The McNeese men’s basketball team is going dancing for a third straight year. Joe Gallinaro has the story…

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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Louisiana’s Agriculture Commissioner is sounding the alarm over the lack of crawfish peelers. Andrew Greenstein has more…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The McNeese Men’s basketball team is headed back to the NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive season after beating Stephen F Austin 76-59 in the Southland Tournament Championship game. Coach Bill Armstrong took over for Will Wade and keeps the streak of Big Dance invitations going, but Armstrong credits the players…

Cut 3 (12) “…work to do.”

Armstrong becomes the first coach in Southland history to earn an NCAA Tournament bid in his first season as a Division One head coach.

Senior guard Javohn Garcia erupted for a career-high 31 points in the win. Garcia says the Cowboys were not going to let the Lumberjacks end their 27-game winning streak at home.

Cut 4 (10) “…came out victors.”

McNeese is one of the few teams in college basketball to win three straight conference titles. Senior guard DJ Richards says earning their way into the big dance is an accomplishment no one can take away from them.

Cut 5 (09) “…really hard to do”

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Crude oil prices have surpassed 90-dollars a barrel and the statewide average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has reached $3.23, according to Triple-A. The International Energy Agency is releasing 400-million barrels of oil from strategic reserves, but LSU Center for Energy Studies director Greg Upton says that will not help with gas prices, instead it will ease short-term supply disruption…

Cut 6 (11) “…short run.”

Diesel now costs on average $4.55 a gallon, according to Triple-A.  Upton says opening strategic reserves will have a small impact on the global oil price…

Cut 7 (12) “…these disruptions”

As a result of the war with Iran, gas prices are up 70-cents over the last month. Upton expects to see high gas prices through the summer…

Cut 8 (08) “..down in the fall.”

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The commissioner of agriculture and forestry is sounding the alarm over the lack of crawfish peelers in the state. Mike Strain says this is because the Department of Homeland Security has stopped processing H-2B applications for skilled guest workers, preventing them from coming back. 

Cut 9 (07)  “…skilled guest workers.”

Strain says these guest workers are doing the work for upwards of 18 dollars an hour; and it’s work that Americans will not do, to the chagrin of crawfish farmers.

Cut 10 (09) “…these workers in.”

Strain says of the 20 major crawfish processors, 15 of them have not received any guest workers, and the federal government’s inaction is on the verge of doing irreparable financial harm.

Cut 11 (15) “…to come in.”

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The National Weather Service says as many as six tornadoes went through southeast last night impacting St. Helena, Tangipahoa, Washington and St. Tammany Parishes. There’s a lot of clean up in Tangipahoa Parish as a suspected tornado knocked down trees and power lines in areas around Roseland, Fluker and Kentwood. But Tangipahoa Parish president Robby Miller says no major property damage or deaths…

Cut 12 (08) “…were damaged.”

The severe weather has left thousands without power, but Miller says the situation is improving…

Cut 13 (12) “…power line.”

Lake Charles is the epicenter of March Madness in Louisiana. Kace Kieschnick reports the Southland Conference is crowning new champions today and tomorrow and the high boys basketball tournament is taking place  at the Burton Coliseum…

Cut 1 (25) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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A Senate committee approves legislation that makes disruptive protests at or near churches a crime. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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March Madness is peaking right now in Lake Charles as the city is hosting the Southland men’s and women’s basketball tournaments and the boys high school basketball championships. Lake Charles Regional Sports Authority Executive Director Eric Zartler….

Cut 3 (07) “…be fantastic”

McNeese will play Stephen F Austin for the Southland Conference Tournament Championship game at 4 PM today. The Cowboys defeated UTRGV in three overtimes last night to survive and advance.

Zartler says this is the 13th straight year the Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles has hosted the boys basketball championships…

Cut 4 (07) “…this one.”

Boys semifinal action continues today into tomorrow and then the 10 championship games begin on Friday.

Zartler says the region tries to roll out the red carpet for the 40 high school teams competing each year

Cut 5 (09) “…big game feel”

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We could be in for severe weather later today. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says a storm system is making its way east from Texas, bringing a slight risk for severe weather – a two out of five on the scale.

Cut 6 (11) “…into the night.”

With that, Grymes says he expects watches to be posted later today for much of the state, if not all of the state. He says the storm could produce thunderstorms and even tornadoes.

Cut 7 (11) “…become EF1s, EF2s.”

