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.”

A citywide boil advisory remains in effect for Shreveport after a water main ruptured last weekend. It could last through this weekend as specialized equipment is needed to temporarily bypass the damaged pipe. Mayor Tom Arceneaux tells residents they are working around the clock to restore the water pressure.

Cut 9 (08)  “…simply.”

The ruptured water main is under water in Cross Lake.

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.”

The spike in crude oil prices in the wake of the fighting in Iran has led to a spike in gas prices. Here in Louisiana, regular unleaded is now averaging $2.65 a gallon, up a dime in just 24 hours. Gasbuddy petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan is more concerned about diesel prices, because the supply of diesel is tighter than that of regular gasoline.

Cut 7 (12) “…US economy.”

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.”

In the wake of the U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran, the price of crude oil has skyrocketed, and that’s leading to a spike in gas prices. According to Gasbuddy.com, gas prices are about a dime higher than yesterday as the statewide average is at $2.65. Gasbuddy petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan does not expect the prices will continue to skyrocket.

Cut 6 (07) “…everyday.”

Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association President Tommy Faucheux says this is why America needs to continue to rely less on international oil and gas supplies.

Cut 14 (11) “…will do that.”

Tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which is located at the southern end of the Persian Gulf, has been significantly disrupted. Twenty-percent of the world’s oil supply passes through that strait.

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.

A New Orleans Democrat files a bill that would allow for the sale of recreational marijuana. Weed is legal in 24 states, and Representative Candace Newell believes Louisiana should join that growing list.

Cut 5 (12) “…to sustain ourself.”

A bill has been filed for the upcoming legislative session that would allow for the sale of recreational marijuana, but only at a few locations. New Orleans Representative Candace Newell’s legislation would allow for the sale of recreational marijuana by businesses that have a license to dispense medical marijuana, but the recreational weed must be sold at a separate location.

Cut 4 (07) “…recreational can work.” 

Among the hot-button topics in this year’s session is carbon capture – the process of capturing carbon emissions from factories. It’s often paired with sequestration, which involves storing those carbon emissions underground. House Speaker Phillip Devillier is among its supporters.

Cut 9 (10)  “…it safely there.”

DeVillier says he has an open door to listen to concerns people have about it.

Crude Oil prices have surged since the U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran began. Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association President Tommy Faucheux says it’s another example of why domestic energy production is so important.

Cut 15 (11) “…down the road.”

LSU-Alexandria Chancellor Dr. Philip Coreil has announced his retirement at the end of the current academic year. Coriel says the one accomplishment that stands out to him the most is rebranding the school to utilize the same colors, fonts and styles as those of the flagship campus in Baton Rouge.

Cut 11 (14) “…State of Louisiana.”

Soon afterwards, all other schools in the LSU system followed suit.

An effort to legalize the sale of marijuana for recreational use will be up for debate in the legislative session that begins next week. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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A new legislative session is now less than a week away, and one of the big issues lawmakers will be tackling will be carbon capture. Andre Champagne reports.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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The chancellor of LSU-Alexandria announces his retirement. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A bill has been filed for the upcoming legislative session that would allow for the sale of recreational marijuana, but only at a few locations. New Orleans Representative Candace Newell’s legislation would allow for the sale of recreational marijuana by businesses that have a license to dispense medical marijuana, but the recreational weed must be sold at a separate location.

Cut 4 (07) “…recreational can work.” 

There are nine companies in Louisiana licensed to sell medical marijuana in the nine different regions of the state. So under Newell’s bill, these businesses would have the opportunity to sell recreational marijuana at a location separate from the medical marijuana pharmacy.

Weed is legal in 24 states, and Newell believes Louisiana should join that growing list and benefit from the tax revenue that can be gained from the sale of marijuana.

Cut 5 (12) “…to sustain ourself.”

Newell’s legislation will be debated in the regular session that is set to begin on Monday. She’s not optimistic her legislation will pass, but the legalization of recreational marijuana use needs to be debated.

Cut 6 (10) “…get 53 yes’s.”

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Carbon capture will be one of the big issues in the upcoming legislative session, which gets underway in less than a week. Senate President Cameron Henry acknowledges that it’s a hot-button issue relating to the oil and gas industry.

Cut 7 (06) “…medium to it.”

Henry says the oil and gas industry is a major economic driver for the state, and local governments need to keep that in mind when navigating the issue.

Cut 8 (13) “…chased one away.”

House Speaker Phillip DeVillier says he supports carbon capture.

