Fuel prices continue to rise in Louisiana and across the country, with no end in sight. The average price of regular unleaded is $3.78 a gallon, with diesel averaging $5.32 a gallon. Oil prices did start to come down yesterday in light of the two-week ceasefire. DeHaan says because of that, gas stations have not started to buy cheaper gasoline yet to ease the pain at the pump.

Cut 7 (06) “…tanks just yet.”

At this rate, workers making the minimum wage will never be able to afford gasoline. But today, the House Labor Committee voted against a measure to boost the minimum wage to 12 dollars an hour. Slidell Representative Brian Glorioso says if the state really wants to help out low-wage earners, provide them training to get a higher paying job.

Cut 11 (11) “…in a solution.”

The first long range forecast for the upcoming hurricane season is encouraging. Colleen Crain has the story…

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Organizers of this year’s Strawberry Festival are putting an extra emphasis on safety and security this year after last year’s event was marred by a shooting. That’s already started, as four people have been banned from this year’s festival for making threats to the event. Ponchatoula Police have identified one of them as 19-year-old Amari Sexton.

The House Labor Committee voted against a bill today to increase the state’s minimum wage to 12 dollars an hour starting on January 1st. Business groups say a higher minimum wage will result in fewer jobs and higher costs that will be passed on to the consumer. Melissa Flourney, the co-founder of Ten-thousand Women, pointed out to the committee that 30 states have a higher minimum wage than $7.25.

Cut 9 (10)  “…leaving Arkansas.”

The measure failed on a vote of seven to five. Slidell Representative Brian Glorioso voted against the measure, saying he would rather see investments in workforce training…

Cut 10 (09) “…minimum wage.”

The minimum wage has been $7.25 an hour since July of 2009.

The Colorado State University hurricane forecast team is predicting a slightly below-average Atlantic hurricane season, with 13 named storms – one short of the average. Researcher Chandler Jenkins says the team anticipates a moderate to strong El Nino during the peak of the season from August to October.

Cut 4 (08) “…in the Atlantic.”

The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana is out with its guide to the 2026 Constitutional Amendments. The one getting the most attention is Amendment 3, the one that would make a two-thousand-dollar pay raise for teachers permanent. PAR President and CEO Steven Procopio says the plan would involve retiring three trusts funds that currently go towards education.

Cut 25 (10) “…teacher pay raise.”

Analysts say soaring fuel prices could lead to a very rough economy this summer. According to Gas Buddy-dot-com, the current statewide average for regular unleaded gasoline is $3.78 a gallon, with diesel averaging $5.32 a gallon. Petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan says we likely have not seen the worst of it.

Cut 6 (09) “…prices go higher.”

The Colorado State University hurricane forecast team is predicting a somewhat below-average Atlantic hurricane season for 2026. An average season yields 14 named storms; C-S-U is predicting 13. Researcher Chandler Jenkins says a robust El Nino is the primary factor for its prediction of a baker’s dozen.

Cut 3 (09) “…wind shear.”

The Louisiana House has approved a bill that would eliminate the inspection sticker requirement for most drivers. Instead of an inspection sticker,  DeSoto Parish Representative Larry Bagley is proposing a Q-R code sticker that would cost six dollars.

Cut 11 (08) “…ticket for that.”

The Q-R code would contain the VIN, the color, the make and model.

A bill that would give incarcerated people another mechanism to shorten their prison sentences is now just one vote away from landing on Governor Landry’s desk. New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry presented her House Bill 111 to the Senate Judiciary C Committee.

Cut 7 (05) “…days of credit.”

Landry pointed out that current law already gives inmates an opportunity to shorten their sentences by 90 days by earning a bachelor’s degree; her bill would simply add an associates’ degree to that.

The Public Affairs Research Council is out with its guide to the 2026 Constitutional amendments. Andre Champagne takes a look at the one that’s getting the most attention, Amendment 3.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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The effort to eliminate the need of an inspection for most passenger vehicles receives overwhelming support in the Louisiana House. Andrew Greenstein has the story.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The Senate Commerce Committee passes legislation that would require representative or agent to be registered with the state before negotiating an NIL deal on behalf of a college or high school athlete. Jeff Palermo has more.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana is out with its guide to the 2026 Constitutional Amendments. The one getting the most attention is Amendment 3, the one that would make a two-thousand-dollar pay raise for teachers permanent. PAR President and CEO Steven Procopio says they would be paid through funds that exist in the constitution.

