According to Gasbuddy-dot-com, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline rose in Louisiana for the second week in a row. So, have seen the end of the four-month-long drop in prices at the pump? Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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There is a buzz today surrounding the Nationwide Super Bowl commercial last night in which a little boy dies at the end. So is it good for the Insurance Company? Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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New Iberia’s Cajun Groundhog Day event ended with everyone in attendance expecting a long pleasant spring. Daily Iberian Publisher Will Chapman says when the prognosticating nutria, Pierre C. Shadeaux, emerged from his home, he did not see his shadow…

CUT 3 (07)  “heat and humidity”

When Pierre does not see his shadow, it means a longer spring for South Louisiana. Chapman says the good residents of south Louisiana shouldn’t have to depend on the forecast of Punxsutawney Phil…

CUT 4 (08)  “something to us”

He says south Louisiana is more concerned about spring and summer than winter. Chapman says he’s unsure if they’ve actually kept a record of Pierre’s past predictions, but he’s willing to bank on the forecast…

CUT 5 (05)  “pretty accurate”

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The Allen Parish Sheriff’s Department says they have discovered the remains believed to be that of a pregnant Lecompte woman, missing since 2011, and the woman arrested in connection with her disappearance now faces murder charges. Sheriff Douglas Hebert says the Oakdale Police Department received information about 22-year-old Victoria Perez from a juvenile informant…

CUT 6 (09)  “she went missing”

The informant told officials they witnessed their mother, 32-year-old Pamela Causey-Fregia (fre-JEE-ah), kill Perez around the time she went missing. Hebert says Causey-Fregia, with one of her children, picked up Perez, who was seven to eight monts pregnant, at a local hospital telling the victim that she would give her some baby clothes. He says they believe Causey-Fregia killed Perez as part of a plan to win back her estranged husband…

CUT 7 (11)  “she was pregnant”

They believe Perez was killed by blunt force trauma while the suspects children were present. Hebert says the body was then burned in an effort to dispose of it. He says it is unknown at this time if Causey-Fregia attempted to remove the fetus from Perez. Hebert says Causey-Fregia is facing upgraded charges… (Causey-Fregia faces first degree murder, first degree feticide, and other charges.)

CUT 8 (06)  “after the fact”

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According to Gasbuddy-dot-com, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline rose in Louisiana for the second week in a row. Senior Petroleum Analyst Gregg Laskoski says we may have seen the end of the four-month-long drop in prices at the pump….

CUT 9 (07)  “a week ago”

Louisiana’s average price for a gallon of regular is $1.86, which is up two cents a gallon from a week ago. Laskoski attributes the rise in price to a transition period between the winter blend and summer blend of gasoline. He says the price of wholesale gasoline is another indicator that the price drop has ended…

cut 10 (10)  “the retail side”

He says wholesale prices have increased by more than 20 cents a gallon, and those increases will, eventually, get passed on to consumers. Laskoski says you can expect a steady climb in gas prices as we approach the spring and summer driving seasons…

cut 11 (08) “happen this year”

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There is a buzz today surrounding the Nationwide Super Bowl commercial last night in which a little boy dies at the end. Some are saying the spot was inappropriate and too depressing to be played during the big game. Jensen Moore-Copple is an assistant professor of strategic communication with LSU’s Manship School. She doesn’t think this is good for the company:

cut 12 (07)  “Super Bowl advertising”

Nationwide issued a statement explaining the intention of the ad was to bring awareness to the issue of preventable injuries and deaths among children. Moore-Copple says instead the football fan conversation today is about what commercials are acceptable during the Super Bowl. She says that audience wants to see Payton Manning singing the cute Nationwide jingle:

cut 13 (09)  “that they wanted”

In less than 12 hours, the Make Safe Happen commercial had been viewed 1.44 million times on YouTube. But Moore-Copple says there is a huge negative reaction and backlash on social media…:

cut 14 (07)  “wanted it to be”

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The Shreveport Police Department says the little girl that was run over while she was on her bicycle by a suspected drunk driver passed away this morning. Cpl Breck Scott says just after 2pm Saturday, 46-year-old Randy Presentine lost control of his red Dodge Avenger on Youree Drive and drove onto the shoulder…:

cut 15 (08) “7-year-old juvenile”

Scott says Presentine’s charges were upgraded to vehicular homicide along with having no insurance and driving under suspension. He says after the impact, the 7-year-old was taken to a hospital with life threatening injuries…:

cut 16 (08) “was declared deceased”

