Crawfish prices are down again this weekend in Louisiana. Experts say the average price for a pound of live mudbugs in Louisiana is now about $2.99. With prices down another 50-cents this week, Crawfish App co-founder Laney King says it’s all about supply and demand, so you don’t want to miss your change at what could be the lowest prices of the 2024 season.

Cut  14 (11) “…from consumers.” 

In addition to Louisiana, The Crawfish App also surveys the average prices in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida panhandle.

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser is offering a cash reward to anyone with information with the vandalism of an historic French Quarter museum yesterday afternoon. Nungesser says surveillance cameras captured a woman spraying graffiti on a wall of the Presbytere around two yesterday afternoon. The presbytere is an example of colonial Spanish architecture and has been on the National Historic Registry since 1970.

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A package of Property insurance reform bills have received final legislative passage, including House Bill 611. One bill that’s heading to the governor’s desk removes an end date on the popular fortified roof program. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says this shows insurance companies that Louisiana is has a long-term commitment to resiliency…

Cut 6 (07) “…toward that.”
Twenty-one people from Shreveport and Bossier City face federal bank fraud charges for allegedly stealing nearly seven million dollars from U-S-A-A customers. U-S Attorney Brandon Brown says stolen bank information was used to issue counterfeit checks and others were recruited to deposit checks into their bank accounts in exchange for money…

Cut 11 (12) ” …individuals.”

Twenty-one people in Shreveport and Bossier City are under indictment in a federal bank fraud case. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo”
A six year old boy is hospitalized and critical this morning after authorities say he was accidentally shot in the face by his eleven year old brother. It happened just before eleven last night in a Shreveport apartment complex. Shreveport Police are still investigating the incident.

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Several property insurance reform bills have received final legislative passage, including a measure Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says will create simple, clear timelines for the claims process

Cut 4 (12) “..quicker.”

Temple is talking about Senate Bill 323 which will give insurance companies 60 days, instead of 30 days for a qualified adjuster to the start claims process. He says the additional time will stop insurers from just sending a warm body to inspect a damaged home.

If you’re looking for live crawfish, you’re in luck this weekend as prices are down once again. Experts say the average price for a pound of live mudbugs in the Bayou State is $2.99 right now, and $5.99 if you get them already boiled. Crawfish App co-founder Laney King says since the app was created eight years ago this has been the most unusual season to date due to last year’s drought.

Cut 13 (12) “…little bit more.”

It’s been happening for 38 years, and this weekend Lafayette’s Festival International is hitting a high note.   President of the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission, Ben Berthelot says Festival International was created when the oil and gas industry was suffering in 1986 and is a great way to celebrate the Louisiana’s French.

Cut 8 (13) “…support it.” 
Twenty-one people from Shreveport and Bossier City stand accused of stealing nearly seven million dollars from U-S-A-A customers. U-S Attorney Brandon Brown says many military service members and elderly residents who did banking with U-S-A-A and did not check their accounts regularly had money taken from their account in 2021 and 2022…

Cut 10 (08) “…bank account balances.” 

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If you’ve been dying to get your hands on some good old Louisiana mudbugs, this weekend might just be the perfect time as crawfish prices have dropped to new lows. Crawfish App co-founder Laney King says the average price for a pound of live mudbugs in the Bayou State is $2.99.

Cut 12 (10) “…couple of weeks.” The average price for boiled crawfish is $5.29 a pound.
In case you missed it the Saints moved up four spots in the second round of the NFL draft to take Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry with the 41st overall pick. McKinstry was a first-team A-P All-American for the Crimson Tide. New Orleans gave up a fifth and sixth round pick with Green Bay to move up the four spots to take McKinstry.

In college baseball, The Ragin Cajuns edged Southern Miss three to two. Old Dominion defeated ULM two to one in 12 innings. Louisiana Tech blanked Sam Houston two to nothing. And the LSU baseball took game one of three, beating Auburn five to nothing.

Crawfish prices have dropped another 50-cents and as Brooke Thorrington explains, these could be the lowest prices of the season.

Cut 2 (30)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

Several property insurance reform bills have received final legislative passage, including a measure Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says House Bill 611 allows insurers to drop some policies after three years

Cut 5 (07) “…for them.” 

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With 38 years under its belt Festival International is still going strong. And it’s happening in Lafayette this weekend. President of the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission, Ben Berthelot says the event attracts more than 300,000 visitors from 42 different states and 10 different countries to Acadiana.

Cut 7 (12) “…our community.”  

Twenty-one people from Shreveport and Bossier City face federal bank fraud charges for allegedly stealing nearly seven million dollars from U-S-A-A customers. U-S Attorney Brandon Brown says several employees at the Teleperformance Call Center in Shreveport obtained account information and shared it with others..

Cut 9 (11) “…gain.” 

A new Jimmie Davis Bridge over the Red River is coming to Bossier and Caddo Parishes. The project is slated to start this month and take about two and a half years. DOTD Spokesperson Erin Buchanan says they handed out detour maps and construction phasing information, so there are no surprises.

Cut 8 (09) “…businesses too.” 

In case you missed it, the Saints used their first-round draft pick on an offensive tackle, six-foot-six Taliese Fuaga (Tall-ee-s-a Foo-ah-gah) from Oregon State. The first-team All-American did not give up a sack with the Beavers and played right tackle. Fuaga says he’s played football nearly his entire life…

Cut 15 (09)  “… grit.”
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The Louisiana House approved a budget for the next fiscal year that contains 166 million dollars in bonus pay for teachers. According to House leaders that equals a stipend of about 17-hundred dollars, but that will be up to the local districts. The Louisiana Illuminator reports there are about 40-million dollars worth of pet projects in the budget proposal. approved by the House. But Appropriations Chairman Jack McFarland says these dollars are going to worthy initiatives…

Cut 12 (12) “…do that.” 

