The 2018 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will feature artists including Aerosmith, Aretha Franklin, and Jimmy Buffett. Michelle Southern spoke with Festival Producer Quint Davis…:

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Congressman Clay Higgins is co sponsoring an immigration reform bill. Kelley Ray spoke with him about why he’s join in with over 70 other House members…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Kelley Ray.”

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The recent cold snap could cause the strawberry crop to be pushed back a couple of weeks.  There are nine to 12 commercial growers in Tangipahoa Parish.   Whitney Wallace from the LSU Ag Center says those farmers took extra precautions during the brutally cold weather and expects the crop should come through just fine…

Cut 3 (08) “great season.”

With a decline in production and available strawberries, Wallace says there might be an increase in prices at the market, but any increase will be short lived.  Many of the blossoms on the plants that weren’t protected will have to regrow again, which is a 21 day process.  She says after that, prices will stabilize…

Cut 4  (09) “cold weather.” 

Wallace says the big event of the year for Tangipahoa Parish will go on as usual.  She says there should be plenty of warm weather between now and mid-April for the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival…

Cut 5  (09)  “to enjoy.”

It’s estimated strawberry production in Louisiana is valued at 17-million-dollars.

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The 2018 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will feature Aerosmith, Aretha Franklin, Sting, Jimmy Buffett, Beck, Jack White, and Lionel Richie — just to name a few. Jazzfest will be April 27-29 and May 3-6. Festival producer Quint Davis says Aerosmith will be making it’s Jazzfest debut, but they weren’t hard to bill…:

Cut 6 (08)  “to do it”

Also included in the talent lineup this year is Bonnie Raitt, Jack Johnson, Sheryl Crow, Trombone Shorty, Steve Miller Band, and Smokey Robinson. Davis says Jazzfest this year will also be joining in the celebration of the City of New Orleans’ 300th anniversary. He says there will be a massive Cultural Exchange Pavilion featuring all things New Orleans…:

Cut 7 (10)  “festival”

The full lineup features a little something for everyone, and can be found online at nojazzfest.com. Davis says Aretha Franklin is bringing one of the biggest setups they’ve ever seen, and it might be one of her final performances. He says they are also doing a “Locals Thursday” discount day on May 3rd…:

Cut 8 (04) “remainder of 2018.”

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Now that the federal government shutdown is over, Congressman Clay Higgins is setting his sights on passing a bill to bolster the existing immigration law.  Higgins is co-sponsoring the “Securing America’s Future Act”.  The St. Landry Parish Republican  says he wants to cut through the Red Tape to ease the process of hiring an additional ten-thousand Border Patrol and Border Protection Agents…

Cut 9 (10) “new job.”

Farm owners and crawfish producers have been concerned they won’t be able to hire agricultural workers. Higgins says this bill would create a guest worker program that would address the state’s agricultural and seafood processing needs…

Cut 10 (12) “address that.”

Higgins adds there are provisions in the bill that would punish sanctuary cities, by withholding funds if deported criminals illegally return to the U.S and are protected in those municipalities.  New Orleans currently prohibits police officers from asking suspects about their immigration status.  Higgins is tired of these cities disrespecting federal laws…

Cut 11 (07) “been discarded.”

The bill is authored by Republican Virginia Representative Bob Goodlatte and has 77 co-sponsors.  The bill is currently being considered by several subcommittees…

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The governor’s proposed budget calls for an 80 percent cut in state funding for TOPS, because of a one-billion dollar reduction in state revenues. President of the University of Louisiana System Dr. Jim Henderson says a cut like that would cost students and their families thousands of dollars a year…

Cut 12 (12) “good ballpark”

Along with a massive cut to TOPS, the budget included an additional 26-million dollar cut to higher education. Higher ed dodged budget cuts last year, and Henderson says it had a big impact on the UL system…

Cut 13 (10) “five years”

According to UL analysis, Louisiana universities currently operate at the lowest per student funding in the country.

Henderson says cutting TOPS would be a betrayal of hard working students…

Cut 14 (07) “to them”

Henderson says he doesn’t believe the “Doomsday Budget” will be adopted, but he is concerned that continued uncertainty involving TOPS could drive Louisiana’s best and brightest out of state.

Governor John Bel Edwards proposed a budget today that calls for deep cuts in state funding for corrections, healthcare, and higher education including an 80 percent cut to TOPS. Matt Doyle was there…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle”

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Crawfish survived last week’s cold snap, but it could mean a delay in the season. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Governor John Bel Edwards presented what he called his worst-case-scenario budget today, showcasing the impact what a billion dollar loss in state funding would have on state government, The loss is a result of expiring sales taxes. Edwards says he is constitutionally limited to cutting money from two areas…

Cut 3 (12) “an yes TOPs”

The governor is proposing an 80-percent cut in TOPS funding, unless legislators can agree on a long-term tax reform plan in a February special session.