There is a new, free app for your smart phone that puts the health reports for local restaurants at your fingertips. Scott Carwile has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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BESE President Chas Roemer will not follow Governor Jindal’s executive order regarding Common Core exams. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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There’s apparently mixed signals coming out on whether New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu will run for governor. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center launches an initiative to provide doctors in Louisiana with proven strategies which would reduce and treat obesity in children. The project is lead by Dr. Amanda Staiano (stye-an-no) who says the Child Obesity Treatment Toolkit helps primary care physicians determine who’s at risk for obesity…:

cut 4  (05)  “in clinic settings”

Staiano says childhood obesity is a very serious issue in Louisiana with half of our kids being overweight or obese. She says they have fantastic national recommendations on how to treat obesity and screen for it in clinics, but they find many physicians aren’t using them…:

Cut 5  (12)  “and families”

Staiano says they have over 2,000 hard copies of the toolkit they plan to distribute throughout the state or doctors can download it online at www.pbrc.edu/obesitytoolkit. She says Louisiana ranks near the top of obesity prevalence even in preschoolers…:

Cut 6 (09)  “good self-esteem”

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Amid reports that some families are opting out from having their child take standardized tests that are part of Common Core, the chairman of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Chas Roemer, is encouraging parents to have their child take the test in March…

CUT 7 (12)  “weaknesses”

Based on news reports, only a handful of families have decided that their children will not take the Common Core-aligned tests, because they believe its harmful to their children. Roemer says the new standardized tests are more rigorous than previous ones, but it will help determine a student’s strength and weakness…

Cut 8  (09)  “their student” 

Governor Bobby Jindal has issued an executive order that calls on BESE to have an alternate test for those students who opt-out of the Common Core exam. But Roemer says Jindal doesn’t have the constitutional authority to do that and he accuses the governor of creating chaos…

Cut 9 (09)  “the course”

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There is a new, free app for your smart phone that puts the health reports for local restaurants at your fingertips. The app is called “What the Health” and is the brain-child of Chris Peoples and Jake Van Dyke of Modern Appsolutions. Van Dyke says the app is very user friendly…

Cut 10 (08)  “health inspection” 

Louisiana is one of just eight states, along with Washington DC, serviced by the app. Van Dyke says the idea came from a dinner conversation he had with Peoples. He says the app will show you a letter and number grade for each restaurant along with any actual violations they received during their last inspection…

cut 11 (09) “the salad stuff”

The app is available for both iPhone and Android phones. “What the Health” will give you a list of the 100 restaurants nearest to you. Van Dyke says this app is really just a tool to help you judge your risk in eating out…

cut 12 (06)  “in the morning”

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Many are waiting to see if democratic New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu will get in the governor’s race. Jeremy Alford, publisher of la-politics-dot-com, says Landrieu only has about 40-thousand dollars in campaign money in the bank, so if he’s getting in, he’ll need to make a decision soon…

Cut 13 (06)  “wanted too”

Alford says some Democratic operatives say Landrieu will pass on the governor’s race, so he can have a major influence on the presidential race…

Cut 14 (04)  “the Clintons”

Alford says he’s also heard that Mayor Landrieu has yet to completely rule out a run for governor

Cut 15  (07)  “more of an interest”

State Fire Marshal’s officials are investigating a Thursday night mobile home fire in Marksville that has left four dead. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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With Common Core testing scheduled for March, some families have decided on opting their kids out of taking the tests. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 2 (28) “reporting”

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With Common Core testing scheduled for March, some families have decided on opting their kids out of taking the tests. BESE member Lottie Beebe says, according to information provided by the Department of Education, this will cause negative implications for schools and school systems…

CUT 3 (09)  “and school systems”

She says students who do not take the assessment test will be given a zero grade and that grade will passed on to schools and school districts. Beebe says another concern with this issue is whether or not a student who refuses to take the tests will be promoted. She says, right now, that’s up to the individual school districts, but it should be state policy…

CUT 4 (09)  “across the state”

So far, only a handful of families have opted their kids out of Common Core testing, but more are expected as the testing dates approach. Education Superintendent John White has recommended a “wait and see” approach, but Beebe says they need to be pro-active. She says BESE should hold a special meeting to address the “opt-out” movement…

CUT 5 (04)  “their concerns”

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State Fire Marshal’s officials are investigating a fire in Avoyelles Parish that has left four dead. Fire Marshall Butch Browning says the fire occurred just before midnight Thursday night at a mobile home in Marksville…

CUT 6 (07)  “in this fire”

Browning says a father, grandmother, son, and daughter all perished in the blaze. The victims’ ages range from 10 to 73-years-old. Browning says firefighters tried to do a search of the mobile home, but the flames were too intense…

