Election security is the theme of the Secretary of State’s office’s legislative package for 2026. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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New Saints running back Travis Etienne (AY-chan) spoke on his decision to come back to his home state on Friday. Andre Champagne has the story.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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The Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office announces a trio of bills for its 2026 legislative package, and they focus on election security. House Bill 691 by New Iberia Republican Beau Beaullieu would check the state’s voter rolls against the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program to identify potential non-citizens. Secretary Nancy Landry says a recent check of the state’s voter rolls turned up non-citizens who had cast ballots.

Cut 3 (10) “…an eligible voter.”

House Bill 547 by Metairie Republican Polly Thomas would prohibit taking pictures of voter registration information in precinct registers. Secretary Landry says this is to protect those who haven’t voted yet from intimidation.

Cut 4 (11) “…who had voted.”

Senate Bill 319 by Shreveport Republican Thomas Pressly would list specific forms of ID that people can use to verify their identities at the polling place. Landry says this closes a loophole in the current law.

Cut 5 (13) “…with a signature.”

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The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries issues a Declaration of Emergency for Ouachita Parish and portions of all six surrounding parishes. Deer Program Manager Jonathan Bordelon says it comes after a deer tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease.

Cut 6 (07) “…Deer Area Two.”

Bordelon says it’s the first confirmed case of CWD in Ouachita Parish, and the parish is the fourth where CWD has been confirmed. During the Declaration of Emergency, baiting and feeding is restricted within the affected area, and the export of certain deer parts outside the affected area is prohibited. Bordelon says this is to prevent the spread of the disease, which would be nothing short of devastating to the deer population.

Cut 7 (05) “…fatal in deer.”

Bordelon says while there’s no evidence that humans can contract any illness from a deer infected with CWD, they should still take extra precautions – including keeping the meat of an infected deer out of your kitchen.

Cut 8 (09) “…abundance of caution.”

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As the first day of spring approaches, crawfish prices are starting to come down. Laney King, the co-founder of The Crawfish App, has the latest statewide averages. ($4.15/lb. live; $6.83/lb. boiled)

Cut 9 (07)  “…for boiled crawfish.”

King says that’s down 35 cents and 50 cents, respectively, from the last two weeks – and that’s due to increased competition.

Cut 10 (13) “…is great news.”

King says the drop in retail prices comes despite a slow time for crawfish farmers.

Cut 11 (08) “…prices industry-wide.”

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Jennings native and former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne (AY-chan) is back in his home state to play for the Saints. Etienne grew up a Saints fan and remembers going to his grandparents’ house every Sunday to watch the black and gold. He says being able to play for his home-state team is a dream come true.

Cut 12 (13) “…in this moment.”

Etienne remembers watching the Saints win Super Bowl 44 and says he’s excited about the opportunity to help bring New Orleans back to its winning ways.

Cut 13 (12) “…limit for us.”

Last season, the Saints’ rushing offense ranked 28th in the NFL. Etienne says he’s looking forward to helping change that in Kellen Moore’s offensive system, which features a wide variety of running plays.

Cut 14 (12) “…what you want.”

The legislative package of the Secretary of State’s office for 2026 consists of three bills pertaining to election security. Senate Bill 319 by Thomas Pressly would list specific forms of ID that people can use to verify their identities at the polling place. Secretary Nancy Landry says this closes a loophole in the current law.

Cut 5 (13) “…with a signature.”

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries issues a Declaration of Emergency for Ouachita Parish and portions of all six surrounding parishes. Deer Program Manager Jonathan Bordelon says it comes after a deer tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease.

Cut 6 (07) “…Deer Area Two.”

Ouachita Parish is the fourth parish where CWD has been detected since 2022.

As the first day of spring approaches, crawfish prices are starting to come down. Laney King, the co-founder of The Crawfish App, has the latest statewide averages. ($4.15/lb. live; $6.83/lb. boiled)

Cut 9 (07)  “…for boiled crawfish.”

That’s down 35 cents and 50 cents, respectively, from the last two weeks – and King that’s due to increased competition.

Jennings native and former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne (AY-chan) is back in his home state to play for the Saints. Etienne grew up a Saints fan and remembers going to his grandparents’ house every Sunday to watch the black and gold. He says the opportunity to play for his home-state team means everything to him.

Cut 12 (15) “…limit for us.”

The Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office’s legislative package consists of three bills pertaining to election security. Among them is House Bill 547 by Polly Thomas, which would prohibit taking pictures of voter registration information in precinct registers. Secretary Nancy Landry says this is to protect those who haven’t voted yet from intimidation.

