House Speaker Mike Johnson opposes a $95 billion foreign security aid bill passed by the Senate, but the Republican from Bossier Parish has told Politco he’s interested in approving a stand alone funding bill for Ukraine, despite objections from his own party Former LSU basketball player and Ukrainian, Roman Rubchenko is pleading with Congress to provide this aid…

Cut 10 (13) “…was introduced” “

Many times, after a car crash, there’s  debris left behind which adds to the state’s litter problem. So Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser has asked State Police, police chiefs and sheriffs to make sure vehicle bumpers, glass, tire fragments and personal belongings are picked up after the vehicles are towed away. He says it will make our roadways cleaner and safer…

Cut 3 (08) “…adds to the litter”  

Louisiana National Guardsmen participating in Operation Lone Star have arrived in Texas. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (32)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The LSU Lady Tigers will find out Sunday night who they will play in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. The defending national champs won ten in a row before losing to South Carolina last Sunday. ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme predicts LSU will be a two seed…

Cut 12 (12)  “…Mississippi State.”

The Metro Council passed an ordinance clearing the first hurdle for a new sports and entertainment arena at LSU with changes to the Raising Cane’s River Center.  Colleen Crain has more on what’s next…

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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The tenth and final medical marijuana pharmacy facility opens in Jefferson Parish. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 2 (30)  “I’m Teiko Foxx.” 

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The average price for a pound of crawfish has dropped another dollar this week. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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 The sports and entertainment arena on LSU’s campus is a step closer after the Metro Council passed an ordinance that, with some exceptions, will limit entertainment seating at the Raising Cane’s River Center and make it more of a convention center when the new arena opens. LSU Chief Brand Officer Cody Worsham says the public-private project elevates Baton Rouge’s appeal as a world class destination…

Cut 4 (10) “…for LSU.”

The new arena with up to 13,000 to 15,000 or more seats will replace the 50-year-old PMAC for sporting events and attract large live entertainment acts. It’s expected to cost between 350 to 400 million dollars, but Worsham says developers will fund the project not taxpayers or the Tiger Athletic Foundation…

Cut 5 (13) “…entertainment acts.” 

Worsham says the Tiger Athletic Foundation is overseeing the project because of their experience with large capital projects and public-private ventures. He says privately owned arenas on campuses is the model that is working in places like U T in Austin, Florida State in Tallahassee, and Arizona State in Tempe…

Cut 6 (09) “…Baton Rouge.”

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The state’s 10^th and final licensed medical marijuana pharmacy opens in Jefferson Parish. Crescent City Therapeutics Owner Lovie Rodgers says the Kenner pharmacy will serve the state’s second most populated parish.

Cut 7 (10) “…Grand Isle.”

The permit for the pharmacy was the state’s most sought-after permit with 33 applications. Crescent City Therapeutics is the second licensed pharmacy in New Orleans Metropolitan area.

Rodgers says the state-of-the-art facility houses a veteran group of experts. The new facility offers walk-in services, free delivery, private consultation rooms…

Cut 8 (06) “…your day.” 

Rodgers says medical marijuana is another option for patients who don’t want to use opiates or other products that could cause harmful side effects. And the new location offers a personalized experience for individuals.

Cut 9 (12)  “…their experience.”

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It’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend and a lucky one for mudbug fans with another dollar drop in the average price for a pound of crawfish. Crawfish App co-founder Laney King says consumers can expect to pay an average of $6.99 a pound for boiled crawfish this weekend.

Cut 10 (11) “…some are lower.”

King says you can find live crawfish for as low as $3.75 a pound on The Crawfish App.

Since the beginning of March, the average price for mudbugs has dropped two dollars a pound. King says prices are down because the supply has finally exceeded consumer demand.

Cut 11 (12) “…(x2) the supply.” 

King says it’s been a very tough year for the crawfish industry after last summer’s drought and extreme heat severely impacted the crop and prices this season are reflective of the limited supply.

Cut 12 (08) “…$140 to $150 for a sack.” 

In addition to downloading the Crawfish App on your phone, you can sign up for their weekly newsletter at TheCrawfishApp.com and follow them on Facebook.

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A cold front system bearing down on the state will bring rain to the Bayou State today through St. Patrick’s Day. Climatologist Barry Keim says the cold front will gradually move across the state and eventually stall in south Louisiana producing plenty of clouds and scattered showers.

Cut 13 (13)  “…half of the state.”

Keim says to keep that raincoat and umbrella handy because the entire state should see rainfall this weekend, but most of the precipitation will be in south Louisiana.

Cut 14 (11) “…weekend.”

Out of the three days, Keim says the chances of severe weather are greater today and Sunday, and Saturday is the best day out of the three if you have outdoor plans.