CUT 7 (10)  “the fire starting”

Browning says they believe the four victims were asleep at the time of the fire. He says the mother of the children was at work when the blaze broke out. Browning says the investigation is in its initial stages…

CUT 8 (06) “caused this fire”

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Mitt Romney announces he’s decided not to run for president next year, so what could that mean for Governor Bobby Jindal? 2016 would have been Romney’s third run at the White House. UL-Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross says Romney is one less main-stream contender that Jindal has to compete with…:

CUT 9 (10)  “conservative wing”

Cross says Romney passed on Jindal as a vice presidential contender last time saying the two never really connected so him bowing out of the race also helps The Governor…:

cut 10 (09)  “Romney does”

Cross says anytime one of the main candidates drops out of a presidential race, it’s a victory for all of the remaining contenders…:

cut 11 (11) “to go”

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High school principals vote to keep the current split between public and private schools that exists with the football playoffs and allow the new executive director of the LHSAA, Eddie Bonine, develop solutions that could possibly bring the classes back together. Bonine says his first step will be to organize a committee to examine the issues that caused the split

cut 12 (10)  “many, many years”

Many principal Norman Booker authored proposals to divide the postseason between public and private schools in other sports, but it was voted down. Booker says private schools have advantages in the student enrollment process over public schools and he’ll seek try to help come up with a solution as well

cut 13 (09)  “drawing board”

Bonine says he wants to take a hard look at the issues that caused the split, and see if he can solve those, before he proposes a playoff format that high school principals can vote on next January….

cut 14 (07)  “address them”

After more Louisianians have been hospitalized and even died as a result of synthetic marijuana, Governor Bobby Jindal has announced the ban of multiple new synthetic marijuana compounds. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

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A study from Tulane suggests residents in Boston and Seattle better take steps to protect themselves from the flu. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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A study looking at inappropriate teacher-student relationships finds  Louisiana has the third highest number of cases in the country on a per-capita basis. Scott Carwile has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “reporting”

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After more Louisianians have been hospitalized and even died as a result of synthetic marijuana, Governor Bobby Jindal has announced the ban of multiple new synthetic marijuana compounds. The new banned compounds are called “PX 1″, PX 2”, and “MDMB-CHMICA” (chimika). Dr. Mark Ryan, Director of the Louisiana Poison Control Center, says the state is staying pro-active in fight against synthetic marijuana…

cut 4  (11)  “those substances”

Ryan feels Louisiana is one of the most pro-active states in the nation in quickly regulating these substances once they are identified. He says there have been several deaths in the state in the last few months related to synthetic marijuana, sold under names like “Blue Diamond” and “Mojo”…

Cut 5  (06)  “in particular”

Ryan says at least one death can be attributed to these new banned substances. He says not only are people who use synthetic marijuana are being harmed, but the people around them are harmed as well. He says, if you are concerned that a product contains an illegal substance, just look for the words “Not For Human Consumption” on the back of the package…

Cut 6 (06)  “drug in it”

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A Tulane University study discovers that cities who have teams in the Super Bowl see a spike in flu deaths. Researcher Charles Stoecker, says based on county-level statistics, there was an 18-percent increase in flu deaths among those over the age of 65 in cities whose teams were in the Super Bowl that year. He says big games bring more people together

CUT 7 (10)  “over 65 set”

Stoecker says based on his research people in Boston and Seattle need to practice good hygiene and his study also reveals the effect is worse in years when the flu strain is more virulent like this year’s strain

Cut 8  (03)  “Super Bowl” 

Stoecker says another interesting aspect of his study found the host Super Bowl city does not see an increase in flu cases or deaths…

Cut 9 (10)  “Super Bowl contenders”

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The Louisiana Lottery says we’ve now hit the biggest Powerball jackpot of 2015 with tomorrow’s drawing worth a whopping $298 million dollars. Spokeswoman Kimberly Chopin says the current jackpot has been running since the end of November. She says the last big jackpot winner in Louisiana was from a May 2013 drawing so we’re due…:

Cut 10 (07)  “Powerball game” 

Chopin says the current jackpot has a cash value of about $198.4 million dollars. She says since the match 5 prize has increased to a million dollars we’ve had plenty of those winners in Louisiana…:

cut 11 (09) “one million dollars”

Chopin says when the jackpot gets high like this they find a lot of people play who don’t normally buy tickets — or even for the first time…:

cut 12 (09)  “one to win”

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A new study ranks Louisiana third nationally on a per-capita basis for inappropriate teacher-student relationships. Terry Abbott, a former chief of staff at the US Department of Ed and now chair of Drive West Communications, says he found 23 reported cases in 2014 and in many situations, social media advanced a teacher-student relationship to an inappropriate level…

Cut 13 (11)  “with kids”

Abbott says there’s also a higher percentage of inappropriate relationships involving female teachers than the national average….

Cut 14 (08)  “other states”

Abbott says there’s already been six reported cases in 2015, which is disturbing. He says school district leaders need to get serious about this problem and so do lawmakers, who can pass legislation to create stronger penalties for offenders…

Cut 15  (07)  “jail time”

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Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday and former LSU wide receiver Brandon Lafell goes after his first Super Bowl ring. Lafell and the rest of the Patriot receivers will go up against the best defensive secondary in the NFL. Plus the Seahawks like to talk, but Lafell says they can’t trash talking contest

Cut 16  (22)  “this offense”

Lafell is fired up for his first Super Bowl…

Cut 17 (17)  “to come”

Other Louisiana connections to the Super Bowl. Former Louisiana Tech standout Ryan Allen is the Patriots Punter. Northwestern State product Jeremy Lane is a defensive back for the Seahawks. Former LSU Tiger cornerback Tharold Simon is also on Seattle. Lafell says staying loose on game day will be one of his biggest challenges…

Cut 18 (20) “stay in the game’

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The legal drama between the Benson family over ownership of the Saints and Pelicans could drag on for a year or more in courtrooms in New Orleans and San Antonio. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Former KKK leader David Duke’s challenge to run against Steve Scalise for the 1st Congressional District seat likely won’t happen according to pundits. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (28) “reporting”

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The legal drama between the Benson family over ownership of the Saints and Pelicans could drag on for a year or more. The scene will play out in courtrooms in New Orleans and San Antonio. Legal analyst Tim Meche says an Orleans Civil District Court Judge could rule whether or not Tom Benson is physically and mentally fit to handle his business affairs by spring…

CUT 3 (12)  “likely result”

Meche says the real litigation will take place in San Antonio involving whether or not Tom Benson can transfer the teams out of the family trust. He says, thus far, Benson has been unsuccessful in his attempts to do so…

CUT 4 (11)  “the Pelicans”

He says that case will involve a lot of legal maneuvering and possibly courts of appeal. There is always a chance that the two sides could negotiate a settlement which would bring this to a quicker solution. Meche feels, at this point in the game, both sides are engaging in a public relations war…

CUT 5 (11)  “to get worse”

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So how likely would it be that former KKK leader and Louisiana lawmaker David Duke would be elected again here? Not very likely according to political analyst Bernie Pinsonat. Duke challenged Congressman Steve Scalise to step down for apologizing about speaking to a white supremacist group in 2002. Pinsonat says Duke is only milking this for attention…:

CUT 6 (10)  “long as possible”

Duke took it a step further and said that he would consider challenging the House Majority Whip in the next election for the 1st District Seat. Pinsonat says Duke is just trying to get publicity and he will probably never get re-elected in Louisiana if he chooses to run…:

CUT 7 (08)  “apologizing”

Duke made the comments on Louisiana Radio Network’s Jim Engster Show. Pinsonat says if anything, this would allow Scalise to set the record straight that he doesn’t agree with Duke…:

CUT 8 (08) “and what he stands for”

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There are a lot of Mardi Gras Krewes in Louisiana getting nervous as most of their custom throws have not arrived yet and Fat Tuesday is just around the corner. There was an ongoing labor dispute at a Los Angeles port which held up thousands of signature Mardi Gras product, but Beads By the Dozen President Dan Kelly says tensions have calmed…:

CUT 9 (12)  “two to three days”

Kelly says his containers were stuck in the middle of a bad contract argument between dock workers and the shipping companies in LA but all parties have cooperated. He says they’ve rescheduled all distribution days with the Krewes for next week…:

cut 10 (07)  “back up and runnin again”

Kelly says almost every Carnival Krewe was affected by the delay. He says now all of the Mardi Gras containers are being taken off ships and hopefully will be put on trains over the next two days…:

cut 11 (06) “safe Mardi Gras”

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The State Fire Marshal’s Office has determined that yesterday’s fire in Calhoun, where two bodies were recovered, was a murder suicide. Fire Marshal Butch Browning says they believe the situation began with a domestic dispute between 52-year-old Larry Lisotta and his wife, 57-year-old Diane Lisotta…

cut 12 (09)  “suicide himself”