Cut 4 (11) “…who had voted.”

The executive editor of Tiger Rag magazine is among three Baton Rouge reporters suing LSU for withholding information on public money being paid to student athletes. Their attorney, Scott Sternberg, says they want to know how much public money is going to the student athletes – and, specifically, how much to which ones.

Cut 11 (10) “…do they get?”

The Savannah Bananas are bringing their special brand of baseball to the Caesars Superdome this weekend. Colleen Crain has more.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

McNeese has already punched its ticket to the NCAA tournament. Will any other Louisiana teams join them in the big dance? Louisiana Tech is taking on Missouri State in the Conference USA semifinals at this hour, and Southern takes on Florida A&M in the SWAC semifinal this evening.

Tiger Rag magazine executive editor Todd Horne is among a trio of Baton Rouge reporters who are suing LSU for refusing to disclose records of public money it’s paying to student athletes. Their attorney, Scott Sternberg, says they want to know how much public money is going to the student athletes – and, specifically, how much to which ones.

Cut 11 (10) “…do they get?”

The owner of Tiger Rag also owns Louisiana Radio Network.

Since the start of 2025, almost 40 insurance companies have filed for rate decreases for private passenger auto policies. Commissioner Tim Temple says customers of the companies that have filed for rate decreases will see the savings when their policy comes up for renewal, and if their rates don’t drop…

Cut 5 (07) “…my auto insurance”

The Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy is working with the U.S. Geological Survey to try to find a cause for all the earthquakes in northwest Louisiana. Joe Gallinaro reports. 

Cut 1 (26) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

The Savannah Bananas bring their brand of baseball to the Superdome this weekend! The Superdome is not exactly set up for baseball. But Jay Cicero, the CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, says when they started playing in football stadiums, the idea was born.

Cut 15 (09) “…right field porch.”

Tiger Rag magazine executive editor Todd Horne is among a trio of Baton Rouge reporters who are suing LSU for refusing to disclose records of public money it’s paying to student athletes. Their lawyer, Scott Sternberg, makes it clear that this lawsuit is only about public money.

Cut 12 (05) “…to see that (2x).”

Tiger Rag and LRN share the same owner. Piper Hutchinson of Louisiana Illuminator and Chris Nakamoto of WAFB-TV are the other two plaintiffs.

The Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy is working with the U.S. Geological Survey to figure out why there’s been a sudden spike in earthquake activity in northwest Louisiana. Department spokesman Patrick Courreges (kuh-RAHZH) says wastewater injection may be to blame; and while nothing unusual has been found yet, agents are still looking.

Cut 9 (11)  “…find a cause.”

Since the start of last year, nearly 40 insurance companies have filed rate decreases for private passenger auto policies. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the latest company to do so is Imperial Fire and Casualty Insurance Company, who filed a six-percent decrease on its Value Product.

Cut 4 (06) “…that’s a positive.”

The Savannah Bananas baseball team invades the Superdome this weekend! There will be a two-hour game with the fan-focused event tomorrow and Sunday. Jay Cicero, the CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, says tickets are by lottery, and New Orleans locals who have found it impossible to get tickets in other cities are happy to find them here.

Cut 14 (13) “…to watch them.”

The Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy is working with the U.S. Geological Survey to try to find a cause for all the earthquakes in northwest Louisiana. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (26) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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***NOTE: The owner of Tiger Rag magazine also owns Louisiana Radio Network.***

Three reporters, including the executive editor for Tiger Rag magazine, the owner of which also owns Louisiana Radio Network, are suing LSU for withholding records of payments to athletes. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The Savannah Bananas are bringing their special brand of baseball to the Caesars Superdome this weekend. Colleen Crain has more.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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More good news about auto insurance rates — since the start of last year, nearly 40 companies have filed rate decreases for private passenger auto policies. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the latest company to do so is Imperial Fire and Casualty Insurance Company, which filed a six-percent decrease on its Value Product.

Cut 4 (05) “…that’s a positive”

IFAC also filed for a three-percent decrease on its Mid-Market Product.

Temple says Allstate North American Insurance Company is also decreasing rates by seven and a half percent on average, which affects more than 17-thousand policies.

The commissioner says customers of the companies that have filed for rate decreases will see the savings when their policy comes up for renewal, and if your rates don’t drop…

Cut 5 (07) “…my auto insurance”

Temple says a fewer number of accidents, which means fewer claims, is driving the decrease in auto insurance rates. He says the reforms approved last year that change how auto crashes are handled in civil court have yet to have an impact on rates.

