Big news for Jefferson Parish, Japanese Chemical Company UBE to construct the first US facility to manufacture key components for electrical vehicle car batteries there. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (26)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

An early morning fire at an apartment complex in Shreveport caused quite a scare this morning. It happened around three am. According to reports, everyone was evacuated and Shreveport Firefighters were able to put out the blaze. So far there are no details on whether anyone was injured.

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Governor Jeff Landry is pleased with what state lawmakers were able to accomplish in the special session on crime. They approved measures that take a tough on crime approach.  But House Democratic Causus Chairman Matthew Willard says the bills they passed will make Louisiana’s prison population explode, meaning higher costs for taxpayers.

Cut 12 (11)  “..costs”  

All eyes are on Iowa’s Caitlyn Clark this weekend as she is 18 points away from surpassing LSU legend Pete Marvaich’s Division one career scoring record. Maravich scored 3,667 points in three years at LSU, without a three-point line.  Clark is in her fourth season at Iowa, averages 28 points a game. Pistol Pete’s son Jaeson Maravich says apples to oranges comparison….

Cut 7 (09) “…true record”  

Governor Jeff Landry’s special session on crime is over and the legislature approved quite a few measures….expanding methods used to carry out executions, lowering the age one can be charged with a felony from 18 to 17 years old, restrictions on parole and probation and permitless conceal carry. Governor Landry says what was accomplished will make the state safer.

Cut 9 (07) “…right direction” 

But House Democratic Caucus Chairman Matthew Willard says the special session failed to address the root causes of crime. He says the lock them up and throw away the key approach does not work…

Cut 11 (11) “…special session”

Governor Landry is expected to sign the bills next week.

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The first U.S. manufacturing plant for Japanese Chemical Company UBE, which makes components for electric vehicle batteries, will be in Jefferson Parish.  President of Jefferson Parish Economic Development Jerry Bologna says it’s a significant foreign direct investment of $500 million to the community.

Cut 3 (12) “…supply chain.”  

Iowa women’s basketball player Cailtin Clark is 18 points away from surpassing LSU legend Pete Marvaich’s Division one career scoring record of 3,667 points. Clark could pass Pistol Pete when the Hawkeyes host Ohio State on Sunday. Maravich’ s eldest son, Jaeson Maravich, doesn’t see it as Clark breaking his dad’s record….

Cut 6  (07) “…5,000 points” 

After announcing his resignation this week, Dr. Joe Kanter reflected on his time as the state’s top doc during the pandemic.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating after a body was found in a burned car last night in St. Gabriel. St. Gabriel Police Chief Kevin Ambeau says firefighters responded to the call about a vehicle fire on Point Clair Road, near the Old White Castle Ferry Landing about 8:45. The body was discovered once the fire was out.

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A new Amazon distribution center is set to be built in the town of Boyce in Rapides Parish and site prep for the 65,000-square-foot facility on Highway 1 is already underway. President and CEO of Louisiana Central Jim Clinton says they’re all excited to have Amazon, one of the most recognized brands in the world coming to Boyce and they hope others follow their lead.

Cut 9 (07)  “…want more.”
The special session ended yesterday, seven days earlier than scheduled and the Republican-controlled legislature approved Governor Jeff Landry’s tough-on-crime agenda. There were bills that received near unanimous approval, the expansion of drug courts, and increased penalties for carjacking and distribution of fentanyl. Will these changes actually lead to less crime? Alford says the state legislature has a history of swinging back and forth between smart on crime and tough on crime…

Cut 12 (11) “…policymaking” 

Landry is expected to have a bill signing ceremony sometime next week.

The special session ends with Governor Jeff Landry’s tough on crime agenda receiving approval from the Republican-controlled Legislature. Here’s Jeff Palermo.

Cut 2 (30)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
One of those bills means that Non-felon adults will soon be able to carry a concealed firearm without a permit and training will no longer be required by law. But Owner of Concealed Carry NOLA, Dave Newman says training is important for everyone.

Cut 14 (11) “..your chest.”

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He was a fierce proponent of vaccines and led Louisiana during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Joe Kanter stepped down from his role as Louisiana’s Health Officer on Monday.  He made an appearance on WWL Radio’s Newell Normand to reflect on his time as the state’s top doc at a time when they were counting down hospital beds and ventilators to the single digits…

Cut 6 (07) “…unpack that.”

Kanter remains on staff at University Medical Center and is a faculty member at LSU Health New Orleans and Tulane School of Medicine.

A man hit by a vehicle in New Orleans last night died of his injuries.  New Orleans Police say the man was walking at France Road Parkway and alvar Street when he was hit around 8:25 last night.  We’re told the victim was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver who hit him did not wait for authorities.

Governor Jeff Landry is expected to sign the bill allowing non-felon adults to carry a concealed firearm without a permit which means training required to receive those permits will no longer be required. Colleen Crain has more…

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Colleen Crain”

A jury in New Orleans yesterday found a man guilty of murder in the shooting death of a handyman last year. 56 year old Tracy Wright was convicted in the second-degree murder of Ferdinand Alexander. Prosecutors argued wright shot Alexander in a rage after the handyman failed to fix his car.  Jurors deliberated for more than five hours before returning their verdict.

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The special session ended yesterday and lawmakers approved Governor Jeff Landry’s tough-on-crime agenda, including bills that will expand the methods Louisiana can use to administer the death penalty and change restrictions to parole and probation. Democrats argued against some of the changes, but LA-politics.com’s Jeremy Alford says they never had a chance to stop them from passing…

Cut 11 (07) “…in this process.” 

A new Amazon distribution center headed to the town of Boyce in Rapides Parish. President and CEO of Central Louisiana Jim Clinton says says site prep for the 65,000-square-foot facility located along Highway 1 off Rapides Station Road is already underway.

