While earthquakes in Louisiana are not exactly unheard of, yesterday’s magnitude 4.9 tremor in Red River Parish was highly unusual for the state. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Governor Landry announces the state is very close to reaching a settlement with ConocoPhillips over lawsuits that allege the oil and gas producer is financially responsible for damaging the coast. Jeff Palermo the story.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Meta pledges not to pass the costs of its data centers onto the communities, including in Richland Parish. Andre Champagne reports.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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While earthquakes in Louisiana aren’t all that unusual, yesterday morning’s magnitude 4.9 tremor in Red River Parish certainly was. Cynthia Ebinger (uh-BING-er) with the Tulane University School of Science and Engineering says earthquakes are caused by the release of stresses that have built up in the rocks that cause parts of the rocks to fail. She says the oil and gas industry may play at least a partial role.

Cut 4 (11) “…correlated seems likely.”

Ebinger says we’re seeing an uptick in earthquakes in neighboring states.

Cut 5 (13) “…separate wastewater wells.”

As for whether yesterday’s earthquake is a precursor to the so-called “big one,” Ebinger says that’s completely unpredictable.

Cut 6 (13) “…and sharing information.”

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Governor Jeff Landry announces the state is very close to settling lawsuits against ConocoPhillips that allege the energy company is responsible for damaging the state’s coastal marshes, leading to land loss. There are 42 such lawsuits pending, and ConocoPhillips is named in 13 of them. Landry says coastal litigation has held up progress that the coast desperately needs.

Cut 7 (08) “…far too long.”

Landry says the settlement calls for ConocoPhillips to give the state access to 150-thousand acres of land it owns and to unlock hundreds of millions of dollars in coastal investment.

Cut 8 (12) “…of federal funding.”

It is not clear where the federal funding would come from. The governor says Conoco will pay into the state’s coastal trust fund, and Landry says the settlement will allow for the state to move forward with a 94-mile coastal land project across Plaquemines and Terrebonne parishes, which would protect the Houma-Thibodaux area.

Cut 9 (08)  “…they’re actually actions.”

The ConocoPhillips settlement follows others  that involve Freeport-McMoRan, BP, Shell and Hilcorp. Chevron and Exxon have yet to settle the coastal lawsuits against them.

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Meta is pledging not to pass the costs of operating its data centers onto the people in their respective communities by signing the Ratepayer Protection Pledge at the White House. Diana Doukas (DOO-kis), the director for economic opportunity and advocacy at Meta, says Meta will ensure that those in communities where data centers are located, including Richland Parish, are not impacted by rate hikes.

Cut 10 (12) “…we are covering.”

Doukas says at the same time it’s protecting residents and businesses from utility rate hikes, Meta is also creating economic opportunities both during and after construction of its Richland Parish data center.

Cut 11 (10) “…the data centers.”

Doukas says as part of its pledge, Meta is launching the Community Action Grant Program.

Cut 12 (09) “…building sustainable communities.”

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For the first time in his 15-year NFL career, Saints veteran defensive end Cameron Jordan will test the free agency market. Ross Jackson, the host of the Locked On Saints podcast, says even though Jordan didn’t reach an agreement with the Saints yet, the team can still bring him back.

Cut 13 (10)  “…that 2011 draft.”

This year, Jordan put together his most productive season in New Orleans since 2021, recording 10-and-a-half sacks. However, at 36 years old, Jackson does not expect NFL teams to sign him to a long-term contract.

Cut 14 (12) “…agency opens up.”

Jackson says that no matter what happens with Jordan’s future, the Saints will need to look for potential defensive ends to pair with rising star Chase Young.

Cut 15 (10) “…that’s Chase Young.”

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The LSU baseball team suffered its third consecutive midweek loss Wednesday, falling 7-2 to U-L-Lafayette. The Tiger pitchers struggled, issuing three walks, hitting a batter and throwing three wild pitches. Coach Jay Johnson says the loss gives him insight into which players he can rely on moving forward.

Cut 16 (17) “…a little bit.”

Over the past six games, LSU has hit just .209. Johnson says he plans to spend more time in the batting cages to help the Tigers snap their offensive slump.

Cut 17 (12)  “…than they are.”

In order for LSU to snap its offensive slump, Johnson says hitters have to do a better job of working opposing pitchers.

Cut 18 (08)  “…some mistakes better.”

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The Louisiana Tech baseball team dropped its fifth straight game Wednesday night after falling 8-2 to Arkansas State. Coach Lane Burroughs says the Bulldogs have to continue to go to work while putting the losses behind them.

