Campaign season is officially underway now that qualifying is in the books, and over half of the candidates can rest easy as they are running unopposed. But La-Politics.com publisher Jeremy Alford says there are still plenty of competitive legislative races…:
CUT 7 (10) “legislative history”

One of the candidates automatically elected again is Ag Commissioner Mike Strain. He says it’s a compliment to his team and the Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry’s work to help farmers…:
CUT 10 (10) “this term”
Strain began his term in 2008 and became the first Republican to hold the post.

With the kids back in school, health experts are offering some advice to families to help everyone get settled back into a routine. Children’s Hospital New Orleans Pediatrician Dr. Anthony Hudson says the most important thing to do is establish what time to go to bed..:
Cut 4 (10) “summer months”
He also encourages parents to serve plenty of protein, especially in the morning.

A man from Independence is booked amid allegations he was responsible for starting a massive fire in Washington Parish last Thursday night. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture says 24-year-old Kenneth Beaubouf was tending to a fire while camping and left it unattended where it later spread into the woods nearby. He is booked with burn ban violation and fire raising with criminal negligence.

East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore is furious about the Pardon Board’s decision to hear clemency cases of some death row inmates. Governor John Bel Edwards made the request to reopen the cases and Moore says it’s news to him that the governor is against the death penalty…:
Cut 8 (10) “other years”
Moore says he and other DAs were completely blindsided by the decision.

Qualifying for the October primary election ended Thursday and Incumbent Mike Strain stood as the lone candidate for Louisiana’s Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner. Strain believes it’s a compliment to his team and his work to help farmers…:
Cut 10 (10) “…this term.”

State Wildlife will receive approximately $58 million in federal disaster assistance for resiliency projects stemming from the historic 2019 Mississippi and Atchafalaya flood. Jason Froeba in the Office of Fisheries with LDWF says they have funding for public oyster sea grounds that are open to the public for fishing and monies for commercial and charter access grants…:
Cut 11 (08) “it recover”
He says approval of the funding is very important to Louisiana’s commercial fishing industry.

3 inmates who escaped from the Ascension Parish Jail Friday night have been recaptured. The sheriff’s office says the 3 breached a door and got into the prison’s recreation yard where they went over a wall and barbed wire fencing. They were taken back into custody less than 3 hours later.

Prosecutors and victims are furious about the Pardon Board’s decision to reopen death row inmate cases. Brooke Thorington reports…:
CUT 2 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

Some residents in Vernon Parish were placed under a voluntary evacuation Friday afternoon due to a large wildfire. As of Friday night, the sheriff’s office said the blaze in the Evans Community had been 90% contained and that firefighters were still handling hot spots and watching for jumps across lines.

The Biden Administration announces the federal government will spend one point two billion dollars to build underground carbon capture hubs in Texas and Louisiana. The carbon capture facility in Louisiana will be in Calcasieu Parish. Governor John Bel Edwards is thrilled the White House selected Louisiana…:
Cut 3 (10) “for investment”
The White House says the project is estimated to create 23-hundred jobs, with a goal to hire workers formerly employed by the oil and gas industry for ten percent of the overall workforce.

A veteran deputy with the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office has been fired following his arrest for DWI and hit and run. Authorities say 50-year-old Sgt Clint Gray was also booked with resisting an officer and careless operation. Sherriff Jason Ard said Gray, who had been an LPSO deputy since 2001, is no longer a member of the department.

The state has received up to $603 million dollars in Department of Energy grant funding to build an underground air capture hub in Calcasieu Parish. Former New Orleans Mayor and Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu, a Senior Advisor to the President, says the funding will come from the 2021 Infrastructure Act…:
Cut 4 (10) “bottom-up”
The facility will attempt to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and bury it deep underground.

I-10 along the Louisiana – Mississippi state line reopened this morning after being shut down in both directions Friday afternoon due to a huge brush fire in the median. The dense smoke obscured visibility in the area and crews needed the roads cleared to get the blaze under control. The closure was in effect for nearly 11 hours.

