The head of the state Department of Corrections tells the Senate Finance Committee staffing prisons is their top challenge. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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For the sixth consecutive year, a Crawfish is pardoned to celebrate the mudbug eating season. Brooke Thorington explains
Cut 2 (33)…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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The average price for a gallon of diesel in Louisiana today is $4.56 and Renee Amar, Executive Director of the Louisiana Motor Transport Association says prices at the pump are also forcing those who depend on the trucking industry to reevaluate their business plan. Amar says typically fuel costs are just behind labor.
As for increasing methods on how to best utilize fuel, Amar says the trucking industry is extremely sophisticated logistics-wise and already incorporates such measures.
Amar says during the pandemic when more individuals stayed home, there were high demands on the trucking industry, and she doesn’t see that changing anytime soon. And Amar says get ready to pay more for goods due to the rising cost of getting them to you.
The cost of diesel typically runs 25 to 50 cents higher a gallon than regular gas prices.
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The state’s most well-known, or notorious, prison is dealing with a staffing crisis that has shown no signs of ending. Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc says there are more than 300 guard positions currently unfilled at Angola state penitentiary, a facility that houses more than 5000 inmates.
Cut 6 (08) “…our top challenge.”
A starting salary of just over $15 an hour for guards is just one of the obstacles in attracting employees says LeBlanc. Extreme heat, aging buildings, policy and procedural issues, and the prison’s location in rural West Feliciana are all factors.
Cut 7 (14) “…help recruit people.”
The Department of Corrections is asking the legislature for $2 million in order to help with the transfer of 600 prisoners to the Allen Correctional Center and with ongoing capital improvements to Angola, including adding air conditioning to a number of the prisons aging buildings.
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A lucky crawfish was officially pardoned by Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser in Baton Rouge this morning. For the last six years on the first Tuesday after Mardi Gras, the state officially pardons one crustacean to celebrate the mudbug season. Nungesser says the pardoned crawfish will enjoy the rest of his days at Tickfaw State Park.
The Annual Pardoning of a Crawfish also puts Louisiana in the national spotlight and highlights the industry’s importance to the state. Nungesser fondly remembers attending a campaign event in which former Vice President Mike Pence bragged about the ability to pardon a turkey for Thanksgiving.
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This year’s pardoned crawfish is named Arrigeaux in honor of retiring Visit Baton Rouge President Paul Arrigo, (Aay-reego). Nungesser says Arrigo and his team have done so much to help the tourism industry and he hopes Arrigo can enjoy his retirement and plenty of crawfish in the near future.
This year’s most fortunate crawfish was chosen by Barry Toups, the owner of Crawfish Haven and Mrs. Rose’s Bed and Breakfast in Kaplan.
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U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy says it’s time to get U.S. oil & gas production rolling again, and he’s about to propose a new energy policy. Cassidy says this is the best way to send Russia a message; by competing with them for energy exports. He says Republicans on Capitol Hill are working on that; not just for Americans’ benefit, but to shop out to other countries…:
Cut 12 (12) “…that benefits Louisiana.”
Tomorrow Cassidy will propose new policies to help cut red tape with permitting of domestic & foreign exports and explorations, and more. He says ramping up energy production, refining and exports will be beneficial to Louisiana in terms of revenue and jobs…:
Cut 13 (05) “…LNG export terminals.”
Regular gas is at a statewide average of $3.95-a-gallon. The price run-up had been slow over the past year, but spiked sharply with the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Cassidy says Russia has the majority of oil & gas exports to European nations, and losing a piece of that business would make a strong point. He says there is bipartisan support for restarting U.S. oil & gas production to send the message, and what the U.S. HAS been doing isn’t working…: