The Louisiana Department of Health will be offering free flu shots to anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated yet this season, on Wednesday January 31st. State Immunization Director Dr. Frank Welch says the flu season is so bad this year, and there’s a fear that the Mardi Gras rush will aggravate the spread of the virus. He says get the shot before Wednesday if you can..
Cut 7 (07) “that vaccine”
The no-cost flu shots will be administered at 55 Parish Health units across the state.

Iberia Parish Superintendent Dale Henderson announces that a longtime New Iberia kindergarten teacher died this week from suspected flu and pneumonia complications. 56-year-old Robin Dressel, who’d taught at Magnolia Elementary for more than 30 years, will be laid to rest today. She was a graduate of Loreauville High School and UL-Lafayette.

Special contract crews have been working in New Orleans to flush out 15,000 clogged catch basins in the city; and say there have been 93,000 pounds of Mardi Gras beads sucked up from the storm drains. That’s 46 tons and they were all pulled from St. Charles between Poydras Street and Lee Circle.

Louisiana receives a green light for having nine critical traffic safety laws on the books. The Bayou State is listed as a “best state” in the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety report. Tara Gill, the Director of State Programs, says the ignition interlock offender law for convicted drunk drivers is one reason Louisiana scored high…:
Cut 4 (07) “are sober”
Gill also praises the efforts of the state in enforcing no texting while driving legislation.

Louisiana receives a green light in a report for nine critical traffic safety laws it has on the books.  Kelley Ray has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kelley Ray.”

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A former Monroe children’s TV show host will now have to register as a sex offender for his inappropriate conduct with a child during a 1979 camping trip. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Audubon Insectarium is offering a unique twist on king cakes this year. Matt Doyle has the scoop…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

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Louisiana receives a green light for having nine critical traffic safety laws on the books.  The Bayou State is one of seven listed as a “best state” in the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety report.  Tara Gill, the Director of State Programs, says the ignition interlock offender law for convicted drunk drivers is one reason Louisiana scored high…

Cut 4  (07) “are sober.” 

Distracted driving has been the cause of many fatalities and Gill praises the efforts of the state in enforcing no texting while driving legislation.  She says there’s more that can be done to discourage cell phone use while driving…

Cut 5  (09)  “while driving.”

757 traffic fatalities were reported in Louisiana in 2016, many of those were young children.   Gill says while the state ranks well in many areas, it’s critical Louisiana enforce better child restraint laws…

Cut 6 (11)  “age 2.”

It’s estimated the annual economic cost due to motor vehicle crashes in Louisiana is nearly 5.7-billion-dollars.

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Due to the increasingly critical flu season, the state Health Department has announced no cost flu vaccines will be held at 55 Parish Health units across the state January 31^st.   The walk-in clinics will administer flu shots to anyone who has not done so yet.  State Immunization Director Dr. Frank Welch says get the shot earlier if you can…

Cut 7 (07)  “that vaccine.”

There are marked differences between a regular cold and influenza.  Dr. Welch says it will be very apparent if you are getting sick with the flu bug…

Cut 8 (10) “freight train.”

He says one huge reason they are sponsoring the free clinics if the influx of people coming to the state to celebrate Mardi Gras next month…

Cut 9 (10)  “Mardi Gras.”

Reported flu cases are at 10-percent in Louisiana, one of the highest in the nation and causes around 700 deaths per year in the state.

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A former Monroe children’s TV show host known as “Mr. Wonder” will now have to register as a sex offender as part of a plea deal for inappropriate conduct with a child back in 1979. 78-year-old Frank Selas pleaded guilty to indecent behavior with a juvenile earlier this month, but was not required to register as a sex offender. Mr. Wonder’s attorney Mike Small…

Cut 10 (11) “was imposed”

After his initial sentencing, Selas was not required to be listed on the national sexual offender registry. Small says it was a misunderstanding of the law…

A new study out of Tulane finds that Louisiana is making slow progress in electing minorities and women to judgeships. Professor of Political Science Sally Kenney says racial minorities are 36% of the state’s population, but non-white judges were only at 22 percent. She says women judges comprised less than 32 percent of all state and federal judges in Louisiana…:

Cut 6 (03)  “as women”

Kenney adds it’s up to citizens to commit to equal justice under the law and stay vigilant to see any progress is not reversed.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy says drug traffickers can pay for the proposed U-S Mexico border wall. Cassidy says billions of dollars in drug money crosses the border each year and he says the US is only intercepting a fraction of it…

cut 13 (11) “…going back”

A former Monroe children’s TV show host will now have to register as a sex offender for his inappropriate conduct with a child during a 1979 camping trip. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The water is running in Talluah again, but the city is under a boil order.  The city has seen it’s share of rough times in trying to get water running again.  Last night, a homeland security vehicle bringing water to the city had a blowout and was delayed in arriving.    The Mayor plans to address the water issues in a press conference Saturday.

