According to the Louisiana Department of Health, the flu is on the rise as almost 6% of doctor visits are for flu-like symptoms. LDH flu bug expert Dr. Frank Welch says the strain that seems to be going around is a very serious strain known as H1N1 that has been going around for the past decade.
Cut 4 (04) “…more serious type.″
Welch adds while there are a number of preventative measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of catching the flu, the best protection is to get the flu shot.

Valerio, the jaguar who chewed through a fence in his enclosure back in July of 2017 at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans and killed nine other animals last summer is back on display after a half-year hiatus.  He’s been kept out of public view for some time, but Jaguar Jungle Curator Liz Wilson says they redesigned the exhibit and it is perfect for the big cat.
Cut 7 (10) “…welfare”

A Louisiana law requiring abortion clinics to have admitting privileges will be heard in front of the US Supreme Court.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

The jaguar that escaped his cage at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans and killed nine other animals in July is back on display after a half-year hiatus. Vice president of the Zoo Joel Hamilton says after the tragic breakout, they redesigned the exhibit to make it safer, and more appealing.

Cut 6, 11 seconds, next step

Valerio was born in San Diego in 2015, and moved to New Orleans in 2017.

According to the Louisiana Department of Health, the flu is on the rise as almost 6% of doctor visits are for flu-like symptoms. LDH flu bug expert Dr. Frank Welch says the state has seen several small outbreaks in schools and nursing homes.

Cut 3 (07) “…as last year.”

Welch says the strain that seems to be going around is a very serious strain known as H1N1.

Governor John Bel Edwards has new campaign ads he attempts to keep his spot in the governor’s mansion.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The President will speak to the country tonight at 8PM for his annual State of the Union address. It comes sandwiched in between a controversial government shutdown, and the looming threat of another later this month, but Senator John Kennedy says he expects the President will pitch the public on his economic policy…

Cut 14 (11) “…government”

Governor John Bel Edwards has new campaign ads he attempts to keep his spot in the governor’s mansion.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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 A Louisiana law requiring abortion clinics to have admitting privileges will be heard in front of the US Supreme Court.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

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The President will give his State of the Union tonight at 8PM. Matt Doyle talked to Senator John Kennedy about the speech…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

__________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards has released a couple of new digitals ads with the message being the state is better off now compared to how it was when he took office. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says it’s an absolute must for Edwards to start campaigning now, before opposing campaigns begin to target him.

Cut 4 (10) “…to raise taxes.”

Pinsonat expects return fire from GOP candidates highlighting the shortcomings of Edwards first term.

Cut 5 (08) “…record of accomplishments.”

Pinsonat says the digital ads are just the tip of the iceberg in advertising for the November governor’s race.

Cut 6 (09) “…in a negative tone.”

___________________________________________________

The US Supreme Court will take up a challenge to a Louisiana law requiring abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says a ruling in favor of the law could signal a major shift in the court’s treatment of abortion related issues.

Cut 7 (12) “…president.”

Supporters of the law say it’s a necessary requirement for a healthcare facility, and opponents argue it’s an onerous burden that will shut down clinics.

The law, authored by Monroe Representative Katrina Jackson, was approved in 2014, but the Supreme Court’s rejection of a similar law in Texas three years ago, put the Louisiana effort on ice until a federal appeals court revived the regulation last month. Ciolino says the Supreme Court will determine how similar the Louisiana law is to Texas’s.

Cut 8 (09) “…effect”

The law has been put on hold until at least Thursday while the court considers an appeal from Louisiana abortion providers.

Abortion restrictions have not fared well at the Supreme Court in recent decades, but Ciolino says the introduction of two new conservative Justices could tip the scales and lessen the influence of Supreme Court precedent.

Cut 9 (09) “…is possible.″

_________________________________

St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies have made the arrest of an Arnaudville woman accused of the theft of flowers and other items from a Cecilia cemetery.  Following a complaint, deputies were able to identify and locate 42-year-old Rhonda Lagrange.  Major Ginny Higgins says a search warrant was obtained of the suspect’s home during the investigation.

