New fundraising totals are in for the 2019 governor’s race and Governor Edwards has more money than his two Republican challengers combined. Jeff Palermo has more…
____________________________
Waitr is finding a new home in Downtown Lafayette and bringing with it 200 new jobs. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”
_____________________________________________
The New Orleans shot comedy/horror slasher flick Happy Death Day 2U clears 27 million in worldwide box office receipts as Louisiana film tax credit advocates celebrate nearly two years since the program was reformed. Louisiana Entertainment’s Chris Stelly says the credit is proving it’s long-term viability.
The changes put a 180 million dollar cap on total yearly credits and required productions to justify their credited expenses.
The legislative session is now on the horizon, and every year there are calls for the credit to be revoked and the 180 million to be deposited back into the general fund. Stelly hopes the legislature maintains the program, which he says supports thousands of jobs that pay 60-65 thousand on average…
Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser has also credited the program with raising the state’s profile, increasing tourism numbers.
The bulk of those production jobs are clustered in New Orleans, but Stelly says the credit has incentivized new studios to pop up statewide, joining established enterprises already at work in the Crescent City.
Happy Death Day to U2 had a budget of 9 million dollars.
_________________________________________________
The latest campaign finance numbers show Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards has more money in his warchest than his two Republican challengers combined. ULM Political Science Professor Joshua Stockley says Edwards is in a good position heading into the October 12th election…
Cut 6 (10) “…important financiers.”
Edwards has eight-point-four million dollars in his bank account, while Eddie Rispone has five-point-five million and Ralph Abraham only has 350-thousand through the 2018 fundraising period. Stockley says it doesn’t appear many Republicans are ready to get behind Abraham
Cut 7 (12) “…among Republicans”
Rispone has raised only a half-a-million dollars and the other five-million dollars is his own money. Stockley says the poor fundraising totals by the two Republican candidates suggests Governor Edwards could be getting money from some G-O-P donors…
_______________________
Food delivery service Waitr is seeing growth that will now result in 200 new jobs with an average annual salary of $55,000 in Acadiana. Waitr CEO Chris Meaux says over the next 18 months, the company will move into their new headquarters, the former Washington Life Building in the downtown area.
Cut 9 (12) “…center and headquarters.”
Waitr is now a publicly traded company and recently released it’s preliminary earnings last week with a full earnings report coming next month. Meaux says the focus of the company in the last five years has been on growth.
Meaux says last year, the company did around $279 million in gross food sales for restaurants.
_______________________________
A 14-year-old has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a woman and a dog at a home in Vivian last night. KTBS-TV is reporting the victim, Annette Moore, is the juvenile’s mother. Caddo Sheriff’s spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says the incident began when the victim and the 14-year-old were at home watching TV…
The dog’s condition is unknown at this time.
After allegedly stabbing his mother and the family dog, Chadwick says the teenager stormed out of the house, and found transportation.
Chadwick says eventually the 14-year-old submitted to police after evading officers on the four wheeler and by foot for several hours.