Negotiations are underway to find a resolution to the impending expiration of the Dream Act, a law that provides legal status to people brought to the US as children. Matt Doyle has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

A former Vermilion Parish middle school teacher is sentenced to 70 years in prison for making and possession child pornography.  33-year-old James Harber of Abbeville contacted a woman in 2010 and began having an online video sexual relationship which later included her three children.  He later moved to Louisiana and sexually abused the children.

A former Monroe children’s TV show host known as “Mr. Wonder” will now have to register as a sex offender as part of a plea deal for inappropriate conduct with a child back in 1979. 78-year-old Frank Selas pleaded guilty to indecent behavior with a juvenile earlier this month, but was not required to register as a sex offender. Mr. Wonder’s attorney Mike Small…

Cut 10 (11) “was imposed”

New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees has been with the team now for 12 seasons.  His contract will expire in March as NFL free agency approaches. Saints GM Mickey Loomis says there’s no worry about getting Brees resigned in the Saints camp…

Cut 9 (07) “continue that.”

Brees is the second oldest starting quarterback in the league.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy says drug traffickers can pay for the proposed U-S Mexico border wall. Cassidy says billions of dollars in drug money crosses the border each year and he says the US is only intercepting a fraction of it…
cut 13 (11) “…going back”
One estimate says it will cost 18-billion dollars to build the border wall.

LSU’s all-time leading rusher and three time Super Bowl Champion Kevin Faulk has been named as the Director of Player Development for the LSU football program. Faulk says he will help the players not only on the field, but away from the game as well…
Cut 3 (09) “long time.”
Head Coach Ed Orgeron says their mission is to develop every aspect of a young man’s life while they are a part of the program and Faulk will be instrumental in this process.

A new Tulane study finds Louisiana is making slow progress in electing minorities and women to judgeships. Political Science Professor Sally Kenney says another concern is that most of Louisiana’s minorities and women judges are serving in certain areas, like Orleans…:
Cut 7 (09) “would show”
She says minorities are 36% of the state’s population, but non-white judges were only at 22 percent. Women judges comprised less than 32 percent of all state and federal judges in Louisiana. But 51% of the state is female.
Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis is confident they’ll be able to sign Quarterback Drew Brees to a new contract. The 39-year-old’s contract is set to expire in March, but Loomis doesn’t have a time line on when a new deal may get done…
cut 11 (11) “…Drew Brees”
Brees is one of seven Saints players that will play in Sunday’s Pro Bowl.

A new study out of Tulane finds that Louisiana is making slow progress diversifying judgeships. Michelle Southern reports…:

Congress has reached an agreement to hold a vote on the Dream Act. A proposed deal would see funding for President Trump’s border wall in exchange for a Dreamer resolution. Senator Cassidy says the fate of Dreamers is dependent on boarder funding…

Cut 14 (07) “border security”

LRN

LSU’s all-time leading rusher and three time Super Bowl Champion Kevin Faulk has been named as the Director of Player Development for the LSU football program. After a 13-year career with the New England Patriots, Faulk returned to his high school alma mater and was an assistant coach for the Golden Bears. He says it was not an easy decision to leave Carencro, but is excited about his new role with the LSU Tigers…

Cut 4, 08 seconds, from there

Faulk says his life experiences will help develop these players not only for football but for whatever else life may present them.

The jury in the trial involving the death of Joe McKnight visited the defendant’s car today. McKnight was fatally shot by Ronald Gasser, and prosecutors reconstructed what they believe the scene would have looked like after the shooting. The defense says Joe McKnight tried to lunge at Gasser through the passenger side window after a fit of road rage. The prosecution is attempting to demonstrate that the car would not have allowed for that.

