Former Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain is coming to Louisiana to appear with US Senate candidate Bill Cassidy at a series of veterans rallies. The Arizona Senator’s first appearance with Cassidy is Sunday night in Metairie. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says this is evidence of how the Republican Party has turned Louisiana’s US Senate race into a national election…:
CUT 4 (11) “reinforces that”
Monday the pair will make stops in Covington, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and Bossier City.

In a Baton Rouge courtroom Thursday, a former Department of Health and Hospitals worker pleaded guilty to stealing over $1 million dollars from the state to fund her gambling addiction. 47-year-old Deborah Loper was accused of misappropriating Medicaid over payments. Under terms of Loper’s plea agreement, she’ll serve five years in prison, five years probation and she must pay $1,018,423 dollars to the state in restitution. Investigators believe the money was spent at local casinos.

Attorney General Buddy Caldwell says some AT&T mobile customers could receive a refund as a result of a 105 million dollar settlement reached with the cell phone provider over unauthorized text message fees. Chris Styron is an assistant AG and he says this refund is specific to customers who have been “crammed”…:
CUT 7 (11) “a month”
AT&T customers who believe they were billed for charges that were not authorized can file a claim at www.ftc.gov/att.

Wall Street suffered its biggest loss of the year Thursday and the price of oil continues to drop. Statewide the average price for a gallon of regular gas dropped 2 cents to $3.09.

Glascock Group releases a new poll on the 5th Congressional District race and Congressman Vance McAllister looks to be in a good position to make the runoff. The numbers show the incumbent with 24% of the vote, then it’s fellow Republican Ralph Abraham with 20% then Democrat Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo with 18%. Pollster Darrell Glascock:
CUT 6 (12) “that’s where it’s going”
The Duck Dynasty family member Zach Dasher polled at 11% with 12% saying they are still undecided.

Based on filings with the Louisiana Insurance Department, health care policies purchased through the Affordable Care Act’s health exchange will see a double digit rate increase. State Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, and Vantage Health have all filed for rate increases ranging from 10 to 20 percent. He says policy holders will notice the difference next year.

The Kenner Police Department released records Thursday on the arrests of two Destrehan High school teachers who allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old student at the same time and the affidavit states the suspects were both drinking. Shelley Dufresne and Rachel Respess face felony charges of carnal knowledge, indecent behavior and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. A retired judge from New Iberia has been appointed to hear the case.

A former Department of Health and Hospitals worker pleaded guilty to stealing over $1 million dollars from the state to fund her gambling addiction. State Inspector General Stephen Street says 47-year-old Deborah Loper was accused of misappropriating Medicaid over payments…:
CUT 12 (09) “essentially stole the money”
Under terms of Loper’s plea agreement, she’ll serve five years in prison, five years probation and she must pay $1,018,423 dollars to the state in restitution.

With less than a month until the November 4th election, Senator Mary Landrieu is shaking up her campaign staff. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

In just the first 7 weeks of operation the Louisiana Job Connection website has attracted over 13 thousand job seekers. The State Department for Economic Development reports that more than 90 percent of those who posted their profile on louisiana-job-connection-dot-com are from Louisiana.

=============================

A DHH worker who gambled away more than a million dollars in stolen funds by misappropriating Medicaid over payments, pleased guilty in court today. State Inspector General Stephen Street says when 47 year-old Deborah Loper was arrested in 2013, all the money was gone…:

CUT 14 (09) Q: “it’s unfortunate”

In a plea agreement she will spend 5 years in jail, and have to pay the state back all the money.

The field of Republicans hoping to fill the 6th Congressional District seat has narrowed by one. Attorney Cassie Felder has dropped out; mainly based on the inability to raise enough money to do the advertising she would need to win …

CUT 9 (09) “at winning this”

And that support is for State Senator Dan Claitor.

With less than a month before the election, Senator Mary Landrieu has replaced her campaign manager, Adam Sullivan with Ryan Berni-who ran her brother’s mayor’s campaign in New Orleans. Sullivan IS staying on staff, but ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley this is a big deal…

CUT 3 (10) “candidate would like”

Recent statewide polls shows her trailing Republican challenger, Congressman Bill Cassidy.

An owner of a Covington horse farm, who provides handicapped individuals the opportunity to use the facility and ride horses, has been arrested for allegedly raping a 21 year-old mentally challenged woman. St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office booked the owner of Parkview Farms-50 year-old Vincent Datrio- on aggrevated rape into jail and set his bond at $200 thousand dollars. Authorities say, there could be more victims.

—————————————

Some new numbers out on the 5th Congressional District Race, and Congressman Vance McAllister has 24 percent of voter support. This poll from the Glascock Group is right on the heels of a Washington DC group’s ad campaign that shows support for Zach Dasher, while bashing fellow Repulican Vance McAllister…

CUT 8 (10) Q: “it was a wash”

That’s pollster Darrell Glascock who says Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo would get 18 percent of the vote.

There’s one less candidate in the race for the 6th Congressional District, and that person who has withdrawn is Attorney Cassie Felder, who has now thrown her support in the direction of Dan Claitor…

CUT 10 (09) Q: “are phenonminal”

Felder made those comments on the Jim Engster radio show.

In 5th Congressional District Race, the lastest polls has Vance McAllister in good shape

CUT 2 (31) “reporting”

A former DHH employee will be serving time and have to pay back a huge amount of money after she pleaded guilty in a Baton Rouge Coutroom today for stealing over a million dollars. Forty-seven year-old Deborah Loper was managing a bank accounts for DHH…

CUT 13 (06) Q: ‘for her own use”

That’s State Inspector General Stephen Street

—————————————

Senator Mary Landrieu is shaking up her campaign staff with less than a month to go before the election. With her trailing in most polls behind Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy, ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says he understands the reason why…

CUT 5 (12) Q: “Cassidy Campaign”

Ryan Berni (Bernie) (who ran New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landreiu’s campaign) is her new campaign manager.

