9:30 LRN Newscast

A rare metals extraction plant is headed to Alexandria in the next few years. Kevin Gallagher has more…:

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.” 

State police have arrested a Chalmette Pastor – who had been previously accused of sex crimes with minors – with new charges of sex-related offenses. 56-year-old Milton Martin III was charged with indecent behavior with a juvenile. Martin had been investigated in 2022 and booked with charges of sexual battery and carnal knowledge of a juvenile last month. State police said another victim came forward saying Martin had sexual relations with them in 1991 when they were 14 years old. An additional arrest warrant was issued for Martin, and he turned himself in on Wednesday. He was booked into the St. Bernard Parish Correctional Center for indecent behavior with juveniles.

Heavenly Hash Eggs are back and celebrating 100 years after offering limited products last year due to supply chain issues. Elmer Chocolate CEO Rob Nelson says last year they received hundreds of phone calls daily wanting to know why all three versions of Heavenly Hash were not in stores.

Cut 5 (06) “…selling out.”

Elmer Chocolate began making the Strawberry version when the company relocated to Ponchatoula in 1970, the Strawberry capital of the world.

Easter weekend is one of the biggest crawfish-selling weekends of the season and will be in high demand.  Crawfish App co-founder Laney King says prices on average are the same as last weekend.

Cut 14 (10)  “…this week.”

King says you can find boiled crawfish this weekend for an average of $4.75 a pound and live will run you $2.59 a pound.