Cut 4 (11) “…the pay raises.”

The plan would involve retiring three trusts funds – funds that Procopio says currently go towards education.

Cut 5 (10) “…teacher pay raise.”

Procopio says based on data by the Department of Revenue and the Teachers Retirement System, schools will largely come out on top.

Cut 6 (11) “…is to spend.”

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A bill that would give incarcerated people another mechanism to shorten their prison sentences is now just one vote away from landing on Governor Landry’s desk. Mandie Landry presented her House Bill 111 to the Senate Judiciary C Committee.

Cut 7 (05) “…days of credit.”

Landry pointed out that this is actually nothing groundbreaking – it simply adds on to an existing law giving inmates an opportunity to shorten their sentences by 90 days.

Cut 8 (05) “…degree to it.”

Landry’s bill has so far sailed through the legislature, passing every step of the way without a single “no” vote. Landry especially took note when Committee Chairman Jay Morris listed some of the organizations that supported the bill, and they covered the entire partisan spectrum.

Cut 9 (02)  “…there you go.”

The bill now goes to the full Senate before it heads to Landry’s desk for his signature.

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The Louisiana House has approved a bill that would eliminate the inspection sticker requirement for most drivers. DeSoto Parish Representative Larry Bagley has been pushing this bill for a number of years, because he looks at the inspection sticker as an outdated burden for drivers.

Cut 10 (06) “…of those things?”

An inspection sticker costs ten dollars for one year or 18 dollars for two years. For vehicle owners in the Baton Rouge area who do not drive an E-V, it costs 18 dollars a year because an emissions test is required. Revenue from inspection stickers goes to State Police and the Office of Motor Vehicles.

Instead of an inspection sticker, Bagley is proposing a Q-R code sticker that would cost six dollars.

Cut 11 (08) “…ticket for that.”

The Q-R code would contain the VIN, the color, the make and model. The bill passed the House on an 86-to-7 vote. New Orleans Representative Aimee Freeman voted no and had concerns about the Q-R code.

Cut 12 (11) “…bad actors here.”

Governor Landry supports the bill and said “great news” in an X post after the measure passed the House. It still needs Senate approval.

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Agents who negotiate NIL deals for college and high school athletes would have to be registered with the state under legislation approved by the Senate Commerce Committee. Assistant Attorney General Oliva Nuss says this legislation modernizes student-agent laws to address the rapid growth of NIL endorsement deals.

Cut 13 (12)  “…really no knowledge.”

The bill ensures that “agents” who represent student athletes are registered with the state, undergo a background check and provide full disclosure of fees and compensation. Legendary high school football coach J.T. Curtis of John Curtis High School agrees that individuals representing college and high school athletes should be registered.

Cut 14 (09) “…has some qualification.”

The measure also creates civil remedies for athletes harmed by unethical individuals who negotiate an NIL deal. Curtis says he’s seen athletes who were taken advantage by people they thought were looking out for their best interests while negotiating NIL deals.

Cut 15 (11) “…with understanding contract.”

The measure heads to the Senate floor for more discussion.

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The LSU baseball team suffered its fourth midweek loss of the season Tuesday, falling 10-7 to Bethune-Cookman. Senior Seth Dardar exited late with an ankle injury, while Chris Stanfield reaggravated a previous hand injury. Head coach Jay Johnson said their status for this weekend’s series against Ole Miss is up in the air.

Cut 16 (15) “…the two instances.”

Johnson also says junior pitcher Cooper Moore has started throwing and hopes to have him back by next week.

After that midweek loss, the Tigers will need to keep winning in conference play to have any chance of hosting an NCAA Regional in June. The challenge doesn’t get any easier, as LSU travels to Oxford to face Ole Miss this weekend. Johnson says the Rebels’ lineup is one of the toughest in the SEC.

Cut 17 (15)  “…trying to execute.”

Senior first baseman Zach Yorke did not play against Bethune-Cookman following his recent struggles. Johnson says for Yorke to remain in the lineup and contribute consistently, he needs to improve in two specific areas moving forward.

Cut 18 (15)  “…something from it.”

The Louisiana House has approved a bill that would eliminate the inspection sticker requirement for most drivers. DeSoto Parish Representative Larry Bagley has been pushing this bill for a number of years, because he looks at the inspection sticker as an outdated burden for drivers.

Cut 10 (07) “…things.”