Cut 19 (12) “…the right direction.”

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With its big upset win over LSU, U-L-Lafayette has won nine of its last ten games. During that stretch, the Cajuns are allowing just 3.3 runs per game. Head Coach Matt Deggs credits the team’s success on the mound to the work of new pitching coach Taylor Sandefur.

Cut 20 (16) “…advantage for us.”

An earthquake jolts Red River Parish early this morning. It was a magnitude 4.9 that struck near Coushatta at around 5:30. Rob Skoumal (SKO-mall) with the U.S. Geological Survey says while we may never know the cause of the earthquake, humans cannot be completely ruled out.

Cut 11 (10) “…by wastewater disposal.”

A New Orleans representative takes another stab at cracking down on political messaging created with the use of artificial intelligence. Democrat Mandie Landry’s bill requires any image on political material created with A-I that could deceive the recipient be clearly disclosed as such. She says it’s important that governments get on top of A-I.

Cut 5 (10) “…to fly by.”

Governor Jeff Landry announces the state is very close to settling lawsuits against ConocoPhillips that allege the energy company is responsible for damaging the state’s coastal marshes, leading to land loss. There are 42 such lawsuits pending, and ConocoPhillips is named in 13 of them. Landry says coastal litigation has held up progress that the coast desperately needs.

Cut 7 (08) “…far too long.”

It was a special night for Ragin’ Cajun baseball fans as U-L Lafayette beat second-ranked LSU, 7-2, in front of 57-hundred fans. LSU was held to seven hits and Cajuns freshman right-hander Sawyer Pruitt finished the game by throwing four scoreless innings. Cajuns coach Matt Deggs says he was not going to take Pruitt out of the game, because they wanted to win badly.

Cut 8 (09) “…our guys.”

Folks in Red River Parish didn’t need an alarm clock to get out of bed this morning – a magnitude 4.9 earthquake did the trick. Rob Skoumal (SKO-mall) with the U.S. Geological Survey says while people might not associate earthquakes with Louisiana, they’re not entirely unheard of here.

Cut 10 (08) “…isn’t super unusual.”

A magnitude 4.9 is considered light to moderate; while it can be widely felt, it only causes minor damage.

A New Orleans representative takes another stab at cracking down on political messaging created with the use of artificial intelligence. Democrat Mandie Landry’s bill requires any image on political material created with A-I that could deceive the recipient be clearly disclosed as such. She says it’s important that governments get on top of A-I.

Cut 5 (10) “…to fly by.”

Ragin Cajuns fans have bragging rights today as U-L Lafayette handed second ranked LSU its second consecutive loss last night. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

For the first time in his 15-year career, Saints star Cam Jordan is set to become a free agent. Jordan and the team were unable to come to terms on a new deal, so Jordan will officially become a free agent when the new league year begins Wednesday, March 11th, at three Central time. This past season, Jordan registered ten and a half sacks for the Black and Gold.

A New Orleans representative is trying again with a bill that would crack down on political messaging created with the use of artificial intelligence. Democrat Mandie Landry says a bill she’s filed requires any image on political material created with A-I that could deceive the recipient be clearly disclosed as such.

Cut 3 (08) “…with artificial intelligence.”

Another New Orleans-area representative – this one from the other side of the aisle – has filed a bill that would require companies to make it easier to cancel automatic subscription renewals. Gretna Republican Vincent Cox says among other things, his bill would outlaw small print and sped-up and lowered audio detailing the automatic renewal terms.

Cut 12 (12) “…signed up in.”

Louisiana’s crawfish industry is suffering because of the lack of foreign workers due to the federal government’s cap on allotted visas. Joe Gallinaro has the story.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Britney Spears is once again in trouble with the law. The Kentwood native was arrested last night in Ventura, California, on suspicion of DUI. She was booked into jail and released hours later. Representatives for the singer say it was an unfortunate and inexcusable incident, and that she will take steps to make overdue changes in her life.

The state’s agriculture commissioner says due to a cap on foreign guest workers placed by the federal government, Louisiana’s crawfish industry is facing a significant labor shortage.

Cut 6 (06) “…this is unacceptable.”

Commissioner Mike Strain says the businesses applied for H1-B visas in November as they have done in the past; but their applications were denied, and they were told to re-apply in January. The cap on working visas does not impact live and boiled crawfish.