Browning says hey have determined that Larry Lisotta shot his wife in the head and then turned the gun on himself. He says this appears to be an isolated incident and do not believe anyone else was involved…

cut 13 (05)  “tragic deaths”

Browning says they believe Larry started the fire after he shot Diane. He says the investigation is still ongoing in this unfortunate incident…

cut 14 (06)  “two individuals”

Sasol’s announcement of a delay in their final decision to invest in a proposed gas-to-liquids plant in southwest Louisiana has raised some concern in the business community. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Former KKK leader and State Representative David Duke says Congressman Steve Scalise is a sellout and he may consider running against him. The comments were made in a rare interview on the Louisiana Radio Network’s Jim Engster Show. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (27) “reporting”

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State Police announce additional troopers will be deployed to New Orleans for this year’s Mardi Gras season. Scott Carwile reports…

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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Sasol’s announcement of a delay in their final decision to invest in a proposed gas-to-liquids plant in southwest Louisiana has raised some concern in the business community. But George Swift, President of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, says construction has already begun on Sasol’s $8 billion ethane cracker and that quells his concern…

cut 4  (07)  “a later date”

The South African energy company cites falling oil prices as the reason for their announced delay. Swift says the decline in the price of oil has given his organization a reason to be concerned, but projects like this are focused on long-range goals…

Cut 5  (10)  “will go ahead”

Swift says his confidence that the project will go ahead is boosted by the infrastructure work that Sasol is doing around the site of the proposed plant. He says even though Sasol’s decision to delay is disappointing, it could have a silver lining…

Cut 6 (09)  “workforce needs”

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The Onion, a satirical news website, recently wrote an article skewering Governor Bobby Jindal that’s getting national attention. The fictitious article claimed that Jindal’s presidential campaign would last about two months before he pulled out of the race. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says a couple of things may have put Jindal in the cross hairs of The Onion…

CUT 7 (11)  “State University”

The tongue-in-cheek article claimed that Jindal isn’t sure he would want to put his family through the ordeal of a two-month presidential campaign. Stockley says The Onion is really taking two shots at Jindal. He says the first jab focuses on Jindal’s potential presidential campaign…

Cut 8  (12)  “if at all” 

Stockley says The Onion writing an article about Jindal is not flattering and not the kind of national attention that the governor would prefer at this time. He says the underlying joke in the article is one that Louisianians will surely understand…

Cut 9 (07)  “six years now”

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State Police announce that 150 additional troopers will be deployed to New Orleans for this year’s Mardi Gras season. Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson says the troopers will be working in the city through Fat Tuesday. Edmonson says that number is up from past years…

Cut 10 (10)  “we need to” 

He says the detail will include a visible uniform security presence in the French Quarter and Central Business District as well as plain clothes officers. Edmonson says, looking forward, there will be an increased number of troopers in the city for events like French Quarter Fest, Jazzfest, and numerous conventions…

cut 11 (10) “through May”

Edmonson says an increased number of troopers will be working in the Big Easy through the end of May. He says it’s extremely important to have a contingency of law enforcement in areas where you will have a large amount of people…

cut 12 (10)  “in the world”

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Former KKK leader and State Representative David Duke says Congressman Steve Scalise is a sellout and he may consider running against him. In a rare interview on Louisiana Radio Network’s Jim Engster show, Duke says the Congressman should step down for apologizing about speaking to a white supremacists group in 2002…:

Cut 13 (10)  “sold out”

Scalise recently came under fire when the story broke that he was a guest speaker at an event hosted by Duke. The Congressman said it never should have happened and Duke says that is an insult to every member of Scalise’s 1st district which is why he’s seriously considering running against him…:

Cut 14 (08)  “they supported my views”

Duke, who currently lives in Mandeville, says he’s not registered to vote but he would just to run for office against Scalise. He says by apologizing, Scalise is suggesting that everyone who voted for him is racist…:

Cut 15  (07)  “he’s betrayed his people”

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Louisiana Tech and Western Kentucky will battle for first place in Conference USA when the two basketball teams meet tonight in Ruston. Tech is 6-and-1 in Conference USA, while the Hilltoppers are 7-and-0. Bulldogs Coach Michael White says Western Kentucky is good in all areas and they have two players who are tough to stop

Cut 16  (20)  “George Fant”

Tech has won 22 in a row at home and White says tonight is about protecting their home floor against a really good offensive team….