Cut 10 (08) “…she had taken.”

Higgins says it appears Lagrange would flip the stolen goods on social media.

Cut 11 (10) “….make and sell things.”

Higgins says the investigation continues into the case as their agency had received reports of thefts dating back to December.  She adds that investigators are asking anyone who may have experienced things missing from a cemetery to step forward and notify authorities.

Cut 12 (09) “…reported it.”

_____________________________

The President will speak to the country tonight at 8PM for his annual State of the Union address. It comes just after a contentious government shutdown centered on his demands for funding for additional physical border wall, a demand that ultimately was not met. Senator John Kennedy says he expects the President will touch on these three major questions.

Cut 13 (12) “…Jong Un.”

The speech will be made in the House of Representatives, a chamber that flipped to the Democrats in the midterm elections.

Kennedy says the speech won’t just be about struggles like immigration and trade, he anticipates the Commander in Chief will also highlight his economic policies.

Cut 14 (11) “…government”

And all Senators and Representatives get a plus one to bring to the big speech, so the Senator says he’s bringing a federal employee to thank them for their help.

Cut 15 (11) “…works hard”

_______________________

21st ranked LSU looks to bounce back from its first SEC loss of the season on Saturday to Arkansas when they travel to Starkville to face Mississippi State on Wednesday night. Tigers Coach Will Wade says the Bulldogs do a lot of stuff well…

Cut 16 (20) “…games.″

The Tigers gave up 13 3-pointers and turned it over 21 times on Saturday in the 90-89 defeat to Arkansas. Tremont Waters committed a critical turn over in the final minute, with LSU up by one point. Wade says the Tigers have to play smart in order to win close games…

 cut 17 (13)   “especially at home” 

LSU is entering a tough stretch of its schedule. After tomorrow night’s road game against Mississippi State, they host Auburn and then travel to Kentucky. Wade says they’ve been able to beat teams with their talent, length and athleticsm, but they need to do more to beat these teams

Cut 18 (15)  ourselves” 

Who Dats turned off the Super Bowl in record numbers as boycott parties raged across New Orleans. The Nielsen rating for the New Orleans market was a 26.1. National ratings cratered during this year’s 13-3 snoozer that featured a widely panned half time performance and only six points through three quarters. The 44.9 national rating was the lowest in a decade, and LSU Assistant Professor of Digital Advertising Jun Heo, says local resentment likely played a part.

Cut 7 (10) “…about it” (2x)

Nielsen estimates about 165,000 households had the game on last night in the New Orleans market.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy files legislation that would take money seized from drug cartels and us it to pay for a southern border wall. Cassidy says instead of having Americans pay for the wall, let it be Mexican cartels, and idea he thinks could find bipartisan support.

Cut 4 (10) “way forward″

For the second quarter of fiscal year 2019, the Louisiana Lottery has seen an uptick in contributions to the state treasury, transferring over $53.9 million towards K-12 public education in the state.  Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison says that’s nearly a $10 million increase from this time last year. Annison says the record-breaking Mega Millions jackpot from autumn had a big impact on the numbers.

Cut 10 (08) “…was huge for us.”

Annison says the year-to-date contributions of $94.6 million have exceeded what the Louisiana Lottery had budgeted and expected to give to the state by $16.8 million.

The US Supreme Court will take up a challenge to a Louisiana law requiring abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. The law, brought by Monroe Representative Katrina Jackson, was passed in 2014, but the Supreme Court’s rejection of a similar law in Texas three years ago put the Louisiana effort on ice until the 5^th Circuit Court of Appeals revived the regulation last month.

The Baton Rouge area saw motorcycle wrecks leave three dead in a span of less than 24 hours, including one on-duty police officer.  With those deaths comes an increased focus on motorcycle safety.  Motorcycle Awareness Campaign spokesperson Scotty Drake says motorcyclists need motorist to be actively aware and watching for those on two wheels.

