A new Southern Media and Opinion Research poll shows likely voters in Louisiana don’t know how the legislature should fill a $1.4 billion dollar budget hole next year. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says we keep having these recurring deficits so he predicts lawmakers will do what they’ve done every year which is nothing…

cut 8 (11) “special exemption taxes”

He says the numbers show people don’t want to see any more cuts to higher education, but they also don’t want taxes raised.

Louisiana State Police now has more than 100,000 followers on their Facebook page heading into 2015. Superintendent Col Mike Edmonson is very grateful so many people have jumped on board and shared important information with their other friends…

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The site is Facebook.com/LousianaStatePolice.

In terms of weather, 2014 will go down as the year of the polar vortex. State Climatologist Barry Keim says those frosty episodes included freezing rain, sleet and some snow which lead to the closure of many roads and bridges and even I-10 and I-12…

cut 5 (10) “downright cruel”

He says another inception of the polar front came in the form of five summer cold fronts bringing in relief to blistering hot days.

You’ll see an increase of deer on roadways this time of year and state officials are urging motorists to use extreme caution to avoid deer collisions. State Farm spokesman Gary Stephenson says the most active times for deer movement are early morning and early evening…

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He says these are the most dangerous months in terms of deer-auto collisions because the animals are very active searching for food and a mate.

According to the latest Southern Media and Opinion Research poll, likely voters in Louisiana don’t have an answer for how the legislature should fill a $1.4 billion dollar budget hole next year. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says the numbers show people don’t want to see any more cuts to higher education, but they also don’t want taxes raised…

cut 7 (06) “on what to do”

Pinsonat says it’s going to take the next Governor to come up with with a program that combines a few taxes here, a few cuts there…then get out and try to sell the plan to voters.

The 2014 year in weather will go down as the year of the polar vortex. State Climatologist Barry Keim says this polar vortex produced four rounds of mixed precipitation here…:

cut 4 (11) “Mardi Gras Day”

He says this large pocket of very cold air has been around for a while but it was really brought to life this year in Louisiana.

This time of year in Louisiana sees an increase of deer spotted on roadways and state officials are urging motorists to use extreme caution to avoid deer collisions. State Farm spokesman Gary Stephenson says a collision with a deer could be costly and even deadly. He says Louisiana had about 9800 deer-auto collisions in the past year ending July 1…

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He says there was about $38 million in damage from deer-auto collisions in the past year.

As the result of this rain event, the National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for all of south Louisiana. This watch will remain in effect through tomorrow afternoon. Showers started late last night and are now more widespread across the region. The precipitation will be heaviest along the Basin and areas to the east with places between Baton Rouge and New Orleans getting several inches of rain.

US Senator David Vitter is asking Louisianans to go see the movie “The Interview”. Eric Gill reports..:
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It’s unhappy Christmas present return time and another busy few days at stores and malls as folks exchange or bring back gifts they didn’t like. Cynthia Albert, with the Better Business Bureau says there are a few things to be aware of if you’re making a return. She says first of all you need to find out what the store’s policy is…:
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She says if you have any trouble making a return you think you’re entitled to, give them a call at the BBB.

The Duck Commander Independence Bowl kicks off tomorrow afternoon in Shreveport. South Carolina will play the University of Miami. Media Relations Director, Stefan (STEF-an) Nolet (NO-lay), says both squads have passionate fan bases and is hopeful the distance to Shreveport doesn’t keep them away…:
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The game will kickoff at 2:30 and be televised on ABC. This is the first time the I-Bowl will be on national broadcast network television since 1991.

There’s a flash flood watch in effect for southeast Louisiana as scattered heavy rain and thunderstorms are rolling through…:
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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says they hope to release 14 young whooping cranes into a southwest Louisiana swamp tomorrow. Biologists say adults released in earlier years show up when the young birds are penned. The cranes arrived December 4th from Maryland and Wisconsin.

US Senator David Vitter wants us to go see the movie “The Interview”. The film depicts the assassination of North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un and had originally been pulled from release after Sony was hacked apparently by the country. It is now being shown in select theaters and Vitter says it’s important that ALL Americans stand up to dictatorship:
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Vitter says he will be seeing the movie with adult members of his family at Chalmette Movies on Monday. It is also being shown at Hollywood Cinemas in LaPlace and the Robinson Center in Shreveport.

The Duck Commander Independence Bowl kicks this afternoon in Shreveport. The matchup features South Carolina and the University of Miami. Media Relations Director, Stefan (STEF-an) Nolet (NO-lay), says the excitement level has been high for this game since they made the announcement…:
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The game will kickoff at 2:30 and be televised on ABC.

There is a flood watch in effect for southeast Louisiana this weekend until 6pm tomorrow. Rain projections could be between 2-5 inches with locally higher amounts possible according to Gavin Phillips with the National Weather Service in Slidell. He says dryer conditions and cooler temperatures lie ahead as we enter next week…but wet weather will be back soon…:
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Might be a good weekend to catch a movie inside. That’s what Senator David Vitter is hoping we’ll do to go see The Interview and send a message to North Korea that America doesn’t tolerate cyber attacks. Vitter says he’s also written a letter to President Obama asking him to show the movie at the White House for Members of Congress…:
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Vitter also cautions the movie is rated R and might be considered crude to some.

Lots of folks will be out and about shopping this weekend and returning Christmas presents that either weren’t popular or didn’t fit. Cynthia Albert, with the Better Business Bureau says there are a few things to be aware of if you’re making a return. She says first of all you need to find out what the store’s policy is…:
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She says if you are having a problem returning something and think you’re entitled to a refund you can call your local Better Business Bureau.

A national media report has labeled Louisiana as the number one place to produce movies. The report , featured on morning television Friday, pointed out Louisiana leads Canada and California as locations of productions. Eighteen movies released last year were shot here.

US Senator David Vitter is asking Louisianans to go see the movie “The Interview”. Eric Gill reports…:
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Speaking of movies Louisiana has been proclaimed the movie capital of the world by CBS news.

With today’s check on the nice gas prices, the American Automobile Association says the current statewide average for a gallon of regular in Louisiana is $2.18. That’s down 12 cents from this time last week and it’s 92 cents lower than this time in 2013.

A flood watch is in effect for southeast Louisiana until 6 p.m. Sunday. Gavin Phillips, with the National Weather Service in Slidell, says Louisiana will see a lot of rain this weekend…:
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Phillips says the storms should end late Sunday afternoon into the evening.

The Duck Commander Independence Bowl kicks off tomorrow afternoon in Shreveport. South Carolina will play the University of Miami. Media Relations Director, Stefan (STEF-an) Nolet (NO-lay), says both squads have passionate fan bases and is hopeful the distance to Shreveport doesn’t keep them away…:
CUT 13 (07) “play each other”
The game will kickoff at 2:30 and be televised on ABC. This is the first time the I-Bowl will be on national broadcast network television since 1991.