Instead of an inspection sticker, Bagley is proposing a Q-R code sticker that would contain the VIN, the color, the make and model. New Orleans Representative Aimee Freeman voted no and had concerns about the Q-R code.

Cut 12 (12) “…bad actors here.”

An inspection sticker costs ten dollars for one year or 18 dollars for two years. For vehicle owners in the Baton Rouge area who do not drive an E-V, it costs 18 dollars a year because an emissions test is required.

Agents who negotiate NIL deals for college and high school athletes would have to be registered with the state under legislation approved by the Senate Commerce Committee. Assistant Attorney General Oliva Nuss says this legislation modernizes student-agent laws to address the rapid growth of NIL endorsement deals…

Cut 13 (12)  “…really no knowledge.”

A bill that would give incarcerated people another mechanism to shorten their prison sentences is now just one vote away from landing on Governor Landry’s desk. Mandie Landry presented her House Bill 111 to the Senate Judiciary C Committee.

Cut 7 (05) “…days of credit.”

Landry pointed out that this bill adds on to an existing law giving inmates an opportunity to shorten their sentences by 90 days.

Cut 8 (05) “…degree to it.”

A public service commissioner is speaking out against Constitutional Amendment 3. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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Through the first quarter of 2026, small businesses in Louisiana and elsewhere have found it challenging to fill openings. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A public service commissioner is speaking out against Constitutional Amendment 3. That’s the one that would give teachers a permanent two-thousand-dollar pay raise. The raises would be funded in part through the retirement of three trust funds. Commissioner Foster Campbell says one of them would be the Educational Excellence Fund, which he helped create as a state senator in 1999.

Cut 3 (08) “…students in Louisiana.”

Campbell says that’s a lot of money the schools would be missing out on, especially since when two-thousand dollars is spread out over the course of a year, that amounts to just over 100 dollars a month after taxes. He says a better idea, in his view, is to tax imports on foreign oil – something he’s proposed for many years.

Cut 4 (07) “…big oil companies.”

Campbell says he believes the main reason for lawmakers to put Constitutional Amendment 3 on the ballot is not out of concern for teachers – it’s out of concern for themselves.

Cut 5 (05) “…that’s good politics.”

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Through the first quarter of 2026, small businesses in Louisiana and across the country have been having a hard time filling job openings. Leah Long, the state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says it’s not because of a lack of candidates, but instead it’s because of a lack of QUALIFIED candidates.

Cut 6 (06) “…transportation industry, manufacturing.”

Long says this is why it’s important for the state to reinvest in the workforce.

Cut 7 (07) “…to do that.”

Long says it’s especially important for small business owners to find the right people due to rising labor costs.

Cut 8 (05) “…offer your employees.”

Nationally, 32-percent of small business owners reported openings they could not fill — well above the historical average of 24-percent.

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LSU was upset by Bethune-Cookman on the baseball diamond last night, as the Wildcats scored five runs in the seventh inning to defeat the Tigers, 10-to-7. In that seventh inning, LSU pitchers walked two hitters, hit two others and there was a critical error leading to two runs. Tigers center fielder Derek Curiel:

Cut 9 (06)  “…cost us.”

LSU is now 22-and-12 on the season, and six of their losses have come against nonconference opponents. Bethune Cookman has an RPI of 212, so losing to the Wildcats will make it tougher for the Tigers to host an NCAA Regional in June. Curiel says they will likely have to win two more SEC games to make up for last night’s loss.

Cut 10 (09) “…on postseason”

It was a tough loss for LSU, who was coming off a thrilling series victory over Tennessee. WBRZ-TV sports director Michael Cauble was a guest on Tiger Rag Radio and says this team has failed to play consistent baseball since an 8-and-0 start.

Cut 11 (10) “…psychological thing”

LSU is at Ole Miss this weekend for an SEC series that will begin Friday night.

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Law enforcement in Iberia Parish provided an update today on Saturday’s incident at the Lao New Year parade, where a suspected drunk driver plowed into a crowd of people, injuring 18 people. Many people of Asian descendent were at the festival, but Iberia Parish Sheriff Tommy Romero says that’s not what led to 57-year-old Todd Landry of Jeanerette hitting several people with his vehicle.

Cut 12 (10) “…terrorist act.”

Landry remains in jail on a 247-thousand-dollar bond. State Police Trooper Monique Lavergne says Landry showed signs of impairment at the scene, and a breath sample indicated his blood alcohol content was .137, well over the legal limit.