Cut 17 (10)  “the opportunity”

Senior guard Speedy Smith says the players are looking forward tonight’s match-up…

Cut 18 (15) “big opportunity’

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Republican Congressman Steve Scalise agrees to meet with two civil rights leaders in the aftermath of reports Scalise spoke to a group of white supremacists in 2002. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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Sasol announces they are delaying a final investment decision on building a gas to liquids plant in the Lake Charles area. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (32) “reporting”

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Republican Congressman Steve Scalise agrees to meet with two civil rights leaders in the aftermath of reports that the House Majority Whip spoke to a group of white supremacists in 2002. The pair want to ask Scalise to help advance civil and human rights issues, like the renewal of the Voting Rights Act. Political analyst Clancy Dubos thinks this is a good move for the Congressman…

CUT 3 (12)  “meeting with EURO”

Dubos says this is a step Scalise can take to put some action behind the words he said in regards to the controversy. The Congressman has acknowledged it was a mistake to speak to the group and has apologized. Dubos feels Scalise has been sincere in his remarks since the news came out…

CUT 4 (11)  “in all forms”

The House Majority Whip will meet with former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League, and Wade Henderson, President of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, next month. Dubos says Scalise should use this meeting as a real chance to communicate…

CUT 5 (07)  “a good thing”

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Sasol says it’s delaying a final decision on whether or not it will invest in a proposed gas-to-liquids plant in southwest Louisiana. The South African energy company says they’re holding off on the 14 billion dollar phase of the project due to tumbling oil prices. LSU Center for Energy Studies Executive Director David Dismukes says not a surprise, considering the massive scope of the project with…:

CUT 6 (10)  “little bit more questionable”

Sasol has already approved an $8.1 billion ethane cracker in Westlake but right now the company says they are working to conserve as much money as possible in the wake of falling oil prices. There are several other announced industry sites out there in Louisiana and Dismukes says the farther one is away from completion, the more likely a similar delay will take place:

CUT 7 (08)  “locked in”

If Sasol green-lights this GTL plant, it would be the most expensive industrial project in Louisiana history, totaling $22 billion when combined with the cracker. Dismukes says this decision is reflective of what’s happening with the entire energy industry

CUT 8 (08) “oil prices”

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Slidell Police say a homeowner woke up this morning to find something quite unusual in his home. Detective Daniel Seuzeneau says the homeowner immediately called police and responding officers found 31-year-old Sharrod McCullum sound asleep on the victim’s sofa…

CUT 9 (08)  “he was at”

The officers woke McCullum up and were able to arrest him without incident. Seuzeneau says the suspect appeared to be intoxicated. He says authorities discovered that McCullum forced entry through the rear door of the residence…

cut 10 (08)  “the neighborhood”

McCullum faces one count of simple burglary and one count of criminal damage. Seuzeneau says other charges could be filed in the near future. He admits it’s funny, but scary at the same time to wake up and find a stranger sleeping in your house…

cut 11 (09)  “further incident”

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The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating an early morning fire in Ouachita Parish that has claimed the lives of two people. Fire Marshal Butch Browning says the fire occurred around 5AM this morning at a mobile home in Calhoun…

cut 12 (11)  “this mobile home”

The identities of the man and woman who perished in the fire have not been released. The mobile home shared property with a house that is believed to belong to the father of one of the victims. Browning says the fire that destroyed the mobile home was very intense…

cut 13 (07)  “at this point”

Browning says officials are still working to determine the exact cause of the fire. He stresses it’s a very active investigation and information is very limited at this time…

cut 14 (07)  “in Louisiana”

The Boudin King Cake idea has gone completely viral as people demand to have one right away. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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Studies show more and more women are buying guns and becoming more familiar with how to use them. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 2 (32) “reporting”

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Louisiana’s December labor numbers are in and once again the state broke employment records. Scott Carwile has more….

Cut 3 (32) “reporting”

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What is the first thing you think of when you hear “Boudin King Cake?” Well it’s out there. The brains behind the now crazy viral concept is Acadiana food critic Bob Carriker who is a UL-Lafayette history professor. He says he reviews King Cakes and Boudin from all over the nation and decided to combine the two and share the idea on his Facebook Page…:

cut 4  (12)  “in minutes”

Carriker says the now-famous King Cake uses a bread that is savory, not sweet, stuffed with boudin, topped with Steen’s cane syrup then sprinkled with cracklin. He says his idea immediately went viral so he ran down to a local baker, Billy Guilbeaux who co-owns Twins Burgers and Sweets with his twin Denny…:

Cut 5  (09)  “just dramatic”

Guilbeaux says they began cooking and selling the Boudin King Cake which each comes with its own bottle of Steen’s, and within 2 hours they had used 120 containers of the cane syrup and had to run to Abbeville to get 700 more. Carriker says he’s gotten messages from Alaska, New York, Washington and California all with people who want one…:

Cut 6 (09)  “as soon as possible”

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Studies show more and more women are buying guns and becoming more familiar with how to use them. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, 74 percent of gun shops saw growth in female customers in 2013. Barret Kendrick, a firearms trainer in Covington, says they have seen a major increase in the number of women coming into the gun market.