Cut 15 (12) “…on Sunday.”

On Sunday, Keim says the southern half of the state will have another round of rain.

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The second-ranked LSU baseball team begins SEC play tonight as they visit the Mississippi State Bulldogs for a three-game set in Starkville. The Tigers are 16-and-2 and the strength has been their starting pitching. Tiger pitching has compiled 234 strikeouts and that leads the nation. Coach Jay Johnson expects his guys to keep throwing strikes

Cut 16 (16) “…that’s awesome.” 

LSU’s starter tonight, Luke Holeman, is tied for fifth in the country with 40 strikeouts in four starts.

The Tigers have yet to hit their stride at the plate. They are sixth in the SEC in hitting with a team average of .304. Johnson knew there would be a drop-off at the plate after losing Golden Spikes Award winner Dylan Crews

Cut 17 (21) “…to me.” 

Mississippi State enters SEC play with a 13-5 record. The Bulldogs have only hit 15 home runs, but nine of those blasts have come Dakota Jordan, who is the reigning SEC Co-Player of the Week. Johnson says they’ll have to be careful with him…

Cut 18 (18)  “…good test” 

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New Saints linebacker Willie Gay met with the media today. Gay is known for his speed and playmaking ability. In his four seasons in Kansas City, Gay had 218 tackles, four interceptions, four fumble recoveries and 19 passes defended. Gay is anxious to showcase his abilities in New Orleans…

Cut 19 (18) “…do it all man.” 

Gay is looking forward to playing with starting linebackers Demario Davis and Pete Werner…

Cut 20 (10) “…for sure.”

Senate Education advanced a bill promoting awareness of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 9-8-8. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow’s bill would require schools post the 24/7 free counseling number on their website and school ID cards. Barrow quoted concerning suicide statistics from 2021…

Cut 11 (12) “…to me.”

If you’re planning on traveling over the Easter weekend, plan to budget around $3.15 for a gallon of regular gas. Triple A Fuel Analyst Don Redman says gas prices will keep rising into the summer as demand will also be up…

Cut 8 (07) “…a gallon.” 

The McNeese men’s basketball team is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

For years cars have had a 60 mph speed limit over the I-10 Atchafalaya Basin Bridge and trucks were limited to 55 but DOTD Spokesperson Rodney Mallet says phase 2 of the basin safety corridor will raise trucks to 60 mph.

Cut 14 (10) “…speed limit.”

Sign replacement and camera placement begins Monday night with overnight lane closures through March.

One of Two bills related to mental health on school campuses that advanced out of Senate Education is Lake Charles Senator Mark Abraham’s bill allows public schools to employ or allow a volunteer chaplain to provide support services for students and teachers. Abraham says fifteen other states are currently considering such laws.

Cut 10 (09) “…these schools.”

McNeese is headed to its third ever NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament appearance. Shahada Wells earned most valuable player honors for the tournament as he had 27 points and six assists in the win over Nicholls.

Cut 5 (08)  “…make a run.”

The Bayou Bandits will learn of their NCAA Tournament destination on Selection Sunday at 5 PM.

The Speed limit for trucks crossing the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge is being raised to 60 so the maximum speed will be the same for all vehicles. Phase 2 of the Safety Corridor starts Monday night…

Cut 29

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has jumped 16 cents since last month. Today’s statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.07. Triple-A Fuel analyst Don Redman says higher crude oil prices is raising the price at the pump…

Cut 6  (09) “…a barrel.” 

Big Trucks crossing the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge will soon have their speed limit increased to 60 miles per hour, making the limit the same for all vehicles. It’s part of phase 2 of the Basin Bridge Safety Corridor. Rodney Mallet says the difference in speed limits and motorists weaving in and out of traffic is dangerous…

Cut 15 (05) “…we’ve seen.”

Expect overnight lanes closures beginning Monday to allow crews to replace signs and place informative speed cameras.

Today’s statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.07. which is a 16 cents per gallon jump since last month and Triple-A Fuel analyst Don Redman expects gas prices to continue to rise.

Cut 7 (08) “…a gallon.”  

Two bills concerning mental health at schools advance from Senate Education. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 2 (33)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

The McNeese Cowboys are going dancing as they are headed to the NCAA men’s Basketball Tournament for the first time since 2002. The Bayou Bandits received an invite to the Big Dance by beating Nicholls 92-76 in the Southland Tournament Championship game. A happy Coach Will Wade spoke after his team cut down the nets at the Legacy Center…

Cut 3 (07) “…for everybody.”  

The House Transportation Committee passed a bill that would give motorcycle riders the option to hit the highway without a helmet. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Teiko Foxx.”

