A recent Facebook post by the Harahan Police Department is encouraging anyone who has purchased meth in Louisiana to have it tested for the Zika virus.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The State Fire Marshal’s Office has issued cease and desist orders to eight fireworks stands in five parishes for illegal fireworks sales over the holiday weekend.  Investigators confirmed the unlawful sales were taking place at stands in Sabine, Lafayette, Acadia, St. Martin, and Iberia Parishes.  A large warehouse in Acadia Parish found to be storing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of illegal fireworks was also shut down and cited.

A new year begins tomorrow, which means new laws will go into effect, including one that allows you to set up a camera to monitor your elderly loved ones in their nursing home room. The legislation was inspired by a case of suspected abuse of an elderly person by nursing home workers, and River Ridge Representative Kirk Talbot says he’s gotten a lot of positive feedback about the opportunity now available to families. As for the nursing homes…
Cut 11 (11) “…matter what.”
Only one person in Louisiana was sentenced to death this year, David Brown of Lafourche Parish, who was convinced of sexually assaulting, then murdering a mother and her two daughters, and setting their house on fire in 2012. Death Penalty Information Center Executive Director Robert Durham notes that more than half of all death sentences come from 2 percent of counties, or parishes, in the US. He says there’s two parishes in Louisiana that stand out when it comes to the number of death penalties issued.
Cut 8 (08) “…in Louisiana”
Louisiana has not performed an execution since 2010.

After weeks of preparation, LSU and U-C-F will finally play each other tomorrow in the Fiesta Bowl. The Knights bring a 25-game winning streak into the contest and an offense that averages 44 points a game. Last year, U-C-F upset Auburn in the Peach Bowl 34-27. Some say Auburn wasn’t ready to play after losing in the SEC Title game. Tigers Coach Ed Orgeron says his guys are focused and desperately want to win

Cut 13 (12) “…be battle.”

LSU enters the game with a 9-3 record.

And it’s been a busy day of college football, with 6 games on deck today. Earlier Cincinnati beat Virginia Tech 35 to 31. For SEC watchers, you’ll want to catch 19^th Texas A&M play NC State tonight.

Tomorrows New Year’s bowl games start with Mississippi State and Iowa at 11AM, LSU and UCF at 12PM, Kentucky and Penn at 12PM, Washington and Ohio State at 4pm, and Texas and Georgia at 745PM.

The Saints did not look great Sunday, falling 33 to 14 against the Panthers in a game where roughly two thirds of the team either wasn’t suited up, or took the field and didn’t play. But, there was one guy who you could tell was taking it seriously, and that was, wide receiver Mike Thomas, who was chasing history, and setting records. In the fourth quarterThomas caught a six-yard pass to break Joe Horn’s single-season franchise record for receiving yards. Coach Payton says it was nice to see, but it’s overshadowed by the loss…

Cut 18 (15)    winning though” 

Thomas also ends the season with 125 catches, which leads the league. It’s the first time a Saints has led the league in that category since 1969. He also ends with 1,405 yards, good for 4^th in the NFL, and nine TDs.

The Harahan Police Department’s recent offer to screen methamphetamine for the Zika virus has captured the attention of social media and news outlets across the globe.  In a Facebook post, the department encouraged meth users to bring all of their drug to police for free testing.  Police Chief Tim Walker admits there is no meth actually contaminated with the Zika virus.  But has anyone been gullible enough to take him up on the offer of testing meth?
Cut 5 (06) “…would surprise me.”
Only one person in Louisiana was sentenced to death this year, David Brown of Lafourche Parish, who was convinced of sexually assaulting, then murdering a mother and her two daughters, and setting their house on fire in 2012. Death Penalty Information Center Executive Director Robert Durham attributes the decline in support for the death penalty, even in Bayou State, to public awareness of the extensive legal costs, the difficulty of finding chemicals for lethal injection, and the 11 exonerations for death row inmates in Louisiana since 1900.

Cut 7 (06) “…the country”

A new year begins tomorrow, which means new laws will go into effect, including one that allows you to set up a camera to monitor your elderly loved ones in their nursing home room. Since you can’t use the facility’s Wi-Fi, you’ll have to purchase a data plan from a cellular provider that will support the device.  River Ridge Representative Kirk Talbot says it’s for a good reason.
Cut 10 (11) “…of communication”
After weeks of preparation, LSU and U-C-F will finally play each other tomorrow in the Fiesta Bowl. The Knights bring a 25-game winning streak into the contest and an offense that averages 44 points a game. LSU enters the game with a 9-3 record. LSU Coash Ed Orgeron says the seven overtime loss to Texas A-and-M in the regular season finale also serves as motivation in this game…

Cut 14 (11) “…to approach it.”