Grymes says even if there are no tornadoes, winds will likely be a factor.

Cut 8 (11) “…across the area.”

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A Senate committee approves legislation that would make it a crime to conduct a disruptive protest inside a church or near a place of worship. Ponchatoula Senator Bill Wheat says with his legislation, he’s not trying to infringe upon the First Amendment right to protest…

Cut 9 (09)  “…day of it.”

The legislation, which is headed to the Senate floor, is in response to a protest that took place at a Minneapolis church last January where the pastor was an ICE officer. Wheat says he’s not heard of any similar incidents in Louisiana. He says his legislation would not prohibit a person from holding a protest sign in front of the church, but if they cause a disruption it would lead to a 500 dollar fine and possibly up to 15 days in jail…

Cut 10 (12) “…disruptive service.”

Meghan Garvey with the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers says the U-S Supreme Court has already ruled it is unconstitutional to ban someone from protesting on a public sidewalk. Garvey says the bill also needs to do a better job in defining what is “disruptive” so it does not infringe on free speech rights…

Cut 11 (12) “…disruptive.”

The measure heads to the Senate floor for more discussion.

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U-S Senator Bill Cassidy says Congress can no longer sit on the sidelines as it needs to come up with legislation to regulate name, image and likeness deals in college athletics. Cassidy says legislation needs to be put in place to protect student athletes who are signing NIL deals that result in agents receiving a 40-percent commission

Cut 12 (12) “…g0 to the pros.”

Cassidy held a roundtable discussion that involved former LSU basketball player and current LSU board member Collis Temple Junior and LSU deputy athletic director Julie Cromer. Cromer says with student athletes trying to cash in on NIL deals, the education component of being a student-athlete is going away and athletic departments need help

Cut 13 (11) “…education.”

Former Auburn football coach and current Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville was part of the discussion. Tuberville says he supports student-athletes getting paid, but believes the President Trump should issue an executive order to put some restrictions in place…

Cut 14 (11) “…more money.”

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy raised concerns about trying to restrict what students can receive through NIL deals…

Cut 15 (10) “…professional sport.”

Cassidy plans to hold additional hearings on the issue.

If you’re planning on flying out of New Orleans this week, plan ahead – far ahead. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Plastic crows are the latest instrument used in the effort to smuggle drugs and tobacco into the Federal Prison in Grant Parish. Joe Gallinaro has the story.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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If you’re planning on flying out of New Orleans this week, plan on arriving at Louis Armstrong International Airport at least three hours before your scheduled departure. That’s because the line at the TSA checkpoint is very long. Deputy Aviation Director Erin Burns says this comes as several TSA agents are out because of the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

Cut 3 (06) “…six lanes open.”

Burns says the line is so long that it extends all the way to the parking garage at times; and if it wasn’t for the dedicated airport staff and the understanding traveling public, that could make for a very chaotic scene.

Cut 4 (09) “…efficiently as possible.”

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The longer you wait to fill up your gas tank, the more money you’ll end up paying. That’s because gas prices continue to climb amid the fighting in Iran. Don Redman with Triple-A Louisiana says the average price of regular unleaded has soared 55 cents over the last month. ($2.50 a month ago to $3.05, with much of the increase over the past week)

Cut 5 (10) “…the past week.”

Redman says the jump in gas prices is not because the war is causing a drop in oil production; rather, it’s because it’s cutting off a major shipping lane in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing tankers to find a different route to North America.

Cut 6 (08) “…start falling down.”

Redman says exactly when gas prices will start moving the other direction is anyone’s guess; so for the time being, he says consider this the new normal.

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Uptown New Orleans has been dealing with a series of water main breaks in recent months. The latest happened overnight, when a 48-inch main ruptured. Councilwoman Aimee McCarron visited a woman who lives at the intersection of where it happened.

Cut 7 (11) “…be flooded too.”

In all, McCarron estimates at least a dozen homes in that area that have sustained similar flooding. Kaitlyn Tymrak, the interim general superintendent of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, says a boil water advisory has been issued for much of the East Bank of New Orleans, including some of the most heavily populated and visited areas.

Cut 8 (10) “…New Orleans East.”

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Two women from Texas have been arrested after allegedly using plastic crows to smuggle drugs, cell phones and tobacco into a federal prison located in Grant Parish. Grant Parish Sheriff Steven McCain says the suspects used a drone to drop the plastic crows filled with contraband onto the grounds of the Federal Prison…

Cut 9 (04)  “…didn’t work.”

