If you’re a kid attending Vermilion Catholic and you haven’t entered ninth grade yet, you’d better get off social media immediately. Andrew Greenstein explains why.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Hayden Federico won a state championship with West Monroe in 2024. Now, he’ll play for a Men’s College World Series Title with Ole Miss in Omaha. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 2 (28) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Louisiana has a new voter ID law. Jeff Palermo has the details.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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If you attend Vermilion Catholic and haven’t entered the ninth grade yet, you’d better delete your social media profiles now! That’s because the pre-K-through-12 school has banned social media for all students in eighth grade and below, with the ban extending to ninth grade in the fall of 2027. Father Alexander Albert says social media has proven to do nothing but disrupt the educational and social development of kids.

Cut 4 (08) “…with each other.”

With the school being a private school, it is entirely their prerogative to impose such a restriction on its students. The social media ban is effective 365 days a year as long as the student is enrolled at the school, with incoming students considered to be enrolled in the preceding summer. Father Albert says the policy has gotten positive reviews.

Cut 5 (10) “…easier as parents.”

The school’s policy largely mirrors the policies of the social media platforms, most of which prohibit anyone under 13 years old from creating accounts. Albert says the policy creates a disciplinary mechanism at the school level, and students subject to the policy caught with social media accounts face significant penalties.

Cut 6 (10) “…they consider expulsion.”

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In case you haven’t noticed, pretty much the price of everything has gone up. And that has taken a huge bite out of families’ budgets. So as we get into the summer travel season, and potentially looking ahead to the holiday shopping season, money will certainly be a lot tighter than in years past. Layne McDaniel with the Society of Louisiana CPAs says in light of that, be prepared if your kids have some tough money questions for you.

Cut 7 (08) “…need to understand.”

McDaniel says when you talk to your kids about these tough financial times, there’s no need to give too many complicated details to younger kids.

Cut 8 (08) “…up this summer.”

McDaniel says if your kids are older, that’s when you can more freely give them more details of exactly what’s going on.

Cut 9 (13)  “…something like that.”

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West Monroe High School product Hayden Federico is heading to the College World Series with Ole Miss. The sophomore outfielder is the son of Louisiana Tech assistant coach Michael Federico, who says he doesn’t get the chance to watch him play often, so seeing him in Omaha will be special.

Cut 10 (10) “…words for it.”

Michael says he’s been to Omaha as a fan once before, a 1967 trip with some teammates from his Southern Miss baseball team. He says he told his kids he wouldn’t return to the College World Series until he was coaching or one of them was playing in it.

Cut 11 (13) “…coaching in it.”

Hayden is batting .296 and has started all but four games for the Rebels. Michael says he’s going to try to turn off coach mode and be an Ole Miss fan this weekend.

Cut 12 (11) “…a national championship.”

Ole Miss takes on UNC in game two of the Men’s College World Series at 6 p.m. tomorrow.

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Governor Landry has signed a package of election integrity and security bills designed to enhance election safeguards and further secure Louisiana’s election process. Secretary of State Nancy Landry says one of the measures strengthens the state’s voter ID laws.

Cut 13 (12)  “…vote would count.”

Landry says the new voter ID law lists the acceptable forms of identification needed for a voter to cast a ballot if he or she shows up to vote without a state-issued photo ID.

Cut 14 (09) “…like Costco cards.”

The new law goes into effect on July 1st, 2027. So starting with the statewide elections in 2027, if a voter does not have a photo ID, he or she will need to provide the poll worker with a birth certificate, Social Security Card or certificate of citizenship, along with a voter registration notice, a recent utility bill, bank statement or pay stub.

Landry says the governor also signed a bill that requires Louisiana to use the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program to help identify any non-citizen that’s registered to vote in Louisiana.

Cut 15 (11) “…rolls remain clean.”

Governor Landry has also signed a bill that prohibits a person from taking a photo of the Election Day precinct registers. That’s the piece of paper you sign, right before you go into the voter’s booth.

