The National Federation for Independent Business says small business optimism is through the roof since last month’s election. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Even during this time of year, the Zika virus is still a threat. Don Molino has more…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Don Molino”

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Former-Texas Governor Rick Perry is President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Entergy Secretary. Halen Doughty has more on what that means for Louisiana’s oil and gas industry…

Cut 3 (26) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Small business optimism has skyrocketed since the election of Donald Trump, according the National Federation of Independent Business’ monthly Index of Small Business Optimism. NFIB state director Dawn Starns says business owners said they are now excited about the future.

cut 4  (10) “branches”

The survey finds small businesses job creation plans have increased from 9-percent to 23-percent since October. Starns says business owners felt bogged down recently by government regulations.

Cut 5  (07)  “businesses growing”

Starns says many business owners now have a renewed since of hope that they can grow their companies. She says optimism is soaring in many categories.

Cut 6 (08) “the economy”

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Louisiana is home to three of the most sinful cities in the country, according to WalletHub. Baton Rouge came in at number 8 on the list, New Orleans is number 10, and Shreveport cracked the top 20. Jill Gonzales with WalletHub says they looked at a variety of metrics to determine which cities were the most sinful.

CUT 7 (10)  “per capita”

The report found that New Orleans came in second for excessive drinking, while Baton Rouge came in 12. Shreveport ranked 12^th for violent crimes per capita, and Baton Rouge landed at number 14 on the list. Gonzales says these Louisiana cities didn’t fare well in many categories.

Cut 8 (10) “lust ranking”

According to the report, Baton Rouge is the laziest city in the US, Shreveport came in third, and New Orleans was number 7. Gonzales says several factors went in to determining which cities are the laziest.

Cut 9 (12)  “dropouts”

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The Zika virus is still a threat even this time of year. LSU Health New Orleans Professor and Program Director of Environmental/Occupational Health Sciences Dr. James Diaz says in Louisiana the temperatures fluctuate during the winter and the eggs of the mosquitoes carrying Zika can survive even when it’s cold outside.

Cut 10 (08) “blood meal”

Diaz says the best way to prevent getting bitten is to wear proper clothing like long sleeves and pants. He says using mosquito repellent with DEET is always a good idea when spending time outside.

cut 11 (08) “very effective”

Diaz says it’s important to stay vigilant about Zika because there have been cases of local transmission in the surrounding states. He says while most cases are travel related, local transmission is the biggest scare.

cut 12 (11) “not infected”

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President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former-Texas Governor Rick Perry as the Secretary for the Department of Energy. So what does that mean for Louisiana’s oil and gas industry? Acting president of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, Gifford Briggs, says this nomination adds to the narrative of hope.

Cut 13 (13) “those barriers”

Briggs says Trump’s other cabinet selections, including Scott Pruitt to run the EPA and Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as future Secretary of State, give them hope for what the industry could be. He says at this point they are cautiously optimistic.

cut 14 (12) “unpredictable”

Briggs says what they would like to see is a reduction in the number of regulations on the industry. He says every regulation comes a cost, which makes it harder for oil and gas companies to do business.

Cut 15 (11) “break even point”

The Office of Community Development is hosting public meetings in flood impacted areas of the state to update flood victims on the recovery process. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Former Governor Edwin Edwards is in the hospital with another bout of pneumonia. Michelle Southern speaks with his wife Trina…:

Cut 2 (24) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Public meetings are being held in flood impacted areas of the state to update flood victims on the ongoing recovery efforts. Executive Director for the Office of Community Development, Pat Forbes says the task force wanted to make sure that everybody had a chance to weigh on how dollars will be distributed…:

Cut 3 (10) “those meetings”

The first round of money will go to elderly and disabled low income families who are not in a flood plain and don’t have flood insurance first. Forbes says they are working as quickly as possible, but the action plan still has to go through the bureaucratic process.

cut 4  (11) “or reply”

Former-Denham Springs mayor Jimmy Durbin sits on the Restore Louisiana Task Force. He says once approved, they’ll get to work on a plan to spend the $1.2 billion in federal aid. He says they’re moving about 60 days ahead of the normal timeline, and they hope to have the money in the hands of those who need it most soon.

Cut 5  (09)  “housing rehab”

A meeting will be held tonight in Lafayette, and more are scheduled in Rapides, Caddo, Ouachita, East Baton Rouge, and Ascension parishes.

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Governor John Bel Edwards has sent a letter to Senator-elect John Kennedy to bring him up to speed on the efforts to get more federal aid for flood recovery. The letter comes after Kennedy told USA today that the governor hasn’t done enough to secure federal funding. Edwards’ Communications Director, Richard Carbo, says Kennedy’s statements just weren’t based in reality.

