Last month’s oil spill from a terminal operated by the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, or LOOP, is threatening the state’s oyster industry. Last month, a cargo transfer hose at the terminal located 18 miles offshore in Terrebonne Bay sprang a leak, spewing more than 31-thousand gallons of Venezuelan crude into the bay. Mitch Jurisich, the chairman of the Louisiana Oyster Task Force, says the oil has now made contact with the coast, which can spell disaster.

Cut 9 (09)  “…reopen anytime soon.”

About 250 people in Winn Parish were forced to evacuate as a wildfire threatened their homes. Fire District Three Chief Dustin Parker says the dry weather allowed the fire to grow to about two-thousand acres.

Cut 8 (05) “…very quickly.”

The fire is fully contained, and everyone who had been evacuated is now back home.

Three Ochsner hospitals are listed among the 250 top hospitals in the country by “Newsweek” magazine. They are Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans, Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center and Ochsner Medical Center Baton Rouge. Regional Medical Director Dr. Quentin Alleva says it’s a tremendous honor.

Cut 3 (11) “…for the patients.”

Cut 23 (03) (fade and use as bed)

It’s that time of year again – the time when workers everywhere focus on their brackets instead of focusing on work. I would say that includes us here at LRN, but following the action on the court is kind of our job – especially when it comes to the 12th seed in the South Region. McNeese is taking on Vanderbilt at this hour, as it looks to pull off a first-round upset for a second year in a row. Tonight in the women’s tournament, Southern takes on Samford in the First Four play-in round.

The Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana, or A+PEL (“AY-pel”), is working to clear up what it says are misconceptions about Constitutional Amendment 3 on the May 16th ballot. A+PEL Executive Director Dr. Keith Courville says Amendment 3 would pay down debt within the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana to fund permanent pay raises for teachers of at least 2,250 dollars.

Cut 7 (08) “…to teacher pay.”

A political action committee that supports Republican Rick Edmonds in the fifth congressional district race says it’s produced the first-ever A-I political ad in state history. Lionel Rainey with The Louisiana First Victory Fund says because it’s so unique, it will get the voters’ attention.

Cut 11 (11) “…in the ad.”

Louisiana’s film industry is celebrating one of its own. “Sinners,” which was filmed in and around New Orleans, took home four Oscars last weekend, including Best Actor. Film Louisiana President Jason Waggenspack says winning Oscars is nothing new for Louisiana.

Cut 6 (12) “…State of Louisiana.”

The McNeese men’s basketball team aims for an upset in the NCAA Tournament as it faces fifth-seeded Vanderbilt today at 2:15 p.m. The Cowboys rank second in the nation in turnovers forced, averaging nearly 17 per game, and coach Bill Armstrong says his team will look to frustrate the Commodores on defense.

Cut 13 (13)  “…teams as well.”

Louisiana’s film industry is celebrating the four Oscars won by “Sinners.” Andre Champagne reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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The Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana is clearing up what it says are misconceptions about Amendment 3, which would give teachers in Louisiana a permanent pay raise. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Coming soon to a television in Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District — the state’s first 100-percent A-I generated political advertisement. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Louisiana’s film industry is celebrating after “Sinners,” which was filmed in and around New Orleans, won four Oscars, including Michael B. Jordan for Best Actor. Film Louisiana President Jason Waggenspack says it reinforces the fact that Louisiana is a great place to shoot a major feature film.

Cut 4 (09) “…best caterers here.”

“Sinners” was nominated for 16 Oscars, which is a new record for a single film. Waggenspack says that kind of haul is going to be a major boost to what’s already a very robust film industry in the state.

Cut 5 (12) “…the same thing.”

Waggenspack says winning Oscars is nothing new for Louisiana.

Cut 6 (12) “…State of Louisiana.”

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The Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana, or A+PEL (“AY-pel”), is working to clear up what it says are misconceptions about Constitutional Amendment 3 on the May 16th ballot. A+PEL Executive Director Dr. Keith Courville says Amendment 3 would pay down debt within the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana to fund permanent pay raises for teachers of at least 2,250 dollars.

