The Meta data center in Richland Parish is paying off quite handsomely for schoolteachers there – literally. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Deputies in St. John the Baptist Parish rescued four people from a car that crashed into a canal off the side of I-10. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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The under-construction Meta data center in Richland Parish is paying dividends for teachers in a huge way – literally. The increased tax revenues from the project have led to teachers receiving a bonus this year of up to – listen to this number – FIFTY-THOUSAND DOLLARS! Holly Ridge Elementary School teacher Sarah Morris says she’s shocked by the enormity of the bonus.

Cut 3 (07) “…of this sort.”

Morris, who teaches third and fourth grade, says the jaw-dropping bonus makes life a lot easier for her and her fellow teachers.

Cut 4 (11) “…a great way.”

Mangum High School head football coach Scott Wilcher says the bonus is a huge help to him and his family.

Cut 5 (09) “…along right now.”

The bonuses are part of an overall investment in the Richland Parish region of more than 50-billion dollars.

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St. John the Baptist Parish sheriff’s deputies rescued four people from a car that crashed into a canal off of I-10 early Monday morning. Sheriff Mike Tregre says the deputies were nearby for another crash and were directed to the partially submerged vehicle.

Cut 6 (10) “..out of the vehicle.”

The crash occurred around 1 a.m. near the Spencer Chauvin Memorial Bridge. Tregre says the deputies acted immediately and it was just their human reaction to jump into the canal and pull them out.

Cut 7 (08) “…proud of them.”

State Police is investigating the cause of the crash. The two adults and two children in the car were taken to New Orleans area hospitals, and Tregre says he has not received any negative news on their health. He says he hopes they can one day meet the deputies under better circumstances.

Cut 8 (09) “…that night.”

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In the latest back and forth between state leaders and the city of New Orleans, Governor Jeff Landry says the Crescent City is no longer a key to the success of Louisiana. Landry says New Orleans is not the economic driver it once was.

Cut 9 (09)  “…fate of New Orleans.”

Landry made that statement to reporters following a press conference where Meta announced it is committing more than 50-billion dollars to its Richland Parish Data Center project. Landry says Meta’s investment brings the total invested in Louisiana by businesses to 150-billion dollars since he took office in 2024.

A political rift started growing between Governor Landry and newly elected New Orleans Helena Moreno, when Moreno and other city officials pushed back against a new law that combined the city’s civil and criminal district courts. Landry points out Orleans Parish was the only parish in the state with two separate district courts and they should be treated like every other parish.

Cut 10 (13) “…rest of the state.”

Moreno responded to Landry’s latest comments by saying the focus should always be to strive for every city, every town and every parish to reach their fullest potential.

The mayor is asking for a face-to-face meeting with the governor to go over the city’s finances. New Orleans is strapped for cash which is forcing Moreno to furlough employees and delay projects. Landry says he’ll meet with the mayor, but he says one important condition needs to be met.

Cut 11 (07) “…a discussion.”

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Tragedy in Ponchatoula as a three-year-old boy died in a hot car late last week. Police Chief Bry (“bree”) Layrisson says police responded after the vehicle owner found Jahcari James locked inside.

Cut 12 (10) “…just fell asleep.”

Chief Layrisson says this is merely a tragic accident; and while the investigation is ongoing, he does not expect any criminal charges to be filed.

Cut 13 (08) “…any foul play.”

Layrisson says family members attempted life-saving measures on the little boy until first responders arrived; but given the time he was inside, it was hopeless.

Cut 14 (06) “…the heat exhaustion.”

Governor Landry says he’ll accept New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno’s invitation for an in-person meeting to discuss the city’s finances. But Landry says one important condition needs to be met.

Cut 11 (07) “…a discussion.”

New Orleans is strapped for cash which is forcing Moreno to furlough employees and delay projects.

A three-year-old Ponchatoula boy is dead after apparently locking himself inside a vehicle last Friday afternoon. Investigators say Jahcari James walked out of his home and climbed into the unlocked vehicle. He was locked inside for more than 45 minutes before family members were able to get him out. Ponchatoula Police Chief Bry Layrisson says this appears to be a tragic accident, and he does not expect any criminal charges to be filed.

