5^th District Congressman Ralph Abraham has been selected to serve on the House Armed Services Committee. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Today marks the one-year anniversary of when the governor was sworn into office. Jeff Palermo looks at what year two of his administration might bring…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A study from LSU Health New Orleans finds parent’s concern about neighborhood safety will limit a child’s outside play time. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A new political party has been established in the Bayou State, as the official paperwork has been submitted by the Louisiana Independent Party. Party Treasurer Bill Bryan says this is more of a movement than a political action. He says often times, people vote for a party, not a person, and party affiliations can make it difficult for people to have open, honest discussions about candidates.

cut 4  (11) “civil discussions”

There are currently 56-thousand Independent voters registered in the party. Bryan says the current-two party system doesn’t serve the wide spectrum of views held by voters, as evidenced by the most recent election.

Cut 5  (09)  “for themselves”

Bryan says especially for social issues, it can be hard for voters to get accurate information to make an informed decision, because the information they’re receiving is partisan. He says one goal of the new party will be to publish the unbiased facts of these issues.

Cut 6 (10) “one or the other”

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Today marks one year in office for Governor John Bel Edwards, and what a year it’s been. After such a tumultuous start, it begs the question as to what the next year will hold. UL-Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross says like his first year, one of the governor’s biggest challenges in year two is the budget.

CUT 7 (08)  “new budget”‘

Cross says some of the governor’s goals, like raising more revenue for transportation needs, will face tough pushback from the legislature. But he says not every item on the governor’s agenda will be an uphill battle.

Cut 8 (10) “at that”

Cross says perhaps the biggest difficulty with the governor’s job is never knowing what’s on the horizon. He says Edwards certainly wouldn’t have guessed a year ago that the first year of his term would hold two historic floods and a police ambush.

Cut 9 (11)  “anything can happen”

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A study from LSU Health New Orleans finds a parent’s concern about neighborhood safety will result in less play time outside. Research Professor Dr. Melinda Sothern says they questioned parents in neighborhoods with high crime rates along with graffiti and blighted neighborhoods and found they restricted their children’s outdoor play, which means less physical activity for those children…

Cut 10 (08) “and diabetes”

Sothern says the most intriguing finding was what parents thought of their own communities and if they trusted their neighbors.

cut 11 (10) “play outdoors”

Sothern urges parents to talk with policy makers to ensure making neighborhood safety is a priority. She also tells moms and dads to put in the effort to play outside with their kids or take them to a safe area on the weekends so they can do outdoor activities.

cut 12 (09) “health”

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5^th District Congressman Ralph Abraham will have a chance to set military policy for the United States as he’s been appointed to the House Armed Services Committee. Abraham says his top priority will be looking out for the men and women who serve our country.

Cut 13 (08) “a family”

Abraham says it’s critically important for a member of Louisiana’s delegation to sit on the committee because the Bayou State is home to Barksdale Air Force Base, Fort Polk, and the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in New Orleans. He expects Louisiana’s military bases to be vital in the ongoing fight against domestic and international tourism.

cut 14 (12) “those bases also”

Abraham says President-elect Donald Trump has indicated that has great respect and gratitude for military men and women. He expects that to be evident in the policies laid out under the new administration.

Cut 15 (10) “to continue”

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The LSU men’s basketball team is in College Station tonight to take on the Texas A&M Aggies. The Bayou Bengals are 1-and-2 in league play and they’ve played poorly on the defensive end. In LSU’s last three losses, they are allowing 100 points a game. Coach Johnny Jones says he needs to see more from his players on that end of the court….

Cut 16 (17) “winning and losing”

In recent games, teams have had a lot of success from beyond the three point stripe against LSU. They allowed 16 three-pointers in losses to wake Forest and Vanderbilt and Mississippi State hit 11 three-pointers against the Tigers on Saturday. LSU freshman guard Skylar Mays they are making it too easy for opposing shooters…

Cut 17 (10)   “grinding at it”

LSU will face an Aggies team tonight that was predicted to finish third in the SEC, but they are off to an 0-3 start in league play. But Jones says A&M is one of the better shooting teams in the conference…

Cut 18 (20) “they play”

Small business optimism has skyrocketed in December, according to a survey from the National Federation of Independent Businesses. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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WWE’s Wrestlemania will return to New Orleans in April of 2018. Michelle Southern has more on the big announcement…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Today is the start of the application period for the Louisiana Scholarship Program, which pays for low-income students at a poorly graded public school to attend a private school. President of the Louisiana Federation for Children, Ann Duplessis, says 65-hundred students currently receive taxpayer funded vouchers.

