With 22-percent of Louisiana adults currently smoking, the American Lung Association believes the state has a lot of work to do when it comes to tobacco prevention. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (25) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The story about a 3-year-old Brazilian girl who had a large, rare tumor removed from her face by doctors in Shreveport is making national headlines. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The American Lung Association’s annual State of Tobacco Control report finds Louisiana is failing in efforts to reduce tobacco use. An estimated 22-percent of Louisiana adults smoke. Regional Policy Director Ashley Lyerly (Liar-lee) says the report assigned F letter grades in the areas like tobacco taxes and access to cessation programs.

Cut 3 (10) “tobacco use”

The report gave another F to the state when it comes to funding for prevention programs. Lyerly says Louisiana should be spending about 60 million dollars on tobacco prevention each year but total funding for this fiscal year is only 8 million dollars. She says the state also received an F grade when it comes to tobacco taxes, even though it recently increased to $1.08.

cut 4  (10) “grade F”

Louisiana received a B grade for the strength of smoke-free workplace laws. But Lyerly says they recommend the state increase the minimum age for the sale of tobacco products.

Cut 5  (10)  “of F”

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Louisiana isn’t seeing as many flu cases as we usually do this time of year. That’s according to the state’s flu bug expert, Dr. Frank Welch, who says right now, 4 out of every 100 doctor visits in the state is for the flu. He says there’s several reasons we’re seeing a slower flu season this year.

Cut 6 (11) “slow season”

Welch says while the Deep South has seen few cases, other states are seeing an uptick. But he says we aren’t out of the woods yet. He anticipates cases will pick up, once the weather gets colder, which will happen this weekend.

CUT 7 (12)  “flu season” 

Welch advises everyone to get their flu shots to avoid getting the flu and to avoid spreading it to others. He says there are plenty of ways for people to stay well this flu season.

Cut 8 (11) “that properly”

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The Louisiana Department of Insurance announces they recovered $7.6 million for policy holders last year as a result of efforts by their consumer affairs division who work to resolve consumer complaints. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says that money is in addition to what companies offered to pay customers, and it’s a significant increase over the previous year.

Cut 9 (10)  “the past year”

Donelon credits the increase in recovered funds for consumers to a reorganizing within the insurance department two years ago. He says they moved all of the people who handle consumer complaints into the same section, as opposed to dividing them up between health, life and annuities, property, etc.

Cut 10 (12) “additional recovery”

Donelon says it’s the state’s responsibility to make sure insurance companies fulfill the promises they make to their policyholders. He says they’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that Louisiana customers are treated fairly, including yanking a license or taking punitive action against an insurance provider.

cut 11 (09) “insurance company”

Policyholders can file complaints at 1-800-259-5300 or online at ldi.la.gov/fileacomplaint.

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The story about a 3-year-old Brazilian girl who had a large, rare tumor removed from her face by doctors in Shreveport is making national headlines. It all started when Dr. Celso Palmieri at LSU Health Shreveport was reading an online publication from his home country. He says he ran across a Brazlian article about little Melyssa Delgado Braga

cut 12 (09) “could help Melyssa”

Palmieri says he found the family on Facebook after only an hour of searching and was able to contact them. Dr. G.E. Ghali is the chair of the Department of oral and facial surgery at the hospital. He diagnosed Melyssa with a benign tumor that is locally very aggressive…:

Cut 13 (09) “her entire jaw“

They say several organizations, doctors and the community came together to help the family get here. While Melyssa will still require some follow up surgeries as she gets older, doctors say she now has full use of her tongue unlike before. Dr. Ghali says she had been well on her way to becoming a malnourished child because of the tumor…:

cut 14 (09) “over five pounds”

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Louisiana has issued a standing order to make naloxone available without a prescription. Naloxone is an antidote that reverses an opioid overdose. Chief Medical Officer for Louisiana Medicaid, Dr. SreyRam Kuy, (Sray-rum- Kuh-ee) says the standing order is a way to reduce unnecessary deaths…

Cut 15 (10) “deep south”

Kuy says the naloxone drug can be injected into muscle or administered through the nose. She says the best part about receiving the drug over the counter is that anyone can administer the drug to someone suffering from an overdose, not just a medical practitioner.

Cut 16  (07)  “police officer”

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The governor’s office will propose a 304-million dollar budget deficit reduction plan to  legislators this week. Jeff Palermo spoke with two republican lawmakers about the state’s budget troubles…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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New Orleans officials propose a plan to reduce crime in the French Quarter, but will it work? Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The Edwards administration will unveil a proposal on Friday on how to close a 304-million dollar budget deficit for this fiscal year. Lawmakers are split on whether or not to tap into the state’s rainy day fund to close the gap. Lake Charles Representative Mark Abraham sits on the Appropriations Committee and says he’s still not sure if that’s the way to go.