Cut 7 (08) “…to teacher pay.”

There’s been some chatter that some money in the funds that would be retired under this amendment is intended for things like early childhood programs and classroom initiatives. Dr. Courville says that’s not what the money is being used for – in fact, he says that money is currently not being used for anything.

Cut 8 (06) “…teachers a raise.”

Courville says passing this amendment will not cost taxpayers a dime.

Cut 9 (05)  “…raising any taxes.”

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A political action committee that supports fifth district Republican congressional candidate Rick Edmonds says it’s produced what it claims is the first-ever A-I political ad in the state’s history. Lionel Rainey with The Louisiana First Victory Fund says the commercial features four A-I generated characters that are worried about Edmonds’ conservative platform.

Cut 10 (05) “…where he stands.”

Edmonds is one of four well-known Republicans competing in the May 16th Republican primary election. Rainey says this 100-percent A-I-generated political advertisement is one of only a handful of such ads to run in a congressional race nationwide; and because it’s so unique, it will get the voters’ attention.

Cut 11 (11) “…in the ad.”

Rainey says A-I-generated political advertisements on television are the wave of the future, because they can cost less than your traditional commercial, and they can be produced faster.

Cut 12 (08) “…or four days.”

Rainey says while candidates and political action committees are not allowed to misrepresent their opponent using A-I, a regular citizen can, so be aware of that when seeing A-I productions on social media.

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The McNeese men’s basketball team aims for an upset in the NCAA Tournament as it faces fifth-seeded Vanderbilt today at 2:15 p-m. The Cowboys rank second in the nation in turnovers forced, averaging nearly 17 per game, and coach Bill Armstrong says his team will look to frustrate the Commodores on defense.

Cut 13 (13)  “…teams as well.”

McNeese is looking to shock the college basketball world this season with a deep run. Senior guard D.J. Richards says the Cowboys are solely focused on surviving and advancing.

Cut 14 (13) “…care of itself.”

For a Cinderella run, McNeese must take down one of the SEC’s hottest teams in Vanderbilt. History favors the Cowboys, as at least one 12-seed has won a game in 34 of the last 40 tournaments. Senior guard Javohn Garcia says it will be critical for McNeese to start the tournament off hot.

Cut 15 (11) “…of the tournament.”

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The LSU baseball team looks to win its first SEC series of the season this weekend as the Tigers host eighth-ranked Oklahoma, starting tonight at 7 p-m. Coach Jay Johnson says LSU’s pitching staff will need to limit long innings against the Sooners’ talented offense.

Cut 16 (08) “…momentum on offense.”

LSU’s defense ranks 14th in the SEC out of 16 teams with a .964 fielding percentage. Coach Johnson says the Tigers need to be much more solid on defense, especially this weekend.

Cut 17 (16)  “…with this team.”

LSU will face a familiar opponent on Thursday, when former Tiger Cam Johnson takes the mound for Oklahoma. Johnson played at LSU as a freshman in 2022 before transferring after the season. Jay Johnson says he’s looking forward to seeing Cam this weekend.

Cut 18 (12)  “…found some success.”

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The Southern women’s basketball team faces Samford tonight at 6 in the First Four in the NCAA Tournament. It marks the Lady Jags’ second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Coach Carlos Funchess attributes the program’s continued success to recruiting the right players.

Cut 19 (12) “…support each other.”

If the Lady Jags win, they will be slotted in as the 16th seed in the Sacramento 4 Region and will face top-seeded South Carolina in the First Round Saturday.

Samford sophomore guard Briana Rivera leads the nation with 109 three-pointers this season. Coach Funchess says his squad will need to contest shots from beyond the arc.

Cut 20 (09) “…tough for them.”

State Senators are fed up and want solutions on how the Department of Children and Family Services can be more effective in preventing serious injuries or deaths after the state agency gets involved in child abuse cases. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow says there have been 12 child deaths this year, after 53 child deaths in 2025.