Thirty-eight-year-old Melanie Jean Worthington and 41-year-old Kassy Marie Cole have been arrested on multiple drug charges. McCain says they used plastic crows to get methamphetamine, THC, synthetic marijuana, tobacco and cell phones into the prison…

Cut 10 (08) “…the sky.”

McCain says when authorities tracked down Worthington and Cole, they were in possession of the plastic crows that were dropped into the prison. The sheriff says ten people have been arrested this year for trying to smuggle drugs into the Federal Prison in Grant Parish. He says last year two men used a cannon to get meth and tobacco into the prison…

Cut 11 (08) “…get caught.”

McCain says these two women admitted to being paid 40-thousand dollars to smuggle in the contraband.

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Governor Jeff Landry delivered his State of the State address on the opening day of the legislative session. The Republican from St. Martin Parish used the opportunity to tout the successes of his administration, including 100-billion dollars in economic development projects…

Cut 12 (13) “…competes.”

Landry says since he took office, the state has announced more than 124-thousand new private-sector jobs.

The governor is also pleased to see auto insurance rates coming down…

Cut 13 (10) “…go back up.”

Landry says the state has also made strides in improving literacy…

Cut 14 (14) “…math and reading.”

A new statewide poll of Louisiana voters finds that their biggest concern is what’s in their pocketbook. Kace Kieschnick has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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The 2026 legislative session begins today. Jeanne Burns has a look at some of the big issues that will be discussed.

Cut 2 (37) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

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A state senator is looking to make fortified roofs mandatory for all new construction homes along the coastal parishes. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Louisiana voters say their biggest concern is rising costs. According to a survey conducted by the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, 40 percent of the respondents listed the cost of living and inflation as their top concern. Erin Bendily is the vice president of the Pelican Institute

Cut 4 (04) “…and inflation.”

Bendily says two-thirds of Louisiana voters report their electric and gas utility bills have increased over the past year.

Cut 5 (11) “…policymakers.”

She says nearly eight in ten say state government or the Public Service Commission policies bear at least some responsibility for higher utility bills

Cut 6 (10) “…agenda.”

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The 2026 legislative session begins today as lawmakers have more than 13-hundred bills to consider. The biggest one of them all is the state’s spending plan for next fiscal year. Lapolitics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says the biggest budget fight could involve the L-A Gator Program. Governor Landry wants to double the funding for the voucher program that helps eligible families pay for private school tuition and other education expenses…

Cut 7 (11)“…big of a jump.”

Alford says legislators also have to figure out how to make up for a loss of federal funding….

Cut 8 (06) “…Medicaid.”

Lawmakers will also devote time on legislation to give more local control over carbon capture projects. There’s legislation to allow guns on college campuses and a proposal to make it a felony crime to drive more than 30 miles per hour over the speed limit. Alford says there’s also more insurance reform legislation…

Cut 9 (09)  “…auto insurance.”

The legislative session must end by June 1^st.

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A state senator is looking to make fortified roofs mandatory for new construction homes in the coastal parishes. River Ridge Republican Kirk Talbot’s bill would update the building code along the coastal parishes to make fortified roofs mandatory on all new residential builds. He says current code is almost there.

Cut 10 (09) “…to that level.”

Talbot says on new builds, fortified roofs would practically pay for themselves.

Cut 11 (09) “…to get it.”

As filed, Senate Bill 147 would update the building code statewide. However, Talbot says he rushed the drafting of his bill to file it before the pre-filing deadline, and he will offer an amendment to narrow it down to the parts of the state where fortified roofs are needed the most.

Cut 12 (05) “…for new construction.”

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McNeese is hosting the Southland Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments for the fourth straight year this week. The Cowboys have been crowned Southland champs at home the last two years, but this year could be the first time the league leading Cowgirls get to join the celebration. McNeese Sports Information director Matthew Bonnette says it’s a big week for the school and Lake Charles area.

Cut 13 (10)  “…to the area.”

The Cowboys enter the tournament second in the conference behind Stephen F Austin and will see their first action tomorrow night in the semifinals. The men are 26-and-5 on the season and 19-and-3 in conference play including a loss to SFA in their last matchup. Bonnette thinks home court advantage will give the Cowboys a good shot at completing the three-peat.

Cut 14 (09) “…division one school.”