Cut 12 (07)   “…not the motorcyclist.”

For the second quarter of fiscal year 2019, the Louisiana Lottery has seen an uptick in contributions to the state treasury, transferring over $53.9 million towards K-12 public education in the state.  Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison says that’s nearly a $10 million increase from this time last year.

Cut 9 (08) “…we had last year.″

Super Bowl ratings cratered last night in New Orleans as only a quarter of households bothered watching a game many Who Dats considered illegitimate…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies have made the arrest of an Arnaudville woman accused of the theft of flowers and other items from a Cecilia cemetary.  Following a complaint, deputies were able to identify and locate 42-year-old Rhonda Lagrange.  A search of her home produced silk flowers, floral arrangements, religious statues, vases, and other religious memorabilia.

Senator Bill Cassidy files legislation to make drug cartels pay for a Southern border wall. Jeff Palermo has the story..

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The US Supreme Court will take up a challenge to a Louisiana law requiring abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. The law, brought by Monroe Representative Katrina Jackson, was passed in 2014, but the Supreme Court’s rejection of a similar law in Texas three years ago put the Louisiana effort on ice until the 5^th Circuit Court of Appeals revived the regulation last month.

Who Dats turned off the Super Bowl in record numbers as boycott parties raged across New Orleans. The Nielsen rating for the New Orleans market was a 26.1. It’s reportedly the lowest Nielsen ratings for a Super Bowl in New Orleans ever, and LSU Assistant Professor of Digital Advertising Jun Heo, says that’s likely cause for concern at the local CBS affiliates, and those who bought air time with them, who just a three weeks ago would have expected to be airing their product for over half of the city…

Cut 8 (08) “campaign”

It cost 5.2 million dollars to air a 30 second commercial nationally.

The Baton Rouge area saw three separate fatal motorcycle wrecks, including Cpl. Shane Toddy of the Baton Rouge Police Department, in a span of less than 24 hours. Motorcycle Awareness Campaign spokesperson Scotty Drake.

Cut 13 (10) “…then this.”

Super Bowl ratings cratered last night in New Orleans as only a quarter of households bothered watching a game many Who Dats considered illegitimate…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies have made the arrest of an Arnaudville woman accused of the theft of flowers and other items from a Cecilia cemetary.  Following a complaint, deputies were able to identify and locate 42-year-old Rhonda Lagrange.  A search of her home produced silk flowers, floral arrangements, religious statues, vases, and other religious memorabilia.

The Baton Rouge area saw motorcycle wrecks leave three dead in a span of fewer than 24 hours, including one on-duty police officer.  With those deaths comes an increased focus on motorcycle safety.  Motorcycle Awareness Campaign spokesperson Scotty Drake says motorcyclists need motorist to be actively aware and watching for those on two wheels.

Cut 12 (07)   “…not the motorcyclist.”

For the second quarter of fiscal year 2019, the Louisiana Lottery has seen an uptick in contributions to the state treasury, transferring over $53.9 million towards K-12 public education in the state.  Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison says the record-breaking Mega Millions jackpot from autumn had a big impact on the numbers.

Cut 10 (08) “…was huge for us.”

As boycott parties raged across New Orleans, Who Dats turned off the Super Bowl in record numbers. Neilson, who installs equipment that tracks what select TV watchers are tuning into, noted just over a quarter of New Orleans market watchers tuned in, for a score of 26.1. The 44.9 national rating was the lowest in a decade, LSU Assistant Professor of Digital Advertising Jun Heo, says local resentment likely played a part in that.

