The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare meets in Baton Rouge this morning to discuss child welfare issues at DCFS. Brooke Thorington has more of the committee’s chairman.
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
________________________________________________
After multiple escapes from youth detention centers and more teens committing violent crimes, Brooke Thorington asks Louisiana Correction’s Secretary his thoughts on juvenile crime.
Cut 2 (30) “….I’m Brooke Thorington.”
________________________________________________
Former New Orleans mayor and political family patriarch, Moon Landrieu, has passed away at 92. Jeff Palermo has more on Landrieu’s legacy..
Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”
________________________________________________
The Senate Committee on Health and Welfare will meet this morning to discuss concerns of the child welfare division at the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. Committee Chair Senator Fred Mills says they want to know how the department will address recent failures, mainly a toddler overdose death and alleged child sexual abuse by a foster parent.
Mills says the committee wants to know the department’s plans going forward and they’ll also review personnel to see if Secretary Marketa Garner Walters’ statements of staffing shortages are a contributing factor.
Cut 5 (10) “…in those positions.”
He says the committee will also investigate why employees have left the department.
Mills says he expects committee members to directly question Secretary Walters along with division heads at the first oversight committee meeting.
Mills also encourages members of the public to reach out to committee members with any concerns about the department and if residents are unable to attend the 10 o’clock meeting it can be viewed on the legislature’s website. Visit Louisiana Radio Network for a link to the site.
_________________________________________________
Juvenile crime in Louisiana has consistently made the headlines in the last two years, with multiple escapes from youth detention centers and what appears to be more violent crimes committed by teens. Louisiana Corrections Secretary Jimmy Le Blanc attributes the increase to multiple factors.
After multiple escapes from the Bridge City Center for Youth in Jefferson Parish, a plan to move violent juvenile offenders to a more secure location at Angola is on hold pending a hearing. Le Blanc says however when you compare juvenile crime to incarcerated adults in Louisiana…
And with construction underway for a new women’s prison, the Office of Juvenile Justice is having to look at ways to make existing youth facilities more secure. Le Blanc credits the correctional system’s rehabilitation and reform efforts for helping reduce the recidivism rates of adult inmates.
A hearing on the state’s plan to move violent youth offenders to Angola is scheduled for September 15th.
_______________________________________________
Former New Orleans Mayor Moon Landrieu has passed away at the age of 92. After serving as a state representative and a New Orleans City Council member, Landrieu served as the city’s 56th mayor from 1970 to 1978. Landrieu pushed for the integration of drinking establishments and political analyst Clancy Dubos says he significantly increased the number of black employees working for the city
Dubos says Landrieu transformed the city economically…
Dubos says Landrieu pushed for the construction of the 103-million dollar Louisiana Superdome on Poydras Street. He says that allowed for downtown New Orleans to thrive, while other major cities saw their downtowns deteriorate.
Dubos says Landrieu served in all branches and levels of government…
Cut 12 (12) “…Jimmy Carter’s cabinet.”
LSU was the U-S Housing and Urban Development Secretary from 1979 to 1981.
Landrieu had nine children, Mitch served as mayor of New Orleans from 2010 to 2018, one of his daughters Mary, served three terms as a U-S Senator, and another daughter Madeleine is a former appellate judge and now dean of Loyola University’s law school.
______________________________________________
Many LSU fans are at a loss for words over Sunday night’s season-opening defeat to Florida State. The Tigers made way too many mistakes in Brian Kelly’s first game as head coach of the Bayou Bengals. Quarterback Jayden Daniels says they have to learn from those mistakes
Daniels played well in his first game as the starting quarterback for LSU, tossing two touchdown passes and rushing for over 100 yards. There were numerous breakdowns with LSU’s offensive line and special teams. Two blocked kicks and Malik Nabers muffing two punts. Kelly says they though Nabers could do the job…
LSU’s defense struggled to get off the field, allowing F-S-U to convert 11 of 17 times on third down. Edge rusher B-J Ojulari says they still have the whole season ahead of them….
________________________________________________
Game week has arrived for the Saints as they will visit the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Instead of facing Matt Ryan at quarterback, Atlanta has a new Q-B, Marcus Mariota, who has not started a game since 2019 when he was with the Tennessee Titans. Saints Coach Dennis Allen….
The Saints put rookie offensive tackle Trevor Penning on injured reserve after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his foot in the preseason finale. NFL insider Ian Rapoport reports Penning could return in early November and Allen says the prognosis on Penning is good…
Allen will coach his first game as the Saints head coach on Sunday and he’s fired up for the chance to lead the Black and Gold…
_________________________________________________________