Cut 3 (12) “rainy day fund”

Some legislators are even debating whether or not another special session next month will be necessary. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris proposed a plan to cut the budget without a special session. Abraham says the governor could make the cuts needed to avoid another session, but without the session, they might be more devastating.

cut 4  (08) “those cuts”

Oil City Representative Jim Morris is not in favor of using the rainy day fund to ease some of the cuts to state agencies. He says you can’t spend money you don’t have, which many in the legislature constantly want to do.

Cut 5  (09)  “that’s going to work”

While there isn’t much of an appetite at the Capitol to raise more taxes, one option would be to broaden the base of the clean penny that was added to the sales tax last year. Morris says that might work, but he doesn’t want to put a bigger burden on taxpayers.

Cut 6 (12) “to consider it”

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New Orleans officials have announced a plan to reduce crime in the French Quarter, but some are skeptical the $40 million proposal will be effective. Crime analyst and New Orleans native Jeff Asher is particularly uncertain of the new regulation that will require bars on Bourbon Street to close their doors at 3 a.m. He says last year, only 20-percent of shootings in that area occurred between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m.

CUT 7 (11)  “of crime” 

One proposal would establish a new mobile booking unit for NOPD to use during big events. Asher says improving response time would be one way to reduce crime. But he says this mobile unit would only be effective in one part of town on some occasions.

Cut 8 (12) “citywide problem”

Another part of the plan is to put up over 200 cameras in the Quarter and other neighborhoods, as well as setting up a 24-hour command center to monitor them. Asher says the cameras could be effective, but it all comes down to law enforcement’s ability to respond in a timely manner.

Cut 9 (11)  “about it”

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The State Fire Marshal’s Office says a 28-year-old Covington man is dead, after he lit his home on fire while in a drunken fight with his father. Deputy Chief Brant Thompson says the man’s father, twin brother and step mother, went out drinking and when they returned home, things got physical.

Cut 10 (10) “the home”

Thompson says alcohol is believed to have played a factor in this fire and toxicology samples have been taken. He says Kellum’s father, 55-year-old Jamie Kellum, was critically injured with burns to 85-percent of his body.

cut 11 (10) “his body”

Thompson says during the verbal confrontation between Jamie and Brandon Kellum, his step mother and twin brother went outside. But he says Michael Kellum rushed back in the house when he heard a physical fight breaking out.

cut 12 (11) “into flames” 

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Former Angola Warden Burl Cain has responded to claims in a state legislative auditor’s report that said he may have illegally used public funds for personal reasons. One of the accusations is that prison workers performed work on his private home, while getting paid by the state. Cain says it’s not his job for them to fill out their time sheets properly…

Cut 13 (09) “after your work day“

The audit finds state employees worked for Cain, while they were still on the clock. But Cain says, at times, prison employees volunteered to help out at his home, but not while they were working..:

cut 14 (10) “took leave”

Cain’s comments were made during a live interview on Talk 107.3 in Baton Rouge. The state audit also says taxpayers picked up the tab for more than $27,000 in appliances and flat screen TVs at Cain’s residence on prison grounds. Cain says what the report doesn’t point out is how much of his personal money he spent on the public house…:

Cut 15 (09) “out of my pocket”

A state audit alleges that former-Angola Warden Burl Cain misused public funds while he was employed at the prison. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Republican U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy says state’s should have the right to keep the Affordable Care Act. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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An audit accuses former-Angola warden Burl Cain of improperly using state funds during his tenure at the helm of the state’s largest prison. State legislative auditor Daryl Purpera says several state employees helped renovate Cain’s private home in Baton Rouge while on the clock, including Angola’s maintenance director Tim Byrd.

Cut 3 (10) “21 days”

Purpera says Cain also used prison equipment and labor to refinish the gates at his Baton Rouge home. He says Byrd made the 100 mile round trip twice to bring the large iron gates to the prison.

cut 4  (08) “public dollar”

Purpera says in addition to free labor, Cain also used state dollars to furnish his home on the prison grounds. He says taxpayers picked up the tab for more than $27-thousand in appliances and flat screen TVs. He says the former-warden also provided free food and housing for his family.

Cut 5  (11)  “prison grounds”

Cain’s lawyer, L.J, Hymel, has responded to audit by saying many of the report’s findings of fact and legal conclusions are in error. Purpera says he has given the audit’s findings to the US Attorney’s Office and the local District Attorney’s Office.

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Republican U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy presented a health care plan this morning on Capitol Hill that would give states the ability to decide if they want to keep Obamacare. Cassidy says Republicans believe that if you like your health insurance, than you should keep it

Cut 6 (10) “by Washington D.C.”