Cut 3 (11) “in the future”

Duplessis says students already enrolled in the program do not need to reapply. She says every year, about 10-thousand families apply and students from all over Louisiana can apply.

cut 4  (06) “be educated”

One hundred twenty-three schools in 31 school districts around the state participate in the voucher program. And Duplessis says test scores have demonstrated voucher students are making academic strides.

Cut 5  (09)  “last year”

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A survey from the National Federation of Independent Business finds small business optimism increased substantially in December. NFIB state director Dawn Starns says optimism has been skyrocketing since the November election and the positive outlook is felt here in Louisiana too.

Cut 6 (10) “new jobs”

The NFIB says small business optimism is at its highest level since 2004. Starns says it’s because business owners are anticipating better economic conditions with Donald Trump in office and a Republican controlled Congress.

CUT 7 (09)  “increase then” 

Starns says when small businesses are feeling good about the economy, they are more likely to increase business activity.

Cut 8 (10) “business owners”

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WWE’s Wrestlemania will return to New Orleans in 2018. Governor John Bel Edwards was on hand for the announcement that the Big Easy will host professional wrestling’s biggest event on Sunday, April 8th of next year. He says it’s just another huge occasion to laud the 300th year of the founding of New Orleans…:

Cut 9 (11)  “exciting time”

Wrestlemania last came to New Orleans in 2014, and Edwards says over 75,000 fans came from around the world – which had an economic impact of $142 million dollars for the city…:

Cut 10 (09) “1 billion dollars”

Edwards says this is the quickest that Wrestlemania has returned to a previous host city ever. Stephanie McMahon, WWE’s Chief Brand Officer, was also on hand this morning for the announcement. She says the pitch to the organization was incredible; and in addition to the passion behind it — featured some of New Orleans’ most soulful attributes…:

cut 11 (11) “Krewe of Muses”

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The federal government says 150-thousand Louisiana residents have signed up for health coverage through the Marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act. Christen Young, with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services says one key driver of affordability in the marketplace is financial assistance and 82-percent of Louisiana consumers signed up so far, have qualified for tax credits.

cut 12 (08) “a year” 

Young says most people can find a plan for less than $75 per month. Senior Counselor to the Secretary at Health and Human Services, Avida Aron-Dine, says lawmakers have made claims that the Affordable Care Act is in a death spiral. But she says the facts show that’s absolutely not the case.

Cut 13 (11) “claims dead”

The report finds there are over 23-thousand new Louisiana consumers in the Marketplace, despite talk of repealing and replacing Obamacare. Aron-Dine says the data shows the Marketplace is poised for continued success, without policy interference. And she also expects we will not seek see huge spikes in premiums going forward.

cut 14 (10) “reinsurance program”

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Many plants were affected by this weekend’s freeze and Emelie Gunn has tips on how to treat the damaged plants…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The staff of the Louisiana Board of Regents is recommending several changes to the TOPS scholarship program that will need legislative approval. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Clean-up officially begins today for the old Charity Hospital building in New Orleans after being abandoned since Hurricane Katrina. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palmero”

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The cold weather over the weekend damaged many plants and it has some wondering what to do next. LSU AgCenter Horticulturist Dan Gill recommends waiting a while to see if the plant is actually dead, even if it appears to have damage.

cut 4  (10) “seven days”

Gill says once you determine if parts of your plant have been damaged, it’s time to prune the affected areas, but tropical plants should be treated differently than woody plants. He says with the herbaceous tropical plants, remove oozy, mushy, and foul smelling damaged tissue.

Cut 5  (11)  “not sprouting”

Gill says a technique to immediately determine if a woody plant is damaged, is to scratch the bark with your thumb nail and if the tissue is green, it’s still alive and if it’s brown underneath, it’s dead. He also says do not get discouraged if a covered a plant and still received damage…

Cut 6 (10) “tropical again”

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The staff of the Louisiana Board of Regents is proposing several changes to the TOPS scholarship program. Higher Ed Commissioner Joe Rallo says the board is reviewing their report, and the final recommendations will be made in February. He says they are looking at a variety of ways to change how the scholarship is awarded, after the state failed to fully fund the program for the first time this year.

CUT 7 (09)  “at LSU”‘

The report also suggests freshmen TOPS recipients would have 80-percent of their total tuition covered, sophomores 90-percent and juniors and seniors 100-percent. Rallo says another proposed change would require TOPS students to take 30 credit hours a year, rather than 24. He says the goal of the switch would be to encourage students to graduate more quickly. He says currently less than 40-percent of TOPS students graduate in 4 years.