The Cowgirls lead the league with a 27-and-4 record on a historic 20-game win streak. They’ll take the court for the first time in Wednesday’s semifinals, and Bonnette says Cowgirl fans are right to be confident in this year’s team.

Cut 15 (09) “…home crowd.”

McNeese will have the chance to take home both men’s and women’s Southland tournament championships for the first time in school history.

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The LSU women’s basketball team lost to South Carolina for the 19^th consecutive time on Saturday at the SEC Tournament. Just like the game on Valentine’s Day, LSU did not make enough plays. LSU was within five points with 45 seconds left, but instead of fouling Carolina in an effort to get the ball back quickly, they allowed the Gamecocks to drain the clock…

Cut 16 (20) “…do it.”

Mulkey has yet to beat Dawn Staley and South Carolina since she arrived at LSU in 2021. Mulkey says the difference between LSU and the Gamecocks is that she’s been at LSU five years and Staley has been at Carolina for 18 years…

Cut 17 (09)  “…so close.”    (2x)

LSU will likely be a two-seed in the SEC Tournament. The bracket will be released on Sunday.

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The regular season ended for the LSU men’s basketball team with a triple overtime loss to Texas A-and-M on Saturday. The Tigers went 3- 15 in league play. Coach Matt McMahon says he accepts his share of the blame for another losing season in conference, but he still feels good about the future if given another chance…

Cut 18 (18)  “…moving forward.” 

LSU will play Kentucky in the opening round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday.

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At the girls’ basketball state championships, Rosepine High School in Vernon Parish won its third title in four years as the Lady Eagles beat Holy Savior Menard High School in overtime. Case James scored 14 points…

Cut 19 (10) “…all of us .”

Merryville in Beauregard Parish, won its first state championship as the Lady Panthers defeated Midland 49 to 46. Avery Cournoyer was named the Most Outstanding Player as she scored 21 points…

Cut 20 (12) “…our turn.”

A New Orleans representative is trying again with legislation aimed at cracking down on the use of artificial intelligence in political materials. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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Ragin Cajuns fans have bragging rights today as U-L Lafayette handed second ranked LSU it’s second consecutive loss last night. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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A New Orleans representative is trying again with a bill that would crack down on political messaging created with the use of artificial intelligence. Democrat Mandie Landry says a bill she’s filed requires any image on political material created with A-I that could deceive the recipient be clearly disclosed as such.

Cut 3 (08) “…with artificial intelligence.”

Speaking to Tommy Tucker on WWL radio, Landry says she filed a similar bill last year that wasn’t as narrow in scope, and it made it onto Governor Landry’s desk.

Cut 4 (10) “…was very interesting.”

Landry says it’s important that governments, not just in Louisiana but everywhere and at all levels, get on top of artificial intelligence.

Cut 5 (10) “…to fly by.”

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Wednesday night was a special night for Ragin Cajun baseball fans as U-L Lafayette defeated second ranked LSU seven to two in front 57-hundred fans, third largest crowd in school history. Coach Matt Deggs team scored three runs in the first and never trailed…

Cut 6 (06) “…special night.”

With the victory, the Cajuns improve to 10-3 on the season, while LSU fell to 11-and-3. Coach Jay Johnson started junior right-hander Gavin Guidry. Two errors in the first inning helped produce the three runs in the first inning…

Cut 7 (12) “…credit.”

The Cajuns executed two hit and run plays successfully to spark the first inning rally.  LSU was held to seven hits and Cajuns freshman right-hander Sawyer Pruitt finished the game by throwing four scoreless innings. Deggs says he was not going to take Pruitt out of the game, because they wanted to win badly…

Cut 8 (09) “…our guys.”

The Cajuns are in Texas for a three game series at Dallas Baptist this weekend, while LSU hosts Sacramento State.

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An earthquake jolts Red River Parish early this morning. Rob Skoumal (SKO-mall) with the U.S. Geological Survey says it was a magnitude 4.9 that struck near Coushatta at around 5:30 this morning.

Cut 9 (10)  “…fairly widely felt.”

Skoumal says while people might not associate earthquakes with Louisiana, they’re not entirely unheard of here.

Cut 10 (08) “…isn’t super unusual.”

Skoumal says while we may never know the cause of the earthquake, humans cannot be completely ruled out.

Cut 11 (10) “…by wastewater disposal.”

Skoumal says there will likely be aftershocks, with a very slight chance of one registering at least a magnitude 4.0.

