Louisiana Tech joins a national initiative to strengthen the semiconductor workforce. Jeanne Burns reports.

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

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Almost six months after qualifying took place for the U.S. House elections the first time, qualifying began once again with the new congressional map in place. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (47) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Louisiana Tech joins a national initiative to strengthen the semiconductor workforce. Arden Moore, the director of the Institute for Micromanufacturing at Louisiana Tech, says the school is joining several institutions and organizations in the South Region Node, which is led by the University of Texas at Austin.

Cut 3 (09) “…and trade schools.”

Moore points out that fabrication facilities need people with various skills. As such, it’s important to include all those different types of schools.

Cut 4 (11) “…school-type preparation.”

Moore says a big part of this partnership is the sharing of resources, including training materials and training exercises.

Cut 5 (11) “…of our parts.”

Three additional regional nodes of the National Network for Microelectronics will be launched in the future.

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The LSU football team held its first practice today. Quarterback Sam Leavitt was the number one player in the transfer portal and will lead the offense this year. He missed most of the spring with a foot injury suffered at Arizona State, but head coach Lane Kiffin says that hasn’t caused any problems for camp.

Cut 6 (11) “…right on pace.”

Kiffin says Leavitt is fully healthy, and his prior injury has not impacted his mobility.

Leavitt is not the only player learning a new offense. All but one of his receivers are new to Baton Rouge, as well as two starting offensive linemen. Kiffin says when he sped up the tempo of his offensive scheme, the terminology and signals were simplified.

Cut 7 (09) “…success on offense.”

Back at Ole Miss, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss did not join Kiffin’s 2025 team until the summer and went on to throw for nearly four-thousand yards and 22 touchdowns.

Kiffin says the first day of fall camp was awesome, and this team has a lot of potential.

Cut 8 (14) “…a team together.”

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Qualifying is underway for the rescheduled U.S. House election. With the original closed primary cancelled at the last minute following the Supreme Court decision on the previous congressional map, this year’s races revert back to the open primary system. Michael Echols qualified in district five back in February, and he qualified again this morning.

Cut 9 (09)  “…to deliver results.”

Echols outlined some of his priorities should he be elected to Congress.

Cut 10 (10) “…works for farmers.”

Another candidate who qualified for the district five ballot is Gabe Firment, who said the people in the district he spoke to told him they’re concerned about the future of this country.

Cut 11 (13) “…pursuit of happiness.”

Firment said he will never lose sight of the fact that serving in Congress means serving his constituents.

Cut 12 (11) “…love my state.”

While Echols previously qualified back in February, Firment did not. He jumped into the race after the district was redrawn – a sentiment shared by Stewart Cathey, who also qualified this morning after not previously running.

Cut 13 (11) “…avenue to serve.”

Because this is an open primary, Echols, Firment, Cathey and other Republicans will appear on the same ballot as the Democrats and third-party candidates. So far, Dan McKay is the only Democrat who has qualified in the fifth district race.

Six months after qualifying for the U.S. House election took place the first time, qualifying began once again for the rescheduled primary. The original closed primary was cancelled at the last minute following the Supreme Court ruling on the previous congressional map; thus, this year’s U.S. House election will revert back to the open primary. Michael Echols qualified for the fifth district, just as he did back in February, and he outlined some of his priorities should he be elected to Congress.

Cut 10 (10) “…works for farmers.” 

Gabe Firment jumped into the district five race after the boundary was redrawn; Firment said the people he spoke to told him they’re concerned about the future of this country.

Cut 11 (13) “…pursuit of happiness.”

Louisiana Tech joins a national initiative to strengthen the semiconductor workforce. Arden Moore, the director of the Institute for Micromanufacturing at Louisiana Tech, notes that fabrication facilities need people with various skills. As such, it’s important to include different types of schools.

Cut 4 (11) “…school-type preparation.”

The LSU football team held its first practice today; and if you don’t recognize the majority of the team, you’re in good company. Not only is Lane Kiffin new, more than half of his roster is as well – including his entire quarterback room, all but one of his receivers and two starting offensive linemen. Kiffin says when he sped up the tempo of his offensive scheme, the terminology and signals were simplified.

