The National Federation of Independent Business says 36-percent of small business owners reported openings they could not fill last month. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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It seems that there’s a certain tie that binds Governor Landry’s line-item vetoes. Andrew Greenstein explains.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The Big Beautiful Bill is back in the House, and opinions among Louisiana’s delegation are obviously mixed along party lines. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The National Federation of Independent Business’ June jobs report found that 36-percent of small business owners are having trouble filling job openings. NFIB State Director Leah Long says Louisiana’s new “One Door” policy will help consolidate public assistance and job training programs.

Cut 4 (11) “…qualified workforce.”

58-percent of small business owners reported hiring or trying to hire in June. 86-percent of those owners reported few or no qualified applicants for their vacancies. Long says House Bills 624 and 617 went into effect July 1st, but impacts may not be immediate.

Cut 5 (07) “…make it faster.”

Industries with the most openings were construction, manufacturing and transportation; while finance and agriculture sectors reported the fewest. Long says some of the increased numbers could be due to the time of year.

Cut 6 (11) “…those positions.”

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Governor Jeff Landry issued 17 line-item vetoes on the budget, with 16 of them having something interesting in common. Tyler Bridges, the chief political reporter for The Advocate, notes that those 16 line items were projects by Republicans who voted “no” on Landry’s key legislation, House Bill 148, which grants the insurance commissioner the authority to reject excessive rate increases.

Cut 7 (13) “…sponsored by Republicans.”

Vetoed projects included a highway extension in Bossier City, a tennis court in Livingston Parish, and a bridge in Metairie. Bridges says it’s a surprise because Landry is a very partisan Republican.

Cut 8 (08) “…went after Republicans.”

Affected legislators, fearing retaliation, mostly stayed silent, although Shreveport Senator Alan Seabaugh criticized Landry’s tactics, saying the vetoes reflect Landry’s push to enforce party loyalty. Bridges says political suspicion in the Capitol was that this would be a way for Landry to use Temple as a scapegoat.

Cut 9 (08)  “…insurance rates.”

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The Big, Beautiful Bill is back in the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson is working to get his fellow Republicans on the same page to get it across the finish line and onto President Trump’s desk. Johnson says there are a lot of good things in the bill.

Cut 10 (07) “…around the world.”

But Democrat Cleo Fields doesn’t see it that way. He says there are a lot of bad things about the bill.

Cut 11 (08) “…left the house.”

Fields says he’s confident that Democrats can get enough Republicans to stick with them to torpedo the bill altogether.

Cut 12 (06) “…going to stop.”

Assuming that all 212 Democrats are present and vote no, that means Johnson can only lose three votes and pass the bill. He says he knows he has his work cut out for him.

Cut 13 (10)  “…our personal preferences.”

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Grambling State University launches the Grambling Research and Resource Foundation. University President Dr. Martin Lemelle (leh-MELL) says it’s a new non-profit designed to advance the university’s pursuit of Research 2 classification and deepen its research footprint.

Cut 14 (06) “…to that purpose.”

Dr. Lemelle says the foundation has several components to it.

Cut 15 (15) “…support faculty innovation.”

Lemelle says research has been core to Grambling’s foundations, since its early days as an agricultural institution. But he says the school has come a long way since then.

Cut 16 (11) “…iteration of technology.”

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LSU has added three left-handed pitchers in the transfer portal since returning from Omaha. Oregon sophomore Santiago Garcia and North Dakota State freshman Danny Lachenmayer were both exceptional in relief last season while Tennessee freshman Ryler Smart spent the year as a redshirt. Tigers pitching coach Nate Yeskie says he felt like his staff needed some balance on the left side of the mound but as for their roles, that will be up to them.

Cut 17 (18)  “…to start.”

Freshman pitcher William Schmidt was ranked as the No. 16 prospect in the MLB draft out of high school by MLB.com last year. Schmidt pitched 32-and-a-third innings for the Tigers this season with a 4.73 ERA. Yeskie says this offseason will determine if he can take the next step.

Cut 18 (20)  “…into the spring.”

Tigers ace Kade Anderson made the leap to dominance his sophomore year after a freshman season behind pitching duo Luke Holman and Gage Jump. Yeskie says Schmidt roomed with Anderson on the road this season to see what it takes.

Cut 19 (18) “…good blueprint.”

