Thousands are making their way to their Christmas destination today where they’ll spend the weekend with family and friends. Triple-A spokesperson Don Redman says more than 103 million Americans will travel between today and January 2nd…
cut 27 (07) “….smashed that”
Redman say many people are comfortable with hitting the road, because of the second cheapest New Year’s gas prices in nearly a decade.

Authorities say a 75-year-old woman is lucky to be alive after she was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and stuffed in the trunk of her own vehicle. Franklin Parish Sheriff Kevin Cobb says the elderly victim escaped from the trunk in Wisner…
cut 16 (07) “….own live”
Cobb says her attacker, 32-year-old Jimmy Edward Franklin, was taken into custody this morning in Franklin Parish.

Wooden structures are lined up along the Mississippi River levee in St. James Parish where they’ll be set on fire as part of the Festival of Bonfires tomorrow night. Festival spokesperson Jason Amato says once again there are some creative bonfire builders…
cut 5 (10) “…Cajun navy”
Amato says they light the bonfires at 7 p.m. sharp, but he encourages spectators to be there at 5 p.m.

Children are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus tomorrow night. The North American Aerospace Defense Command began tracking Santa’s trip around the world in 1955. Lt. Commaner Paul Noel says there was a misprint in the paper urging children to call and talk to Santa, instead it connected them to the Continental Air Defense Command…..
cut 13 (08) “…that night”
Now you can track Santa’s movements through the NORAD Santa app.

A 32-year-old man is in the Franklin Parish detention center after he allegedly kidnapped, sexually assaulted and forced a 74-year-old woman into the trunk of her car. Franklin Parish Sheriff Kevin Cobb says 32-year-old Jimmy Edward Franklin was eventually taken into custody in a wooded area early this morning after a pursuit by law enforcement. Cobb says Franklin has a lengthy criminal history…
cut 14 (06) “…of things”
Cobb says they are not sure on a motive and the victim is doing okay, considering the ordeal she went through.

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning is asking residents that have a real Christmas tree to make sure they are properly watered, because when they dry out, the tree becomes a fire hazard….
cut 7 (11) “…a fire”
Folks in the Lutcher-Gramercy area are getting ready for tomorrow night’s Festival of Bonfires in St. James Parish. Festival spokesperson Jason Amato says there’s a few stories about how the tradition got started and locals tell people to pick the one they like best….
cut 4 (11) “….Santa Claus”
Amato says they light the bonfires at 7 PM sharp.

And if you want to track Santa Claus tomorrow night, the folks at the North American Aerospace Defense Command have you covered. Lt. Commander Paul Noel says they took over 141-thousand calls and emails last year…
cut 12 (11) “…yuletide journey”
Families can monitor Santa’s journey through the NORAD Track Sanata app.

Thousands of people are expected to turnout for St. James Parish’s biggest Christmas Eve tradition- the Festival of Bonfires. Don Molino has more…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Don Molino”

A Franklin parish man is behind bars following a violent crime spree that ended with the suspect firing shots at officers in a high speed chase. Authorities say 32-year-old Jimmy Franklin kidnapped a 74-year-old woman from Catahoula Parish. Franklin faces multiple charges including kidnapping, rape, theft, and attempted murder.

Children around the country are getting ready to keep track of Santa’s journey, with a little help from the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD. Lt. Commander Paul Noel says making sure the skies are safe over North America is part of NORAD’s mission, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Cut 11 (08) “Santa’s journey”

Noel says families can monitor Santa’s route through the NORAD Track Santa app or online at NORADSanta.org, and you can call 1-877-HI-NORAD.

Here’s a look at today’s midday commodity prices…

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Christmas Eve is a time for family traditions, and that means something a little different in St. James Parish- the Festival of Bonfires. Festival spokesperson Jason Amato says they have over 135 bonfires lined up on the levee tomorrow night…:
Cut 3 (11) “Mardi Gras”
He encourages spectators to be there at 5 p.m.

There are many Louisiana soldiers currently serving our country who are not able to be with their families for Christmas. They’d like to send a message home. U.S. Army Capt. Javiya Williams is sending her love home to Rapides Parish…:
Cut 8 (11) “can’t wait to see you”
You can view all Louisiana Military Holiday Greetings online at dvidshub.net.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, is gearing up to track Santa’s journey around the world. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning has some advice for families to prevent your holiday get together from going up in smoke. He says home chefs need to stay safe in the kitchen.
Cut 6 (10) “unattended”

The year-end holiday travel period, as defined by AAA, begins today and this year is expected to reach the highest level on record. Jeff Palermo reports…:
Cut 4 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The Franklin Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating a disturbing case of a 74-year-old woman who was allegedly kidnapped and tossed in a trunk at her home in Cataholua Parish. They say she was able to escape in Wisner and when cops made contact with the suspect, 32 year-old Jimmy Edward Franklin, he fired upon deputies. He faces numerous charges including aggravated kidnapping, rape and arson.

Unfortunately the flu season arrives with the holiday season, but Dr. Frank Welch with the Department of Health has some ways people can avoid getting sick when celebrating with others…:
Cut 1 (11) “family gatherings”
He there are a lot of sniffles going around as the number of flu cases is up about 1.5% over the past week or so.

Only hours remain to finish up your Christmas shopping in time for the big day. LSU marketing professor Ofer Mintz has some advice for people heading out to fight the crowds the day before Christmas Eve…:
Cut 15 (08) “don’t hesitate”
He says the most popular present to get at this late in the game is a gift card which many people enjoy.

Dr. Frank Welch with the Department of Health says the number of flu cases is up about 1.5% over the past week or so. He says public health officials are also watching for potential outbreaks of other illnesses like the mumps where there’s been a large outbreak in norther Arkansas…:
CUT 5 (09) “going around”
He says wash your hands frequently, cover your cough, and if you are sick, try to stay away from family gatherings.