Cut 7 (08) “…success on offense.”

A close call for a five-year-old Baton Rouge boy. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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It’s take two on candidate qualifying for U.S. House races. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The Lane Kiffin era at LSU football begins with its first preseason practice today. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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A close call for a five-year-old boy. Baton Rouge Police say he shot himself in the hand after finding his older brother’s gun. Corporal Saundra Watts says 21-year-old Haidyn Moten left his gun on a bed while babysitting his younger brother.

Cut 4 (09) “…injury, thank God.”

Corporal Watts says incidents are further proof that people need to realize that guns are not toys and should never be treated as such.

Cut 5 (14) “…danger as well.”

Watts says while people have every right to possess guns inside of their homes, they need to be smart about how they store those guns at all times, especially when children are present.

Cut 6 (09) “…lock them up.”

Moten was arrested and is charged with cruelty to juveniles. He was also arrested on an outstanding warrant.

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With the school year already getting underway in some parts of the state, it’s time once again to be patient and pay attention around school buses. Dayne Huval (HUE-vahl), the president of the Driving School Association of Louisiana, says too many kids get hurt when people are in a rush and try to drive around school buses.

Cut 7 (09) “…in our communities.”

Huval says that when a school bus stops and puts out its stop signs, you must wait behind the bus until the driver brings in the signs, not when you don’t see any children or when you see the doors shut. He says to take the same caution as if it was your own child.

Cut 8 (09) “…that’s their job.”

Huval also reminds drivers that using a handheld cell phone in a school zone is a primary offense.

Cut 9 (10)  “…and pay attention.”

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Seems like we’ve been here before – qualifying for the ballot for the U.S. House of Representatives gets underway in Baton Rouge at eight this morning. Qualifying had previously taken place back in February, but the closed primary was cancelled after the Supreme Court ruled the state’s previous congressional map an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. ULM political science professor Pearson Cross says with districts five and six open, there are a few wild cards.

Cut 10 (12) “…to the sixth.”

Cross says the decision as to which district Blake Miguez will ultimately run in has been a closely-guarded secret ever since the original House closed primaries were cancelled.

Cut 11 (14) “…more congenial fit?”

Cross says as for the other four districts, there is no drama whatsoever.

Cut 12 (06) “…not going anywhere.”

Due to the condensed calendar brought on by the previous primary’s cancellation, this year’s U.S. House primaries will be the open primaries as in past years, with the top two vote-getters advancing to a runoff, should no one get 50-percent-plus one on November 3rd.

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LSU football begins preseason camp today – its first under new head coach Lane Kiffin. Preston Guy with Tiger Bait-dot-com says there are a lot of questions surrounding Kiffin’s first LSU team, most of which deal with chemistry.

Cut 13 (11)  “…to the team (2x).”

Guy says one facet loaded with veterans is the offensive line, and that’s not exactly a positive with this team.

Cut 14 (10) “…all those problems.”

That could be a liability for quarterback Sam Leavitt, who’s still recovering from a foot injury that he suffered while at Arizona State.

In all, Guy says this LSU team is a very good team – the problem is, a lot of teams on their schedule this season are also very good teams.

Cut 15 (14) “…on your schedule.”

(Tennessee’s on your schedule.) Tennessee is ranked 18th in that aforementioned coaches poll.

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UL-Lafayette begins fall practice today. The Cajuns finished 6-and-7 last year but closed the regular season on a four-game win streak. Head coach Michael Desormeaux says preseason camp is when he finds what his players have to offer and establishes an identity.

Cut 16 (14) “…the football part.”

Quarterback Lunch Winfield was a big reason UL was able to turn its season around and reach a bowl game. The redshirt junior returns as the full-time starter this season, and Desormeaux says he has put in a lot of work in the offseason.

Cut 17 (17) “…off for you.”

Winfield has held numerous throwing sessions with a receiver room led by redshirt junior Shelton Sampson Jr., who made 32 catches for 537 yards and six touchdowns last year. Behind him, Desormeaux says he’s relying on a group of inexperienced pass catchers to take the next step.

Cut 18 (11) “…of them to.”

