discuss the TOPS scholarship and the fact that students will only be covered about 40% of their tuition in the spring. He said when he presents the proposed budget for next fiscal year to legislators in early 2017, the popular scholarship program will be fully funded…:
Cut 15 (08) “can do it”
Some members of the legislature say the reason for the big cut to TOPS to help balance the budget is that the governor was more concerned about funding other services, like public-private hospitals.

The state Department of Education has released the latest performance scores for public schools and districts and say that improvements can be seen in every measure of academic progress. However they said the reporting system does not fully reflect the gains made by many schools that are making progress and the grading process needs improvement.

LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center finds less than 22-percent of children are meeting the physical activity guidelines. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

According to a report from CBS Sports, former LSU head coach Les Miles is on the short list to become the new coach at Baylor. The Mad Hatter was fired in September and has since made it known that he has no plans to retire. Miles told CBS that he is willing to hear about any opening within a Power Five conference.