Legislation that increases the penalties against minors for calling in fake bomb threats receives pushback. Jeff Palermo reports Democratic lawmakers are concerned the measure could also result in the child’s parents being fined up to five-thousand dollars.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Former Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet (MON-tuh-set) has pleaded guilty to one felony count related to a kickback scheme involving two other people already serving time in federal prison. Andre Champagne has the story.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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It seems that restaurants in Louisiana still have room for improvement when it comes to being honest about the origins of their shrimp. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A bill that increases the penalties against a minor found guilty of calling in a bomb threat or threatening to commit violence at school receives pushback from Democrats on the House floor, because the proposal could also result in the child’s parents facing fines of up to five-thousand dollars for a first offense. New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry was one of the first lawmakers to object.

Cut 4 (08) “…trying very hard.”

Pineville Representative Mike Johnson’s legislation would result in a prison sentence of five to 15 years for terrorizing a school. The court shall also order a child to undergo a mental examination and-or participate in the Back on Track Youth Pilot Program. Johnson’s bill also mandates that the Department of Education provides information to the parents and students about the consequences of terrorizing or menacing a school.

Cut 5 (10) “…make a threat.”

Lake Charles Representative Wilford Carter’s main problem with the bill is also the thousands of dollars in fines a parent could receive.

Cut 6 (10) “…to do this.”

Johnson says his legislation leaves it up to the discretion of the courts to decide if a parent should be fined. He says the overall goal is to make schools as safe as possible.

Cut 7 (10) “…this bill does.”

The House approved the bill on a 71-26 vote and heads to the Senate for more discussion.

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Former Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet (MON-tuh-set) faces up to five years in prison for participating in a kickback scheme. Federal prosecutors say the 78-year-old Montoucet used his position as secretary to steer a state contract to a company called D-G-L-1 in exchange for one-third of the profit. FBI special agent in charge, Jonathan Tapp:

Cut 8 (06) “…this great state.”

Lafayette businessman Leonard Franques (fran-KEZ) and Dusty Guidry of Youngsville are already serving time in federal prison. Prosecutors say Guidry was the mastermind behind the scheme and it was Montoucet who made sure Franques’ business received a contract to provide online hunting and boating courses. Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte Murphy says they stopped the illegal scheme in its early stages.

Cut 9 (07)  “…in their government.”

Montoucet is also a former state representative and retired Lafayette fire chief. Governor John Bel Edwards appointed Montoucet as LDWF secretary in January 2017 and was set to retire in 2024 when he resigned abruptly in April 2023. Murphy says Montoucet was set to receive his portion of the kickback after he retired and the money was hidden in a secret fund.

Cut 10 (10) “…of that scheme.”

Montoucet pleaded guilty to one felony public corruption count. He will be sentenced June 30th.

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A seafood advocacy group says its audit of restaurants along the U.S. 190 corridor between Krotz Springs and Kinder shows that restaurants still have a long way to go when it comes to telling the truth about the origins of their seafood. SeaD (“seed”) Consulting ordered shrimp from 24 restaurants; and of those, it discovered that nine were serving imported shrimp despite being told that the shrimp was domestically caught. Co-Founder David Williams says at each stop, they explicitly asked about the origin of the shrimp.

Cut 11 (09) “…telling the truth.”

Three other restaurants were serving imported shrimp, but they had clearly indicated so. Williams says the high number of restaurants along the 190 corridor serving imported shrimp is very disappointing.

Cut 12 (11) “…not the case.”

Williams says along with supporting the local economy, there are specific reasons that diners specifically ask for domestically-caught shrimp.

Cut 13 (07)  “…more healthy alternative.”

Williams also notes that since imported shrimp is a lot cheaper than domestic shrimp, those who claim that their shrimp is domestic when it’s in fact imported are financially defrauding diners.

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A new study by WalletHub shows that Louisiana is the most stressed state in the country. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo says of the four stress dimensions it looked at, Louisiana ranked in the top ten in all of them.

Cut 14 (09) “…safety-related stress.”

Lupo says when it comes to financial stress, Louisianans tend to pay higher interest rates than those in other states. That’s because the state’s median credit score ranks close to the very bottom.

Cut 15 (11) “…up is excellent.”

Lupo says one thing that Louisiana does have going for itself is the fact that it doesn’t exactly cost an exorbitant amount of money to put a roof over one’s head.

Cut 16 (10) “…comes to money.”

WalletHub says the least stressed state in the country is South Dakota.

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Dr. Bryan Maggard, who serves as UL-Lafayette’s Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, has been appointed to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. He will serve on the 13-person selection committee for the next three football seasons. Maggard, who’s one of three representatives from the Group of Six schools, says he hopes to be a voice for the G6, but only if they prove worthy of being in the conversation.