Two men suspected in a Lake Charles murder over the weekend are under arrest. The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office says 22-year-old Larry Bigelow was taken into custody in Beaumont, Texas, and 22-year-old Titus Tezeno (TEZ-eh-noh) turned himself in. Both are charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of 23-year-old Kalin (KAY-lin) Stevens.

Book your tickets now for Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

One state senator is expressing frustration over the Supreme Court delaying a ruling over Louisiana’s congressional map. Shreveport Republican Alan Seabaugh is a vocal critic of the current map, and he argued it prioritizes race over equal representation, violating the 14th Amendment.

Cut 10 (11) “…what happened.”

Even though the redrawn map flipped a Republican seat to Democrat last year, the state has argued in favor of that redrawn map.

With Texas State set to leave the Sun Belt for the revamped PAC-12, could Louisiana Tech fill the void? Dave Schultz of the Locked On Sun Belt Podcast says, don’t count on it. He says the Sun Belt has reached out to East Carolina, who responded with a wait-and-see.

Cut 7 (09) “…of the A-A-C.”

One of the two suspects in a Lake Charles murder over the weekend has been captured. The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office says 22-year-old Larry Bigelow was taken into custody in Beaumont, Texas. 22-year-old Titus Tezeno (TEZ-eh-noh) remains on the loose. They’re both charged with shooting and killing 23-year-old Kalin (KAY-lin) Stevens of Lake Charles late Sunday night.

Texas State is leaving Sun Belt for the PAC-12 next year. Louisiana Tech is a hopeful replacement, but the sun might be setting on the Bulldogs. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Amtrak announces that its Mardi Gras Service will begin August 18. It revives passenger rail between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, with four stops in Mississippi – Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula. Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross says you can get your tickets now.

Cut 3 (08) “…limited number.”

Shreveport Senator Alan Seabaugh expressed frustration over the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to delay ruling on a challenge to Louisiana’s congressional map. Seabaugh says the newly-drawn sixth district has already been ruled unconstitutional and lines should be redrawn before the next election; but only Governor Landry can call lawmakers back to address the issue, and that’s not going to happen.

Cut 11 (06) “…uphold that deal.”

The state has argued that the map, with two majority Black districts, should remain as is. The new map flipped one of Louisiana’s six seats from Republican to Democrat last year.

Book your tickets for Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama, now. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Texas State announced they’ll be moving on from the Sun Belt for the PAC-12 next year. Louisiana Tech is a hopeful replacement, but the sun might be setting on the Bulldogs. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Amtrak announces that its Mardi Gras Service will begin August 18. It revives passenger rail between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, with four stops in Mississippi – Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula. Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross says you can get your tickets now.

Cut 3 (08) “…limited number.”

Offering twice-daily scenic trips along the Gulf Coast, it connects to major Amtrak routes like the City of New Orleans. Ross says the service will bring convenience that one stop a day doesn’t have.

Cut 4 (08) “…and tourism.”

Restoring service lost since Hurricane Katrina, it boosts tourism, jobs, and regional mobility while celebrating Gulf Coast culture. Ross says the service reflects significant infrastructure investment, improving connectivity and economic growth.

Cut 5 (12) “…trying to do.”

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Texas State is officially set to leave the Sun Belt for the revamped PAC-12 in 2026 after approving the five-million-dollar buyout earlier this week. Louisiana Tech was rumored to be the apparent replacement, but Dave Schultz of the Locked On Sun Belt Podcast says the conference’s non-Louisiana schools feel the Sun Belt would be over saturated by the Bayou state.

Cut 6 (09) “…two weeks ago.”

While U-L Lafayette and ULM are pushing the Bulldogs due to their historic rivalries and quick commutes, others argue Tech won’t add new TV markets for the conference. Schultz says the Sun Belt has reached out to East Carolina who responded with a wait-and-see.

Cut 7 (09) “…of the A-A-C.”

Schultz says if the Sun Belt wanted Louisiana Tech, there would have been a quick announcement. The conference has been surprisingly slow on the issue and Schultz expects there won’t be an answer by Sun Belt Media Days July 22. He hopes this is because they’re taking the time to consider expansion to 16 teams.

Cut 8 (09) “…and E-C-U.”

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Shreveport Senator Alan Seabaugh expressed frustration over the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to delay ruling on Louisiana versus Callais, a case challenging the state’s new congressional map with two majority-Black districts.

Cut 9 (08)  “…for a ruling.”

