If you’re looking for something to do this weekend you’ve got two festivals to choose from. The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival and New Orleans French Quarter Festival. Teiko Foxx has more….
_______________________________________________
As Monday’s Tax deadline approaches you might think it’s a bonus if you’re getting money back, but truth be told it isn’t. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington.”
____________________________________________
The annual rejection of bills to raise the minimum wage in Louisiana occurred at the state capitol on Thursday. Teiko Foxx has a recap…
____________________________________________
Thousands will head to southeastern Louisiana to enjoy sweet strawberries, live music, and great food. The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival and French Quarter Festival are happening this weekend. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says both festivals are a big economic boost for the state.
Cut 4 (11) “…$400 million dollars.”
Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival is the second largest festival in the Bayou State. Nearly 300,000 people are expected to attend the four-day festival which kicked off Thursday and ends Sunday.
In addition to music, Nungesser says the weekend will be filled with arts, crafts, and strawberries in everything imaginable. He says the festival isn’t just a festival…
In New Orleans, the French Quarter festival kicks off Thursday and ends Sunday. The free event features more than 300 entertainers on 25 different stages. Nungesser says a diversity of food and vendors are a big attraction.
__________________________________________________
Despite former President Trump calling Senator Bill Cassidy one of the worst senators in the country, Louisiana’s senior senator seems to be taking it all in stride. Cassidy says if he’s working to do something positive for the country, the state, and those around him…
Even if Trump believes Cassidy is quote “A total flake” the Republican says he’s responsible for securing more federal funding for Louisiana than his counterparts.
Cut 8 (07) “…Fiscal Year 2024.”
That $1.2 billion includes $5.5 million for mental health and substance abuse services and $2.4 million for the New Orleans crime lab.
Cut 9 (09) “…deserves justice.”
Cassidy also secured $28 million for the Morganza to the Gulf project, $12 million for water infrastructure, and $6 million for the Team Gleason ALS Foundation.
________________________________________________________
Monday is Tax Day and while you might think getting a big return is worth bragging about, a greater New Orleans, CPA says it really isn’t. Catherine Roe with Cowart Roe says in reality it means the government has been holding onto your money for the last year when it could have already been in your pocket.
Ideally, Roe says, you want to break even on your taxes, so you don’t owe any more and aren’t receiving money back that you’ve loaned the government for the last year.
If you’re self-employed Roe says to talk to your accountant to see if you need to change your estimated taxes and if you work for a company talk to your human resources department about adjusting what’s taken out of your check on your W-9.
Roe says when you have big life changes like the birth of a child, marriage, or divorce you want to review the amount taken out of your paycheck. And if you work multiple jobs, she says it can be complicated to determine how much tax should be withheld.
_______________________________________________
The House Labor Committee has once again voted down bills seeking to raise the state’s minimum wage. Every year business groups are successful in killing this legislation. Patrick Robinson from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry says increasing the minimum wage is not the way to improve the economy…
But Melissa Flournoy, chairperson of 10,000 women, says raising the minimum wage can improve the lives of working families…
Cut 14 (14) “…year after year.”
National Federation of Independent Business state director Leah Long says raising the minimum wage will cause a negative ripple effect…
But Peter Robbins Brown with the Louisiana AFL-CIO says a higher minimum wage will bring many positive social impacts…
The vote was ten to five against raising the minimum wage. The ten Republicans on the committee voted against it, and the five Democrats voted for it.
_________________________________________________
The LSU football team will conclude spring practice with a spring game on Saturday. Coach Brian Kelly is entering his third season in Tiger Town and he feels good about the talent and depth on the 2024 team. LSU struggled defensively last year as they tried to plug holes with incoming transfers. He says this year there’s more carryover from the 2023 squad…
Kelly says the spring game will be the offense versus the defense, but don’t expect the top players to get many snaps. He says Saturday will be a day for back-ups to showcase their talents, like reserve tight ends Mac Markway and Ka’Morreun Pimpton. Kelly says this also a chance to see Josh Williams and Kaleb Jackson carry the ball…
Fixing the defensive secondary is priority number one this offseason. Kelly says they return several defensive backs who are ready to make an impact…
Kelly says he likes the depth at wide receiver…