Cut 8 (11) “… part-time jobs.” 

The special session ended yesterday, seven days earlier than scheduled and the Republican-controlled legislature approved Governor Jeff Landry’s tough-on-crime agenda. Landry is expected to have a bill signing ceremony next week and La-Politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says it’s a big political victory for the new governor

Cut 10 (07) “…we’ll see.”

Non-felon adults will soon be able to carry a concealed firearm without a permit as Governor Landry is expected to sign the bill that passed in the special session. Owner of Concealed Carry NOLA, Dave Newman believes the training that will no longer be required is still important to protect the gun owner and he hopes they will still seek training.

Cut 13 (10)  “…clean it.”

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Dr. Joe Kanter, who led Louisiana during the COVID-19 pandemic stepped down from his role as state health officer Monday. On WWL Radio Newell Normand’s show, Kanter reflected on his tenure as the state’s top doc and said he’s looking forward to the next step in his career.

Cut 4 (13) “…need it.”

A new Amazon distribution center will be constructed in the town of Boyce in Rapides Parish. President and CEO of Central Louisiana Jim Clinton says while many companies tend to set up distribution hubs along Interstates 10 and 20, they are beginning to see breakthroughs in the past year with Lowes and now Amazon for Central Louisiana.

Cut 7 (08) “…of sense.”

Legislation to place a lifetime limit of two terms as governor in Louisiana has been filed for the upcoming regular session. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Louisiana is at the top of another list and it’s not a good one. A new study based on FBI data shows we’re among the top states in the nation when it comes to the number of aggravated assaults. Louisiana ranked fifth on the list, behind only Tennessee, Arkansas, Alaska and New Mexico.

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Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple is making plans for the upcoming regular session. Temple wants lawmakers’ help to give insurance companies more freedom to adjust their rates and he also wants to see new guidelines for the appraisal process in an effort to reduce lawsuits. He says these measures will not immediately lower rates, but it will keep them from spiking…

Cut 6 (08) “…affordability.”

State officials are urging residents to be extremely cautious about lighting anything on fire after dry and windy conditions contributed to a record number of wildfires over four days. State Ag and Forestry Commissioner Mike Srain says if you plan to burn any brush piles anywhere in Louisiana with the current conditions, do not leave them unattended.

Cut 15 (11) “…on fire.”

There are burn bans in affect in parts of Louisiana this morning after dry and windy conditions contributed to a record number of wildfires over the weekend. State Ag and Forestry officials say there were 124 fires in Louisiana from Friday to Monday. Commissioner Mike Strain says dry vegetation and high winds allowed brush piles that were being burned to quickly get out of control and others who were burning timber.

Cut 14 (09) “…get away from you.”
As rural hospitals across the country struggle to maintain services and some even to survive, Louisiana is right there as one in four here are at risk.   But Tulane Professor of Health Policy and Management Mark Diana says Louisiana has taken some steps that may put us in a better position than other states.

Cut 11 (08) “…expanded Medicaid.” 

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Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple will push for fewer regulations as part of his agenda for the regular legislative session. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”
The number are in on Mardi Gras and law enforcement is reporting they made 383 arrests in New \Orleans and removed 143 guns from the French Quarter and Downtown Development District during a twelve day period leading up to Fat Tuesday. That’s a slight increase over last year. Meanwhile New Orleans Emergency Medical Services saw a 41 percent increase in calls this year over the same time last year.

Rural hospitals across the country are in precarious financial situations and in Louisiana more than one in four are struggling financially, putting them at risk for closure. Tulane Professor of Health Policy and Management Mark Diana says closure isn’t the only risk…

Cut 10 (12) “…communities.”

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple is talking about the upcoming regular legislative session, saying he wants to cut down on the number of regulations insurance companies face in Louisiana, so more providers will want to do business here. Temple says he’ll lobby for the end of the three-year rule, which prohibits insurers from dropping a customer they’ve insured for three years…

Cut 5 (05) “…in the state.” 

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Ahead of the upcoming special legislative session, there’s buzz about setting lifetime limits on our state’s top job. As it stands now, a governor can serve two consecutive terms and then must sit out the next election cycle but can run again in four years. Chalmette Republican Representative Mike Bayham’s measure would limit gubernatorial terms to two and no more.

Cut 8 (09) “…for Louisiana?” 
State officials are urging residents to be extremely cautious about lighting anything on fire after dry and windy conditions contributed to a record number of wildfires over four days. State Ag and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says from Friday to Monday there were 124 fires in Louisiana.

Cut 13 (07)  “…four-day weekend.”

Legislation to place a lifetime limit of two terms as governor in Louisiana has been filed for the upcoming regular session. Chalmette Republican, Representative Mike Bayham says serving as governor is one of the highest honors any civilian can have in the state.

Cut 7 (07) “…already served?”

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple is discussing his agenda for the upcoming regular legislative session. Temple says he’ll ask lawmakers to put more state dollars towards the popular fortified roof program, which gives homeowners in south Louisiana ten thousand dollars to strengthen their roofs.

Cut 4 (11) “…stay dry.”

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More than one in four Louisiana rural hospitals are at risk of closing or having to cut services according to a report from Chartis, a national health care consulting firm. Colleen Crain has more…

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”
LSU’s star gymnast, Olivia Dunne, is getting more prominent endorsement deals, with her latest NIL contract earning her a spot on a billboard in Manhattan’s Times Square, according to our partners at Nola.com. Dunne’s ad for Nautica appeared in Times Square on Monday. Earlier this month, Nautica announced it signed a deal with Dunne, making her a brand ambassador for women’s sportswear.