Last year, Senate President Cameron Henry convened a task force on power. Now, we’re learning some of that task force’s findings. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The second ranked LSU baseball team ended its five game homestand last night with a 13 to 10 loss to Northeastern. Jeff Palermo has a recap…

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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We’re learning some findings from a task force on energy created last year by Senate President Cameron Henry. It comes amid a string of data centers, including Meta and Amazon, coming to Louisiana. Henry says while those data centers certainly create jobs and economic impact, they can also drain resources. 

Cut 3 (11) “…businesses as well.”

Henry says among the findings of the task force is that when power companies upgrade their plants, customers foot part of the bill, while the utility companies reap the benefits. (Customers pay the costs of the upgrades; utility companies get 10-percent return on investing the money it gets from those customers.)

Cut 4 (13) “…on that investment.”

Henry says the point of the task force is not to criticize the power companies or the Public Service Commission, which regulates them. 

Cut 5 (13) “…who adjusts those.”

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There was a big spike in gas prices overnight. According to Gasbuddy,com  gas prices are about a dime higher than yesterday as the statewide average is at $2.65. Gasbuddy petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan does not expect the prices will continue to skyrocket…

Cut 6 (07) “…everyday.”

DeHaan is more concerned about diesel prices, which has seen even a greater increase, because the supply of diesel is tighter than regular gasoline…

Cut 7 (12) “…US economy.”

According to gasbuddy.com, the national average price for a gallon of diesel shot up to $3.86.

DeHaan says there are two factors that led to the sudden increase in gasoline. The conflict with Iran and the seasonal change from winter grade gasoline to summer. He’s optimistic prices will peak soon and then come back slowly…

Cut 8 (11) “..in Iran.”

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A citywide boil advisory remains in effect for Shreveport after a water main ruptured over the weekend. The boil advisory could last through the weekend as specialized equipment is needed to establish a temporary fix, which is to bypass the damaged pipe. Mayor Tom Arceneaux tells residents they are working around the clock…

Cut 9 (08)  “…simply.”

The water main that broke was installed in 1979 and the break is under water in Cross Lake. Arceneaux says he remains optimistic the repairs will be completed by Friday…

Cut 10 (10) “…to fix.”

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Governor Landry’s re-election campaign says in a filing with the Louisiana Board of Ethics that it ended 2025 with almost 11-million dollars in cash-on-hand. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says he’s not surprised.

Cut 11 (14) “…he’ll raise it.”

The Landry for Louisiana campaign started 2025 with just over four and a half million dollars in cash-on-hand and raised more than seven-million dollars throughout the year. Pinsonat says it’s a testament to the fact that when Landry sets his mind to something, he does it.

Cut 12 (13) “…he’ll raise it.”

Landry’s campaign says his current cash-on-hand is more than twice as much as that of former Governor John Bel Edwards at this point in his first term. Pinsonat says even though the election is more than a year and a half away, he does not expect anyone to seriously challenge Landry.

Cut 13 (14) “…the tax burdens.”

Before you go to bed tonight, you might want to set your alarm clock a little earlier. Andrew Greenstein reports that’s because you’ll be in for a special treat up in the sky tonight.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The Louisiana National Guard will remain on patrol in New Orleans. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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If you’re an early bird, you’re going to be in for a very special treat early tomorrow morning: a total lunar eclipse. LSU Planetary Astrophysicist Dr. Natalie Hinkel says it’s a phenomenon that happens when the sun, the Earth and the moon completely align with one another – in that order.

Cut 3 (12) “…a blood moon.”

Hinkel says unlike in a solar eclipse, in which the path of totality is only a few miles wide, the path of totality in a lunar eclipse is several hundred miles wide. In this case, it encompasses the entire state at the same time, with the change starting around 2:44 a.m. (Totality begins at 5:04 a.m.; the max eclipsing occurs at 5:33 a.m., and it ends at 6:02 a.m.)

Cut 4 (08) “…around 6:02 a.m.”

Hinkel says if you want to see the lunar eclipse, set your alarm early, get out of bed and step into your back yard – because your next opportunity will not come around for a while.

Cut 5 (08) “…years from now.”

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Southeastern Louisiana University celebrated its 100^th anniversary last year and this spring the university celebrates its historic growth with over 15,000 students enrolled for the first time in 10 years and the largest Spring enrollment in SLU history. Chief Enrollment Management Officer, Kay Maurin says it wasn’t luck.

Cut 6 (11) “…categories of student.”

