DOTD is giving the public additional time to weigh in on the massive I-10 widening project in Baton Rouge. Kevin Gallagher has more…:
Cut 2 (28) “I’m Kevin Gallagher”

Two New Orleans contract gate agents for Spirit Airlines at MSY have been arrested and 2 others face charges for allegedly going through a man’s carry-on luggage and taking items while dumping the rest in the trash. Police say Spirit suspended the 4 workers after a video of the incident went public last month. 2 have been arrested and 2 are still wanted on charges of felony theft.

Lots of folks were given the option to work from home during the pandemic, and US Senator Bill Cassidy is calling out Health and Human Services leaders about whether that option is appropriate today. He asked Secretary Xavier Becerra what percentage of the 90,000 employees at HHS have returned to the office…:
Cut 14 (12) “that question”
Cassidy believes the best practice for many industries is for employees to return to the job site.

A new website was launched Wednesday to show the public how infrastructure funds are being spent and awarded in Louisiana. Infrastructure Coordinator Jackson Wright says infrastructure.la.gov features an interactive map…:
Cut 11 (07) “projects they are”

If you’re curious how infrastructure funds are being spent and awarded in Louisiana, it’s as simple as a click on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law website at infrastructure.la.gov. Infrastructure Coordinator Jackson Wright says it provides a wealth of information on what’s been implemented so far…:
Cut 10 (09) “formula funds”
Governor Edwards officially unveiled the website Wednesday.

The Department of Transportation has extended the public comment period for the upcoming widening of Interstate 10 through Baton Rouge. DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says the new deadline is this Sunday, March 26th…:
Cut 7 (08) “to those comments”
You can learn more about the project and submit comments online at I10BR.com.

Car dealerships are losing thousands of technicians every year due to retirement, but the National Association of Auto Dealers and the Urban League of Louisiana announce a game changing program…:
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Teiko Foxx”

Louisiana State Police have issued a phone scam alert after receiving multiple complaints. They say scammers are apparently contacting people by what appears to be a phone number belonging to State Police in attempts to solicit personal information. They remind you to never give unsolicited callers any personal information or any type of payment.

The Department of Transportation has extended the public comment period for the upcoming widening of Interstate 10 through Baton Rouge. This stretch is considered by many to be the worst Interstate bottleneck in the US. The plan calls for an eventual 4 lanes of traffic in each direction, and DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett says some mistakenly believe the highway will be reduced to only ONE lane during construction…:
Cut 8 (06) “it’ll be TWO lanes”
You can learn more about the project and weigh in by visiting the website: “I10Br.com.”

The National Association of Auto Dealers and the Urban League of Louisiana will unveil a pilot automotive technician apprenticeship program today – that will train and hire minority men and women to become licensed auto technicians. L-A-D-A’s President, Will Green…:
CUT 6 (08) “the country”

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy grilled Health and Human Services leaders during a Senate Finance Committee hearing about how many full-time workers are present at headquarters on any given workday. Louisiana’s senior senator referred to a photo of an empty parking lot as he questioned HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. (Havier Bess-Sarah)
Cut 13 (10) “my question”
Many employees were given the option to work from home during the pandemic, but Cassidy says for many industries best practice is for employees to return to the job site.

Former LSU tight end Foster Moreau announced on Twitter Wednesday he found out he has Hodgkin’s lymphoma during a physical with The Saints, and will be stepping away from football while he works to beat cancer.

The Louisiana Association of Business & Industry’s Annual Meeting today in Baton Rouge will feature the first forum of 2023 Governor candidates. LABI President & CEO Stephen Waguespack says his group is pushing a strategic game plan, “LA 23,” to help make Louisiana an economic driver by 2030, and that will be a big focus of today’s meeting…:
Cut 11 (10) “that plan; LA 23”
The four declared Republican candidates are slated to be there today.

A volunteer search group out of Texas is getting involved in the search for 42-year-old Nathan Millard (Me-lard) of Georgia who vanished after leaving Happy’s Irish Pub in Baton Rouge last week. Kristen Harvey with Texas EquuSearch says they’ll be in town today asking questions…:
CUT 8 (08) “law enforcement”
Anyone with information on Millard’s disappearance is urged to contact Baton Rouge Police.

Congresswoman Julia Letlow is proposing a measure in Congress that would let parents legally ask about what their child is being taught in school…:
Cut 15 (05) “time and time again”
The bill has already received more than 60 co-sponsors.

Two farmers and a retired educator will be inducted into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction this evening. Don Molino has more..:
Cut 3 (31) “working in sugarcane”

The search for a Georgia man who mysteriously went missing in Baton Rouge last week while on a business trip is heating up. 42-year-old Nathan Millard (Me-lard) is a married father of five and disappeared after leaving Happy’s Irsh Pub downtown. The search and recovery group Texas EquuSearch is now involved, and its coordinator is Kristen Harvey:
Cut 7 (11) “slept in”
Harvey says they shared photos of Millard inside the hotel before he vanished, and the volunteer group will be in Baton Rouge today.