Millions of people are concerned that if Congress repeals Obamacare, they’ll lose their insurance. Cassidy says by giving states the power to decide on a health care system, his Patient Freedom Act will have a chance to pass the Senate…

CUT 7 (10)  “get us to 60” 

Maine Senator Susan Collins is a co-author of the Patient Freedom Act. Cassidy says not only does this legislation return power to the states, it will also increase access and provide affordable health care for states who want a different health care system…

Cut 8 (11) “if you like”

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Crews are dealing with clean up in several parishes after at least five tornadoes touched down in Louisiana on Saturday. Grant Parish Sheriff Steven McCain says a twister hit near Colfax that left a wake of destruction, damaging 5 homes and injuring one person.

Cut 9 (07)  “were in it”

McCain says one woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries when the trailer overturned. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado near Colfax had wind speeds up to 105 mph. A second tornado hit the parish near Georgetown, with winds reaching 100 mph.

Northwest Louisiana also saw a desctructive twister. Lt. Bill Davis with the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office says a tornado with 115 mph winds made a 6 mile trek near Plain Dealing. He says about 29 homes were damaged, including three that were a total loss and seven that sustained extensive damage.

Cut 10 (09) “after all that”

Davis says after the twister hit, not only were people dealing with damage to their homes, but first responder crews had to fight downed trees and power lines to get in and help people. He says the community came together to clear roadways, and they’re doing what they can to help those who lost everything.

cut 11 (08) “their lives”

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An ROTC teacher at Mandeville High is under arrest amid allegations he had sex multiple times with two different students on campus. Mandeville Police Cheif Gerald Sticker says 48-year-old Hosea McGhee is charged with computer solicitation of a minor and felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile. He says the victims are ages 15 and 16:

cut 12 (10) “sexual acts” 

Although the investigation is continuing, the chief doesn’t think there are additional victims. Sticker says they believe the acts were carried out on school grounds for quite some time…:

Cut 13 (06) “ongoing“

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A new custom-blend coffee, called the Ragin’ Cajuns French Roast Coffee was introduced to the public today. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette partnered with the Mello Joy Coffee Company to develop this dark roast blend. Assistant Director of Trademark Licensing at ULL, Leslie Saloom, says the coffee has a little sweetness and a chocolate flavor.

cut 14 (10) “the shelf”

Saloom says the Ragin’ Cajuns French Roast is exclusively available at Rouses at the Lafayette, Youngsville and Morgan City locations, as well as, at the bookstore on the university’s campus. She says officials from ULL and Mello Joy teamed up to determine which blend of Arabica beans would taste the best.

Cut 15 (09) “to go”

Saloom says the new French Roast joins other consumable products developed by the university that includes beer, seasoning and a Ragin Cajun burger available at Sonic.

Cut 16  (10)  “for us”

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The state is sending a plan to the federal government on how they propose to spend one-point-two billion dollars in flood aid. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Homelessness is down 68-percent in Louisiana over the past seven years based on an estimate from the federal government. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Frustration over the lack of reliable high-speed internet in the DeRidder area has led to a petition that will ask the Public Service Commission to help out. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The Restore Louisiana Task Force approves a proposal for how to spend $1.2 billion in federal flood aid allocated by Congress. Deputy Chief of Staff for the Governor’s Office, Julie Baxter Payer, says 938-million dollars will go towards rebuilding and repairing flooded homes.

cut 4  (08) “flood plain”

This state plan must get approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Louisiana is also awaiting HUD’s approval on a 438-million dollar package that will assist the elderly and disabled. Payer says they hope these federal dollars will get in the hands of flood victims by March or April.

Cut 5  (11)  “as possible”

Payer says once the federal government approves the state’s plan on spending the 1.6 billion dollars in federal aid, they will pick a private company to set up the application process. She says the website Restore.La.Gov will provide information as it becomes available on how flood victims can take advantage of this assistance.

Cut 6 (12) “their homes”

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Homelessness in Louisiana is down 68-percent over the last seven years. That’s according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s yearly Point-in-Time count. Louisiana Housing Corporation Executive Director Keith Cunningham credits this decrease to hard work by his agency to help individuals living on the street….

CUT 7 (11)  “of society”‘

The count showed there was just below four-thousand homeless people in the state in 2016, down from 12,500 in 2009. Cunningham says this decrease surpassed expectations. He credits the state for making homelessness more of a priority.

Cut 8 (10) “it done”

One program used to combat homelessness is the Continuum of Care, which funds a rapid re-housing project. Cunningham says drug abuse and mental illness are some factors that play into homelessness. He says last August’s devastating floods could also become a problem, as many victims are stilling living in hotels or with family members.

Cut 9 (09)  “them before”

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Today marks the start of tax season, as Louisiana residents can begin filing federal and state income taxes. Baton Rouge CPA Brandon Lagarde says if you plan to use a tax preparer to file your taxes, make sure you have all your documentation together and organized.

