Starting tomorrow, it will be against state law for retailers and businesses to charge you a fee when you pay with a debit card. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

It will also become illegal to intentionally release balloons outdoors in Louisiana. The new law does include some exceptions, like if the release is done by an educational institution, for scientific purposes or with biodegradable balloons. The state is also doubling penalties for abandoning boats in Louisiana waterways.

Whether with voodoo, ghosts or vampires, you can find all types of paranormal experiences at ParaCon in New Orleans this weekend. Event Producer Jennifer Talley says there are free educational workshops and paid classes, and it’s not too late for you to get in on all the fun.

Cut 6 (12) “…16-ish and up.”

Wide receiver Chris Olave and the Saints have agreed to a four-year 132-million-dollar contract extension. There have been injury concerns for Olave, who has suffered four concussions since being drafted 11th overall in 2022. After playing just eight games in 2024, he had a career year and missed only the final game of last season. Locked On Saints podcast host Ross Jackson says this is a fair deal for both sides, but the Saints will need to protect themselves.

Cut 15 (08) “…the bigger question.”

Louisiana’s cyclosporiasis outbreak cases have now reached 100. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says if you typically like to start your dinner with a salad, you shouldn’t be afraid to continue doing so. She says  simply taking the precautions you should be taking anyway with fresh produce, should suffice…like washing it and…

Cut 12 (11) “…of the parasites.”

Quite a few new state laws are going into effect this weekend, one of which prohibits businesses from adding a surcharge to your bill if you pay with a debit card. Businesses can still charge a fee when you use a credit card. Author of the measure, Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell…

Cut 8 (07) “…hear from people.”
Mizell says the state law gives consumers more protections.

———————

The Saints agreed to a contract extension with their top offensive playmaker. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend and you’re into the paranormal ParaCon in New Orleans’ French Quarter. It’s happening at the Crowne Plaza Hotel today through Sunday.  Event Producer Jennifer Talley…

Cut 5 (09) “…developing psychic abilities.”

A bunch of new state laws go into effect Saturday, and one of them will make consumers happy. Act 751 from the 2026 legislative session prohibits businesses from adding a surcharge to your bill if you pay with a debit card. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell is the author of the measure.

Cut 7 (07) “…our own money.”

Businesses can still charge a fee when you use a credit card, but no surcharge can be added when you pay with a debit card.

Louisiana’s cyclosporiasis outbreak now has confirmed 100 cases.  So far, Of those 100 patients, six have been hospitalized. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says  while cyclosporiasis is not considered to be a deadly disease, one of the characteristics is that it can be prolonged.

Cut 11 (07) “…they may return.”

—————

If you’re a fan of the paranormal, there’s something happening in New Orleans this weekend you should check out.  Andrew Greenstein has details.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Saints have agreed to a four year, 132-million dollar contract extension with All-Pro wide receiver Chris Olave. Locked On Saints podcast host Ross Jackson says he’s surprised by how quickly the two sides came to an agreement.

Cut 13 (12)  “…to everybody’s benefit.”

Starting tomorrow, it will be against state law for retailers and businesses to charge you a fee when you pay with a debit card. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Advocates and service providers for the homeless worry a new Louisiana law that criminalizes unauthorized sleeping outdoors will make it even harder for people who struggle to find permanent housing.  But, the new law dubbed the “Streets to Success Act”. Does allow local judges to create homelessness courts where defendants can be connected with housing and other support services rather than punished with fines or jail time.

———————————–

A grim milestone in Louisiana’s cyclosporiasis outbreak as the state has now confirmed 100 cases of people infected with the parasite that causes explosive diarrhea. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says that’s considerably more than the state usually sees in the first seven months of the year.

Cut 10 (11) “…we typically see.”

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend and you’re into the paranormal, may we suggest ParaCon in New Orleans’ French Quarter? Event Producer Jennifer Talley says it takes place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel today through Sunday.

Cut 4 (10) “…come and learn.”

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, Andrew Greenstein has a suggestion for those of you who are interested in the paranormal.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

Starting tomorrow, it will be against state law for retailers and businesses to charge you a fee when you pay with a debit card. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

____________________________________________

The Saints agreed to a contract extension with their top offensive playmaker. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

___________________________________________________

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend and you’re into the paranormal, may we suggest ParaCon in New Orleans’ French Quarter? Event Producer Jennifer Talley says it takes place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel today through Sunday.

Cut 4 (10) “…come and learn.”

Talley says the three-day event invites paranormal enthusiasts, investigators and history lovers to explore the unexplained.

Cut 5 (09) “…developing psychic abilities.”

Talley says there are free educational workshops and paid classes, and it’s not too late for you to get in on all the fun.

Cut 6 (12) “…16-ish and up.”

You can find out more information on the event’s website, New Orleans ParaCon-dot-com.

_______________________________________________________

A bunch of new state laws go into effect Saturday, and one of them will make consumers happy. Act 751 from the 2026 legislative session prohibits businesses from adding a surcharge to your bill if you pay with a debit card. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell is the author of the measure.

Cut 7 (07) “…our own money.”

Businesses can still charge a fee when you use a credit card, but no surcharge can be added when you pay with a debit card. Mizell says it’s already against federal law to charge a debit card fee, but her legislation gives Louisiana consumers more protection.

Cut 8 (07) “…hear from people.”

Businesses that violate the law face a 500-dollar fine. The law also allows debit card users to take legal action if a business doesn’t refund the fee within 30 days.

Mizell says consumers can also contact the Attorney General’s consumer protection hotline if a business charges them a fee for using a debit card.

Cut 9 (08)  “…fine that business.”

________________________________________________

A grim milestone in Louisiana’s cyclosporiasis outbreak as the state has now confirmed 100 cases of people infected with the parasite that causes explosive diarrhea. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says that’s considerably more than the state usually sees in the first seven months of the year.

