Voters in about half of Louisiana’s parishes will head to the polls Saturday to elect local officials and decide on various ballot proposals. Joel Watson with the Secretary of State’s office says several areas will hold runoff elections from earlier primaries, while others will vote on sales taxes, millages, bonds, and charter amendments.

Cut 6 (13) “…in your area.”

The Coast Guard is helping to control an oil spill off Plaquemines Parish. Tens of thousands of gallons of oil have gushed out of an old well off the coast. Coast Guard Lieutenant Phillip VanderWeit acknowledges that this is a serious spill and says crews have collected 50,000 gallons of an oily water mixture

Cut 16 (07) “…feet on standby.”

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Crawfish prices are the lowest they’ve been all season. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Advocates gathered outside the State Capitol this week to draw attention to food insecurity. Pat VanBurkleo, the executive director of Feeding Louisiana, says they wanted to let state lawmakers know that many things affect hunger and federal budget cuts are not helping matters.

Cut 11 (10) “…a regular basis.”

The Coast Guard is helping to control an oil spill off Plaquemines Parish. Tens of thousands of gallons of oil have gushed out of an old well off the coast. Coast Guard Lieutenant Phillip VanderWeit acknowledges that this is a serious spill and says crews have collected 50,000 gallons of an oily water mixture

Cut 16 (07) “…feet on standby.”

VanderWeit says the two main jobs are to get the source of the spill under control and to mitigate the impacts to the environment.

Advocates gathered outside the State Capitol this week to draw attention to food insecurity. Pat VanBurkleo, the executive director of Feeding Louisiana, says they wanted to let state lawmakers know that many things affect hunger and federal budget cuts are not helping matters.

Cut 11 (10) “…a regular basis.”

Crawfish prices are the lowest they’ve been all season. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

One lucky Mandeville man made a quick stop to pick up lottery tickets and when he woke up found himself the winner of a $2,445,468 Lotto jackpot. Ronald Myers said to his wife of 35 years, “you’re not going to be believe this”, and she jokingly asked “Did we win the lottery?” The two picked up a their winnings on April 25^th. After state and federal tax withholdings, they went home with $1,785,196.02 with which they plan to pay it forward, upgrade a Disney Trip and invest back into the business, ChillCo.

The Coast Guard has been brought in to help control an oil spill off Plaquemines Parish. Tens of thousands of gallons of oil have uncontrollably gushed out of an old well off the coast. Coast Guard Lieutenant Phillip VanderWeit says crews are working non-stop to get the leak under control.

Cut 14 (09) “…to the environment.”

The cause of the break is unclear, and it’s also unknown how long it will take to plug the well and clean up the contamination.

The Department of Environmental Quality will have a new leader as Secretary Aurelia Giacometto (Jock-ah-metto) accepts a position with the Washington DC  Earth and Water Law Firm. Her tenure at DEQ wasn’t without controversy with several of her own appointees leaving their positions and many staffers expressing displeasure with her management style. Governor Landry thanked Giacometto for her service Friday and named 10-year DEQ Veteran, Courtney Burdette as the new Secretary.

Police in Minden are investigating the death of a toddler inside a home. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A Jefferson Parish woman is convicted of first-degree murder in the highly publicized brutal murder of  6-year-old Bella Fonenelle of Harahan. After a 4 day trial, it took a jury less than an hour to find Bunnak Landun for the murder. Landun left the little girl in a bucket on her mother’s front lawn. She will be sentenced May 6^th and receive a mandatory life in prison sentence.

A two-year-old was found dead inside a home in Webster Parish Thursday. Minden Police responded to reports of an unresponsive child and found the little girl buckled in a car seat along with a 10-month-old child also in a car seat. Both had been left without supervision. Minden Police Chief Jared McIver says this case is gut-wrenching to the entire community.

Cut 5 (09) “…that’s even tougher”

Investigators are trying to determine exactly how the little girl died. The 10-month-old child was uninjured.

Whooping Cough cases are on the rise across the country including Louisiana. The Louisiana Department of Health says we may reach record high numbers with 164 cases already reported this year. Whooping Cough is highly contagious and especially dangerous for children under a year old. There were 40 hospitalizations last year and there have been two infant deaths. It’s especially important to protect infants. Vaccinations are available but not until a baby is 2 months old. Children and adults are encouraged to keep current with their pertussis vaccinations.

