In a 26-hour period, three separate house fires claimed three lives in Louisiana. State Fire Marshal’s Office spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says it’s tragic especially because they could have been prevented. The fires happened in New Orleans, Leesville, and Ruston.
Cut 9 (12) “…fire hazards.”
Sunday night a 73-year-old woman was unable to escape her home in the Gentilly neighborhood, they believe she was using canned sources of heat because the home had been without utilities for years.

Monday afternoon an 83-year-old woman died in her home and the smoke detector was not working. And Monday evening in Ruston a disabled man in his 40s died. All fatalities are under investigation.

At his end-of-the-year press conference, Governor John Bel Edwards highlighted the state’s finances which have drastically improved so the state can increase funding to programs versus cutting them.
Cut 7 (11) “…few things.”
Edwards says when he took office the state had a $2-billon deficit.

One of Louisiana’s statewide elected officials takes aim at TikTok. Whitney Thomas reports
Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Whitney Thomas.”

The Louisiana Emergency Rental Assistance Program and the Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Fund will stop accepting applications tomorrow. Desiree Honore Thomas is Assistant Commissioner in the Division of Administration.
Cut 3 (05) “..funds left. ”
The programs started as a result to provide assistance for those who lost jobs as a result of COVID.

Governor John Bel Edwards end of the year report indicates the state is in good shape financially and more people are working than ever before.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Judge Tim Kelley has dismissed seven of the 13 counts in a lawsuit filed by former LSU Associate Athletic Director Sharon Lewis who claimed she faced an atmosphere of hostility and discrimination after she reported sexual harassment claims made by two female students against former coach Les Miles.

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin has banned the use of TikTok on any device issued by the Secretary of State’s Office. Deputy Secretary of Outreach Services, Joel Watson, says it’s an issue of cybersecurity…
cut 6 (13) “….here today”
Watson says Ardoin has also asked the governor to ban TikTok on all devices owned or leased by all state agencies.

The Louisiana Public Service Commission has delayed a vote on Entergy’s request for customers to pay an additional six-dollars a month for the next 15 years to pay for the costs associated with recovery from five named storms in 2020 and 2021. PSC Member Foster Campbell believes Entergy’s shareholders should split those costs with customers…
Cut 13 (10) “…hell with that.”
In February, the PSC approved an average storm recovery cost surcharge of about ten-dollars per month for 15 years.

An artic blast of cold weather will hit the state in two days…
cut 12 (07) “…brace yourself”
That’s state climatologist Barry Keim who says a hard freeze will impact north Louisiana Thursday and morning lows on Friday will approach the single digits. Wind chill readings in south Louisiana will likely be in the single digits.

During the governor’s end of the year press conference, Democrat John Bel Edwards highlighted the state’s recovery from the COVID pandemic…
cut 9 (12) “….two-million-forty-two-thousand”
Edwards says the state’s budget is also in excellent shape with the Revenue Estimating Conference recognizing a 925-million dollar surplus this fiscal year and another 608-million dollars for next fiscal year.

The Public Service Commission has delayed a vote on another six-dollar storm recovery surcharge being put on customers’ bills as they look to see if Entergy can pay some of the costs from the 2020 and 2021 storms.
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

Entergy has filed a nine-point-six billion dollar plan with the Public Service Commission to harden its gird. The goal is to get power back faster after major storms. It calls for thousands of distribution and transmission projects that would strengthen more than 269-thousand structures and 11-thousand miles of powerlines.

Are you ready for some very cold weather? State climatologist Barry Keim says a significant cold front will move through Louisiana on Thursday
Cut 10 (11) “…our region.”
On Friday morning, temperatures will drop to 11 and 12 degrees across north Louisiana. In south Louisiana, wind chills Thursday night into Friday night will be potentially dangerous with readings in the single digits.