Cut 6 (11) “his remarks”

Carbo says the governor has worked closely with the state’s congressional delegation to secure as much funding as they can as quickly as possible. He adds that the first round of aid was approved with unprecedented speed. But he says they understand Kennedy is new to this.

CUT 7 (10)  “flood recovery”

Carbo says the letter outlined the efforts made by the administration, as well as the process by which federal funds are approved. He says they will be working closely with Kennedy on flood recovery and a number of other issues when the now-State Treasurer takes his new office next year.

Cut 8 (10) “with him”

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A Baton Rouge father has been arrested after allegedly killing his 4-year-old while play fighting. Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Don Coppola says on November 30^th, Kristopher Carter brought his unconscious son, Marcel, to the hospital. He says Carter transported the child to the hospital himself, hours after the incident because his son did not want to go.

Cut 9 (10)  “abdomen area”

Coppola says Carter has been charged with negligent homicide. He says detectives spoke with a witness inside the home who said Carter hitting his son with a closed fist and told him to fight back.

Cut 10 (10) “too hard”

The autopsy revealed Marcel died from a laceration on his small bowel. He says the child’s mother and school officials told detectives Marcel had no signs of any illness before being with Carter.

cut 11 (08) “sad story”

Carter was bonded out of jail this morning.

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Former Governor Edwin Edwards is in the hospital with another bout of pneumonia. His wife Trina says that the 89-year-old has been having trouble with this infection for a while. She says it seems every winter about this time Edwards comes down with it:

cut 12 (07) “what it was”

Mrs. Edwards says its been an eventful couple of days as she deals with the couple’s three year old son Eli in a hospital room with a sick husband. She says hopefully Edwards will be discharged soon…:

Cut 13 (07) “this weekend”

Mrs. Edwards says her husband has a spot in one of his lungs that he keeps getting pneumonia in every year and doctors are working on a way to treat that so it doesn’t continue to recur. She says of course the state’s only four term governor is still in good spirits…:

cut 14 (05) “starts doing that”

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The state’s income forecasting panel has decided to delay the state’s reduced budget outlook for the financial year that ends June 30th; saying the picture of where Louisiana stands should be more clear in a month. The income projections were expected to be dismal; and Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says the delay is irresponsible…:

Cut 15 (11) “where we have to cut”

Higher than estimated revenue would mean a large portion of the budget could get funding the state can’t afford, leaving higher ed and health care to face more mid-year cuts. A new reduction would come on top of a $313 million dollar shortfall from last year yet to be closed. Dardenne says the wait gives agencies less time to deal with inevitable cuts…:

Cut 16  (11)  “blind eye to reality”

The Transportation Task Force will vote on recommendations today that they plan to present to the governor;, including a $700 million dollar a year budget increase for roads and bridges. Halen Doughty reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Congressman Garret Graves spoke before the Baton Rouge Press Club to discuss his feelings about flood relief in the state. Don Molino has more….

Cut 2 (24) “I’m Don Molino”

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The Louisiana Department of Health has seen an uptick in mumps cases around the country and is concerned the disease could find its way here. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The Transportation Task Force will vote today on a recommendation that the budget for roads and bridges be increased by $700 million a year. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the need in Louisiana is great, and in order to address that need, they need an annual infusion of dollars that’s indexed for the Transportation Trust Fund.

cut 4  (07) “million dollars”

Wilson says that money could come from toll roads, public-private partnerships, or an increase in the gas tax. He says the state’s 20-cent gas tax that was imposed 30 years ago is only worth half hat today. He says the state has $16 million in projects needed, including a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge, and those projects require funding.

Cut 5  (10)  “state system”

Wilson says addressing all of the state’s needs at once would be impossible, as the state still has a $13 billion backlog of road and bridge needs. But he says that with a good annual investment, Louisiana can have an infrastructure system that we can be proud of.

Cut 6 (07) “onetime solution”

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Congressman Garret Graves spoke before the Baton Rouge Press Club to express his frustration with the flood recovery and what he hopes to accomplish with President- elect Trump. Graves says the fact that some families will not be placed in a FEMA trailer until after Christmas is ridiculous.

CUT 7 (10)  “status quo”

Graves says he’s been able to talk with President-elect Donald Trump along with vice president-elect Mike Pence about the timeline of FEMA assistance. He says both agreed that the efficiency of getting flood relief dollars to victims was absurd…

Cut 8 (10) “for itself”

Graves addressed the Restore Louisiana Taskforce and how relief dollars are being appropriated. He says the flood didn’t discriminate based on income level and neither should the disaster aid.

