A House committee begins holding hearings today on Governor Landry’s spending plan for the next fiscal year.  The governor’s office is seeking an 82-million-dollar increase in state funding for its corrections department.  And The Office of Juvenile Justice is seeking a 28-million-dollar increase as Louisiana’s juvenile justice system is incarcerating more youth offenders. Fifteen-million dollars will be used to open a new youth prison in Vernon Parish, and Appropriations Chair Jack MacFarland says they also want to increase staff salaries.

Cut 5 (11) “…make it competitive.”

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry says the state is making great strides towards economic competitiveness. President and CEO Will Green says Louisiana now ranks 24th in the country in both job creation and wage growth and says our state has made significant improvements in the classroom.

Cut 12 (08) “…than ever before.”

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It was a mere formality that the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors made official last Friday – it unanimously appointed Dr. Ramesh Kolluru the new president of U-L Lafayette, removing the interim tag that he had since November. One of Kolluru’s first tasks as he assumes the role full time is to balance the school’s budget, and he says he plans on doing so without any government bailouts.

Cut 14 (10) “…the fiscal year.”

LSU plans to display the Ten Commandments in its classrooms. LSU President Wade Rousse announced on Friday that the university will comply with state law citing a 2024 bill that requires the state to post the Ten Commandments in every K-12 classroom. In addition to college and university classrooms that accept state money.  According to the Louisiana Illuminator, Rousse is waiting for posters to be donated.

It’s been less than three years since the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry introduced a plan to improve our state’s economic competitiveness. Andrew Greenstein has details on the progress.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Louisiana’s Office of Motor Vehicles is warning residents about a text scam that claims to be from their office regarding unpaid traffic tickets. OMV officials are warning us all NOT to lick on links in unsolicited messages.

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LSU applicants will once again have to submit their ACT or SAT scores when applying to the Baton Rouge campus. LSU has been operating under a test-optional policy since June 2022. LSU Board of Supervisors member James Williams opposes changing the policy. He says it will put low-income families at a disadvantage because they cannot afford A-C-T tutoring…

Cut 7 (08) “…on testing.”

But LSU says retention rates and the GPA of students who do not submit a standardized test score are lower than those of students who do provide their ACT scores. LSU Chancellor Doctor James Dalton also says the test score is one piece they will look at for admission…

Cut 8 (13) “…success.”

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry says the state is making great strides towards economic competitiveness. In 2023, the group released its LA Driven strategic plan, outlining a series of goals to achieve by 2030. President and CEO Will Green says Louisiana now ranks 24th in the country in both job creation and wage growth, both far exceeding their original goals well ahead of schedule.

Cut 11 (10) “…of those goals.”

A House committee begins holding hearings today on Governor Landry’s spending plan for the next fiscal year. The governor’s office is seeking an 82-million-dollar increase in state funding for its corrections department as the prison population has grown. Appropriations Chair Jack MacFarland…

Cut 4 (10) “..tax dollars.” 

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LSU is once again requiring applicants to provide their ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (40) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A  rare celestial event to tell you about. From tonight into the early hours of tomorrow, residents in many U.S. states, including ours, will be able to see both the sun and the moon at the same time. This is the last chance to spot a total lunar eclipse until New Year’s Eve 2028.

Governor Landry is going to have another tough sell on his hands with the L-A GATOR program. That’s the voucher program that provides tax dollars to allow parents to, among other things, send their kids to private schools. Senate President Cameron Henry is looking to keep funding at 43.5-million dollars, while Landry wants to double it. But Henry says the program is too new to know whether it’s worth doing that.

Cut 14 (11) “…it every year.”

Now that Tony the crawfish has been pardoned, crawfish season is officially underway – and that means it’s time to start tracking crawfish prices. Laney King is the co-founder of The Crawfish App. ($4.50/lb. for live crawfish; $7.25/lb. for boiled crawfish)

Cut 9 (11)  “…for boiled crawfish.”

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Governor Landry wants to shift West Feliciana Parish’s federal judicial districts. Andre Champagne reports while Landry stated his reason to Congress, there’s an ulterior motive in play.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

LSU men’s basketball looks for its second straight win as the Tigers host Oklahoma at 5 PM. LSU is 3-and-12 in the SEC, while the Sooners are 4-and-11.  In other action today, Louisiana Tech hosts F-I-U at 2 PM.  Southern hosts the best team in the SWAC, Bethune-Cookman at 2:30. Grambling is also home today as the Tigers take on Florida A-and-M.

Governor Landry will have a tough sell on his hands with the program that provides tax dollars that among other things, allows parents to send their kids to private schools. The governor wants to double funding for the LA-Gator program. But Senate President Cameron Henry wants to keep it the same.

Cut 13 (07) “…it’s not sustainable.”

Crawfish season is officially underway. Laney King is the co-founder of The Crawfish App and says the official start of crawfish season is a big reason why prices are down at least a dollar a pound over the last two to three weeks.

Cut 10 (09) “…sell to us.”

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Three vital members of the state’s ag industry were inducted into the Louisiana Agricultural Hall of Distinction in a ceremony hosted by the Louisiana Radio Network. David Cupp has spent 45 years working in the forestry industry

Cut 6 (09) “…faboulous.”

Billy Rogers Leonard owns Integrated Crop Consulting and has spent over 35 years working for the LSU Ag Center, on scientific and technical articles and mentoring dozens of grad students…

Cut 7 (12) “…to be here.”

A Titan in the sugar industry, Simon has led research efforts, secured funding for sugar producers, and played a big role in U-S and Mexico’s sugar trade agreements.

Cut 8 (11) “…be recognized.”

