Governor John Bel Edwards says his heart breaks for those families who are still unable to be in their flood damaged homes for Christmas. Congress approved $438 million for flood recovery in September, and an additional $1.2 billion was allocated in December. The governor says hopefully things will get moving soon…:
CUT 8 (09) “with FEMA”
Edwards says thanks to the Shelter At Home program, more than 10-thousand families were able to move back into their homes while repairs continue.

He made the comments Wednesday and an end of the year news conference where he also defended his brother, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards, whose office was raided by FBI agents last week. The governor said he isn’t sure what exactly agents were looking for, but he’s confident that his brother did not engage in anything improper or illegal. The Hammond Police Department was also searched by the feds amid a federal drug probe.

Grant Parish officials are defending their nativity scene outside of the parish courthouse after the ACLU of Louisiana sent a letter to the parish police jury. Jeff Palermo has more…:
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Most Entergy Louisiana customers will be getting a refund on next month’s bill; then a small ongoing rate decrease. Company spokesperson Mike Burns says it’s the result of an agreement reached between Entergy and the PSC…:
Cut 15 (08) “43-cents”

With Christmas this weekend, there are still thousands of flood victims that are still not in their homes. Governor John Bel Edwards says his heart breaks for those families and promises they are doing what they can to get people back as quickly as possible…:
CUT 7 (10) “happened before”
He says the federal red tape is the biggest problem right now.

Many Entergy Louisiana customers will see a refund on their January bills. Halen Doughty has more…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

The ACLU of Louisiana has sent a letter to the Grant Parish Police Jury in regards to a nativity scene set up in front of the parish courthouse. Executive Director Marjorie Esman says the display only caters to one faith….:
Cut 10 (09) “different faiths”
Grant Parish District Attorney Jay Lemoine says the courthouse has been decorated for years with both religious and secular symbols. He says the nativity scene isn’t the only holiday decoration on display…:
cut 11 (10) “secular symbols”
Lemoine believes the complaint came from someone out of town who chose not to handle his concerns in a civilized manner.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office says the father accused of kidnapping his infant baby has been located and arrested. The suspect is identified as 24-year-old Cameron Davis.

Governor John Bel Edwards says his heart breaks for flood victims who
are still displaced during the holidays. Jeff Palermo has more on the
ongoing flood recovery efforts…:
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Many Entergy Louisiana customers will see a refund on their January
bills. Company spokesperson Mike Burns …:
cut 14 (09) “rate decrease”
Burns says the refund was approved by the Public Service Commission
Wednesday.

Louisiana’s population has grown very little, according to the latest
census data. Demographer Greg Rigamer says the nation as a whole changed
more than 4-percent from 2010 to 2016, while the southern region changed
about 6.5-percent. He says Louisiana saw a 3-percent change over the
same period…:
cut 4 (12) “in the state”
The census data shows the state’s population has increased by about 12-
thousand residents since 2015.

Louisiana’s wildlife and fisheries secretary sent a letter to Governor
John Bel Edwards indicating he is resigning immedialtly saying some in
his department have been making the cleanup of the agency’s money
problems difficult. Charlie Melancon has clashed with LDWF employees and
it was announced he’d leave in February, but he’s decided to quit now.

State Police Colonel Mike Edmonson announces that troopers will begin wearing body cameras next year. Edmonson says law enforcement around the state are changing their training methods to better prepare officers for the field, and the footage from these cameras will help improve their methods…
cut 13 (11) ‘…look at”
The cameras will be paid for through existing dollars in the State Police budget.

Governor John Bel Edwards met with reporters today and outlined his goals for 2017. Edwards says his administration also plans on tackling criminal justice reform…
cut 11 (09) “…saved money”
He says addressing long-term structural budget reform is also a top priority.

State wildlife biologists have determined that a picture of a four-legged animal taken in Morehouse Parish is that of a cougar. It’s the first time the state has been able to verify a cougar sighting since 2011. Maria Davidson says cougars are known to travel hundreds of miles, so it’s likely the animal is no longer in Louisiana, but they encourage the public to report any physical evidence of cougar sightings…
cut 8 (09) “…orginated from”

There’s a new report that shows women earn on average 76-percent of the salary men make in Louisiana. Tulane Business Professor Mark Rosa says business owners agree with the concept of equal pay for equal work, but it’s hard to make it a reality when job duties are diffferent…
cut 5 (07) “…to pay”

Governor John Bel Edwards says his heart breaks for flood victims who are still displaced during the holidays. Jeff Palermo has more on the ongoing flood recovery efforts…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Grant Parish officials are defending their nativity scene outside of the parish courthouse after the ACLU of Louisiana sent a letter to the parish police jury. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Many Entergy Louisiana customers will see a refund on their January bills. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

_____________________________________________

Louisiana’s population has grown very little, according to the latest census data. Demographer Greg Rigamer says the nation as a whole changed more than 4-percent from 2010 to 2016, while the southern region changed about 6.5-percent. He says Louisiana saw a 3-percent change over the same period.

cut 4  (12) “in the state”

Rigamer says in 2010, Louisiana ranked 25^th in the nation for population, and we still rank 25^th today. He says job loss could be pushing some working people out of the state. He says while Louisiana saw a small growth, Mississippi’s population decreased slightly.