Cut 10 (11) “…we typically see.”

Of those 100 patients, six have been hospitalized. Sokol says while cyclosporiasis is not considered to be a deadly disease, one of the characteristics is that it can be prolonged.

Cut 11 (07) “…they may return.”

Sokol says if you typically like to start your dinner each night with a salad, you shouldn’t be afraid to continue doing so. She says it’s simply important to take the precautions you should be taking anyways with fresh produce, including thoroughly washing it ahead of time – and perhaps taking one or two extra steps for the time being.

Cut 12 (11) “…of the parasites.”

___________________________________________________

The Saints agreed to terms with All-Pro wide receiver Chris Olave on a four-year, 132-million-dollar contract extension. Olave held in for the first two practices of training camp while he negotiated the deal, and Locked On Saints podcast host Ross Jackson says he’s surprised by how quickly the two sides got it done.

Cut 13 (12)  “…to everybody’s benefit.”

The deal will make him the NFL’s sixth-highest-paid receiver behind the Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb and ahead of the Steelers’ D.K. Metcalf. Olave ranked in the top eight of the NFL in receptions, yards and touchdowns last season. With a quarterback and two offensive tackles on rookie contracts, Jackson says these are the types of deals the Saints can afford.

Cut 14 (08) “…keep him around.”

There have been injury concerns for Olave, who has suffered four concussions since being drafted 11th overall in 2022. After playing just eight games in 2024, he had a career year and missed only the final game of last season. Jackson says this is a fair deal for both sides, but the Saints will need to protect themselves.

Cut 15 (08) “…the bigger question.”

_______________________________________

Tight end Juwan Johnson is entering his seventh season with the Saints, but the veteran pass catcher was actually college teammates with second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. The pair played together at Oregon in 2019 during Johnson’s graduate season. He says they’ve built great chemistry in their time together.

Cut 16 (16) “…the biggest thing (2x).”

Linebacker Kaden Elliss returned to New Orleans this offseason after being drafted in the seventh round of the 2019 draft by the Saints. He spent three seasons in Atlanta, where he became one of the league’s best linebackers. He says Saints GM Mickey Loomis has maintained the culture of the playoff teams he was a part of.

Cut 17 (19) “…a hundred percent.”

As a federal ban on THC products draws nearer, local businesses which deal in the product are working to get it overturned. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested the foster father of an 18-month-old child who died last weekend in the hospital. Thirty-one-year-old Alberto Marin is facing one count of second degree murder one count of obstruction of justice.

Construction jobs are booming in Louisiana – so much so that the Associated General Contractors of America ranks Louisiana number-one in the nation in year-over-year construction job growth and third in the overall number of those jobs.  Reldon Owens, the CEO of AGC’s Louisiana chapter, says the construction boom is being driven by Meta and other data center projects as well as the industrial sector.

Cut 29 (11) “…in Ascension Parish.”

A fisherman from Delcambre has won free beer for a year as he caught a tagged redfish during the CCA Louisiana Star Tournament. Tournament director Micah Den-ess says at first, Wayne Toups, thought it was just a yellow tag for a free T-shirt…

Cut 4 (09) “…what that is”

It turns out to be free Michelob Ultra Beer for free for a year.

The Louisiana Hemp Beverage Coalition is working to get a federal ban on THC products overturned before it goes into effect November 12th. Coalition President Joe Gerrity, who’s also the CEO of Crescent Canna, says there’s a bill that he supports that would not only accomplish that, but it would also address concerns expressed by the ban’s supporters, who say THC drinks and gummies pose safety risks to children.

Cut 11 (12) “…we’re for that.”

Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee (bruh-ZEE) went down with a devastating knee injury on the first day of training camp yesterday. Head Coach Kellen Moore says it looks like a season-ending ACL tear, but the team is waiting on a second opinion.

Cut 7 (09) “…training camp’s about.”

A Delcambre (DEL-kum) angler just won free beer for a year. Kace Kieschnick has the story.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Not a good ranking for the Bayou State. A U.S. News and World Report study named Louisiana the worst overall state in the country. The study measured 71 metrics across categories like economy, education, infrastructure, healthcare and crime. Louisiana is the only state to rank in the bottom 10 in each of the eight total categories.

Certain school support staff might not be getting stipends this year. That’s setting off alarm bells among unions representing those employees. D’Shay Oaks, the president of the Louisiana Association of Educators, says if those staffers are left on the stipend chopping block, they’ll be looking for alternate sources for the stipends.

Cut 20 (09) “…counselors some stipends.”

The scramble to find money for the stipends comes after voters rejected a constitutional amendment that would have turned the annual stipends into permanent pay raises.

A federal law that goes into effect on November 12^th would outlaw most hemp-derived THC and CBD items, such as gummies, seltzers and deta 8 products. Crescent Canna CEO Joe Gerrity says these are items many people enjoy…

Cut 10 (11) “…the state level”

Gerrity has started a new group called the Louisiana Hemp Beverage Association that’s lobbying Congress to either delay or repeal the law.

New research has found that the combination of CBD and THC significantly reduces agitation for people with dementia who are at the end of their lives. Dr. Jeff Keller of LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is one of the principal investigators of the clinical trial.

Cut 30 (10) “…to manage agitation.”

Keller says nine out of every ten study participants showed overall improvement in target symptoms from the THC-CBD combination.

Delcambre fisherman Wayne Toups has won free beer for a year after a catching a tagged redfish during the CCA Louisiana Star Tournament. The tournament lasts through Labor Day, and tournament Micah Denesse (den-ESS) says you can still register at CCA-STAR-dot-com for 35-dollars.

Cut 5 (10) “…for the tournament.”