Polls will be open in about half of Louisiana’s parishes Saturday. Various proposals and candidates will be on their ballots. Joel Watson with the Secretary of State’s office says several areas will hold runoff elections from earlier primaries, while others will vote on sales taxes, millages, bonds, and charter amendments and he recommends an easy way to learn about the items on the ballots.

Cut 8 (09) “…gonna be on there.”

Crawfish prices are at their lowest level of the season, according to the Crawfish-App. Co-founder of the Crawfish App, Laney King, says May is usually when we see the lowest prices…

Cut 12 (10) “…Mother’s Day.”

Louisiana State Police are investigating the death of a New Iberia man, shot and killed when authorities in the New Iberia area were attempting to take him into Protective Custody. It happened Wednesday when the Iberia Sheriff’s Office assisted by New Iberia Police officers made contact with 30-year-old Justine Rhine and authorities say he produced a firearm. NIPD officers then discharged their service weapons striking Rhine. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A Louisiana program designed for mothers wanting an alternative to abortion is getting underway. The program, called Thrive: The Baby and Parent Network, is administered by the Department of Children and Family Services and operated by Texas-based Human Coalition. Senator Rick Edmonds, whose act in the 2022 legislative session established the program, says it gives pregnant women full access to Human Coalition’s team of nurses and social workers through a chat line or toll free number.

Cut 4 (08) “…kind of format.”

The Louisiana House has approved legislation giving the Insurance Commissioner the authority to reject rate increases deemed excessive. This proposal is backed by Governor Jeff Landry but several Republican legislators are skeptical. Mandeville Representative Jay Galle says the legislation does not make it clear when the Insurance Commissioner can use their authority to block excessive rate increases…

Cut 11 (07) “…is that determined?”

Glorioso says a process will be in place to make sure any rate increase rejected would be done in an arbitrary manner.

Louisiana’s two Democratic congressmen send a letter to President Trump urging him to reconsider cuts to the AmeriCorps program. Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE have reduced staff by 85-percent and eliminated more than one-thousand grants nationwide. Baton Rouge Congressman Cleo Fields says those grants go towards essential services.

Cut 6 (09) “…after-school funding.”

The Louisiana House approves legislation that would give Louisiana’s Insurance Commissioner more authority to reject large rate increases. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

After hearing concerns from Lieutenant Governor, Billy Nungesser, two Louisiana Congressmen, Troy Carter and Cleo Fields, sent a letter to President Trump urging him to reconsider cuts to the AmeriCorps program. Fields says there is no strategic logic behind these cuts.

Cut 7 (10) “…have on people.”

The Department of Government Efficiency has reduced AmeriCorps staff 85 percent and eliminated more than one thousand grants nationwide.

A state program for mothers looking for an alternative to abortion is launching soon. The program, called Thrive: The Baby and Parent Network, was born from an act in the 2022 session by Baton Rouge Senator Rick Edmonds, who says Thrive provides pregnant women with life-affirming care to build long-term stability.

Cut 5 (10) “…and Medicare plans.”

The LHSAA Network has awarded Future LSU Tiger and former Alexandria Senior High star running back J-T Lindsey this year’s Warrick Dunn Award crowning him the best high school football player in the state. Lindsey rushed for just under 25-hundred yards and 33 touchdowns. ASH head coach Thomas Bachman says Lindsey was a pleasure to coach…

Cut 14 (07) “…that you have.”

3 people were taken to the hospital after being struck by a car near the entrance to Jazz Fest this morning. It happened a little before 10:30 this morning at Gentilly Boulevard and Lapeyrouse Street as people were gathering to enter the Fairgrounds for the start of the second weekend of Jazz Fest. The area has been cleared but the investigation into the crash is ongoing. The conditions of the those taken to the hospital have not been released.

A Louisiana program designed for mothers looking for an alternative to abortion is getting underway. The program, called Thrive: The Baby and Parent Network, was established by way of Act 561 of the 2022 regular legislative session, which was sponsored by Baton Rouge Senator Rick Edmonds. He says it provides a telehealth service to help expectant mothers make decisions during pregnancy.