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the nation’s history, although Louisiana’s cases only account for a tiny fraction of the overall cases across the country. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says while the outbreak has been traced to contaminated lettuce, local lettuce at this time is in the clear.

Cut 4 (11) “…from central Mexico.”

In all, there have been about 18-thousand confirmed or suspected cases nationwide – ten-thousand of them in Michigan, which includes two deaths.

President Trump is planning to sell early access to his Truth Social posts. Senator Bill Cassidy says he’s greatly concerned about that, especially since Trump’s posts could have a profound effect on things like the stock market.

Cut 10 (07) “…them equal access.” 

Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule for a spring 2027 opening. Kace Kieschnicki has more.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

A close call for a five-year-old Baton Rouge boy. Police say he shot himself in the hand after finding his babysitter’s gun. Police say 21-year-old Haidyn Moten left his gun on a bed while babysitting the child, and the child went into the bedroom, found the gun and shot himself in the hand. His injuries are not life-threatening. Moten was arrested for cruelty to juveniles.

President Trump approves all of Louisiana’s requests for federal disaster assistance following Tropical Storm Arthur. This now includes all assistance requested for Avoyelles, Point Coupee and St. Landry parishes, as well as support for St. Charles and Winn parishes.

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the country’s history. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Speculation is running rampant as to whether Jeanine Pirro is still the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. This, after President Trump harshly criticized her for dropping charges against a former Olympic canoeist who Trump says vandalized the reflecting pool. Senator Bill Cassidy says he understands why Pirro made the decision she made.

Cut 9 (11)  “…a federal judge.”

Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule to open in April. The 74-thousand-square-foot travel center located on Interstate 20 will house 120 gas pumps. The city has completed an eight-million-dollar project to update the roads near Buc-ee’s, and Walker says some parts of the project are ahead of schedule.

Cut 6 (11) “…substructure’s up.”

Louisiana’s 100 cases of cyclosporiasis only represents a very small percentage of the number of cases across the country. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says the current cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the nation’s history, and the number is mind-boggling.

Cut 3 (08) “…the United States.”

The Buc-ee’s in Ruston is still on track to open in April. Mayor Ronny Walker says city officials have watched other Buc-ee’s locations to prepare for the impact it will bring to Ruston. He says Ruston’s infrastructure is part of what brought the investment in the first place, and he receives almost weekly calls about potential investment nearby.

Cut 8 (12) “…things like that.”

Qualifying for the ballot for the U.S. House of Representatives gets underway tomorrow morning. Qualifying had previously taken place back in February, but the closed primary was cancelled after the Supreme Court ruled the state’s previous congressional map an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. ULM political science professor Pearson Cross says with districts five and six open, there are a few wild cards.

Cut 10 (12) “…to the sixth.”

Senator Bill Cassidy says he’s concerned about President Trump’s plan to sell early access to his Truth Social posts, especially since Trump’s posts could have a profound effect on things like the stock market. Cassidy says allowing people early access to presidential messaging based on their ability to pay for it is wrong.

Cut 11 (09) “…the same access.”

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the country’s history. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule for a spring 2027 opening. Kace Kieschnicki has more.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Louisiana’s 100 cases of cyclosporiasis only represents a very small percentage of the number of cases across the country. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says the current cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the nation’s history, and the number is mind-boggling.

Cut 3 (08) “…the United States.”

Michigan accounts for more than half of that number, with ten-thousand cases – and that now includes two deaths, with both of those people having underlying health conditions. Lopez says while the outbreak has been traced to contaminated lettuce, local lettuce at this time is in the clear.

Cut 4 (11) “…from central Mexico.”

Lopez says cyclospora is normally prevalent in the warm months, namely May through August; and while lettuce is the most common source of the parasite, it has been found in other produce as well.

Cut 5 (11) “…in the past.”

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Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule to open in April. The 74-thousand-square-foot travel center located on Interstate 20 will house 120 gas pumps. The city has completed an eight-million-dollar project to update the roads near Buc-ee’s, and Walker says some parts of the project are ahead of schedule.

Cut 6 (09) “…island substructure’s up.”