Governor Landry has followed in President Trump’s footsteps and has endorsed Julia Letlow for U.S. Senate. ULM political science professor Pearson Cross says while Landry’s endorsement likely will not prevent a runoff, it will likely be effective in defending Letlow against incumbent Bill Cassidy.

Cut 14 (11) “…as a liberal.”

A New Orleans-area representative wants to make it a lot easier to cancel automatic-renewal trial subscriptions. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

A series of small earthquakes is rocking northwest Louisiana. Among the latest is a magnitude 4.9 quake in Red River Parish. An earthquake of that magnitude is considered light to moderate; while it can be widely felt, it only causes minor damage.

Louisiana’s crawfish industry is suffering because of the lack of foreign workers due to the federal government’s cap on allotted visas. Joe Gallinaro has the story.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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A New Orleans-area representative wants to make it a lot easier to cancel automatic-renewal trial subscriptions. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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Julia Letlow secures another high-profile endorsement. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says the state’s crawfish industry is dealing with a significant labor shortage. Strain told state lawmakers that crawfish processing plants do not have enough workers to peel and package crawfish, because the federal government has put a cap on foreign guest workers.

Cut 4 (09) “…no that’s unacceptable.”

Several crawfish processing plants have shut their doors as a result.

These packaging facilities rely on workers through the federal H-2B program, which allows immigrants to receive guest worker visas for seasonal jobs, and they return home at the end of the season. These are jobs that most Americans are not interested in doing.

Strain says he’s sent letters and called the White House and several other federal agencies, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, asking for the cap be lifted for the crawfish industry.

Cut 5 (07) “…these laborers in.”

The businesses applied for the visas in November as they have done in the past; but their applications were denied, and they were told re-apply in January. Strain says that the whole process has gotten out of hand.

Cut 6 (06) “…this is unacceptable.”

The cap on working visas does not impact live and boiled crawfish, but it’s unclear what will happen with the crawfish that’s supposed to be peeled and shipped to other areas of the country.

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PVC producer Shintech Louisiana is expanding its Iberville Parish operations with a 3.4-billion-dollar investment. The expansion is expected to create 163 direct new jobs with an average salary over 117-thousand dollars. It’s expected to add 800 new job opportunities to the Capital Region, and Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle says the benefits go far beyond that.

Cut 7 (06) “…facility in itself.”

The expansion will introduce advanced, lower-emissions manufacturing technology, which Shintech says will strengthen Louisiana’s role in global PVC production. Daigle says Shintech is a world player, and this latest investment brings its investment in Iberville Parish since 2000 to around 12-billion dollars.

Cut 8 (10) “…the global market.”

Shintech received an incentives package from the state through the FastStart, Industrial Tax Exemption and Quality Jobs programs. Daigle says the collaboration will benefit the entire area.

Cut 9 (12)  “…the Plaquemine area.”

The first phase of construction is expected to be completed by 2030.

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A New Orleans-area representative wants to make it a law requiring companies to make it easy to cancel automatic subscription renewals. Gretna Republican Representative Vincent Cox’s bill is dubbed the “Click To Cancel Act.”

Cut 10 (11) “…out of it.”

That’s because oftentimes, the language letting customers know that the subscription automatically renews after the free trial period is either in very small print, or in the case of a radio ad, the voice is sped up and the level is dropped several decibels. Furthermore, customers would often need to go on a scavenger hunt to find the information on how to cancel. Cox’s bill would put an end to all that.

Cut 11 (10) “…to exit it.”

Among other things, Cox’s bill would outlaw small print and sped-up and lowered audio detailing the automatic renewal terms.

Cut 12 (12) “…signed up in.”

The bill is co-authored by New Orleans Democratic Senator Royce Duplessis.

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Governor Landry has weighed in on the U.S. Senate race, aligning with President Trump and giving his endorsement to Julia Letlow. ULM Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says he’s not surprised at all.

Cut 13 (12)  “…supporting Julia Letlow.”

Cross says while Landry’s endorsement likely will not prevent a runoff, it will likely be effective in defending Letlow against incumbent Bill Cassidy.

Cut 14 (11) “…as a liberal.”

Of course, the third factor in this race is John Fleming, who took to social media to blast Landry’s endorsement. In that same post, Fleming said before Ralph Abraham announced his departure from the CDC, he offered him his position in an effort to get him to end his campaign, which he declined. Cross says this is further proof that Abraham presents a major roadblock in Letlow’s path to the U.S. Senate.

Cut 15 (10) “…smoother for Letlow.”