Cut 10 (08) “the process”

Federal returns are due April 18th this year, while state taxes must be filed by May 15th. Lagarde says refunds might take a little longer this year. He says measures to prevent identity theft have been enacted at the state and federal levels, and this red tape can lead to delays.

cut 11 (07) “get refunds”

Lagarde says filing taxes will be a little different this year for many Louisiana residents who were affected by the March and August floods. He says flood victims can claim their casualty losses.

cut 12 (11) “give you that”

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Residents in the greater DeRidder area are making a push to get high speed internet in the rural Beauregard Parish town. Beatrice Teague started a petition because she and her neighbors are unable to get broadband connections in their homes. She says they have to use satellite internet, which is expensive and unreliable.

Cut 13 (10) “your kids”

Teague says the internet in her home is down more days than not. She plans to present the petition to the Public Service Commission to see what can be done to resolve the issue. She says there are lines in place to provide high speed internet to her area, but the companies who own them are not willing to upgrade them.

cut 14 (11) “their turf”

Teague says the petition received more than 500 signatures in the first 24 hours alone, and she’s hoping to reach 750 before she brings it before the PSC. She says she’s constantly getting calls from people who want to be added to the petition.

Cut 15 (11) “our support”

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Louisiana is looking at a stormy weather today and tomorrow. Emelie Gunn has more on what we can expect…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Former President Barack Obama communed the sentences of 330 federal inmates, with 23 of those in Louisiana. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A shooting in Jefferson Parish has left an off-duty Westwego police officer and woman dead. Sheriff Newell Normand says 26-year-old Officer Michael Louviere was assisting a woman with an apparent car accident in Marrero Friday morning. He says that’s when a suspect fatally shot the woman and Louviere. Normand says they believe the woman had a relationship with the suspect, 32-year-old Sylvester Holt.

Cut 3 (07) “several women”

There’s a heavy police presence at Crescent City Connection Bridge as a man is threatening to jump. That man is believed to be Holt. Normand says this is a tough time for the city of Westwego.

cut 4  (09) “our community”

Louviere leaves behind a wife and two children and recently celebrated a birthday. Normand also says the officer graduated in the top of his academy class. He says these tragic incidents are the things officers worry when they go to bed at night.

Cut 5  (09)  “worry about”

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Louisiana is looking at a wet and stormy weekend. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the Storm Prediction Center predicts a majority of Louisiana could see damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes today and tomorrow.

Cut 6 (09) “thunderstorms”

Keim says this system will create incredibly unstable conditions, as air moves up very rapidly from the surface, which could produce large hail stones.

CUT 7 (09)  “can get” 

Keim says the Storm Prediction Center has placed much of the state, including Alexandria, Lafayette and all of southeast Louisiana under an enhanced risk for severe weather for tonight and tomorrow…

Cut 8 (09) “as well”

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Hundreds of thousands of women are expected to gather in the nation’s capital one day after President Trump’s inauguration for the Women’s March on Washington. Alyssa Leader of West Monroe is one of those who will be in attendance. She says they hope to deliver a clear message to the new administration.

Cut 9 (09)  “or immigrants”

Leader says all of the men and women participating in the march are doing so for different reasons. She says some people are concerned about their immigration status, while others worry about losing their healthcare. She says as an advocate for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, for her, this is personal.

Cut 10 (12) “against women”

The march begins at 10 a.m. near the Capitol and ends at 5 p.m. Leader says she’s looking forward to this opportunity to stand in solidarity with women and men from around the country. She says there are also marches scheduled in Baton Rouge and New Orleans…

cut 11 (09) “come together”

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In his last days in office, former President Barack Obama approved sentence reductions for 330 federal inmates, 23 of those are from Louisiana. LSU New Orleans Public Health Criminologist Dr. Peter Scharf says these commutations were mostly drug related….

cut 12 (08) “drug offenses” 

Three individuals had life sentences cut, like Benjamin Blount of Oakdale and Eric German of Haughton. LSU New Orleans Public Health Criminologist Doctor Peter Scharf says the president has the constitutional right to commune sentences, but he should explain why these individuals deserve shorter sentences

Cut 13 (07) “of justice”

Scharf says there has been a nationwide push to stop issuing life sentences for non-violent drug offenses. He says while Obama supports criminal justice reform, he still needs to go public with an explanation.

cut 14 (11) “selection principle”

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West Monroe Police say a pizza delivery driver will not be charged after he fatally shot one of two men who attempted to steal his car. Detective Ray Spoon says two suspects ordered a pizza to be delivered to an abandoned house, robbed the delivery driver, and attempted to steal the victim’s vehicle.

Cut 15 (12) “on foot”

Spoon says the crooks were unable to steal the delivery driver’s vehicle because it was a standard. He says the investigation is ongoing, as police are still searching for the second suspect. He says unfortunately, police see cases like this too often.

