10:30 Newscast, January 9th, 2016

The biggest lottery jackpot in US history just got bigger. The Powerball prize for tonight’s drawing is now $900 million dollars. You have until 9 tonight get the $2 tickets. UNO Mathematics chair, Dr. Tumulesh (Too-muh-lesh) Solanky (soe-LAWN-key), says the odds of one person winning the jackpot are astronomical. The cash value is 558 million, and Metairie CPA Jennifer Bored says if you happen to hit the big prize, there is no financial incentive if you take the lump sum or the annuity…:
CUT 14 (08) “an attorney”

The US Army Corps of Engineers now say the Morganza Spillway in Pointe Coupee Parish will not open before Wednesday. It’s the second time they’ve delayed due to the new Mississippi River forecast suggesting the triggers that open the gates won’t be met until January 13th. If the pattern continues, the Army Corps says they may not have to open the Morganza at all.

The White House announces that President Barack Obama will make his first trip to Baton Rouge as president on Thursday, January 14th. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 2 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

An Ascension Parish man who was linked by DNA to a murder that took place over 25 years ago, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and second-degree kidnapping charges. 50-year-old Kenneth Lavigne of St. Amant admitted Friday to taking a 38-year-old woman from her home in 1990, and sexually assaulting her before killing her. The case remained cold until officials matched DNA from the victim to Lavigne.

 

09:30 Newscast, January 9th, 2016

President Barack Obama will make his first trip to Baton Rouge as president next week on Thursday, January 14th, two days after his State of the Union address. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says it’s not uncommon for the president to hit the road after the State of the Union…:
CUT 6 (08) “president’s policies”
Hogan believes Mr. Obama will likely praise Democrats for working to get John Bel Edwards elected governor and highlight Edwards’ support of Medicaid expansion.

More people than ever are purchasing Powerball tickets for tonight’s estimated $800 million dollar jackpot — and dreaming about what they’d do with what amounts to a $496 million cash payout. Jennifer Bordes, a CPA in Metairie, reminds players that winnings are still taxed…:
CUT 15 (10) “estate tax”

The US Army Corps of Engineers says the Bonnet Carre spillway will open tomorrow at 10am, and the Morganza gates relieved not before Wednesday. Flooding is imminent on the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya Rivers. Corps spokesperson Rickey Boyett…:
CUT 5 (07) “in this are”
Residents are urged to have a game plan in place.

Tulane has now joined four other state colleges in implementing a hoverboard ban on campus. LSU, Nicholls State, Southeastern and UL-Lafayette have also prohibited the self balancing, 2 wheeled motorized scooters amid reports that they blow up while charging and cause serious injuries to inexperienced owners. SLU spokesperson Rene Abadie says they don’t want hoverboards in dorms…:
CUT 10 (10) “the rider”

 

08:30 Newscast, January 9th, 2016

Folks are rushing to get their Powerball tickets ahead of tonight’s drawing worth an estimated $800 million dollars. UNO Mathematics chair, Dr. Tumulesh (Too-muh-lesh) Solanky (soe-LAWN-key), says the odds of one person winning the jackpot is about one in 292-million. He reminds players that certain numbers aren’t luckier than others…:
cut 13 (07) “the best”
Ticket sales are cut off at 9pm.

For the second day in a row, the US Army Corps of Engineers have issued a delay in the tentative opening of the Morganza Spillway in Pointe Coupee Parish — they now say it would not happen before Wednesday, January 13th. Spillways are released to alleviate flood threats due to rising water levels on the Mississippi River. New river forecasts suggest that triggers for opening the Morganza gates will be met Wednesday instead of Tuesday. The Bonnet Carre Spillway, which controls the river coming into New Orleans, will open at 10am tomorrow.

An LSU professor was arrested and booked on 98 charges including public payroll fraud, theft, forgery and malfeasance in office for allegedly faking travel vouchers in order to obtain funds. 45-year-old Todd Shupe of Baton Rouge is accused of collecting reimbursements by forging multiple students’ signatures in an amount totalling $16,478. Shupe worked at the Louisiana Forest Products Development Center at the LSU AgCenter. He posted $98,000 bond.

President Barack Obama will be visiting Baton Rouge Thursday for the first time as commander-in-chief. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says the recent election of Democrat John Bel Edwards in the governor’s race could have played a role in the president scheduling a visit to the capital city…:
CUT 7 (09) “in the state”
Edwards will be sworn in as governor at noon on Monday.

