There’s the potential for heavy rainfall for southwest Louisiana and the Alexandria area today and tomorrow. LRN Meteorologist Bill Jacquemin has the latest…

Cut 1 (27) “…I’m Bill Jacquemin.”

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The head of the Office of Motor Vehicles has resigned. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Central and southwest Louisiana is under a flash flood watch until one o’ clock Saturday afternoon. National Weather Service meteorologist Lance Escude says it will be wet…

Cut 3 (12) “…or so.” 

Escude says the heavy rainfall is the result of a storm system moving in from southern Texas…

Cut 4 (10) “…begin falling” 

A slight risk for severe weather is expected Sunday for most of the state, north of I-10. Escude says areas north of I-20 are under the greatest threat….

Cut 5 (04) “…or two.”

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Crawfish prices have dropped 25 cents, hitting a new low for 2025. According to the Crawfish App, live crawfish are averaging $3.64 a pound, when it comes to boiled crawfish, you can expect to pay a little more than six-dollars a pound. Prices are dropping, because supply is up. Evangeline Parish crawfish farmer Jonathan Fontenot…

Cut 6 (06) “…more promising.”

Crawfish App co-founder Laney King says the start of April marks the historical true start of the heart of crawfish season, and she expects prices will continue to decline as we approach Easter weekend. Fontenot says 2025 looks like a good crawfish season…

Cut 7 (12) “…the road.”

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President Trump’s rhetoric targeting Canada, including the tariffs he’s imposed and his desire to make Canada a U.S. state, is having a profound effect on an event in Lafayette that’s intended to celebrate Canada’s influence on the Acadian people. More than half of the Canadians who had been scheduled to appear at the Great Acadian Awakening in October have cancelled their plans as a result. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser told Jim Engster on Talk Louisiana that he’s very concerned.

Cut 8 (06) “…on that celebration.”

Lieutenant Governor Nungesser says the impacts on the Great Acadian Awakening could be just the start if relations between the two countries continue to go south.

Cut 9 (11)  “…country to celebrate.”

Nungesser says the souring relations between the two countries are also impacting Louisiana leaders’ travels to Canada.

Cut 10 (13) “…this thing closely.”

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Four constitutional amendments are on Saturday’s ballot. The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana has a nonpartisan guide available for voters. PAR president Steven Procopio says Amendment one gives the Louisiana Supreme Court the authority to discipline out of state -lawyers and it gives the Louisiana legislature the authority to create specialty courts not limited to parish and judicial district boundaries…

Cut 11 (11) “…specialized cases.”

Amendment two is the big one. It would enact new tax rules like caping the state income tax rate that lawmakers can charge and double the standard deduction for anyone 65 and older. Procopio says the measure would also dissolve three education trust funds and use the money to pay down retirement debt which would provide a permanent two-thousand-dollar teacher pay raise…

Cut 12 (11) “…pay raise.”

Teachers have already received the two-thousand dollar pay raise, but if Amendment Two doesn’t pass, the two thousand dollars could go away.

Procopio says Amendment three removes the list of 16 crimes for which people under the age of 17 can be charged as an adult and puts it into state law, so lawmakers can more easily expand the list of felony laws that could result in a person under the age of being charged as an adult…

Cut 13 (12)  “…issue.”

Amendment 4 would change the timing requirements for filling a judicial vacancy or newly created judgeship, so the special election coincides with the regular elections calendar.

Go to parlouisiana.org to read up about the amendments.

AccuWeather is predicting an active 2025 Hurricane Season. Sean Richardson has more.

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A major drug bust in North Louisiana. Andrew Greenstein reports.

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Louisiana’s higher education board recommends that the University of New Orleans should be managed by the LSU System, instead of the U-L System. UNO’s enrollment has dropped significantly since 2003, which has resulted in a financial crisis at the school. Board of Regents member Darren Mire (Mear) says last month legislative leaders asked the board to examine a proposed system change, but they didn’t need a year to study it…

Cut 3 (07) “…April.” 

The Louisiana Legislature will have to approve a change in management for UNO from UL System to the LSU System. A bill will likely be filled in the legislative session that begins next month. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges must also approve the move.

UNO has attempted to resize the university by cutting its budget, which has resulted in lay-offs of administrators and the consolidation of some colleges. But the school is still facing a 30-million dollar shortfall.

Mire says they are also recommending that the Legislature hires a third-party to perform a financial audit…

Cut 4 (05) “…accounting firm”

Mire says a third-party also needs to be hired to do an academic programs assessment…

Cut 5 (09) “…so forth.”

UNO was previously in the LSU system, but moved to the UL System in 2011. Alumni and supporters of UNO said the school was not getting enough attention within the LSU System. Senate President Cameron Henry told the Louisiana Illuminator that the LSU System is better equipped at addressing UNO’s financial troubles.

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The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season is approaching, with forecasters warning of another volatile year similar to 2024, one of the most destructive seasons on record.  AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DeSilva predicts 13-18 named storms, 7-10 hurricanes, and 3-5 major hurricanes…

Cut 6 (07) “…this year.”

DeSilva says warm ocean temperatures across the Atlantic, Gulf, and Caribbean will fuel storm development, leading to rapid intensification.

Cut 7 (11) “…to the forecast.”

DeSilva anticipates a possible early-season storm before June 1, a midseason lull, and an active end to the season, and says a developing La Niña could further enhance late-season storm activity.

Cut 8 (10) “…month of November”

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14 people are indicted in Lincoln Parish for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. It took place from January of 2022 through November of last year. The acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, Alexander Van Hook, says while the drug trafficking took place mainly in Ruston, the methamphetamine came from out of state.

Cut 9 (13)  “…Kansas and Louisiana.”

Van Hook says these arrests are part of “Take Back America.”

Cut 10 (17) “…and drug trafficking.”

Van Hook says this is a major bust for North Louisiana.

Cut 11 (12) “…safer and flourish.”

If convicted, all 14 defendants face between ten years and life in prison. Out of the 14 people indicted, 12 are from Louisiana and eight are from Ruston.

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Two of the three people charged with first-degree murder in the death of St. Tammany Parish Sergeant Grant Candies are now charged with kidnapping. Lieutenant Suzanne Carboni says 17-year-old Adrian Waughtal, who was the driver, and 17-year-old Mason Fischer were holding two girls in the car against their will during the pursuit.

Cut 12 (09) “…and Waughtal refused.”

17-year-old Michael Lanier is the third suspect charged with first-degree murder, but Lieutenant Carboni says he’s not being charged with kidnapping.

Cut 13 (05)  “…in the vehicle.”

Carboni stresses, however, that while the girls were being held in the vehicle against their will during the pursuit, they were not forced into it by the suspects.

Cut 14 (07) “…we want out.”

At this time  the two girls are not being charged with any crimes, but Carboni says the investigation is ongoing. As for Waughtal and Fischer, both were rebooked. While Fischer had previously bonded out, he is now back behind bars.