Cut 8 (11) “a paycheck”

Rallo says they are also looking into selling the naming rights of the scholarship program. He says TOPS students are the state’s best and brightest, and companies may be willing to help fund those students’ education.

Cut 9 (12)  “to come in”

The proposals come after cuts to higher ed and TOPS meant scholarship recipients were forced to pay more than 50-percent of their spring semester tuition. Any changes to the program would not take effect until 2018, and it will need legislative approval.

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The clean-up process for Charity Hospital in New Orleans begins today. The historic building has been out of commission since Hurricane Katrina. LSU Health New Orleans Health Care Services Division Director of Facility Planning Jerry Jones says this project will cost over 6.4 million dollars. He says everything inside the building has been there since 2005.

Cut 10 (10) “that’s moveable”

The process is expected to take around 180 days. Jones says all the equipment is rusted and not usable, so it will have to be stripped and used as scrap metal.

cut 11 (09) “disposed of”

The facilities contain asbestos, mold, chemicals, and other hazardous materials and the building is not safe for immediate occupancy. Jones says FEMA will pay for the cleanup. He says they’ve been waiting to finally clean out the facility for over 10 years.

cut 12 (09) “reuse”

It’s unclear what will happen with the 78 year old structure once it’s cleaned out.

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A 39-year-old Pierre Part man has been arrested for allegedly accidently texting an Assumption Parish Sheriff’s deputy about a potential drug deal. Commander Lonny Cavalier says on Friday night, Dwayne Hebert sent a text stating his crystal meth product was ready for delivery.

Cut 13 (09) “arrested him”

Cavalier says no bond has been set for Hebert. He says Hebert was also arrested with two firearms along with the crystal meth.

cut 14 (10) “substances”

Cavalier says Hebert was arrested with two firearms along with the crystal meth. He says this really is an unusual case.

Cut 15 (08) “his part”

Governor John Bel Edwards is heading back to Washington next month to seek more federal assistance for Louisiana’s flood recovery. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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In north Louisiana, law enforcement from around the state gave an update on the shooting and injuring of LDWF Senior Agent Tyler Wheeler. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Governor John Bel Edwards says he will go back to Washington in February in an effort to secure more federal funds for flood recovery. Since the August flood, he has visited D.C. five times to advocate for flood recovery dollars, but Louisiana is still $2 billion short for a full, robust recovery.

Cut 3 (12) “recovery efforts”

Edwards is confident President-elect Donald Trump is willing to help flood victims. So far, Congress has allocated $1.6 billion for Louisiana’s flood recovery. The first $438 million will got to moderate income homeowners who are elderly or disabled, while the additional $1.2 will go to other homeowners. But Edwards says no homeowners who had flood insurance will be eligible for any of the $1.6 billion Louisiana has secured so far.

cut 4  (09) “housing recovery alone”

Edwards says helping homeowners isn’t the only flood recovery need in the state. He says federal dollars are also needed for flood mitigation projects and for rebuilding infrastructure.

Cut 5  (11)  “to Congress”

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We just got over a historic election cycle, but there is another big race kicking off in Louisiana for state treasurer as John Kennedy exits for US Senate. Today, Covington Representative John Schroder announced his candidacy for the job. Political Analyst Clancy Dubos says the Republican lawmaker is likely the first of many to get into this race:

Cut 6 (11) “fiscal posture”

The special election to replace Kennedy won’t occur until October, the same day as the New Orleans mayoral election. Dubos says this means voters in The Big Easy will play a major role in this race…:

CUT 7 (07)  “term limited” 

Kennedy’s deputy treasurer, Ron Henson, will serve as interim treasurer for most of 2017 and during budget talks in the legislature. Dubos says this race is wide open and it’s hard to predict the direction it will take…:

Cut 8 (07) “be a front runner”

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agent who was shot multiple times in Morehouse Parish is in stable condition. That’s according to State Police Col. Mike Edmonson, who says it’s a miracle 25-year-old Tyler Wheeler is doing so well, after being shot in the head, neck, and arm early Saturday morning.

Cut 9 (11)  “in control”

Edmonson says Wheeler cannot speak yet, but they know when he can that the two and a half year LDWF veteran will have a lot to say. He says officials are still trying to figure out exactly what happened when Wheeler encountered 31-year-old Amethyst Baird of Monroe along Highway 165.