Crawfish season is officially here, and that means we begin monitoring crawfish prices. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The second-ranked LSU baseball team didn’t play it’s best last night.  The Tigers only had five hits, but they beat Dartmouth 5 to 2. LSU plays Northeastern today at 2 PM.  In other action, Louisiana Tech fell to 12th-ranked Southern Miss eight to three. And the Cajuns seven game winning streak ended as they lost to U-C San Diego seven-to-three.

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Governor Landry is asking Congress to shift West Feliciana Parish’s federal judicial district from the Middle District to the Western District. In a letter to lawmakers, Landry stated that his reason is to ease the caseload in a district with a growing population. However, legal analyst Franz Borghardt says Landry has an ulterior motive – to shift cases involving prisoners at Angola to court where he could get more favorable rulings.

Cut 3 (09) “…the Middle District.”

All judges in the Middle district were appointed by Obama, whereas the vast majority of the judges in the Western District were appointed by Trump. Borghardt says once confirmed to the federal bench, that’s when politics are supposed to come to an end.

Cut 4 (08) “…run for re-election.”

It will require an act of Congress to approve Landry’s request; Borghardt says approval is far from guaranteed.

Governor Landry wants to shift West Feliciana Parish’s federal judicial districts. Andre Champagne reports while Landry stated his reason to Congress, there’s an ulterior motive in play.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

Detectives with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested a 19-year-old Alexandria man this week in connection with a February 19^th shooting on there.  We’re told 19 year old Kendale Codray Wilkins was tracked to a residence on Live Oak Street, there he was arrested without incident.

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Governor Landry is going to have another tough sell on his hands with the L-A GATOR program. That’s the voucher program that provides tax dollars to allow parents to, among other things, send their kids to private schools. Senate President Cameron Henry is looking to keep funding at 43.5-million dollars, while Landry wants to bump it to 88-million, which Henry says is untenable.

Cut 12 (07) “…to stop it.”

Now that Tony the crawfish has been pardoned, crawfish season is officially underway – and that means it’s time to start tracking crawfish prices. Laney King is the co-founder of The Crawfish App. ($4.50/lb. for live crawfish; $7.25/lb. for boiled crawfish)

Cut 9 (11)  “…for boiled crawfish.”

Though prices now are about $1.50 a pound higher than what they typically are at the official outset of crawfish season, King says she expects them to come down about $2.50 a pound between now and Mother’s Day.

One Louisiana lawmaker is making another run at raising the minimum wage in our state.  Democrat Delisha Boyd tried two years ago to raise it to 15 dollars an hour, but now she’s proposing raising it gradually up to ten dollars next year, then 12 in 2028, then 14 an hour an hour in 2031.

Cut 5 (07) “…the minimum wage.”

Right now, Louisiana’s minimum wage follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, which has remained the same for seventeen years.

If one New Orleans-area lawmaker has his way, state lawmakers will come out of the upcoming legislative session with a proposed constitutional amendment that would put a lifetime limit of two terms on a person who has served as governor. St. Bernard Parish Republican Michael Bayham’s legislation would mean that former governors Bobby Jindal and John Bel Edwards could not serve as governor again, but…

Cut 11 (11) “…set going forward.”

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Crawfish season officially opened yesterday with one lucky mudbug. Colleen Crain has more.

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

In an effort to reduce its ongoing budget deficit, the City of New Orleans is selling city-owned cars. New Orleans Chief Administrative Officer Joe Giarrusso has said the selling of the vehicles was part of a campaign promise from Mayor Helena Moreno. So far, the city has reportedly sold 46 cars, at a profit of $64- thousand dollars.

One New Orleans lawmaker is taking another run at trying to get a minimum wage increase in Louisiana. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Wind Advisories remain in effect in many parts of Louisiana today and the threat of fires remains high. Ag and Forestry Commissioner, Mike Strain, says crews have battled more than 40 wildfires in Southeast and Northwest Louisiana since the weekend.  Two more forest fires broke out in Beauregard Parish just yesterday. Burn bans are in effect in many parts of the state.

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A New Orleans-area lawmaker has offered up a proposed constitutional amendment for the upcoming legislative session that would place a lifetime limit of two terms on a person who has served as governor. St. Bernard Parish Republican Michael Bayham’s legislation would mean that former governors Bobby Jindal and John Bel Edwards could not serve as governor again.

Cut 10 (08) “…across the board.”

The help wanted sign is already out for Amazon’s new 12-billion dollar data center campus in the Shreveport-Bossier City Area.  North Louisiana Economic Partnership President and CEO Justyn Dixon says there will be hundreds, many paying above 80-thousand a year…and he doesn’t expect Amazon to have to look far to fill those positions.

Cut 8 (08) “…taken up here.”

A south Louisiana lawmaker believes Louisiana’s governor should serve two terms and that’s it. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A state representative from New Orleans is trying again to raise the minimum wage in Louisiana. Democrat Delisha Boyd tried two years ago to raise it to 15 dollars an hour, but that failed. This time, she’s trying a different approach.

Cut 4 (10) “…14 an hour.”

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The announcement of Amazon investing 12-billion dollars on a data center campus in the Shreveport-Bossier City area is still the buzz of the region – and now, the help wanted sign is already out. Amazon has already started posting positions at the data center on its website. North Louisiana Economic Partnership President and CEO Justyn Dixon says there will be hundreds of jobs at very attractive salaries.

Cut 7 (09) “…two-year certifications.”

For the 10th year on the Tuesday after Mardi Gras, Louisiana officially kicked off crawfish season by pardoning one lucky mudbug. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser granted the reprieve yesterday.

Cut 13 (08)  “…Tony the crawfish.” (applause fades)

Tony the crawfish, named for the legendary Tony Chachere (SASH-uh-ree), will live out his time at Chicot (“chico”) State Park in Ville Platte.