Cut 9 (10)  “…that child.”

State lawmakers are seeking solutions from DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris on how the agency can be more effective. Republican Shreveport Senator Thomas Pressly says the state legislature stands ready to assist.

Cut 11 (11) “…help you”

Lawmakers have asked Harris to present a plan on how to improve DCFS in two weeks.

A bill making what’s known as stolen valor a crime in Louisiana cleared the Senate unanimously and now moves to the House. While stolen valor is a federal offense, there is currently no stolen valor law in Louisiana. And Louisiana V-A Secretary Charlton Meginley says bringing a federal complaint against someone misrepresenting military service can be a waste of time.

Cut 4 (07) “…types of cases.”

The Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana, or A+PEL (“AY-pel”), is working to clear up what it says are misconceptions about Constitutional Amendment 3 on the May 16th ballot. A+PEL Executive Director Dr. Keith Courville says Amendment 3 would pay down debt within the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana to fund permanent pay raises for teachers of at least 2,250 dollars.

Cut 7 (08) “…to teacher pay.”

Almost two weeks ago, Bill Cassidy challenged Julia Letlow to three debates ahead of the May 16th primary. So far, Letlow hasn’t committed to any one of them, only saying she cannot make the middle one in Baton Rouge due to her commitments in the House of Representatives. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says with Letlow being the endorsed candidate of President Trump, what she’s doing is not uncommon.

Cut 6 (07) “…to disrupt things.”

John Fleming, meanwhile, has said he would debate Cassidy anytime, anywhere.

A happy homecoming for a pair of U.S. Army soldiers, as Rick Domec and Jonathan Brasseaux surprised their kids in front of their classmates at J. Wallace James Elementary School in Scott. Domec says it’s always a welcome treat to return home following a deployment.

Cut 15 (05) “…going to do.”

State senators are demanding changes from the Department of Children and Family Services to prevent child abuse deaths. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein says an estimated 21-thousand people in Louisiana will lose Medicaid coverage when new work requirements for the program take effect next year. The new rule is the result of federal legislation that calls for certain Medicaid recipients to prove they are working, are in school, are in job training or volunteering.

A bill making stolen valor a crime in Louisiana moves to the House after passing unanimously in the Senate. V-A Secretary Charlton Meginley told the Senate Judiciary C Committee that stolen valor is not a victimless crime.

Cut 3 (11) “…gain to it.”

No stealing the valor of two Army soldiers who pulled off a heartwarming homecoming at J. Wallace James Elementary School in Scott. With the help of administrators, Rick Domec (du-MECK) and Jonathan Brasseaux surprised their kids, who had not seen their dads for a year. On stage, they hid in cardboard boxes as their sons lifted them in front of their classmates. Domec’s son, Andrew, was thinking it was something else inside that box.

Cut 14 (07) “…all right.”

Almost two weeks after Bill Cassidy challenged Julia Letlow to three debates, she has yet to commit to any one of them. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (36) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Be careful – an old scam is rearing its ugly head once again. People in Baton Rouge say they’re getting calls from people identifying themselves as staffers at the city court, in which they’re demanding payment over the phone. That’s something that no court anywhere will ever do.

Almost two weeks ago, Bill Cassidy challenged Julia Letlow to three debates ahead of the May 16th primary. So far, Letlow hasn’t committed to any one of them. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says with Letlow being the endorsed candidate of President Trump, what she’s doing is not uncommon.

Cut 6 (07) “…to disrupt things.”

A bill making what’s known as stolen valor a crime in Louisiana cleared the Senate unanimously and now moves to the House. While stolen valor is a federal offense, there is currently no stolen valor law in Louisiana. And Louisiana V-A Secretary Charlton Meginley says bringing a federal complaint against someone misrepresenting military service can be a waste of time.

Cut 4 (07) “…types of cases.”

Depending on the severity, penalties range from small fines to five years in prison.