Cut 9 (10)  “…it safely there.”

DeVillier acknowledges, though, that this is something that people have a lot of concerns about, and he has an open door to listen to those concerns.

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The chancellor of LSU-Alexandria announces his retirement. After 43 years in the LSU system, Dr. Paul Coreil will retire at the end of this academic year. The 70-year-old says the 13 years he spent in Alexandria, the last eight of which were as LSU-A’s chancellor, have been the best years of his career.

Cut 10 (07) “…an LSU position.”

Dr. Coreil says the one accomplishment that stands out to him the most during his time in Alexandria was rebranding the school to utilize the same colors, fonts and styles as those of the flagship campus in Baton Rouge.

Cut 11 (14) “…State of Louisiana.”

Soon afterwards, all other schools in the LSU system followed suit, as will the University of New Orleans when it becomes LSU-New Orleans on July 1st.

This is not the first time Coreil will retire. Coreil originally attempted retirement following 30 years at the LSU Ag Center, but that was the one and only thing he had ever failed at in his life. He says this time, he and his wife have a plan to make retirement more successful this time around.

Cut 12 (07) “…going to have.”

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Crude Oil prices surged above 70 dollars a barrel since the U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran began. Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association President Tommy Faucheux says it’s not a surprise to see the market respond like this.

Cut 13 (08)  “…more than that.”

Tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which is located at the southern end of the Persian Gulf, has been significantly disrupted. Twenty-percent of the world’s oil supply passes through that strait. Faucheux says this is why America needs to continue to rely less on international oil and gas supplies.

Cut 14 (11) “…will do that.”

The next Gulf lease sale is scheduled to take place next week. Faucheux says this latest conflict in the Middle East is another example on why domestic energy production is so important.

Cut 15 (11) “…down the road.”

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The ULM baseball team is riding a six-game winning streak, and the Warhawks look to make it seven straight tonight when they host Southeastern at six p.m. ULM scored 34 runs in its three-game sweep over Western Illinois. Coach Ford Pemberton says he likes how his team executed in the batter’s box.

Cut 16 (13) “…miss a beat.”

Senior third baseman Jake Haggard had one of the best weekends of anyone in college baseball. Haggard batted .411 with one homer, two doubles, and 9 RBI in ULM’s series against Western Illinois. Pemberton says he’s proud of Haggard’s hot start.

Cut 17 (15)  “…continue doing it.”

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The Louisiana Tech baseball team looks to bounce back against Arkansas State tonight after being swept by Southern Miss last weekend. Head coach Lane Burroughs says his team has to forget about the sloppy weekend and get ready for the next opponent.

Cut 18 (15)  “…keep getting better.”

Tech was without junior catcher Hayden Gustavson this weekend, but Burroughs believes the Bulldogs will be dangerous when they are at full capacity.

Cut 19 (08) “…we’ll be fine.”

First pitch is at six p-m.

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The sixth-ranked LSU women’s basketball team will have an opportunity to strengthen its case for a number-one seed with a strong showing in the SEC Tournament this week. While the Tigers could improve their NCAA Tournament positioning, head coach Kim Mulkey is not placing significant emphasis on the tournament.

Cut 20 (21) “…conference to postseason.”

LSU’s first game of the tournament will be Friday at 1:30 p.m.

A water crisis in Shreveport. A citywide boil advisory is in effect after a water main busted over the weekend, resulting in low water pressure for many in the city. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux says to restore water pressure to all customers, crews will need to complete a temporary fix.

Cut 9 (11)  “…a break.”

The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran will mean higher gas prices here at home. Triple-A’s Nick Chabarria says oil prices rose sharply after the initial strikes, and that will lead to higher prices at the pump. He says that’s on top of the prices that were already on the way up due to the shift from winter blend to summer blend.

Cut 12 (07) “…local pumps.”

If you can conjure up the energy to get out of bed early tomorrow morning, do it. Because you’ll be in for a very special treat up in the sky – a total lunar eclipse. During the 5:00 hour, the sun, the Earth and the moon will all be perfectly aligned, and that will turn the moon red. LSU Planetary Astrophysicist Dr. Natalie Hinkel says take full advantage – your next opportunity will not come around for a while.

Cut 5 (08) “…years from now.”

Southeastern Louisiana University celebrated historic growth with over 15-thousand students enrolled for the first time in 10 years and the largest Spring enrollment in school history. Chief Enrollment Management Officer Kay Maurin says it wasn’t luck.

Cut 6 (11) “…categories of student.”