This year’s edition of the KIDS COUNT Data Book shows the pandemic had an unprecedentedly harmful effect on student learning. Annie E. Casey Foundation President Lisa Hamilton says this report shows a higher percentage of Louisiana students suffered from trauma than students nationwide.

Cut 3 (10) “…nationally.” 

A bill that would lift licensing requirements to braid hair did not make it through this year’s legislative session, but bill sponsor Mike Bayham of Chalmette intends to bring the bill back next year, when he says the conditions are more favorable.

Cut 8 (08)  “…push this.” 

In addition to this legislation, a separate lawsuit against the licensing process is going through appeals.

College athletic departments are preparing for the likelihood of paying their athletes a total of 22 million dollars as a result of a historic antitrust case between the NCAA and two former college athletes. LSU Executive Deputy Athletics Director Verge Ausberry says they are just waiting for terms to be finalized

Cut 13 (11)  “…year to year.”

Ausberry expects LSU will remain competitive once revenue sharing between athletic departments and athletes becomes a reality…

Louisiana may have among the country’s highest property and automobile insurance rates, pet insurance here is the most affordable. Dayna Drake with MarketWatch Guides says among the things pet insurance will pay for, depending on your coverage are…

Cut 11 (10) ” …vet visit.”

This year’s edition of the KIDS COUNT Data Book shows the unprecedentedly harmful effect the pandemic had on student learning. Annie E. Casey Foundation President Lisa Hamilton says this report shows a higher percentage of Louisiana students suffered from trauma than students nationwide, Louisiana did not see as many students chronically absent as the rest of the country says Louisiana students are staying in school, and that counts.

Cut 5 (09)  “… on time.”

Hamilton says there are still pandemic funds out there that could help schools catch students up.

Currently Louisiana requires hair braiders to be licensed and have at least 500 hours of education, which can cost as much as 20 thousand dollars. A bill that would have lifted requirements did not make it through this year’s legislative session. Critics of the bill say the hours are essential for education and safety. Bill sponsor Mike Bayham of Chalmette says they are cost-prohibitive and unnecessary.

Cut 7 (06) “…job.”  

Considering Louisiana has among the highest property and auto insurance rates in the country, insurance coverage for your pet here is the most affordable. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

The 2024 Olympic Beach Volleyball Team will have a little Louisiana flavor in Paris this summer. Two LSU Beach Volleyball Alums have qualified for Team USA. Both Tary Kloth and Kristen Nuss have been officially selected to compete. They are the first from LSU. Beginning July 27, Nuss from New Orleans and Koth from Sioux Falls, South Dakota will be part of the excitement when the Women’s Olympic Beach Volley ball competition kicks off.

Governor Landry has signed legislation that prohibits transgender individuals from using restrooms, locker rooms and sleeping quarters at public schools and jails that do not match their biological sex. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (33)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo.” 

Could there be a second Bucee’s location in Louisiana? There is currently preparation and construction underway for one in Ruston. It’s expected to open next year. Now Lafayette could soon be able to add the toothy beaver. According to The Advocate, the construction company that has built other Bucee’s has requested a variance with the zoning board in Lafayette.

The Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office has been featured on the A&E show “Murder at the Motel”. The episode tells the story of twenty-eight-year-old Sonya Ortego’s (or-ta-go) murder at the Dees Motel by Jackie Pruitt on March 24, 2016. Chief Deputy Jared Morton describes the scene.

Cut 3 (11) “…all over the walls.” 

This Saturday and Sunday it’s Free Fishing Weekend in Louisiana. And of course, fishing is a lot more fun when you don’t have to talk about the one that got away. State Wildlife Fisheries Outreach Biologist Josh Porter says chances are there’s a recently stocked pond near you.

Cut 14 (12)  “…those ponds.”

Check their website for a listing of those ponds or their Facebook page.

Two Deputies in Richland Parish were stabbed multiple times after catching up to a fleeing suspect Thursday. 23-year-old Colby Bazan answered RPSO’s request to appear at the sheriff’s office regarding a simple assault and criminal trespass warrant for him involving alleged threats against his family members. When Bazan realized he was under arrest authorities say he fled and when deputies caught up to him, he stabbed two of them with a knife in his possession. Both Deputies were treated and released from the hospital. Bazan is charged with attempted first-degree murder of a police officer and is being held on a one-million-dollar bond.