Cut 10 (09) “side of the road”

Baird has been arrested on one count of attempted first degree murder of a police officer, and 34-year-old Jeremy Gullette has been charged with accessory after the fact. Edmonson says the investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are possible as the case unfolds.

cut 11 (08) “into this”

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The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office says two people are behind bars amid allegations children in their care tested positive for drugs. Captain Tommy Carnline says the complaint originally came in from the Department of Children and Family Services in regards in a November incident..:

cut 12 (10) “for the parents” 

Carnline says 19-year-old Stephan Deshon Matthews and 22-year-old Katie Meshell Bordelon each face 2nd degree cruelty to juveniles…:

Cut 13 (10) “bond each”

Carnline says they are not releasing information on how the narcotics got into the systems of the children…:

cut 14 (09) “their day in court”

King Cake season is in full swing, and a lot of people don’t know that the filled Mardi Gras pastry is actually a Mississippi tradition. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Transportation Task Force put together by the governor releases its final report and it calls for $700 million more a year to improve roads and bridges. Don Molino has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Don Molino”

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Governor John Bel Edwards sent a letter to Congress urging federal lawmakers not to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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King Cake season is in full swing, and a lot of people don’t know that the filled Mardi Gras pastry is actually a Mississippi tradition. It all started with Paul’s Pastry Shop out of Picayune in 1972, when bakers decided to spice king cakes up a bit. Sherri Thigpen is the current owner of the establishment. She says they had some learning to do…:

cut 4  (10) “dough recipe”

Thigpen says they were already known for making birthday cakes, wedding cakes and even cheese breads that were filled, so they developed a similar recipe for the king cakes…:

Cut 5  (11)  “over cream cheese”

Thigpen says with over 40 to choose from, including the option to create your own combination, Paul’s Pastry Shop offers the largest selection of flavors at a single bakery. She says at first, the recipe was not being recognized as a King Cake by bakery organizations because of the fillings…:

Cut 6 (10) “about everything”

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Monroe is a top contender for a new Graphic Packaging facility. Senior Manager of Corporate Communications, Sue Appleyard, says while they are still looking at other potential locations, the company reached a conceptual agreement with the local union to build the facility in the Monroe area.

CUT 7 (08)  “works out”‘

Appleyard expects a final decision to come in the next few months. She says there won’t be any impact on their current paper mill, which employs the bulk of their 400 workers in West Monroe, but the two other facilities would be consolidated. She says there would be a slight decrease in the number of jobs for the area, but the overall impact won’t be hugely significant.

Cut 8 (10) “anyway”

Appleyard says this new 70-million facility will be Graphic Packaging’s first brand new plant in 10 years. She says they’re excited about the possibility of bringing this new state of the art facility to a town where Graphic Packaging has become a household name.

Cut 9 (07)  “stay there”

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The Transportation Task Force has released their final report on how to improve the state’s transportation infrastructure, and of course, funding is number one. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the state needs to increase its investment in transportation by $700 million a year. But he says they haven’t decided how those dollars will be raised.

Cut 10 (09) “commercial vehicles”

Wilson says they’re also looking into tolls and public-private partnerships as a means of funding. He says something has to be done to address the $13 billion backlog of transportation projects, as well as address the $16 billion in new projects, like a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge. He says policy reform could be needed.

cut 11 (11) “the country”

Revenue raising proposals to fund transportations needs will be considered during the regular legislative session that begins April 10^th. It’s unclear what specific proposals Governor John Bel Edwards will back but Wilson expects a lot of discussion.

cut 12 (09) “conditions”

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Governor John Bel Edwards has sent a letter to Congress urging national leaders not to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But US Senator Bill Cassidy says Obamacare isn’t working for everyone. He says when premiums and deductibles cost thousands of dollars, that’s anything but affordable.

Cut 13 (09) “deductible”

Cassidy has proposed the Patient Freedom Act, which gives states the option to choose whether or not to keep Obamacare. He says the bill would repeal the ACA on a federal level, including the individual and employer mandates, and it would prevent the federal government from forcing people to pay penalties for not having insurance. He says states could then decide their own plan of action.

cut 14 (10) “other states”

But Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee urges federal lawmakers not to fix what isn’t broken. While she admits Obamacare is causing premiums to go up nationwide, she is adamant that the Medicaid expansion has been a godsend.