 

15:30 Newscast, January 8th, 2016

Today Governor Bobby Jindal held a Unified Command Group meeting with state leaders and response officials to get updates on the imminent flooding of the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya Rivers. Governor-elect John Bel Edwards, who takes office Monday, was also present. The US Army Corps of Engineers says the Bonnet Carre spillway will open Sunday at 10am, and the Morganza possibly on January 12th…:
CUT 5 (07) “in this are”
Jindal stressed the need for residents to have a game plan in place.

President Barack Obama is visiting Baton Rouge next week and is expected to highlight Louisiana’s new Edwards’ administration plan to expand Medicaid. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan believes President Obama will will use Louisiana as an example to get more states to jump on board…:
CUT 8 (09) “of his administration”
Mr. Obama will be in Baton Rouge on January 14th.

There’s more than $800 million dollars out there in tomorrow night’s Powerball drawing — the largest jackpot in US history. Jennifer Bordes, a CPA in Metairie, issues a word of advice for any winners…:
CUT 15 (10) “estate tax”

The popular hoverboards are banned on the campuses of LSU, UL-Lafayette, Nicholls and Southeastern. The self balancing, 2 wheeled motorized scooter has been blowing up in some cases while charging, and riders have been known to fall off hoverboards and break bones or get concussions. Southeastern Louisiana University spokesperson Rene Abadie says the rule may not be set in stone…:
Cut 11 (05) “certainly”

 

14:30 Newscast, January 8th, 2016

President Barack Obama will be visiting Baton Rouge next week for the first time as commander-in-chief. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says a visit to Louisiana is a bit of a surprise since we’ve not always been supportive of President Obama’s policies. says the recent election of Democrat John Bel Edwards in the governor’s race could have played a role in the president scheduling a visit to the capital city…:
CUT 7 (09) “in the state”
The president will visit the Capital City Thursday, January 14th.

The Army Corps of Engineers say they will be opening the Bonnet Carre spillway starting 10am Sunday to alleviate flood threats due to the rising Mississippi River. As far as the Morganza Spillway in Pointe Coupee Parish, Corps spokesperson Ricky Boyett says they are closely monitoring the river to see if it reaches the level required to open the flood gates…:
CUT 4 (07) “12th of January”

If you got a hoverboard for Christmas, you’ve probably already found out there’s a bit of a learning curve to figuring out how to ride it. So many injures have been reported from hoverboard incidents that four state universities have banned the devices from campus. Southeastern spokesman Rene Abadie says hoverboard batteries have been known to combust and start fires while charging, so they don’t want them in S-L-U housing units…:
cut 10 (10) “the rider”
Hoverboards are also prohibited at LSU, UL-Lafayette and Nicholls.

Tomorrow night’s already historic jackpot was raised this morning to $800 million dollars. UNO Mathematics chair, Dr. Tumulesh (Too-muh-lesh) Solanky (soe-LAWN-key), says there is no evidence that some numbers are luckier than others…:
CUT 13 (07) “the best”
The odds of one person winning the jackpot is about one in 292-million.

 

13:30 Newscast, January 8th, 2016

The Powerball jackpot is now the largest in US history at a whopping estimated 800 million dollars. UNO Mathematics chair, Dr. Tumulesh (Too-muh-lesh) Solanky (soe-LAWN-key), says the odds of one person winning the jackpot is about one in 292-million. He says obviously the more tickets you buy, the better your chances are…:
cut 12 (08) “292 million”
The cash value is 496 million for tomorrow night’s drawing, and Metairie CPA Jennifer Bored says if you happen to hit the big prize, there is no financial incentive if you take the lump sum or the annuity…:
CUT 14 (08) “an attorney”

There were reports that Mississippi State had offered its defensive coordinator position to LSU defensive line coach Ed Orgeron, but Fox Sports college football insider Bruce Feldman says that’s the not case and Orgeron really wants to stay at LSU.

The US Army Corps of Engineers announces plans to begin diverting river water from the Mississippi into Lake Pontchartrain. Jeff Palermo has the details…:
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

LSU legendary quarterback Bert Jones has been elected to the 2016 College Football Hall of Fame Class, the National Football Foundation announced today. The Ruston Rifle becomes the ninth former LSU player named to the College Football Hall of Fame. He finished fourth in the 1972 Heisman Trophy Race. Jones graduated from LSU in 1983 with a degree in Business Administration.