Cut 13 (08) “…crowded settings.”

Romero says three of the 18 people injured were in intensive care, but they have not received any additional updates since Sunday, other than the hospitalized victims are in stable condition or have been released.

Through the first quarter of 2026, small businesses in Louisiana and across the country have been having a hard time filling job openings. Leah Long, the state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says it’s not because of a lack of candidates, but instead it’s because of a lack of QUALIFIED candidates.

Cut 6 (06) “…transportation industry, manufacturing.”

A new LendingTree study shows that Louisiana has the third lowest rate of small business failures within the first year. Chief Consumer Financial Analyst Matt Schulz says this is despite the fact that entrepreneurs in Louisiana face significant challenges.

Cut 12 (10) “…take advantage of.”

Schulz says relatively few people have the means to secure funding to start a business; but with that relatively low number comes lack of competition, which means a better chance of survival in that first year.

Legislation to attract the aerospace industry to Louisiana has been approved by the House Ways and Means Committee. Governor Landry’s chief of staff, Julie Emerson, testified in favor of the bill.

Cut 5 (10) “…here in Louisiana.”

While it was not mentioned during the committee discussion, this legislation is likely designed to attract Elon Musk’s Space X and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.

LSU baseball suffers a huge upset, losing to Bethune-Cookman at Alex Box Stadium, 10-to-7. The loss by the Tigers could potentially be devastating, since it could make it tougher for the defending national champions to host a Regional in June. Center fielder Derek Curiel says they’ll likely have to win two more SEC games to make up for last night’s loss.

Cut 10 (09) “…on postseason”

The House Ways and Means Committee approves legislation designed to make Louisiana more attractive to companies which are building and launching rockets. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (36) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The crew of the Artemis Two is en route back to Earth, with splashdown happening Friday evening. Andre Champagne reports we will learn a lot through this mission.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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A new LendingTree study shows that Louisiana has the third lowest rate of small business failures within the first year. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Legislation to attract the aerospace industry to Louisiana has been approved by the House Ways and Means Committee. Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois says other states are currently providing better tax incentives to lure aerospace companies.

Cut 4 (13) “…in this space.”

The measure would give sales tax rebates to aerospace businesses that create 200 permanent jobs and make a one-billion-dollar investment.  The legislation has the support of the Landry administration. The governor’s chief of staff, Julie Emerson, testified in favor of the bill.

Cut 5 (10) “…here in Louisiana.”

Louisiana has a history in the aerospace industry. The Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans has been building rockets for NASA in the 1960s, and Bollinger Shipyards has built barges to transport rockets.

While it was not mentioned during the discussion in House Ways and Means, this legislation is likely designed to attract Elon Musk’s Space X and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. The bill’s author is Ways and Means Chairman Tony Bacala from Prairieville.

Cut 6 (13) “…away from it.”

Industry experts say SpaceX and Blue Orgin are looking for additional launchpads. There’s also controversy with this industry, as concerns have been raised about the damage done to local wildlife and environment as a result of the rocket launches.

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The Artemis Two crew has circled the moon and is en route back to Earth. Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch (“cook”), as well as Canadian Jeremy Hansen, have traveled farther from Earth than anyone else ever has. Eric Burns, a professor of physics and astronomy at LSU, says we’re going to learn a lot from this mission.

Cut 7 (09) “…astronauts’ own cells.”

Burns says this mission is also a way for America to get reacquainted with an old friend it has not seen up close and personal since Apollo 17 in December 1972.

Cut 8 (12) “…go to Mars.”

Burns says while this mission has been smooth for the most part, there are a few kinks that will need to be worked out in future Artemis missions.

Cut 9 (08)  “…routinely and safely.”

Splashdown of the Orion capsule is scheduled for just after seven Central time Friday evening off the coast of San Diego.

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When it comes to the initial resiliency of small businesses, Louisiana actually does quite well. That’s the finding of a new study by LendingTree. Chief Consumer Financial Analyst Matt Schulz:

Cut 10 (11) “…about 20-percent.”

Schulz says while that’s the third lowest rate for first-year small business failure in the country, the five-year failure rate paints a very different picture.

Cut 11 (12) “…for Louisiana businesses.”

Schulz says while times are challenging for people everywhere across the country, entrepreneurs in Louisiana especially face significant headwinds when it comes to starting a business.