Cut 15 (08) “gotten care”

Gee says she and the governor look forward to working with Congress to find a suitable replacement for Obamacare. She says their top priority is maintaining coverage for Louisiana residents. She says repealing the ACA without a replacement would have drastic consequences for Louisiana.

Cut 16 (08) “goes up”

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King Cake season is in full swing, and a lot of people don’t know that the filled Mardi Gras pastry is actually a Mississippi tradition. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Transportation Task Force put together by the governor releases its final report and it calls for $700 million more a year to improve roads and bridges. Don Molino has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Don Molino”

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Governor John Bel Edwards sent a letter to Congress urging federal lawmakers not to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

King Cake season is in full swing, and a lot of people don’t know that the filled Mardi Gras pastry is actually a Mississippi tradition. It all started with Paul’s Pastry Shop out of Picayune in 1972, when bakers decided to spice king cakes up a bit. Sherri Thigpen is the current owner of the establishment. She says they had some learning to do…:

cut 4  (10) “dough recipe”

Thigpen says they were already known for making birthday cakes, wedding cakes and even cheese breads that were filled, so they developed a similar recipe for the king cakes…:

Cut 5  (11)  “over cream cheese”

Thigpen says with over 40 to choose from, including the option to create your own combination, Paul’s Pastry Shop offers the largest selection of flavors at a single bakery. She says at first, the recipe was not being recognized as a King Cake by bakery organizations because of the fillings…:

Cut 6 (10) “about everything”

______________________________________

Monroe is a top contender for a new Graphic Packaging facility. Senior Manager of Corporate Communications, Sue Appleyard, says while they are still looking at other potential locations, the company reached a conceptual agreement with the local union to build the facility in the Monroe area.

CUT 7 (08)  “works out”‘

Appleyard expects a final decision to come in the next few months. She says there won’t be any impact on their current paper mill, which employs the bulk of their 400 workers in West Monroe, but the two other facilities would be consolidated. She says there would be a slight decrease in the number of jobs for the area, but the overall impact won’t be hugely significant.

Cut 8 (10) “anyway”

Appleyard says this new 70-million facility will be Graphic Packaging’s first brand new plant in 10 years. She says they’re excited about the possibility of bringing this new state of the art facility to a town where Graphic Packaging has become a household name.

Cut 9 (07)  “stay there”

________________________________________

The Transportation Task Force has released their final report on how to improve the state’s transportation infrastructure, and of course, funding is number one. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the state needs to increase its investment in transportation by $700 million a year. But he says they haven’t decided how those dollars will be raised.

Cut 10 (09) “commercial vehicles”

Wilson says they’re also looking into tolls and public-private partnerships as a means of funding. He says something has to be done to address the $13 billion backlog of transportation projects, as well as address the $16 billion in new projects, like a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge. He says policy reform could be needed.

cut 11 (11) “the country”

Revenue raising proposals to fund transportations needs will be considered during the regular legislative session that begins April 10^th. It’s unclear what specific proposals Governor John Bel Edwards will back but Wilson expects a lot of discussion.

cut 12 (09) “conditions”

_______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards has sent a letter to Congress urging national leaders not to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But US Senator Bill Cassidy says Obamacare isn’t working for everyone. He says when premiums and deductibles cost thousands of dollars, that’s anything but affordable.

Cut 13 (09) “deductible”

Cassidy has proposed the Patient Freedom Act, which gives states the option to choose whether or not to keep Obamacare. He says the bill would repeal the ACA on a federal level, including the individual and employer mandates, and it would prevent the federal government from forcing people to pay penalties for not having insurance. He says states could then decide their own plan of action.

cut 14 (10) “other states”

But Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee urges federal lawmakers not to fix what isn’t broken. While she admits Obamacare is causing premiums to go up nationwide, she is adamant that the Medicaid expansion has been a godsend.

Cut 15 (08) “gotten care”

Gee says she and the governor look forward to working with Congress to find a suitable replacement for Obamacare. She says their top priority is maintaining coverage for Louisiana residents. She says repealing the ACA without a replacement would have drastic consequences for Louisiana.

Cut 16 (08) “goes up”

It’s a wet winter day across much of Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The winter weather causes safety hazards. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (26) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Northeast Louisiana could see snow today. Winter weather advisories are in effect for most parishes in the Ark-La-Miss. Mark McAllister with the National Weather Service says delta parishes can expect a mixture of freezing rain, sleet, and snow. He says winter weather warnings are in effect until midnight.

