A Jefferson Parish English teacher gets the surprise of a lifetime today as she received a 25-thousand-dollar Milken Educator Award. Sarah Watkins is an eighth grade English language arts teacher at Stella Worley Middle School in Westwego and was overcome with emotion when she learned that she was a recipient of this prestigious national accolade.

Cut 6 (11) “…everything.”

Genetic testing by SeaD Consulting has confirmed that all shrimp sold at the Louisiana Shrimp Festival in New Orleans came from Gulf waters. Founder David Williams started the venture a year ago to test shrimp served in restaurants to find out which ones were serving imported shrimp. He says through his efforts, restaurants are starting to switch to domestic shrimp, and that’s helping the local shrimping industry.

Cut 4 (08) “…to respect themselves.”

The number-five ranked LSU women’s basketball team begins their season tonight as the Tigers host Houston Christian at 7 p.m. Andre Champagne has more.

Cut 23 (32) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

And now, a look at today’s commodities.

The LSU Board of Supervisors is in executive session, deliberating between the three finalists for the next president of the university system. McNeese President Wade Rousse is viewed as the favorite to land the job; he says he’d like to see a separate person appointed as president of the flagship Baton Rouge campus, whereas currently, the president of the Baton Rouge campus oversees the entire system.

Cut 10 (07) “…the outlining campuses.”

Food Banks throughout Louisiana are feeling the burden of the federal government shutdown. Pat Van Burkleo, the executive director of Feeding Louisiana, says food banks already came under financial hardship earlier this year, with the change in presidential administrations.

Cut 4 (13) “…the food banks.”

Van Burkleo says the best way you can help is by donating cash.

Genetic testing from SeaD (“seed”) consulting has shown that for the second year in a row, all shrimp served at the Louisiana Shrimp Festival in New Orleans was wild-caught Gulf shrimp. David Williams founded the company a year ago and began using what’s called the RIGHTTest to determine the species of the shrimp – specifically whether it’s Pacific white shrimp, which is not native to U.S. waters. Williams says through his efforts, several restaurants which had been serving imported shrimp have changed to domestic shrimp.

Cut 3 (13) “…lot higher now.”

Pelicans’ coach Willie Green is officially on the hot seat after the team’s 0-and-6 start to the season, with half of those losses by lopsided scores. Green says he takes responsibility for the poor start.

Cut 13 (12)  “…get on track.”

The LSU Board of Supervisors is meeting at this hour to decide who the school’s next president will be. It’s down to Alabama Provost James Dalton, Former Arizona President Robert Robbins and McNeese President Wade Rousse, who’s viewed as the front-runner. Rousse says if he lands the job, he wants to tackle the deferred maintenance issues at all campuses.

Cut 12 (10) “…inspiration of curiosity.”

Food insecure families are turning to food banks amid the federal government shutdown which is now in its record-tying 35th day. Feeding Louisiana Executive Director Pat Van Burkleo says not only are food banks not designed to replace SNAP, but they had federal funding slashed at the beginning of the second Trump administration. He says, fortunately, others are stepping up to help.

Cut 5 (08) “…has matched that.”

Now that it’s getting dark much earlier with the resumption of Standard Time, pay attention to your body and don’t get behind the wheel if you feel too tired. Greg Fischer with the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission says driving after getting less than four hours of sleep is like driving with a blood-alcohol level of point-one-two.

Cut 8 (08) “…average-sized man.”

If the New Orleans Pelicans could turn back time, they’d probably go back to 2007-08, when they won their one and only division title when they were known as the Hornets. This season, they’re off to an 0-and-6 start, with three of those losses coming by lopsided scores. Head Coach Willie Green says his discussions with executive VP Joe Dumars are focused on finding a quick solution to the team’s problems.

Cut 14 (10) “…to be better.”

Amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, the already cash-strapped food banks are stretched even more thin with food insecure families turning to them for help. Feeding Louisiana Executive Director Pat Van Burkleo says Governor Landry and Our Lady of the Lake have each donated 100-thousand dollars – and if you’d like to help, the very best thing to donate is not food, but cash.

Cut 6 (09) “…kind of things.”

Governor Landry, meanwhile, has used this past weekend’s return to Standard Time to proclaim this week as Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, now that it’s getting dark much earlier. Greg Fischer with the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission says drowsy driving has had deadly consequences in Louisiana.

Cut 9 (09)  “…to drowsy driving.”

We will find out later today who LSU’s new president will be. McNeese President Wade Rousse is viewed as the front-runner. While McNeese is a non-research regional university, LSU’s goal is to become one of the top 50 public research universities in the country. Rousse says he understands how the research process works.

Cut 11 (11) “…get their trust.”

While Rousse may be on the verge of landing a new lucrative job, Pelicans coach Willie Green could lose his soon if his team doesn’t turn things around in a hurry. Green says he’s blocking out the noise and is focused on turning things around.

Cut 15 (12) “…work at it.”