Cut 16  (06)  “or not”

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Newly elected Acadiana Congressman Clay Higgins says he’s humbled and uplifted to be in attendance for the swearing in of Donald Trump as the nation’s 45^thPresident. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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West Monroe High School’s Rebel Band will represent the Bayou State in the historic 58^th inaugural parade. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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One of the state’s top Democrats, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu shares his feelings on the future of the Trump administration. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Congressman Clay Higgins of Louisiana’s 3^rd Congressional District is looking forward to the changes that will come under the new administration. He says his team has been hard at work in Washington, and the freshman Representative says he’s already learned a lot. He says in many ways, the nation’s capital is exactly what he expected.

cut 4  (11) “in America, man”

Higgins says Congress has been meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence throughout the transition, and he was encouraged by those conversations. He says voters sent a clear message last November and now it’s time to deliver.

Cut 5  (12)  “a better day”

Higgins sits on the House Homeland Security Committee, Veterans Affairs Committee, and Science and Space Technology Committee. He says improving infrastructure in his district will be a top priority including fighting for a new I-10 bridge in Lake Charles. But he says he’s also concerned about taking care of our veterans.

Cut 6 (11) “our veterans”

Higgins says he’s been hard at work since day one, even sleeping on an air mattress in his office. 

______________________________________

The West Monroe High School Rebel Band gets the prestigious honor of performing in the inaugural parade at the nation’s capital today. Band director Robert Freeman says roughly 200 band members will entertain parade goers with a clever arrangement of “You Are My Sunshine,” “Jambalaya,” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.”

CUT 7 (08)  “from Louisiana”‘

Freeman says they learned a month ago that they would play in the inaugural parade, and they didn’t have much time to prepare or raise the $240-thousand necessary for the trip. He says students were asked to pay $600 each, and they had to do a lot of fundraising in a short amount of time to pay for the trip.

Cut 8 (10) “extraordinarily special”

Freeman says this trip is much different from the last time the Rebel Band performed at a presidential inauguration in 2005. He says not only is the weather warmer this go round, the political atmosphere is also much hotter. But he says he’s proud that the band and members of the West Monroe community were able to rise above the fray.

Cut 9 (08)  “58th inaugural”

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New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu is considered one of the leading Democrats in the state and he weighs in on his feelings about the Trump administration. Landrieu says both Republicans and Democrats like President Trump’s proposal to invest one trillion dollars on infrastructure.

Cut 10 (11) “we like”

But Landrieu says bi-partisan leaders are concerned about the immediate repeal of Obamacare without a replacement. He says while there are some issues with the Affordable Care Act, like increased premiums, they need to be fixed rather than a full repeal.

cut 11 (08) “for mayors”

Many citizens have voiced how nervous they are about a Trump presidency. Landrieu says no matter what, Trump is now the president but America is stronger than any one person.

cut 12 (09) “time”

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Republican State Representative Lance Harris of Alexandria has proposed a plan to cut the state’s budget without calling another special session, but the tentative plan is already getting pushback from Democrats. Harris’ plan does not call for cuts to public colleges, but it would levy a $147 million cut to the state Department of Health.

Cut 13 (10) “14 years”

Harris’ plan would also not tap into the rainy day fund. Other proposed cuts include $28 million to K-12 education, $15 million to prisons, and $37 million to capital outlay. But Harris doesn’t think any of these cuts would be too devastating.

cut 14 (09) “have the money”

Harris adds that it doesn’t make sense to spend taxpayer dollars on a special session when the governor can make all of these proposed cuts without legislative approval.

But Democratic Representative Gene Reynolds of Minden says public schools and hospitals can’t handle these cuts in the middle of the year. He says there has to be a better way to address the state’s budget problems.

Cut 15 (07) “better option”

Reynolds says while he applauds Harris for stepping up and making suggestions, this plan just isn’t feasible. He says some of the proposed cuts are matched with federal funds. He says if the state doesn’t put up their share, we won’t get those federal dollars either.

Cut 16 (08) “we have”

Governor John Bel Edwards issued a statement about the plan, saying the recommendations are vague, and blindly slashing programs and statutory dedications could be devastating to these agencies.

The Louisiana Office of Tourism and the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau announce a new partnership with East West Marketing Corporation in China to boost tourism. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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If you’re having trouble keeping up with your New Year’s weight loss resolutions, behavioral counseling could help.Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A Flash flood watch is in effect for much of southeast Louisiana until this evening. Christopher Bannan with the National Weather Service in Slidell says a system stalled over Texas is pushing wet weather towards the Bayou State and the potential impact is two to five inches of rain in a short period of time, with isolated higher amounts.

