Election day is here and thousands will head to the polls today make their voices heard on five constitutional amendments, and the U.S Senate race.  The Republican Senate primary is one everyone is eyeing, but there are also three people vying for the Democratic nomination. But Jeremy Alford, the publisher of LaPolitics-dot-com, says that unlike on the Republican side, none of them are particularly known throughout the state.

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In early voting, according to updated numbers from the Secretary of State’s office, Democrats outnumbered Republicans at the polls statewide by more than eight-thousand – and Alford says that could spell doom for the constitutional amendments.

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May is Mental Health Awareness month; and if you’re feeling depressed, overwhelmed or experiencing any mental health-related distress, you can call or text 9-8-8. Sherrard Crespo with VIA LINK says callers to Louisiana’s 9-8-8 helpline are connected with real, trained crisis specialists who provide confidential, judgment-free support and help individuals navigate tough moments.

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The 2026 Saints schedule is out, and New Orleans will open the season September 13th against the Lions, then they’ll take on Baltimore. New Orleans hosts Las Vegas in week three for the home opener, and then it’s a big Monday night matchup against the Falcons. WWL Radio sports talk show host Mike Detillier says  the Saints also have a tough stretch of games in late November.

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and there’s help if you need it. Michelle Southern has details.

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Today is Election Day.  And if you didn’t vote early, you have your chance today to weigh in on the U.S. Senate race and five constitutional amendments. Jeremy Alford, the publisher of LaPolitics-dot-com, says the Republican Senate primary could incumbent Bill Cassidy’s last stand.

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Louisiana’s 2026 turkey hunting season produced a record harvest of more than four thousand birds. That’s more than 12-percent higher than last year’s season. And the previous turkey season harvest record was 3,695 birds in 2024. Ten years ago, hunters were harvesting less than two-thousand birds. But LDWF Turkey Program Manager Cody Cedotal (SED-uh-tul) says in 2018, a decision was made to push back the start of the season, and it has paid off.

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The Saints’ 2026 schedule is out, and New Orleans will open the season September 13th against the Lions. WWL Radio sports talk show host Mike Detillier says that the Lions will be a tough matchup.

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Election Day is upon us. Jeff Palermo has a preview.

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May is Mental Health Awareness month; and if you’re feeling depressed or overwhelmed, you can call or text 9-8-8. Sherrard Crespo with VIA LINK says Louisiana 9-8-8 is a help line and callers don’t necessarily need to be suicidal to reach out.

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The 2026 Louisiana turkey hunting season produced a record harvest, as more than four-thousand birds were harvested. LDWF Turkey Program Manager Cody Cedotal (SED-uh-tul) says 4,024 turkeys were harvested during the season that ran from April 3rd to May 3rd.

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The 2026 Saints schedule is out, and the Saints first two games are on the road against Detroit and Baltimore. New Orleans hosts Las Vegas in week three for the home opener, and then it’s a big Monday night matchup against the Falcons. WWL Radio sports talk show host Mike Detillier says it will be important for the Saints offense, with its new additions, to get on the same page early.

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After a marathon overnight meeting, a bill eliminating one of Louisiana’s two majority-Democratic districts advanced from a Senate committee on a 4-3 vote early Wednesday morning following more than nine hours of testimony, setting the stage for Republican voting majorities in five of the state’s six congressional districts. Earlier in the night, committee members voted 4-3 against a proposed map by Gonzales Democrat Ed Price which would have protected the strength of Louisiana’s Black voters with two majority-democratic districts.

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This morning’s vote came after hours of debate on both proposals.  The one with just one democratic-majority district will now head to the full Senate.

Louisiana State Police has agreed to pay a 4.8 million dollar settlement in a wrongful death case surround the 2019 fatal arrest of Ronald Green.  That’s according to NOLA.com.  Body camera footage showed Greene was beaten by State Troopers after leading them on a high speed chase near Monroe.  Green died just after midnight May 10, 2019.

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The Hantavirus outbreak on a sight seeing cruise ship sailing through the South Atlantic has some worried another pandemic could happen. Joe Gallinaro has the story.

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A recent audit of 44 Baton Rouge restaurants by SeaD (“seed”) Consulting found that nine failed to disclose that their shrimp was imported. SeaD Founder David Williams says while six of those restaurants had no signage or menu disclosure, there was another issue with the other three.

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The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee took all night and several hours into this morning to hash out a new congressional map. Gonzales Democrat Ed Price presented his map first; and after more than five hours of public discussion, it was voted down 4-3. Price’s map would have created four safe Republican districts and two safe Democratic districts.

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In the end committee members approved Monroe Republican Jay Morris’ bill, which would reinstate the map from 2022, with just one majority-democratic district.

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Committee members adjourned at 4:30 this morning.  The newly approved map will head next to the full Senate.

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The Louisiana Legislature has less money to spend than originally projected. Jeff Palermo on what this means.