Last Friday, the Court opted for re-argument, leaving the map in place for now. Seabaugh, a vocal critic of the redistricting, argued it prioritizes race over equal representation, violating the 14th Amendment.

Cut 10 (11) “…what happened.”

Seabaugh says the district has already been ruled unconstitutional and lines should be redrawn before the next election; but only Governor Landry can call lawmakers back to address the issue, and that’s not going to happen.

Cut 11 (06) “…uphold that deal.”

Amtrak announces that its Mardi Gras Service will begin August 18. It revives passenger rail between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, with four stops in Mississippi – Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula. Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross says you can get your tickets now.

Cut 3 (08) “…limited number.”

The Christian world is mourning the passing of Jimmy Swaggart, who died yesterday at the age of 90. He had gone into cardiac arrest last month and never regained consciousness. Megan Kelly with Jimmy Swaggart Ministries says his family is grieving but in good spirits.

Cut 7 (09) “…good peace.”

The public viewing and wake will be held Saturday, July 12th, from 11 to two; and the celebration of life service is Sunday, July 13th, at six p-m.

Entergy’s natural gas customers will now be making payments to a new company. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 23 (32) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

One school board is considering reinstating corporal punishment for the upcoming school year. The Rapides Parish School Board took up the issue at its meeting last night, with Board Member Linda Burgess saying she received calls from parents requesting that it be brought back. Surveys are being sent to principals at all district campuses to get their thoughts. The board will be taking up the issue again at a meeting later this month.

The Senate passed the Big Beautiful Bill, but it’s not headed to President Trump’s desk just yet. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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People are looking back at the life and ministry of the Reverend Jimmy Swaggart, who passed away yesterday at the age of 90. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Entergy’s natural gas customers will now be making payments to a new company. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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The Big, Beautiful Bill now heads to the House after passing in the Senate 51-to-50, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. The final vote came after more than 24 hours of votes on amendments, most of which were put forth by Democrats. LSU political science professor Robert Hogan says the bill deals with a lot of controversial issues.

Cut 4 (08) “…state like Louisiana.”

One of the most contentious issues was the cuts to Medicaid and how many people would lose coverage as a result. Hogan says after hours of debate, there was little movement on the issue.

Cut 5 (08) “…ultimately receive it.”

Hogan says passing the bill as-is in the House is far from a slam-dunk.

Cut 6 (16) “…to accept it.”

If the House makes any changes, it would have to go back to the Senate. Hogan says he believes one way or another, the bill will get passed in some form and will end up on President Trump’s desk.

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The Christian world is mourning the passing of Jimmy Swaggart, who died yesterday at the age of 90. He had gone into cardiac arrest in June and never regained consciousness. Jimmy Swaggart Ministries spokeswoman Megan Kelly says his family is grieving but in good spirits.

Cut 7 (09) “…good peace.”

Swaggart began his ministry in 1973, televising and broadcasting the gospel to the world. Kelly says its incredible to think there’s not one place on this earth that his ministry hasn’t touched.

Cut 8 (10) “…of Jimmy Swaggart.”

Swaggart had a fall from grace with a prostitution scandal in 1988. But he didn’t lose his faith, and Kelly says Swaggart got on his knees and asked God for forgiveness and to change his life.

Cut 9 (11)  “…is just tremendous.”

The public viewing and wake will be held Saturday, July 12th, from 11 to two; and the celebration of life service is Sunday, July 13th, at six p-m. Both will be held at the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge.

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New Orleans-based Delta Utilities has completed its purchase of Entergy’s natural gas business, adding more than 200-thousand customers in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Delta Utilities CEO Tim Poche (poe-SHAY) says for those customers, the transition from Entergy will be seamless.

Cut 10 (06) “…will continue unaffected.”

Poche says the biggest difference those customers will experience is instead of receiving a single bill from Entergy for both electric and natural gas service, they will now receive a separate bill from Delta.

Cut 11 (09) “…will continue seamlessly.”

Poche says the transition was also seamless for those who used to work for Entergy’s natural gas operations.

Cut 12 (13) “…that same service.”

Entergy says the sale of its natural gas operation will allow it to sharpen its focus on its electric operations. With its acquisition of Entergy’s natural gas operation, along with its earlier acquisition of CenterPoint’s natural gas operations in Louisiana and Mississippi, Delta Utilities becomes the largest regulated natural gas utility in Louisiana.