The Harahan Police Department’s recent offer to screen methamphetamine for the Zika virus has captured the attention of social media and news outlets across the globe.  In a Facebook post, the department encouraged meth users to bring all of their drug to police for free testing.  Police Chief Tim Walker acknowledged the post was a stunt to bring attention to the issue of drug use.

Cut 3 (08) “…their free time.”

Only one person in Louisiana was sentenced to death this year, David Brown of Lafourche Parish, who was convinced of sexually assaulting, then murdering a mother and her two daughters, and setting their house on fire in 2012. Death Penalty Information Center Executive Director Robert Dunham says that follows a nationwide trend of an 85 percent decline in death sentences.

Cut 6 (08) “…the country”

A new year begins tomorrow, which means new laws will go into effect, including one that allows you to set up a camera to monitor your elderly loved ones in their nursing home room. River Ridge Representative Kirk Talbot says the families must pay for the device and installation, cannot use the facility’s Wi-Fi, and…

Cut 9 (06) “…roommate″

After weeks of preparation, LSU and U-C-F will finally play each other tomorrow in the Fiesta Bowl. The Knights bring a 25-game winning streak into the contest and an offense that averages 44 points a game. Last year, U-C-F upset Auburn in the Peach Bowl 34-27. Some say Auburn wasn’t ready to play after losing in the SEC Title game. But LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says his guys are focused and desperately want to win

Cut 13 (12) “…be battle.”

A recent Facebook post by the Harahan Police Department is encouraging anyone who has purchased meth in Louisiana to have it tested for the Zika virus.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The State Fire Marshal’s Office has issued cease and desist orders to eight fireworks stands in five parishes for illegal fireworks sales over the holiday weekend.  Investigators confirmed the unlawful sales were taking place at stands in Sabine, Lafayette, Acadia, St. Martin, and Iberia Parishes.  A large warehouse in Acadia Parish found to be storing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of illegal fireworks was also shut down and cited.

A new year begins tomorrow, which means new laws will go into effect, including one that allows you to set up a camera to monitor your elderly loved ones in their nursing home room. The legislation was inspired by a case of suspected abuse of an elderly person by nursing home workers, and River Ridge Representative Kirk Talbot says he’s gotten a lot of positive feedback about the opportunity now available to families. As for the nursing homes…
Cut 11 (11) “…matter what.”
Only one person in Louisiana was sentenced to death this year, David Brown of Lafourche Parish, who was convinced of sexually assaulting, then murdering a mother and her two daughters, and setting their house on fire in 2012. Death Penalty Information Center Executive Director Robert Durham notes that more than half of all death sentences come from 2 percent of counties, or parishes, in the US. He says there’s two parishes in Louisiana that stand out when it comes to the number of death penalties issued.
Cut 8 (08) “…in Louisiana”
Louisiana has not performed an execution since 2010.

The Harahan Police Department’s recent offer to screen methamphetamine for the Zika virus has captured the attention of social media and news outlets across the globe.  In a Facebook post, the department encouraged meth users to bring all of their drug to police for free testing.  Police Chief Tim Walker admits there is no meth actually contaminated with the Zika virus.  But has anyone been gullible enough to take him up on the offer of testing meth?
Cut 5 (06) “…would surprise me.”
Only one person in Louisiana was sentenced to death this year, David Brown of Lafourche Parish, who was convinced of sexually assaulting, then murdering a mother and her two daughters, and setting their house on fire in 2012. Death Penalty Information Center Executive Director Robert Durham attributes the decline in support for the death penalty, even in Bayou State, to public awareness of the extensive legal costs, the difficulty of finding chemicals for lethal injection, and the 11 exonerations for death row inmates in Louisiana since 1900.