CUT 7 (10)  “well as their children”

Kendrick says women want to be able to protect themselves and their children and not feel like they have to rely on a man to protect them. He says three years ago he’d see just one or two females in a concealed carry training course…:

Cut 8  (08)  “during that course” 

Kendrick says he’s found many of his female students go from being scared of weapons to really enjoying a training course and having fun. He believes the trend of women becoming involved with guns will keeping getting bigger…:

Cut 9 (05)  “sports industry”

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Labor numbers for December show it was another record breaking month for Louisiana employment. Louisiana Workforce Commission director Curt Eysink, says total nonfarm employment grew to 1,992,000, as private employers added 34-thousand jobs over the year. He says professional businesses services is one of their strongest sectors for job growth

Cut 10 (10)  “other people” 

Louisiana’s unemployment rate continues to go up, even though the number of people who are employed is also increasing. Eysink says the higher unemployment rate is not because of layoffs, but because more people are looking for jobs

cut 11 (09) “find work”

The statewide unemployment rate for December was six-point-seven percent, up one-point-three percent from the year before. Eysink says they hope the number of people employed continues to go up, even though weak oil prices are leading to layoffs in the oil industry

cut 12 (07)  “this point”

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The Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s annual convention begins today and the main agenda item is the current split of the football playoffs. There is a proposal to expand the postseason split of public and private schools to other sports. But new LHSAA executive director, Eddie Bonine, is asking schools to give him a year to come up with a proposal a bulk of the schools are pleased with…

Cut 13 (07)  “state again”

Bonine, who was hired in December, has spent the last couple of weeks talking with schools and getting their input. He believes since he’s new on the job, the best course of action is to stay with the split football playoffs for another year, so they can work on a better solution

Cut 14 (09)  “thing right”

The LHSAA voted in 2013 to split the football playoffs, because of concerns private schools had certain advantages over public schools. Bonine says he wants more time to dive into the issues that created the split and work with schools on a plan that will make it more equitable for teams to win a championship

(A vote on the football playoff proposals will take place Friday.)

Cut 15  (05)  “trial on”

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As the northeast gets pounded by a blizzard, a group of students from Cedar Creek School in Ruston find themselves in the middle of it in New York City. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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According to the American Automobile Association, the statewide average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is at $1.87 for the second day in a row. So has the price bottomed out? Eric Gill has more…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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The Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office says the search for a teen, wanted in connection to a weekend robbery, ended unexpectedly when the suspect was found dead. Sheriff’s spokesperson Maxine Trahan says officers responded to a call from a crawfisherman who discovered a body in a field just east of Crowley…

CUT 3 (08)  “face down”

The body was identified as 18-year-old Slye Mier (mere) of Crowley. Trahan says after the Sunday night robbery, Rayne Police were involved in a chase with a vehicle that Mier and the other suspect, a juvenile, occupied. She says when the pursuit ended, both Mier and the juvenile fled on foot…

CUT 4 (07)  “in the field”

Authorities say Mier’s death is being classified as suspicious, although the exact cause of death is unknown at this time. Mier’s body has been taken to Calcasieu Parish for an autopsy. Trahan says their investigation is ongoing…

CUT 5 (10)  “the investigation”

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As the northeast gets pounded by a blizzard, a group of Louisiana high school students find themselves in the middle of it in New York City. Students from Cedar Creek School in Ruston are in the Big Apple on a school trip. Director of Student Activities Elizabeth Walker says yesterday’s curfew cancelled the Broadway show they planned to attend, but they are making the best of the situation…

CUT 6 (09)  “what we can”

Walker says the group totals 27 people, including 14 students. She says that, even with the weather conditions being less than optimal, they are taking in as much of New York as they possibly can, including Central Park…

CUT 7 (08)  “experience for us”

Walker says the eight inches of snow made this a fun and memorable trip for everyone in the group. She says they are scheduled to fly back home tomorrow…

CUT 8 (11) “fun to do”

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Ascension Parish Sheriff deputies are searching for at least two suspects involved in a double homicide in Donaldsonville. Chief Deputy Tony Bacala says around 3:30pm yesterday they arrived at the scene of a reported shooting and found 37-year-old Chad Nichols dead on the front lawn of his house..:

