Baton Rouge Police believe the mass shooting at a nightclub early Sunday morning that injured 12 people was a targeted attack. Chief Murphy Paul is urging anyone with information on this incident to come forward…:
CUT 14 (10) “for life”
Officers were already outside the club when the shots rang out and were able to respond quickly, which Paul says saved lives. Of the 12 shot, he said 3 sustained life-threatening injuries.

Eight people were shot inside a home in Shreveport on Sunday afternoon. Police chief Wayne Smith says five adults and three children, including two three-year-olds and a five-year-old were wounded…:
Cut 10 (14) “so much”
The search for the shooter is ongoing.

You can begin filing your state and federal income taxes for 2022 today but be mindful of several changes that could reduce your refund amount. Connor Brown, with LaPorte CPAs and Business Advisors, says pandemic incentives are expiring like the enhanced child tax credit. He says in 2021 it was up to $3,600 per qualifying child under five or $3,000 if they were under age 17..:
Cut 5 (08) “16 and under”
He says not only will refunds be smaller, but turnaround time could be longer due to IRS staffing shortages.

The U.S Postal Service is continuing their Black Heritage series by honoring renowned author Ernest J. Gaines with a postal stamp. USPS Spokesperson David Walton says Gaines was a vital voice to the African American experience…:
Cut 7 (08) “..and violence.”
The ceremony will take place today at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where Gaines once taught creative writing.

There were two shooting incidents in Louisiana on Sunday making national headlines. In Baton Rouge, gunfire rang out at a nightclub early in the morning in a mass shooting that left 12 people injured. It happened inside The Dior Bar and Lounge on Bennington Avenue near College Drive. Baton Rouge Police Lt. Bryan Ballard:
CUT 13 (13) “of Baton Rouge”
He says 9 of the victims have injuries considered non life threatening while 3 others are in critical condition. The shooter or shooters remain at large.

In Shreveport, 5 adults and 3 children were shot at a residence Sunday afternoon leaving 4 in critical condition including a 3 year old boy. Police chief Wayne Smith says they believe this was a drive by shooting…:
CUT 11 (08) “have been”
The search for the shooter is ongoing.

Governor John Bel Edwards has called a special session to address the state’s ongoing property insurance crisis. It will start a week from today and adjourn Sunday, February 5th. State leaders are hoping to have an intermediate fix to the issues before the regular session in April.

You can begin filing your 2022 taxes today and your refund may be smaller this year due to some changes from 2021. Connor Brown, with LaPorte CPAs and Business Advisors, says incentives from the pandemic are no longer in effect like the CARES Act which allowed up to $600 of charitable contributions for married filing joint on top of a standard deduction even if you didn’t itemize
CUT 4 (06) “be itemizing”
The enhanced child tax credit and the child and dependent care credit also expired in 2021.

Another candidate has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2023 Governor’s Race. It’s first-term Republican Representative Richard Nelson of Mandeville who made the announcement this morning. At age 36 he becomes the youngest candidate so far.

Louisiana is in a property insurance crisis and legislative leaders are meeting with the governor’s office today about calling a special session with hopes of incentivizing other insurers to come here. But Jonesboro Representative Jack McFarland questions why they should be called in to address the issue when they haven’t for other markets, like the trucking industry when very few companies would even write policies in Louisiana..:
Cut 6 (12) “insurance program”
Up to 20 companies that write homeowners policies in the state have either gone insolvent or decided to stop renewing policies here. The Special Session would begin next month.

LDWF has discovered five additional suspected cases of chronic wasting disease in deer in Tensas Parish…:
Cut 2 (33) “I’m Kace Kieschnick”

Xavier University is partnering with Ochsner Health in creating a new medical school. University President Reynold Verret says they aim to increase the number of Black physicians and…:
Cut 15 (08) “the world”

Legislative leaders are set to meet today to discuss holding a special session next month to address Louisiana’s property insurance woes. Up to 20 companies that write homeowners policies in the state have either gone insolvent or decided to stop renewing policies here. But Jonesboro Representative Jack McFarland says if Louisiana is going to incentivize other insurers to come here, will it be fair for the entire state?…
Cut 5 (08) “significantly increase”
Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says the situation is dire, and Louisiana needs to take action now.

Republican Louisiana Representative Richard Nelson announced this morning he’s running for governor of the state. The first term lawmaker out of Mandeville says he hopes at the age of 36 to offer Louisiana a fresh perspective not just for the next 4 years but with the next 40 years in mind.

2022 saw record-breaking high rental prices in Louisiana, but what might this year bring for renters? Kevin Gallagher has more…:
Cut 3 (31) “I’m Kevin Gallagher”

State Police is investigating a multi-vehicle Ascension Parish crash that claimed the life of a 20-year-old Tuesday morning. Troopers say Cameron Hall was the passenger in a vehicle that collided head on with an oncoming truck. Drivers in two other cars could not avoid the crash which caused the 4-car collision. Hall was not restrained and died on the scene. Two of the other drivers sustained moderate injuries.