Senator Bill Cassidy is responding to a report from the FBI that indicates Covid likely originated from a lab leak during viral research in Wuhan, China. Cassidy questions why that notion was passed off as false information back in 2020…:
Cut 4 (08) “for so long”
He says it’s time for the government to be upfront with Americans about what is known.

The Louisiana Association of Business & Industry’s Annual Meeting today in Baton Rouge will feature the first forum of 2023 gubernatorial candidates….:
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The National Weather Service in Shreveport said supercell thunderstorms have the potential to produce tornadoes, large hail and flash flooding in the Ark-La-Texas region this afternoon and tonight. They put the area under a moderate risk for severe weather through 6am tomorrow.

US Representative Julie Letlow of Start has support of Republicans in Congress for her bill giving parents the legal right to review their child’s school curriculum. Letlow is a former educator and says this bill is not an attack on schools, but opens up communication…:
CUT 14 (09) “child’s education”
She said during Covid, parents had a difficult time inquiring about what their kids were being taught and this measure seeks to correct that.

2023 gubernatorial candidates are set to attend their first forum today at LABI’s annual meeting. Republican candidates – A.G. Jeff Landry, Treasurer John Schroder, and state legislators Sharon Hewitt and Richard Nelson – are confirmed to be there. LABI President Stephen Waguespack says it’ll be a question-and-answer session:
CUT 10 (08) “business community”
The event gets underway this morning at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Baton Rouge.

The search for missing Georgia business executive Nathan Millard who went missing in Downtown Baton Rouge intensifies. More from Teiko Foxx…:
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The widow of Governor Edwin Edwards, Trina, has announced she and her fiancé, 79-year-old former state Senate president John Alario will get married on June 1st. The couple has been engaged since August of last year.

Baton Rouge area Congressman Garret Graves says he is “feeling pressure” to run for governor but will not commit one way or the other. So, will he run or not? “LAPolitics.com” publisher Jeremy Alford has watched many political campaigns unfold and says Graves is employing a pretty smart strategy by playing coy on the race…:
Cut 7 (12) “bit of theatrics here”
Graves can run for Governor this fall, and simply return to Congress should he not win.

A grand jury in West Baton Rouge Parish indicts an Addis police officer for a New Year’s Eve crash that happened during a high-speed chase. Officer David Cauthron was chasing a car theft suspect, when he ran a red light on Highway 1 in Brusly and hit a car carrying three teens. Two teen girls were killed, and a teen boy passenger was critically injured. The grand jury indicted Cauthron for manslaughter, negligent injuring, reckless operation and malfeasance in office.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says Mardi Gras was a big success for New Orleans, despite being marred by acts of violence and crime. The official numbers are still being tallied, but Nungesser says there were huge crowds in Metairie and New Orleans on Fat Tuesday….:
Cut 12 (12) “prior to COVID”
However, Nungesser says cities (especially New Orleans) must be allowed to get a handle on rising crime or crowds will DWINDLE.

A Netflix original movie filmed in Ascension Parish hit the streaming platform no Friday. “We Have a Ghost” is the story of a family who moves into a fixer-upper and becomes a viral sensation when they reveal a ghost in their home. Aquiles Montalvo (Achilles Mon-tal-vo) an assistant location manager on the film says you’ll recognize Donaldsonville in a car chase scene…:
Cut 6 (07) “for a treat”

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating a deputy involved shooting at a gas station that left a suspect dead. They say they responded to a call around 4am at a Terrytown convenience store, where a man was behaving erratically before becoming combative towards deputies then fired at least one shot. One of the deputies fired their service weapon at the suspect striking and killing him.

A West Baton Rouge Parish grand jury indicts a former Addis cop for his role in a New Year’s Eve high-speed chase and car crash that killed two teenage girls. More from Kevin Gallagher…:
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Lent is underway which marks the official beginning of Crawfish season in Louisiana. The Crawfish App compares local prices for mudbugs and co-founder Laney King says not only is this weekend perfect weather-wise for a boil, it’s also promising for the season itself…:
Cut 4 (07) “excited about”
She says prices are back to normal compared to previous seasons and will keep dropping as we get closer to Easter.

LSU Health Shreveport has been chosen as a site for a nationwide study on Parkinson’s Disease in African Americans. LSUHS Center for Brain Health Director Elizabeth Disbrow says information gathered on Black and African American connections to Parkinson’s Disease is only one piece of a larger global effort to enhance knowledge of genetic information and treatment..”
Cut 11 (09) “clear diagnosis”