Cut 17 (09)  “…for the consideration.”

Maggard says serving on the college football playoff selection committee will help shine a spotlight on athletics in Lafayette.

Cut 18 (07)  “…certainly our university.”

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One of Lane Kiffin’s first moves as LSU football coach was retaining defensive coordinator Blake Baker on his staff. Kiffin praised Baker’s work over the past two years and says he wants the defense to reach a new level this season.

Cut 19 (17) “…used to be.”

Kiffin and his staff added nine wide receivers from the transfer portal this offseason. He says the move is aimed at providing the Tigers with quality depth, which will give the team the best chance to reach its full offensive potential this season.

Cut 20 (18) “…are out there.”

Under legislation that has advanced to the full House, inspection stickers would be out, and QR codes would be in. Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley says the only information those QR codes would provide to law enforcement would be the VIN.

Cut 6 (10) “…instead of 10.”

Bagley says the QR code makes it easier for law enforcement to enter the vehicle’s VIN information into their system during a traffic stop.

A new Mississippi River bridge would not be the only roadway named after a living president under legislation being considered. A bill by Monroe Representative Pat Moore to designate a one-mile stretch of Louisiana Highway 15 as Barack Obama Road passed unanimously in the House Transportation Committee.

A bill requiring the OMV to add an image of a flying eagle to the driver’s license of a verified U.S. citizen is headed to the Senate after passing in the full House.

A bill that increases the penalties against a minor found guilty of calling in a bomb threat or threatening to commit violence at school receives pushback from Democrats on the House floor, because it could also result in parents facing fines of up to five-thousand dollars for a first offense. New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry was one of the first to object.

Cut 4 (10) “…trying very hard.”

Ultimately, the House approved Pineville Representative Mike Johnson’s bill on a vote of 71-26. The proposed legislation would result in a prison sentence of five to 15 years for terrorizing a school. Johnson said the Department of Education would also be required to provide information to the parents and students about the consequences of terrorizing or menacing a school.

Cut 5 (10) “…make a threat.”

Will Wade was formally introduced as LSU’s new men’s basketball coach during an entertaining press conference yesterday. Wade left North Carolina State after just one season in Raleigh. He says he stopped worrying about public perception long ago and is now embracing the “villain” role in college basketball after making the move to return to Baton Rouge.

Cut 20 (11) “…mistake about that.”

Wade said that he plans to attack the transfer portal when it opens on April 6th.

LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey added one of the nation’s top assistant coaches in Gabe Lazo Tuesday, strengthening LSU’s staff with an elite coach and recruiter. Lazo replaces Gary Redus, who recently accepted the head coaching position at Rutgers. He spent the past two seasons at Tennessee as the top assistant to head coach Kim Caldwell and played a key role in securing the Lady Vols’ No. 1 recruiting class in 2025.

LSU football coach Lane Kiffin confirmed that sophomore defensive end Gabe Reliford will miss the entire 2026 season after suffering a torn ACL in practice last week. Reliford has now suffered a season-ending injury for the second straight year, following last season’s early finish due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. Kiffin says it is a significant loss, particularly in a position room where depth is crucial.

Cut 21 (15): “how he was performing.”

Dr. Bryan Maggard, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics at Louisiana Lafayette, has been appointed to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee by the CFP Management Committee. Maggard will serve on the 13-member committee for the next three football seasons.

The LSU baseball team looks to extend its win streak to three games tonight when the Tigers take on Southern at 6:30 p.m.

The Alliance for Affordable Energy has concerns about an agreement between Meta and Entergy that they say protects ratepayers from rate hikes due to energy needed to power Meta’s data center. Executive Director Logan Burke says a signed agreement is a good start, but the thing that ratepayers really need to be put at ease is a set of guardrails put up by the Public Service Commission, just like what’s been done elsewhere.

Cut 11 (12) “…on ratepayers’ backs.”

Of a more immediate concern – gas prices. Triple-A says the statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.63. Gas Buddy-dot-com petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan says it can all be traced back to the war with Iran.

Cut 12 (09) “…threat of attack.”

Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley’s effort to eliminate the need for an inspection sticker received approval from the House Transportation Committee. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Also advancing – a bill requiring the OMV to add an image of a flying eagle to the driver’s license of a verified U.S. citizen. It passed in the full House 71-29. While many say the citizenship symbol is one of pride, opponents say it opens up those who don’t have it for harassment. The bill now moves to the Senate.

The House Transportation Committee advances legislation that would replace the inspection sticker with a QR code. During the committee discussion, legislators had questions about what the QR code would reveal. OMV Director Bryan Adams says the QR code will only reveal to law enforcement officers the VIN.

Cut 7 (09) “…so forth.”