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Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill says CVS was being deceptive when sending text messages opposing legislation that would ban pharmacy benefit managers from owning pharmacies.

Cut 13 (08)  “…lawsuits is about.”

That text blast is the focus of one of the three lawsuits Murrill filed against the drug store chain last month, with the attorney general alleging that CVS used private patient information to send out a political message. Murrill says she received one of those text messages; she says it targeted seniors, veterans and people with serious health issues.

Cut 14 (08) “…to scare people.”

CVS said in its text blast that if House Bill 358 had passed, it would have to close all of its pharmacies throughout Louisiana, putting hundreds of employees out of work. Murrill says in an indirect way, that’s the focus of another of her lawsuits against the company.

Cut 15 (10) “…out of business.”

CVS has previously issued a statement denying all allegations.

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WWL’s Mike Detillier spoke with LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier at the Manning Passing Academy. Nussmeier was confident in the Tigers revamped offensive line and always lethal weapons. One target he expects to play a big role is six-seven sophomore tight end Trey’Dez Green.

Cut 16 (16) “…really long time.”

Green played in all 13 games his freshman season and tallied 4 touchdowns and 101 yards on just 13 receptions.

On the other side of the ball, Nussmeier highlighted five-star freshman cornerback DJ Pickett. The 6-foot-4 Florida product was ranked as the No. 1 overall corner in the 2025 class by On3 and Rivals and second by ESPN and 247Sports. Nussmeier says Pickett is next in the line of great LSU corners.

Cut 17 (12)  “…elite cornerback”

LSU will kick off the season at Clemson August 30. Detillier previewed the matchup with Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who was also in Thibodaux this past weekend. The junior signal caller is looking forward to welcoming the Tigers to Memorial Stadium.

Cut 18 (15)  “…like Garrett.”

Klubnik passed for over 36-hundred yards and 36 touchdowns in his second season as a starter. The former five-star out of Austin Westlake High School in Texas says he chose Clemson because of head coach Dabo Swinney.

Cut 19 (16) “…love to do it.”

Reverend Jimmy Swaggart has died in Baton Rouge at the age of 90, about two weeks after going into cardiac arrest. Louisiana Radio Network President Jim Engster, whose first full-time job out of college was working for Swaggart at the Baton Rouge gospel radio station then known as WLUX, says Swaggart was a kind, Christian man.

Cut 3 (12) “…after his death.”

The Louisiana Department of Health is launching a campaign this Fourth of July week to help veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder. Surgeon General Dr. Ralph Abraham urges any veteran experiencing PTSD to call the Louisiana 988 Helpline.

Cut 14 (08) “…to do that.”

The board that investigates alleged ethics violations against public officials has new restrictions to abide by. That’s due to a new law as a result of the passage of House Bill 674 by New Iberia Republican Beau Beaullieu (BOW-lee-ay), who says officials have complained for years about the egregious nature of ethics investigations – especially during campaign season. 

Cut 6 (07) “…in a campaign.”

The bill sailed through both houses of legislature, with only two Republican senators voting against it. However, the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana has expressed criticism. PAR President Steven Procopio says among his concerns is a provision that the board of ethics has to determine that the investigation is not too expensive, either for the board or for the person it’s investigating.

Cut 8 (06) “…you were investigating.”

Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart passed away at 90 years old after suffering a cardiac arrest last month at his home in Baton Rouge. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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The board that investigates ethics violations by public officials has new rules to abide by. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Reverend Jimmy Swaggart, a prominent Louisiana televangelist, died at 90 after suffering a cardiac arrest last month at his Baton Rouge home. Louisiana Radio Network President Jim Engster, whose first full-time job out of college was working for Swaggart at the Baton Rouge gospel radio station then known as WLUX, says Swaggart was a kind, Christian man.

Cut 3 (12) “…after his death.”

Born in Ferriday, Swaggart founded Jimmy Swaggart Ministries and Bible College, serving as senior pastor of Family Worship Center. Ordained by the Assemblies of God in 1961, he was defrocked in 1988 after a prostitution scandal. Engster says even though he lost his credibility, he came back like a lion.

Cut 4 (10) “…an amazing life.”

His television ministry, which started in 1975, reached millions globally. A Grammy-nominated gospel artist, he sold over 15 million records. Engster says Swaggart, who was a cousin to Jerry Lee Lewis and Mickey Gilley, gave up a successful commercial music career to be a minister.

Cut 5 (12) “…Jimmy Swaggart.”