Cut 3 (07) “also possible”

McAllister says these conditions will continue though the afternoon and into tonight. He says the icy conditions are affecting roadways, leading to accidents on several major highways. He says even though the storm will taper off after midnight, the danger will linger.

cut 4  (08) “next week”

McAllister says temperatures will likely not get above freezing. He says the lows are down in the teens and low 20s. He says the wind chill will be even lower.

Cut 5  (07)  “lower teens”

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South Louisiana won’t be spared from the winter weather. Christopher Bannan with the National Weather Service in Slidell says there’s some concern that the cold air is moving in faster than expected. He says winter weather advisories are in effect for the Baton Rouge area and parishes along the Northshore.

Cut 6 (09) “surge in”

Bannan says southern parishes should see temperatures well below freezing before dark. He says even after the precipitation moves out, residents should still take caution when driving.

CUT 7 (11)  “elevated roadways” 

Bannan says south Louisiana could see the coldest temperatures we’ve seen since 2015. He says wind chill advisories have already been posted.

Cut 8 (10) “Baton Rouge area”

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Two Washington Parish parents have been arrested on charges of cruelty to a juvenile. Chief Deputy Mike Haley with the sheriff’s office says they received reports from a concerned citizen that two children were being mistreated. He says when deputies looked into the complaint, they were shocked by what they discovered.

Cut 9 (12)  “very, very spoiled”

Haley says 28-year-old Jessie Hoyt and 26-year-old Kayla Hoyt lived in the home with their two children. He says during the inspection of the home, deputies also determined the children were not being properly cared for.

Cut 10 (11) “during the day”

Haley says deputies called the Department of Children and Family Services to the home, and the children were taken into state custody. He says they are relieved the children have been removed from this terrible situation.

cut 11 (10) “totally neglected”

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State officials are advising Louisiana residents to stay safe as winter weather moves through the state. State Trooper Scott Moreau says as freezing rain and sleet falls in many north and central Louisiana parishes, roadways are becoming more dangerous. He advises people not to drive if at all possible.

cut 12 (08) “at all” 

Moreau says the Department of Transportation is doing what they can to keep roadways open, but it’s just a matter of time before more roads and bridges close around the state. He says if you do have to drive, it’s important to take extra precautions.

Cut 13 (08) “your seatbelt”

With so many people staying indoors because of the weather, state Fire Marshal Butch Browning warns residents to be careful when heating their homes. He says people should never use their stove or oven to heat their home, and always monitor space heaters.

cut 14 (10) “on fire”

Browning also urges people to make sure their smoke detectors are working properly.

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LSU All-American Safety Jamal Adams announces he’s skipping his senior season and entering the NFL draft. Adams held a press conference this morning to thank all of those who helped him become a likely first-round draft choice. Adams was emotional when talking about his parents…

Cut 15 (15) “thank em enough”

Before Adams left to go train for the NFL draft, he thanked the LSU fans for pushing him….

Cut 16  (12)  “geaux tigers”

Today the Restore Louisiana Task Force will meet to discuss how the state plans to spend $1.2 billion dollars federal flood relief. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Nutritionists urge people setting New Year’s health resolutions not to fall for fad diets. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Trump’s transition team is drumming up support for the President-elect’s agenda for his first 100 days in office. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

The Restore Louisiana Task Force meets today to discuss plans to spend federal flood relief dollars. In the weeks after the August flood, the state secured 438-million and then another 1.2 billion was appropriated in December. Pat Forbes, executive director of the State Office of Community Development, says today they’ll hear the final changes to the plan for the $438 million and it will go to the state’s most vulnerable population…:

cut 4  (11) “for everybody”

Forbes says, unfortunately, when you’re dealing with federal money – the process of how to secure it takes longer than anyone wants. He says it’s been 147 days since the flooding began in south Louisiana, and the state has had just 20 of those days to discuss funding plans…:

Cut 5  (09)  “are done”

Forbes says once HUD approves the final plan for the first installment, the agency will make the money available to the state; maybe by March. He says, moving forward, the total $1.6 billion pledged by Congress is greatly appreciated…:

Cut 6 (08) “full recovery”

______________________________________

There’s a chance some parts of Louisiana will see winter precipitation today. State climatologist Barry Keim says the region north of the I-10 corridor will likely see a wintry mix.

CUT 7 (12)  “snow event”‘

A winter weather advisory has been issued for Catahoula and Concordia parishes, along with Catahoula, Concordia, East Feliciana, northern Tangipahoa, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, Washington and West Feliciana.  But Keim says not all parts of the state will see snow, as south Louisiana is in for more wet weather.