Cut 9 (12)  “per household”

________________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Health says they’ve been seeing an uptick in mumps cases around college campuses nationwide but more recently a large concentration in Arkansas. Dr. Frank Welch with LDH says Mississippi and Alabama have seen outbreaks, as well as, a fairly large one in Texas so it’s very concerning…

Cut 10 (07) “this outbreak””

Welch says the mumps is easily spread as it’s airborne and can be passed along by saliva and mucus. He says Louisiana has a very good vaccination rate in children, which is in the mid-90s, and shelters us from this disease somewhat but the public can still take steps to prevent catching the mumps.

cut 11 (10) “your doctor”

But Welch says everyone should be vaccinated for mumps. He says most kids in our state have had two doses of the MMR vaccine but adults can receive it as well.

cut 12 (10) “against this”

________________________________________

New Orleans Representative Helena Moreno has launched a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for women’s issues in Louisiana. Moreno says the Ignite Advocacy Network seeks to bring women together to raise awareness, advocate for positive policies, and ignite the network into action.

Cut 13 (12) “a change”

Moreno says Louisiana ranks 49^th for wage equality and 49^th for women’s overall health, with more women dying of breast and cervical cancer in Louisiana than in many other states. She says she wants to address those issues, as well as educational opportunities and domestic violence prevention.

cut 14 (09) “deserve it”

Moreno says Ignite is the next phase of the #ItsNoJoke campaign, which she started after a male lawmaker made degrading jokes about exotic dancers. She invites women around the state to join her effort by visiting IgniteForChange.org.

Cut 15 (11) “things done”

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The Saints haven’t been able to put it together for the last couple of games, but there are still three weeks left starting with the contest against the Cardinals on the road this Sunday. New Orleans offensive tackle Zach Strief says they can’t focus on the past, but instead on winning the remaining games of the season…:

Cut 16 (14) “nobody is quitting”

Several current Saints players commented Monday on their thoughts about the high profile Will Smith trial after discovering the killer, Cardell Hayes, was convicted of manslaughter. Strief said it’s a tragedy for Smith’s wife Raquell, the family/friends and everyone involved…:

Cut 17 (13)    “they realize that”

Hayes is slated to be sentenced on February 17th, and Orleans Parish DA Leon Cannizzaro says he will go for the maximum 60 years. Smith was a friend and former mentor of New Orleans defensive end Cam Jordan. In the locker room Monday, Jordan says the loss of Smith is a pain he can’t describe…:

Cut 18 (14) “you can’t make sense of”

The Transportation Task Force is recommending that lawmakers increase the budget for roads and bridges by $700 million a year. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

Congressman Garret Graves spoke before the Baton Rouge Press Club to discuss his feelings about flood relief in the state. Don Molino has more….

Cut 2 (24) “I’m Don Molino”

______________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Health has seen an uptick in mumps cases around the country and is concerned the disease could find its way here. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

_____________________________________________

The Transportation Task Force will vote today on a recommendation that the budget for roads and bridges be increased by $700 million a year. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the need in Louisiana is great, and in order to address that need, they need an annual infusion of dollars that’s indexed for the Transportation Trust Fund.

cut 4  (07) “million dollars”

Wilson says that money could come from toll roads, public-private partnerships, or an increase in the gas tax. He says the state’s 20-cent gas tax that was imposed 30 years ago is only worth half hat today. He says the state has $16 million in projects needed, including a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge, and those projects require funding.

Cut 5  (10)  “state system”

Wilson says addressing all of the state’s needs at once would be impossible, as the state still has a $13 billion backlog of road and bridge needs. But he says that with a good annual investment, Louisiana can have an infrastructure system that we can be proud of.

Cut 6 (07) “onetime solution”

________________________________________

Congressman Garret Graves spoke before the Baton Rouge Press Club to express his frustration with the flood recovery and what he hopes to accomplish with President- elect Trump. Graves says the fact that some families will not be placed in a FEMA trailer until after Christmas is ridiculous.

CUT 7 (10)  “status quo”

Graves says he’s been able to talk with President-elect Donald Trump along with vice president-elect Mike Pence about the timeline of FEMA assistance. He says both agreed that the efficiency of getting flood relief dollars to victims was absurd…

Cut 8 (10) “for itself”

Graves addressed the Restore Louisiana Taskforce and how relief dollars are being appropriated. He says the flood didn’t discriminate based on income level and neither should the disaster aid.

