The 2015 Louisiana Tax Amnesty Period will run from November 16th to December 15th. Michelle Southern has more…

cut 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

The latest independent poll on Louisiana’s gubernatorial runoff shows Democrat John Bel Edwards with a 20 point lead over Republican David Vitter. In the survey, Edwards received 52-percent of the vote with Vitter tallying 32-percent. WVLA-TV and JMC Analytics surveyed 600 likely voters across the state. The poll also shows Edwards leading Vitter among undecided voters, 54 to 35-percent.

Fellow Republicans, incumbent Buddy Caldwell and challenger Jeff Landry, will face off November 21st for the state’s Attorney General’s seat. Landry, a former Congressman and Tea Party favorite, says Caldwell is in for a difficult fight because the AG’s office is currently filled with cronyism, nepotism and corruption…

cut 11 (06) “his business”

Caldwell has held the position since 2008.

November has just begun and many retailers are already beating the Christmas shopping season drum. LSU Marketing Professor Dan Rice says many companies are not just going to have “Black Friday” deals for the holidays. He says some are giving holiday deals that are good for a longer period of time, up to several weeks in some instances…

cut 5 (08) “in the season”

He says it appears retailers are starting the Christmas season earlier and earlier each year.

The Attorney General’s race will be decided November 21st between incumbent Republican Buddy Caldwell and fellow GOP challenger Jeff Landry. Caldwell has held the position since 2008. He says Landry has never tried a case and is unqualified to be be the state’s lawyer…

cut 12 (09) “currently”

It could be a tight runoff election. In the primary, Caldwell received 35 percent of the vote to Landry’s 33 percent.

A new shoe to help alleviate heel pain has been designed by a Baton Rouge doctor. Dr. Meredith Warner with LSU Louisiana Business and Technology Center, says the shoe incorporates basic treatment principles that doctors use regularly and considers it a recovery device…

cut 8 (10) “kind of help”

Warner says The Healing Sole places five treatment methods into the shoe.

The 2015 Louisiana Tax Amnesty program begins November 16th and runs through December 15th. Department of Revenue Deputy Secretary Jared Coniglio says in the past two amnesty periods, they collected more than their goals of $150 million in 2013 and $104 million in 2014…

cut 15 (10) “the legislature”

He says this program gives people the opportunity to bring their delinquent taxes up to date with lessened interest charges and penalties for 30 days.

Many stores are already gearing up for Christmas setting up displays and advertising Christmas specials. Dan Rice, LSU Marketing Professor, says it appears stores are starting the Christmas season earlier and earlier each year…

cut 4 (08) “little bit earlier”

Monday, online retailer Amazon launched a “Black Friday Deals Store” which will post sales daily til November 27th.

Another statewide race headed into the November 21st runoff is between incumbent Republican Buddy Caldwell and fellow GOP challenger Jeff Landry for the office of Attorney General. Landry says the AG’s office needs major reform…:

cut 10 (09) “tax payer”

Landry announced Monday he’s picked up the endorsement of the Democratic third place finisher in the primary, Geri Broussard Baloney.

The 2015 Louisiana Tax Amnesty program will run November 16th to December 15th. Jared Coniglio, deputy secretary with the Department of Revenue, says this gives people the opportunity to bring their delinquent taxes up to date with lessened interest charges and penalties for 30 days.

cut 14 (09) “were due”

Coniglio says this amnesty period is possible because of legislation passed in 2013.

A Baton Rouge doctor has designed a new shoe to help alleviate heel pain. Dr. Meredith Warner with LSU Louisiana Business and Technology Center, created The Healing Sole, which is a patent-pending flip flop which helps people recover quicker from heel pain for various reasons, including plantar fasciitis…

cut 7 (11) “the treatment ”

Warner says right now she is running a clinical trial to prove that The Healing Sole flip flop is actually working. You can find more information online at thehealingsole-dot-com.