Maurin says a key component of the historic growth came in the category of dual enrollment students with over 5,000 high school students across the state earing college credit at SLU.

Cut 7 (12) “…classes early.”

Southeastern President William Wainwright says the university’s growth is important as the state focuses on economic growth. Maurin credits a comprehensive campus-wide plan that includes faculty and staff for the enrollment success that is important to their economic impact.

Cut 8 (10) “…enrollment strategies.”

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Shreveport is dealing with a water crisis as a citywide boil advisory has been issued after a water main busted over the weekend resulting in low water pressure for many residents. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux says to restore water pressure to all customers, crews will need to complete a temporary fix…

Cut 9 (11)  “…a break.”

Arceneaux says it will take until Friday for workers to complete the temporary fix. Until the temporary fix is in place, he’s asking residents to conserve water to help with water pressure…

Cut 10 (12) “…at night.”

Arceneaux says the break occurred in a 42-inch pipe installed in 1979. He says the city realizes its water infrastructure is old, which is why have they have already started upgrading the water system

Cut 11 (13) “…occurred.”

The mayor says he expects the citywide boil advisory will likely last through the weekend.

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The joint U-S-Israeli attacks on Iran will result in higher gas prices. That is according to AAA’s Nick Chabarria, who says oil prices rose sharply after the initial strikes on Iran which will lead to an increase the price at the pump. He says gas prices were already increasing upward because of the shift from a winter blend gasoline to a summer blend…

Cut 12 (07) “…local pumps.”

The statewide average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $2.57. That’s up seven cents from a week ago. Chabarria says it’s hard to say how much more gas prices will increase now that a war has broken out in the Middle East…

Cut 13 (09) “…middle east.”

Chabarria says the silver lining for Louisiana is that gas prices are 17-cents lower than they were at this time last year…

Cut 14 (06) “…last month.”

House Appropriations begins its budget hearings today, as the Corrections Department and the Office of Juvenile Justice seek more funding amid growing incarceration populations. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

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LSU is once again requiring applicants to provide their ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (40) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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In 2023, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry issued its LA Driven strategic plan to improve the state’s economic competitiveness by 2030. Andrew Greenstein gives us a progress report.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A House committee begins holding hearings today on Governor Landry’s spending plan for the next fiscal year. The governor’s office is seeking an 82-million-dollar increase in state funding for its corrections department as the prison population has grown. Appropriations Chair Jack MacFarland says some of the additional funding is for offender rehabilitation.

Cut 4 (10) “..tax dollars.” 

The Office of Juvenile Justice is also seeking a 28-million-dollar increase as Louisiana’s juvenile justice system is incarcerating more youth offenders. Fifteen-million dollars will be used to open a new youth prison in Vernon Parish, and MacFarland says they also want to increase staff salaries.

Cut 5 (11) “…make it competitive.”

MacFarland expects debate over the L-A GATOR program, the state’s education voucher program that provides financial assistance to 56-hundred low-income families to attend private school. Landry wants to grow the program to help more than just low-income families with their educational expenses. MacFarland says Landry wants to increase funding from 44-million dollars to 88-million.

Cut 6 (09) “…still being discussed.”

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LSU applicants will once again have to submit their ACT or SAT scores when applying to the Baton Rouge campus. LSU has been operating under a test-optional policy since June 2022. LSU Board of Supervisors member James Williams opposes changing the policy. He says it will put low-income families at a disadvantage because they cannot afford A-C-T tutoring…

Cut 7 (08) “…on testing.”

But LSU says retention rates and the GPA of students who do not submit a standardized test score are lower than those of students who do provide their ACT scores. LSU Chancellor Doctor James Dalton also says the test score is one piece they will look at for admission…

Cut 8 (13) “…success.”

The average ACT score of LSU students is 27. A minimum score is not needed to be admitted to the flagship campus. And Dalton says the test score is just one component of the total comprehensive admittance process…

Cut 9 (10)  “…two jobs.”

Williams is concerned because standardized tests display known socioeconomic and geographic biases…

Cut 10 (12) “…get it.”

The holistic admissions process that LSU has used over the last several years is designed to promote economic and racial diversity. Since adopting the test-optional admissions, Black and Hispanic enrollment has increased.

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The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry says the state is making great strides towards economic competitiveness. In 2023, the group released its LA Driven strategic plan, outlining a series of goals to achieve by 2030. President and CEO Will Green says Louisiana now ranks 24th in the country in both job creation and wage growth, both far exceeding their original goals well ahead of schedule.

