Governor Jeff Landry said this week that New Orleans is no longer important to Louisiana as it once was. But Stephen Barnes, the director of the Kathleen Blanco Public Policy Center at UL Lafayette, says the New Orleans region has more influence on the state’s economy than any other metro area in the state.

Cut 4 (12) “…state tax revenues.”

A man and woman from Houma have been arrested, accused of physically and sexually abusing children. Investigators with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office say 57-year-old Thomas Tucker the Third is behind bars facing multiple charges. Deputy Blake Tabor says  Tucker has passed himself off as someone who children could trust and confide in.

Cut 14 (10) “…of Society Ministries.”

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Veteran running back Alvin Kamara will indeed be a Saint this season. Kace Kieschnick has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

The U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent. Year-round Daylight Saving Time would result in more sunlight in the winter evening hours but later sunrise times. Supporters argue evening sunlight will be good for local economies, while opponents raise concerns about dark commutes for students and workers.

As the size of the Meta data center in Richland Parish grows, so do concerns over how much it could cost utility ratepayers. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

At Meta’s expansion announcement earlier in the week, Governor Jeff Landry made it a point to say that New Orleans isn’t as important as it once was to Louisiana.

At Meta’s expansion announcement, Governor Jeff Landry made it a point to say that New Orleans isn’t as important as it once was to Louisiana.  But Stephen Barnes, the director of the Kathleen Blanco Public Policy Center at UL Lafayette says…

Cut 6 (11) “…the state economy.”

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A man and woman from Houma have been arrested on allegations of physically and sexually abusing children. Investigators with the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office say 57-year-old Thomas Tucker the Third is the perpetrator and is behind bars on more than 600-thousand dollars bond. Deputy Blake Tabor says Tucker is facing a slew of charges.

Cut 13 (09)  “…two counts.”

Saints running back Alvin Kamara is finalizing a restructured deal to take a pay cut to stay in New Orleans. The 30-year-old had jaded back-and-forth with the front office regarding his future after the Saints signed free-agent running back Travis Etienne (AY-chan). Nola.com’s Matt Paras (“Paris”) says in an offseason where the Saints lost Taysom Hill and Demario Davis, it’s good to see a veteran star return.

Cut 11 (10) “…people are happy.”

A man and a woman from Houma are behind bars, charged with sexually assaulting children.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A Shreveport man is accused of shooting and killing his mother at a condominium complex in Metairie Wednesday morning.  Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Officials say 21-year-old  Nakee Collins shot his 48-year-old mother multiple times.  Though detectives are still working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting, including a motive Collins is in the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center charged with second degree murder.

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As that Meta data center in Richland Parish grows, so do concerns over whether utility ratepayers will be stuck with the bill. Alaina DiLaura with the group Alliance for Affordable Energy says she doesn’t exactly trust Meta and Entergy when they say they will cover all the costs of the electricity needed to power the massive facility.

Cut 7 (10) “…shifted to residents.”

Monroe Mayor Friday Ellis, whose city is one parish to the west of the data center, says he’s confident that Meta and Entergy will keep their end of the bargain and not stick ratepayers with the bill.

Cut 9 (08)  “…State of Louisiana.”

The number of non-farm jobs in Louisiana has topped 2.01 million for the first time in state history. That’s according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Adam Knapp, the CEO of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says Monroe posted the fastest job growth of any metro area, fueled by construction of Meta’s 50-billion-dollar data center in Richland Parish. He says six of the state’s ten metro areas added jobs, while Houma and Shreveport lost jobs.

Cut 11 (10) “…the coming year”

Teachers in Richland Parish say the Meta data center is already providing benefits for students there. Sarah Morris, who teaches third and fourth grade at Holly Ridge Elementary School, says the data center is allowing students to learn valuable skills that many adults couldn’t even think of grasping.

Cut 8 (11) “…learn about it.”

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SWAC Media Day kicks off in Birmingham, Alabama, today. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

The Sun Belt kicks off media days in New Orleans today.  UL Lafayette was picked to finish second in the West division in the preseason coaches’ poll.  We’ll hear from the Cajuns, , La Tech and ULM during today’s events.

A deputy U.S. marshal was killed in a shooting in Alexandria this week. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A federal appeals court on Tuesday ended more than 60 years of federal oversight of a Louisiana school system that had been ordered to eradicate all vestiges of segregation. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the mandate for the Concordia Parish School Board.  It’s a victory for President Donald Trump’s administration, which had made the school system a focal point in its attempt to end legal cases dating back to the Civil Rights era.

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If you live in Avoyelles, St. Landry, St. Tammany or Terrebonne parishes and your property sustained damage from Tropical Storm Arthur, you may be eligible for FEMA assistance. Nate Custer with FEMA says once you register, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment.

Cut 5 (11) “…to your property.”
To register, either download the FEMA app, go to disaster assistance-dot-gov or call 800-621-3362.

The number of non-farm jobs in Louisiana has topped 2.01 million for the first time in state history. That’s according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Adam Knapp, the CEO of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says it’s a major milestone, driven largely by growth in the construction industry.