Cut 7 (06) “…the country”

A new year begins tomorrow, which means new laws will go into effect, including one that allows you to set up a camera to monitor your elderly loved ones in their nursing home room. Since you can’t use the facility’s Wi-Fi, you’ll have to purchase a data plan from a cellular provider that will support the device.  River Ridge Representative Kirk Talbot says it’s for a good reason.
Cut 10 (11) “…of communication”
After weeks of preparation, LSU and U-C-F will finally play each other tomorrow in the Fiesta Bowl. The Knights bring a 25-game winning streak into the contest and an offense that averages 44 points a game. But Tigers Coach Ed Orgeron says you can’t overlook U-C-F’s defense led by defensive coordinator Randy Shannon

Cut 12 (12)   “…60 minutes.” 

The Harahan Police Department’s recent offer to screen methamphetamine for the Zika virus has captured the attention of social media and news outlets across the globe.  In a Facebook post, the department encouraged meth users to bring all of their drug to police for free testing.  Police Chief Tim Walker acknowledges it was a ruse and says the social media post has already received over 500,000 views in the two days since it was posted.

Cut 4 (06) “…world its interesting.″
Only one person in Louisiana was sentenced to death this year, David Brown of Lafourche Parish, who was convinced of sexually assaulting, then murdering a mother and her two daughters, and setting their house on fire in 2012. Executive Director Death Penalty Information Center Executive Director Robert Dunham says that follows a nationwide trend of an 85 percent decline in death sentences.
Cut 6 (08) “…the country”

Tomorrow it will be legal to have cameras installed in your loved one’s nursing home room to keep an eye on them. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

2018 will be remembered as a year where Louisiana achieved budget stability by renewing a portion of an expiring one-cent sales tax which allowed the state to fully fund the TOPS scholarship program, public colleges and higher education.

In 2018, the state also lost its title as incarceration capital of the world as a result of criminal justice reform efforts approved in 2017.

The MeToo movement hit the Secretary of State’s office, which led to the resignation of Secretary Tom Schedler. Dawn Ross, spoke with LRN, and said she was the victim of sexually suggestive charged emails, gifts and advances since 2007 from Schedler. Ross says her boss also stalked her and bought a town home in her complex…
Cut 7 (15) “…back there.”

The Harahan Police Department’s recent offer to screen methamphetamine for the Zika virus has captured the attention of social media and news outlets across the globe. In a Facebook post, the department encouraged meth users to bring all of their drug to police for free testing. Police Chief Tim Walker acknowledged the post was a stunt to bring attention to the issue of drug use….
Cut 3 (08) “…their free time.”
Walker admits there is no meth actually contaminated with the Zika virus.

A new year begins tomorrow, which means new laws go into effect, including one that allows you to set up a camera to monitor elderly loved ones in their nursing home room. River Ridge Representative Kirk Talbot says the families must pay for the device and installation, cannot use the facility’s Wi-Fi, and…
Cut 9 (06) “…roommate″
The legislation was inspired by a case of suspected abuse of an elderly person by nursing home workers.

It was an interesting year in state politics. Matt Doyle looks back at 2018…
Cut 1 (53) “I’m Matt Doyle”

The Alllstate Sugar Bowl Fan Fest in New Orleans will once again be part of “Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve” on ABC as the nation ushers in 2019. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (32) “I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

If you are celebrating at home tonight and plan to light off a few fireworks, state fire marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue has this advice…
cut 11 (09) “…alcohol”

The search for a nine-year-old autistic boy in Evangeline Parish resulted in the arrest of the child’s parents on a charge of cruelty to juveniles. Dozens of people searched all day Saturday for nine-year-old Bryson Thibodeaux. He was eventually found in a safe location. But authorities decided to book Paul and Minette Thibodeaux because Bryson and his sister appeared malnourished and they lived in filthy conditions.

One of the more dramatic news days in 2018 was when Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry announced in March the state would not pursue criminal charges against the two white Baton Rouge Police officers who were involved in the 2016 fatal shooting of Alton Sterling, who ws black. Sterling’s relatives are still seeking justice against officers Howie Lake and Blane Salamoni….
cut 8 (05) “…a killer”
A civil lawsuit against the police department, the officers involved and the city-parish remains unsettled heading into 2019.

The state Fire Marshal’s Office has advice for New Year’s Eve amateur pyro technicians…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve will once again show how New Orleans rings in a new year. Country music sensations Florida Georgia Line and Maren Morris will perform near Jax Brewery and A-B-C will show portions of the concert. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says it’s good exposure for the state’s tourism industry…
cut 15 (11) “….watched the Grammys”
For those interested in attending the Allstate Fan Fest, it’s free and gates for all the activities open at noon at the Jax Brewery parking lot.