Cut 11 (10) “…of those goals.”

Green says one key to economic competitiveness is workforce readiness, and that involves a strong education system. He says Louisiana has made significant improvements in the classroom.

Cut 12 (08) “…than ever before.”

Green says as such, Louisiana is well on its way towards achieving its education goals of 66 percent third-grade reading proficiency and an 88-percent high school graduation rate by 2030.

Cut 13 (11)  “…our goal there (2x).”

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It was a mere formality that the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors made official last Friday – it unanimously appointed Dr. Ramesh Kolluru the new president of U-L Lafayette, removing the interim tag that he had since November. One of Kolluru’s first tasks as he assumes the role full time is to balance the school’s budget, and he says he plans on doing so without any government bailouts.

Cut 14 (10) “…the fiscal year.”

Dr. Kolluru says he wants to enhance the student experience, and that includes all facets like health and wellness, financial assistance and connecting them with business and industry as soon as possible.

Cut 15 (10) “…can choose from.”

Before being appointed interim president last year, Kolluru was the university’s vice president for research, innovation and economic development – a role he held for more than a decade. Now that he’s the full-time president, Kolluru says he will continue to grow U-L Lafayette as a research institution.

Cut 16 (11) “…academics and research.”

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The LSU baseball team improved to 11-1 yesterday afternoon with a three to nothing win over Dartmouth. William Schmidt was dominant on the mound as he threw a career-high seven and a third innings, striking out nine, allowing four hits and no walks. Schmidt has better command of his pitches this season and he explained why following yesterday’s start…

Cut 17 (12)  “…throwing more strikes.”

It was not a great weekend for LSU’s bats. The Tigers scored just 11 runs over the last three games after scoring 34 runs in three games in Jacksonville. Jake Brown, who homered for the fifth time on the season on Sunday, is confident the bats will come back around…

Cut 18 (16)  “…back to it.” 

LSU hosts Northeastern tonight at 6:30 to conclude the wrap around series.

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The Ragin Cajuns seven game winning streak was snapped on Friday, but U-L Lafayette won on Saturday and Sunday to take the three-game series against UC San Diego. The Cajuns held on for a four-to-three victory yesterday after taking a three-to-nothing lead into the sixth inning. Coach Matt Deggs wishes they could have made it easier on themselves…

Cut 19 (17) “…finish line.”

The Cajuns will host LSU on Wednesday and visit Dallas Baptist this weekend.

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Tough weekend for Louisiana Tech as the Bulldogs were swept by 12^th ranked Southern Miss. Tech lost all three games by a combined score of 25-5. Coach Lane Burroughs is not hitting the panic button…

Cut 20 (13) “…late into the summer.”

La Tech will host Arkansas State for a two-game midweek series starting tomorrow night.

Governor Landry wants to shift West Feliciana Parish’s federal judicial districts. Andre Champagne reports while Landry stated his reason to Congress, there’s an ulterior motive in play.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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Crawfish season is officially here, and that means we begin monitoring crawfish prices. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Governor Landry is asking Congress to shift West Feliciana Parish’s federal judicial district from the Middle District to the Western District. In a letter to lawmakers, Landry stated that his reason is to ease the caseload in a district with a growing population. However, legal analyst Franz Borghardt says Landry has an ulterior motive – to shift cases involving prisoners at Angola to court where he could get more favorable rulings.

Cut 3 (09) “…the Middle District.”

All judges in the Middle district were appointed by Obama, whereas the vast majority of the judges in the Western District were appointed by Trump. Borghardt says once confirmed to the federal bench, that’s when politics are supposed to come to an end.

Cut 4 (08) “…run for re-election.”

Borghardt says shifting cases involving Angola prisoners to the Western District will not guarantee Landry any change in outcomes in those cases, since the president who nominates a certain judge to the federal bench is no indication of how that judge will rule in future cases.

Cut 5 (09) “…conservative or liberal.”

It will require an act of Congress to approve Landry’s request; Borghardt says approval is far from guaranteed.

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Three vital members of the state’s ag industry were inducted into the Louisiana Agricultural Hall of Distinction in a ceremony hosted by the Louisiana Radio Network. They are David Cupp, Billy Rogers Leonard and Jim Simon (Sea-mon). Cupp is the president of the Walsh Timber Company in Sabine Parish and has spent 45 years working in the forestry industry

Cut 6 (09) “…faboulous.”