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LSU landed one of the most sought-after talents in the transfer portal in Notre Dame outfielder Bino Watters. The Michigan native hit .362 with 10 homers, 51 RBI and a .610 slugging percentage his sophomore season with the Irish. Bradley Smart covers the ACC for D1Baseball and says he’s only gotten better each year in South Bend.

Cut 16 (17) “…pickup for LSU.”

While Watters certainly has the SEC power profile, he also has exceptional bat-to-ball skills. Smart says in two years and 382 at-bats with the Irish, he struck out just 63 times.

Cut 17 (16)  “…do damage on.”

LSU was in a heated recruiting battle with Texas and Texas A&M for the slugger, but Jay Johnson and his staff were able to bring him to Baton Rouge to address some glaring needs in the outfield next season. Smart says he can be a day one starter for the Tigers.

Cut 18 (14) “…production out of.”

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Today is the final day of Organized Team Activities for the Saints before minicamp kicks off next week. Head Coach Kellen Moore praised the confidence his team has gained as the offseason has gone on. He says one player that’s stood out is free agent running back Travis Etienne.

Cut 19 (19) “…rotating as much.”

The Saints will rely on a young secondary this year. At outside corner, Kool-Aid McKinstry was a second-round pick in the 2024 draft, and Quincy Riley was a fourth-rounder last year who saw significant snaps. Safety Jonas Sanker turned heads as a rookie filling in for an injured Julian Blackmon last year, and McKinstry says he’s made great progress replacing Alontae Taylor at slot corner this season.

Cut 20 (18) “…same exact way.”

For the second time in three days, a shooting rocks an East Baton Rouge Parish school. A student was shot and wounded while leaving Baker High School this morning. Preston Castille, the president and CEO of Helix Community Schools, the charter school network that Baker High School belongs to, says it happened while summer school was in session.

Cut 12 (08) “…still on campus.” 

At the end of the school year, more than 66-percent of students from kindergarten through third grade were reading at or above grade level — compared to just under half at the start of the school year. John Wyble, the CEO of the Center for Literacy and Learning, says this increase can be attributed to a return to the science of reading.

Cut 6 (11) “…what they read.”

A Pittsburgh little league practice became a lifelong memory Monday night when ex-LSU star and Pirates ace Paul Skenes decided to drop in on his day off. Kace Kieschnick reports

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

An 80-million-dollar manufacturing facility is coming to Monroe. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois says welcoming Faith Technologies Incorporated to the area is a big win for the city.

Cut 10 (07) “…all day long.”

For the second time in three days, a shooting rocks an East Baton Rouge Parish school. A student was shot and wounded while leaving Baker High School this morning. Preston Castille, the president and CEO of Helix Community Schools, the charter school network that Baker High School belongs to, says it happened while summer school was in session.

Cut 12 (08) “…still on campus.” 

At the start of this school year, just under half of kindergarten through third grade students could read at or above grade level. By the end of the school year, that number rose to more than 66-percent. John Wyble, the CEO of the Center for Literacy and Learning, says along with a return to the science of reading, the progress can be attributed to schools diligently staying on top of students’ progress in their reading abilities.

Cut 7 (10) “…support and interventions.”

An 80-million-dollar manufacturing facility is coming to Monroe. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois says welcoming Faith Technologies Incorporated  to the area is a big win for Monroe.

Cut 10 (07) “…all day long.” 

The 50-thousand-square-foot facility will produce electrical assemblies and energy solutions to ship to project sites along the I-20 corridor. It’s expected to be completed next spring.

A little league team in the north suburbs of Pittsburgh got a surprise visit from the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Monday evening. Paul Skenes was driving by Ingomar Franklin Park when he saw the lights on for a little league practice and decided to check it out. Eddie Dubis, a coach in the league and father of two of the kids, says it only took a few minutes for the 6-6 superstar to be noticed.

Cut 3 (10) “…two hours.”

The OMV continues experiencing network outages. It started Sunday when the Office of Technology Services started replacing a legacy piece of hardware. Thomas Mule’ (myoo-LAY) with the OTS says during the migration, some are experiencing connectivity issues.

Cut 13 (09) “…the new system.”