Cut 10 (12) “…the capital region.”

More people than ever are working in Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Teachers in Richland Parish say the Meta data center is already providing benefits and will continue to do so once it’s fully built out. Sarah Morris, who teaches third and fourth grade at Holly Ridge Elementary School, says the technology associated with it is boosting student achievement.

Cut 7 (07) “…kids love it.”

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If you live in Avoyelles, St. Landry, St. Tammany or Terrebonne parishes and your property sustained damage from Tropical Storm Arthur, you may be eligible for FEMA assistance. Nate Custer with FEMA says while the deadline to apply for assistance isn’t until late next month, you shouldn’t procrastinate.

Cut 4 (11) “…happened to you.”

To register, either download the FEMA app, go to disaster assistance-dot-gov or call 800-621-3362.

A new law going into effect August 1st sets a minimum length limit of 12 inches and a daily creel limit of five for black bass and a minimum length of eight inches and a 25-fish daily limit for crappie in portions of the Atchafalaya Basin. Ryan Montegue with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says the law hopes to improve fishing in the area.

Cut 13 (09)  “…catch larger fish.”

A new study shows that the benefits of bariatric surgery go beyond just massive weight loss. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Louisiana ranks among the 10 worst states to live in for 2026.  That’s according to a new CNBC report that gave our state a quality of life score of just 89 out of 290 points.  The report cites reproductive rights, inclusiveness, and crime as some of Louisiana’s biggest challenges.
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The search for the remains of a 15-year-old Baton Rouge boy is underway at the Baton Rouge North Landfill after authorities say Je’Derrius Minnieweather was beaten to death and dumped in a trash can.   The FBI is helping with the search. Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp says investigators have narrowed the search area to about one acre, but there are massive amounts of debris to sift through.

Cut 11 (11) “…at a time.”

Meta is expanding its Richland Parish A-I data center, becoming one of the largest data centers in the world. An estimated 75-hundred construction workers are needed to build the project and once the facility is constructed, it’s expected to employ one-thousand people. Governor Jeff Landry says this is the kind of job creation he talked about when he ran for office.

Cut 6 (12) “…those opportunities elsewhere.”

A St. Tammany Parish youth pastor is in jail on a decades old crime. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

The search for the remains of 15-year-old Je’Derrius Minnieweather is underway at the Baton Rouge North Landfill. Police here say 51-year-old Maurice Parms beat Minnieweather to death and dumped his body in a trash can that was picked up during garbage collection.  Minniweather’s grandmother, Jawanna Brooks…

Cut 10 (07) “…his mom don’t.”

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Meta’s Richland Parish A-I data center is expanding to become one the largest data centers in the world.  It’ll take about 75-hundred construction workers to build the project and Meta says it’s willing to train many of them for free.  Meta President Dina Powell McCormick says anyone interested in getting trained for electrical, plumbing and fiber optics should look into Meta’s America’s Workforce Academy.

Cut 5 (11) “…data center site.”

A new study from LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center shows that bariatric surgery is not only safe and effective in helping morbidly obese people lose weight, but it also helps improve obesity-related health conditions. Dr. Philip Schauer (“shower”), who led the study, says of the patients evaluated after bariatric surgery, not only lost an average of 30 percent body weight, but…

Cut 7 (13) “…60-percent improvement.”

A difficult search is underway for the remains of a teenager who authorities believe ended up in a landfill. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A deputy U.S. Marshal was shot and killed while serving an arrest warrant on a fugitive in Alexandria yesterday afternoon. According to officials, the suspect is in custody.  We’re told the FBI is leading the investigation into the deputy’s death. The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation into the shooting itself.

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Meta has announced it’s expanding its Richland Parish A-I data center to five gigawatts, becoming one of the largest data centers in the world. Work on the 32-hundred-acre site is underway; and the president of Meta, Dina Powell McCormick, says they anticipate the project will be completed in 2036.

Cut 4 (12) “…to move fast.”

A St. Tammany Parish youth pastor is arrested for allegedly sexually abusing several children decades ago. 72-year-old David Mercer was wanted on a warrant issued out of Bossier Parish. Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Matthew Bertrand says Mercer was wanted for crimes committed between 1989 and 1995, while he had served as youth pastor at Cypress Baptist Church in Benton.

Cut 13 (08)  “…molestation of juveniles.”

More than 20 cases of the parasitic infection cyclosporiasis have been reported in Louisiana.  Louisiana is one of 29 states reporting cases of the parasitic infection. Sokol says dying from cyclosporiasis is extremely rare, but the infection is more than just your average upset stomach.

Cut 5 (12) “…loss of appetite.”

A new Louisiana law will require groups releasing political ads using A-I technology to disclose they’re using it.  New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry authored the bill which is now law, says such A-I content is something that will likely be addressed next year.

Cut 8 (11) “…to push it.”

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Three former LSU Tigers were taken on the opening day of the Major League Baseball Draft. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Big News out of Richland Parish as Meta joins Governor Landry this morning to announce expansion of the company’s Hyperion data center.  The expansion represents a landmark investment in Louisiana’s future. The News conference is set for 9:30 this morning.