Cut 6 (12) “…them to do.”

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The Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy is working with the U.S. Geological Survey to get to the bottom of why there’s been a sudden spike in earthquake activity in northwest Louisiana. It was spurred by a magnitude 4.9 quake last week; and since then, there have been a series of other quakes, including four within a ten-minute span early Monday morning. Department spokesman Patrick Courreges (kuh-RAHZH) says one potential cause is what’s called induced seismicity.

Cut 7 (11) “…or faults underground.”

Courreges says as such, C-and-E teams are looking at operations in the area, and they’ve actually been there since December, when the quakes began.

Cut 8 (09) “…supposed to be.”

Courreges says while nothing has turned up yet, seismic staff and field agents are still looking.

Cut 9 (11)  “…find a cause.”

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***NOTE: The owner of Tiger Rag magazine also owns Louisiana Radio Network.***

Tiger Rag magazine executive editor Todd Horne is among a trio of Baton Rouge reporters who are suing LSU for refusing to disclose records of public money it’s paying to student athletes. Piper Hutchinson of Louisiana Illuminator and Chris Nakamoto of WAFB-TV are the other two. They’re being represented by Scott Sternberg, who says while the game may have changed, the law has stayed the same.

Cut 10 (13) “…are being spent.”

The owner of Tiger Rag magazine also owns Louisiana Radio Network.

Sternberg says Horne, Hutchinson and Nakamoto want to know how much public money is going to the student athletes – and, specifically, how much to which ones.

Cut 11 (10) “…do they get?”

Sternberg says other schools in Louisiana are being just as evasive with this information as LSU, and this is likely happening at other schools across the country. He makes it clear that this lawsuit is only about public money.

Cut 12 (05) “…to see that (2x).”

LSU claims those records are exempt from public disclosure due to federal student privacy law and a state law that exempts NIL agreements from disclosure. In a statement saying it has yet to be served, the university says disclosing the information would put it at a competitive disadvantage.

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The Savannah Bananas are bringing their special brand of baseball to the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans this weekend. Jay Cicero, the CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, says it’s more of a fan focused event for fun — and there’s a game.

Cut 13 (11)  “…it’s pretty special.”

There will be a two-hour game with the fan-focused event tomorrow and Sunday. Cicero says tickets are by lottery, and New Orleans locals who have found it impossible to get tickets in other cities are happy to find them here.

Cut 14 (13) “…to watch them.”

Over 60-thousand fans are expected for each event.

The Superdome is not exactly set up for baseball. But the interest in the Savannah Bananas, both by the organization and the fans, is there; so when the Bananas started playing in football stadiums, beginning with Clemson’s, the idea to bring them to the Superdome was born, and the plans were made to make the dome work as a venue.

Cut 15 (09) “…right field porch.”

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The Saints feel really good about the additions they’ve made to their team this week. The headliner is former Jacksonville Jaguars running back and Jennings native Travis Etienne. Coach Kellen Moore says the 27-year-old is coming off his third one-thousand-yard rushing season, and he also caught a career-high six touchdown passes.

Cut 16 (16) “…him back here.”

The Saints also signed veteran left guard David Edwards. Edwards spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Rams and his last three seasons with the Bills. He watched some film on New Orleans while scouting another team late last season, and what he saw caught his eye.

Cut 17 (19)  “…feel really good.”

The Saints have also brought back 30-year-old linebacker Kaden Elliss on a three-year deal. Elliss has led the Falcons in tackles the last two seasons, and he was a team captain. In 2022 with the Saints, Elliss had a career-high seven sacks. Coach Kellen Moore says it’s hard for offensive coaches to game-plan against Elliss.

Cut 18 (20)  “…really good situation.”

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LSU baseball begins SEC play tonight against Vanderbilt. The Tigers are ranked 13th in the SEC in hitting with a team .291 batting average. Former LSU star and SEC Network college baseball analyst Todd Walker believes the Tigers are a better hitting team then they’ve shown.

Cut 19 (15) “…start falling around.”

Vanderbilt is 10-and-7, and their team ERA is 3.94, which is third worst in the SEC. Walker says their best pitcher is Connor Fennell.

Cut 20 (09) “…type of thing.”

The Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office’s legislative package for 2026 focuses on election security. House Bill 691 by Beau Beaullieu would check the state’s voter rolls against the SAVE program to identify potential non-citizens. Secretary Nancy Landry says a recent check of the state’s voter rolls turned up non-citizens who had cast ballots.

Cut 10 (10) “…an eligible voter.”