Cut 13 (08) “…any foul play.”

Deputies in St. John the Baptist Parish rescued four people from a car that crashed into a canal off the side of I-10. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

A deputy U.S. marshal was killed in a shooting in Alexandria yesterday afternoon. It happened as the marshal was attempting to serve an arrest warrant on a fugitive. The U.S. Marshals Service says the suspect was ultimately taken into custody. The FBI is leading the investigation into the marshal’s death.

A political rift is heating up between Governor Landry and New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno. It started when Moreno and other city officials pushed back against a new law that combined the city’s civil and criminal district courts. Landry noted that Orleans Parish was the only one with two separate district courts.

Cut 10 (13) “…rest of the state.” 

Moreno responded by saying the focus should always be to strive for every city and every parish to reach their fullest potential.

The increased tax revenue from the under-construction Meta data center in Richland Parish is leading to teachers there receiving a bonus this year of up to – listen to this number – FIFTY-THOUSAND DOLLARS! Holly Ridge Elementary School teacher Sarah Morris says she’s shocked by the enormity of the bonus.

Cut 3 (07) “…of this sort.”

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputies rescued four people from a car that crashed into a canal off of I-10 early Monday morning. Sheriff Mike Tregre says the deputies were nearby for another crash and were directed to the partially submerged vehicle.

Cut 6 (10) “..out of the vehicle.”

Tragedy in Ponchatoula as a three-year-old boy died in a hot car late last week. Police Chief Bry (“bree”) Layrisson says police responded after the vehicle owner found Jahcari James locked inside.

Cut 12 (10) “…just fell asleep.” 

Chief Layrisson says this is merely a tragic accident; and while the investigation is ongoing, he does not expect any criminal charges to be filed.

The search for the remains of a 15-year-old Baton Rouge boy continues at the Baton Rouge North Landfill. East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore says finding Je’Derrius Minnieweather’s remains is crucial for two reasons.

Cut 12 (06) “…in this matter.”

Baton Rouge Police say 51-year-old Maurice Parms beat Minnieweather to death and dumped his body in a trash can that was picked up during garbage collection.

In the latest back and forth between state leaders and the city of New Orleans, Governor Jeff Landry says the Crescent City is no longer a key to the success of Louisiana. Landry says New Orleans is not the economic driver it once was…

Cut 9 (09)  “…fate of New Orleans.”

Landry made that statement to reporters following a press conference where Meta announced it is committing more than 50-billion dollars to its Richland Parish Data Center project. Landry says Meta’s investment brings the total invested in Louisiana by businesses to 150-billion dollars since he took office in 2024.

The Meta data center in Richland Parish is paying off quite handsomely for schoolteachers there – literally. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

An East Baton Rouge Parish judge has ordered Pastor Tony Spell he must stay at least 50 yards away from the home of his neighbor. The church leader in Central is accused of attacking his 20-year-old neighbor. Spell is facing a charge of second-degree battery. Spell claims the neighbor threatened to rape and kill his family members.

The FBI is leading the investigation into yesterday’s fatal shooting of a federal officer in Alexandria. Authorities say gunfire erupted when a deputy U-S Marshal attempted to serve an arrest warrant on a fugitive. The identity of the deceased officer has not been released, the suspect sustained injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

A new study shows that the benefits of bariatric surgery go beyond just massive weight loss. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The search for the remains of a 15-year-old Baton Rouge boy is underway at the Baton Rouge North Landfill after authorities say Je’Derrius Minnieweather was beaten to death and dumped in a trash can.   The FBI is helping with the search. Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp says investigators have narrowed the search area to about one acre, but there are massive amounts of debris to sift through.

Cut 11 (11) “…at a time.”

51-year-old Maurice Parms is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of the teen.

Seventy-two-year-old David Mercer of Folsom is facing charges out of Bossier Parish for allegedly molesting children while he was working as a youth minister at Cypress Baptist Church of Benton between 1989 and 1995. Seargeant Matthew Bertrand of the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, says four victims have come forward, but it’s possible there are more…

Cut  15 (08) “…about it”

A St. Tammany Parish youth pastor is behind bars in connection with a decades-old crime. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Attorney General Liz Murrill and her legal team are seeking indictment-related records from Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams and Special Prosecutor Laurie White. They’re seeking documents, text messages and emails in an effort to learn what led to the 16-count indictment against Murrill, which is currently on hold.