One week after resigning from the CDC to tend to what he called urgent family obligations, Abraham was announced as Letlow’s campaign manager.

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The LSU women’s basketball team will enter the SEC Tournament as a projected number-two seed in the NCAA Tournament. ESPN bracketologist Charlie Crème says the Tigers could elevate to a number-one seed with an impressive showing in Greenville this week.

Cut 16 (18) “…be the Tigers.”

Three of the four number-one seeds are essentially locked up by UConn, UCLA and South Carolina. If the Tigers can capture the fourth and final top seed, Crème believes it will allow for a more favorable path to a national championship.

Cut 17 (15)  “…a better matchup.”

Even if LSU doesn’t secure a number-one seed in the NCAA Tournament, Crème believes the Tigers can still win a national championship. He says the Tigers will need to excel in multiple areas during their postseason run.

Cut 18 (12)  “…shine really approaches.”

When it comes to gas, these days, you snooze, you lose. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded rose another 12 cents last night to $2.84. Gas prices typically increase this time of year with the transition to summer blend of gasoline; but Greg Upton, the executive director of LSU’s Center for Energy Studies, says there’s the added factor of the war in Iran. 

Cut 25 (11) “…the fall again.”

We’re now hearing from the man who’s administering Louisiana’s new FastSites program that Governor Landry announced yesterday. Landon Lemoine, the strategic investments director at Louisiana Economic Development, says whereas previously the state would wait for companies to approach the state before preparing a site, the state will now have land that’s shovel-ready.

Cut 9 (10)  “…water and sewer?”

Former DeRidder mayor Misty Roberts has been found guilty on felony charges for having sex with a 16-year-old boy at her home while she was in office. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Meta signs the Ratepayer Protection Pledge at the White House today. As part of the pledge, Meta says it will pay the full cost of its energy and water use at its data centers like the one under construction in Richland Parish, so that customers in those areas do not have to be burdened with those costs.

A Tickfaw woman is behind bars after allegedly abandoning her eight-year-old son inside a Ponchatoula laundromat. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Louisiana has been enjoying budget surpluses for the last several years, but a report from the Legislative Fiscal Office says that may change soon. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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A new poll of Louisiana voters shows Governor Landry’s and President Trump’s approval ratings have dropped since last year. Andre Champagne has the story.

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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A Tickfaw woman is behind bars for allegedly abandoning her eight-year-old son inside a Ponchatoula laundromat this past Sunday. Polchatoula Police Chief Bry (“bree”) Layrisson says people saw 43-year-old Jeanette Edmonds drive away without her son, and she was quickly located in Harvey and taken into custody by Jefferson Parish deputies. Layrisson says Edmonds showed no regard for the well-being of her son.

Cut 4 (09) “…son was okay.”

Layrisson says that was not the first time Edmonds tried abandoning her son that day.

Cut 5 (09) “…same thing occurred.”

The boy’s father drove down from Ruston to pick him up. Layrisson says in the more than four hours it takes to drive from Ruston to Ponchatoula, officers took care of the boy.

Cut 6 (06) “…cartoons for him.”

Layrisson says all things considered, the boy is doing well. Edmonds, meanwhile, is behind bars on three charges.

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Louisiana is in good shape financially as work is underway to craft a state spending plan for next fiscal year, but Jan (“yahn”) Moeller with Invest in Louisiana warns the state could see budget deficits in future years. Moeller says the reason is simple.

Cut 7 (09) “…starting to increase.”

Moeller says state revenues peaked in 2024 and are slowly going down, and projected costs of running state government are going up.

One example is the proposed 82-million -dollar increase in funding for the Department of Corrections. Meanwhile, the state must make up for a loss in federal dollars because of the budget bill approved by Congress in 2025.

Cut 8 (06) “…the coming years.”

Moeller says there’s an extra 42-million dollars in this year’s budget proposal to pay for extra administrative costs for SNAP, and that figure is expected to grow in future years.

Moeller says the projections of future budget deficits is just not his analysis, it’s also the conclusion of the Legislative Fiscal Office, which is concerning for those who count on state funding.

Cut 9 (12)  “…for healthcare coverage.”

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It’s a game-changer for how Louisiana competes for major economic development projects. Louisiana Economic Development launches the FastSites program. Governor Landry says it’s a program in which the state invests money to make sites shovel-ready for economic development projects.

Cut 10 (10) “…those particular sites.”