Governor Jeff Landry has signed legislation that bars transgender individuals from entering certain spaces marked for a gender that does not match their biological gender. Spaces include bathrooms, locker rooms and sleeping areas at schools, prisons, and domestic violence shelters. Denham Springs Representative Roger Wilder says there was strong support for his legislation.

Cut 11 (04) ” …guidelines.”

After signing the bill, Governor Landry said in a statement that he’s proud to sign House Bill 608 which protects women’s safety and reinforces the very definition of what it means to be a woman.

The M-J Foster Promise Program provides grant dollars to adults who want to go to a two-year school and earn the necessary crendtials to get a job in a high demand field. The program is currently taking applications. Brittany Theriot with the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance says last year they had more than ten-thousand applicants…
cut 12 (12) “….M-J Foster Promise-dot-com”

Crawfish season is winding down, and to say it was unpredictable is an understatement.  LSU Ag Center Crawfish specialist Mark Shirley says at the start of the season, things looked dire due to the previous summer drought and extreme heat, and while supply increased in May, it was still around half a typical year. As for the next mudbug season, Shirley says farmers are cautiously optimistic.

Cut 8 (11)  “… next year.” 

Governor Jeff Landry has signed legislation that prohibits a transgender individual from using a bathroom or locker room at a school that does not match their biological gender. what has been called the bathroom bill. Bill author, Denham Springs Representative Roger Wilder says women should not have to worry about a biological man, who is now a transgender woman entering a bathroom

Cut 10 (05) “…their gender.”

The A&E series “Murder at the Motel” will feature the 2016 murder of 28-year-old Sonya Ortego. Chief Jared Morton of the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office says Jackie Pruitt was traveling through town for a court date the following day and rented a room in the DeRidder where Ortego was staying.

Cut 5 (11)  “… at the hotel.”

Pruitt was convicted of first-degree murder in 2017.

As the crawfish season is coming to an end, just how bad was it? Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (28)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

It’s time to grab those fishing poles and cast a line. This Saturday and Sunday it’s Free Fishing Weekend in Louisiana. State Wildlife Fisheries Outreach Biologist Josh Porter says you don’t have to have a fishing license this weekend.

Cut 13 (09)  “…get hooked.”

Two East Baton Parish deputies were shot, and a suspect was shot and killed when authorities were conducting a “knock and announce” search warrant in an ongoing narcotics investigation this morning. One of the deputies was transported to Our Lady of the Lake hospital and is reported in serious but stable condition. Another deputy was shot but the bullet struck his bullet proof vest, and he was not injured. The name of the male suspect killed in the incident that occurred near Hollywood Street and North Foster Drive has not been released.

A bill to repeal a law that would have put speed cameras on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge is welcome news to St. Martin Parish Sheriff Becket Breaux.  In 2022 when lawmakers were discussing the option of speed cameras to reduce speeding and prevent crashes, he responded by…

Cut 3 (07) “…by 25-percent.” 

Lake Charles has secured hosting rights for boys basketball, swimming, softball and baseball high school championships for an additional two years and the 2025 state high school baseball tournament will have a new format as the top three divisions in select and non-select will move to a best out of three championship series. Senior Vice President of Sports at Visit Lake Charles Erick Zartler

Cut 7 (12) “…Lake Charles.”  

Today is “Secure Your Load for Road Safety Day.” Louisiana Highway Safety Commission spokesperson Greg Fischer says it’s important for motorists to properly secure items to prevent them from becoming traffic hazards. Objects as common as two-by-four pieces of wood or a suitcase can create a lethal problem on the road. And Fischer says you might not think a suitcase can do a lot of damage if falls from your car while you’re driving on the interstate, but…

Cut 11 (11) ” …on impact.”

A 2022 law to put speed cameras on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge to prevent crashes was repealed by the legislature this session. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Today is “Secure Your Load for Road Safety Day.” Louisiana Highway Safety Commission spokesperson Greg Fischer says it’s important for motorists to properly secure items to prevent them from becoming potentially lethal traffic hazards. And before you hitch that boat to your vehicle, secure loose objects.

Cut 10 (08) “…or death.”

