A state audit finds that prisoners received unemployment checks last year. Don Molino has the story…
Cut 1 (31) “ …I’m Don Molino”

Governor John Bel Edwards was in Acadiana this morning to announce that Safe Source is investing 150-million dollars into the construction of two manufacturing facilities that will produce personal protection equipment. The facilities will be located in Lafayette and St. Martin Parishes and officials say they will bring more than 22-hundred new jobs to the area.

The House Criminal Justice Committee is scheduled to hear a bill tomorrow that would decriminalize prostitution. Bill author, New Orleans Representative Mandi Landry, says the intent of her legislation to protect sex workers and reduce human trafficking, but the National Center of Sexual Exploitation CEO Dawn Hawkins opposes the legislation…
cut 15 (12) “….in the area”
The House Criminal Justice Committee meets at 9 AM tomorrow.

Motorists who have State Farm could see a slight increase in their premiums. The Louisiana Insurance Department has approved a statewide rate increase of four percent. Last June, State Farm lowered rates by an average of 10-percent. So what changed? Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says more vehicles on the road…
Cut 3 (09) “…as well”
The adjusted auto rates in Louisiana went into effect on April 5th.

The House Criminal Justice Committee will hear a bill to decriminalize prostitution in Louisiana tomorrow. New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry says the intent of her bill is not to turn the state into a red-light district but to protect sex workers and reduce human trafficking.

Cut 12 (10)   “…they need.” 

Landry says if their profession is no longer a crime, they could seek assistance.

However National Center of Sexual Exploitation CEO Dawn Hawkins says decriminalizing prostitution will do more harm than good for sex workers.

Cut 13 (11)“…prostitution.”

Hawkins says it was a London School of Economics study that found decriminalization increased the sex trade and violence associated with it.

The Louisiana Insurance Department has approved a statewide rate increase of four percent for State Farm motorists, but it was last year the legislature passed a tort reform law that supporters say will lead to lower auto insurance rates. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says the legislation changes the rules on how car accident lawsuits are handled in the state’s court system, but we will not see the impact until suits are settled or judges’ rule on cases…

Cut 5  (09)  “…legislature.”

The Department of Transportation has completed hurricane debris removal from damage last season. DOTD Spokesperson Rodney Mallet southwest parishes in the state required most of the debris removal with more than 2 million cubic yards of the just over 3 million cubic yards removed in the state.

Cut 8 (09) “…hurricane season.”

Hurricane season for 2021 begins in four weeks.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office has uncovered that the state workforce commission paid out six-point-two million dollars in state and federal unemployment insurance benefits to nearly 12-hundred prisoners last year. Data Analytics Manager for the state auditor, Chris Magee says L-W-C has told them the problem is with a vendor that multiple states use to track incarceration data…
cut 10 (09) “…COVID pandemic”
Magee says LWC plans on trying to recoup the unemployment benefits that went to prisoners.

The Louisiana transportation department says they’ve completed hurricane debris that was left on the side of state roadways from a historic season. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says they collected over three million cubic yards of debris…
cut 7 (12) “…professional fashion”

A survey shows that more than 60-percent of tourists say they are more likely to visit a place if they’ve already seen it on the silver or small screen. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

Motorists who have State Farm could see a slight increase in their premiums. The Louisiana Insurance Department has approved a statewide rate increase of four percent.  Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says 9.6 percent decrease in rates that State Farm put into place last year is no longer justified as the nation begins more travel out of the pandemic.

Cut 4 (12) “…2019.” 

The rate increase went into effect on April 5^th.

Department of Transportation has completed debris removal in Louisiana after the state was heavily impacted by Hurricanes Laura, Delta, and Zeta last season. DOTD Spokesperson Rodney Mallet says they began removal at the end of August.

Cut 6 (11) “…hurricane debris”

The FDA says it’s working to ban the sale of menthol-flavored cigarettes, which make up a third of the cigarette market and are disproportionately used by Black Americans. Associate Director for Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living Shawa Shields says in Black communities, the makers of menthol promote discounts to entice users…

Cut 14 (10) “…communities.”
The use of menthol in cigarettes gives the tobacco a more appealing taste.

Motorists who have State Farm could see a slight increase in their premiums. The Louisiana Insurance Department has approved a statewide rate increase of four percent. Last June, State Farm lowered rates by an average of 10-percent. So what changed? Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says more vehicles on the road…

Cut 3 (09)  “…as well” 

The adjusted auto rates in Louisiana went into effect on April 5th.

