The list of republicans challenging Bill Cassidy for his U.S. Senate seat has gotten a little more crowded. Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta has announced today that he’s running for his seat. Skrmetta made the announcement in a video, in which he introduced himself to voters statewide.

Cut 14 (10) “…and engineering company.”

Skrmetta joins State Treasurer John Fleming and State Senator Blake Miguez among the prominent Republicans to challenge Cassidy for the seat that he has held for two terms.

When people think of tourism in Louisiana, naturally the one city that comes to mind is New Orleans. But in speaking to Jim Engster on Talk Louisiana, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says while New Orleans is certainly a fun place to visit, he’s trying to change that narrative.

Cut 12 (09) “…of the state.”

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A dispute over trash pickup and sanitation in the French Quarter is heating up. Mayor LaToya Cantrell is looking to terminate the contract with I-V Waste and award an emergency contract to Henry Consulting at a higher cost. That’s not sitting well with many who live and work in the Quarter. Glade Bilby with the French Quarter Management District says even though a judge ruled the Mayor can move forward with the emergency contract, the issue is far from over.

Cut 3 (11) “…not quite settled.”

Louisiana Speaker Pro Tem Mike Johnson has established a committee to monitor and communicate with the LHSAA. Johnson says the LHSAA is a private corporation with authority over student-athletes across the state.

Cut 6 (10) “…little involvement.”

Four people, including three kids, are killed in a house fire in Raceland early yesterday morning.  We’re told one adult in the home did manage to escape. Ken Pastorick with the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal says Pastorick says while the cause is still under investigation, it’s possible that a lack of working smoke alarms may have made the difference between life and death.

Cut 6 (09) “…believe they were.”

For the second time ever, there are more than two million non-farm jobs in Louisiana. Adam Knapp, the CEO of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says this is tremendous as every region of the state is experiencing job growth.

Cut 9 (08)  “…rarely the case.”

Knapp especially singled out the Northshore, with places like Slidell and Hammond leading the state.

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More than one-thousand girls ages 5 to 19 will descend upon Ruston this weekend for the 50th Dixie Softball World Series.  It’s being held at the Ruston Sports Complex.  It’s a community wide effort.  Experience Ruston’s Tori Davis says volunteers will help as scorekeepers, announcers and gate workers, plus more than 80 families will host visiting players and their families.

Cut 12 (13) “…many days.”

Baton Rouge Police will be featured on the TV show “On Patrol: Live.” Police recruitment rates have been down nationwide Chief TJ Morse says he hopes the exposure brought by the show can help stop the slide in Baton Rouge. Morse says the department’s most recent basic training graduating class was seven officers.

Cut 15 (14) “…82-thousand.”

More than one-thousand girls ages 5 to 19 will descend upon Ruston this weekend for the 50th Dixie Softball World Series. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

For only the second time ever, the number of non-farm jobs in Louisiana surpasses the two-million mark. The state eclipsed the milestone in the second quarter this year. Adam Knapp, the CEO of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says while the job growth can be attributed to efforts to grow diverse, resilient industries, two of them are leading the way.

Cut 8 (10) “…across the U.S.”

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Four people are dead, including three children…killed in a house fire in Lacourche Parish.  It happened in Raceland around one yesterday morning.  Pastorick says one adult managed to escape the flames.

Cut 5 (07) “…she is hospitalized”

The Baton Rouge Police Department will be featured on the TV show “On Patrol: Live.” Police Chief TJ Morse says he’s excited for people to get a look at the inner workings and advanced technology of policework in the Capitol Area

Cut 14 (13) “…really is.”

The program airs Friday and Saturday nights on Reelz and streams on Peacock.

Four people, including three kids, are killed in a house fire in Lafourche Parish. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

A coastal restoration project heavily damaged by Hurricane Zeta in 2020 could be revived soon, according to the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.  CPRA and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management recently signed an agreement authorizing the use of up to 4 million cubic yards of sand—to repair the West Belle Headland west of Port Fourchon. To give you some idea, that’s enough sand to fill up the inside of the Superdome.

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For only the second time ever, the number of non-farm jobs in Louisiana surpasses the two-million mark. The state eclipsed the milestone in the second quarter this year. Adam Knapp, the CEO of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says this is tremendous news and a testament to the growth of the economy.

Cut 7 (11) “…that since then.”

Knapp says every region of the state is experiencing job growth.

More than a thousand softball players will be in Ruston this weekend for the 50^th Dixie Softball World series.  The tournament will run from tomorrow through Wednesday at the Ruston sports complex with opening ceremonies tonight at Louisiana Tech.   Experience Ruston’s Tori Davis says the tournament will have major impact on the local economy.

Cut 11 (11) “…like this.”

Louisiana achieves a jobs milestone for only the second time in the state’s history. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Baton Rouge Police Department will be featured on the TV show “On Patrol: Live,” which airs Friday and Saturday nights on Reelz and streams on Peacock. Police Chief TJ Morse says it’s focus on a day in the life of his officers.

Cut 13 (08)  “…action, action, action.”

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Four people, including three children, were killed in a house fire in Lafourche Parish early yesterday morning. Ken Pastorick with the Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal says firefighters were called to the home in Raceland at around one yesterday morning.

Cut 4 (08) “…six-year-old male.”

The cause of that fire is still under investigation.

As many as 90 softball teams from ten states will be in Ruston this weekend for the 50th Dixie Softball World Series. More than one-thousand players ages 5 to 19 will compete at the Ruston Sports Complex. Experience Ruston’s Tori Davis.