Emissions testing will still be required for residents living in the Baton Rouge area because of a federal air quality order under the Clean Air Act.

The group Restore The Mississippi Delta is out with a new ad campaign touting the benefits of reconnecting the Mississippi River to coastal wetlands. The digital and streaming ads feature a casino theme that notes that by canceling two major sediment diversion projects, Governor Landry is putting people’s livelihoods at risk.

Cut 3 (09) “…everyone loses.”

The Alliance for Affordable Energy is weighing in on the deal between Entergy and Meta that they say will save customers more than two-billion dollars.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The House Natural Resources Committee has rejected a bill that would prohibit state government from expropriating property for carbon capture projects. Pineville Representative Mike Johnson argued eminent domain should only be used for public purposes, but the oil and gas industry argued that eminent domain is needed for this important technology.

In just one month, gasoline prices have soared by a dollar across all grades – by almost two for diesel. Gas Buddy-dot-com petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan says it’s unknown when they’ll come back down. He says the best we can do until then is to strive for fuel efficiency.

Cut 14 (05) “…bit slower.”

The Alliance for Affordable Energy has some concerns about the deal Entergy and Meta signed to power Meta’s new data center in Richland Parish. Under the deal, Meta would pay the entire cost for Entergy to build seven new power plants. Logan Burke, the executive director of the Alliance for Affordable Energy, says if it turns out that Meta doesn’t need all that power, ratepayers would be left holding the bag.

Cut 10 (12) “…of those costs.”

Under legislation that has advanced to the full House, inspection stickers would be out, and QR codes would be in. Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley says the only information those QR codes would provide to law enforcement would be the VIN.

Cut 6 (10) “…instead of 10.”

Emissions testing will still be required for residents living in the Baton Rouge area because of a federal air quality order under the Clean Air Act.

Using a casino theme to capture people’s attention, the group Restore The Mississippi Delta is out with a new ad campaign touting the benefits of reconnecting the Mississippi River to coastal wetlands. Campaign Director Simone Maloz hopes it will convince lawmakers to reach out to those who live near the coast to learn what’s important to them.

Cut 5 (09) “…in their future.”

Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley’s effort to eliminate the need for an inspection sticker received approval from the House Transportation Committee. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The Alliance for Affordable Energy is weighing in on the deal between Entergy and Meta that they say will save customers more than two-billion dollars. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The group Restore The Mississippi Delta is out with a new ad campaign touting the benefits of reconnecting the Mississippi River to coastal wetlands. The digital and streaming ads feature a casino theme that notes that by canceling two major sediment diversion projects, Governor Landry is putting people’s livelihoods at risk.

Cut 3 (09) “…everyone loses.”

Campaign Director Simone Maloz says the ad campaign is intended to get the word out to Landry and other members of the administration and the legislature that these diversion projects are what people want.

Cut 4 (10) “…diversions last year.”

Maloz says she hopes the ad campaign will convince lawmakers to reach out to stakeholders to learn what’s important to them.

Cut 5 (09) “…in their future.”

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The House Transportation Committee approves legislation that would end the requirement for motorists to get an inspection sticker. Instead of an inspection sticker, owners of personal vehicles would have a QR code sticker on their windshield that would provide law enforcement with the vehicle’s identification number. Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley is the author of the legislation.

Cut 6 (10) “…instead of 10.”

Emissions testing will still be required for residents living in the Baton Rouge area because of a federal air quality order under the Clean Air Act.

During the committee discussion, legislators had questions about what the QR code would reveal. Office of Motor Vehicles Director Bryan Adams says the QR code will display only VIN information.

Cut 7 (09) “…so forth.”

Bagley says the QR code makes it easier for law enforcement system to enter the vehicle’s VIN information into their system during a traffic stop. Bagley says the annual cost for the VIN sticker is six dollars, which is cheaper and not as time consuming as having to get an inspection sticker.

Cut 8 (07) “…little cheaper”

The measure, which has the support of Governor Landry, heads to the House floor for more discussion.

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We’re getting reaction from the Alliance for Affordable Energy on Entergy’s agreement with Meta that they say will deliver more than two-billion dollars in savings to customers over the next 20 years. As part of the agreement, Entergy will build seven new natural gas-fueled power plants, all paid for by Meta. Executive Director Logan Burke says that’s a lot of risk.

Cut 9 (11)  “…all their costs.”

Burke says the issue is that these investments last a lot longer than 20 years; and furthermore, ratepayers would be left holding the bag if it turns out that Mets doesn’t need all that power from those seven gas-powered plants.

Cut 10 (12) “…of those costs.”

Burke says a signed agreement between Entergy and Meta is a good start, but the thing that ratepayers really need to be put at ease is a set of guardrails put up by the Public Service Commission, just like what’s been done elsewhere.