Mule’ says the switch is the equivalent of a 1992 Honda Civic to a 2026 McLaren 750.

Could State Representative Gabe Firment have his sights set on something bigger, like the U.S. House of Representatives? The Republican from Pollock says several people have reached out to him over the past couple weeks asking him if he’d be interested in running for the open seat in the fifth district.

Cut 6 (12) “…an intriguing opportunity.”

Meta announces the launch of America’s Workforce Academy. It’s a nationwide A-I infrastructure jobs training program with a pilot academy in Baton Rouge. Meta Director of U.S. Policy Diana Doukas says participants will receive guaranteed job placement upon graduation from the four to five-week program.

Cut 4 (09) “…to do so.”

The Louisiana America 250 commission is hosting a free Fourth of July concert in downtown Baton Rouge. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says the celebration will highlight the great talent that comes out of the Bayou State.

Cut 10 (11) “…has to offer.” 

The concert will feature performances from local stars Amanda Shaw, Rockin’ Dopsie Jr., John Schneider and Wayne Toups.

An East Baton Rouge Parish woman is suing the parents of a 13-year-old boy who allegedly vandalized her property with racist graffiti. Ryan Thompson says what happened last month was actually the culmination of a pattern of racially-motivated acts of vandalism towards Carolyn Morrison-Howard, including puncturing the tires of her caregiver’s vehicle and etching a swastika into the caregiver’s vehicle.

Cut 15 (10) “…community is safe.”

A St. Charles Parish man tries to run from police by jumping into a swamp and ends up getting attacked by an alligator. State Trooper Kyle Wagner says that alligator attack, along with drone technology, helped police capture 40-year-old Victor Rivas. Before being hauled off to jail, Rivas had to be treated for his bout with the alligator.

Cut 6 (06) “…both his arms.” 

Private drivers are seeing relief when it comes to insurance rates, but that’s not the case for commercial drivers. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

For the second time in less than two months, a detainee at a North Louisiana ICE detention facility has died. The latest is a detainee from the former Soviet republic of Georgia. The man had been detained there for four months before he was found unresponsive last Thursday. A recent inspection of the facility uncovered insanitary conditions and substandard medical care.

A DWI suspect runs from law enforcement and almost becomes an alligator’s late night snack. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Private drivers are seeing relief when it comes to insurance rates, but that’s not the case for commercial drivers. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Northwest High School football star Markez Davis committed to LSU’s 2027 recruiting class yesterday. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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A St. Charles Parish man went to great lengths to escape police, including jumping into alligator-infested waters. State Police Trooper Kyle Wagner says during a DWI traffic stop on I-310 early Sunday morning, 40-year-old Victor Rivas ran from the vehicle and jumped off the elevated roadway into the swamp below.

Cut 4 (06) “…evade us again.”

Rivas ran into a swampy area, which apparently was a really dumb move on his part. Wagner says Rivas was attacked by an alligator.

Cut 5 (09) “…of a drone.”

Rivas is charged with DWI and resisting an officer. Additional warrants were obtained for hit and run and careless operation in connection with the earlier crash in Jefferson Parish that led to the traffic stop. Wagner says before jail, Rivas had to be taken to a hospital.

Cut 6 (06) “…both his arms.”

No word on whether LSP is recruiting the alligator for its maritime K9 unit.

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Assumption Parish is offering students the option to take 100-percent of their classes online. The Assumption Parish Schools Virtual Academy will also offer dual enrollment opportunities for homeschooled students. Assumption Parish Superintendent John Barthelemy says some families prefer a non-traditional education.

Cut 7 (09) “…their voices heard.”

Barthelemy says some students have requested remote learning for medical reasons, while others prefer to avoid added social stressors. He says online learning offers flexibility to address the needs of individual families.

Cut 8 (07) “…on their needs.”

As enrolled members of the Assumption Parish School system, students will still be allowed to participate in school clubs, sports and events. Barthelemy says providing traditional social and athletic experiences to students was a priority.

Cut 9 (11)  “…for my kid.”

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Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says many property owners and drivers are seeing a drop in insurance premiums, but rates for commercial auto insurance continue to go up. Temple says that’s because those polices carry higher limits.