Cut 10 (10) “…this weekend.”

The candidates in the 2026 U-S Senate race have submitted their campaign finance totals, and incumbent Bill Cassidy has a big lead financially over his two main challengers. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Louisiana’s 93 year old State Capitol is being refurbished.  It’s the third phase in a four-phase project. old structure. Architect Matt Baker, the Assistant Director of Facility Planning and Control says the exterior cleaning will be thorough.

Cut 8 (13) “…for energy efficiency.”

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Public schools can get updated computers because of Act 161 from the 2025 legislative session. That’s thanks to a buyback program created to take back outdated computers bought for remote learning during the Covid pandemic.  Franklin Representative Vinney St. Blanc says his legislation cuts the red tape.

Cut 14 (10) “…work with him.”

McNeese is renaming its football stadium to Navarre Stadium after Lake Charles Navarre Auto Groups President Billy Navarre who will gift five-million dollars over the next ten years. Navarre is a member of the McNeese Foundation board and has been a longtime supporter of the university and Athletics Department. He says the basketball program brought in almost five million dollars in two trips to the NCAA tournament.

Cut 12 (13) “…be safe.”

The State Capitol is undergoing a thorough exterior cleaning. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Public schools can get updated computers because of Act 161 from the 2025 legislative session. Franklin Representative Vinney St. Blanc says during the Covid pandemic, schools used federal dollars to purchase computers for remote learning that are now obsolete. His bill creates a buyback program.

Cut 13 (13)  “…good, good bill”

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The latest campaign finance numbers are in for the 2026 U-S Senate race and it appears Incumbent Bill Cassidy has a big financial lead over State Treasurer John Fleming and State Senator Blake Miguez to the tune of close to seven million dollars. La-politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says the wild card in next year’s U-S Senate primary is Congresswoman Julia Letlow.

Cut 5 (12) “…as facts.”

McNeese is renaming its football stadium to Navarre Stadium in the largest naming rights gift in school and Southland Conference history. Lake Charles Navarre Auto Groups President Billy Navarre will gift five-million dollars over the next ten years. University President Wade Rousse says Navarre was one of the first people to invest in the Cowboys Athletics two years ago.

Cut 11 (11) “…entire region.”

The latest campaign finance numbers are in for the 2026 U-S Senate race for the three main Republican candidates. Incumbent Bill Cassidy has nine-million dollars on hand. State Treasurer John Fleming has 2.1-million dollars to spend, and State Senator Blake Miguez has 1.7. La-politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says Fleming’s and Miguez’s campaigns are mostly self-funded, which is not unusual.

Cut 4 (08) “….their own money”

The State Capitol is undergoing a thorough exterior refurbishment. This is actually the third phase in a four-phase project to rehabilitate the 93-year-old structure. Architect Matt Baker, the Assistant Director of Facility Planning and Control, says part of it involves a thorough cleaning of the outside of the building that will better waterproof it.

Cut 7 (10) “…shed those contaminants.”

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Tigers head coach Brian Kelly spoke to the Baton Rouge Rotary Club just over a month before the season kicks off. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

McNeese is renaming its football stadium to Navarre Stadium in the largest naming rights gift in school and Southland Conference history. Lake Charles Navarre Auto Groups President Billy Navarre will gift five-million dollars over the next ten years. Athletic Director Heath Schroyer says investment in McNeese is investment in Lake Charles.

Cut 10 (15) “…this region.”

The Saints report for training camp today under first-year head coach Kellen Moore. All eyes will be on the quarterback room to see who wins the starting job. NewOrleans-dot-football reporter Mike Triplett says it will be a true open position battle between second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler and second-round pick Tyler Shough (“shuck”).

Cut 7 (13) “…for this team.”

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will be holding another black bear hunting season in December. John Hanks, the large carnivore manager for LDWF, says beginning next Monday, 25 tags will be available in a month-long lottery.  That’s up from ten tags last year.

Cut 12 (10) “…by our citizens.”

Applicants will pay a 50-dollar non-refundable fee, and the 25 lucky ones who get hunting tags will be required to attend a LDWF bear hunter training course.

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The long-talked about Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project in Plaquemines Prish won’t happen after all.  The chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Gordon Dove, says the cost became too much.

Cut 13 (14)  “…three point one billion”

Dove says the state will now move forward with a smaller diversion plan called the Myrtle Grove project in Plaquemines Parish.

BESE board member Paul Hollis will soon be leaving his post to become the new director of the U.S. Mint. The former lawmaker from St. Tammany Parish’s  nomination hearings before the Senate will take place in the fall, and he’s not expected to face any resistance. Once confirmed, he says he will act on the Presiden’t  call to end the minting of the penny.

Cut 6 (07) “…to make it.”

BESE board member Paul Hollis will soon be leaving his post to become the new director of the U.S. Mint. The former lawmaker from St. Tammany Parish says he’s been an avid coin collector his entire life, ever since his grandmother gave him a coin she had saved from the Great Depression.

Cut 4 (14) “…my entire life.”

Louisiana has stopped a large-scale coastal restoration project called the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project.  The chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Gordon Dove, says the state will now move forward with a smaller diversion plan called the Myrtle Grove project in Plaquemines Parish.

Cut 15 (09) “…within three years.”

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The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is holding another black bear hunting season; and as Colleen Crain reports; this year’s will be even bigger than last year’s.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

The body of a missing St. Martin Parish teen has been found.  St. Martinville Police Department officials say the body of 15 year old Iris Davis, was found in a field near her home her residence. Officials say the teen’s death is being investigated as a homicide.