Cut 3 (05) “are area”

Bannan says A 4 to 5 inch swath of rainfall occurred this morning from just south of New Roads to north Baton Rouge. He says this very strong weather system will continue to affect much of the state into the weekend….

cut 4  (07) “Sunday morning”

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LSU announces a timeline for finding a new live mascot and the plan is to have a new tiger before the start of the next football season. Ginger Guttner with the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine says they are searching rescue facilities and sanctuaries for a young, male tiger to become Mike VII.

Cut 5  (05)  “in August”

But Guttner says LSU is officially ending the tradition of putting Mike into a mobile cage, so that he can be on the field before the start of football games.

Cut 6 (03) “see him”

Guttner says in April, Mike’s habitat will undergo renovations, which are expected to be complete by August. She says LSU is also working to have Mike’s habitat accredited as a tiger sanctuary.

CUT 7 (10)  “needs one” 

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The Louisiana Office of Tourism and the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau is teaming up with a marketing firm in China to bring more Chinese tourists to the Bayou State. Assistant Tourism Secretary Kyle Edmiston says the Chinese travel market is the fasted growing inbound market in the US. He says it currently ranks third and is poised to grow to number one by 2021.

Cut 8 (11) “6 million”

Edmiston says thanks to the partnership with East West Marketing Corporation, Louisiana is in a position to be a top destination for Chinese travelers. He says the Chinese love our food, music, and culture. He says there’s an ease of access to the Bayou State because of direct flights from China to Houston.

Cut 9 (08)  “their trip”

International travel to Louisiana increased by 36-percent over the last year, and Edmiston says Chinese travelers spend more money than any other tourists to Louisiana. He says that means more visitors from China could have a huge economic impact for the state.

Cut 10 (10) “for the state”

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Struggling to be successful with your New Year’s fitness resolution? Dr. Steven Heymsfield with LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Center says if cutting calories is not working for you, undergoing behavioral counseling could help with weight loss.

cut 11 (11) “treatment”

Heymsfield says many YMCAs offer an affordable high intensity lifestyle treatment, along with commercial companies like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. He says an individual must lose 5-8-percent of their weight in one to two years to have successfully completed the program.

cut 12 (09) “diabetes” 

Obesity can lead to an increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, and some cancers. Heymsfield says there is also medication for obese and overweight individuals to manage their weight. He says it’s a good idea to ask your doctor if certain a certain medication could benefit you.

Cut 13 (09) “time period”

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State Police say three people are dead and a child is in serious condition following a crash in Allen Parish. Sgt. James Anderson says around 10am Thursday morning, a vehicle traveling west on Hwy 190 in Kinder crossed the center line…:

cut 14 (11) “other vehicle”

Anderson says there was a young child in the second vehicle who was transported to the Rapides Trauma Center in serious condition. He says they are still trying to figure out how this happened…:

Cut 15 (08) “center line”

The Festival International de Louisiane will go on, as new corporate sponsors have been announced. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Louisiana Republicans are flocking to Washington ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration Friday. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Higher Education officials are urging lawmakers to tap into the Rainy Day Fund to offset the state’s $304 million massive budget shortfall. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The Festival International de Louisiane announces new corporate sponsors to help keep the annual international music festival in Lafayette going. Executive Director Scott Feehan says they have to raise over one-million dollars every year to put on the festival. He says one third of that cost comes from corporate donors, and just over a month ago they didn’t have any sponsors.

cut 4  (10) “was great”

LUS Fiber, Service Chevrolet, and J.D. Bank are among the sponsors for the 2017 event that will take place April 26^th to the 30^th.  But Feehan says their work isn’t over yet. He says now they’ll begin collecting donations from small businesses and individuals.

Cut 5  (09)  “focus on”

Feehan says unfortunately they didn’t get enough sponsors to keep the Heritage Stage. He says the event is free to the public and it attracts 300-thousand festival goers every year, so all the funding for the event has to come from donors. He says the founders of the festival wanted everyone to be able to enjoy it.

Cut 6 (09) “sticking to that”

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Hundreds of Louisiana Republicans are gathering in Washington ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Friday. Louisiana Republican Party Chairman Roger Villere says everyone is excited about watching Mr. Trump take the oath of office to become the 45^th President of the United States.

CUT 7 (09)  “huge parade”‘

Villere says it’s also exciting to have the West Monroe High School band participate in the inaugural parade. But after such a contentious election cycle, many Americans have expressed concerns about the new administration. Villere believes it’s more of a fear of the unknown. And He says a Democratic administration hasn’t proven to be effective.

Cut 8 (12) “get a job”

Villere says all Mr. Trump wants is for people to give him a chance. He says Democrats may be even more afraid that the President-elect will succeed than fail.

Cut 9 (11)  “scared of that”

More than 900-thousand people are expected to attend the inauguration, which will take place on the West Front of the US Capitol at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

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Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says the budget deficit for fiscal year 2017 is 304 million dollars, so how will this shortfall impact higher education? Higher Ed Commissioner Joe Rallo says there has been talk of using the state’s Rainy Day Fund to offset some of the deficit. But Rallo says if lawmakers decide against, it could be detrimental to higher education.