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Congress is trying to force the sell TikTok to either sell to a U.S.-based company or ban the app. Brooke Thorington has more…

Cut 2 (32)  “I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Expect overnight lane closures on the I-10 Atchafalaya Basin Bridge beginning Monday as Phase 2 of the Basin Bridge Safety Corridor begins. Colleen Crain has more…

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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The House Transportation Committee passed legislation on Wednesday to repeal the state’s mandatory motorcycle helmet law which has been in place since 2004. The bill passed on a 10-3 vote. Hornbeck Representative Rodney Shamerhorn says wearing a helmet should be a personal choice.

Cut 4 (09) “…vegetable state.”

Under the current law, both riders and passengers are required to wear safety helmets regardless of age.

Shamerhorn wants to change it to people who are over 21 do not have to wear helmet if they can prove they have health insurance. He believes Louisiana has missed out tourism dollars from nearby states because of the helmet law. And noted many activities require safety gear to be available, its not mandatory.

Cut 5 (13) “…a choice.” 

Louisiana is one of 17 states that require full time helmets while riding a motorcycle.

Monroe Representative Pat Moore, who worked for an insurance company for 27 years, opposes the bill. She says riding a motorcycle without a helmet is like playing Russian Roulette. And questions the effect it will have on the state’s already skyrocketing insurance crisis.

Cut 6 (09) “…of it.”

The bill heads to the full House for more debate. 

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Covington Senator and self-proclaimed Parrothead Patrick McMath wants to designate a portion of U.S. Route 11 in St. Tammany Parish to honor Jimmy Buffett.  McMath says when the Margaritaville singer was just starting his musical career he traveled that very highway back and forth to play gigs.

Cut 7 (10) “…so dearly.”

If passed it would be designated as the “Jimmy Buffett ‘Changes in Latitude’ Memorial Crossing.”

McMath says he considers Buffett’s music the soundtrack of his life along with countless other fans. Even though Buffett was born in Mississippi and grew up in Alabama, McMath says the musician had a deep affinity for the Bayou State.

Cut 8 (06) “…New Orleans.” 

The bill advances from Senate Transportation and when McMath offers Senate Bill 44 to the upper chamber floor, he says he plans to dress accordingly.

Cut 9 (06)  “…know yet.”

Buffet passed away on September 1^st at the age of 76. The Coral Reefer Band along with special guests will perform a tribute to the late singer at Jazz Fest this year.

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A proposed U.S. law targeting the social media app TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese base company ByteDance, could force the company to sell its controlling stake or be blocked in the U.S. Host of the podcast Tech Gumbo Host Haggai Davis says the issue is over the user data it collects and that it’s being sold within the communist country.

Cut 10 (07) “…a problem.”

Davis says the bill forces the company to be sold to either a U.S.-based or a non-Chinese company to alleviate security concerns that a communist country could be misusing data against Americans.

Cut 11 (10) “…in the United States.” 

Like other social media apps and search engines, Davis says when you sign on to any of them you automatically allow them to track your online activity which then gives advertisers insight of your personality traits.

He says the issue with TikTok is that the ownership is based in a Communist Country.

If you use the popular app, to promote your brand or business, Davis says he doesn’t anticipate it being banned anytime soon.

Cut 12 (11) “…180 days.” 

On Wednesday the U.S. House approved the bill, which now heads to the Senate.

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Phase 2 of the I-10 Atchafalaya Basin Bridge Safety Corridor begins Monday. Crews will be replacing speed limit signs and installing informative speed cameras that measure motorists’ speeds by radar. Rodney Mallett with the Louisiana Department of Transportation says there will be lane closures…

Cut 13 (11)  “…Sunday night”

For years, cars have had a 60 mile per hour speed limit while trucks were limited to 55 miles per hour. Mallet says in phase two, there will be one limit for all vehicles…

Cut 14 (10) “…speed limit.”

Mallett says, the informative cameras that show motorists their speeds will eventually be replaced by enforcement cameras that will photograph license plates of speed violators. He says speeding motorists dangerously weave through traffic around other drivers…

Cut 15 (12) “…to fatalities”

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The LSU men’s basketball team begins play today as an eight-seed in the SEC Tournament. Coach Matt McMahon’s team will face Mississippi State at noon…

Cut 16 (16) “…five games.” 

All SEC Selection Josh Hubbard is averaging 17 points to lead State. He scored 32 points against the Tigers earlier this season and hit six three-pointers in a 20-point win over LSU. McMahon days the Bulldogs defense does a good job of holding its opponents to less than 70 points a game…

Cut 17 (15) “…physicality.” 

Governor Jeff Landry is asking state lawmakers to create an Education Savings Accounts program, to use taxpayer dollars to help families send their child, to a different school. Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin says former Governor John Bel Edwards was an opponent because it would take money away from public education.