CUT 9 (10)  “did not survive”

Bacala says 29-year-old Benny Booker of Prairieville was also found shot in the doorway of the residence and he succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. He says as of right now they don’t know who is responsible for these murders…:

cut 10 (10)  “Booker’s vehicle”

Bacala says the suspects killed the victims then one drove away in a 2008-2011 white BMW 3 series vehicle and the other stole Bookers vehicle which is a 2007 white Dodge Magnum. He says investigators are actively searching for both cars. Bacala says they believe the victims were targetting by the shooters…:

cut 11 (04)  “to rob them”

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According to the American Automobile Association, the statewide average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is at $1.87 for the second day in a row. So has the price bottomed out? AAA fuel analyst Don Redman says it’s possible, as the price of crude oil has stabilized between $45 and $48 a barrel…

cut 12 (09)  “of a plateau”

But Redman says there is also a chance that we could still see prices slip as we head into February…

cut 13 (06)  “into spring”

Redman says the drop in fuel costs is astounding, especially when you compare prices to this time last year…

cut 14 (09)  “a year ago”

The State Department of Health and Hospitals sets up a program that encourages Louisiana residents to take control of their health. Scott Carwile has more…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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State Police are among several law enforcement agencies looking into an ATM scheme along the I-10 corridor. Emelie Gunn has more….

Cut 2 (29) “reporting”

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Louisiana’s budget picture continues to get worse because of falling oil prices. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (32) “reporting”

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The State Department of Health and Hospitals sets up a program that encourages Louisiana residents to take control of their health. The program is called “Own Your Own Health”. It’s a three month wellness challenge that can assist residents in living a healthier lifestyle. Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Director Rudy Macklin says you can participate as an individual or part of a team…

cut 4  (07)  “challenges in one”

The challenges are meant to motivate Louisianians to make small daily steps in creating and maintaining a healthier lifestyle. You can sign up at oyohla-dot-com. To help keep participants on-track, Macklin says a daily e-mail will be sent…

Cut 5  (09)  “based on age”

The daily e-mail will have meal and exercise suggestion for participants based on their age. They’re also offering prizes for participants who log-in and update their progress. Macklin says another aspect of OYOH is called “Own Your Own Health Now” which helps you make the correct choices regarding your own wellness…

Cut 6 (07)  “your own health”

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State Police says they are assisting in an investigation looking into an ATM scheme where customer’s debit card numbers and pins may have been compromised along the I-10 corridor. Whitney Bank has issued a statement acknowledging that they found devices called “skimmers” on ATM card receptors. Sgt. Nick Manale says local and federal authorities are also investigating.

CUT 7 (10)  “neighboring states”

Whitney bank says as an extra precaution they have deactivated and reissued about 71- hundred debit cards. Manale says people need to be watching their accounts and statements to check for possible fraudulent charges.

Cut 8  (09)  “own accounts.” 

Manale says “skimmers” are placed to look like they are part of the ATM. He says these devices steal some of the bar code information off of card as well as the PIN number entered into the machine.

Cut 9 (09)  “look into.”

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Entergy has cut the ribbon on a new power plant in suburban New Orleans that company officials say will reduce fuel costs and produce reliable and affordable power for Louisiana customers. Entergy Spokesperson Mike Burns says Ninemile 6 is already using 30 percent less fuel than other natural gas combustion plants.

Cut 10 (07)  “in 2016” 

This is the first power plant Entergy has opened in Louisiana in 30 years. Burns says Ninemile 6 was completed under budget and ahead of time.

cut 11 (11) “721 million dollars”

The plant helps Louisiana’s economy by creating more jobs. Burns says Entergy plans to keep improving and modernizing their services and plants.

cut 12 (08)  “moving forward”

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Falling oil prices will result in an 103-million dollar reduction in spending this fiscal year by state government. That determination was made by the Revenue Estimating Conference, after hearing from the chief economist for the Louisiana legislature, Greg Albrecht…

Cut 13 (09)  “is bad”

And based on economists projections, the Revenue Estimating Conference has increased the budget defict for next fiscal year by another 203-million dollars to one-point-six billion. Albrecht says weak oil prices are to blame for these falling oil prices…

Cut 14 (10)  “fiscal year with”

The 103-million dollar deficit for this fiscal year means, the Jindal administration will be forced to make cuts in the next few weeks. State government watchdog CB Forgotston says believes state government can handle that without a dramatic reduction to state services:

Cut 15  (07)  “unfilled positions”