Landry says the state chose from a pool of 50 applicants for FastSites funding, and those chosen span 16 parishes throughout the state. (19 sites were chosen.)

Cut 11 (07) “…round of FastSites.”

Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois says getting these sites ready is essential for the state to be able to compete with neighboring states for major economic development projects in advanced manufacturing, logistics and next-generation industries.

Cut 12 (11) “…can even begin.”

The FastSites program is backed by the 150-million-dollar Site Investment and Infrastructure Fund created in the last legislative session.

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A statewide poll of Louisiana voters shows approval ratings for Governor Landry and President Trump have fallen. The Pelican Institute for Public Policy surveyed 762 Louisiana voters, and 43-percent approve of Landry’s job performance. Pelican Institute Vice President Erin Bendily says Landry’s approval rating last year was 58-percent, but she believes rising costs are hurting Landry’s approval numbers.

Cut 13 (09)  “…come to fruition.”

Bendily says Landry’s disapproval rating held steady from last year at 36-percent. But the percentage of voters who said they are unsure of Governor Landry’s job performance jumped from six-percent to 22-percent.

Cut 14 (07) “…make sense of.”

Bendily says in their poll last year, President Trump’s approval rating among Louisiana voters was 60-percent, but this year it’s down to 49-percent.

Cut 15 (07) “…is still high.”

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The UL-Lafayette baseball team is set to host second-ranked LSU tonight in front of a sold-out Tigue Moore Field. The Cajuns enter tonight’s game with the number-14 RPI in the nation, and head coach Matt Deggs says it’s always fun when the Tigers come to Lafayette.

Cut 16 (16) “…part of that.”

The Cajuns used only eight pitchers in their series win over UC San Diego last weekend. Deggs says the team is prepared to do whatever it takes to secure a marquee win and boost their RPI.

Cut 17 (10)  “…club over there.”

LSU, meanwhile, is looking to rebound from Monday’s 13-10 loss to Northeastern. Coach Jay Johnson says the loss is a perfect learning opportunity for his team moving forward.

Cut 18 (13)  “…want to be.”

LSU’s starters only tallied four hits in Monday’s loss. Sophomore catcher Cade Arrambide says the team has to do a better job of picking each other up throughout the game.

Cut 19 (16) “…when we fail.”

First pitch is six p.m.

Gas prices shot up overnight. According to GasBuddy, the average for a gallon of regular unleaded in the state is now $2.65. GasBuddy petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan says the spike is due to both the conflict with Iran and the seasonal change from winter grade to summer. He’s optimistic, though, that prices will peak soon.

Cut 8 (11) “..in Iran.”

We’re learning some of the findings of the task force on energy created last year by Senate President Cameron Henry. He says among them is that when power companies upgrade their plants for things like data centers, customers foot part of the bill, while the utility companies reap the benefits.

Cut 4 (13) “…on that investment.”

A citywide boil advisory remains in effect for Shreveport after a water main ruptured over the weekend. The water main was installed in 1979, and the break is under water in Cross Lake. Mayor Tom Arceneaux says he remains optimistic the repairs will be completed by Friday…

Cut 10 (10) “…to fix.”

Governor Landry’s re-election campaign says in a filing with the Louisiana Board of Ethics that it ended 2025 with almost 11-million dollars in cash-on-hand. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says he’s not surprised.

Cut 11 (14) “…he’ll raise it.”

Pinsonat says he does not expect anyone to mount a serious challenge to Landry next year.

A citywide boil advisory remains in effect for Shreveport after a water main ruptured last weekend. Mayor Tom Arceneaux tells residents they are working around the clock to restore the water pressure.

Cut 9 (08)  “…simply.”

We’re learning some findings from a task force on energy created last year by Senate President Cameron Henry. It comes amid a string of data centers, including Meta and Amazon, coming to Louisiana. Henry says while those data centers certainly create jobs and economic impact, they can also drain resources. 

Cut 3 (11) “…businesses as well.”

Henry says the task force found that utility companies pass the costs of upgrading their systems onto their customers while getting a ten-percent return on their investment from that money.

LSU was held to a touchdown and a field goal as they lost to Northeastern last night 13-to-10 – oh, this is baseball. I’m sorry. Well, the Tigers still lost, 13-to-10.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A big spike in gas prices overnight. According to Gasbuddy.com, the average price of regular unleaded in Louisiana jumped by a dime to $2.65. Gasbuddy petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan, though, does not expect the trend to continue.

Cut 6 (07) “…everyday.”