Cut 7 (10) “…about it” (2x)
Another government shutdown is looming in a couple of weeks, if funding is not secured for a Southern border wall. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy filed legislation that would take money seized from drug cartels and us it to pay for a southern border wall. Cassidy says the Department of Treasury Forfeiture Fund averages 842-million dollars annually and his proposal is to issue bonds in order to make billions of dollars for immediate improvements to border security…

Cut 5 (10) “…go forward”

For the second quarter of fiscal year 2019, the Louisiana Lottery has seen an uptick in contributions to the state treasury, transferring over $53.9 million towards K-12 public education in the state.  Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Dustin Annison says that’s nearly a $10 million increase from this time last year.

Cut 9 (08) “…we had last year.″
Annison says the record-breaking Mega Millions jackpot from autumn had a big impact on the numbers.  Annison says the year-to-date contributions of $94.6 million have exceeded what the Louisiana Lottery had budgeted and expected to give to the state by $16.8 million.

Here’s a look at commodities…

It’s been a long road for medical marijuana in Louisiana, but LSU AgCenter Dean of Agriculture Dr. Bill Richardson says the first batch of medical marijuana grown by GB Sciences and the AgCenter has passed testing. Advocates have voiced displeasure with a series of delays to the release date, but Richardson says it’s an extensive safety process that cannot be rushed.

Cut 4 (11) “…anticipated.”

Last night’s Super Bowl is in the books, and it’s only five years until the big game makes it’s return visit to the big easy. Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation CEO Jay Cicero says technology will likely be a bit different in five years, but says the fundamentals of hosting tens of thousands of football’s biggest fans won’t change…
Cut 11 (11) “….opportunities”
TV ratings in New Orleans reflect an all time low for people watching the game, with a 26.1.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy files legislation that would take money seized from drug cartels and us it to pay for a southern border wall. Cassidy says instead of having Americans pay for the wall, let it be Mexican cartels

Cut 3 (11) “…buy guns”
Cassidy says the more they secure the border, the more illicit money they will capture.

A Shreveport mom pleads guilty to improper supervision after authorities learned she allowed her kids to play hooky from school.  Caddo Parish Chief Deputy District Attorney Wilbert Pryor says 35 year old Fathimah Slack’s 13 and 14 year-old children missed over a year and a half of school.

Cut 13 (10) “…of 2018.”

Slack was sentenced to 30 days behind bars, the maximum sentence for the crime, but received credit for time served and is now out of prison.  Pryor says the children are in the custody of a family member and attending school.

Bossier Parish Schools Superintendent Scott Smith is the target of a federal investigation that he illegally received controlled dangerous substances in a shipment from overseas. While it’s still under investigations, reports say anti-anxiety drugs that had been ordered over the internet were intercepted in the mail. A delivery was arranged by postal inspectors and investigators from homeland security, which led to Smith.  Smith, who was hospitalized Thursday after he became extremely upset when federal agents approached him as part of their investigation, is expected to resign as superintendent.  No criminal charges had been filed Friday.

Food delivery service Waitr says they’ve scheduled extra drivers for Super Bowl Sunday, Waitr spokesperson Whitney Savioe recommends placing a “future order” to ensure you get your food exactly when you need it.

Cut 5 (11) “…hours early”

Kickoff is set for 530PM Sunday.

It’s a fun twist on Punxsutawney Phil’s Groundhog’s Day celebration.  Today marked the 20^th year that the nutria rat, Pierre C. Shadeaux, exited his home in downtown New Iberia, and he saw his shadow. The swamp rat was brought to Louisiana about 100 years ago, and has since infested the bayous, eating roots vital to the marshland’s existence.  Zoosiana Zoo of Acadiana spokesperson Lea Loftin says they hope to use the event to educate kids on the dangers of invasive species, but also to just throw a great party for everyone who attends.

Cut 8 (09) “music playing”
Pierre did in fact see his shadow this morning, meaning there will be an early summer, rather than longer spring weather.

Anthony Davis addressed the media Friday, speaking on his trade aspirations to leave the Pelicans in favor of playing for a team with the ability to win more consistently.  Davis says he feels that it’s just the right time to leave the Big Easy,adding the conversation about leaving the Pels was a tough one to have.

Cut 10 (05) “…advantage of that”.