According to a recent survey by JMC Analytics on the Louisiana governor’s race, Democrat John Bel Edwards is leading Republican David Vitter by 20 percentage points. The WVLA poll shows Edwards ahead of the US Senator 52 percent to 32 percent. The two will face off in a statewide debate on Monday November 16th. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Louisiana voters deserve to hear the two candidates exchange ideas…:
CUT 3 (07) “and contrast”

November is National Lung Cancer Awareness month and health officials are encouraging individuals to talk to their doctor about lung screening. Dr Brad Vincent with OLOL Cancer center in Baton Rouge says it’s a important to know risk factors…:
CUT 14 (11) “or less”

The Voice of the LSU Tigers will miss the first game of his broadcasting career this weekend as No. 4 LSU takes on No. 7 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Jim Hawthorne, who has called every LSU game since 1984, underwent surgery last week and several sources are reporting he could miss the rest of the season. He’s retiring after this year. A spokesman for LSU says Hawthorne’s status the remainder of the season has not been determined.

State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donleon is issuing some reminders to the public, now that the Affordable Care Act open enrollment period is underway. Don Molino reports…:
CUT 2 (32) “I’m Don Molino”

It appears we’ll have at least one gubernatorial debate before the November 21st runoff election. Eric Gill reports…:
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LSU says the voice of the Tigers, Jim Hawthorne, will miss the first LSU football game of his broadcasting career on Saturday. The Tigers play Bama in Tuscaloosa this weekend. In a release, officials say Hawthrone underwent a medical procedure late last week and is still recovering but should be back in a couple of weeks.

Rapides Parish continues to clean up after severe weather ripped through the area over the weekend. Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Lt. Tommy Carnline says there was a confirmed tornado that touched down in Elmer knocking down powerlines and damaging several homes. He says thankfully nobody was injured but there is plenty of cleaning up to do…:
CUT 10 (10) “the roadway”
There were also reported tornadoes Saturday out of Livingston and Tangipahoa Parish.

The Democratic attorney general candidate who finished third in the October 24th primary, says she’s endorsing Republican Jeff Landry in the runoff. Geri Broussard Baloney said Monday she’s choosing the former Congressman over Republican incumbent Buddy Caldwell because Landry embraces forward thinking policies and would change the way the AG’s office does business. The runoff is November 21st.

Open enrollment for the online Health Insurance Marketplace has begun. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donleon says if you do not elect coverage by January 31st, you will be unable to get healthcare insurance. He says going to out-of-network providers can be expensive…:
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He says if you don’t get insurance you’ll face a stiff penalty on your 2016 tax return.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office says an 81-year-old homeowner perished in a residential blaze over the weekend in Claiborne Parish. They say firefighters found the home completely engulfed in flames upon arrival and later the body of Mary Bryant of Homer was located. The investigation into how Bryant died and how the fire started is ongoing.

November is National Lung Cancer Awareness month and health officials are encouraging individuals, especially older current or former smokers, to talk to their doctor about lung screening. Dr.Brad Vincent is a pulmonologist with Mary Bird Perkins – OLOL Cancer Center in Baton Rouge. He says one of the horrible things about lung cancer is that patients typically don’t have any symptoms early on…:
cut 13 (08) “to treat”
That’s why he says lung screenings are so important.

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton says running back Khiry Robinson’s injury in yesterday’s 52-49 win over the New York Giants is season-ending. Robinson has scored four touchdowns for the Saints this season. He ends 2015 with 56 rushes for 180 yards, and 17 receptions for 115 yards.

Open enrollment on Healthcare.gov for next year is now open. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says the period runs through January 31st and under the Affordable Care Act, the tax penalty fee for not having coverage is substantially bigger in 2016 than it was in 2015…:
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He says you can get more information about The Health Insurance Marketplace online at ldi.la.gov/5things.

The Democratic attorney general candidate who finished third in the October 24th primary, says she’s endorsing Republican Jeff Landry in the runoff. Geri Broussard Baloney said Monday she’s choosing the former Congressman over Republican incumbent Buddy Caldwell because Landry embraces forward thinking policies and would change the way the AG’s office does business. The runoff is November 21st.

Republican David Vitter and Democrat John Bel Edwards will face off November 16th in a WVLA-TV debate televised statewide. Edwards placed first in the primary with 40-percent of the vote, followed by Vitter’s 23-percent. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Edwards’ campaign strategy is working and he shouldn’t change anything in the debate…:
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The debate will begin at 6PM from The Dunham School in Baton Rouge.

Some areas in Rapides Parish are in cleanup mode today after a tornado blew through the town of Elmer over the weekend. Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Lt. Tommy Carnline encourages motorists to exercise caution on the roadways and pay special attention to roads where there is standing water…:
Cut 11 (05) “just safer”
He says, fortunately, no injuries were reported.