Buc-ee’s is expected to employ around 200 workers when it opens. Walker says management job listings will be posted in the coming months, and wages for hourly employees start at upwards of 18-dollars an hour. He says it will be a great opportunity for workers throughout North Louisiana.

Cut 7 (09) “…for people today.”

Walker says city officials have watched other Buc-ee’s locations to prepare for the impact it will bring to Ruston. He says Ruston’s infrastructure is part of what brought the investment in the first place, and he receives almost weekly calls about potential investment nearby.

Cut 8 (12) “…things like that.”

Walker says Ruston has spent over 250-million dollars on infrastructure in the last decade.

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Speculation is running rampant as to whether Jeanine Pirro is still the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia after she was seen leaving the West Wing of the White House wheeling a big box. This, after President Trump harshly criticized her for dropping charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who Trump says vandalized the reflecting pool. While not explicitly taking sides in the matter, Senator Bill Cassidy says he understands why Pirro made the decision she made.

Cut 9 (11)  “…a federal judge.”

On President Trump’s plan to sell early access to his Truth Social posts, Cassidy says he’s greatly concerned about that, especially since Trump’s posts could have a profound effect on things like the stock market.

Cut 10 (07) “…them equal access.”

Cassidy says allowing people early access to presidential messaging based on their ability to pay for it is wrong.

Cut 11 (09) “…the same access.”

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the country’s history, with about 18-thousand confirmed or suspected cases nationwide – 100 of them here in Louisiana. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says cyclospora is normally prevalent in the warm months, namely May through August; and while lettuce is the most common source of the parasite, it has been found in other produce as well.

Cut 5 (11) “…in the past.”

President Trump is planning to sell early access to his Truth Social posts. Senator Bill Cassidy says he’s greatly concerned about that, especially since Trump’s posts could have a profound effect on things like the stock market.

Cut 10 (07) “…them equal access.” 

Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule for a spring 2027 opening. Kace Kieschnicki has more.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

A federal inmate serving life in prison for his role in the kidnapping and murder of a Northwest Arkansas man died yesterday after being found unresponsive at the U.S. prison in Pollock on Sunday.  Prison officials have not released a suspected cause of death.

The mayor of Ruston says Buc-ee’s is still on track for an April opening. Mayor Ronny Walker says it’s expected to employ about 200 workers, and management job listings will be posted in the coming months. Walker says wages for hourly employees start at upwards of 18 dollars an hour, making it a great opportunity for workers throughout North Louisiana.

Cut 7 (10) “…people today.”

Speculation is running rampant as to whether Jeanine Pirro is still the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. This, after President Trump harshly criticized her for dropping charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who Trump says vandalized the reflecting pool. While not explicitly taking sides in the matter, Senator Bill Cassidy says he understands why Pirro made the decision she made.

Cut 9 (11)  “…a federal judge.”

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the country’s history. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (XX) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

A close call for a five-year-old Baton Rouge boy. Police say he shot himself in the hand after finding his babysitter’s gun. Police say 21-year-old Haidyn Moten left his gun on a bed while babysitting the child, and the child went into the bedroom, found the gun and shot himself in the hand. His injuries are not life-threatening. Moten was arrested for cruelty to juveniles.

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the nation’s history, although Louisiana’s cases only account for a tiny fraction of the overall cases across the country. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says while the outbreak has been traced to contaminated lettuce, local lettuce at this time is in the clear.

Cut 4 (11) “…from central Mexico.”

Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule to open in April. The 74-thousand-square-foot travel center located on Interstate 20 will house 120 gas pumps. The city has completed an eight-million-dollar project to update the roads near Buc-ee’s, and Walker says some parts of the project are ahead of schedule.

Cut 6 (11) “…substructure’s up.”

With the recall effort against East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards falling way short, what does that mean for the two statewide efforts? Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 23 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Former McNeese and Louisiana Tech Athletic Director Tommy McClelland is being hired to take the same job at Purdue. McClelland has spent the last three years at Rice and served six years in Lake Charles and eight in Ruston, where he infamously asserted that Conference USA, where Tech belonged to at the time, was superior to the Sun Belt Conference.