A mineral processing company is investing in a new facility in St. James Parish. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Following the Texas Bowl, Tigers interim head coach Frank Wilson will leave LSU for an assistant coaching job at Ole Miss. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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ElementUSA announces that it’s investing 850-million dollars to build a rare earth and critical minerals refining facility in St. James Parish. Parish President Pete Dufresne says the facility will lead to the creation of 200 new direct jobs with an average salary of 90-thousand dollars a year, along with more than 550 new indirect jobs.

Cut 3 (06) “…we greatly need.”

The facility will help strengthen the U.S. supply chain for materials essential to advanced manufacturing, national defense and energy technologies. Dufresne says ElementUSA chose St. James Parish because the industrial infrastructure is already in place with the Atlantic Alumina plant.

Cut 4 (12) “…that same material.”

Dufresne says the addition of ElementUSA would enhance the production that’s happening at Atlantic Alumina.

Cut 5 (13) “…for the community.”

Construction of the new ElementUSA plant is expected to begin sometime in 2027.

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The Texas Bowl on December 27^th is the last game Frank Wilson will coach at LSU. The Tigers interim head coach since late October has accepted a job with Ole Miss to be the Rebels running backs coach. Tiger Rag Editor Glenn Guilbeau says this is not a surprising development…

Cut 6 (08) “…not coming back.”

Guilbeau says new LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin is expected to hire the running backs coach he had at Ole Miss, Kevin Smith, as Wilson’s replacement and Smith could help the Tigers acquire a 12-hundred yard rusher…

Cut 7 (11) “…Ole Miss.”

Wilson is known as an outstanding recruiter and has convinced several great high school players from the New Orleans area to play at LSU during his two different stints with the Tigers. But Guilbeau says money matters more than relationships in today’s world of recruiting…

Cut 8 (12) “…it’s all about cash.”

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A former New Iberia police officer who allegedly plotted a terror attack in New Orleans is currently charged with one count of threat by interstate commerce. But Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says many more serious charges are likely forthcoming against Micah Legnon (LEG-nin).

Cut 9 (12)  “…bomb-making materials.”

FBI agents arrested the 29-year-old last weekend as he was allegedly loading his vehicle with an assault rifle and body armor. Investigators have linked him to a California-based anti-government group which had been plotting a series of bomb attacks on New Year’s Eve. Ciolino says it will take quite a while before more serious charges are filed, and even longer before an indictment can be handed down.

Cut 10 (09) “…can go forward.”

Ciolino says thanks to modern technology, it’s a lot easier now for the government to make cases like these now than it was several years ago.

Cut 11 (12) “…Google searches.”

Ciolino says given the nature of the charges Legnon will likely be facing, he will likely not be released anytime soon, due to being a potential threat to the community.

A former New Iberia police officer is arrested for allegedly plotting an attack in New Orleans. Andre Champagne reports he allegedly has ties to an anti-government group in California.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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The state’s libraries are growing in popularity. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Louisiana is awarded a huge grant to study the impacts of high-dosage tutoring on literacy. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Libraries throughout the state are becoming more and more popular. The latest statistical report shows that in 2024, libraries welcomed more than 11-million visitors – that’s up eight and a half percent from 2023. State Librarian Meg Placke (PLACK-ee) says the trend is very encouraging.

Cut 4 (09) “…numbers reflect that.”

Not only do public libraries offer books that are available to borrow, but they also host scores of programs throughout the year. And Placke says in 2024, the 337 public libraries throughout the state hosted almost 90-thousand in-person and live virtual programs. 

Cut 5 (10) “…are looking for.”

Placke says in every way, public libraries are a staple of their communities.

Cut 6 (09) “…workforce development classes.”

In 2024, Louisiana had about 2.28-million library cardholders. That accounts for 52-percent of the state’s population.

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The U.S. Department of Education awards Louisiana a 15-million-dollar grant to lead a five-year study on the impact of high-dosage tutoring on first and second-graders. Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jenna Chiasson (CHASS-on) says the project will serve about 45-hundred students in both traditional public schools and charter schools.

Cut 7 (12) “…around literacy instruction.”

Chiasson says the awarding of the grant recognizes the state’s leadership in advancing evidence-based literacy solutions.

Cut 8 (10) “…more about it.”

Chiasson says Louisiana has been a national leader in high-dosage tutoring; and while there is still work yet to be done, it has led to tremendous progress in literacy.

Cut 9 (11)  “…Louisiana can read.”

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Attorney General Liz Murrill told lawmakers on Tuesday that UnitedHealthcare potentially owes the state between $380 million and $768 million in overpayments for pharmacy costs, which is why her office instructed L-D-H to cancel its contract with the state, forcing thousands of Medicaid patients to switch insurance providers.

Cut 10 (13) “…this much money.”

Murrill says UnitedHealthcare has also failed to turn over documents that prove they are complying with the contract.

Louisiana lawmakers expressed concern about ending the contract on January 1st, so LDH Secretary Bruce Greenstein told a legislative committee yesterday that they will give UnitedHealthcare through March to comply with the state’s orders. Murrill is okay with that…

Cut 11 (09) “…owe us that.”

Lawmakers were concerned that ending the UnitedHealthcare contract on January 1st would result in a lapse of coverage for thousands of Medicaid patients, because it will take several weeks to get those Medicaid recipients on another insurance, which is why Greenstein said there will be a 90-day extension.

Murrill says the state has been litigating with UnitedHealthcare for five years…

Cut 12 (11) “…us the documents.”

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With the Revenue Estimating Conference determining that the legislature will end the current fiscal year with a 293-million-dollar budget surplus, State Treasurer John Fleming is suggesting giving that money back to the taxpayers in the form of tax cuts.

Cut 13 (08)  “…therefore more revenue”

The Revenue Estimating Conference identified stronger than expected income tax revenue as one of the main drivers behind the surplus, despite the fact that the legislature cut the income tax rate across the board last year. Treasurer Fleming says for this reason, further tax cuts are the most effective way to return the surplus to the taxpayers. 

Cut 14 (09) “…cuts over time.”

Fleming says the ultimate goal is to make income taxes in Louisiana a thing of the past.

Cut 15 (06) “…in this state.”

Fleming points out that Texas, Tennessee and Florida are doing the best economically in the country, and none of those states have a state income tax.

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UL-Lafayette plays in its eighth straight bowl game tonight as it takes on the Delaware Blue Hens in the 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, at 7:30 p.m. Cajuns head coach Michael Desormeaux (DEZ-er-moe) says the bowl game is one last chance for some of his players to play the game of football.

Cut 16 (20) “…going to play.”

The Cajuns have dealt with the injury bug all season, and it’s going to be no different tonight as the team is without several starters. Desormeaux says the team will rely on its younger starters and knows his players will benefit from the adversity they faced this season.

Cut 17 (18)  “…progress they’ve made.”

UL-Lafayette quarterbacks Lunch Winfield and Walker Howard will both be available for tonight’s game. Howard helped lead the Cajuns to a 30-27 overtime win over ULM after Winfield exited the game with an undisclosed injury. Desormeaux says he has full confidence in both to get the job done.

Cut 18 (17)  “…helping each other.”