It’s New Year’s Day and if you want to keep your resolutions this year, Brooke Thorington has some advice from a professional.
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2024 is here and Louisiana’s new Legislature will get to work soon on redrawing the state’s Congressional map. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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If you’re looking for a way to give back in the new year, the American Red Cross is making a call to action for more volunteers in Louisiana. Regional Volunteer Services Officer Rebecca Merritt says the need for more volunteers to help respond to disasters in the Bayou State has never been greater.
The American Red Cross has responded to nearly twice as many large disasters across the country as it did a decade ago.
Merritt says more than 900 people voluntarily give time to help the Louisiana Red Cross. In the last year, she says volunteers responded to more than 16 hundred local disasters.
Volunteers have helped serve more than five thousand meals to Louisianans who were seeking shelter from severe weather, severe heat, and wildfires.
Merritt says 90 percent of the Red Cross workforce is made up of volunteers. She says there are lots of different disaster-related volunteer roles.
Take action by lending a hand to the Louisiana Red Cross by visiting www dot redcross dot org forward slash Louisiana.
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It’s New Year’s Day and the beginning of 2024 resolutions. In order to avoid a setback, LSU Health New Orleans Chair of Psychiatry Dr. Rahn Bailey says choose realistic resolutions, let them be things you can control, and have a support group.
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The pandemic and long-term isolation raised awareness about its links to depression. Bailey says having positive support in your life increases your chances of being more likely to keep your resolutions.
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Bailey recommends joining or participating in group activities that involve hobbies you enjoy. At the same time, you’ll meet people with shared interests.
And when you do find that you’ve failed to keep your resolution, remember you can always start over again, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
If you or someone you care for is having a mental crisis you can call 9-8-8 for free counseling and guidance to local resources.
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2024 promises to be a busy year politically with a new governor and legislature set to take over on January 8th. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says two special sessions are planned. Pinsonat says a special session to redraw a new Congressional map will begin January 15th and a criminal justice reform session is expected to take place in February…
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Pinsonat says after the two special sessions, a three-month-long regular session begins on March 11th. He says property insurance reform, education, and the budget will be big issues in the regular session…
Republicans will have a supermajority in both the House and Senate, but Pinsonat says this will not be a lost year for Democrats. He says they will likely have a new Congressional map that would provide the opportunity for two Democrats to be elected to Congress in November or in a December runoff
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A significant tax change takes place with the start of the new year. Tax Expert for Advantous, Jason DeCuir says Louisiana is moving to a Uniform Local Sales Tax Board to collect taxes from businesses, instead of the Parish E-File System which DeCuir calls one of the most complex collection systems in the country.
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DeCuir says after the Wayfare lawsuits, new federal rules regarding sales tax collection require states to have a simple centralized collection method. He says the state’s previous fragmented system cost Louisiana uncollected revenue from remote online businesses…
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DeCuir says the new sales tax collection system is not perfect but it’s moving in the right direction