A Texas woman is arrested in Bossier Parish, accused of stealing an ambulance from Dallas.  Louisiana State Police located the stolen ambulance on Interstate 20, about eight miles into the state and attempt a traffic stop.  Trooper Brent Hardy says that’s when 19-year-old Kendall Tyson then kicked up the speed.
Cut 3 (08)  “…encountering slow traffic.” 
The traffic enabled authorities to bring the chase to a stop.  Tyson is charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, aggravated flight, resisting by false information, misrepresentation during booking, DWI, and driving without a license.
Committee assignments have been divided up for House Appropriations and House Ways and Means. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the Senate saw a total takeover by conservatives, so it’s still unlikely many Democratic priorities will make it the Governor, but they now may be more likely to make it to the House floor than last year.
Cut 12 (09) “…agree on”

A Plaquemine man is arrested for elder abuse after authorities say they discovered a woman in her 70s in a home lying in a hospital bed covered in filth and animal feces. Iberville Sheriff Brett Stassi says neighbors reported not having seen the woman for months. When deputies arrived to investigate, they arrested 54-year-old Galen Marcantel after discovering…
Cut 6 (09) “…the house.”
Marcantel has been charged with cruelty to persons with infirmities.
About 300 needle incineration devices are being distributed to first responders in East Baton Rouge, Terrebonne, and Point Coupee parishes.  The device is the SANDD-mini, which stands for sharps and needles destruction device.  CEO of Redhawk Holdings, the company behind the device, Darcy Klug says while the needle is destroyed, it doesn’t tamper with any possible evidence.
Cut 14 (11) “…needle stick injury.”

The device has the potential to save taxpayer dollars as a single needle stick injury can top $30k in workers comp costs.

A Tulane study conducted in Texas shows minorities face longer wait times, and more questions when attempting to make an appointment with a primary care doctor. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle”

A third person is arrested in connection to the investigation of former Livingston Parish Sheriff’s deputy Dennis Perkins and his wife Cynthia, a former school teacher.  The couple is accused of child rape, producing child porn, feeding desserts laced in bodily fluids to school children, and sexual abuse of an animal.  41-year-old Melanie Curtin of Denham Springs was apprehended Saturday in New Orleans as she was returning from a cruise on charges of video voyeurism and first degree rape.  Curtin is a former employee of the Livingston Sheriff’s Office.

New Orleans-based Urban South Brewery is opening its first satellite location. Louisiana’s second-largest craft beer brewery is opening a taproom that will also serve as a research and development facility in Houston. Houston location taproom manager Marin Slanina says they plan on bringing over some of the New Orleans brews like the Holy Roller IPA and putting a Texas twist on them.
Cut 8 (09) “…New Orleans location.”

The grand opening is February 29^th.
Assignments for two key House committees are in and Democrats have increased their representation relative to the last term thanks to the bipartisan coalition that elected Speaker Clay Schexnayder.  The coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats now narrowly controls Ways and Means and Appropriations, and political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says that could stymie conservative priorities, causing inter-GOP friction…

Cut 11 (09) “…repairable.”

Democrats may have lost big in last fall’s House legislative races, but their alliance with moderate Republicans in the Speaker election appears to have paid off. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Pat Brister, former president of St. Tammany Parish and Chairwoman of the Louisiana Republican Party has passed away at the age of 73. A cause of death was not given but in a statement announcing her death, Brister is described as a role model, mentor, and trailblazer for women in Louisiana politics. Brister was St. Tammany president for eight years before losing a re-election bid last November.

A Tulane survey finds compared to white callers, minorities have three to seven day longer wait times to get a call back for scheduling with a primary care physician. Professor Brig Walker says minority callers also faced more questions…
Cut 4 (12) “…callers.”
The field study was conducted in Texas.

New Orleans-based Urban South Brewery is opening its first satellite location. Louisiana’s second-largest craft beer brewery is opening a taproom that will also serve as a research and development facility in Houston. Houston location taproom manager Marin Slanina says the expansion has been in the work for about two years.
Cut 7 (08) “…the Houston area.”
Slanina says the company is keeping a finger on the pulse of the ever-evolving craft beer industry and says that it could result in some beers created at the Houston location making its way to taps at the mothership location.

Committee assignments have been divided up for House Appropriations and House Ways and Means. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats outnumber conservative legislators and that could cause inter-GOP friction if conservative priorities fail to pass…
cut 11 (09) “….repairable”

Tulane University researchers found black and Hispanic patients had to answer more questions and received primary care appointments further in the future than white callers in a study conducted in Texas. Professor Brig Walker says the research could shine more light on why people who belong to racial and ethnic minority groups experience worse health outcomes…
cut 6 (10) “….access”

Louisiana’s second-largest craft beer brewery is opening a taproom that will also serve as a research and development facility in Houston. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

State Police arrested a 19-year-old woman who stole an ambulance out of Dallas, Texas, while allegedly impaired. Troopers first spotted the ambulance on Interstate 20 around milepost eight and a high-speed chase ensued. The chase ended near the Airline Drive exit and Kendall Tyson of Dallas was taken into custody. Tyson faces numerous charges.