Cut 8 (08) “into tonight”

And Keim reminds everyone to take care of their pets, pipes, and plants as some areas of the state will see temperatures well below freezing this weekend.

Cut 9 (10)  “northern parishes”

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Many people set New Year’s resolutions to become healthier for 2017 but nutritionists are cautioning people about the dangers of fad diets. Registered Dietitian with the LSU AgCenter Sandra May says she sees the popularity of these name brand diets ramp up at the beginning of each year. She urges consumers to eat a balanced diet.

Cut 10 (11) “food groups”

May advises people to make half of their plate fruits and vegetables, based on the USDA’s My Plate, along with…

cut 11 (09) “protein source”

May says the most popular fad diets currently are the Adkins, Zone and Paleo diets. She says juicing or detoxing can be very dangerous, especially if you have a medical condition like diabetes.

cut 12 (10) “an option”

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Trump supporters in Louisiana are helping to drum up support for President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda for his first 100 days in office. Co-chair of the Donald Trump for Louisiana campaign Brian Trascher says they’re organizing post-election activities. He says one of the first orders of business is to make sure Louisiana’s U.S. Senators, Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy, support Mr. Trump’s cabinet picks.

Cut 13 (08) “these nominees”

Trascher says the team plans to create a special fund that will be used to run ads so that people can get the full story on what the president-elect hopes to do. He says Mr. Trump was able to get elected, because of well-attended rallies and addressing Americans through his twitter account.

cut 14 (09) “he intends to do”

Trump won 58-percent of the vote in Louisiana and received more votes than any candidate in state history. Trascher says Mr. Trump’s priorities in his first hundred days will be the same issues he raised on the campaign trail.

Cut 15 (10) “replace Obamacare”

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The Saints have made major changes with their coaching staff. Five assistant coaches were let go including long-time assistant head coach Joe Vitt. Sideline reporter on the Saints Radio Network, Kristian Garic, says Vitt has been with Payton in New Orleans since 2006…

Cut 16 (11) “says a lot”

The Saints are coming off their third consecutive seven and nine season. Vitt and James Willis both coached the linebackers and they were let go. Garic says it’s not hard to see why…

Cut 17 (08)    “linebackers coach”

Defensive line coach Bill Johnson will also not be back and special teams assistant Stan Kwan and special teams coordinator Greg McMahon were also let go. Garic says you saw the hand writing on the wall with McMahon…

Cut 18 (11) “long term”

Quite a few stores in the Bayou State are closing their doors for good this year. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Rain is moving into the state bringing in the chance for light snow north of I-20. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Several stores are closing their doors for good in the coming months. Sears Holdings announces Kmart locations in Gonzales and Jefferson Parish, as well as Sears in Gretna and Cortana Mall in Baton Rouge will close by this April. LSU marketing professor Dan Rice says in Sears’ case, the company looked at places where there’s overlap.

Cut 3 (12) “those consumers”

The Limited is shutting down nationwide, meaning all 5 stores in Louisiana will lock their doors permanently this Saturday, and the Macys in Kenner is closing in the spring.Rice says online retailers could be impacting demand at these stores, since more and more people are shopping online.

cut 4  (09) “used to be”

Rice says there are a lot of implications with stores closing, including employees having to find new jobs. He adds that big names retailers leaving could pose a problem for malls looking to fill that vacant space because stores like Sears are often known as anchor stores.

Cut 5  (12)  “jump in there”

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Precipitation is moving into Louisiana over the next 24 hours bringing in the possibility of light snow. That’s according to Patrick Omundson with the National Weather Service in Shreveport who says Louisiana likely won’t see any snow accumulation and the majority will fall along the Arkansas state line. He says the snow will start mid-day tomorrow.

Cut 6 (09) “mid-evening”

Omundson says south of I-20 can expect a sleet mix, but no freezing rain. He doesn’t expect travel issues but…

CUT 7 (10)  “Saturday morning” 

Omundson says the forecast shows south Louisiana will only experience a cold rain tomorrow. He says it will be a chilly weekend overall with temperatures in the northern part of the state reaching the mid-30s and in the 40s for the south with a wind chill.

Cut 8 (06) “chill too”

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Early this morning, a fire broke out on an oil production platform in the Gulf of Mexico, sending four workers into the water. U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Third Class Travis Magee says around 2:30 am they received reports of a fire on a Renaissance Offshore platform about 80 miles off the coast of Grand Isle.

Cut 9 (11)  “the situation”

Magee says there were people working on the platform when the fire started.