House Bill 547 by Polly Thomas would prohibit taking pictures of voter registration information in precinct registers. Landry says this is to protect those who haven’t voted yet from intimidation.

Cut 11 (11) “…who had voted.”

Small business owners have a laundry list of issues they’d like to see lawmakers tackle this session. Leah Long, the state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says navigating Louisiana’s complex taxation system continues to be a minefield for small business owners, and she says that can be alleviated by the legislature implementing a centralized sales tax.

Cut 9 (09)  “…remit sales tax.”

More good news about auto insurance rates. Since the start of last year, nearly 40 companies have filed rate decreases for private passenger auto policies. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the latest company to do so is Imperial Fire and Casualty Insurance Company, who filed a six-percent decrease on its Value Product.

Cut 4 (06) “…that’s a positive.”

The National Weather Service says as many as six tornadoes ripped through southeast Louisiana last night, impacting St. Helena, Tangipahoa, Washington and St. Tammany parishes. A suspected tornado knocked down trees and power lines in areas around Roseland, Fluker and Kentwood. But Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller says there are no deaths or major property damage.

Cut 12 (08) “…were damaged.”

The commissioner of agriculture and forestry is urging the federal government to allow guest workers back into the country to peel crawfish. Mike Strain says these guest workers have been doing the work for upwards of 18 dollars an hour; and it’s work that Americans will not do, to the chagrin of crawfish farmers.

Cut 10 (09) “…these workers in.”

The McNeese men’s basketball team is going dancing for a third straight year. Joe Gallinaro has the story.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Two of the 70 birds seized in a cockfight in St. Landry Parish have been stolen from the parish’s animal control facility. This was the cockfight that was raided last weekend near Opelousas, in which more than 60 people were arrested, and guns and drugs were also seized.

Crude oil prices have surpassed 90-dollars a barrel, and Triple-A says the statewide average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has reached $3.23. The International Energy Agency is releasing 400-million barrels of oil from strategic reserves, but LSU Center for Energy Studies director Greg Upton says that will not help with gas prices, instead it will ease short-term supply disruption…

Cut 6 (11) “…short run.”

The commissioner of agriculture and forestry is sounding the alarm over the lack of crawfish peelers in the state. Mike Strain says this is because the Department of Homeland Security has stopped processing H-2B applications for skilled guest workers, preventing them from coming back. 

Cut 9 (07)  “…skilled guest workers.”

McNeese men’s basketball is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row. This, after beating Stephen F. Austin, 76-59, to win the Southland Conference title. Senior guard Javohn Garcia, who erupted for a career-high 31 points in the win, says the Cowboys were not going to let the Lumberjacks end their 27-game winning streak at home.

Cut 4 (10) “…came out victors.”

Cut 25 (04) “…Alligator!”

Obviously, “alligator” has more than three letters, but there are now more than three-million alligators in Louisiana. As such, the Senate Natural Resources Committee approved a bill to create a recreational alligator hunting season. Wildlife and Fisheries General Counsel Garrett Cole says if there is one, interested recreational hunters would be chosen through a lottery.

Cut 11 (10) “…the secretary said.”

Small business owners have a laundry list of issues they’d like to see lawmakers tackle this session. Leah Long, the state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, says navigating Louisiana’s complex taxation system continues to be a minefield for small business owners, and she says that can be alleviated by the legislature implementing a centralized sales tax.

Cut 9 (09)  “…remit sales tax.”

A lawmaker wants to give voters the final say on a minimum wage increase. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow’s proposed constitutional amendment would set Louisiana’s minimum wage to $10.25 an hour, and it would task a state agency to adjust it annually based on the consumer price index. Barrow says too many people in Louisiana still make minimum wage.

Cut 14 (07) “…$7.25 an hour.”

Two men are cited for allegedly shooting and killing a whooping crane in Evangeline Parish last month. Wildlife and Fisheries Corporal Tib Guillory says 36-year-old Logan Thrasher of St. Landry and 33-year-old Manuel Luis of Mexico face up to 120 days in jail and a 950-dollar fine, along with restitution.

Cut 6 (03) “…15-thousand dollars.”

Guillory says Thrasher and Luis were working on a farm where agents located the dead crane. Whooping cranes are an endangered species and, thus, are federally protected.

For the third year in a row, the McNeese Cowboys are going dancing. McNeese beat Stephen F. Austin yesterday, 76-59, to win their third straight Southland Conference title. Senior guard DJ Richards says earning their way back into the NCAA Tournament is an accomplishment no one can take away from them.

Cut 5 (09) “…hard to do.”