Swaggart leaves behind his wife, Frances, and son, Donnie, who continue his ministry through SonLife Broadcasting.

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The board that investigates alleged ethics violations against public officials has new restrictions to abide by. That’s due to a new law as a result of the passage of House Bill 674 by New Iberia Republican Beau Beaullieu (BOW-lee-ay), who says officials have complained for years about the egregious nature of ethics investigations – especially during campaign season.

Cut 6 (07) “…in a campaign.”

Beaullieu stresses, however, that these new rules by no means gives any public official – elected or otherwise – permission to act unethically.

Cut 7 (06) “…from that standpoint.”

The bill sailed through both houses of legislature, with only two Republican senators voting against it. However, the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana has expressed criticism. PAR President Steven Procopio says among his concerns is a provision that the board of ethics has to determine that the investigation is not too expensive, either for the board or for the person it’s investigating.

Cut 8 (06) “…you were investigating.”

However, Procopio says the legislature did address PAR’s biggest concerns by the time the bill got to Governor Landry’s desk, including a provision that required having evidence before even launching the investigation.

Cut 9 (06)  “…couple other things.”

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A federal judge has granted Serve Louisiana’s motion for a preliminary injunction, reinstating the AmeriCorps grant that had been abruptly canceled as part of a nationwide termination effort earlier this year. Serve Louisiana Program Director Maggie Connaro (CON-er-row) says the ruling restores the program’s operations and allows members to complete the 11-month service terms.

Cut 10 (09) “…end of the month.”

Serve Louisiana filed suit in early May following the sudden cancelation of its federal grant by AmeriCorps at the direction of the newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency.  Connaro says the preliminary injunction can be appealed within 60 days, and the battle is far from over.

Cut 11 (12) “…might come about.”

Connaro says this ruling will not only be beneficial to team members that are serving, but also to the people the members were serving in the Corps from food access, youth development, housing access and coastal restoration.

Cut 12 (06) “…serve the community.”

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The Louisiana Department of Health is launching a campaign this Fourth of July week to help veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder. As part of the effort, the Office of the Surgeon General has released a TV public service announcement to reach veterans across the state. Surgeon General Dr. Ralph Abraham says PTSD is serious.

Cut 13 (11)  “…to help them.”

Dr. Abraham urges any veteran experiencing PTSD to call the Louisiana 988 Helpline and press 1 or text 838255 to talk to specialists who focus on providing emotional support to service members, veterans and their families.

Cut 14 (08) “…to do that.”

Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Charlton Meginley says PTSD is very prevalent among service members who were in combat.

Cut 15 (08) “…may be marital.”

The board that investigates alleged ethics violations against public officials has new restrictions to abide by. That’s due to a new law as a result of the passage of House Bill 674 by New Iberia Republican Beau Beaullieu (BOW-lee-ay), who says officials have complained for years about the egregious nature of ethics investigations – especially during campaign season. 

Cut 6 (07) “…in a campaign.”

The bill sailed through both houses of legislature, with only two Republican senators voting against it. However, the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana has expressed criticism. PAR President Steven Procopio says among his concerns is a provision that the board of ethics has to determine that the investigation is not too expensive, either for the board or for the person it’s investigating.

Cut 8 (06) “…you were investigating.”

However, Procopio says the legislature did address PAR’s biggest concerns by the time the bill got to Governor Landry’s desk.

Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart passed away at 90 years old after suffering a cardiac arrest last month at his home in Baton Rouge. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Protestors will gather in Lafayette Square in downtown New Orleans this evening to demand a stop to the ICE raids across the country. It’s the culmination of a tour of ICE detention facilities in Louisiana that the group dubbed “detention alley.” Siti Pulcheon, whose mother is an immigrant, says she could see the anguish in the faces of the people being held.

Cut 6 (11) “…here or elsewhere”

Governor Landry signed a series of bills yesterday aimed at reforming DOTD. During a bill signing ceremony, Landry said the reforms aim to make DOTD more effective and accountable, restoring public trust and maximizing taxpayer value.

Cut 9 (12)  “…for the people.”

A new era of college athletics has arrived. Schools can now pay athletes directly, thanks to revenue sharing in the NCAA. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

President Trump nominates Jefferson Parish Attorney David Courcelle for U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He would oversee federal prosecutions over a 13-parish region, which would include New Orleans. His nomination is subject to confirmation by the Senate.