After 7 years at the helm of LSU, University President F. King Alexander is expected to be stepping down as it appears he will be taking on the role of President of Oregon State University.

The people of Athens, Ohio have been cheering on hometown hero Joe Burrow all throughout the LSU QB’s record-breaking season. Burrow frequented Gigi’s Country Kitchen during his high school quarterbacking days and owner Travis Brand says the community rallied around the QB during his years leading Athens High. Brand was at one of the games with his daughter who was a cheerleader…
Cut 11 (10) “fan”
Law enforcement agencies are stepping up patrols through New Year’s Day with the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.  Louisiana Highway Safety Commission executive director Lisa Freeman says of the 16 people killed on Louisiana roads during last year’s holiday season, 12 deaths were attributed to alcohol-related crashes.

Cut 4 (10) “…in alcohol-related crashes.”

Fifty-four years after the storm’s landfall on southeast Louisiana, Hurricane Betsy is upgraded to the Category 4 storm. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the reclassification comes as weather researchers are reanalyzing Atlantic hurricane seasons and are having a better interpretation of historic data.The latest report of the reanalysis of 1961 to 1965 also located more storms.

Cut 8 (09) “…just weren’t detected.”

Hurricane Betsy was blamed for about 75 deaths.

The Board of Regents and BESE sets a goal of ensuring that every high school freshman by 2025 will graduate with at least one college credit or job skill credential. Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed says the policy is another example of the state sending a clear signal to students that a high school diploma will not be enough in the future knowledge economy.

Cut 6 (09) “…economy”

The people of Athens, Ohio have been cheering on hometown hero Joe Burrow all throughout the LSU QB’s record-breaking season, and can’t wait to watch him take home the Heisman on Saturday. Burrow frequented Gigi’s Country Kitchen during his high school quarterbacking days and owner Travis Brand said he was beaming last season as Burrow was asked about GiGi’s by ESPN after a game…

Cut 10 (06) “Burrow”

The official Heisman ceremony will be held Saturday night.

The 2019 LHSAA Prep Classic kicks-off today in the Superdome. Six championship games over the next two days. The Class 2A title game between Many and Ferriday is the only one featuring a one versus two seed. Many Coach Jess Curtis says his team lost its first three games, but since then they’ve won 11 in a row…

Cut 13 (08) “…plateau”

Law enforcement agencies are stepping up patrols through New Year’s Day with the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.  Louisiana Highway Safety Commission executive director Lisa Freeman says it isn’t just alcohol impairment that is a concern as prescriptions can effect a driver’s motor skills or mental alertness.

Cut 3 (10) “…on the roadways.”

Freeman says of the 16 people killed on Louisiana roads during last year’s holiday season, 12 deaths were attributed to alcohol-related crashes.

Fifty-four years after the storm’s landfall on southeast Louisiana, Hurricane Betsy is upgraded to the Category 4 storm. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the review of historical data is going to help broaden the understanding of storms and hopefully make forecasting better in the future.

Cut 9 (07) “…actually making landfall.”

A former Roman Catholic Church deacon in New Orleans was indicted Thursday on a charge that he raped an altar boy nearly 40 years ago. 84-yr-old George Brignac was charged by a grand jury yesterday with one count of aggravated rape. He was arrested in September. The alleged victim came forward as an adult, Louisiana has no time limit for prosecuting such offenses involving a victim younger than 12.

The Board of Regents and BESE sets a goal of ensuring that every high school freshman by 2025 will graduate with at least one college credit or job skill credential. Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed says Dual enrollment credits CAN be an out of pocket expense in some school districts, but a task force has been created to find a way to make sure no student has to pay for the opportunity…
CUT 05 (10) “or family income”

Hurricane Betsy has been upgraded to a Category 4 storm, 54 years after landfall. Kevin Barnhart talked to State Climatologist Barry Keim to find out why…
CUT 02 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Hell Hath No Fury… A Winn Parish woman is accused of setting fire to her boyfriend’s house after he told her & a teen companion to move out. 25-yr-old Courtney Weaver was charged with simple arson. An 18-yr-old male was also charged. Both are guests of the Winn Parish jail.

The Board of Regents and BESE sets a goal of ensuring that every high school freshman by 2025 will graduate with at least one college credit or job skill credential. Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed says making sure all high school grads have post-secondary credits will inspire more of them to attend college…
CUT 04 (10) “college”

A Bossier parish murder case will be featured this weekend on the cable TV show, “Murder For Hire”. The episode will feature the case of Shelia Mills — a Bossier Parish woman who hired a hitman (who was, in fact, an undercover deputy) in 2008 to kill her husband, Scott Mills. Sunday evening at 6 pm on Oxygen.