The Pelicans will try for their first win of the season tonight against the Hornets at the Smoothie King Center.

People who need food assistance are turning to food banks amid the federal government shutdown. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The LSU Board of Supervisors selects a new president today. Jeff Palermo has more from the perceived front-runner, McNeese president Wade Rousse.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The number-five ranked LSU women’s basketball team begins their season tonight as the Tigers host Houston Christian at 7 p.m. Andre Champagne has more.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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Food Banks throughout Louisiana are feeling the burden of the federal government shutdown. Pat Van Burkleo, the executive director of Feeding Louisiana, says food banks already came under financial hardship earlier this year, with the change in presidential administrations.

Cut 4 (13) “…the food banks.”

Van Burkleo says amid those funding cuts, other entities are stepping up to help.

Cut 5 (08) “…has matched that.”

Van Burkleo says you can help too – and while the thought of a food donation is certainly appreciated, leave the food at home and simply donate cash.

Cut 6 (09) “…kind of things.”

Van Burkleo says it’s important to note that food banks were never intended to replace federal programs like SNAP during government shutdowns, and that the federal government needs to take the lead in handling this.

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With Sunday’s time change, that means it is now getting dark much earlier. If you get off work at six p-m, you will be driving home in total darkness. Governor Landry has used the occasion of the end of Daylight Saving Time to proclaim this week as Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, which is a national campaign led by the National Sleep Foundation. Greg Fischer with the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission says sleep deprivation is on par with intoxication.

Cut 7 (13) “…point-one-two.”

Fischer says when it comes to driving, doing so after depriving yourself of sleep is the same as doing so after drinking to the point of exceeding the legal blood-alcohol limit.

Cut 8 (08) “…average-sized man.”

Fischer says drowsy driving has had deadly consequences in Louisiana.

Cut 9 (09)  “…to drowsy driving.”

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The LSU Board of Supervisors meets this morning to select a new president. The three finalists are University of Alabama provost James Dalton, former University of Arizona president and Mississippi native Robert Robbins and McNeese State president Wade Rousse, who is the favorite. Currently, the LSU president oversees the entire system and the Baton Rouge campus. Rousse believes they should be separated.

Cut 10 (07) “…the outlining campuses.”

Rousse believes there should be an LSU system president and a chancellor for the flagship campus. That’s how it was for many years before those roles were combined in 2012.

Rousse has been serving as McNeese’s president in 2024. Before becoming president, Rousse served in several administrative positions at the Lake Charles school since 2019.

McNeese is a non-research regional university and LSU’s goal is to become one of the top 50 public research universities in the country. But Rousse says he understands how the research process works.

Cut 11 (11) “…get their trust.”

Rousse says if named the next president, he wants to tackle the deferred maintenance issues at the LSU campuses.

Cut 12 (10) “…inspiration of curiosity.”

The LSU Board of Supervisors’ meeting will begin at 9 a.m.

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Pelicans’ coach Willie Green is officially on the hot seat after the team’s 0-and-6 start to the season, with half of those losses by lopsided scores. Green says he understands the criticism and takes responsibility for the poor start.

Cut 13 (12)  “…get on track.”

Green’s discussions with the Pelicans front office, including executive vice president Joe Dumars, remain focused on finding a quick solution to improve the season.

Cut 14 (10) “…to be better.”

New Orleans most recently extended Green’s contract in the 2023 offseason.

Green acknowledges the outside noise about his job security but says he is focused on blocking it out and turning the season around.

Cut 15 (12) “…work at it.”

In Green’s four season with the Pelicans, New Orleans has made the playoffs twice.

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LSU will play its first game since Brian Kelly was fired this weekend against fourth-ranked Alabama. Interim head coach Frank Wilson believes that the Tigers are a much better team than they were when they played Texas A&M.

Cut 16 (17) “…were last week.”

Wilson says LSU will go through a more physical Tuesday practice, which will feature more game-like simulations for both the offensive and defensive units.

Cut 17 (23) “…not been realistic.”

LSU’s rushing offense ranks 15th in the SEC, averaging just 106 yards on the ground a game. In Alabama’s lone loss of the season, Florida State rushed for 230 yards. Wilson says running the ball effectively will be a key to beating the Crimson Tide this Saturday.

Cut 18 (19)  “…can do it.”

A new report shows that last year, the number of Louisiana homeowners having their insurance policies cancelled by their insurance companies increased more than fivefold compared to 2018. Real Reform Louisiana Executive Director Ben Riggs says insurance companies are cancelling policies mainly for financial reasons, mostly south of the I-10 corridor.

Cut 3 (10) “…their profit margins.”

Fire investigators are looking into the cause of a fire at a horse stable in Slidell over the weekend. Brian Macaluso with St. Tammany Parish Fire District One says firefighters weren’t able to save all the horses in the barn at Lewis Stables.

Cut 7 (09) “…in the fire.”

