According to the Consumer Price Index, the inflation rate for April was 8.3-percent. Brooke Thorington has more from a local economist.
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
____________________________________
The Louisiana Senate is poised to make an unprecedented financial commitment to improving the state’s infrastructure. David Grubb has the story…
Cut 2 (36) “…I’m David Grubb.”
_____________________________________
The House Civil Law Committee approves a bill that would prohibit employers from firing an individual for a certain hairstyle. David Grubb has the story…
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
____________________________________
The consumer price index for the month of April rose to 8.3-percent, another forty-year high. Economist Loren Scott says each month the Bureau of Labor and Statistics looks at the average price for a basket of goods, for example, gas, a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, and a month’s rent.
Scott says the Russian invasion of Ukraine and continued supply chain issues are impacting the inflation rate. The inflation rate has hovered around the 8-percent mark for a few months now and Scott says the lingering question among those with fixed incomes is whether the inflation rate is transitory due to supply chain issues.
Scott says however it’s not all doom and gloom, he says predictions from Well Fargo Economics Department and USA Consensus Forecast indicate things should improve.
________________________________________
An effort to begin phasing out a temporary sales tax that is set to expire in 2025 is dead for the legislative session. The .45-percent sales generates about 400-million dollars in tax revenue for the state and Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau says the state can use that money on major projects…
Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala’s bill proposed to begin reducing the temporary sales tax in 2023. Bacala says the goal of his legislation is to prevent a sharp drop-off in revenue and a significant budget shortfall. But Norco Senator Gary Smith says Bacala’s proposal will actually cause more financial problems…
Smith is concerned Bacala’s bill will produce budget deficits when a new governor and legislature take office in 2024…
The Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee rejected the House-approved bill.
________________________________________
It isn’t the $500-million that Governor John Bel Edwards wanted, but the budget bill headed to the Senate floor for approval this Thursday does include $300-million of seed money for a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge. State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson is thankful for the unprecedented commitment of funds for a project of this size.
The budget also sets aside $100-million to replace the Lake Charles Bridge. Wilson says that the legislature dedicating funds for the projects makes getting additional dollars from private sources a real possibility, which could speed up both the financing and completion of the bridges.
Cut 11 (12) “…a traditional environment.”
In total, the budget bill earmarks more than half a billion dollars for the construction of a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge, the extension of I-49 South, and a new Lake Charles bridge, with an additional $150-million set aside for other projects. Wilson says it’s a great starting point.
Cut 12 (11) “…transportation agenda.”
Wilson says the administration will continue to work with the legislature on securing additional funding to ensure that these critical infrastructure improvements happen.
_______________________________________
The House Civil Law Committee approves legislation that would make it illegal to discriminate against a person based on certain hairstyles. That would include afros, dreadlocks, braids and other styles of cultural significance. New Orleans Representative Candace Newell is the author of the bill
Newell says it’s not just African Americans who could be victims of hair discrimination…
Cut 14 (12) “…dreadlocks” (2x)
Newell says hair color is not part of the bill, so an employer could fire an employee for having blue, purple or green hair.
The measure passed on an eight to six vote as two Republicans joined Democrats on the panel to vote for the legislation. Abita Springs Republican Larry Frieman says the bill leaves it open ended on what hair styles would be protected under this proposed discrimination law
The House Labor Committee defeated a similar bill earlier in the session.
___________________________________________
After a lost weekend for LSU baseball, the Tigers enter the final week of the regular season with plenty of unanswered questions and a tumbling RPI. Monday, Ole Miss canceled its mid-week game against Arkansas St., trying to hold on to the boost it received from sweeping LSU. Tigers coach Jay Johnson says he never considered doing the same against tonight’s opponent, Northwestern State.
The series loss to Ole Miss has LSU in jeopardy of finishing below .500 in the SEC for the first time since 2011, which was also the last time the Tigers missed the NCAA tournament. Johnson says he doesn’t want the team’s performance over the weekend to carry over into this critical week of ballgames.
The pressure to win in Baton Rouge is always there, and it has only intensified as LSU approaches 13 years since its last national championship. Jay Johnson says he gets it, and he embraces it…otherwise he never would have accepted the job.
Cut 18 (20) “ …would have that.”
Game time at The Box is set for 6:30 pm.
______________________________________________
Rookie wideout Chris Olave got his first “welcome to the NFL” moments this past weekend during the Saints’ rookie mini-camp. Olave, who signed a four-year contract worth $19-point-two-million just prior to the start of camp, was considered one of the top route-runners in this year’s draft and is expected to step in seamlessly opposite Michael Thomas, who missed all of last season with injury. Olave says he’s ready for whatever the team asks of him.
Receiver was a definite area of weakness for the Saints last season. With the return of Michael Thomas, the addition of Jarvis Landry, and the drafting of Chris Olave, New Orleans hopes to have surrounded Jameis Winston with the talent to put fear into opposing defenses. Olave says his work ethic pushes him to be the very best, and as a wideout, that starts and ends with catching the ball. Every time.