Louisiana has a new tool in the fight against COVID-19: an app that lets you know if you have had close contact with a COVID-positive individual. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Saturday night in Lake Charles around 7:30 Calcasieu Sheriff’s deputies arrived at a grocery store on Highway 14 for an alleged stabbing. Investigators say a fight between several girls resulted in a 15-year-old girl getting stabbed. She later died at a nearby hospital. Four female girls were arrested and booked into Juvenile detention. One is charged with 2nd degree murder the other 3 principals to 2nd degree.

The Louisiana Department of Insurance has received 691 formal complaints about home insurance companies related to issues stemming from Hurricanes Laura, Delta, and Zeta.
Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says most of those complaints are related to companies’ failure to communicate with policyholders.
Cut 10 (09) “…resolved.”

Qualifying for the March Congressional special elections is set with 15 candidates running in the 2nd district race and 13 candidates in the 5th.
Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Congressman-elect Luke Letlow’s widow, Republican Julia Letow, is a shoo-in to win the 5th and likely to win it outright in the March 20th primary.
Cut 13 (12) “….vote”

The state has released a COVID contact tracing app that lets you know if you’ve been in contact with someone who has tested positive.
State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says the app is designed to sense nearby phones, and with that data let you know if you’ve been near a positive case.
Cut 4 (10) “…measures.”
The app requires you to opt in to voluntarily allowing the service to utilize your Bluetooth.
Louisiana has been told by the federal government to expect a flat amount of weekly vaccine allocations for the next four to five weeks, which means about 58-thousand doses a week. Governor Edwards says state leaders were previously told that once vaccines became available there would be a steady increase…
Cut 7 (12) “..happening yet.”

The field of candidates for the 2nd and 5th Congressional district special elections is now set. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

314-thousand vaccine doses have been deployed in Louisiana but the much-hyped ramp-up of vaccinations won’t be coming for at least another month or more. State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter expects the allocation to remain flat for the next four to five weeks…

Cut 14 (15) ” doing that” 

Gas prices have jumped twenty cents in just the last month. Louisiana Oil and Gas Association interim President Mike Moncla says it’s partly due to the industry foreseeing the Biden Administration’s oil and gas policies like revoking the Keystone Pipeline and halting new leases…

Cut 7 (09) “..goes up.”

The Administration says the moves are needed to help combat catastrophic global warming by lowering the nation’s carbon output. President Biden has pushed for the country to become carbon neutral by 2050.

A St. John The Baptist pastor, and alleged child murderer is running for Congress in Louisiana’s 5^th District. Errol Victor Sr. was convicted of murdering his stepson with the child’s mother and was featured on America’s Most Wanted after fleeing following the alleged murder but is getting a retrial due to a non-unanimous conviction. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley doesn’t give him much of a shot and wonders why he’s running…

Cut 4 (10) “….who knows” 

New Orleans City Park will be hosting “Floats in the Oaks” starting February 7^th to showcase this year’s floats that won’t be rolling due to the pandemic. Delgado baseball coach Joe Scheurmann first came up with the idea and says this allows people to celebrate differently than they normally would.

Cut 10 (13) “…they go”

The third surge of the pandemic seems to be subsiding in Louisiana, but state health officials warn our percent positivity rate on COVID tests statewide is still over ten percent. Governor John Bel Edwards says the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has fallen below 18-hundred, but…

Cut 12 (09) “…delivery system” 

This weekend we will likely surpass the 8,000 total death mark from COVID-19.

New Orleans’ Mardi Gras parades may be canceled but you can still catch a hint of carnival at City Park starting February 7^th. It’s Floats in the Oaks, a drive-through experience where floats from major parades will be displayed like they would the park’s famed Christmas decorations.  Delgado baseball coach Joe Scheurmann came up with the idea and it caught fire once he put it on Facebook.

Cut 9 (12) “..went viral”

A controversial figure has joined the race for the 5^th Congressional District: a man who was convicted of murdering his 8-year-old stepson with the help of the child’s mother but is awaiting a retrial in the case. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (31) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington”  

Broadcast legend Larry King is dead at 87. King made his name in New York but had a little known four-year stint in Shreveport where he did freelance writing, worked PR, and even was the broadcaster for the short-lived Shreveport Streamer, the World Football League time that set up shop in northwest Louisiana for a spell.

The state is highly likely to pass a grim pandemic milestone this weekend: over 8,000 COVID-19 related deaths. While we seem to be coming out of the third surge of the virus Governor Edwards warns it will take awhile for the number of new daily deaths to drop…

Cut 13 (07)“unacceptably high”

The state health department also reports that 314-thousand vaccine doses have been administered.

The Louisiana Oil and Gas Association warns the Biden Administration’s anti-oil opening salvo of executive orders is a blow to the industry. Louisiana Oil and Gas Association interim president Mike Moncla…

Cut 6 (12) “industry”

The Administration says the restrictions are vital to reduce the nation’s carbon output and avoid catastrophic levels of global temperature increases in the future.

A man who was convicted of murdering his eight year old stepson, but if awaiting a retrial due to a non-unanimous conviction is running for Congress in the 5^th district. Errol Victor Sr. a pastor from St. John the Baptist, is one of 13 candidates, but ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says even if he ends up winning he may not end up serving in office…

Cut 5  (11) “…Congressperson.” 

Victor is registered as a Republican and made national headlines in 2012 when he along with his wife, were captured and arrested in Georgia after being featured on “America’s Most Wanted”.

Legendary broadcaster and interviewer Larry King has passed away at the age of 87. Larry is most known for his career in the Big Apple but before taking the trip up north he worked in Shreveport from 71 to 75 as a freelance writer, PR person, and radio broadcaster for the Shreveport Steamer World Football League team.

Saints fans can feel it in the air: last Sunday’s loss to the Bucs was the end of an era that yielded one Championship ring and numerous playoff appearances. Unfortunately for the Saints with Drew Brees still unannounced but expected retirement and their cap woes next season could be brutual. Reports indicate the Saints could be as much as 109 million dollars over the cap right now. Despite that coach Sean Payton is optimistic they’ll be back in the playoffs even though a number of players are on expiring contracts…

Cut 17 (29) “…for the Saints” (cut down)

Payton expects next year’s QB is already on the roster, either free agent Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill.

ULM’s losing streak stretches to five in a row after falling 57-47 to Texas State. The Warhawks got a good performance out of guard Marco Morency who put up 18 points and six rebounds but saw the rest of the team fail to crack eight points. ULM and Texas State are back in action today at 4 PM.

Dominant win for the Cajuns over Arkansas State last night. UL Lafayette took down the Red Wolves 81-68 on a strong team effort that saw three players hit double-digit scoring. They continue the series today at 4 PM.

Tech’s three-game win streak came to an end last night 82-74 against UTEP despite a big game from forward Kenneth Lofton. Lofton put up 20 and 13. that series continues today at 7 PM.

Southeastern and Northwestern are at it today in Hammond at 4 PM.

The Pelicans look to salvage their season tonight at 7 PM against the 3 and 10 Timberwolves. It’s their last game of a brutal road stretch that saw them go 1 and five over their last six.

The state looks likely to surpass 8,000 total COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic this weekend. Governor Edwards says while we seem to be exiting this third wave of the pandemic unfortunately our currently high number of daily deaths will drag on for awhile longer…

Cut 13 (07)“unacceptably high”

The state health department also reports that 314-thousand vaccine doses have been administered.

A St. John The Baptist pastor who was convicted of murdering his eight year old stepson, but is awaiting a retrial due to a non-unanimous conviction, has signed up to run for Congress in the 5^th District. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Errol Victor Sr. is legally allowed to run right now…

Cut 3 (12)  “…circumstances.”

Gas prices have risen from 37 dollars a barrel just before the Presidential election to 55 dollars a barrel today. Louisiana Oil and Gas Association interim president Mike Moncla says it’s an industry response to the Biden Admin’s oil-hostile policy…

Cut 7 (09) “..goes up.”

The Administration backs recent orders like revocation of the Keystone permit, saying reducing the nation’s carbon output is crucial to ensuring the world doesn’t suffer catastrophic global warming.

While there won’t be any Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans due to the Coronavirus pandemic, folks will be able to experience a drive-thru Mardi Gras event in New Orleans City Park. Delgado baseball coach Joe Scheurmann says once he posted this idea on his Facebook page it gained a lot of traction.

Cut 9 (12) “..went viral”