Louisiana farmers are hoping Pontchatoula’s Strawberry Festival will help promote local farmers who’ve had a tough time this season. Teiko Foxx has more.
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Suicide rates in 2021, increased by four percent from the previous year in the U.S. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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The latest survey of Louisiana small business owners shows optimism for the near future continues to slide. Kevin Gallagher has more…:
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”
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Too much rain and a crop-eating disease have put many Louisiana strawberry farmers in a berry bad position but they are hopeful this weekend’s Ponchatoula’s Strawberry Festival will help them rebound. Livingston Parish strawberry farmer Rhonda Poche says despite the struggles this season, the berries are ripe and ready for the picking this weekend.
While you might think strawberry farmers welcome rain, too much can affect the taste of the juicy red berry. An in-ground fungal disease also infected one variety of the berry plant and had many strawberry farmers closing early. Poche says some farmers lost several thousand plants but their crop was limited with that berry plant.
Inflation has also impacted farmers with higher prices for labor, plant, and fertilizer. Poche says she’s a fourth-generation farmer and hopes to keep the sweet history alive by dealing with the next generation of farmers and doubling down on the industry she loves so much.
Poche said in addition to buying locally grown berries, residents should support Ponchatoula’s Strawberry Festival. The peak of Louisiana strawberry season is March, April, and May.
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Suicide rates in the U.S. saw the largest one-year increase in 2021, that’s after two previous years of decline. According to the CDC, the suicide rate increased by four percent to 14 deaths per 100,000. LSU Health New Orleans Chair of Psychiatry Dr. Rahn Bailey says men are four times more likely than women to commit suicide.
Data collected from 2001 to 2021, the increase of four percent in 2021 was the largest one-year increase on record.
Bailey says men are more likely to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs than seek help because of the stigma of mental illness. Women are more likely to report thoughts of suicide, but it’s men who die by suicide four times more often than women. In 2021 more men died by suicide than in any other year since record-keeping began.
Indigenous people have the highest suicide rate at 43 deaths per 100,000 followed by white men at 28 deaths per 100,000.
Bailey says we need to remove the shame of mental illness so those suffering will be more likely to seek help and intervene sooner than later.
Last summer the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline switched to the three-digit number of 988. From July to December 988 received more than two million calls and/or texts, just under 900 thousand more than the same period in 2021. Bailey says he hopes there’s an increase of authentic calls to the line from those who are in real need.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, half of all suicides involve a gun.
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Optimism among Louisiana’s small businesses continued to slide in the 1st Quarter of the year. The National Federation of Independent Business maintains a Small Business Optimism Index, which shows a 15th straight month of decline. NFIB state director Dawn McVea says inflation, labor shortages and a post-pandemic lack of customers in the door are the main reasons cited…:
Cut 10 (12) “…about the future.”
McVea says locally owned & operated businesses are finding it harder than ever to deliver goods & services and make a profit. 43 percent of members report trouble filling jobs and keeping help. Few expect business to improve in the near term. McVea says many say they need to increase prices, but are reluctant to do so…:
Cut 11 (07) “…prices any longer.”
It’s not all bad news though. McVea says 15 percent of owners plan to create new jobs within the next three months. She says there is hope for some recovery over the months ahead…:
Cut 12 (09) “…comes back around.”
McVea says debt service on loans is also a big concern for small businesses, as lending rates continue to rise.
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Based on declining TOPS scholarship participation statewide, officials have expressed concerns about how to remedy the numbers in the House Committee Appropriations. The program offers scholarships to Louisiana residents attending public colleges, universities, or vocational schools in the state. Higher Ed Commissioner, Kim Hunter Reed says it’s a growing concern.
The high school acceptance rate for TOPS scholarships fell nearly 8% between 2019-20 and 2020-21, well above the normal yearly trends. Hunter-Reed says there are numerous reasons why high school students would reject TOPS.
Other states are luring TOPS-eligible students with incentives like bigger scholarships and better financial aid. Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance Executive Director Sujuan Boutte’ says other states are luring TOPS students.
TOPS pays for tuition and, in some cases, other expenses for students who meet the academic requirements and nearly 54,000 students receive aid.
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ULM completed spring football practice a couple of weeks ago. The Warhawks defense dominated the spring with takeaways and negative plays. ULM Coach Terry Bowden says next fall he wants to see more explosive plays from his offense…
Bowden is entering his third season as head coach. The Warhawks finished with four and eight records in his first two seasons, but Bowden believes they are ready to challenge for a conference title in 2023…
UL Lafayette completed spring practice last week and redshirt freshman Zeon Chriss took a lot of snaps, because Chandler Fields and Ben Wooldridge were recovering from injuries. But Coach Michael Desormeaux feels good about that position heading into the fall…
Cut 18 (14) “….the quarterback.”
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Cut 20 (18) “…another weapon.”