Cut 9 (12)  “per household”

________________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Health says they’ve been seeing an uptick in mumps cases around college campuses nationwide but more recently a large concentration in Arkansas. Dr. Frank Welch with LDH says Mississippi and Alabama have seen outbreaks, as well as, a fairly large one in Texas so it’s very concerning…

Cut 10 (07) “this outbreak””

Welch says the mumps is easily spread as it’s airborne and can be passed along by saliva and mucus. He says Louisiana has a very good vaccination rate in children, which is in the mid-90s, and shelters us from this disease somewhat but the public can still take steps to prevent catching the mumps.

cut 11 (10) “your doctor”

But Welch says everyone should be vaccinated for mumps. He says most kids in our state have had two doses of the MMR vaccine but adults can receive it as well.

cut 12 (10) “against this”

________________________________________

New Orleans Representative Helena Moreno has launched a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for women’s issues in Louisiana. Moreno says the Ignite Advocacy Network seeks to bring women together to raise awareness, advocate for positive policies, and ignite the network into action.

Cut 13 (12) “a change”

Moreno says Louisiana ranks 49^th for wage equality and 49^th for women’s overall health, with more women dying of breast and cervical cancer in Louisiana than in many other states. She says she wants to address those issues, as well as educational opportunities and domestic violence prevention.

cut 14 (09) “deserve it”

Moreno says Ignite is the next phase of the #ItsNoJoke campaign, which she started after a male lawmaker made degrading jokes about exotic dancers. She invites women around the state to join her effort by visiting IgniteForChange.org.

Cut 15 (11) “things done”

Two new Republican leaders are heading to Washington after GOP victories in both the 3^rd and 4^th Congressional District races. Don Molino has more…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Don Molino”

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Cardell Hayes will likely serve at least 20 years in prison after being found guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of former-Saints player Will Smith. Michelle Southern gets an analysis on the verdict…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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As expected, Republican state lawmaker Mike Johnson is the runaway winner in the 4th Congressional District race. The staunch conservative who replaces US Representative John Fleming says he looks forward to being a part of the real reform the Trump Administration is going to lead…:

Cut 3 (10) “in the country”

Johnson says our economy has been in shambles and every bit of change Mr. Trump says he’s going to bring needs to happen. Johnson says he believes the Republican wave moving across the nation means that God has given the nation another chance…:

cut 4  (10) “in generations”

Johnson says government is too large, and it’s doing too many things wrong…:

Cut 5  (09)  “as the state”

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What does a dog do when it catches a car? Those are the words Capt. Clay Higgins used to open his acceptance speech after winning the 3^rd Congressional District race. The former deputy with the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s office beat Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle 56 to 44-percent in Saturday’s election.

Cut 6 (07) “overwhelmed”

Higgins perhaps rode a wave of Donald Trump enthusiasm, as the man who has never held an elected office is heading to Washington to represent more than 760-thousand Louisianans.

CUT 7 (08)  “my district”

Higgins says his victory is proof that voters are tired of millionaire career politicians. He says this is a new day for the country, when a working class man driven by the support of his neighbors can succeed against the odds.

Cut 8 (09) “our nation”

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Cardell Hayes has been found guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of former-Saints player Will Smith. Loyola law professor Dane Ciolino says it isn’t surprising the jury went for the manslaughter charge. He says the verdict is consistent with the evidence.

Cut 9 (11)  “the shooting”

Ciolino says while Hayes had to testify in his defense, it certainly didn’t help his case. He says much of what the defendant claimed was not supported by the evidence or witness testimony. He says Hayes’ testimony that was inconsistent with the facts made his self-defense claims less credible.

Cut 10 (11) “any weapons”

Ciolino says the defense spent a lot of time trying to point fingers at police for not handling the evidence properly and the prosecution for misconduct. But he says those attempts at distracting the jury clearly didn’t work.

cut 11 (07) “himself”

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Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro says he plans to seek the maximum 60-year sentence for Cardell Hayes following his manslaughter conviction in the death of Will Smith, and attempted manslaughter for injuring Smith’s wife. Cannizzaro says he understands why the jury downgraded the charge from second degree murder…:

cut 12 (12) “aggressive fashion”

Cannizzaro says this was the murder of a hero who was just trying to have fun in New Orleans…:

Cut 13 (10) “road rage incident”

Manslaughter carries a sentence of 20-40 years, and attempted manslaughter a maximum of 20 years. Cannizzaro says when Hayes is sentenced on February 17th, the judge will have the discretion to impose a sentence of up to 60 years. He says that day they will present victim impact because they believe Hayes should get the maximum…:

cut 14 (12) “come out”

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Following the Republican sweep of federal runoff elections on Saturday, the GOP of Louisiana says this is proof that Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards’ election was a fluke. Executive Director of the Republican Party of Louisiana Jason Dore says Foster Campbell didn’t lose the US Senate race because he’s a Democrat, he lost because of ties to the governor.

Cut 15 (04) “he endorsed”

Dore says the governor loaned Campbell his entire campaign team for the failed effort. He adds that last year’s gubernatorial race had more to do with scandal than platforms.