The Louisiana DA’s Association is not happy about the Pardon Board’s decision to schedule clemency cases for death row inmates. The call was made a day after Governor John Bel Edwards request, and East Baton Rouge DA Hillar Moore says prosecutors were completely blindsided by this…:
CUT 6 (08) “organized”
20 cases are scheduled to be heard between October 13 and November 27.

State Wildlife will receive approximately $58 million in federal disaster assistance for resiliency projects stemming from the historic 2019 Mississippi and Atchafalaya flood. Jason Froeba in the Office of Fisheries with LDWF says this is extremely important for Louisiana’s commercial fishing industry…:
Cut 9 (07) “to recover”

With election season right around the corner, are you ready for an onslaught of text messages from the candidates? Jeff Palermo has more:
Cut 3 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Louisiana U-S Senator Bill Cassidy has endorsed fellow Republican as the next governor of Louisiana. Cassidy says out of the large field of candidates, Landry is connecting with the most people from all parts of the state. Louisiana’s Senior U-S Senator likes that Landry is committed to making flood insurance more affordable, in support of new energy company and improving mental health access.

Some lawmakers are calling for an oversight hearing into the OMV’s data breach that exposed anyone with a Louisiana driver’s license, ID or car registration. Leesville Representative Chuck Owen…:
Cut 6 (11) “the future”
The OMV is offering a free year of Life Lock credit monitoring. Learn more online at nextsteps.la.gov.

The Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC) expands the 2023 Blue Tarp Fund Roofing Repair Program waitlist for those with roof damage who did not apply in February. LHC Executive Director Joshua Hollins hopes this is the beginning of a commitment to further help communities recover and rebuild after disasters…:
Cut 9 (12) “…storm damage”
Homeowners can apply at lhc.la.gov/bluetarp.

Louisiana’s gubernatorial candidates are using text messaging as another way to reach out to voters. You may have already received one from those including Sharon Hewitt, Richard Nelson, and Stephen Waguespack. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan…:
Cut 14 (08) “less costly”
The FCC says political text messages can be sent without permission as long as the sender does not use autodialing technology.

Since the massive hack of the OMV computer system exposed data of anyone with a state issued driver’s license or ID, lawmakers are calling for more answers. Leesville Representative Chuck Owen says he’d like to know the types of data that were stolen…:
Cut 5 (09) “to expect”
The state is offering one year of free credit monitoring which you can sign up for through the website nextsteps.la.gov.

The Blue Tarp Roofing Fund Program has been expanded. Teiko Foxx reports..:
CUT 2 (31) “I’m Teiko Foxx”

Second Harvest Food Bank will begin construction on a new warehouse in August. President Natalie Jayroe…:
Cut 10 (10) “in operation”
Second Harvest currently operates out of three warehouses and serves the southern portion of the state, from Mississippi to Texas.

Several lawmakers are calling for a legislative oversight hearing into the OMV data breach that exposed six million records to hackers. The state is offering a free year of credit monitoring, but Representative Chuck Owen of Leesville says they want more details…:
Cut 4 (09) “the administration”
You can sign up for the free credit monitoring at nextsteps.la.gov.

The Louisiana Housing Corporation has expanded the Blue Tarp Fund Roofing Repair program to increase the number of homeowners who need assistance. It currently applies to eligible homeowners mostly in the Greater Baton Rouge area, according to LHC Executive Director Joshua Hollins…:
CUT 7 (12) “last few years”
You can apply at lhc.la.gov/bluetarp.

Second Harvest Food Bank will open a new warehouse in the Houma-Thibodeaux area, expanding its operations across coastal regions by 2024. President and CEO Natalie Jayroe says Second Harvest currently has facilities in Harahan and Lafayette, and the new warehouse will allow them to better serve high need areas in times of disaster..:
CUT 19 (10) “in the neighborhood”
She says the warehouse will contain a 3,400 square-foot community kitchen capable of producing up to 3,000 meals a day.

Some great coaches and athletes were inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday night during a ceremony in Natchitoches. The 2023 class includes Eli Manning, Paul Mainieri, Wendell Davis and women’s basketball great Alana Beard.