The Attorney General’s Office has started the hashtag campaign “Make New Orleans Safe Again” to reduce crime in the Crescent City after shootings increased by 25-percent last year. AG Jeff Landry blames Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s poor leadership for the uptick in crime. He says NOPD is under a federal consent decree that the mayor agreed to.

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Landry says with the help of NOPD, his Violent Crime Task Force made 16 total arrests in the last quarter of 2016. The mayor’s office did not respond to a request for a statement.

LSU police are investigating damage to the turf at Tiger Stadium. University Police say vandals broke into the stadium around 11:30 pm Tuesday and were inside until after midnight. LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette says the damage wasn’t major and it can be fixed.

The state has released its revised coastal restoration plan. Brann Haase with the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority says the worst case scenario for the coast would be about 4-thousand square miles of land loss, if they did nothing.

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Haase says public meetings will be held around the state to gather input on the plan of action. The first meeting is scheduled for January 17 in Lake Charles.

A weather system is moving through the state today, bringing with it the possibility for winter precipitation north of I-20. State climatologist Barry Keim says the system should move through quickly, but once it passes, arctic air pushes in.

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Keim says there’s about a 20-percent chance of snow in north Louisiana.

We’re starting to hear the word snow in our forecasts, but State Climatologist Barry Keim says the chance for the white stuff in north Louisiana is about 20-30 percent…:
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He says this wintry precipitation could move along the I-20 corridor as early as tonight, persist through tomorrow and Friday night.

Louisiana ranked number 4 in the nation for the number of people killed by trains in 2015, with 13 deaths. That’s why DOTD launched the “Do Not Stop on the Tracks” campaign. DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says drivers have a responsibility to know the rules when approaching crossings, but for its part the state spent nearly 6 million dollars on railroad safety projects last year…:
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They emphasize the message, do not stop on the tracks.

The state has released a revised coastal restoration plan. Bren Haase with Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority says an important part of the idea addresses reducing storm surge damage along the coast…:
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He says roughly $18 billion has been secured to implement the 50-year plan, which would take $50 billion to fully fund it.

Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge was vandalized this week according to the LSU Police Department. They say nothing was permanently damaged, and they are in the process of investigating the incident. There is currently no information being given on the extent of the damage, suspect or motive. The field was covered by a tarp on Wednesday.

The US Coast Guard is responding to a report of a fire on an oil production platform about 80 miles south of Grand Isle. They say the blaze is now suppressed, but it is not yet entirely extinguished. Four people were rescued.

The state has released its revised coastal protection and restoration master plan that’s designed to reduce hurricane storm surge and restore Louisiana’s vanishing coastline. Bren Haase with the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority says the plan proposes 120 projects…:

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Haase says roughly $18 billion has been secured to implement the 50-year plan, which would take $50 billion to fully fund it.

Officials are still working to determine what happened that caused a Gulf of Mexico oil platform south of Grand Isle to catch fire early this morning. Four people jumped from the rig into the water and were rescued by a nearby vessel. The last word from the US Coast Guard is that, while not yet extinguished, the blaze had been suppressed. No injuries were reported.

There’s been a lot of talk heating up about ways to make New Orleans a safer place to live and visit, at the Attorney General’s Office is joining the effort. AG Jeff Landry says the problem with increased police efforts are not limited to the French Quarter..:
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His office has started a hashtag campaign “Make New Orleans Safe Again.”

Speaking of campaigns, DOTD says hashtag “Do Not Stop on the Tracks” . Emelie Gunn has more..:
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The US Coast Guard is responding to a report of a fire on an oil production platform about 80 miles south of Grand Isle. They say the blaze is now suppressed, but it is not yet entirely extinguished. Officials said there were four people aboard the platform who evacuated into the water and were rescued. There were no reported injuries. An oil spill responses organization has been dispatched to the scene.

Attorney General Jeff Landry is looking for a way to reduce crime in New Orleans. He says it will take a multidimensional approach because it doesn’t seem to make sense that lawlessness is twice as likely in The Big Easy than in Chicago…:
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He says his office has started a hashtag campaign called “Make New Orleans Safe Again.”

Louisiana has a real problem with train/vehicle fatalities and had the fourth most in 2015. That’s why the state Department of Transportation is launching a railroad safety campaign. Spokesperson Rodney Mallet says there is a certain stop a car should sit if a train is coming..:
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He adds you should never try to beat a train that could take more than a mile to come to a stop.

So what are the chances we could see snow tomorrow. Jeff Palermo has more…:
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According to the US Coast Guard, four people were rescued from an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico after it caught fire early this morning. They say the burning platform is 80 miles south of Grand Isle. There are currently no injuries reported. We’ll have more on this as it develops.

The revised master plan for coastal restoration and protection in Louisiana has been released. Halen Doughty has more…:
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Precipitation moves into Louisiana tonight, and it could change to snow north of I-20. But State climatologist Barry Keim says the chance for wintry precipitation is not very high…:
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The Louisiana Department of Transportation launches a railroad safety campaign. Based on the latest numbers from the Federal Railroad Administration, Louisiana was fourth in the nation for the number of highway-rail crossing fatalities in 2015. DOTD Spokesperson Rodney Mallett says law enforcement officers are monitoring numerous railroad intersections…:
cut 14 (08) “write tickets”

Auto jobs are coming to Shreveport as Glovis America announced plans to invest one million dollars to transform the former General Motors plant into a new inland distribution center. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says this is great news for Shreveport workers.

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A hiring date has not been set.

Drew Brees is getting into the donut business, as the Saints quarterback has partnered with Dunkin’ Donuts to open nearly 70 new locations in Louisiana. Marketing manager with Dunkin’ Donuts in Louisiana, Erin Sheeran, says fans can expect to see the QB in the stores.

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Locations in Chalmette, Kenner, and Gonzales are expected to open this year.

Water systems around the state are increasing fees this month to help with an uptick in inspections. Emelie Gunn has more…

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According to the National Weather Service, at least 8 tornadoes hit Louisiana Monday. The twisters damaged parts of Avoyelles, Beauregard, Evangeline, Rapides, and Tangipahoa parishes. The most powerful storm touched down in Beauregard Parish, with winds reaching 110 mph. Ten to 25 homes were damaged.

Water systems across Louisiana are increasing fees to help with increased state inspections. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says there’s always been a fee to pay for state inspections, but the legislature and governor agreed to increase the fee by another 75-cents per month starting this month, because health risks are getting higher…
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Guidry hopes thyis will prevent another disaster like the poor drinking water currently in St. Joseph.

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says rates for Workers’ Compensation policies have fallen for a fourth year in a row. Donelon says a lower rate can help attract new businesses to the Bayou State and….
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He says rates have had a cumulative drop of 34-percent over the last 10 years.

Gas prices are once again on the rise, and GasBuddy.com predicts this year we will see the highest gas prices in three years. Senior petroleum analyst Gregg Laskoski says OPEC’s decision to cut production has led to the increase and advises motorists to look for the best deals, because prices vary even in the same city.
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Saints Quarterback Drew Brees is joining the Dunkin’ Donuts team to open up 69 new donut shops in the state. Marketing manager with Dunkin’ Donuts in Louisiana, Erin Sheeran, says currently, the Bayou State has 5 locations in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. She expects Brees will be hands on when it comes to expanding the brand.
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Sheeran says a few stores are set to open this year in Gonzales, Chalmette, and Kenner.