Cut 7 (10) “…consequences.”

He says an Education Savings Account bill has yet to be filed.

State Police has provided more information on a fatal shooting involving a Calcasieu Parish Sherriff’s deputy. Trooper Derek Senegal says during a traffic stop last Thursday on I-10 between Lake Charles and Iowa, 37-year-old Quinton Baker of Gadsden, Alabama, was killed when he attempted to drive off while a deputy was searching inside his SUV.

Cut 12 (05)  “…struck Baker.”

Advocating to move from their existing 60-year-old headquarters, New Orleans PD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick describes the myriad of issues plaguing the current facility.

Cut 1 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Agile Cold Storage plans to build a 46-million dollar cold storage facility in St. Tammany Parish which will create 100 jobs. St. Tammany Corporation CEO Chris Masingill says the space will have highly automated, multi-temperature and conventional warehousing and logistics support. He says the building will primarily house poultry for export every week.

Cut 10 (07) “…of New Orleans.”

New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick spoke to city council committee members in a plea for a new facility. She described the wretched building conditions with inoperable elevators, air conditioning, plumbing, and high marijuana evidence eating rats in the 60-year-old headquarters.

Cut 5 (12) “…not acceptable.”

A 10-year lease for a proposed building would cost $7.6 million.

Governor Jeff Landry has told lawmakers Louisiana is failing its students and cited a report that ranks the state 46th in education. Council for a Better Louisiana president Barry Erwin says Landry is asking legislators to create an Education Savings Accounts program, which would use taxpayer dollars to help families send their child to a different school.

Cut 6  (08) “…other options” 

Agile Cold Storage announces plans to invest 46 million dollars in the first cold storage facility in St. Tammany Parish. St. Tammany Corporation CEO Chris Masingill says it will create dozens of jobs…

Cut 9 (09) “…particular project.” 

The company estimates the project will result in a total of 195 potential new jobs. The new facility, will be located in Pearl River, will prepare fresh food for transportation by blast-freezing and packing it for shipment.

More is known about the fatal shooting involving a Calcasieu Parish Sherriff’s deputy last week. Louisiana State Trooper Derek Senegal says during a traffic stop on I-10, 37-year-old Quinton Baker of Alabama, was killed when he drove off with the deputy while he was inside the SUV conducting a search. The vehicle struck a concrete barrier, crossed three lanes of traffic before striking several trees. Baker was pronounced dead at a Lake Charles hospital. Senegal says the deputy responded appropriately.

Cut 13 (05) “…incident.”  

Approximately two kilos of cocaine were recovered from the vehicle.

State Police has provided more information on a fatal shooting involving a Calcasieu Parish Sherriff’s deputy. Trooper Derek Senegal says during a traffic stop last Thursday on I-10 between Lake Charles and Iowa, 37-year-old Quinton Baker of Gadsden, Alabama, was killed when he attempted to drive off while a deputy was searching inside his SUV.

Cut 12 (05)  “…struck Baker.”

While addressing the New Orleans city council committee members in a plea for a new facility, Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick described the wretched building conditions and reminded members of a recent tour of the evidence room.

Cut 3 (13) “…all high.”  

Kirkpatrick stressed the need to move to another building and their proposal to lease two floors of the DXC building on Poydras Street.

Get ready to hear about Education Savings Accounts during the legislative session. Jeff Palermo explains what they do…

Cut 2 (30)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

Friday is senior night for the 2^nd ranked LSU Gymnastics squad including Olivia Dunne who Dunne only competed in four meets last year because of injuries, but she says a more focused approach to all of her responsibilities has led to better results.

Cut 16 (15) “…on it” 

LSU hosts North Carolina Friday.

On the opening day of the legislative session, Governor Jeff Landry laid out his agenda for lawmakers. He began his speech by encouraging legislators to make his reforms in public education. The governor says he wants parents in control of a child’s education and take away some of the burdens affecting teachers…

Cut  14 (14) “..can teach”

La Politics dot com editor Jeremy Alford says legislators also have to approve a budget for next fiscal year. He says lawmakers will look at reducing state spending with an eye towards 2025 when a temporary sales tax expires

Cut 11 (12) “…tough decisions”

A package of bills aimed to make Louisiana number one in the country regarding election integrity will be addressed in the regular session. Teiko Fox has more.

Cut 1 (30)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx.”

After one day of early voting, the number of mail-in ballots for the presidential primary is the third highest in Louisiana’s election history and it’s possible it could eclipse the 2022 Senate primary for mail-in votes. JMC Analytics pollster John Couvillon…

Cut 8 (09) “…it happening.”