 

12:30 Newscast, January 8th, 2016

The White House announces that President Barack Obama will make his first trip to Baton Rouge as president on Thursday, January 14th. Eric Gill reports…:
CUT 2 (29) “I’m Eric Gill”

Four Louisiana universities have now banned the use of hoverboards on campus. LSU, U-L Lafayette, Nicholls, and Southeastern have all decided these devices are a hazard because they have been found to burst into flames while charging and unfamiliar riders tumble to the ground. SLU spokes woman Rene Abadie…:
CUT 9 (10) “campus”

The timeline for the opening of the Bonnet Carre and Morganza Spillways has changed due to recent changes in river forecasts. The US Army Corps of Engineers says they’ll open the Bonnet Carre beginning at 10am Sunday. Corps spokesperson Ricky Boyett says the Bonnet Carre allows them to control the Mississippi River coming into New Orleans…:
CUT 3 (10) “in New Orleans”
He says no decision has been made at this time but there’s is a strong possibility of opening the Morganza on January 12th.

The already record Powerball jackpot got another boost this morning as lottery officials raise the prize to a record $800 million dollars. The cash value is now $496 million.

 

11:30 Newscast, January 8th, 2016

The White House announces that President Barack Obama will make his first trip to Baton Rouge as president next week. The president will visit the Capital City Thursday, January 14th, two days after his State of the Union address. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says it’s not uncommon for the president to hit the road after the State of the Union…:
CUT 6 (08) “president’s policies”
Hogan says this may be a move by the president to pat Democrats in the state on the back for working to elect John Bel Edwards as governor.

The US Army Corps of Engineers says they will open the Bonnet Carre spillway beginning 10am on Sunday, a day after originally planned due to a change in river forecasts. The Morganza Spillway is expected to open no sooner than Tuesday. The structures are being opened to alleviate flood threats due to rising water levels on the Mississippi River.

The Louisiana Lottery says the jackpot for tomorrow night’s drawing is now $800 million dollars, the largest in US history and a cash value of $496 million. As of close of business Thursday, Powerball sales in Louisiana totaled more than $22 million for this jackpot run and are expected to climb ahead of the drawing.

Bobby Jindal will end his two terms as governor when John Bel Edwards is sworn into office on Monday. Jeff Palermo has more on Jindal’s eight years in office…:
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

 

10:30 Newscast, January 8th, 2016

The Louisiana Lottery Corporation says the Powerball jackpot for tomorrow night’s drawing has been increased to $800 million dollars with a cash value of $496 million. They say there could be more increases before Saturday’s draw. Spokeswoman Kimberly Chopin says sales are ridiculous..:
CUT 15 (09) “4.2 million dollars”
She says with this many people playing, and coverage of the numbers at this level, there will more than likely be multile winners when the jackpot does get hit.

Bobby Jindal’s two terms as governor comes to a close Monday as Governor-elect John Bel Edwards is sworn in. U-L-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says, looking back, Jindal had early successes in ethics and education…:
CUT 10 (10) “are evaluated”

The red snapper season begins today and there are new regulations that are sure to make anglers happy. Emelie Gunn has more…
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Due of recent changes in river forecasts, the US Army Corps of Engineers has announced the timeline for opening the Bonnet Carre and Morganza Spillways has changed. The opening of the Bonnet Carre will now begin at 10AM Sunday. They also say the floodgates of the Morganza Spillway will open no sooner than Tuesday. The spillways are being opened to alleviate flood threats due to rising water levels on the Mississippi River.

 

09:30 Newscast January 8, 2016

The PowerBall jackpot reaches the highest mark for a lottery prize in US history at $700 million dollars. Michelle Southern reports…

cut 3 (29) “I’m Michelle Southern”

President Barack Obama is coming to Baton Rouge. The White House announced that the president will visit the Capital City Thursday, January 14th. The announcement states that President Obama will focus on state gains in the past seven years, including a drop in the unemployment rate and new aid for Louisiana’s early childhood education programs. This will be the 10th time the president has visited Louisiana and his first trip to Baton Rouge.

Bobby Jindal will officially step down as governor on Monday as Governor-elect John Bel Edwards is sworn in. U-L-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says Jindal came into office with the promise of making Louisiana a better state. He says the governor tried to put Louisiana government on smaller footing…

cut 12 (08) “to Louisiana”

Cross says budget problems led to deep cuts to higher education during Jindal’s two terms, which is how many will remember him.

The red snapper fishing season opens today and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has extended the limit from three to nine miles offshore for recreational fishing. Assistant Secretary Randy Pausina says the department worked hard to change those rules with the help of anglers who recorded how much red snapper they caught…

cut 9 (11) “do that”

Pausina says they were able to prove that a longer red snapper season will not hurt the population.