Cut 12 (10) “…take advantage of.”

Schulz also notes that Louisiana is traditionally a low credit score state, making it more difficult for entrepreneurs to secure the funding needed to start their own businesses. But he says with that relatively low number comes lack of competition, which means a better chance of survival in that first year.

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There are 455-thousand people on the state’s inactive voter list, but Secretary of State Nancy Landry says they are still able to vote in the upcoming primaries.

Cut 13 (07)  “…the active list.”

Landry says a registered voter gets put on the inactive list if he or she has not cast a ballot in the last ten years and did not respond to an address confirmation card sent by the Secretary of State’s Office.

Cut 14 (06) “…have passed away.”

Landry says there has been an increase in the number of inactive voters this year because of a law approved in 2024 that allows the Secretary of State to move voters to the inactive list if they can’t verify their address and they haven’t voted in more than a decade.

Cut 15 (08) “…voter rolls clean.”

She says a person can be completely taken off the voter rolls if one who is already on the inactive voter rolls does not vote in two consecutive federal election cycles.

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The LSU football team is now two and a half weeks into spring practice, and one name starting to turn heads is early enrollee freshman Richard Anderson. Head coach Lane Kiffin says the top-rated defensive lineman in the 2026 class has been impressive so far.

Cut 16 (14) “…excited about him.”

Last season, LSU struggled to run the ball, ranking 124th nationally with an average of just 104 rushing yards per game. Kiffin says that to be successful this season, the Tigers must establish a consistent running game.

Cut 17 (21)  “…whole team up.”

Kiffin says that throughout his coaching career, he has won with a variety of team styles. So far this spring, Kiffin says the defense has had the upper hand over the offense.

Cut 18 (18)  “…playing right now.” 

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Louisiana Tech football is still looking to fill a hole at running back after the departure of Clay Thevenin. Head coach Sonny Cumbie says he still wants to see more from his backs and believes the starting role is still up for grabs.

Cut 19 (12) “…at that position.”

Cumbie says senior quarterback Trey Kukuk (CUE-kuck) has already shown tremendous improvement in just seven practices.

Cut 20 (15) “…a football player.”

Legislation to attract the aerospace industry to Louisiana has been approved by the House Ways and Means Committee. Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois says other states are currently providing better tax incentives to lure aerospace companies.

Cut 4 (13) “…in this space.”

The measure would give sales tax rebates to aerospace businesses that create 200 permanent jobs and would make a one-billion dollar investment. Governor Landry’s chief of staff, Julie Emerson, testified in favor of the bill.

Cut 5 (10) “…in Louisiana.”

Louisiana has a history in the aerospace industry. The Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans has been building rockets for NASA since the 1960s.

There are 455-thousand people on the state’s inactive voter list, but they are still able to vote in the May 16th closed party primaries.

Cut 13 (07)  “..active list.”

Secretary of State Nancy Landry says a registered voter gets put on the inactive list if he or she has not cast a ballot in the last ten years and did not respond to an address confirmation card sent by the office.

If it was up to Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, we wouldn’t be having these closed primaries at all. Nungesser says along with resulting in a far less representative government, next month’s primary will cost the state a lot of money.

Cut 28 (08) “…where or what.”

On top of that, races that do not produce a majority, which will in all likelihood include the U.S. Senate Republican race, will move on to a runoff on June 27th, costing the state even more money.

We’re just 39 days away from the closed party primary; but if it was up to Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, we wouldn’t be having them at all. Nungesser strongly prefers the open primaries that have traditionally been used in Louisiana, and he says the vast majority of voters agree with him.

Cut 11 (07) “…want open primary.”

Nungesser says after this year’s closed primaries, he will work to return Louisiana to the open primary system.

It’s a new day in Melville as the St. Landry Parish community is overhauling its 60-year-old water system. The city’s outgoing water system was built on deteriorating pipes and a single overworked well, and Mayor Caretta Robertson says it was costing the town lots of money to keep it suitable for consumption.

Cut 6 (10) “…a long time.”

Oak Grove basketball star Caroline Bradley has committed to play for Kim Mulkey and the LSU Lady Tigers. Colleen Crain has the story.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Will Wade is not the only former LSU head men’s basketball coach returning to the program. Wade has tapped his immediate predecessor from his first stint, Johnny Jones, as one of his assistants. Wade has also named former Mississippi State and Western Kentucky Head Coach Rick Stansbury as his associate head coach.