A New Orleans based company has been awarded 11 million dollars in U-S military contracts, According the a release, Haptech Inc, which makes electromagnetic recoil systems for training in downtown New Orleans, will supply weapons training capabilities that feature Haptech’s ERS and data tracking technology to the U.S Army and the Marines.

The Louisiana House has sent a 47-billion dollar spending plan to the Senate. Jeff Palermo reports the budget proposal includes 166-million dollars to provide bonus pay for teachers…

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 
Cardell Hayes has been sentenced again to 25 years in the fatal shooting of ex Saints star Will Smith. Hayes was originally convicted of manslaughter in December of 2016 but the jury vote was 10-2. When non unanimous jury verdicts were ruled unconstitutional two years later, Hayes was granted a new trial. He was convicted again in January of this year.

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A new Jimmie Davis Bridge over the Red River is coming to Bossier and Caddo Parishes. DOTD held a Kick-off meeting for the community last night at Barksdale Baptist Church to provide information and answer questions. Public Information Officer Erin Buchanan explains what will replace the 60 year old 2-lane bridge…

Cut 7 (10) “…every day”

A couple of big Louisiana Festivals this weekend including one that has a $300 million dollar impact on New Orleans. Just for perspective, Jazz Fest has a bigger effect there than the Super Bowl does. And in Lafayette, Festival International means a $49 million dollar impact. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser

Cut 5 (12) “…footprint.” 

The Louisiana House approved a budget for the next fiscal year that contains 166 million dollars in bonus pay for teachers. According to House leaders that equals a stipend of about 17-hundred dollars, but Appropriations Chairman Jack McFarland says it will vary…

Cut 10 (09) “…districts need.”
Meanwhile lawmakers are also committed to spending 3-point-5 million dollars so the state can receive 70-million dollars in federal aid that low-income families can use to help pay for lunches when kids are out of school. Apparently, some DCFS officials are concerned it might too late to participate in the summer EBT program, but McFarland doesn’t agree.

Cut 11 (11) “…feeding program.”
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As expected the Washington Commanders selected former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in last night’s NFL draft. Daniels joins a franchise that has not had a winning season since 2016 and he plans to make the Commanders a winning organization

Cut 13 (11)  “…some fun.”
A few selections later former LSU wide Malik Nabers of Youngsville went to the New York Giants with the sixth overall pick.

It’s a huge festival weekend in Louisiana with Festival International and Jazz Fest. Both attract visitors from all over the world and Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says it’s not only Lafayette and New Orleans that feel the benefits.

Cut 4 (13) “…over Louisiana.”

The Federal Trade Commission says no more noncompete agreements that prevent employees from leaving their jobs for other companies or starting businesses of their own. Here’s Colleen Crain…

Cut 2 (33)  “I’m Colleen Crain.” 

Governor Jeff Landry’s former campaign manager is the new head of the Louisiana Republican Party. A graduate of the U-S Naval Academy, Cory Dennis is excited about the job.

Cut 13 (12)  “…second home to me.”

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In addition to cutting a stipend for Louisiana teachers, early childhood education in Louisiana would lose 24 million dollars in funding under the budget proposal approved by House Appropriations. Baton Rouge Representative Denise Marcelle says 24-million dollars means about 2-thousand fewer children going to pre-k.

Cut 12 (10) “…with funding.” 

Legislation to provide protections for in vitro fertilization clinics in Louisiana advances favorably from House Civil Law and will go before the full House next week. Bill author, Baton Rouge Representative Paula Davis says her bill only affects IVF and does not impact the state’s abortion ban.

Cut 5 (12) “…statutes are.” 

A bill to protect IVF clinics so what happened in Alabama doesn’t happen in Louisiana advances to the House. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
Louisiana public school teachers would see a pay cut under the budget proposal approved by House Appropriations. But Baton Rouge Representative Barbara Freiberg does not want to see teachers lose money.

Cut 10 (07) “…salary.”

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The Louisiana Republican Party has a new executive director. The former manager for Jeff Landry’s Gubernatorial Campaign has been appointed to the position. A graduate of the US Naval Academy, Dennis is a black republican, but says he doesn’t think that factored into the decision to hire him.

Cut 15 (13)  “…those endeavors.”

Non-compete agreements in the workplace will soon be a thing of the past. The Federal Trade Commission made the decision to ban them yesterday. UNO Business Professor mark Rosa says the move is a positive thing for those who want to move on, but there may need to be limits to protect businesses.
Cut 8 (08) “…carve out.” 

Companies will no longer be able to tell employees that they cannot go to work for a competitor as the Federal Trade Commission votes to ban noncompete agreements on Tuesday.  UNO Business Professor Mark Rosa says on one hand, it’s appropriate for the free market to figure it out but there could be unintended consequences…

Cut 7 (10) “…that employer.”

Louisiana public school teachers would lose money  under the budget proposal approved by House Appropriations. The spending plan would reduce a two-thousand-dollar stipend teachers get now on top of their regular salary. New Orleans Representative Jason Hughes says there’s time during the budget process to find money for the stipend.

Cut 11 (12) “…through the process.”

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Legislation to provide protections for in vitro fertilization clinics in Louisiana advances favorably from House Civil Law and will go before the full House next week. Bill author, Baton Rouge Representative Paula Davis says after a Supreme Court ruling in Alabama caused IVF clinics to close, she wanted to keep that from happening here.

Cut 4 (11) “…not liable.”

A graduate of the U-S Naval Academy and the former campaign manager for Jeff Landry’s gubernatorial campaign is the new executive director of the Louisiana Republican Party. Maryland native Cory Dennis says the goal is to build on the party’s recent successes…

Cut 14 (05)  “…growing.”