During an end of the year news conference, Governor John Bel Edwards discussed some of the state’s accomplishments. That includes a one-point-five billion dollar budget surplus and a record low unemployment rate of two-point-nine percent…
cut 8 (06) “….two years ago”
In December 2020, the unemployment rate was near seven-percent.

Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin bans TikTok on all state department-issued devices. The decision stems from concerns over the data collected when using TikTok and ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Deputy Secretary for Outreach Services, Joel Watson, says several states have banned TikTok use on all state government-issued devices…
cut 5 (07) “…same thing here”

The Louisiana Public Service Commission continues to try and convince Entergy to pick up some of the recovery storm costs instead of having ratepayers pay for 100-percent of the recovery. P-S-C member Foster Campbell is glad the commission is taking another look at this issue…
cut 14 (08) “….paying them”
In February, the P-S-C imposed an average storm surcharge to customers of ten-dollars per month for 15 years and now Entergy is asking for another six-dollars a month.

Governor John Bel Edwards says the state is in good shape financially and more people are working as 2022 winds down.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Judge Tim Kelley has dismissed seven of the 13 counts in a lawsuit filed by former LSU Associate Athletic Director Sharon Lewis who claimed she faced an atmosphere of hostility and discrimination after she reported sexual harassment claims made by two female students against former coach Les Miles.

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin is banning TikTok on all Department of State-issued devices, and is calling on Governor John Bel Edwards to do the same on a statewide level. Deputy Secretary for Outreach services, Joel Watson says TikTok poses a risk to your personal identification.
Cut 4 (13) “…Communist party.”

The Louisiana Public Service Commission has delayed a vote on Entergy’s request for customers to pay an additional six-dollars a month for the next 15 years to pay for the costs associated with recovery from five named storms in 2020 and 2021. PSC Member Foster Campbell believes Entergy’s shareholders should split those costs with customers…
Cut 13 (10) “…hell with that.”
In February, the PSC approved an average storm recovery cost surcharge of about ten-dollars per month for 15 years.

At his end-of-the-year press conference, Governor John Bel Edwards highlighted the state’s finances which have drastically improved from when he took office seven years ago, and because of that, the state is able to increase funding to programs versus cutting them.
Cut 7 (11) “…few things.”
Edwards says when he took office the state had a $2-billon deficit.

The Louisiana Public Service Commission has delayed a vote on Entergy’s request to charge ratepayers another six-dollars per month for 15 years to recoup the costs it took to repair their infrastructure following several storms in 2020 and 2021. P-S-C Member Foster Campbell believes Entergy should borne some of the cost…
cut 15 (08) “…absolutely yes”

One of Louisiana’s statewide elected officials takes aim at TikTok.
Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Whitney Thomas.”

Master Trooper Kory York has hired high profile criminal defense attorney Mike Small to represent him in the Ronald Greene Case. York is one of the five law enforcement officers facing charges. His charges are the most serious, one count of negligent homicide and ten counts of malfeasance. Small says it’s significant federal prosecutors investigated the case for two and half years and determined criminal charges were not warranted
Cut 7 (09) “…subject of the investigation”
Small says there will be no plea bargaining.

Be prepared for some downright cold weather later this week. National Weather Service meteorologist Brandon Thorne says low temperatures will get down into the low teens in north Louisiana on Friday morning and we’ll see single digit wind chill temperatures for south Louisiana…
cut 14 (09) “….cold weather”

Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin is banning TikTok on all Department of State-issued devices, and is calling on Governor John Bel Edwards to do the same on a statewide level. Deputy Secretary for Outreach services, Joel Watson says TikTok poses a risk to your personal identification.
Cut 4 (13) “…Communist party.”