Cut 10 (12) “…still going up.”

Temple says one legislative proposal that could help bring down commercial auto rates is a General Damage Cap bill. He says a person’s medical bills and the cost to repair a damage vehicle would still be covered, but a person involved in a car wreck could not recover damages that are not quantifiable.

Cut 11 (07) “…cap on that.”

Temple says 17 other states have a General Damage Cap law, including Mississippi.

Temple says there were several bills in the recently completed legislative session that could have helped bring down commercial auto insurance rates, but they didn’t pass. Including a measure by Shreveport Representative Michael Melerine that said expert witnesses brought in to testify in a trial can only receive a fee for payment.

Cut 12 (11) “…have to say.”

The House approved that bill, but it was never heard in the Senate

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An East Baton Rouge Parish woman is suing the parents of a 13-year-old boy who’s accused of spray-painting racist graffiti on her garage door last month. Ryan Thompson, the attorney who’s representing Carolyn Morrison-Howard, who’s Black, says the boy went to great lengths to racially intimidate her.

Cut 13 (15)  “…as other individuals.”

The boy and his parents live directly across the street from Morrison-Howard in Zachary; as such, Thompson says she no longer feels safe in her own neighborhood.

Cut 14 (06) “…a repeated act.”

The boy was arrested and was booked into juvenile detention on several charges, including hate crimes. Thompson says what happened last month was actually the culmination of a pattern of racially-motivated acts of vandalism towards Morrison-Howard, including puncturing the tires of her caregiver’s vehicle and etching a swastika into the caregiver’s vehicle.

Cut 15 (10) “…community is safe.”

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After losing five-star edge rusher commit Jaiden Bryant to Miami last week, LSU added a flurry of talent to its 2027 class. The Tigers replaced Bryant with five-star pass rusher K.J. Green. The Georgia native is the second-ranked edge rusher in the class and had 18 sacks and 40 tackles for loss last season. Andre Champagne of 247Sports says the 6-4, 230-pounder is an elite pass rusher.

Cut 16 (10) “…edges to do.”

LSU also earned a commitment from three-star running back Brennan Lacey over the weekend. Lacey is a 6-foot-1, 187-pound speedster out of Frisco, Texas who has been shooting up recruiting boards. Champagne says the only reason he’s only a three-star is that he started his high school career as a wide receiver.

Cut 17 (17)  “…in the offense.”

Four-star wide receiver Cade Cooper committed to the Tigers yesterday. The 6-3, 192-pound receiver is the tenth-ranked prospect in the state of Pennsylvania. Champagne says he’ll bring some unique traits to a packed receiver room.

Cut 18 (19) “…able to flourish.”

LSU’s 2027 class of eight commits now ranks 22nd in rivals’ industry rankings.

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The Tigers kept three-star Northwest High School cornerback Markez Davis in the boot. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound prospect announced his commitment to LSU yesterday. Northwest Head Coach Chris Edwards says he’s been a game-changer for the Raiders.

Cut 19 (18) “…off from there.”

Edwards says Davis’s junior high coach told him he would change the Northwest program one day when he was in sixth grade. Edwards has been the Raiders’ head coach for 13 years and is an Opelousas native, and he says he can’t remember another Power Four commit from the school.

Cut 20 (15) “…for the program.”

If you need some extra cash this summer or this fall, why not volunteer to be a poll commissioner? They’re needed for the June 27th and November 3rd elections. Secretary of State Nancy Landry says poll commissioners can earn up to 200 dollars a day, and commissioners in charge can earn up to 350 dollars a day.

Cut 10 (12) “…in your community.” 

Louisiana gets a very low ranking in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2026 Kids Count Data Book, ranking 48th for overall well-being. That includes a number-49 ranking for the health of its children. Teresa Falgoust, the Chief Data and Impact Officer at the Agenda For Children, says it’s concerning to see an increase in the percentage of low-birthweight children.

Cut 13 (10) “…11.6 percent.”