It’s been 54 years since Hurricane Betsy hit Louisiana; doing a billion dollars in damage and killing 75 people. Now weather experts have retroactively upgraded Betsy to a category 4 storm. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the review of historical data is going to help broaden the understanding of storms and hopefully make forecasting better in the future…
CUT 09 (09) “making landfall”

LSU quarterback Joe Burrow named Associated Press college football player of the year. Last night Burrow received two honors at the HomeDepot College Football Awards – one for best QB & one for best overall player. He is expected to be awarded the Heisman Trophy tomorrow night in New York City.

It was a big night for LSU at the 2019 Home Depot College Football Awards Show as quarterback Joe Burrow, safety Grant Delpit and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase all took home hardware. Burrow won the Davey O’ Brien Award for best quarterback in the nation and the Walter Camp Award, which goes to the best player in the country. Chase was named the nation’s top wide receiver and Delpit won the Jim Thorpe award which goes to the country’s best defensive back.

Up next for Burrow, it’s a trip to New York where it’s expected he’ll be named the Heisman Trophy winner on Saturday night.

The Saints will host the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night. Defensive end Cam Jordan and safety Vonn Bell did not practice yesterday. Jordan has an injury to his abdomen, while Bell is battling an injured knee.

And former Saints linebacker and member of the famed Dome Patrol, Vaughn Johnson has died at the age of 57. He died at his home in North Carolina from a kidney disease.

___________________________________________________________

The Prep Classic kicks off today in the Superdome with the Division Four Championship game at noon, Catholic Pointe-Couppe takes on Ouachita Christian. At 3:30. the top two seeds in Two-A duke it out as Ferriday faces Many. Tonight, St. James looks to complete an undefeated season by taking on 23rd seeded Jennings.
Top-seeded Acadiana also goes after an undefeated season tomorrow as the Wrecking Rams will play Destrehan at 7 PM. Acadiana Head Coach Matt McCullough says his players have been dialed in since the preseason…
cut 15 (12) “…ready to go”
Also tomorrow, it’s the One-A championship game, Oak Grove versus White Castle and the Four-A title game is a rematch of last year’s championship game, Karr versus Warren Easton. The Cougars have won three straight Four-A titles.

A one-time NFL player was charged with murder in what Baton Rouge police describe as a drug-related killing in Louisiana back in 2013. 31-yr-old Devin Holland was arrested Wednesday in the shooting death of Timothy Pena during an apparent drug deal six years ago. Holland played football for McNeese State University and Tulane University before signing a contract with Tampa Bay, where he played in four games in 2011. He also signed with the Washington Redskins before being released in 2013. Booking records showed DNA evidence linked Holland to a truck where Pena was found fatally wounded.

54 years after Hurricane Betsy hit the Louisiana coast, the storm is upgraded to the Category 4 hurricane. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the reclassification comes as weather researchers reanalyze Atlantic hurricane seasons and better interpret the data…
CUT 07 (11) “more current periods”
Betsy did over a Billion dollars in damage and claimed 75 lives.

Louisiana aims to make sure all high school freshmen in the class of 2025 will have at least one dual enrollment credit or industry-relevant credential by graduation. Matt Doyle has more…
CUT 01 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Now here are yesterday’s closing markets….

Louisiana aims to make sure all high school freshmen in the class of 2025 will have at least one dual enrollment credit or industry-relevant credential by graduation. Matt Doyle has more…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

________________________________________

Hurricane Betsy has been upgraded to a Category 4 storm, 54 years after landfall. Kevin Barnhart talked to State Climatologist Barry Keim to find out why.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.” 

____________________________________________

Fans back in Joe Burrow’s hometown of Athens, Ohio say they couldn’t be prouder of the LSU gunslinger’s imminent Heisman Trophy. Matt Doyle has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “ I’m Matt Doyle.”

__________________________________________________

The Board of Regents and BESE sets a goal of ensuring that every high school freshman by 2025 will graduate with at least one college credit or job skill credential. Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed says making sure all high school grads have post-secondary credits will inspire more of them to attend college.

Cut 4 (10) “…college”

The state has set the goal of doubling the number of post-secondary credentials by 2030.