2022 will go down as one of the worst sweet potato crops in decades. LSU Ag Center Sweet potato specialist Myrl Sistrunk says a hot and dry summer hampered crop development and as the summer moved along as much as 20 inches of rain flooded fields. Sistrunk says sweet potatoes are a costly crop to produce, which gives some producers pause heading into next year…
cut 5 (08) “…works out”

The attorney representing Kory York believes the now suspended Master Trooper will be found not guilty of the charges he faces as a result of the 2019 in-custody death of Ronald Greene, a Black man who was beaten by officers before he died. Mike Small spoke with us today..
cut 6 (12) “…in the indictment”
York has been charged with one count of negligent homicide and ten counts of malfeasance.

Experts say this year has been the worst year for Louisiana sweet potato production in more than 30 years. LSU Ag Center sweet potato specialist Myrl Sistrunk says production is down as much as 60-percent due to a long stretch of dry weather in the summer followed by flooding rains
Cut 4 (10) “…for the state”
Sistrunk says the crop is expensive to produce, due to increased fuel, labor, and pesticide costs.

A major blast of artic air will arrive in Louisiana on Thursday bringing the Bayou State some very cold temperatures. Lows along I-20 will be around the low teens on Friday morning and low 20s for south Louisiana. Plus strong winds will produce below zero wind chills in north Louisiana and single digits in south Louisiana. Meteorologist Brandon Thorne with the National Weather Service says minor snow accumulations can not be ruled out Thursday for north Louisiana…
cut 13 (08) “…high accumulations”

During his end of the year press conference today, Governor John Bel Edwards remarked on how COVID is no longer a major story as it was the last two years…
cut 11 (12) “….protect ourselves”
Last Wednesday the state reported 4,700 new COVID cases and a seven-day average of 256 hospitalizations.

Alexandria attorney Mike Small believes his client Master Trooper Kory York will be found not guilty of the criminal charges he faces for his role in the fatal arrest death of Ronald Greene.
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

A Ruston man has received a three-year federal prison sentence after leaving a threatening message on a Congress member’s voice mail. Prosecutors say 39-year-old Chase Levi Thibodeaux told the Congress person from New York that he would buy an uzi and shoot federal lawmakers in the streets.

Experts say 2022 has been the worst year for Louisiana sweet potato production in more than 30 years. LSU Ag Center sweet potato specialist Myrl Sistrunk blames inconsistent weather.
Cut 3 (09) “..the state. ”
He says farmers in the northeastern part of the state were hit the hardest.

The National Weather Service says the coldest weather of the season so far is expected in Louisiana by late in the day Thursday, bringing temperatures as low as ten degrees north of I-20 Friday morning. Forecaster Brandon Thorne says strong northwesterly winds, with gusts up to 30-40 mph, will accompany the front.
Cut 12 (08) “…even Saturday.”
South Louisiana will experience wind chill readings in the single digits. And some light snow is possible for north Louisiana.

The attorney representing Kory York believes the now suspended Master Trooper will be found not guilty of the charges from the 2019 in-custody death of Ronald Greene. Mike Small says there will be no plea bargaining as he believes York did not commit any crimes…

Cut 8 (11)  “…in Union Parish.“

Body camera video of the arrest shows York dragging Greene by his ankle shackles and putting his foot on his back to push him down and leaving him face down in the dirt for nearly ten minutes.

A major arctic blast is heading Louisiana’s way. State Climatologist Barry Keim says you’ll need the heavy coats and gloves later this week.

Cut 13 (10) “…below normal.”

The lows on Friday will be in the teens in north Louisiana and the 20s elsewhere.

Governor Edwards held his End of the Year Press Conference today highlighting accomplishments of 2022. Edwards reflected on where the state was in January with the Omicron surge and how cases are much lower now. But the governor pointed out that the healthcare system is still stressed because they are responding to a “tridemic.”

Cut 10 (12) “… boosters.” 

Experts say this year has been the worst year for Louisiana sweet potato production in more than 30 years.  LSU Ag Center sweet potato specialist Myrl Sistrunk says the crop was expensive to plant, due to increased fuel, labor, and pesticide costs. He says production is down as much as 60-percent.

Cut 4 (10)  “…for the state”