The UNO Survey Research Center finds registered voters are divided on whether returning college students should be required to receive covid vaccines. Director Ed Chervenak says 46-percent of the nearly 700 said yes, another 46-percent said no, and eight percent undecided. The survey highlights a striking generational divide with only 35% of young adults compared to 65% of seniors saying students should be vaccinated before returning to classes in person.

Cut 8 (03) “…covid vaccination” 

The FDA’s announcement they plan to ban menthol cigarettes has garnered praise among public health advocates. Associate Director for Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living Shawna Shields says it’s a huge step in ending the marketing of highly addictive cigarette additives towards the Black community.

Cut 13 (08) “…Big Tobacco.”
Shields says tobacco companies tend to place more cigarette and cigar retailers in heavily populated Black communities.

A Market Dynamic Research Group survey finds more than half of recent visitors to Louisiana say it was a movie or TV show featuring the Bayou State that inspired their trip. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says not only are productions a visual postcard of the state, but they also offer employment opportunities.

Cut 11 (10) “…electricians.”

The White House says President Joe Biden will visit Lake Charles and New Orleans on Thursday as part of his Getting America Back on Track Tour. The President is expected to discuss his American Jobs Plan which would spend a couple of trillion dollars on improving the country’s infrastructure.

A new survey finds more than 60-percent of tourists say they are more likely to visit a place if they saw it on the silver or small screen. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

The Senate Finance Committee meets at 9:30 today and on the agenda is a bill that calls for a referendum election in St. Tammany Parish to determine if voters want a proposed 250-million dollar casino resort in Slidell. Advocate Reporter and author of Bad Bet on the Bayou, The Rise in Gambling and the Fall of Edwin Edwards, Tyler Bridges, expect an interesting hearing…
cut 6 (07) “….turn out”
Bridges says religious groups are lobbying hard against this legislation.

The Food and Drug Administration has announced plans they plan on banning menthol in cigarettes. Anti-smoking advocates applaud the move. Associate Director for Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living Shawna Shields says the use of menthol in cigarettes gives the tobacco a more appealing taste…
Cut 15 (06)“…smokers.”
For free counseling to quit smoking visit QuitWithUsLA.org

The UNO Survey Research Center finds registered voters are divided on whether returning college students should be required to receive covid vaccines. Director Ed Chervenak says respondents are just as likely to say yes as to say no.
Cut 7 (08) “…in person”
46-percent of the nearly 700 respondents said yes, another 46-percent said no.

Will the Senate Finance Committee say yes or no to a bill that would allow St. Tammany Parish voters to decide if they want a 250-million dollar casino in Slidell. Advocate Reporter Tyler Bridges says the measure passed out of one committee when Norco Senator Gary Smith made the tie-breaking vote…
cut 4 (09) “….in Slidell”
The Senate Finance committee is scheduled to hear the bill at 9:30 today.

The FDA says it’s working to ban the sale of menthol-flavored cigarettes, which make up a third of the cigarette market and are disproportionately used by Black Americans. Associate Director for Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living Shawa Shiles says in Black communities, the makers of menthol promote discounts to entice users…
cut 14 (10) “…communities”
The use of menthol in cigarettes gives the tobacco a more appealing taste.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says a new study finds that about half of the state’s recent visitors were motivated to come to Louisiana after watching a film or TV show that featured the Bayou State. Nungesser says as more people begin to travel again and states compete for visitors, he says luring movie productions to the state is just another way to promote tourism
Cut 12 (12) “…stay open.”

The legislative effort to bring a riverboat casino to Slidell is scheduled for a key vote today. Taylor Sharp has the story.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Taylor Sharp.”

The United Cajun Navy has suspended its search efforts for the seven remaining missing Seacor crewmen. In a Facebook Post, the volunteer group says it has been a long and exhausting search effort and they did their part to assist. The NTSB is investigating the capsizing of the Secor Power and an initial report is expected later this month.

The FDA’s decision to ban menthol cigarettes has garnered praise among public health advocates. Associate Director for Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living Shawna Shields says its a huge step in ending the marketing of highly addictive cigarette additives towards the Black community.
Cut 13 (08) “…Big Tobacco.”
Shields says tobacco companies tend to place more cigarette and cigar retailers in heavily populated Black communities.

The UNO Survey Research Center finds that 46-percent of the respondents support the idea of requiring college students to be vaccinated when they return to school next fall and 46-percent say it should not be a requirement. UNO’s S-R-C Director Doctor Ed Chervenak says nearly 60-percent of blacks believe college students should be required to get the COVID vaccine…
cut 9 (07) “….less so”