Law enforcement is asking those who plan on celebrating New Year’s away from home to avoid driving home drunk. State Police Sergeant Nick Manale…
cut 12 (08) “…these holidays safe”
Manale says they’ll have extra troopers on the highways tonight looking to arrest those who are impaired behind the wheel.

The hoverboard looks fun, but it also can be painful. New Orleans Orthopedic Surgeon Russell Russo says he’s seen up to 10 injuries from hoverboard accidents in the past couple of weeks, compared to 6 in the previous four months. Russo says most hoverboard injuries occur when people try to step off the device…
cut 8 (09) “coming from”
Russo says take it slow when you first learn to ride a hoverboard and try to do it in a padded area or have someone close by to help in case you fall.

One of the big stories in Louisiana for 2015 was the election of Democrat John Bel Edwards as the state’s next governor. Here’s what Edwards had to say on election night…
cut 6 (08) “…others”
Edwards will be sworn in on January 11th.

The governor-elect has been involved in meetings with emergency prepardness officials regarding the rising Mississippi River and the Red River. The Red River is expected to crest above flood stage on Saturday in the Shreveport-Bossier area. Caddo Office of Homeland Secrurity and Emergency Preparedness deputy director, Robert Jump, says they learned valuable lessons from the June floods when the Red River busted out fo its banks…
cut 15 (11) “….pumps running”
Jump says they are not anticipating any flooding to homes and businesses with this latest event.

As 2015 comes to a close Don Molino looks back at an eventful year in Louisiana…

cut 1 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

State Police is reminding people ringing in the New Year with alcohol to not drink and drive. LSP will be out in full force across the state with DWI checkpoints and proactive patrols looking to get impaired drivers off the roads. They urge revelers to make sure you have a plan in place to get home safely before you start drinking.

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Dr. Russell Russo, a New Orleans Orthopedic Surgeon, says he has seen a spike in hoverboard injuries this holiday season. He feels the problem with hoverboards is that people jump on them and assume they’re just going to learn to ride with no issues. Russo says if you’ve received a hoverboard, it would be best if you learned how to properly ride it…

cut 9 (09) “jump on them”

He says most hoverboard injuries occur when people try to dismount the device

The Red River in the Shreveport-Bossier City area is expected to crest at 31.5 feet on Saturday, but officials are not expecting a huge impact to the public. Robert Jump, Caddo Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness deputy director, says they don’t predict the rising waters will cause any flood damage to businesses or homes…

cut 13 (10) “flaws are”

Jump says their largest impact right now is agriculture in the southern part of the parish

One of the top news stories in the state this year happened at the state capitol where a huge budget shortfall dominated the discussion. On two separate occasions, students from public colleges protested on the steps of the capitol over proposed cuts in state funding to higher education…

cut 5 (11) “cheers”

The state’s budget problems will also be a big story in 2016.

It’s New Year’s Eve and State Police is urging motorists not to drink and drive. Sgt. Nick Manale says State Police will be out in full force with DWI checkpoints, as well as, proactive patrols looking to get drunk drivers off the road. He says if you suspect an impaired driver, notify L-S-P…

cut 11 (09) “that vehicle”

Manale says, if you’re going to drink, make sure you have a plan in place to get home safely.

There seems to be a spike in hoverboard injuries during the holiday season. Jeff Palermo reports…

cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Today is Burl Cain’s final day as warden at Angola State Penitentiary. Cain tendered his resignation after The Advocate newspaper published articles questioning whether his real estate deals with relatives and friends of inmates violated Department of Corrections rules. Cain has gained world-wide recognition for his efforts in reforming the prison and is the longest serving warden in Angola history.

One of the state’s top stories in 2015 is that Louisiana led the country in law enforcement officers killed while in the line of duty. Five were fatally shot, including State Trooper Steven Vincent. State Police Colonel Mike Edmonson says Vincent attempted to help a stranded motorist near Lake Charles, when he was fatally shot…

cut 4 (07) “celebrate his life”

Kevin Daigle faces a first degree murder charge in Vincent’s death.

State Police is reminding everyone ringing in the New Year with alcohol, not to drink and drive. Sgt. Nick Manale says to make sure you have a plan in place to get home safely before you start drinking, because once alcohol enters the body, your judgement becomes impaired…

cut 10 (10) “ride home”

Manale says State Police will be out in full force tonight.

There seems to be a spike in hoverboard injuries during this holiday season. New Orleans Orthopedic Surgeon Russell Russo says he’s seen up to 10 injuries from hoverboard accidents in the past couple of weeks, compared to 6 in the last four months. Russo says most hoverboard injuries occur when people try to dismount the device…

cut 8 (09) “coming from”

The hoverboard is one of the most popular gifts this holiday season.

No winning jackpot tickets were sold for last night’s $300 million Powerball drawing. Saturday’s estimated jackpot climbs to $334 million with a cash value of $205 million. The deadline to purchase tickets for the next drawing is Saturday at 9PM.

2015 was filled with big stories in Louisiana. In July, the bayou state was in the national headlines when John Russell Houser opened fire inside a Lafayette movie theater, killing two people, injuring nine others and then turning the gun on himself. Here’s one man who survived the attack…

cut 3 (06) “right at people”

Also in 2015, Louisiana led the country in law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

One of the most popular gifts this holiday season is the hoverboard. But it seems that as soon as people unwrapped their hoverboard, it started sending them to the hospital. Dr. Russell Russo, a New Orleans Orthopedic Surgeon, says he has seen a spike in hoverboard injuries in the past few weeks…

cut 7 (10) “hoverboard injuries”

Russo feels the problem with hoverboards is that people jump on them and assume they’re just going to learn to ride with no issues.