Cut 11 (12) “…on ratepayers’ backs.”

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The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has surpassed four dollars for the first time since August 2022. According to Triple-A, the statewide average is slightly lower at $3.63. The price at the pump has increased by more than a dollar in just one month. Gas Buddy-dot-com’s petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan says it can all be traced back to the war with Iran.

Cut 12 (09) “…threat of attack.”

Diesel prices have skyrocketed even further since the conflict with Iran began. AAA says the statewide average for a gallon of diesel is up to $5.12 — that’s a $1.80 increase in a month. DeHaan on why diesel prices have escalated faster than regular gas…

Cut 13 (10) “…the country.”

DeHaan says it’s unknown when gas prices will fall back down. He says the best a driver can do to reduce gas costs is to strive for fuel efficiency.

Cut 14 (05) “…bit slower.”

If you’ve felt nauseous after filling your gas tank lately, you’re in good company. Gasoline prices have skyrocketed over the last month since the start of the war in Iran, with regular unleaded averaging $3.63 a gallon. Gas buddy dot com petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan says if you think that’s bad, the average price of diesel has soared to $5.12 a gallon!

Cut 13 (10) “…the country.”

The group Restore The Mississippi Delta released a casino-themed ad campaign touting the benefits of reconnecting the Mississippi River to coastal wetlands. Campaign Director Simone Maloz says it’s intended to get the word out to Governor Landry and other lawmakers that the diversion projects that they cancelled are what people who live along the coast want.

Cut 4 (10) “…diversions last year.”

Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley’s effort to eliminate the need for an inspection sticker gets the O-K from the House Transportation Committee. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Also advancing – a bill requiring the OMV to add an image of a flying eagle to the driver’s license of a verified U.S. citizen. It passed in the full House 71-29. While many say the citizenship symbol is one of pride, opponents say it opens up those who don’t have it for harassment. The bill now moves to the Senate.

The House Transportation Committee advances legislation that would replace the inspection sticker with a QR code. During the committee discussion, legislators had questions about what the QR code would reveal. OMV Director Bryan Adams says the QR code will only reveal to law enforcement officers the VIN.

Cut 7 (09) “…so forth.”

Emissions testing will still be required for residents living in the Baton Rouge area because of a federal air quality order under the Clean Air Act.

And when you go to fill up, you’re continuing to pay up the nose at the pump. Triple-A says the statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.63, up more than a dollar in one month. Gas Buddy-dot-com petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan says it can all be traced back to the war with Iran…

Cut 12 (09) “…threat of attack.”

The national average is more than four dollars a gallon.

The group Restore The Mississippi Delta is out with a new ad campaign touting the benefits of reconnecting the Mississippi River to coastal wetlands. The digital and streaming ads feature a casino theme that notes that by canceling two major sediment diversion projects, Governor Landry is putting people’s livelihoods at risk.

Cut 3 (09) “…everyone loses.”

We’re getting reaction from the Alliance for Affordable Energy on Entergy’s agreement with Meta that they say will deliver more than two-billion dollars in savings to customers over the next 20 years. As part of the agreement, Entergy will build seven new natural gas-fueled power plants, all paid for by Meta. Executive Director Logan Burke says that’s a lot of risk.

Cut 9 (11)  “…all their costs.”

Former Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet has pleaded guilty to one felony count for his role in a kickback scheme. Montoucet faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a 250-thousand dollar fine. Prosecutors say Montoucet agreed to receive financial payments for making sure a company received a statewide contract to provide online courses for sportsmen to resolve LDWF citations.

The Will Wade era, part two, is underway as it took just one press conference from “The General” to get the LSU fan base excited about men’s basketball again. Wade brought the energy during his re-introduction presser inside the Maravich Center…

Cut 19 (09) “…have down here.”

Tiger Rag is reporting Wade is looking at hiring former LSU coach and player Johnny Jones as an assistant.

The bill to eliminate the need for owners of personal vehicles to get an inspection sticker has received approval from House Transportation. Instead of an inspection sticker, passenger vehicles would have a sticker with a QR code that would have the vehicle’s VIN number. Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley says the annual cost for the VIN sticker is six-dollars, which is cheaper and not as time consuming as having to get an inspection sticker…

Cut 8 (07) “…little cheaper”

The measure, which has the support of Governor Landry, heads to the House floor for more discussion.

A bill that would require both people in an in-person conversation to know if they are being recorded has passed out of committee. Metairie Representative Laurie Schlegel says some influencers wearing smart glasses approach women and record them without their knowledge, then post the footage online without their knowledge or consent. She says if her bill becomes law, those who violate it would face criminal charges and civil penalties.

Cut 15 (07) “…a civil action.”