Cut 3 (08) “…a huge factor.”

The Thrive program is administered by the Department of Children and Family Services

Louisiana’s two Democratic congressmen send a letter to President Trump, urging him to reconsider massive cuts to AmeriCorps. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Louisiana House has approved legislation giving the Insurance Commissioner the authority to reject rate increases deemed excessive. Opponents to the measure say the Insurance Commissioner already has this authority, Slidell Republican Brian Glorioso disagrees…

Cut 9 (10)  “…striking it down.”

The Louisiana House has approved bills regarding lawsuit payouts for car accident victims. One of those measures is a medical transparency bill by Slidell Republican Brian Glorioso that would make medical costs admissible in court, so the judge and jury know exactly how much a person injured in a wreck paid in medical costs…

Cut 14 (07) “…consider it.”

The other bill says if a driver is 51-percent or more at fault for a wreck, they are not entitled to damages. Both bills now head to a Senate committee for further consideration.

More than 30,000 residents in Bossier and Caddo parishes were left without power for six hours on Saturday, prompting Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell to demand answers from SWEPCO and the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). About what happened and who is paying for it.

Cut 3 (11) “…whos gonna pay for that.”

Louisiana is once again participating in the federal SUN Bucks program. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Governor Landry announces yet another major economic development project for Louisiana.

Cut 6 (17) “…their other colleagues.”

Woodside Energy is an Australian based company and their 17-billion-dollar investment in this LNG export facility in Calcasieu Parish is the largest single foreign direct investment in Louisiana history.

A Suspected ISIS member has been arrested in Iraq for his alleged connection to the New Year’s morning terror attack on Bourbon Street that killed 14 people and injured over 50 people. The FBI says they believe Shamsud-Din Jabbar who drove his truck into the crowd, acted alone. The suspect arrested in Iraq was arrested for inciting the Jan. 2025 truck attack in the United States according to Iraqi officials and they say he will be prosecuted in Iraq under their country’s anti-terrorism laws.

The Louisiana House has approved bills that seek to reduce the big payouts car accident victims receive after filing a lawsuit. One of those measures is Baton Rouge Representative Emily Chenevert’s (SHEN-UH-VAIR) bill, which says if a driver is 51-percent or more at fault for a wreck, they are not entitled to damages. She says states with lower insurance rates have this law…

Cut 12 (12) “…claim for damages.”

Woodside Energy Group an Australian-based company announces a huge investment in Calcasieu Parish. The liquefied natural gas export facility is the first greenfield LNG export facility to advance since President Trump rolled back the Biden administration’s pause on LNG export permits. Woodside Executive Vice President Daniel Kalms

Cut 7 (13) “…sector this year.”

Louisiana is participating in the federal SUN Bucks program to provide eligible school age children, 120-dollars to use on food during the summer months when they’re out of school. Tim Jenkins with the Department of Children and Family Services, says those participating in certain programs will get a new SUN Bucks card sent to them.

Cut 10 (13) “…the child’s name.”

Australian-based Woodside Energy Group is investing over $17 billion to build a new Liquefied Natural Gas facility in Calcasieu Parish It’s the first greenfield LNG export facility to advance since President Trump rolled back the Biden administration’s pause on LNG export permits. Governor Landry says the project will create about 15-thousand jobs during construction and thousands more once the facility is up and running.

Cut 8 (10) “…their incomes raised.”

Louisiana is once again participating in the federal SUN Bucks program providing eligible 120-dollars to use on food during the summer months. Tim Jenkins with the Department of Children and Family Services, says

families have 122 days – about four months – to use the money and it may only be used for certain food items.

Cut 11 (09) “…nothing like that.”

The House has approved measures that seek to lower the payouts car accident victims receive in court. Jeff Palermo reports that supporters say the legal reforms will help drive down auto insurance rates…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

More than 30,000 SWEPCO customers in Bossier and Caddo parishes were left without power for six hours on Saturday. The outage, ordered by Southwest Power Pool to prevent a broader grid failure, came without warning and has raised serious concerns from residents and business owners. SPP President Lanny Nickell…

Cut 4 (13) “…from reoccurring.”