Cut 16  (07)  “the race”

Dore says voters made it clear Saturday that they reject Democratic policies, as evidenced by Edwards going 0 for 4 on his endorsements in the runoffs. He says Edwards’ days in the Governor’s Mansion are numbered, and he fully expects the Governor to be voted out of office in the next race.

Cut 17 (08) “in 2019”

Louisiana Democrats did get a win in Baton Rouge with the election of Sharon Weston Broome as Mayor/President.

_________________________________________________________

Now that Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy a U.S. Senator, he says he’ll work to solve Louisiana’s problem. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (25) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Two polls find a majority of Louisianans believe President-elect Trump should repeal Obamacare and replace it with a new healthcare system. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Republicans have a stronger majority in the US Senate after Republican John Kennedy’s victory Saturday. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Cardell Hayes has been found guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of former Saints star Will Smith. Hayes was also found guilty of attempted manslaughter for shooting Smith’s wife during the April 9th road rage incident in New Orleans. Former Saints running back Deuce McAllister was there when the verdict was read and says this was not a win for anybody…

cut 4  (07) “really win”

Hayes could have been found guilty of second-degree murder for the road rage shooting. He faces up to 40 years in prison and sentencing is set for February 17th. It took 5.5 hours before the jury reached the verdict. McAllister says there is some relief that Hayes was found guilty of a crime, but it’s still not a win….

Cut 5  (10)  “for everybody”

District Attorney Leon Cannizaro says they are gratified for the verdict. Hayes’ lead attorney John Fuller says they respect the jury’s decision and they’ll regroup and see what the next approach is. McAllister spoke with Smith’s widow, Racquel, and says it’s very painful time for the family…

Cut 6 (12) “not there”

________________________________________

Two different polls show a majority of Louisiana residents agree with repealing the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. Pollster Ed Chervenak says in a telephone survey conducted by the University of New Orleans Survey Research Center, 66-percent of 776 people polled support the idea…

CUT 7 (08)  “right idea”

Chervenak says the poll also found men are more interested in the complete repeal of the Affordable Care Act than women.

Cut 8 (06) “our men”

A poll by Southern Media and Opinion Research found 56-percent of Louisianans surveyed believe President-elect Trump should repeal Obamacare and replace it with a new healthcare plan. But Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says 34-percent oppose the replacement…

Cut 9 (07)  “Democrats”

________________________________________

Now that Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy has been elected as U.S. Senator, he plans to tackle some of Louisiana’s problems in Washington D.C. Kennedy says it’s time for a change and the first thing he will fight for is additional relief for our flood victims.

Cut 10 (06)  “afford it”

Kennedy says he will fight to bring more jobs to Louisiana. He says we have the third highest unemployment rate in the country.

cut 11 (08) “those jobs”

The future U.S. Senator says our economy is in trouble and he’ll work to fix that.

cut 12 (08) “of 08”

________________________________________

John Kennedy’s victory in the US Senate race gives the GOP a larger majority, 52 republicans to 48 democrats in the upper chamber. ULM political science professor Dr. Joshua Stockley says this is an important win for Republicans, because it gives them a larger cushion to deal with issues as they arise in the Senate.

Cut 13 (06) “tie breaker”

Stockley expects efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and passing immigration reform will be close votes because these issues divide both parties. He says Obamacare is the chief accomplishment of the Obama Administration, and Democrats won’t want to give it up. He says 52 votes won’t be enough to pass more contentious bills.

cut 14 (09) “is 60”

Stockley doesn’t expect every vote to be an uphill battle. He says both parties can agree on things like infrastructure and reducing the national deficit. But he says we’ve seen a growing divide between the parties over the past few years.

Cut 15 (09) “reversing itself”

_________________________________________________

Who Dat fans are not happy once again as the Saints lose in an ugly fashion. New Orleans didn’t score a touchdown for the second week in a row in the 16-11 loss to Tampa Bay. Coach Sean Payton says the early penalties set the tone for this game…:

Cut 16 (15) “we’ve gotta be better”

At this point the Saints chances at making it into the post season are slim to none. Payton says this is a disappointing loss…:

Cut 17 (12)    “time and time again”

Tampa Bay picked off quarterback Drew Brees three times and New Orleans was only able to pick up 294 yards — the third lowest of the season. Brees says the overall production the team is capable of is just not there…:

Cut 18 (12) “that’s gonna be positive”

Now that Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy a U.S. Senator, he says he’ll work to solve Louisiana’s problem. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (25) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Two polls find a majority of Louisianans believe President-elect Trump should repeal Obamacare and replace it with a new healthcare system. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Republicans have a stronger majority in the US Senate after Republican John Kennedy’s victory Saturday. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

_____________________________________________

Cardell Hayes has been found guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of former Saints star Will Smith. Hayes was also found guilty of attempted manslaughter for shooting Smith’s wife during the April 9th road rage incident in New Orleans. Former Saints running back Deuce McAllister was there when the verdict was read and says this was not a win for anybody…

cut 4  (07) “really win”

Hayes could have been found guilty of second-degree murder for the road rage shooting. He faces up to 40 years in prison and sentencing is set for February 17th. It took 5.5 hours before the jury reached the verdict. McAllister says there is some relief that Hayes was found guilty of a crime, but it’s still not a win….