In the 6th district, there’s a battle between Republicans Dan Claitor, state Representative Lenar Whitney, and Garret Graves, as well as Democrat former Governor Edwin Edwards. To be successful, former candidate and current attorney Cassie Felder says it all comes down to money…

CUT 11 (06) Q: ” can’t get elected”

Felder announced her decision not to run on her website and of the WRKF’s Jim Engster show.

With less than a month until the November 4th election, Senator Mary Landrieu is shaking up her campaign staff. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

===================

In a new poll on the 5th Congressional District Race, the incumbent Vance McAllister looks to be in good shape. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (31) “reporting”

===================

With less than a month until the November 4th election, Senator Mary Landrieu is shaking up her campaign staff. She’s replaced her campaign manager and brought in some familiar faces from other successful races. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says anytime there is a campaign staff shake-up, it’s significant…

CUT 3 (10) “candidate would like”

Ryan Berni, who ran New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s campaign, is the Senator’s new campaign manager, replacing Adam Sullivan who will remain on staff. Landrieu has also brought in longtime associates T. Bradley Keith and Norma Jean Sabiston. Stockley says, in this tough re-election battle, the Landrieu campaign is in a time of no margin for error…

CUT 4 (09)  “professional respect for”

Recent statewide polls show the Senator trailing Republican challenger, Congressman Bill Cassidy, in a potential runoff election. Stockley says by bringing in people she is most comfortable with shows that Landrieu recognizes the seriousness of the situation…

CUT 5 (12) “Cassidy campaign”

=====================

In the latest poll on the 5th Congressional District race by the Glascock Group, Congressman Vance McAllister looks to be in a good position to make the runoff. The numbers show the incumbent with 24% of the vote, then it’s fellow Republican Ralph Abraham with 20% then Democrat Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo with 18%. Pollster Darrell Glascock:

CUT 6 (12)  “that’s where it’s going”

Another poll released this week showed Mayo leading the field of candidates. The Duck Dynasty family member Zach Dasher polled at 11% with 12% saying they are still undecided. Glascock says if McAllister gets into the runoff, he’d be a major contender in a head-to-head heat…:

CUT 7 (14) “to 50-percent”

Glascock says another interesting thing his poll found is that 29% of those surveyed said they’d like to have Abraham as their next door neighbor which shows a high likability factor. He also asked voters if ads from a Washington D.C. group supporting Dasher and attacking McAllister were effective…:

CUT 8 (10) “it was a wash”

=====================

The field of Republicans hoping to fill the 6th Congressional District seat has narrowed by one. Attorney Cassie Felder has dropped out of the race and thrown her support to state Senator Dan Claitor. Felder says her decision to drop out was based on her inability to raise enough money to do the advertising she would need in order to win the race…

CUT 9 (09)  “at winning this”

Felder announced her decision on her website and on WRKF’s Jim Engster Show. Felder says she’s endorsing Claitor because she thinks he has the right experience and is running for the right reasons…

CUT 10 (09)  “are phenomenal”

The 6th District race features Republicans Claitor, state Representative Lenar Whitney, and Garret Graves, as well as Democrat former Governor Edwin Edwards and others vying for the seat left vacant by Congressman Bill Cassidy. Felder says it’s unfortunate that in politics today it all comes down to money…
CUT 11 (06) “can’t get elected“

=====================

In a Baton Rouge courtroom today, a former Department of Health and Hospitals worker pleaded guilty to stealing over $1 million dollars from the state to fund her gambling addiction. State Inspector General Stephen Street says 47-year-old Deborah Loper was accused of misappropriating Medicaid over payments…:

CUT 12 (09) “essentially stole the money”

Under terms of Loper’s plea agreement, she’ll serve five years in prison, five years probation and she must pay $1,018,423 dollars to the state in restitution. Street says Loper had been entrusted to manage a bank account for DHH…:

CUT 13 (06) “for her own use”

Street says they determined through an investigation, when Loper was arrested in 2013, that the money had been all gambled away…:

cut 14 (09) “it’s unfortunate”

The big news in Louisiana politics today is sudden release of Senator Mary Landrieu’s campaign manager. In an 11th hour shake-up, Landrieu hired Ryan Berni to run things as he did for her bother Mitch’s successful bid for New Orleans mayor. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley…:
CUT 4 (09) “professional respect for”
Stockley says this move shows that Landrieu recognizes things aren’t working right internally and it’s time for a change if she plans to defeat Congressman Bill Cassidy.

LSU reports its freshman class this fall has the highest average ACT score and highest average grade point average in the university’s history. The school also says this is the most diverse student body they’ve ever had. President and Chancellor F King Alexander says LSU is doing a good job appealing to more students with more diverse backgrounds.

In a Baton Rouge courtroom today, a former Department of Health and Hospitals worker pleaded guilty to stealing over $1 million dollars from the state to fund her gambling addiction. State Inspector General Stephen Street says 47-year-old Deborah Loper was accused of misappropriating Medicaid over payments…:
CUT 12 (09) “essentially stole the money”
Under terms of Loper’s plea agreement, she’ll serve five years in prison, five years probation and she must pay $1,018,423 dollars to the state in restitution.

The field of Republicans hoping to fill the 6th Congressional District seat has narrowed by one. Attorney Cassie Felder has dropped out of the race and thrown her support to state Senator Dan Claitor. Felder says she just wasn’t able to raise enough money…:
CUT 9 (10) “at winning”