A bizarre story out of southwest Louisiana. A four-year-old was found dead Monday in a lake behind the Vinton Welcome Center, while her one-year-old brother was found alive in a ditch along I-10….
cut 2 (34) “….I’m Brooke Thorington”.

GOP megadonor Lane Grigsby is still pushing for Louisiana lawmakers to hold a constitutional convention this year, but there’s no indication the state Senate is interested in holding one. A special session would be needed for lawmakers to vote for a constitutional convention. Grigsby and other Republicans want a convention to make changes to the constitution to provide legislators more flexibility during tough budget times.

Louisiana K-3 public school students showed a ten-percent improvement in reading scores from the start of the last school year to the end. The results were even higher for kindergarten and first graders. Deputy Superintendent of Education Dr. Jenna Chaisson says the state used a literacy screener to test the reading levels of their youngest students…
Cut 24 (12) “…end of the school year.”
Chaisson says the overall improvement reflects the effectiveness of the state’s literacy plan, which includes phonics instruction and teacher training. She emphasized the need for continued improvement.

A recent nationwide survey of small business owners finds inflation remains the top problem, but optimism is at its highest point since December 2023. NFIB’s Todd Pack says their Small Business Optimism Index is up to 91.5 but that’s still below average…
Cut 7 (06) “…ninety-eight.”