McKnight was shot on December 1^st of 2016

Negotiations are underway to find a resolution to the impending expiration of the Dream Act, a law that provides legal status to people brought to the US as children. Matt Doyle has the story…
Voicer 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

The Advocate newspaper reports an LSU task force formed following the death of a fraternity pledge may recommend random drug tests for frat members, eliminating hard alcohol and kegs and frat houses and relocating fraternity tailgates. A full report will be made official next month.

A Tulane study finds Louisiana has made slow progress when it comes to electing minorities and women to judgeships. Political Science Professor Sally Kenney says they are also concerned that President Trump’s nominees to the federal bench in Louisiana and the US have been 91-percent white men…
cut 8 (08) “…18 years”
The President has nominated Wendy Vitter as a federal judge in New Orleans.

Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis told reporters at the Senior Bowl they want Quarterback Drew Brees to return next season. Brees is coming off a season where he completed an NFL record 72-percent of his passes, but his contract will expire in March. Loomis also says there is a possibility they may draft a quarterback in April…
cut 10 (12) “…number of years”

A new study out of Tulane finds that Louisiana is making slow progress in electing minorities and women to judgeships. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 1 (32) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Negotiations are underway to find a resolution to the impending expiration of the Dream Act, a law that provides legal status to people brought to the US as children. Matt Doyle has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

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LSU’s all-time leading rusher and three time Super Bowl Champion Kevin Faulk has been named as the Director of Player Development for the LSU football program. Faulk says he will help the players not only on the field, but away from the game as well…

Cut 3 (09) “long time.”

After a 13-year career with the New England Patriots, Faulk returned to his high school alma mater and was an assistant coach for the Golden Bears. He says it was not an easy decision to leave Carencro, but is excited about his new role with the LSU Tigers…

Cut 4  (08) “from there.” 

He says it’s a fact that many football players in college don’t make it to the pros.  Faulk says his life experiences will help develop these players not only for football but for whatever else life may present them…

Cut 5  (04)  “that’s all.”

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A new study out of Tulane finds that Louisiana is making slow progress in electing minorities and women to judgeships. Professor of Political Science Sally Kenney says racial minorities are 36% of the state’s population, but non-white judges were only at 22 percent. She says women judges comprised less than 32 percent of all state and federal judges in Louisiana…:

Cut 6 (03)  “as women”

Kenney says there has been a gradual increase, but it’s up to citizens to commit to equal justice under the law and keep vigilant that this progress is not reversed. She says another concern is that Louisiana’s minorities and women judges are serving in certain areas, like Orleans…:

Cut 7 (09)  “would show”

The study finds that in 1992, non-white judges held 22.6% of the district court positions, a number that barely moved in 2017 when it was 23.9%. Kenney says she’s also concerned that President Trump’s nominees to the federal bench in Louisiana and the US have been 91% white men…:

Cut 8 (08) “18 years”

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New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees has been with the team now for 12 seasons.  His contract will expire in March as NFL free agency approaches. Saints GM Mickey Loomis says there’s no worry about getting Brees resigned in the Saints camp…

Cut 9 (07) “continue that.”

There could be concerns due to his age.  At 39, he’s the second oldest starting QB in the league behind the Patriots Tom Brady.  Brees backup Chase Daniel didn’t take a single snap this season.   Loomis says they have been very content with their quarterback position, but are always in the market for the next big star…

Cut 10 (12) “of years.”

Loomis met with reporters while scouting players at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. When asked if there is a target date to have Brees under a new contract, Loomis says there isn’t one, but as far as he and the rest of the organization is concerned, Brees is their man for the future…

Cut 11 (11) “Drew Brees.”

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Congress has reached an agreement to hold a vote on the Dream Act before it expires in March. The Dream Act provides temporary legal status to people who were brought to the U.S. as children. A proposed deal would see funding for President Trump’s border wall in exchange for a Dreamer resolution, and Senator Bill Cassidy says drug traffickers can pay for the wall…

Cut 12 (11) “Mexican Cartel”

Reports indicate that billions of dollars in drug money crosses the border each year. Cassidy says the US is only intercepting a fraction of it…

Cut 13 (11) “going back”

Cassidy says the fate of Dreamers is dependent on what deal can be struck for building the wall…

Cut 14 (07) “border security”

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