Dual enrollment credits can be an out of pocket expense in some school districts, but Reed says a task force has been created to find a way to make sure no student has to pay for the opportunity.

Cut 5 (10) “…income”

Reed says the policy is another example of the state sending a clear signal to students that a high school diploma will not be enough in the future knowledge economy.

Cut 6 (09) “…economy”

Half of students in the 2018 class obtained a college credit, or industry credential.

__________________________________________________

Fifty-four years after the storm’s landfall on southeast Louisiana, Hurricane Betsy is upgraded to the Category 4 storm. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the reclassification comes as weather researchers are reanalyzing Atlantic hurricane seasons and are having a better interpretation of historic data.

Cut 7 (11) “…to more current periods.”

Hurricane Betsy was blamed for about 75 deaths and was the first storm to surpass a billion dollars in US damage.  Keim says the latest report of the reanalysis of 1961 to 1965 also located more storms.

Cut 8 (09) “…just weren’t detected.”

Keim says the review of historical data is going to help broaden the understanding of storms and hopefully make forecasting better in the future.

Cut 9 (07) “…actually making landfall.”

__________________________________________________

The people of Athens, Ohio have been cheering on hometown hero Joe Burrow all throughout the LSU QB’s record-breaking season, and can’t wait to watch him take home the Heisman on Saturday.

Burrow frequented Gigi’s Country Kitchen during his high school quarterbacking days and owner Travis Brand said he was beaming last season as Burrow was asked about GiGi’s by ESPN after a game…

Cut 10 (06) “Burrow”

The official Heisman ceremony will be held Saturday night in New York at 7PM.

Brand says the community rallied around the QB during his years leading Athens High. Brand was at one of the games with his daughter who was a cheerleader…

Cut 11 (10) “fan”

Burrow led the team to three straight playoff appearances and threw for over 11,000 yards and 157 passing touchdowns.

Brand says Athens is Ohio State country, but this year you could find of Purple and Gold peppered throughout the community.

Cut  12 (10) “…town” 

Today is LSU day at Athens City School where students are encouraged to wear Purple and Gold.

__________________________________________________

The 2019 LHSAA Prep Classic kicks-off today in the Superdome. Six championship games over the next two days. The Class 2A title game between Many and Ferriday is the only one featuring a one versus two seed. Many Coach Jess Curtis says his team lost its first three games, but since then they’ve won 11 in a row…

Cut 13 (08) “…plateau”

Two teams will try to complete undefeated seasons. At 7 PM tonight, St. James will face Jennings for the 3A title. The Wildcats are trying to win their first state championship since 1979. Robert Valdez says the St. James community has felt this has been the year since the summertime…

Cut 14 (13) “…wow”

Acadiana can also finish the season 15-0 if they beat Destrehan in the 5A championship game on Saturday night. Wrecking Rams Head Coach Matt McCullough says his players have been dialed in since the preseason…

Cut 15 (12) “…ready to go.”

Most of Louisiana’s Congressional Delegation and state Ag Commissioner Mike Strain are touting a new compromise Mexico Canada trade deal that’s now backed by both House Democrats and the President, but Senator John Kennedy and other conservatives in the upper chamber are still unsure of the legislation…

Cut 11 (09) “…for it.”

The state Office of Public Health says only 25-percent of healthy adults have received a flu shot this year. Immunization medical director, Doctor Frank Welch, says Louisiana is already close to matching the peak of last year’s flu season and that was one of the worst in years. He says the B strain of flu is going around Louisiana, while the rest of the country is getting sick from the more severe A-strain…

Cut 13 (09) “…flu shot”

During the 2018-19 flu season, 15-hundred Louisians died from the virus.

Downtown Alexandria is the focal point of holiday spirit this weekend in Rapides Parish with the Alex Winter Fete. Interim Director of Community Services TJ Nash, Sr. says it’s got a gumbo cookoff, an ugly sweater 5K, and more, but no Louisiana celebration would be complete without live music and a parade.

Cut 5 (10) “…approximately 2pm.”

Festivities kick off today and run through Sunday. 

Louisiana Public Broadcasting takes a deep dive into the world and history of Bayou State duck hunting with In the Blind, which airs tonight at 7 and 1130PM. The program interviews hunters from around the state, and was created by New Orleans based producer Emma Lou Reid who says the show traces the evolution of duck hunting from a do or die way of life to the now highly popular, and highly regulated sport.

Cut 8 (10) “…hunting.”