Cut 5  (10)  “for everybody”

District Attorney Leon Cannizaro says they are gratified for the verdict. Hayes’ lead attorney John Fuller says they respect the jury’s decision and they’ll regroup and see what the next approach is. McAllister spoke with Smith’s widow, Racquel, and says it’s very painful time for the family…

Cut 6 (12) “not there”

________________________________________

Two different polls show a majority of Louisiana residents agree with repealing the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. Pollster Ed Chervenak says in a telephone survey conducted by the University of New Orleans Survey Research Center, 66-percent of 776 people polled support the idea…

CUT 7 (08)  “right idea”

Chervenak says the poll also found men are more interested in the complete repeal of the Affordable Care Act than women.

Cut 8 (06) “our men”

A poll by Southern Media and Opinion Research found 56-percent of Louisianans surveyed believe President-elect Trump should repeal Obamacare and replace it with a new healthcare plan. But Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says 34-percent oppose the replacement…

Cut 9 (07)  “Democrats”

________________________________________

Now that Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy has been elected as U.S. Senator, he plans to tackle some of Louisiana’s problems in Washington D.C. Kennedy says it’s time for a change and the first thing he will fight for is additional relief for our flood victims.

Cut 10 (06)  “afford it”

Kennedy says he will fight to bring more jobs to Louisiana. He says we have the third highest unemployment rate in the country.

cut 11 (08) “those jobs”

The future U.S. Senator says our economy is in trouble and he’ll work to fix that.

cut 12 (08) “of 08”

________________________________________

John Kennedy’s victory in the US Senate race gives the GOP a larger majority, 52 republicans to 48 democrats in the upper chamber. ULM political science professor Dr. Joshua Stockley says this is an important win for Republicans, because it gives them a larger cushion to deal with issues as they arise in the Senate.

Cut 13 (06) “tie breaker”

Stockley expects efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and passing immigration reform will be close votes because these issues divide both parties. He says Obamacare is the chief accomplishment of the Obama Administration, and Democrats won’t want to give it up. He says 52 votes won’t be enough to pass more contentious bills.

cut 14 (09) “is 60”

Stockley doesn’t expect every vote to be an uphill battle. He says both parties can agree on things like infrastructure and reducing the national deficit. But he says we’ve seen a growing divide between the parties over the past few years.

Cut 15 (09) “reversing itself”

_________________________________________________

Secretary of State Tom Schedler expects voter turnout to be low for tomorrow’s election. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

______________________________________

President-elect Donald Trump laid out the agenda for his presidency during a speech in front of supporters in Baton Rouge. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The election cycle finally comes to an end tomorrow in Louisiana, and voter turnout is expected to be much lower than in November. Secretary of State Tom Schedler says early voter turnout was much lower for the runoff than it was in the general election.

Cut 3 (10) “in November”

Schedler expects an overall voter turnout around 30-percent for Saturday’s election. He says voter fatigue has hit, and now people are more worried about getting ready for the holidays.

cut 4  (09) “is elsewhere”

Schedler says there are 156 propositions across 44 parishes up for vote, and the US Senate race will be on the ballot statewide. He says while many parishes will only have one item on the ballot, some precincts still have heated races.

Cut 5  (09)  “local election”

Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 8 p.m.

______________________________________

The University of New Orleans Survey Research Center finds Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Kennedy continues to have a huge lead over Democrat Foster Campbell in Saturday’s election. UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak says 62-percent of the 776 respondents favored Kennedy while 33-percent supported Campbell.

Cut 6 (09) “Republican’s favor”

Since the November election, Campbell has trailed Kennedy by double digits in all the polls that have been published. Chervenak says Campbell has been hurt by the lack of strong support within the Democratic Party.

CUT 7 (09)  “as Republicans”

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New audio has been released of a conversation between Capt. Clay Higgins and his ex-wife in which the 3^rd Congressional District candidate suggested winning the election would help him pay child support. UL-Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross says it’s clear Higgins didn’t know the phone conversation was recorded, so hard to say how this impacts the election.

Cut 8 (09) “advantage of”

Higgins reportedly owes more than $100-thousand in child support to ex-wife Rosemary Rothkamm-Hambrice. Cross says Higgins’ personal issues that have been arising throughout the campaign are problems that the public can relate to.

