A new Hepatitis C treatment agreement allows the Louisiana Department of Health to treat more Medicaid and Corrections patients in 75 days than in all of Fiscal Year 2019. Office of Public Health Assistant Secretary Dr. Alex Billioux says Hep C kills more Americans than all other infectious diseases combined, but you might not be aware of how deadly it is because of how slowly symptoms progress.

Cut 5 (09) “…body”

The CDC estimates 3.5 million Americans live with Hep C.

Savoie’s Sausage and Food Products announces a 12.7-million dollar expansion at its St. Landry Parish production facility.  President Frederick Lafleur says the expansion will take about eight months to complete and it will allow them to nearly double their production.

Cut 13 (11) “…Louisiana.”

Jennings Police arrest five people connected to a Friday night shooting that left 22-year-old Dakota Chaisson dead.  The incident happened at the Wade Event Center during a private party attended by 150 people.  Chief Danny Semmes says a motive in unclear.

Cut 9 (10) “…fled the scene.”

Police are still seeking Keghan Moore of Lake Charles and Dymond Brown of Welsh

Grambling State completes one of the institution’s largest fundraising campaigns, collecting more than $6.6 million over the course of three years. University Vice President of Advancement Marc Newman says the money will support scholarships and the institution’s programs.

Cut 7 (10) “…at growing that.”

Newman says basketball star Magic Johnson’s company gave the largest unrestricted donation of the campaign.

2,290 Medicaid and Corrections patients received Hepatitis C treatments in a two and a half month period starting July 15^th, more than all of Fiscal Year 2019 treatments combined. Office of Public Health Assistant Secretary Dr. Alex Billioux says that’s thanks to a new agreement with Asegua that’s given Louisiana unlimited access to a pill that treats the nation’s deadliest infection…

Cut 4 (08) “…infection”

The homeless, drug users, and those who live or work in non-sterile environments are most at risk for catching Hep C.

Grambling State completes one of the institution’s largest fundraising campaigns, collecting more than $6.6 million over the course of three years. University Vice President of Advancement Marc Newman says basketball star Magic Johnson’s company was the biggest contributor…

Cut 8 (12) “…higher education in general.”

Savoie’s Sausage and Food Products announces a 12.7-million dollar expansion at its St. Landry Parish production facility. President Frederick Lafluer says construction will begin next month on a 41-thousand square foot facility on their existing property near Opelousas

Cut 12 (09) “more customers” 

LaFleur says once construction is completed, he’ll hire six more workers. They currently have 100 employees. The project is also expected to generate an estimated 172 construction jobs. Savoie’s was founded in 1955.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces articles of impeachment will be drawn up against the President for his alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine into investigating a political rival. Louisiana’s lone Democratic Congressman, Cedric Richmond of New Orleans, supports the effort…

Cut  12 (11) “…easy” 

Republicans are calling it a partisan witch-hunt.

A new Hepatitis C treatment agreement allows the Louisiana Department of Health to treat more Medicaid and Corrections patients in 75 days than in all of Fiscal Year 2019. Office of Public Health Assistant Secretary Dr. Alex Billioux says it’s resulted in 2,290 people getting treatment since July 15^th.

Cut 3, 9 seconds, folks

Hep C is the deadliest infectious disease in the nation.

Grambling State completes one of the institution’s largest fundraising campaigns, collecting more than $6.6 million over the course of three years. University Vice President of Advancement Marc Newman says the school saw a 150% increase in alumni participation with more than 5,700 gifts over the course of the campaign.

Cut 6 (10) “…to do that.”

Newman says the money will support scholarships and the institution’s programs.

Senator Bill Cassidy introduces bipartisan legislation that will allow parents to receive a larger child tax credit in their year after they have a kid, or adopt. The legislation is a form of paid leave, and Cassidy says the additional 3,000 dollar tax credit will help parents when they need it most, in that expensive first year of child-rearing.

Cut 8 (08) “…goes up”

The Trump administration issues new work requirements for food stamp recipients, which could impact 49-thousand Louisiana residents. DCFS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Family Support Sammy Guillory says Louisiana receives a waiver that allows able-bodied adults who do not have dependents to receive food stamps for more than three months, but that statewide waiver is set to go away.
Cut 13 (13) “…since that time.”
The new rule goes into effect on April 1^st
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the U-S House is moving forward with drafting impeachment charges against President Donald Trump. New Orleans Democratic Congressman Cedric Richmond says evidence has been presented during the impeachment hearings that shows President Trump leveraged taxpayer dollars to get Ukraine to dig up dirt on a political rival…
Cut 11 (09) “aggression”
Meth, Heroin, Cocaine, Marijuana and stolen guns made up some of the findings by the St. Landry SWAT team while executing a search warrant at the Opelousas home of 35-year-old Kelonda Thibodeaux and her husband 30-year-old Brandon Thibodeaux.  Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says the operation was a long term investigation.
Cut 5 (10) “…seeing it growing.”
The total value of the drugs is around $100k.