A chemical plant in LaPlace has agreed to try to cut its emissions by 85% by the end of next year after the Environmental Protection Agency said the facility regularly discharges a chemical that is likely to cause cancer. Denka Performance Elastomer said they will spend millions on technology that will reduce the amount of the chemical that’s released into the air. The company estimates residents should start to see reduced emissions within six months.

The year-end holiday travel period, as defined by AAA, begins today and this year is expected to reach the highest level on record. Spokesman Don Redman says more than 103 million Americans are forecast to travel today through January 2nd…:
CUT 7 (10) “smashed that”
He feels that’s driven in part by the second cheapest New Year’s gas prices in nearly a decade.

It’s game day for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs as they are set to kickoff against Navy this afternoon in the Armed Forces Bowl. The contest features Tech’s Trent Taylor who has caught 124 passes for 15-hundred yards and ten touchdowns and is one of the top wide receivers in the game. Voice of the Bulldogs, Dave Nitz…:
CUT 11 (12) “gets open”
The game will be televised by ESPN.

Flu season is here, just in time for the holidays. Don Molino has more on how to stay healthy this holiday season…:
CUT 1 (29) “I’m Don Molino”

Governor John Bel Edwards has allowed the release of a Jefferson Parish man who was convicted of murdering his wife in 1984. A governor’s office spokeswoman said the decision was based on 60-year-old Kerry Myers’ conduct, a large portion of his sentence being served and the fact that the victim’s family testified in support of him at a board hearing.

More people than ever are expected to travel for the holiday period that begins today through January 2nd. That’s according to AAA spokesman Don Redman who says low gas prices and increased consumer optimism will prompt more than 103 million Americans to take a trip out of town. He says more than $27 billion was saved at the pump so far this year…:
Cut 9 (09) “previous record”
He says 91% of travelers will be taking a road trip.

LSU marketing professor Ofer Mintz doesn’t think stores will be too crowded today, even as hours remain to finish up shopping before Christmas. He expects walk-in stores to see more business since it’s too late to order online, and they will use that to their advantage..:
CUT 14 (10) “other things”
Kohl’s is one of the stores trying to cut last-minute shoppers some slack by being open 24 hours per day through 6 p.m. Saturday.

The year-end holiday travel period, as defined by AAA, begins today and this year is expected to reach the highest level on record. Jeff Palermo reports…:
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A Houma substitute teacher has been arrested for allegedly having sex with teenagers. Police say they received a report about sexual misconduct between 30-year-old Heidi Verret and three students. The investigation found that Verret was having inappropriate conversations with a 12-year-old on social media. Detectives say they later found that Verret had sex with three teenagers at her home over the course of several months. She faces one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile and three counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile.

Only hours remain to finish up your Christmas shopping in time for the big day. LSU marketing professor Ofer Mintz doesn’t expect the stores will be too crowded today and tomorrow, and he says last minute shoppers can still find good deals…:
Cut 13 (10) “bargains there”
He says retailers will be moving their major deals into their stores and off the web since it’s too late to ship before Christmas, so be on the lookou.

A high scoring game is expected this afternoon when Louisiana Tech takes on Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl. The Bulldogs average 44 points a game, while the Midshipmen score points with a relentless ground attack. But the Voice of the Bulldogs, Dave Nitz, says Navy’s leading rusher, Will Worth, is out with an injury…:
Cut 10 (11) “in Ft. Worth”
The ESPN game kicks off at 3:30.

The year-end holiday travel period, as defined by AAA, begins today and this year is expected to reach the highest level on record. Spokesman Don Redman says more than 103 million Americans are forecast to travel today through January 2nd, a 1.5% increase over 2015…:
CUT 7 (10) “smashed that”
Redman says increased travel this year is being driven by additional consumer spending because the labor market is improving and wages are rising.

And unfortunately, with the holiday season comes flu season. Dr. Frank Welch with LDH says we’re seeing a slight uptick in the number of flu cases in Louisiana…:
cut 4 (08) “1.5 percent”
Welch says illness is more prevalent this time of year because so many people stay indoors, which allows viruses to spread.

A Houma substitute teacher has been arrested for allegedly having sex with teenagers. Halen Doughty has the story…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

A judge in Baton Rouge says Angola officials need to keep using the new ways for controlling heat levels on death row. He didn’t require air conditioning, just said the state should keep ice chests modified to blow cool air into the inmates cells during the summer heat. This is a result of a lawsuit from 2013 saying keeping death row dangerously hot is cruel and unusual punishment.

A Houma substitute teacher has been arrested for allegedly having sex with teenagers. Police say they received a report about sexual misconduct between 30-year-old Heidi Verret and three students. Detectives say Verret allegedly had sex with three teenagers at her home over the course of several months. The ages of the victims ranged from 15 to 16-years-old.

Followers of the Webster Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Instagram account got an unexpected surprise, courtesy of 61-year-old Executive Director Lynn Dorsey

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

Governor John Bel Edwards defends his brother Tangipahoa Sheriff Daniel Edwards following FBI raids at both the Sheriff’s Office and the Hammond Police Department. Edwards says he doesn’t know what the federal agents could be looking for.

Cut 3 (11) “my brother Daniel”

An FBI spokesperson says they were carrying out court ordered actions during the December 15 raids.

The West Monroe High School band has been selected to march in the Presidential Inaugural parade. Band director Robert Freeman says they’ll play a new version of the Louisiana medley they performed at President George W. Bush’s second inauguration.

Cut 7 (10) “musical gumbo”
Freeman says the trip will cost each student about $600.