Tomorrow’s hearing in the U-L system’s lawsuit against Conference USA in Lincoln Parish is off. Andre Champagne reports on the latest in Louisiana Tech’s quest to leave Conference USA for the Sun Belt for the 2026 football season.

Cut (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

A recent increase in the use of vape products has led to an increase in police presence at one high school in central Louisiana. This is happening at Natchitoches Central High School, where the sheriff’s office is using K9 units to search the campus.

Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed tells lawmakers that many public universities and colleges are struggling financially. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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When it comes to the best states for doctors, Louisiana ranks surprisingly high. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Tomorrow’s hearing in the U-L system’s lawsuit against Conference USA in Lincoln Parish is off. Andre Champagne reports on the latest in Louisiana Tech’s quest to leave Conference USA for the Sun Belt for the 2026 football season.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed tells lawmakers that state funding for universities and colleges is not where it needs to be, as regional institutions in particular are struggling. Reed is calling on legislators to provide at least an additional 119-million dollars in state funding for higher ed.

Cut 4 (11) “…that are challenged.”

Reed says higher ed is 869-million dollars short of being fully funded. And that’s despite the closure of hundreds of programs. She says there are several reasons why regional schools are struggling — inflation and enrollment dips can throw off their budgets.

Cut 5 (11) “…impact the institutions.”

Reed also points out that in 2009, 59-percent of higher education’s funding came from state funding. Now it’s down to 26-percent. Money from tuition makes up 60-percent of the funding for higher education; so when enrollment goes down, so do revenues.

Reed says institutions are also feeling the pressure because athletic expenses are increasing.

Cut 6 (11) “…of the institution.”

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The May 16th primary is about two months away, and Secretary of State Nancy Landry is urging voters to check their party affiliation on their voter registration. Landry says the May 16th primary is closed, which means only registered Republican voters or no-party voters can vote in the Republican primary, and only registered Democrats or no-party voters can vote in the Democratic primary.

Cut 7 (10) “…be affiliated with.”

Landry says no-party voters can declare on the day they vote if they want to vote in the Republican or the Democratic primary.

Cut 8 (09) “…no party ballot?”

The Senate Republican primary is expected to go into a run-off, which will be held on June 27th. Landry says if you vote in the Democratic primary in May, you can’t switch and vote in the Republican primary in June.

Cut 9 (12)  “…open general election.”

The deadline to register for the May 16th primary election is April 15th in person or by mail. April 25th is the deadline to do it at geauxvote-dot-com.

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Where does Louisiana rank for doctors to practice in? A new report by WalletHub has Louisiana at third overall in the country, behind only Montana and Indiana. WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo says one key reason is Louisiana’s relatively low cost of living, which makes it much more attractive for a young doctor saddled with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans.

Cut 10 (12) “…Manhattan, New York.”

The states were ranked on 19 metrics, including average annual salaries, the number of hospitals per capita and the quality of public hospital systems. Another metric is projected supply of physicians by 2032, for which Lupo says Louisiana ranks third.

Cut 11 (10) “…in rural areas.”

Lupo says Louisiana is also doing a good job in retaining young doctors who had just completed their residencies, ranking 19th in the country.

Cut 12 (11) “…tend to stay.”

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Tomorrow’s hearing in Lincoln Parish in the U-L system’s lawsuit against Conference USA is cancelled. The U-L system filed the lawsuit on behalf of Louisiana Tech in its quest to leave Conference USA for the Sun Belt for the 2026 football season. Matt Bellinson, a reporter with the Ruston Daily Leader, says Conference USA has filed a motion to move the case to federal court.

Cut 13 (08)  “…the federal level.”

All this comes as Conference USA and the Sun Belt each released schedules that include Louisiana Tech. Bellinson says he believes Conference USA is trying to extract as much money from Louisiana Tech as possible before its inevitable exit.

Cut 14 (06) “…in this league.”