It was 30 years today when Warren Morris delivered the shot heard around the world – or at least around Baton Rouge. Kace Kieschnick has the story.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Further proof that it’s not a good idea to run from the cops – a St. Charles Parish man runs into a swamp after being pulled over for a DWI and is almost eaten alive by an alligator. Fortunately, 40-year-old Victor Rivas was able to fend off the alligator, but he wasn’t able to fend off State Police. He was eventually captured and taken into custody.

If you need some extra cash this summer or this fall, why not volunteer to be a poll commissioner? The Secretary of State’s Office needs poll commissioners for the June 27th runoff election and the November 3rd general election. Secretary Nancy Landry says poll workers are essential in keeping elections running smoothly in the state.

Cut 9 (09)  “…here in Louisiana.”

Under legislation recently signed by Governor Landry, jails will be required to immediately notify the public when it releases a violent inmate by mistake. The bill’s author, New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry, wanted to be sure whatever was in her bill was something that would be able to be adhered to.

Cut 4 (11) “…address the situation.”

It’s been 30 years to the day since Warren Morris delivered his legendary swing in the 1996 College World Series championship against Miami. Kace Kieschnick has the story.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Students in Assumption Parish will have the option to take all of their classes online through the Assumption Parish Schools Virtual Academy, starting this fall. Those students will still be full-fledged enrollees, so they will be able to participate in sports and clubs like everyone else.

The latest Kids Count Data Book shows that Louisiana still has plenty of room for improvement in the well-being of its children. The 2026 report ranks Louisiana 48th overall. Theresa Falgoust (FAAL-goo), the chief data and impact officer for the Agenda for Children, says that includes an economic well-being ranking that’s dead last in the country.

Cut 23 (06) “…full-time year-round.”

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission approves new chronic wasting disease management zones. One issue lawmakers had with the CWD zones was that baiting restrictions penalized hunters and local businesses that rely on deer feed. LDWF Deer Program Manager Jonathan Bordelon says the new regulations allow from September 1st to March 31st, 2027, in the four CWD management zones.

Cut 16 (09) “…their surveillance goals.”

Starting August 1st, prisons, jails and other correctional facilities will be required to immediately notify the public whenever a violent inmate is inadvertently let out. That’s due to a new law Governor Landry signed last month that was authored by New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry, who said there had been several instances when it took hours for these facilities to issue bulletins about escaped inmates.

Cut 3 (04) “…we needed this.”

Today is the 30th anniversary of one of the most iconic moments in LSU baseball and College World Series history. In the championship game against Miami, the Tigers were down 8-7, with two outs and a runner on third, when second baseman Warren Morris stepped up to the plate. Morris roped a two-run walk-off homer over the right field wall to win the national championship!

Cut 6 (12) “…seen him.”

Governor Landry’s first veto of this year’s session is on a bill that would have increased the maximum compensation for those who were wrongfully incarcerated. The bill’s author, Lafayette Senator Gerald Boudreaux says his bill got the support of every single lawmaker – except for the one that mattered.

Cut 13 (08) “…not become law.”

In his veto letter, Landry stated that the bill failed to ensure that the process is fair, accountable and protected against abuse.

An important deadline for the June 27th U.S. Senate runoffs – Saturday is the last day in which you can register to vote for the first time or make changes to your voter registration. And Secretary of State Nancy Landry says while early voting normally starts on a Saturday, this time around it’s a little different.

Cut 5 (11) “…the Juneteenth holiday.”

It’s free fishing weekend in Louisiana. This Saturday and Sunday, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is not requiring a fishing license for anglers in Sportsman’s Paradise. LDWF Fisheries Outreach Biologist Joshua Porter says it’s a great opportunity to find a new summer hobby or spend time with the family.

Cut 6 (07) “…a fishing license.”

The 76th Louisiana Peach Festival is this weekend in Ruston. This year’s peach fest was jeopardized after a mid-march freeze dropped lows to 22 degrees, killing a significant amount of local farmers’ peach crops. Experience Ruston President Tori Davis says the vendors worked to bring in extra peaches from South Carolina to make sure there would be enough for the festivities.

Cut 11 (11) “…our local farmers.”