Macaluso says the cause is still under investigation, and it could be anything from an electrical issue to arson.

SNAP recipients in Louisiana began receiving food assistance benefits on their EBT cards this past weekend. Jeff Palermo reports on whether the state will be reimbursed for stepping up to the plate…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Two girls are hurt after being thrown from a Ferris wheel at the Harvest Festival in New Roads over the weekend. The girls, both about 11 years old, were about 20 feet off the ground when the bucket they were in tipped over. They’re hospitalized but are expected to recover. A third girl in the bucket managed to hold on and was uninjured.

The federal government shutdown is now in its 34th day; and with Republicans and Democrats showing no signs of budging, there seems to be no end in sight. Speaking to KEEL radio, House Speaker Mike Johnson says the shutdown is starting to affect every aspect of society.

Cut 11 (12) “…do that.”

State funds are being used to fund the SNAP program this month. Governor Landry says the state was able to fill the void because it’s been fiscally responsible.

Cut 12 (12) “…right now.”

About 700-thousand residents are receiving their cash assistance in phases, with a quarter of the recipient’s monthly amount being loaded onto their cards each week.

A new report shows that last year, insurance companies cancelled nearly three-percent of homeowners insurance policies in Louisiana – the highest rate in the country. Real Reform Louisiana Executive Director Ben Riggs says the phased-in repeal of the so-called “three-year rule” started at the beginning of this year, and that will exacerbate the issue even more.

Cut 5 (12) “…than three years.”

Nine horses are killed in a fire at a horse stable in Slidell over the weekend. Brian Macaluso with St. Tammany Parish Fire District One says the fire broke out at around three Saturday morning at Lewis Stables.

Cut 6 (10) “…to 130 horses.”

Firefighters were able to save 28 horses. The cause is still under investigation.

Frustration is growing on Capitol Hill on this, the 34th day of the federal government shutdown. House Speaker Mike Johnson has been criticized for keeping the House out of session all this time. Even members of his own party have expressed concerns about his strategy. The Bossier Parish representative explained his reasoning during an appearance on KEEL radio.

Cut 10 (17) “…House floor.”

Nine horses were killed in a stable fire in Slidell over the weekend. Brian Macaluso with St. Tammany Parish Fire District One says the fire broke out at around three Saturday morning at Lewis Stables.

Cut 6 (10) “…to 130 horses.”

State funds are being used to fund the SNAP program this month. Hundreds of thousands of low-income Louisiana residents were in jeopardy of not receiving any food assistance in November, because of the federal government shutdown. Governor Landry says Louisiana was able to fill the void, because it’s been fiscally responsible.

Cut 12 (12) “…right now.”

Last year, five times as many Louisiana homeowners had their insurance policies cancelled by their insurance companies compared to 2018. Real Reform Louisiana Executive Director Ben Riggs says companies are doing this mainly for financial reasons, mostly south of the I-10 corridor.

Cut 4 (10) “…their profit margins.”

The federal government shutdown has entered its second month and this is the 34th day, the second longest in U-S history. Republicans and Democrats continue to blame each other. U-S House Speaker Mike Johnson from Bossier Parish says Senate Democrats have had multiple opportunities to vote for a funding bill that would re-open the government…

Cut 9 (06)  “…this is happening.”

A new report shows that last year, the number of Louisiana homeowners having their insurance policies cancelled by their insurance companies increased more than fivefold compared to 2018. Ben Riggs with Real Reform Louisiana says the catalyst behind this is the repealing of the state’s “three-year rule” that went into effect at the start of this year.

Cut 3 (12) “…than three years.”

If you miss being able to fly from Alexandria to Houston, you’ll be able to do so again this coming spring. Jeanne (“zhahn”) Burns reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

For the second time this season, the Saints traveled to the West Coast and played an uncompetitive game, losing 34-10 to the Los Angeles Rams. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough made his first NFL start and threw for 176 yards, one touchdown, and was intercepted once.

Two girls remain hospitalized after being thrown from a Ferris wheel at the Harvest Festival in New Roads over the weekend. The girls, both about 11 years old, were about 20 feet off the ground when the bucket they were in tipped over. A third girl in the bucket managed to hold on and was uninjured. 

One former LSU Tiger is hoping interim athletics director Verge Ausberry can provide stability to the Tigers athletic department. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

There may officially be less than a month to go in the 2025 hurricane season, but State Climatologist Jay Grymes says for all intents and purposes, Louisiana will make it through this year unscathed. Grymes says that’s because history has shown that this time of year, the threat of tropical weather in the Gulf of Mexico is nonexistent.

Cut 11 (10) “…with a landfall.”

This year, no storm of at least tropical storm strength made landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast.

United Airlines is resuming service between Alexandria and Houston through its partnership with SkyWest Airlines. Airport Executive Director Ralph Hennessy says the airport made SkyWest a guarantee to secure the resumption of the service for the first time since 2022.

Cut 9 (12)  “…revenue guarantee.”