University of Louisiana System President Sandra Woodley resigns from her post today. Woodley says one of the things she’s most proud of is working with partners to flip the narrative about higher education in the legislature where it’s no longer viewed as an expense but an investment…

cut 4 (09) “in Louisiana”

Woodley says she will look back on her three years as UL System President with fondness. Former Louisiana Tech President Dan Reneau will serve as interim system president until a permanent replacement is found.

Governor Bobby Jindal held a Unified Command Group meeting to discuss response efforts to imminent flooding threats on the Mississippi and Red Rivers. Heavy rainfall over the past several weeks has raised concerns over the rising water levels in both rivers. Governor-elect John Bel Edwards was present to ensure his administration would be up to date in case flooding conditions persist after he’s sworn in on January 11th.

52-year-old Jeffery Ducote Sr. of Boyce is in jail on a three-million dollar bond after he allegedly held a gun to a woman’s head and repeatedly raped her inside her home. Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Lt. Tommy Carnline says after the sexual assault, the victim fled her home and told authorities what happened to her…

cut 15 (11) “that time”

Ducote faces four counts of first-degree rape among other charges.

New Year’s Eve means many across the state will ring in the new year by shooting off fireworks in celebration. Deputy Chief with the State Fire Marshal’s office, Brent Thompson, has some tips to stay safe tonight….

cut 7 (08) “your hand”

Thompson says to exercise extreme caution when handling fireworks.

It’s the second straight year LSU will have to find a new defensive coordinator as Kevin Steele has left Baton Rouge to become the new defensive coordinator at Auburn. Head coach Les Miles has the option to promote defensive line coach Ed Orgeron, but football analyst Mike Detillier doesn’t see that happening…

cut 12 (05) “the family”

Detillier believes Miles will go back to the list of candidates he used last year which included Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, Georgia Tech’s Ted Roof, Penn State’s Bob Shoop, and Oklahoma’s Mike Stoops.

Louisiana Tech offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tony Peterson is leaving the program to take the same position at East Carolina University. Peterson leaves the Bulldogs after three seasons and led the Tech offense in two consecutive bowl victories. Tech has announced that former Bulldog and NFL quarterback Tim Rattay will move from outside receivers coach to replace Peterson as quarterbacks coach. No word, as of yet, on who will be named the new offensive coordinator.

Today is University of Louisiana System President Sandra Woodley’s last day on the job. Don Molino reports…

cut 1 (28) “I’m Don Molino”

Today is the final day Burl Cain will serve as warden at Angola State Penitentiary. Cain put in his resignation after The Advocate newspaper published articles questioning whether his real estate deals with relatives and friends of inmates violated Department of Corrections rules. Cain is the longest serving warden in Angola history and has gained world-wide recognition for his efforts in reforming the prison.

It’s New Year’s Eve and many across Louisiana will ring in the new year by shooting off fireworks in celebration. Deputy Chief with the State Fire Marshal’s office, Brent Thompson, says you should only purchase fireworks from a licensed distributor, never online. He also advises people to never experiment with homemade fireworks…

cut 9 (05) “in jail”

Thompson says to exercise extreme caution when handling fireworks and never give fireworks to children.

The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office says 52-year-old Jeffery Ducote Sr of Boyce man is in jail on a three-million dollar bond after he allegedly held a gun to a woman’s head and repeatedly raped her in her home. Lt. Tommy Carnline says evidence found in the home helped detectives develop Ducote as a suspect…

cut 14 (06) “so quickly”

Carnline says Ducote told his victim that he was looking for a person who used to live there. Ducote faces multiple charges including four counts of first-degree rape.

After announcing her resignation last month, today is University of Louisiana System President Sandra Woodley’s last day on the job. Woodley says she will look back on her time as UL System President with fondness. As far as her future plans go, Woodley is remaining mum on that…

cut 6 (08) “will be”

Until a permanent replacement is found, former Louisiana Tech President Dan Reneau will serve as interim system president.

After just one season, defensive coordinator Kevin Steele has left the LSU football team to accept the same position at Auburn. The list of candidates LSU used last year to hire Steele recently became public and football analyst Mike Detillier believes head coach Les Miles will go back to that list to replace him…

cut 11 (11) “at LSU”

The list includes Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Aranda and Oklahoma’s Mike Stoops.

52-year-old Boyce man is in jail on a three-million dollar bond after he allegedly held a gun to a woman’s head and repeatedly raped her. Lt. Tommy Carnline, with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s office, says Jeffery Ducote Sr knocked on the door at the victim’s home, held a brief conversation with the woman, and then brandished a handgun to get inside…

cut 13 (09) “terrible act”

Ducote faces four counts of first-degree rape plus other charges.

Fireworks will light the night sky tonight in celebration of New Year’s Eve. Deputy Chief Fire Marshall Brent Thompson urges you to exercise extreme caution when handling fireworks. He says to never give children fireworks, even if you think they are small and harmless…

cut 8 (07) “millisecond”

Thompson says make sure to only purchase fireworks from a licensed distributor, never online.