The search for the remains of a 15-year-old Baton Rouge boy continues at the Baton Rouge North Landfill. East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore says finding Je’Derrius Minnieweather’s remains is crucial for two reasons.

Cut 12 (06) “…in this matter.”

Baton Rouge Police say 51-year-old Maurice Parms beat Minnieweather to death and dumped his body in a trash can that was picked up during garbage collection. 

A new study from LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center shows that bariatric surgery is effective in not only weight loss, but also in improving obesity-related health conditions. Dr. Philip Schauer (“shower”), who led the study, says chronic obesity is a disease that begins early in life; and sometimes, surgery may be the one and only viable option in ensuring a patient’s long-term health.

Cut 8 (10) “…would be surgery.”

A difficult search is underway for the remains of a teenager who authorities believe ended up in a landfill. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A Deputy U.S. Marshal was killed in a law enforcement operation in Alexandria yesterday. The deputy was working with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office to arrest a wanted fugitive when the shooting took place. After a three-hour standoff, the suspect was taken into custody. The FBI, RPSO and state police are all investigating the incident.

Meta announced a 50 billion dollar expansion to its Richland Parish data center. An estimated 75-hundred construction workers are needed to build the project, and Meta is willing to train many of them for free. Meta President Dina Powell McCormick says anyone interested in getting trained for electrical, plumbing and fiber optics should look into Meta’s America’s Workforce Academy.

Cut 5 (11) “…data center site.”

A St. Tammany Parish pastor was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing several children decades ago while serving at a church in Benton. 72-year-old David Mercer was taken into custody Friday afternoon at a property owned by First Baptist Church of Folsom, where he was working as a youth pastor. Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Matthew Bertrand is baffled Mercer is still a youth pastor.

Cut 14 (10) “…a little concerning.”

A new study shows that the benefits of bariatric surgery go beyond just massive weight loss. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Louisiana ranks among the 10 worst states to live in for 2026.  That’s according to a new CNBC report that gave our state a quality of life score of just 89 out of 290 points.  The report cites reproductive rights, inclusiveness, and crime as some of Louisiana’s biggest challenges.
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The search for the remains of a 15-year-old Baton Rouge boy is underway at the Baton Rouge North Landfill after authorities say Je’Derrius Minnieweather was beaten to death and dumped in a trash can.   The FBI is helping with the search. Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp says investigators have narrowed the search area to about one acre, but there are massive amounts of debris to sift through.

Cut 11 (11) “…at a time.”

Meta is expanding its Richland Parish A-I data center, becoming one of the largest data centers in the world. An estimated 75-hundred construction workers are needed to build the project and once the facility is constructed, it’s expected to employ one-thousand people. Governor Jeff Landry says this is the kind of job creation he talked about when he ran for office.

Cut 6 (12) “…those opportunities elsewhere.”

A St. Tammany Parish youth pastor is in jail on a decades old crime. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

The search for the remains of 15-year-old Je’Derrius Minnieweather is underway at the Baton Rouge North Landfill. Police here say 51-year-old Maurice Parms beat Minnieweather to death and dumped his body in a trash can that was picked up during garbage collection.  Minniweather’s grandmother, Jawanna Brooks…

Cut 10 (07) “…his mom don’t.”

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Meta’s Richland Parish A-I data center is expanding to become one the largest data centers in the world.  It’ll take about 75-hundred construction workers to build the project and Meta says it’s willing to train many of them for free.  Meta President Dina Powell McCormick says anyone interested in getting trained for electrical, plumbing and fiber optics should look into Meta’s America’s Workforce Academy.

Cut 5 (11) “…data center site.”

A new study from LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center shows that bariatric surgery is not only safe and effective in helping morbidly obese people lose weight, but it also helps improve obesity-related health conditions. Dr. Philip Schauer (“shower”), who led the study, says of the patients evaluated after bariatric surgery, not only lost an average of 30 percent body weight, but…

Cut 7 (13) “…60-percent improvement.”