Legislative leaders are meeting today to discuss the possibility of a special session to entice property insurance companies to the state, but one lawmaker has questions. Brooke Thorington has more…:
Cut 1 (29) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

Another candidate for governor has emerged this morning, as Republican Representative Richard Nelson of Mandeville announced his campaign in the race to replace Governor John Bel Edwards. Nelson, at age 36, is the youngest candidate to announce so far. He joins state Senator Sharon Hewitt, Attorney General Jeff Landry and Treasurer John Schroder as the major Republicans in the race.

Xavier University in New Orleans is partnering with Ochsner Health in creating a new medical school. University President Reynold Verret says the partnership aims to address a chronic doctor shortage and diversify the medical field…:
Cut 13 (07) “physicians in the U.S.”
Xavier University is the only Roman Catholic historically black college in the US and the medical school would make it just the 5th Black medical school in the nation.

Five additional suspected cases of chronic wasting disease have been discovered in deer harvested by hunters on private land in Tensas Parish. This comes after a second case of CWD was confirmed last month. State Wildlife Veterinarian Jim LaCour says the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is working on zeroing in on the outbreak…:
Cut 7 (12) “infection in deer”
He says they are asking hunters to submit samples for testing and results will be posted on the LDWF website.

Today, legislative leaders and the governor’s office are slated to meet to discuss the possibility of holding a special session next month to address the state’s property insurance woes and how to bring new insurers here, but a North Louisiana lawmaker has questions. Since 2021 up to twenty insurance companies have either left or gone insolvent. Jonesboro Representative Jack McFarland…:
Cut 4 (09) “up to $45-million”
The matter was originally set to be addressed in the regular session that begins in April, but Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says the state can’t wait that long.

A Baton Rouge man is under arrest amid allegations he harassed the mother of his child and set her home on fire. 30 year old Christian King is booked with simple arson, violation of protective orders and simple criminal damage to property. Firefighters say the victim’s doorbell camera shows King dousing the home with gas before lighting it.

The price to rent a home hit record highs in 2022 due to low supply and high demand, according to the rental listing web platform Dwellsy. But the site’s co-founder Jonas Bordo says new apartment complexes are coming which should cause median rents to go down…:
CUT 11 (06) “to a lot of people”
Bordo says Dwellsy feels inflation will ease over the coming months and rental prices will ease with it.

The price at the pump keeps creeping higher. AAA says the current statewide average for a gallon of regular is up three cents from yesterday to $3.03. That’s up 10 cents from the prior week. Analysts say the short days and messy weather of January are keeping people off the roads which lowers demand causing gas prices to go up.

The cold weather you’re feeling today is going to stick around through the Christmas weekend and state officials are reminding you to keep the usual precautions in place as a result around your home. Those include wrapping pipes, checking on neighbors and keeping pets inside.

UL-Lafayette will face Houston in Shreveport’s Independence Bowl today. Kace Kieschnick spoke with Bowl spokesperson Erik Evenson…:
CUT 3 (30) “I’m Kace Kieschnick”

On his last monthly radio show of the year this week, Governor John Bel Edwards reflected on his time in office, and what he plans to do before his term ends in January 2024:
Cut 12 (14) “the case”

State Police is investigating a fatal crash out of Assumption Parish that claimed the life of a teen passenger and sent a suspected impaired driver to jail on DUI and vehicular homicide charges. They say 50-year-old Juan Ramos of Houma hit the rear of a truck and trailer in front of him when his vehicle flipped and flew off an elevated highway on US 90 just east of Amelia. Ramos’ teen passenger suffered fatal injuries. The incident remains under investigation.

The New Orleans Police Department is investigating a fatal crash that claimed the life of a motorcyclist who was ejected after crashing into a stalled pick-up truck on US 90 near the Smoothie King Center and was thrown over the elevated roadway into the Superdome parking lot. EMS pronounced him dead on scene.

Put your beanie hat on, gloves and layer up today Louisiana, it’s cold out there. The Arctic air has arrived, and the winds are howling as temperatures across the state fell some 30 degrees in 12 hours from yesterday afternoon to this morning. Wind chills are in the teens and single digits and another hard freeze is on tap for tonight and Christmas morning.

US Senator Bill Cassidy outlines his priorities in a divided Congress in 2023. Marsanne Golsby reports…:
CUT 1 (29) “Marsanne Golsby”

Residents displaced from last week’s tornados are staying in travel trailers in state parks throughout Louisiana. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser helped spearhead that effort and says they are also feeding those families dinner tonight and will bring gifts for the kids. He asks us to remember these families Christmas weekend…
Cut 9 (10) “little tougher”

There are two college bowl games today and one of them is right here in Louisiana as UL-Lafayette takes on Houston in Shreveport’s Independence Stadium. This is the 12th bowl game in Ragin Cajun football history, and the first meeting against The Cougars since 2006 when ULL won 31-28. The Independence Bowl kicks at 2pm.

The price of gas keeps falling as the New Year approaches. The current statewide average for a gallon of regular is $2.73 which is about 30 cents less than last Christmas.