Former City Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell is sworn in as New Orleans’ mayor today. Don Molino has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

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Will the state Senate pass a budget for next fiscal year? Jeff Palermo reports that’s a major question mark with one month to go in the regular session…

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A study says 80 percent of managers and 86 percent of workers think that dressing up will help you climb the corporate ladder. Matt Doyle has more.

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LaToya Cantrell takes over New Orleans today after 8 years of Mitch Landrieu holding the reigns. Political Analyst Clancy DuBos says the former city council member’s leadership style is more of mystery than her predecessor who was known statewide after serving as Lt. Governor.

Cut 4  (10) “for Landrieu” 

Cantrell takes over a city with big issues to tackle, but a more stable budget and economy than it had eight years ago. DuBos says she’ll have three big challenges right out of the gate that need to be addressed.

Cut 5  (08)  “time down”

Cantrell arrives in office with a potential major scandal in the making. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is investigating the former city council member for potential misuse of a city credit card. DuBos says it’s an investigation that casts a pall not just over her, but many city officials.

Cut 6 (10) “credit card”

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The regular session must end in a month, but the belief at the capitol is it will end in mid-May, so lawmakers can pass tax bills to address a 648-million dollar shortfall. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says legislation that has nothing to do with the budget is close to final legislative passage, so the regular session could end in a couple of weeks.

Cut 7 (11)  “be passed”

The House passed a spending plan that would enact deep spending cuts in healthcare, potentially ending public-private partnership hospitals. Pinsonat says it remains to be seen if the Senate will act on the proposed budget or just wait for an anticipated special session…

Cut 8 (12)  “the budget”

The focus for some legislators is passing major legislation in the regular session. Bills about riverboat gaming being allowed on land and a constitutional amendment that would require unanimous jury verdicts in criminal trials are still being considered. Pinsonat says there’s a chance that legislation stalls as the clock ticks down.

Cut 9 (08)  “budget”

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A study is out revealing overwhelmingly that most workers and managers believe that what you wear to work has a big impact on your chances of getting that big promotion. 80 percent of managers and 86 percent of workers feel that clothing affects your promotion chances. OfficeTeam District President Brandi Britton says the old adage is still true…

Cut 10 (12) “a notch”

Another finding in the report was that while people still belive dressing up helps you move up, the definition of what “dressing up” is has loosened in recent years. Britton says that’s because employers are scrambling to find high quality workers.

Cut 11 (09) “to work”

Jeans, tennis shoes, and leggings are all more acceptable than they were in a study conducted five years ago, while tank tops, cold shoulder tops, and shorts are now less acceptable.

The study revealed that the old gendered stereotype that women take longer to get ready than men might be dead wrong, at least when it comes to Monday through Friday. Britton says men take three minutes a day longer to get dressed for work than women.

Cut 12 (11) “not prepared”

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College football attendance has dropped four straight years nationwide, but LSU officials says they’ve only seen a one percent drop in non-renewals for season tickets this year. Despite not having a 10-win season since 2013, Tiger fans are not giving up their season tickets. Tiger Athletics Foundation President Rick Perry says if anything, tickets are becoming even more sought after.

Cut 13 (07)  “last year” 

LSU Athletics Director Joe Alleva expressed concern there could be fewer season ticket holders, because of a change in federal tax law that says you can no longer deduct a contribution fans must make in order to have the ability to purchase season tickets. But Perry says an increase in the standard deduction should balance out the loss.

Good news for Louisiana Anglers, the feds have given control of Red Snapper waters to the state for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Don Molino has more.

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15 thousand pounds of crawfish will be devoured starting today and running through the weekend at the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival. Jeff Palermo the scoop.

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Louisiana has been given full control of Red Snapper waters from the feds for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Biologist Harry Blanchet says that’s great news for bayou sportsmen.

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This year’s season will kick off Friday, May 25^th, with a total allocation of 743,000 pounds allowed to be harvested

Not only will it be easier to keep track of where you are allowed to fish, Blanchet says you’ll be allowed to head out all week long.

Cut 4 (12) “to quickly”

Blanchet says part of the reason the state has been given authority over both waters is that early projections indicate that anglers won’t have a lot of success fishing in the federal waters this season.

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The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival is expecting over 30-thousand people at this weekend’s massive festival just outside Lafayette. Festival Spokesperson Angelique Bernard says an unbelievable amount of mudbugs will be consumed.

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But it’s not just the usual boiled affair. Bernard says there’s a little something for everyone.

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And it’s not just food. Bernard says festival goers will be treated to an Acadiana specialty.

cut 8 (06) “stages”

The festival starts today with a celebrity crawfish eating contest.

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The chemical fire has been distinguished at Flowchem in Duson and evacuated residents were allowed back into their homes Friday morning. The massive blaze shutdown I-10 on Thursday, but it’s has since re-opened. State Police spokesperson Brooks David says investigators still don’t know what caused the blaze

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Flowchem Technologies is a chemical blending facility that provices products and services to the oil and gas industry. David says which chemicals sparked the blaze is part of the investigation….

Cut 10 (08) “release it”

David says given the size of the fire, it’s amazing no one was injured…

Cut 11 (11) “that blaze”

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The state posted the slowest gross domestic product growth in the nation in 2017 at minus-point-two-percent. It’s the second straight year Louisiana had a decline in the real G-D-P. LSU Economist Doctor Loren Scott says Louisiana is coming off a 28-month recession that ended in the final quarter of 2017

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Scott says the downturn in the oil and gas industry has bottomed out, which is good for Louisiana’s economy. He says the next big threat is the potential of higher taxes on businesses as legislators scramble to fix a 648-million dollar budget hole

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Louisiana’s Gross Domestic Product Growth for the fourth quarter of 2017 was two-point-two-percent, which could be a positive sign. Scott credits the industrial expansion boom that’s ongoing in Lake Charles and Baton Rouge

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