A Tulane study conducted in Texas shows minorities face longer wait times, and more questions when attempting to make an appointment with a primary care doctor.
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle”

We could receive more information today from Union Parish Sheriff Dusty Gates about Saturday morning’s murder-suicide that resulted in four deaths. 40-year-old Casey Colvin, her 18-year-old daughter Billie Beaird and her 17-year-old friend Lela Platt were found dead in a home in the Spearsville area. The shooter’s name has not been released.

Assignments for two key House committees are in and Democrats have increased their representation compared to the last term. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says these Democrats have been rewarded for backing newly elected House Speaker Clay Schexnayder.
Cut 10 (12) “…feat.”
Schexnayder defeated Sherman Mack of Livingston, who had the support of the more conservative bloc of the Republican Party.

About 300 needle incineration devices are being distributed to first responders in East Baton Rouge, Terrebonne, and Pointe Coupee parishes. CEO of Redhawk Holdings, the company behind the device, Darcy Klug says officers can use the device when they come across needles while conducting an investigation…
cut 13 (10) “….four-thousand degrees”
The goal is to prevent needle stick injuries, which can lead to worker comp costs and there have been cases a first responder contracts a disease from the needle.

Democrats may have lost big in last fall’s House legislative races, but their alliance with moderate Republicans in the election of Clay Schexnayder as House Speaker appears to have paid off. Matt Doyle explains…
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

The campaign totals for 2019 have been totaled up and President Donald Trump received one-point-two million dollars from Louisiana donors. Former Vice President Joe Biden collected the most from Louisiana residents out of the Democratic presidential candidates, 366-thousand dollars.

East Baton Rouge, Terrebonne, and Pointe Coupee parishes are the first in the state to receive cutting edge needle incineration devices that can be used to protect law enforcement from needle stick injuries. The device has the potential to save taxpayer dollars. CEO of Redhawk Holdings, the company behind the device, Darcy Klug says a single stick injury can top 30-thousand dollars in workers comp costs, even if a first responder doesn’t contract a disease such as Hep C or HIV…
cut 15 (12) “….of taxpayer dollars”
More parishes are expected to obtain the devices in the near future.

Louisiana high school principals will have to wait another year to try and mend the public private school athletics playoff split in four sports after a proposal to end the separation failed to get the 2/3^rd vote needed. LHSAA executive director Eddie Bonine says in the meantime they’ll look to better define what a select or private school is

Cut 14 (09) “…all sports.”

The final vote to end the split received 52 percent.

Maplewood Middle School in Sulphur is home to a Grammy winner in Mickey Smith, who was honored with the Music Educator Award. Smith came onto the Grammy’s radar after he was nominated by Sulphur local, two time Grammy nominee Sean Ardoin, who’s known for his work in creole rock and roll. Ardoin noticed Smith had grown the school band to half the schools population.

Cut 5 (11) “…classroom”

AAA is concerned about the growing movement to legalize recreational marijuana, citing evidence of increasing drug based DUIs in legal states. AAA spokesperson Don Redman says drivers are already very nonchalant about toking and driving as 70% think they won’t be caught, and it has the potential to get worse.

Cut 8 (13) “…on the highways.”

Redman says in the five years prior to the state of Washington legalizing recreational use, 9% of drivers involved in fatal crashes tested positive for THC. That numbers double.

Louisiana State Police added 51 Troopers to its force as their 99th cadet class graduated Friday. State Police Lt Nick Manale says they are prepping for their historic 100^th cadet class at the LSP Academy and graduation day is a momentous occasion for every trooper.

Cut 11 (11) “…very challenging.”

The Public/Private school split in postseason Football, baseball, basketball, and softball will remain after a move to reunite the playoffs failed to get the 2/3^rd vote needed for passage.  North Vermilion High School principal Tommy Byler’s proposal grabbed 52 percent of votes, but it just wasn’t enough…

Cut 13 (13) “…be the start”

The proposal would have created six classes and eight in all other sports and many select schools would play at a higher classification.

The 99^th Louisiana State Police Cadet class graduated yesterday, adding 51 new troopers to the force. State Police Lt Nick Manale says it took a lot of study and physical training to pull off, plus some very job-specific classes….

Cut 10 (12) “regimen.” 

The classes lasted 23 weeks.

AAA is concerned the growing number of states who have legalized recreational marijuana have not adapted their impaired driving laws to compensate for it. AAA Spokesperson Don Redman says lawmakers need to consider the serious ramifications as laws against driving high will be very hard to enforce and impairment tricky to determine once recreational use is legal.

Cut 7 (09) “…are being abused.”

The Grammy award for Music Education goes to Maplewood Middle’s Mickey Smith who runs the Suplhur based schools music program. Smith was nominated and ultimately won, due to his charity work providing kids with instruments, and his ability to massively expand Maplewood’s music program.

Cut 4 (11) “…to watch”

Smith was nominated by Sean Ardoin, who has won two Grammys himself for his work in creole rock and roll and creole soul.