Bellinson says even before it had issued its press release last week announcing that it plans on playing the Sun Belt schedule, Tech made it perfectly clear which direction it had planned on going.

Cut 15 (08) “…the Sun Belt.”

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Saints veteran defensive end Cameron Jordan made some notable comments regarding free agency on Terron Armstead’s “The Set” podcast on Monday. Jordan said that just because he loves the city of New Orleans doesn’t mean the city or the organization has to love him back. Matt Paras, who covers the Saints for The Baton Rouge Advocate, says Jordan sounds open to leaving the Saints.

Cut 16 (14) “…of it all.”

Recording another 10 to 13 sacks next season will be important for Jordan moving forward, and that production could influence where he plays next. Paras notes that his role in New Orleans may not be as extensive as it has been in previous years.

Cut 17 (13)  “…fourth pass rusher.”

Jordan currently ranks 19th on the all-time sack list with 132. While he could become one of the few defensive linemen to spend his entire career with one team, Paras believes Jordan’s priorities have shifted from where they were a couple of years ago.

Cut 18 (10)  “…a Super Bowl.”

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The Louisiana Tech women’s basketball team will participate in the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament after missing out on the NCAA Tournament. Even though the Lady Techsters didn’t make the big dance, head coach Brooke Stoehr (“store”) doesn’t want her players to forget the special things they were able to do this season.

Cut 19 (20) “…what they’ve accomplished.”

The Lady Techsters will face Rice in the WBIT first round tomorrow at seven p.m. Stoehr says that while it’s not the NCAA Tournament, she still believes there is value in continuing to compete in the postseason and extending the season with her team.

Cut 20 (10) “…pursue a championship.”

Last season, Tech reached the Final Four of the women’s NIT.

Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed tells lawmakers that state funding for universities and colleges is not where it needs to be. Reed says regional institutions in particular are struggling. She’s calling on legislators to provide at least an additional 119-million dollars in state funding for higher ed…

Cut 4 (12) “…are challenged.”

Reed says higher ed is 869-million dollars short of being fully funded. And that’s despite the closure of hundreds of programs. She says there are several reasons why regional schools are struggling, inflation and enrollment dips can throw off their budgets.

Cut 5 (12) “…institutions.”

A bill that would have made it a crime to aggressively throw an object from a parade float to cause an injury has been withdrawn. LaPlace Representative Sylvia Taylor had filed the bill in the wake of several incidents in which people aboard floats aggressively threw beads and other objects at people along the route.

The May 16th primary is about two months away, and Secretary of State Nancy Landry is urging voters to check their party affiliation on their voter registrations. Only registered Republican voters or no-party voters can vote in the Republican primary, and only registered Democrats or no-party voters can vote in the Democratic Primary….

Cut 7 (10) “…affiliated with.”

Landry says no party voters can declare on the day they vote, if they want to vote in the Republican Primary or the Democratic Primary…

Cut 8 (08) “…and June.”

Thursday’s hearing in Lincoln Parish in the U-L system’s lawsuit against Conference USA is cancelled. The U-L system filed the lawsuit on behalf of Louisiana Tech in its quest to leave Conference USA for the Sun Belt for the 2026 football season. Matt Bellinson, a reporter with the Ruston Daily Leader, says Conference USA has filed a motion to move the case to federal court.

Cut 13 (08)  “…the federal level.”

For the second year in a row, Southern University’s college of nursing is rated as the nation’s best by Nurse.org. Sandra Brown, the dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health, says nursing has been a part of Southern’s campus culture for more than 40 years. 

Cut 3 (09) “…everything we do.”

Southern produces the largest number of Black nurses in the state.

Julia Letlow’s Senate campaign publishes a poll showing her in the lead in the Republican Primary. Joe Gallinaro has the story.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

If you’re having trouble accessing the official OMV website, the reason is you should update your bookmark. It’s still expresslane-dot-la, but the domain extension changed this week from dot-org to dot-gov. OMV says the change reinforces the agency’s official government status and strengthens cybersecurity protections.