Senator Bill Cassidy introduces bipartisan legislation that will allow parents to receive a larger child tax credit in their year after they have a kid, or adopt. The child tax credit is currently 2,000 dollars a year, and Cassidy says this bill would allow them to borrow against the next six years of tax credits and receive 5,000 dollars in the child’s first year.
Cut 7 (10) “childcare”
Cassidy says the legislation will not raise taxes or hurt social security.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the U-S House is moving forward with drafting impeachment charges against President Donald Trump. New Orleans Congressman Cedric Richmond fully supports the effort…
cut 12 (11) “…easy”
But House Republican Whip Steve Scalise from Jefferson Parish says the impeachment hearings have proved the President did not leverage aid in exchange for information on a political rival.

The Trump Administration has announced new work requirement rules for food stamp recipients. Sammy Guillory with the Department of Children and Family Services says about 49-thousand Louisiana able-bodied adults receive a waiver to get benefits for more than three months, but that waiver is going away…
cut 14 (12) “…takes effect”
The new rule takes effect on April 1st.

Senator Bill Cassidy introduces a bill, with bipartisan support, that will allow parents to receive a much larger child tax credit in their first year of child-rearing. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

St. Landry Parish sheriff deputies arrest a married couple in their 30s on drug and weapon charges after an extensive investigation. Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says a search warrant was executed on their Opelousas home and the public’s help led to the arrests of Brandon Thibodeaux and Kelonda Thibodeaux…
cut 6 (06) “…these cases”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has asked a House committee to draft articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. New Orleans Congressman Cedric Richmond says the evidence is clear…
cut 10 (11) “…rivals”
Republican Congressman Mike Johnson says the Democrats are performing a fraudulent impeachment production.

While Capitol Hill is fiercely divided on impeachment, Republican US Senator Bill Cassidy has filed legislation that would make new parents eligible for up to a five-thousand-dollar tax credit during the child’s first year of life. Cassidy says the proposal has the support of Democrats…
cut 9 (08) “….pass something”
The White House is also in support of the proposal.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services says about 49-thousand food stamp recipients could be impacted by new work requirement rules that will go into effect on April 1st. Deputy Assistant Secretary Sammy Guillory says under the new rules, working bodied adults with no dependents will have a harder time receiving food stamps beyond three months…
cut 15 (11) “….for three months”
The USDA says the change in the work requirement rule will save 5.5 billion dollars over five years.

The St. Landry parish SWAT team found meth, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and stolen guns during a search warrant at the Opelousas home of 35-year-old Kelonda Thibodeaux and her husband 30-year-old Brandon Thibodeaux. Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says the total value of the drugs confiscated is nearly six-figures.
Cut 4 (09) “…two different parishes.”
Bond has yet to be set for the two suspects.

Nearly 50,000 Louisiana residents could be impacted by the Trump administration’s new work requirement changes for food stamp recipients. DCFS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Family Support Sammy Guillory says currently, able-bodied adults who do not have dependents can receive food stamps, but that waiver is set to go away…
Cut 13 (13) “…since that time.”
The new rule will go into effect on April 1st.

The White House is in support of Senator Bill Cassidy’s legislation that would give parents the ability to access up to five-thousand dollars in tax credits during the first year of child-rearing…..
cut 8 (03) “…most expensive”
Cassidy introduced the legislation yesterday and it has the support of Democrats. Under current law, new parents can only receive a two-thousand dollars tax credit during a child’s first year of life.

U-S Immigration and Customs Enforcement say about 50 migrants at the Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield were pepper-sprayed to end their protest over prolonged detention. Spokesman Bryan Cox says the action resulted in protesters becoming compliant and no injuries were reported. There are about eight-thousand immigrant detainees at Louisiana prisons.

St. Landry Parish Sheriff deputies arrest a married couple in Opelousas on drug and weapon charges. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

Senator Bill Cassidy introduces bipartisan legislation that will allow parents to receive a larger child tax credit in their year after they have a kid, or adopt. The child tax credit is currently 2,000 dollars a year, and Cassidy says this bill would allow them to borrow against the next six years of tax credits and receive 5,000 dollars in the child’s first year.
Cut 7 (10) “childcare”
Cassidy says the legislation will not raise taxes or hurt social security.

New Orleans Democratic Congressman Cedric Richmond says evidence has been presented during the impeachment hearings that shows President Trump leveraged taxpayer dollars to get Ukraine to dig up dirt on a political rival…
cut 11 (09) “….aggression”
Louisiana Republican Congressman Mike Johnson calls the whole production a sham.

New work requirement changes for food stamp recipients could impact nearly 50,000 Louisiana residents in April. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (31) “ I’m Kevin Barnhart.”