Louisiana requires the governor submit a balanced budget that takes into account projected funding levels. Edwards proposed the budget, but says he doesn’t want it passed…

Cut 4  (09) “looks like” 

In response, the governor proposed a tax reform plan to cover 994-million dollars of the budget gap.

The GOP has indicated that they would approach the cliff by reducing spending, while the governor is seeking a revenue neutral tax reform plan. Edwards challenged legislative leaders to publicly present their plan…

Cut 5  (12)  “to cut”

The governor claims he has cut 600 million dollars in state general funds since he took office two years ago.

Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt believes more cuts can be made to go along with any kind of tax reform plan…

Cut 6 (10)  “our expenses.”

Baton Rouge Representative Rick Edmonds says the governor’s budget is not factoring in federal tax reform money…

Cut 7 (08)  “of revenue”

Edmond says the state could have an additional 200 to 400 million dollars as a result.

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Gas prices are on the rise at a time of the year when prices traditionally go down.  Louisiana drivers are paying 2.36 a gallon for regular gasoline, while a month ago, prices were at 2.21 a gallon.   Triple A fuel analyst Don Redman says high gas prices at the start of the new year may lead to an increase in prices through 2018…

Cut 8 (04) “remainder of 2018.”

Redman says demand may have been down due to the winter weather, but prices remain high due to a growing economy…

Cut 9 (10) “grow significantly.”

Redman says another reason for the high prices is domestic oil output is surpassing OPEC producing nations…

Cut 10 (05) “at home.”

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A Business Development Advisors study shows military related spending in Louisiana accounts for $7.7 billion in economic output and 77-thousand military related jobs.  That includes the seven military bases and the Louisiana National Guard.  Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says there is a forgotten group that helps to add to the economy, 27-thousand military retirees…

Cut 11 (09) “our economy”

The Trump Administration has made it clear they want to make additions to the nation’s military.  Total military spending in Louisiana was 1.52 billion in 2016, the highest since 2012.  Pierson says building up the nation’s military could directly impact the state’s economy…

Cut 12 (13) “we can”

With so many military installations being trimmed down or closed altogether, Pierson says it’s important that communication remains open with Congress to keep the military installations in Louisiana operating…

Cut 13 (10) “strong”

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Crawfish season in Louisiana may be slightly delayed this year thanks to last week’s arctic blast, but the good news is that they did survive. Dr. Greg Lutz with the LSU Ag-Center says when it gets extremely cold, crawfish just sit there and can’t move even if they wanted to…:

Cut 14 (12) “walking into the traps”

The governor will reveal his “doomsday” budget today, Matt Doyle talked to political analyst Clancy Dubos about what that means…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

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A 9.7 million dollar grant will fund the creation of an oil consortium at ULL. Jeff Palermo finds out what that could mean for the state…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Emerge Louisiana choose 25 Democratic women that they will train to run for political office.  Kelley Ray talked with executive director Melanie Oubre.

Cut 3 (32) “I’m Kelley Ray.”

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Governor John Bel Edwards will unveil a budget today that will show the effects of one-billion dollars in cuts to state agencies. Reports say healthcare and education will be the hardest hit, with the possibility of a 100-percent cut in funding to TOPS. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says it’s not the budget the governor wants, but it’s the budget he is constitutionally required to present.

Cut 4  (09) “in it” 

The budget is the result of a billion dollar shortfall generated by the expiration of a one cent sales tax, passed two years ago.

So far, GOP legislative leaders and Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards have been unable to settle on a plan to address the fiscal cliff. Dubos says the political blowback for both could be severe if they fail to find a way forward.

Cut 5  (11)  “blame everybody”

Two years into Edwards’s term, the two sides have been unable to find much common ground on budget issues. Dubos says this is because both sides are jockeying for position with voters…

Cut 6 (07)  “took office”

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New Year’s resolutions are starting to fall by the wayside for many as day to day realities clash with their bold plans. LSU Ag Center nutritional specialist Elizabeth Gollub has a suggestion for those who are having a hard time maintaining their healthy habits…

Cut 7 (11)  “smaller steps.”

Many who start new diets plans can get frustrated with the changes and fall back on old habits with a binge. Gollub says one day of mistakes doesn’t mean you should abandon long-term healthy choices..

Cut 8 (12) “thing off.”

Gollub says the key to making a long term positive change is to start with a series of smaller healthy habits…

Cut 9 (12)  “long haul”

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A 9.7 million dollar grant was awarded to a UL Lafayette consortium to study the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale oil deposit that stretches across central Louisiana into the Florida parishes. A study from the 80s indicated that Louisiana could be sitting on nearly seven billion barrels of crude oil.  ULL Professor Mehdi Mokhtari (med-e mowk-tari) says the grant will help scientists unlock the shale’s potential…

Cut 10 (13) “sound way.”

The consortium will be comprised of scientists, academics, and oil industry professionals from across the nation. Moktari says the consortium could raise the prestige of the University of Louisiana system…