Cut 10 (10) “reported injuries”

Magee says the crew of the Mary Wyatt Milano and three other offshore supply vessels worked together to put out the fire. He says the cause of the fire it not yet known, and the investigation is ongoing.

cut 11 (11) “the situation”

The four workers were reportedly taken to Terrebonne General Hospital for observation.

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A community forum is scheduled for tonight where Louisiana residents will have a chance to voice their concerns about repealing the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. Jeanie Donovan from Loyola’s Jesuit Social Research Institute will MC the event at 6 p.m…..

cut 12 (10) “the state” 

Donovan says forum is also a call to action to get people in touch with their elected officials so they can voice how a repeal would impact Louisianans.

Cut 13 (09) “coverage”

Newly elected US Senator John Kennedy has said, at least on the Senate side, he doesn’t believe that Congress will want to repeal Obamacare without having something else in place. Donovan says she’s also concerned about how the state’s budget would be impacted if thousands of Louisiana residents lost their health insurance…

cut 14 (08) “is repealed”

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The revised masterplan for coastal restoration and protection in Louisiana has been released. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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So what are the chances we could see snow tomorrow. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (26) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The state Department of Transportation launches a “Do Not Stop on the Tracks” safety campaign. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The state has released its revised coastal protection and restoration masterplan that’s designed to reduce hurricane storm surge and restore Louisiana’s vanishing coastline. Bren Haase with the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority says the plan proposes 120 projects.

cut 4  (10) “voluntary acquisitions”

Haase says public meetings are scheduled throughout the state to gather public input on the plan. The first meeting will be held on January 17^th in Lake Charles. He says the worst case scenario for the coast would be about 4-thousand square miles of land loss if they did nothing.

Cut 5  (08)  “have otherwise”

Haase says roughly $18 billion has been secured to implement the 50-year plan, which would take $50 billion to fully fund it. He says another important part of the plan is reducing storm surge damage along the coast.

Cut 6 (11) “year 50”

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Precipitation moves into Louisiana tonight, and it could change to snow north of I-20. But State climatologist Barry Keim says the chance for wintery precipitation is not very high.

CUT 7 (12)  “central Louisiana”‘

Keim says the chance for snow in north Louisiana is about 20 to 30-percent. He says while they don’t want to get people’s hopes up about the possibility of a snow event, they do want people to be prepared.

Cut 8 (09) “this particular point”

Keim says this weather system is expected to move through the state quickly. But he says once it passes over, arctic air pushes in.

Cut 9 (10)  “all season”

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Attorney General Jeff Landry is looking for a way to reduce crime in New Orleans. He says it will take a multidimensional approach, which is why his office has started a hashtag campaign “Make New Orleans Safe Again.” Landry says there’s something missing from the fight against crime in the Big Easy because New Orleans is twice as dangerous as Chicago.

Cut 10 (09) “hundred thousand people” 2x

Landry says they have a Violent Crimes Taskforce to assist patrol officers in the French Quarter during special events like football games and concerts. But he says they don’t have the necessary resources to give police extra assistance year-round, and there is crime throughout the Crescent City, not just the Quarter.

cut 11 (11) “residents safe”

In 2016, shootings in New Orleans increased by almost 25-percent, and homicides rose by 7-percent. Landry blames Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s poor leadership for the uptick in crime. He says Landrieu hasn’t been a part of the discussions about ways to reduce crime in New Orleans. He adds that NOPD is under a federal consent decree that Landrieu agreed to.

cut 12 (11) “crime fighting policy”

The mayor’s office did not respond to a request for a statement on this matter.

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The Louisiana Department of Transportation launches a railroad safety campaign.  Based on the latest numbers from the Federal Railroad Administration, Louisiana was fourth in the nation for the number of highway-rail grade crossing fatalities in 2015, with 13 deaths. DOTD Spokesperson Rodney Mallett says the message of their campaign is do not stop on the tracks.

Cut 13 (08) “the crossing”

Mallett says it’s the law to always stop behind the solid white line or at least 15 feet back from the tracks because a train is more than three feet wider than the tracks on both sides. He says as part of this safety campaign, law enforcement officers are monitoring numerous railroad intersections

cut 14 (08) “write tickets”

Mallett says it can take a train more than a mile to stop, so it’s never a good idea to try to beat the train over the tracks. He says the state is also doing its part as DOTD has spent nearly 6 million dollars on 30 railroad safety projects last year.

Cut 15 (10) “do that”