Leonard is the owner of Integrated Crop Consulting. He spent over 35 years working for the LSU Ag Center, where he worked on over one-thousand scientific and technical articles and mentored dozens of grad students…

Cut 7 (12) “…to be here.”

Simon has been the general manager of the American Sugarcane League since 2004. He’s considered a titan in the sugar industry as he’s led research efforts, secured funding for sugar producers and played a pivotal role in U-S and Mexico’s sugar trade agreements….

Cut 8 (11) “…be recognized.”

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Now that Tony the crawfish has been pardoned, crawfish season is officially underway – and that means it’s time to start tracking crawfish prices. Laney King is the co-founder of The Crawfish App. ($4.50/lb. for live crawfish; $7.25/lb. for boiled crawfish)

Cut 9 (11)  “…for boiled crawfish.”

King says the official start of crawfish season is a big reason why those prices are down at least a dollar a pound over the last two to three weeks.

Cut 10 (09) “…sell to us.”

King says today’s prices are about $1.50 a pound higher than what they typically are at the official outset of crawfish season.

Cut 11 (13) “…definitely by Easter.”

King says she expects crawfish prices to come down about $2.50 a pound between now and Mother’s Day, when crawfish prices usually hit their lowest level of the year.

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Governor Landry is going to have another tough sell on his hands with the L-A GATOR program. That’s the voucher program that provides tax dollars to allow parents to, among other things, send their kids to private schools. Senate President Cameron Henry is looking to keep funding at 43.5-million dollars, while Landry wants to bump it to 88-million, which Henry says is untenable.

Cut 12 (07) “…to stop it.”

Henry says when you double funding for a program every year, you have to eventually figure out when to stop doubling it.

Cut 13 (07) “…it’s not sustainable.”

Furthermore, Henry says the program is too new to examine any results to determine whether it’s even worth increasing the state’s investment on it.

Cut 14 (11) “…it every year.”

This run of dry weather has put the state in a tough spot. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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If a New Orleans-area lawmaker has his way, those who don’t pay attention when crossing crosswalks will have to pay the price. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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This run of dry weather we’ve had lately has pushed the state into drought conditions. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says currently, about three-fourths of the state is in a drought, with half of the state rated as severe to extreme drought. 

Cut 3 (13) “…coast in Terrebonne.”

Grymes says the drought is making life very tough for many people, not just firefighters.

Cut 4 (12) “…into production season.”

Grymes says what the state really needs at this point is one good damp spell.

Cut 5 (12) “…into the spring.”

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One state lawmaker wants you to pay attention when crossing crosswalks, or pay up. Chalmette Republican Representative Mike Bayham has filed a bill that would prohibit people from looking at their cell phones while crossing crosswalks. Bayham says it’s a modern-day safety issue.

Cut 6 (09) “…is paying attention.”

And if the driver also has his face in his cell phone while driving – which is now illegal in the state, thanks to the work of the legislature last year – that’s a recipe for disaster. Bayham notes that pedestrians are defenseless against motor vehicles.

Cut 7 (08) “…if not killed.”

Bayham says his goal is not to make criminals out of those pedestrians – under his bill, the infraction would be a misdemeanor penalized with a fine of just 25 dollars.

Cut 8 (10) “…going across crosswalks.”

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Governor Jeff Landry announced on his “X” account today that A-T-and-T is investing 45-million dollars to upgrade the network inside Tiger Stadium before the 2026 season. LSU President Wade Rousse joined Landry for the announcement. Rousse says when you have over 100-thousand people in one place, you need service that works…

Cut 9 (08)  “…first responders.”

AT&T president David Aubrey says they are proud to work with LSU to bring state of the art connectivity to college football’s greatest venue…

Cut 10 (08) “…connected.”

Governor Landry says this is big news for Tiger Nation.

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A 53-year-old Metairie woman has been charged in connection with the death of a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s deputy who was struck and killed during a funeral procession on January 30^th. New Orleans Police Captain Anthony Micheu (Mee-shoo) says Erica Katsanis was impaired when she struck Deputy Christopher Ohlmeyer’s motorcycle from behind…

Cut 11 (05) “…come back.”

Micheu did not say what drugs were in Katsanis’ toxicology report, but they believe she ignored the warning labels for those drugs.

Cut 12 (10) “…not properly taken.”

Deputy Ohlmeyer was 41-years-old. He is survived by his wife and their two children.