Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain is meeting with the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture at the U.S. Agriculture Business Conference in Havana to look at the difficulties of importing much-needed resources to Cuba. Sean Richardson has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”
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Legislation mandating the 10 Commandments be displayed in public school and college classrooms is nearing final passage. Brooke Thorington explains…
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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Saturday isn’t just the beginning of spring, it also kicks off Safe Boating Week. Mel Bridges has more.
Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”
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Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain is at the U.S. Agriculture Business Conference in Havana, Cuba to connect US rice and poultry exporters with potential Cuba importers. Strain says the country is in desperate need of food and that need continues to climb.
Cut 4 (12) “….billion or more.”
Strain is meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture to lay out logistics on the type of imports the country can handle.
The Cuban landscape is changing fast. With 80% of farmland privately owned by independent farmers or Co-op’s the issue will begin to look at how to get farmers the resources they need to be more productive.
Cut 5 (07) “…very little equipment.”
The Cuban government is asking not just to buy seeds and fertilizer from the US but also for assistance and expertise from US farmers to help them become more self-sustainable. Strain said that we need to have a presence in Cuba and if we don’t someone else will.
Cut 6 (09) “…is our business.”
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Many are mourning the deaths of Baton Rouge plastic surgeon Doctor Lucius “Tre” Doucet and two of his three children. They were killed when when their single engine airplane broke apart enroute to Louisville on Wednesday afternoon. NTSB Aviation Investigator Aaron McCarter says the investigation into the cause of the crash is underway
Cut 7 (12) “..out of control.”
McCarter says the debris field is about a half-mile long near Nashville, Tennessee. He says they hope doorbell cameras or motor vehicle cameras caught the plane crash.
Doucet’s two children killed were set to graduate from LSU this weekend, Giselle and Jean-Luc Doucet.
McCarter says they will try to determine if human error, mechanical malfunction or weather caused the crash
McCarter says they know there was plenty of fuel on the plane.
Doucet was known as an avid flight enthusiast and practiced at Williamson Cosmetic Center.
The Beechcrafh V35 was built in the mid 1960s, but McCarter the age of the plane is not a concern, because of the hours of maintenance that is done on them
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Legislation mandating the 10 Commandments be displayed in public school and college classrooms passes in the Senate on a 30 to 8 vote. New Orleans Senator Royce Duplessis challenged Bossier City Senator Adam Bass who presented House Bill 71 in the upper chamber.
Cut 10 (13) “…agree with that”
Donations or fundraisers would pay for the signs, but Duplessis argued the legislation is an unfunded mandate, requiring schools to display them but not providing the means to do so.
Duplessis said the bill is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment by promoting one religion over another.
Cut 11 (13) “…read and write.”
Duplessis, a practicing Catholic, said if parents want their children to learn the 10 Commandments they should take them to Sunday School.
Monroe Senator Jay Morris amended the bill to recognize the 10 Commandments as a historical document…
The amended bill returns to the House for final passage.
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Saturday is the beginning of Safe Boating Week, and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Senior Agent Thomas Wolf says now is the time to make sure everything on your boat is in working order….
Between 2019 and 2023 the state reported 107 boating fatalities and 82 percent of the victims weren’t wearing a lifejacket. Wolf says it’s vital your life jacket is in working condition.
Alcohol is the leading cause of boating accidents and deaths and Wolf says the same rules apply on land as on water.
Safe Boating Week runs until May 24th.
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The wake of the release of the Saint’s 2024 regular season schedule sees many fans questioning if the Saints could see the postseason for the first time since 2020. NOLA.com’s Luke Johnson covers the Saints and says early season games against the Cowboys, Eagles, Falcons and Super Bowl champion Chiefs will test the Black and Gold…
Cut 16 (17) “….three or four games of the season.”
The Saints had one of the easiest schedules last year and failed to make the playoffs. Johnson says based on 2023 win-loss records, the 2024 schedule is not difficult…
Cut 17 (18) “…it doesn’t feel that way.”
Some games to look forward to this season are Jayden Daniels and the Commanders, Malik Nabers and the Giants, and perhaps the most anticipated reunion, Sean Payton and the Broncos. Despite how shaky the Saints may seem, Johnson says they have a fighting chance against their old coach.
Cut 18 (21) “… on that one, I think.”
The Saints open the regular season with a game at home against the Panthers, kicking off at noon on September 8th.
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Cut 19 (17) “… for a championship.”
Cut 20 (18) “….over that one.”