Cut 5  (08)  “great surprise”

The census data shows the state’s population has increased by about 12-thousand residents since 2015. Rigamer says at this point it seems Louisiana’s population is in a holding pattern.

Cut 6 (08) “that we are”

___________________________________________________

With Christmas this weekend, there are still thousands of flood victims that are still not in their homes, and Governor John Bel Edwards says his heart breaks for families that are displaced during the holidays. He says they are doing what they can to get them back home as quickly as possible.

CUT 7 (10)  “happened before”

Congress approved $438 million for flood recovery in September, and an additional $1.2 billion was allocated in December. Edwards says the biggest challenge with getting federal funds into the hands of those that need it, is all the federal red tape. But he says hopefully the wait is almost over for displaced flood victims.

Cut 8 (09) “with FEMA”

Edwards says thanks to the Shelter At Home program, more than 10-thousand families were able to move back into their homes while repairs continue. He says only 400 homes in the program are left to be repaired. He says the biggest challenge they faced with the program is communicating with the public so homeowners had realistic expectations.

Cut 9 (09)  “would prefer”

________________________________________

The ACLU of Louisiana has sent a letter to the Grant Parish Police Jury in regards to a nativity scene set up in front of the parish courthouse. Executive Director Marjorie Esman says the display only caters to one faith.

Cut 10 (09) “different faiths”

Grant Parish District Attorney Jay Lemoine says the court house has been decorated for years with both religious and secular symbols. He says the nativity scene in front of the courthouse isn’t the only holiday decorations on display.

cut 11 (10) “secular symbols”

Esman says while they aren’t recommending any specific changes to the decorations, there are several ways the parish can make the display more inclusive.

cut 12 (11) “other faiths”

Esman says the ACLU received a complaint from someone who sent a picture of the scene. Lemoine says they are happy to discuss the decorations in a civilized manner with anyone who has concerns, but that’s not what happened.

Cut 13 (10) “quite hostile”

________________________________________

Many Entergy Louisiana customers will see a refund on their January bills. Entergy Louisiana spokesperson Mike Burns says this is good news for everyone, as it comes just in time for the cold weather when customers will be using energy to heat their homes.

cut 14 (09) “rate decrease”

Burns says the refund of about $40 is based on an average customer who uses about a thousand kilowatts a month. He says the refunds will appear on Entergy Louisiana customers’ January bills.

Cut 15 (08) “43-cents”

Entergy customers in north Louisiana and those who live in southeast Louisiana, but not the city itself, will get the refund and the small rate reduction. Burns says the refund was approved by the Public Service Commission Wednesday. He says it allocates the $140 million cost for replacing steam generators at the Waterford 3 nuclear plant in St. Charles Parish.

Cut 16 (06) “customer groups”

Governor John Bel Edwards took time today to reflect on what he says has been a rewarding but challenging year as well. Jeff Palermo has the story…
voicer 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

Some Entergy customers will see a refund on their January bill. The refund is a result of an agreement approved by state regulators regarding a dispute over 140-million dollars in repairs to the Waterford 3 nuclear power plant. The typical refund will be worth about 40-dollars and there will be a small reduction in monthy rates going forward.

Next year State Police will begin equipping 700 troopers with a body camera. State Police Colonel Mike Edmonson says each trooper will be quipped with two cameras, and they will automatically turn on if a trooper activates a stun gun. Edmonson hopes these new cameras will improve transparency between police and citizens…
cut 14 (09) “…being honest”
Troopers in New Orleans will be the first to get the body cameras and they hope to have them statewide by next summer.

A trail camera in Morehouse Parish captured a pic of a live wild cougar in November and it’s been authenticated by the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. L-D-W-F biologist Maria Davidson says it’s the first verified cougar sighting in Louisiana since 2011. She says it’s likely this animal has moved on from the area…:
CUT 7 (09) “the same place”

State Police announced today that Louisiana is the first state that will equip all state troopers with body cameras. Don Molino has more…
Cut 2 (26) “I’m Don Molino”

Governor John Bel Edwards calls 2016 a challenging year. Edwards says he entered office and immediately addressed an unprecedented budget deficit by making cuts and raising revenues through tax increases…:
Cut 9 (09) “myself in”
He say the most difficult day was July 17th, that’s when three police officers were killed in Baton Rouge.

