According to The New York Times, national Democrats are encouraging former Gov. John Bel Edwards to run for Senate in 2026 against Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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A ban on hand-held cell phone use while driving moves to the Senate. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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During Love the Boot Week in April, Keep Louisiana Beautiful supported recycling efforts in 27 parishes, picking up over 16-thousand bottles and cans, a 23-percent increase from last year. Keep Louisiana Beautiful Executive Director Susan Russell says this was part of a broader statewide effort involving nearly 27-thousand volunteers

Cut 3 (12) “…was just amazing.” 

The recycling program used a mix of pick-up and drop-off services, with 21 Louisiana Department of Transportation offices serving as collection sites.  Russell says people want to live in clean communities and they deserve just that.

Cut 4 (10) “…they are proud of.”

Love the Boot Week took place during the week of April 5th to the 13th. Bur Russell says the fight against littering is year round…

Cut 5 (09) “…in our state.”

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More and more people are getting scam text messages claiming that they have an unpaid toll road charge. Rodney Mallett with DOTD says that’s something that the department simply does not do. 

Cut 6 (08) “…asking for fines”

Mallett says the scammers are getting more and more sophisticated in how they trick unsuspecting people into following a link and paying what seems to be a small amount of money.

Cut 7 (10) “…geauxpass-dot-com.”

Also, watch out for subtle misspellings, such as dropping the “x” in “geaux.” Mallett says there’s only one way in which DOTD will ever contact you over an unpaid toll charge.

Cut 8 (07) “…your license plate.” (DOTD will only send notifications through snail mail)

Bottom line – if it seems suspicious, ignore it.

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National Democrats are encouraging former Gov. John Bel Edwards to run for Senate in 2026 against Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, according to The New York Times. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has spoken with Edwards about the race, but Edwards has not confirmed his interest. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Edwards could say he’s ready to get out of private practice and back into politics.

Cut 9 (11)  “…for doing that.”

The 2026 election will use closed primaries for the first time, with party winners advancing to the general election. Edwards would likely dominate the Democratic primary but face tough odds in the general election. Pinsonat says the big question will be how the closed primary will affect Cassidy

Cut 10 (12) “…especially the Republicans.”

Cassidy is considered vulnerable among Trump loyalists due to his vote to convict the current President in his 2021 impeachment trial. Pinsonat says there’s no guarantee Cassidy will be re-elected, even though he has a war chest of over seven million dollars…

Cut 11 (11) “…another Democrat.”

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The House has advanced a bill that would ban the use of handheld cell phones while driving, except in emergencies. Slidell Republican Brian Glorioso wrote the bill; he says distracted driving is a huge problem in the state, and it’s one of the reasons that auto insurance rates in Louisiana are so high.

Cut 12 (11) “…distracted driving.”

Glorioso’s bill also has the support of several Democrats, including Jason Hughes of New Orleans.

Cut 13 (09)  “…they were distracted.”

Not all of Glorioso’s fellow Republicans are on board with his bill. Mike Bayham of Chalmette says a hand-held cell phone ban will disproportionately affect a certain group of people.

Cut 14 (12) “…don’t have Bluetooth.”

Bayham says a hand-held cell phone ban would not instantly make bad drivers better.

Cut 15 (06) “…car or not.”

A similar bill last year failed in the House, 71-to-22. It was almost the complete opposite this year, with the House passing it by a vote of 71-to-28. It now moves to the Senate.

Brusly High graduate, and now LSU freshman John Foster, is in the Top 7 on American Idol and continues to make Louisiana proud. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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A substance sometimes referred to as “gas station heroin” is one step closer to being banned in Louisiana. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Legislation that would give parishes the option to increase the homestead exemption for property owners clears its first legislative hurdle. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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Addis native and Brusly High graduate John Foster has made it to the Top 7 of American Idol. Brusly High Principal Walt Lemoine says the world is seeing the real John Foster.

Cut 4 (08) “…model human being.”

Lemoine says Foster, who’s now a freshman at LSU and was co-valedictorian last year, was a quiet, humble role model for the other students at Brusly High, and Foster’s success is no shock to him.

Cut 5 (12) “…Addis, Louisiana.”

Lemoine says he’s an unassuming star; and the first time he heard Foster perform, he says he never expected that voice from one of his students.

Cut 6 (10) “…out of him?”

Watch Foster perform this Sunday on ABC.

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A bill that would make kratom illegal in Louisiana moves to the House. The Senate passed S-B 154 yesterday on a vote of 26-to-11, split right down party lines. The author, West Monroe Republican Jay Morris, says kratom – sometimes known as “gas station heroin” – has already been banned in several places.

Cut 7 (09) “…grown in Asia.”

Senator Morris says while kratom can easily be purchased online or in many gas stations throughout the state, the FDA has not approved it and discourages its use.

Cut 8 (11) “…substance abuse disorder.”

Morris says he has heard many horror stories stemming from the use of kratom.

Cut 9 (12)  “…a legal substance.”

Morris says Deputy Health Secretary Dr. Pete Croughan (CROW-ghin) says he has treated more people for kratom overdose than those who have taken crack cocaine.

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SkyWest Airlines, the largest regional airline in the U.S., has chosen Shreveport Regional Airport as its 13th maintenance base, supporting its fleet of nearly 500 aircraft.  North Louisiana Economic Partnership CEO Justyn Dixon says the new facility is expected to create 150 direct jobs, averaging 70-thousand-dollars annually; and 375 indirect jobs, for a total of 525 new positions in Northwest Louisiana.

Cut 10 (12) “…power plant.”

Dixon says the project supports Louisiana Economic Development’s focus on aerospace and logistics, sectors in which the state has long-standing strengths, including underutilized space, low operational costs and port access.

Cut 11 (09) “…make their money.”

Dixon hopes that not only will the base keep skilled workers in the state but also believes that this project will draw talented workers to move to the region.

Cut 12 (10) “…great opportunities.”

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The House Ways and Means Committee has approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would give voters the opportunity to decide whether parishes should have the option to increase the homestead exemption from 75-hundred dollars 12-thousand-500 dollars in assessed value. The vote was 9-to-5. The bill’s author, New Orleans Democrat Matthew Willard, says since the homestead exemption has not increased since 1980, people are getting priced out of their homes.

Cut 13 (10)  “…it’s not affordable.”

Willard says if people can’t afford their homes, they’ll move to a state where they can, and Louisiana cannot afford that.

Cut 14 (11) “…their roots down.”

Jim Patterson with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry spoke out against Willard’s bill. He says if you increase the homestead exemption to lower property taxes, the government will need to make up that tax revenue somehow.

Cut 15 (09) “…taxes to others.”

Patterson says Louisiana already generates a disproportionately low amount of property tax revenue relative to other states.

Cut 16 (15) “…44-percent.”

The bill now advances to the House Civil Law for a review of the ballot language. Because this would be a constitutional amendment, it will need to pass in both houses of legislature by a two-thirds majority before it goes to the voters.