Lottery registration for the next round of grants the state will hand out to fortify your roof will open tomorrow at 8 AM and close on Sunday at 5 PM. Sean Richardson has more.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”
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The Louisiana Wildlife Commission is looking at extending the alligator hunting season, amid an explosion in the population. Colleen Crain reports.
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”
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To address overcrowding in emergency rooms, the State Department of Health is launching a pilot program aimed at reducing unnecessary ER visits. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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The Department of Insurance says registration for the next round of Louisiana Fortify Homes Program grants will open tomorrow at 8 a.m. and closes Sunday at 8 p.m. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says homeowners can apply for a chance to receive up to 10-thousand dollars in grants to upgrade their roofs.
Cut 4 (12) “…grants to award.”
Temple says to qualify for a Fortified Roof grant, the home needs to be your primary residence, you have a homestead exemption, have wind and hail coverage and flood insurance. He says homeowners living in the coastal areas including the Lake Charles area are eligible.
Cut 5 (08) “…have to re-register.”
After the registration period ends, one-thousand participants will be randomly selected and notified via email. Temple says if you don’t get selected for the grant and choose to put a FORTIFIED roof on your home there are still benefits for homeowners
Cut 6 (07) “…premium on your home.”
Temple says with over 18-hundred FORTIFIED roof grants issued since 2023, it’s making Louisiana more attractive to insurance companies to do business.
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Amid an explosion in alligator population, the state wants to increase the harvest opportunity. The Louisiana Wildlife Commission has proposed to extend its alligator hunting season to December 31st, beyond the current 60-day seasons. State Representative Chad Brown of Plaquemine says the state is overrun with alligators, and they’re starting to show up in neighborhoods.
Cut 7 (09) “…in our driveway.”
Brown says the alligator population has been exploding throughout Louisiana over the last half-century.
Cut 8 (08) “…in certain areas.”
That’s nearly three times the alligator population of Florida, which has the second biggest alligator population in the U.S. Brown says it’s getting to the point that it’s affecting everyone’s quality of life.
Cut 9 (07) “…alligators out there.”
Wild reptile hunting seasons begins the last Wednesday in August in the East Zone and one week later in the West Zone. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is accepting public comment through May 1st.
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The Department of Health is launching a pilot program aimed at reducing the unnecessary use of an emergency room by Medicaid recipients. Brigadier General Cindy Haygood says Acadian Health will launch an urgent mobile care unit to patients’ homes for treatment of non-life-threatening medical conditions.
Cut 10 (13) “…our Medicaid members.”
Haygood says part of the program involves a clinic at home, which is a proactive visit scheduled in advance to see what’s in a home that may be driving the emergency room visits.
Cut 11 (12) “…with that member.”
Haygood says from there, Acadian will work with the patient’s provider to come up with solutions.
Cut 12 (09) “…the patient’s home.”
This is a six-month program that will take place in the 12 parishes that comprise Acadiana and Southwest Louisiana.
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Governor Jeff Landry says the state is ready to execute death row inmates again. Landry says the Department of Corrections has finalized an updated execution protocol, including procedures for nitrogen hypoxia, which the state legislature approved last year. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says capital punishment has always been a controversial issue
Cut 13 (08) “…against it.”
2010 was the last time the state carried out an execution. The inability to get the drugs to carry out the execution is a major reason why the state has not had an execution in over a decade. Former Governor John Bel Edwards also opposed the death penalty. Pinsonat says one of Landry’s campaign promises was to resume executions…
Cut 14 (10) “…think it shouldn’t.”
Based on reports last year, 58 people are on death row. Landry says their death sentences have been affirmed by the courts and he’s calling for local DA’s to finalize their cases so the state can move forward with carrying out their penalties. Pinsonat says it will be a big deal if an execution takes place at Angola…
Cut 15 (08) “…happen that often.”
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Matt Deggs is set to begin his sixth season as the head baseball coach of the Ragin Cajuns. U-L Lafayette won the Sun Belt regular season title last year, and Deggs says he brings back a good group from that team, plus some exciting freshmen…
Cut 16 (23) “…Owen Galt.”
U-L Lafayette returns freshman All-American pitcher Chase Morgan, who is the Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Deggs says Morgan has excellent stuff…
Cut 17 (08) “…with it.”
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LSU baseball has a stacked outfield in 2025. Coach Jay Johnson says he has as many as eight guys who can start in the outfield including sophomore Jake Brown, who hit .264 during his campaign…
Cut 18 (18) “…with that.”
There’s the possibility of hurt feelings for those who struggle to get regular at-bats. But Brown says everyone is pulling for each other…
Cut 19 (22) “…for us.”