A Louisiana National Guard unit is preparing to deploy to the Middle East, on a classified support mission. More from Jeff Palermo…:
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’ll want to be in Thibodaux Saturday to attend a festival dedicated to the state’s favorite pastry. Brooke Thorington has the ingredients
Cut 2 (32) “….I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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U-S Senator John Kennedy wants Louisiana to develop a new methodology to grade public schools. Kennedy points to the grades that the state’s high schools have received…
The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has discussed changing Louisiana’s accountability system, but proposed changes have faced criticism from school boards, superintendents, principals, and teachers. Kennedy says 70 percent of the state’s high schools have received A and B grades, but in reality, we know many of these schools do not deserve such a high grade…
Kennedy made his comments on the floor of the U.S. Senate. He didn’t offer any specifics on how schools should be graded, but expressed the importance of it because it’s vital to the future of Louisiana
Cut 5 (10) “…creating tomorrow”
A BESE committee has recommended that a high school should not be awarded to a student who receives a diploma without passing an Advancement Placement course or didn’t take any dual enrollment classes. That proposal received significant pushback.
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The Louisiana National Guard held a deployment ceremony Friday in New Orleans for the 140-plus soldiers of the 3673 Support Maintenance Company (part of the 139th Regional Support Group.) They will provide support to the Army’s Operation Spartan Shield. The event was at the World War II Museum in the Crescent City. Captain Mitchel Dougherty is the company Commander…:
The “3-6-7-3″ is a combat support unit; tasked with keeping military vehicles and material in working order. Battalion Commander Lt. Colonel Ira Jones says their role is of utmost importance…:
Cut 7 (08) “…their mission is.”
Operation Spartan Shield is in the Middle East, but exactly where the Louisiana Guardsmen and women are headed is classified. The 3673rd has not been deployed overseas since the Gulf War in the early 1990’s. Col. Jones says the deployment will mean soldiers will be out of the country for quite a while…:
Cut 8 (07) “…to their families.”
Jones says the Guardsmen will be back home in about a year.
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If you’re a King Cake connoisseur there’s an inaugural festival cooked up just for you on Saturday. It’s the Lafourche Education Foundation’s Bayou King Cake Festival. Thibodaux Mayor Kevin Clement says attendees can sample almost two dozen cakes and they have five tickets each to cast their vote.
The event kicks off at 1:30 in downtown Thibodeaux with a kid’s parade. Five marching bands will accompany kids riding in wagons.
The festival has plenty of activities for kids, like face painting, a coloring booth, and music. Clement says it’s going to be a memorable event to kick off their carnival season and it’s all for a great cause the Lafourche Parish Education Foundation.
Cut 11 (11) “…quite remarkable.”
The winning King Cake will be announced at 5:30 and they’ll receive bragging and a billboard. Advance tickets are $10 and $15 at the event.
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State lawmakers have approved legislation that sets up a 45-million dollar incentive fund that will be used to bring more insurance companies to Louisiana that will offer homeowners coverage. Senate Insurance Chairman Kirk Talbot says the goal is to reduce the number of Citizens Property Insurance policyholders who face a 63-percent rate hike this year
The bill passed on a 37-to-1 vote in the Senate on Friday. Bossier City Senator Barrow Peacock was the lone no vote as he questioned whether the incentive fund would actually lead to more insurers who can supply homeowners coverage…
Cut 13 (10) “…hurricane season starts”
Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt says this is not the silver bullet to Louisiana’s insurance crisis, but it’s a first step and lawmakers will need to continue to address the problem even more in the regular session that starts in April…