Cut 10 (09) “to manage”

Rallo says each university is different, but the first thing many schools would be forced to cut is instruction. He says the projected deficit would be substantially lowered with the use of the Rainy Day Funding, leading to less cuts to higher ed.

cut 11 (08) “than that”

House Republican lawmakers have voiced concerns with using the Rainy Day Fund to offset the shortfall. But Rallo says we’re in real trouble.

cut 12 (10) “$66 million”

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During his trip to Italy, Governor John Bel Edwards met with Pope Francis, who blessed the state’s project to support human trafficking victims. Edwards told Vatican Radio that Louisiana is a hotbed for sex trafficking along I-10. He says a big component of the project is retraining police not to treat sex trafficking victims like prostitutes.

Cut 13 (09) “modern day slavery”

Edwards said during his week-long trip to Italy, he met with anti-trafficking experts to learn best practices for fighting human trafficking. He says as part of their effort to protect victims, they’ll open a shelter near Baton Rouge that can house up to 16 young women.

cut 14 (09) “their parents”

Edwards says we have to do much better in Louisiana in ending human trafficking. He’s hopeful that policies implemented in Louisiana will succeed.

Cut 15 (08) “replicated elsewhere”

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Former LSU running back Leonard Fournette will wear Under Armour gear as he prepares for the NFL draft in April. Fournette has signed an endorsement deal with the sports clothing and apparel company. The 22-year-old says he’s been training in Pensacola and wants to run a 4.3 at the NFL Combine, because people don’t think he’s fast

Cut 16 (11) “that’s all”

Fournette could be a top five pick in the NFL draft. He says he’ll go to any team that wants him and he will not lobby to be the top overall pick…

Cut 17 (12)   “will fall”

The former Tigers running back rushed for 843 yards and eight touchdowns in 2016, despite an ankle injury that forced him to miss five games. He says the ankle is better and he’s getting into the best shape possible

Cut 18 (10) “full potential”

President Barack Obama’s approval rating is over 60-percent nationally, according to a CBS poll. Halen Doughty has more on what the numbers look like in Louisiana…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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2016 was the warmest recorded year on Earth, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (27) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A new poll from CBS finds President Barack Obama’s approval rating is over 60-percent nationally. Local pollster Bernie Pinsonat says while that might be the case nationwide, it’s certainly not true in Louisiana. He says Mr. Obama has been unpopular in the Bayou State throughout his entire term. He says the high favorability rating nationally is likely, because of large states like New York, Illinois and California.

Cut 3 (06) “numbers up”

Mr. Obama is still leaving office with the third highest approval rating since 1981. Pinsonat says it’s not the president himself voters disapprove of, it’s his policies.

cut 4  (10) “very unpopular”

Pinsonat says we’ll see just how much Republicans disapprove of his policies when a decision comes down about whether or not to repeal Obamacare. He says although many Americans are not in favor of Mr. Obama’s policies, for the most part, they like him as a person.

Cut 5  (09)  “give you credit”

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Secretary of State Tom Schedler is asking President-elect Donald Trump to undo President Obama’s designation that all 50 states’ election systems to be considered “critical infrastructure.” Schelder says it’s unclear why a critical classification is necessary, when there was no credible evidence of hacking discovered in any state during the November 2016 election…

Cut 6 (10) “the states”

Dams, nuclear reactors, and government facilities are also included in critical infrastructure. Schedler says the federal government claims considering election systems as critical infrastructure would allow them to work with federal homeland security officials. But he says his office can already do this without this designation….

CUT 7 (10)  “do that” 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says the designation does not mean a federal takeover, regulation, oversight or intrusion concerning elections in this country. But Schedler says it’s extremely difficult to manipulate the voting process, because each state uses a different method.

Cut 8 (10) “the election”

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Shreveport Police say an 11-year-old has been arrested for armed robbery. Corporal Marcus Hines says surveillance video shows the juvenile they have in custody pulled a gun on a woman at an ATM around 10 p.m. Saturday and made off with a small amount of cash.

Cut 9 (07)  “the victim”

Hines says it’s very saddening that someone this young would commit a crime like this. Surveillance footage of the incident was released to the public and he says apparently the young boy’s family saw the video, which led to his arrest.

Cut 10 (08) “young man in”

Hines says we have to address the underlying problem in situations like this and find out why someone so young would think to rob someone. He says unfortunately, seeing children commit crimes like armed robbery isn’t as rare as you might think.

cut 11 (09) “into automobiles”

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The World Meteorological Organization announced 2016 was officially the warmest on Earth since 1880, when record keeping began. State Climatologist Barry Keim says we’ve gone three straight years for breaking the warmest year on record. He says there is clearly a pattern of increasing temperatures.

cut 12 (09) “Pacific Ocean” 

Keim says 2016 was Louisiana’s third warmest year on record. The warmest was in 1921. He says the state’s biggest concern with these increased temperatures worldwide is melting glaciers…

Cut 13 (11) “sinking”

Keim says the average temperature in Louisiana for 2016 was 68.7 degrees. And he says 2017 is already off to an extremely warm start.

cut 14 (07) “entire week”

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Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office announces the arrest of six men on over 200 counts of child pornography and exploitation. The alleged perpetrators range from age 18 to 73. A-G spokesperson Ruth Wisher says the men were booked on over 200 counts of child pornography and exploitation…

Cut 15 (11) “sexually abused”

Wisher says Landry was sworn in last year, the A-G’s office has made or assisted in over 100 child exploitation arrests….

Cut 16  (08)  “search of justice”

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State House Republican leaders believe it is not a good idea to use the Rainy Day Fund to offset Louisiana’s 313 million dollar mid-year budget shortfall. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The Guttmacher Institute finds there was an 18-percent decline in the number of abortions in Louisiana between 2011 and 2014. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Despite floods, droughts, and freezing temperatures, experts say Louisiana strawberries are doing just fine. Whitney Wallace with the LSU AgCenter doesn’t think there will be too much damage to this year’s strawberry crop. She says the freeze affected some farmers worse than others, but all in all, it should be a good season.

Cut 3 (07) “March and April”

Wallace says the multiple floods that occurred last spring and August weren’t as devastating to strawberry production as they were to other crops, because farmers weren’t planting strawberries yet when the floods hit. She says many farmers did what they could to protect their blooms from the freeze earlier this month.

cut 4  (09) “below 32″

Wallace says fortunately, most of the strawberry crop made it through the freeze unscathed, which means we should see a good crop in March and April. She says this is great news because strawberry farming is an important industry for the state.

Cut 5  (11)  “local berries”

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Several Republican in the state House say it would be a bad idea to use the Rainy Day Fund to reduce the state’s 313 million dollar mid-year budget deficit. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris, who chairs the House Republican Delegation, says the state has to stop dipping into the Rainy Day Fund every time it has budget troubles.

Cut 6 (07) “problem”

But Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says using the Rainy Day fund is necessary to soften cuts critical services like higher education and healthcare.

CUT 7 (10)  “very painful” 

Harris says when he entered the legislature five years ago, the Rainy Day Fund had over 850 million dollars in it, and today it has 357 million dollars. He says the state has a spending problem.

Cut 8 (08) “concerned about”

It will take a 2/3 vote in both the House and Senate to access money from the Rainy Day Fund. Dardenne says even with the Rainy Day Fund, more cuts will be required. He says this fund is designed to address a situation like the state is currently facing.

Cut 9 (08)  “up for”

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New research finds there was an 18-percent decline in the number of abortions in Louisiana between 2011 and 2014. Guttmacher Institute researcher Rachel Jones says nationally, there was a 12-percent decline over the same period. She credits better use of contraceptives for the decrease in abortions.

Cut 10 (06) “such as an IUD”

The study found there were less than one million abortions in the US in 2014, the lowest rate since the Roe v. Wade ruling. Jones says more effective birth control would explain the decline in states that support abortion rights. She says in some other states, women have less access to abortions than they used to.

cut 11 (08) “in abortions”

Jones says Louisiana was one of the states that experienced a large decline in abortion clinics, with 29-percent of the clinics in the state closing during the time period studied. She says Louisiana also imposed stricter regulations on abortions.

cut 12 (09) “to access abortions” 

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Three people are dead after a fiery crash in Vernon Parish. State Trooper Scott Moreau says around 1:40 a.m. troopers responded to a crash on Highway 1146 near Rosepine. He says there were three people inside a 2009 Chevy Malibu, when the driver apparently veered off the roadway and hit several trees.

Cut 13 (08) “in the vehicle”

Moreau says all three occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. He says it’s not yet known if the occupants were wearing seatbelts or if the driver was intoxicated. He says they are not releasing the suspected identities of the victims, as the investigation is ongoing.

cut 14 (09) “pending as well”

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A 47-year-old Chauvin man has turned himself into State Police for allegedly hitting a man on LA 56 in Terrebonne Parish just after midnight. Trooper Jesse LaGrange says Christopher Little saw the press release put out this morning looking for the driver of a Chrysler 300, responsible for the fatal hit and run of 39-year-old Taylor Thibodeaux.

Cut 15 (10) “way home”

LaGrange says Little’s vehicle had damage consistent with hitting a person and he was brought in for questioning where he was later arrested and charged with felony hit and run driving and improper lane usage. He says the lesson here is to pull over and search if you think you’ve hit something while driving.

Cut 16  (07)  “vehicle received”

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