Louisiana wildlife and fisheries secretary Charlie Melancon tells the Associated Press that he’s resigning immediately, because people in the office are making it difficult for him to implement reforms to improve the department’s finances. After clashing with recreational fishermen and employees with L-D-W-F, it was announced that Melancon would leave in February, but he’s decided to step down now.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries confirms the first sighting of a wild cougar in the state since 2011. It said a trail camera picture sent to the department in November out of Morehouse Parish is authentic. L-D-W-F biologist Maria Davidson says this is unusual as there is no cougar population here:
CUT 6 (10) “thousands of miles”
She says they move so fast that there is little chance the cougar would still be in Northeast Louisiana.

Governor John Bel Edwards met with reporters today outlined his goals for 2017. Edwards says addressing long-term structural budget reform, so that Louisiana has a fair and predictable tax structure is a priority. Edwards says his administration also plans on tackling criminal justice reform…
cut 11 (09) “…saved money”

Louisiana will become the first state to equip all State Troopers with body cameras. State Police Col. Mike Edmonson says they hope all troopers in the state will have body cameras before this summer. He says they plan to start rolling out the first round of body cams after the holidays.
cut 12 (10) “up first”
Existing dollars in L-S-P’s budget will pay for it.

State wildlife biologists have determined that a picture of a four-legged animal taken in Morehouse Parish is that of a cougar. It’s the first time the state has been able to verify a cougar sighting since 2011. Maria Davidson says cougars are known to travel hundreds of miles, so it’s likely the animal is no longer in Louisiana, but they encourage the public to report any physical evidence of cougar sightings…
cut 8 (09) “…orginated from”

Louisiana women earned about 76% of what their male counterparts earned from 2014-2015, according to the Us Bureau of Labor Statistics. Tulane business professor Dr. Mark Rosa says almost no one would argue that women and men should be paid the same, but there are a lot of labor intensive jobs in Louisiana..:
CUT 4 (09) “welding job”

Governor John Bel Edwards met with reporters today to talk about the challenges and successes of 2016. Edwards says his most difficult day in office came on July 17th when a gunman shot six Baton Rouge law enforcement officers, killing three of them. He says the two historic floods were also challenging…
cut 10 (12) “…13 individuals”

Governor Edwards has fought for Equal Pay during his time in office and there’s a new report that shows women earn on average 76-percent of the salary men make in Louisiana. Tulane Business Professor Mark Rosa says business owners agree with the concept of equal pay for equal work, but it’s hard to make it a reality when job duties are diffferent…
cut 5 (07) “…to pay”

State Police Colonel Mike Edmonson announces that troopers will begin wearing body cameras next year. Edmonson says law enforcement around the state are changing their training methods to better prepare officers for the field, and the footage from these cameras will help improve their methods. He says from a training perspective, this is a homerun….
cut 13 (11) ‘…look at”
The cameras will be paid for through the existing State Police budget at a cost of five-point-three million dollars over five years.

A Mississippi man has been charged with arson for starting a fire that caused damage to the ULM waterski house. Campus surveillance captured video footage and authorities have determined that 36-year-old Michael Daquilla of Centerville allegedly set fire to the building. Daquilla has no known connections to ULM.

Governor John Bel Edwards took time today to reflect on what he says has been a rewarding but challenging year as well. Jeff Palermo has the story…:
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Governor Edwards also appeared with State Police Col Mike Edmonson today to announce that Louisiana will become the first state in the nation to supply all state troopers with body cameras. Edmonson says they plan to roll out the cameras in the French Quarter next year and expand from there. He adds the cost will be about $5.3 million over the next five years with money from the existing budget.

A trail camera in Morehouse Parish captured a pic of a live wild cougar, and it’s been authenticated by the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Maria Davidson is LDWF’s Large Carnivore Program Manager. She says they got the picture in November and it’s not likely that this animal is still in Northeast Louisiana…:
CUT 7 (09) “the same place”
She says they encourage people to report any physical evidence of cougar sightings.

Many people don’t know that when they buy an item online from a retailer that doesn’t tack on state and local sales taxes, consumers are responsible for reporting the purchase. Amazon is going to begin automatically adding the taxes in January according to Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson…:
CUT 13 (09) “on me”
She says the state should see an improvement in collections as a result of this.