Cut 9 (08)  “doing that”

In the latest poll from the Trafalgar Group, Higgins leads Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle 49-46 percent. Cross says one thing that may give Angelle some hope is that the voters who turn out for this runoff are different than those who voted in the Presidential election

Cut 10 (09) “enthusiasm”

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With the state facing another year of budget problems, Governor John Bel Edwards says it’s time to create a tax structure that’s fair and predictable and able to pay for state services. Lawmakers learned earlier this week that the state has a budget deficit that’s grown to 600-million dollars and Edwards says there’s one area of the tax code he would like to fix…

cut 11 (07) “better”

Earlier this year the legislature approved 1.5 billion dollars in tax increases to help fill a huge budget gap when Edwards walked into office. But Edwards says that wasn’t enough to prevent cuts to government services and Louisiana residents deserve more…

cut 12 (08) “that problem”

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President-elect Donald Trump was in Baton Rouge Friday afternoon to support Republican John Kennedy in the US Senate race. Mr. Trump says Kennedy has worked hard for Louisianans over the years.

Cut 13 (12) “for Louisiana”

Mr. Trump encouraged everyone to hit the polls on Election Day. He told supporters at the rally, if they go vote, Kennedy will win, but if they don’t, he will not. Mr. Trump says he needs Kennedy in Washington to help accomplish their agenda, including protecting the southern border.

cut 14 (10) “come out”

Democrat Foster Campbell spent Friday meeting with reporters in Baton Rouge and then had campaign stops in Alexandria and Lake Charles.  He says his record speaks for itself.

Cut 15 (11) “service commission”

Campbell says Kennedy has been back and forth on both sides of the issues for his whole career. He adds that he’s been consistent.

Cut 16  (08)  “head up”

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Life expectancy in the US has decreased by one month over the past year, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Governor John Bel Edwards discussed his priorities for 2017 during a speech at the Council for a Better Louisiana annual conference. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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President-elect Donald Trump will speak in Baton Rouge today to support Republican John Kennedy in the US Senate race. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (27) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Life expectancy has decreased in the US for the first time in more than 20 years, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The report found that overall life expectancy dropped by one month from 2014 to 2015. Doctor Ben Springgate with LSU Health New Orleans Internal Medicine and Public Health says this may be due to an increase in heart disease.

cut 4  (10) “to this”

The report found that the death rate from heart disease rose by nearly 1-percent last year. Springgate says life expectancy has increased in years past, because of medical advances. But he says health outcomes are declining because of people’s lifestyles.

Cut 5  (11)  “our diet”

Springgate says obesity leads to things like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. According to the report, male life expectancy decreased from 76.5 over the last year, while it fell from 81.3 to 81.2 for females. He says there are steps we can take to boost life expectancy.

Cut 6 (10) “the trend”

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It’s a chilly day across the Bayou State. Tim Humphrey with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles says Louisianans will want to bundle up when they head out the door this morning.

CUT 7 (10)  “below freezing”

Humphrey says this is the first real cold snap we’ve seen all season, as much of the state has been unusually warm so far. He says it won’t get much warmer as the day goes on.

Cut 8 (07) “40s”

Humphrey says although Friday morning will be the coldest day of the weekend, we’re also in store for more chilly temperatures tomorrow.

Cut 9 (11)  “low 30s”

Humphrey says things will start to warm up again early next week, getting into the 50s and 60s around the state.

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Governor John Bel Edwards talked about some of his priorities for 2017 during a speech at the Council for a Better Louisiana annual conference. Edwards says his big goal is to ensure the state uses money from the Transportation Trust Fund in the right places, like improving the daily congestion in Baton Rouge near the I-10 Mississippi River Bridge…  

Cut 10 (10)  “street exit”

Edwards also says the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge will be widened, along with other sections of I-10 in Baton Rouge. The governor’s task force on transportation will likely support a higher gasoline tax in order to improve our highways. Edwards says our interstate system needs to be upgraded, as we saw portions of our major highways closed because of flooding this year.

cut 11 (10) “happen again”

The governor says he’s proud some of the successes the state has had this year, like Medicaid expansion. Edwards added he’s looking forward to working with President-elect Trump to help address Louisiana’s needs. He says next year we’ll have the chance to enact criminal justice reform.

cut 12 (10) “have done”

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President-elect Donald Trump will be in Baton Rouge today to support Republican John Kennedy in the US Senate race. The visit comes after Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence endorsed the State Treasurer. Kennedy says he’s humbled by Mr. Trump’s visit.