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News of three people on a cruise ship dying from the hantavirus has many worried about another pandemic. Hantavirus spreads from rodent droppings to people, and usually a person cannot transmit it to another person. But LSU Health New Orleans infectious disease expert Dr. Fred Lopez says this is a special type of Andes virus, where it can spread between people.

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The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee pulled an all-nighter and ended up adopting a new congressional map with one majority democratic district.  Here’s Andrew Greenstein.

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The push to redraw the map comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that one of Louisiana’s majority-Black districts was unconstitutional because it was based on race.  The map approved by Senate Governmental Affairs heads next to the full Senate.

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The Revenue Estimating Conference has adopted a forecast that will result in fewer available dollars to spend for Louisiana lawmakers. Melinda Deslatte with the Public Affairs Research Council says the changes adopted will lessen state general fund dollars by 104-million dollars for next year’s fiscal year.

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News of three people on a cruise ship dying from the hantavirus and several others infected has some people worried about the possibility of another pandemic. LSU Health New Orleans infectious disease expert Dr. Fred Lopez says hantavirus is not nearly as contagious as other viruses.

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LSU baseball has tied a program high for the most SEC losses in one season. Jeff Palermo has the story.

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Looks like the Senate Governmental Affairs committee will vote earlier than expected on a new congressional map for Louisiana.  Originally set for tomorrow, that meeting’s been moved up to after the full Senate adjourns today.  Options on the table include one majority black district or none, even as Democrats continue to push for two.

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Over the next five days, watch TV or listen to the radio at your own risk. That’s because you’ll be bombarded with some of the dirtiest campaign ads in the Republican U.S. Senate race, with the primary election Saturday. ULM Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says Bill Cassidy, John Fleming and Julia Letlow are going negative, because history has shown that negative campaigning works…so they’re all trying to put distance between their opponents and President Trump.

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For the first time ever, Louisiana will have a recreational alligator hunting season. That after Governor Jeff Landry signed Senate Bill 244 into law.  The bill’s author is Franklin Senator Robert Allain, commercial hunting can’t keep up with the growing alligator population and gators that are turning up in neighborhoods.

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Watching television in the next few days may be a little uncomfortable.  Andrew Greenstein explains why.

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Pineville’s China Queen restaurant has permanently closed its doors following a controversy where a deer carcass, suspected to be roadkill, was discovered in their freezer. The closure follows a police investigation and 31 health code violations, including roaches and unsanitary conditions.

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Recreational alligator hunting is coming to Louisiana for the very first time.  That, after  Governor Landry signed Senate Bill 244 into law. The bill’s author is Franklin Senator Robert Allain, who notes that Louisiana’s alligator population now tops three-million, and there aren’t enough commercial alligator hunters to get it under control.

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A year ago, they were national champs, but with just three games to go in the regular season, the LSU baseball Tigers are making the wrong kind of history this year.  The purple and gold have suffered 18 losses in SEC play, which matches the most conference losses in program history. Tiger Rag Editor Glenn Guilbeau says a lot has gone wrong, but the lack of development from pitchers returning from last year’s team really sticks out.

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If you watch tv-be aware, you’ll be seeing lots of dirty campaign ads in the Republican U.S. Senate race, as the primary is set for Saturday.  ULM Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says Bill Cassidy, John Fleming and Julia Letlow are pulling out all the stops to get their messages out to avoid finishing in last place.

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Monroe Republican Senator Jay Morris says he’s been getting voicemail threats at his after he was accused by the Democratic Party of using a racial slur toward a Black party executive in a tense public hearing on redrawing Louisiana’s congressional districts on Friday.

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We’re told the Senate Governmental Affairs committee will vote on a new congressional map after the full Senate adjourns today.  Options on the table include one majority black district or none, even as Democrats continue to push for two.
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For the first time ever, Louisiana will have a recreational alligator hunting season. Joe Gallinaro reports.

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Neuty the nutria, the New Orleans nutria who’d become an internet icon, passed away over the weekend.  His owners said they learned Neuty had a malignant mass in March and say the cancer was aggressive and spread quickly.  News of Neuty’s passing was shared on Neuty’s official Instagram page yesterday.

The deadline to file and pay 2025 Louisiana state income tax is this Friday, May 15. Kace Kieschnick reports.

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Lake Charles police are investigating a deadly hit-and-run that happened Saturday night in the 1000 block of Fourth Ave. Investigators said when officers arrived, they found a pedestrian dead at the scene. The investigation is ongoing, as the driver involved left the area.

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The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee is expected to vote on Wednesday on a new Congressional map. Friday’s public hearing on the map proposals showed the racial tension. West Monroe Senator Jay Morris has proposed maps that either reduce by one or eliminate both Black-majority Congressional districts. He says the Supreme Court ruled race should not be the primary factor in drawing political lines…

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Morris was questioned by New Orleans Senator Gary Carter who pointed out that Morris is the behind several pieces of legislation that removes Black people from political office…

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