Lake Charles has secured hosting rights for Boys Basketball, swimming, softball and baseball championships for an additional two years and Visit Lake Charles says it solidifies southwest Louisiana as the premiere high school sports destination of the state. Senior Vice President of Sports at Visit Lake Charles Erick Zartler says he couldn’t be happier…

Cut 6  (07) “…staple here. ” 

Kenny Wayne Shepard says he has a great opportunity for an aspiring Louisiana band.

The Kenny Wayne Shepard band is looking for a band from Louisiana to open for them when they perform at the Raising Canes River Center in Baton Rouge on July 13^th.  They will be holding a Battle of the Bands at the Texas Club in Baton Rouge on June 21 and they are taking submissions now. Shepard says just about any band that does a great show will fit the bill and they are not limiting the search to blues and rock bands.

Cut 14 (07)  “…our crowd.”

The 2024 legislative session yielded some big wins for social conservatives. Legislation requiring classrooms to post the Ten Commandments and reclassifying two abortion pills as dangerous controlled substances are among the major bills to pass. But political consultant Mary Patricia Wray says both measures will likely face court challenges

Cut 12 (02) “…litigated.” 

A bill heading to the governor’s desk would prohibit out-of-state journalists from requesting public records from the governor’s office. River Ridge Senator Kirk Talbot who carried this bill for the governor on the Senate floor says other states also have a similar law.

Cut 4 (12) “…seen it.” 

During discussion on the Senate floor, it was pointed out that the governor’s office is receiving an additional one million dollars to hire more lawyers to work on public records requests.

Estimated restoration times for SWEPCO customers have changed due to the latest weather. Some areas are expected to be restored today if weather permits. Spokesperson Michelle Marcotte

Cut 9 (12) “…flooding.” 

Residents are urged to stay away from downed wires and anything they may be touching. Call 911 to report any hazards.

Governor Jeff Landry is in New Orleans as the city gears up for Super Bowl 59 that will be played in the Superdome February 9^th, 2025. In anticipation of the event, Landry says the city will be improving infrastructure that will have benefits reaching years into the future.

Cut 7 (11) “…post Superbowl.”  

A bill heading to the governor’s desk would prohibit out-of-state journalists from requesting public records from the governor’s office. Gonzales Senator Ed Price questioned River Ridge Senator Kirk Talbot

Cut 3 (15) “..that information.” 

Damaging Severe weather in Northwest Louisiana has wreaked havoc on SWEPCO’s energy delivery system. SWEPCO spokesperson Michelle Marcotte…

Cut 10 (10) “…with our lines.”

Crews are working as fast as they can, but more storms are forecast for the area.

Governor Jeff Landry is in New Orleans today with Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser to talk about getting the state ready for Super Bowl LIX (59) on February 9, 2025 for a record tying 11th time with Miami, Florida.  Landry says New Orleans is ready.

Cut 6  (07) “…city of New Orleans. ” 

LSU baseball comes up short in its bid to repeat as national champions. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo.” 

The legislative session ends today, and lawmakers failed to approve a bill that would ban all edible THC products. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (30)  “…I’m Sean Richardson.” 

Louisiana lawmakers have approved a 48-billion-dollar budget that includes a two-thousand-dollar stipend for teachers and hundreds of millions of dollars for infrastructure projects. House Appropriations Chairman Jack McFarland says teachers can expect their two-thousand-dollar stipend earlier next school year

Cut 3 (10) “…schools.” 

McFarland says the goal is to make that two-thousand-dollar stipend a permanent raise, but they need to see what future projections look like first.

Six Louisiana teams made the NCAA Baseball Tournament and only LSU is left.

Louisiana Tech’s magical season came to an end at the Fayetteville Regional. The Bulldogs won 45 games and a Conference USA Regular Season title. Coach Lane Burroughs says those are two great accomplishments, but the ultimate goal is a trip to the College World Series…

Cut 15 (10) “…keep working.

Hockey is coming back to Northeast Louisiana, but you’ll have to wait until Wednesday to find out who the team is. Monroe Mayor Friday Ellis is encouraging the public to join him at the Monroe Civic Center Arena for a press conference Wednesday morning at ten when he announces the team’s name, shows off their uniforms and signs the team’s first player. Community members will be able to explore corporate partnership opportunities and have first dibs on exclusive merchandise.