Cut 13 (07) “obviously”

Kennedy has been leading in the polls since the primary, but he says he’s not taking anything for granted. He hopes the visit from the President-elect will encourage voters to get out to the polls on Saturday.

cut 14 (10) “for me”

Trump will speak in the Dow Chemical Hangar at the Baton Rouge Airport this afternoon. Democrat Foster Campbell isn’t worried Trump’s visit will give his opponent an edge on Election Day.

Cut 15 (07) “to death”

Campbell says anytime a president comes to a state it’s good for the state, so he doesn’t mind Trump visiting the Capital City. The Public Service Commissioner says he agrees with plenty of things Trump will push for after taking office.

Cut 16 (08) “that too”

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The non-select state football championships begin today in the Mercedes Benz Superdome. One of the more anticipated match-ups is tomorrow afternoon’s Class Four-A championship as Karr takes on Neville in a rematch of last year’s title game won by Neville. Karr Head Coach Brice Brown says they need a good game from running back Santee Marshall

Cut 17 (18)    “off balance”

In the Class 3-A state championship game, Lutcher is seeking to go back-to-back for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs will face Amite and Lutcher Head Coach Dwain Jenkins says they haven’t played their best football in the postseason…

Cut 18 (15) “week out”

The Allstate Sugar Bowl Prep Classic concludes Saturday night with the Class 5A championship game as Landry-Walker faces West Monroe. Landry-Walker Head Coach Emmanuel Powell expects an intense game…

Cut 19 (18)   “dangerous situations”

West Monroe Head Coach Jerry Arledge says they need to win the time of possession…

cut 20 (14)   “this year”

There are two U.S. House seats remaining on the ballot for this Saturday’s election. Jeff Palermo has more on the competitive races…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Secretary of State Tom Schedler would like to end December elections in Louisiana because they usually have a low turnout. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The two remaining U.S. House races in Louisiana are heating up as the election is only two days away. In the 3^rd Congressional District, two Republicans are facing off for the open seat. ULM Political Science Professor John Sutherlin says Clay Higgins has taken to social media portraying himself as the Cajun Donald Trump and that’s brought in supporters.

Cut 3 (10) “Angelle”

Sutherlin says Higgin’s opponent, Scott Angelle, is far more moderate and he expects African Americans will be drawn to him. He says Higgins has been so successful because he’s riding a wave of anti-establishment politicians.

cut 4  (08) “career politician”

There seems to be less excitement in the northwestern part of the state in the 4^th Congressional District race with Republican Mike Johnson and Democrat Marshall Jones. Sutherlin says Johnson is projected to win this seat.

Cut 5  (10)  “white democrats”

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Secretary of State Tom Schedler says based on the likelihood of low turnout on Saturday’s elections, he would like to have a conversations with the legislature about ending December elections. He says it might make more sense to have the primary for federal elections in early October and the runoff in November.

Cut 6 (11) “and seniority”

Schedler says Louisiana is the only state that still has elections looming in December. He says it’s difficult to get voting machines delivered during the holiday season because so many trucks are being used to deliver Christmas cards and presents from online orders. He says they also have a hard time finding commissioners to work December elections.

CUT 7 (07)  “can’t attend”

Schedler says having the runoff in December leads to lower voter turnout because people are so fed up with elections by this time. He says he’ll talk to legislators more about this next year in the hopes of moving up the federal elections in 2018.

Cut 8 (10) “this year”

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An Affordable Housing Expo will be held in Baton Rouge this weekend for flood victims. Mike Steele with GOHSEP says there are people at different stages of recovery, so there will be a variety of housing options on display. He says people can come see manufactured and modular homes, park trailers and pre-fab housing.

Cut 9 (09)  “their recovery”

Another housing option featured at the expo will be the newly popular tiny houses, which are less 500 or less square feet and they contain a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Steele says while a lot of people use these as permanent homes, they will also work as temporary housing options while people rebuild.

Cut 10 (10) “they’re made”

The free expo will be held at Celtic Studios, where the disaster recovery center is set up. Steele says they’ll have a kids area with activities to keep children entertained while parents tour the homes. He says other services will also be available at the expo.

cut 11 (09) “on hand”

The expo will be open from noon until 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. until 3 pm Saturday.

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Louisiana is seeing the coldest temperatures of the season so far and many folks are finding themselves becoming more in the holiday spirit as a result. That’s according to Dr. Michelle Moore, clinical psychologist with LSU Health Sciences Center. She says you could even argue the cold weather Christmas Spirit is good for the economy…:

cut 12 (06) “while it’s cold”

Moore says for kids and even grownups, since Santa lives in the North Pole, we feel closer to Ole Saint Nick when we’re cold. She says there are many Christmas traditions centered around cold weather…:

Cut 13 (10) “not as fun”

Moore says we’ll even become more in the holiday spirit the colder it gets…:

cut 14 (08) “in a good way”

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