Reading scores are up among the state’s youngest learners. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A National Council on Teacher Quality report says Louisiana teachers are less diverse than its population. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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An Opelousas man was arrested after fleeing a Youngsville mental health facility on foot, stealing a school bus and causing a four-vehicle crash in Lafayette on Sunday night. Lafayette PD Senior Corporal Ashley Wood says  26-year-old Marion Baker has been identified as the suspect.

Cut 3 (10) “…collision with four vehicles.” 

Lafayette P-D reports several individuals received moderate injuries as a result of the crash.

Wood says following the collision, Baker fled the scene and stole a truck from a bystander who had stopped to help.

Cut 4 (11) “…by law enforcement.”

Wood says Baker is currently being held without bail in Lafayette Parish Jail.

Cut 5 (09) “…as well as theft.”

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Students in kindergarten through third grade are improving their reading scores, thanks to a new focus on phonics-based literacy instruction. Dr. Jenna Chiasson (CHASS-on), the deputy superintendent at the State Department of Education, says those students improved their reading proficiency by more than two percentage points.

Cut 6 (09) “…level in literacy.”

Dr. Chiasson says several factors are contributing to the rise in reading proficiency among those children.

Cut 7 (12) “…Science of Reading.”

Dr. Chiasson says tutoring has also helped improve reading scores, with kids getting individualized instruction. She says better reading scores at the early levels will set those kids up for success later in their education and, in effect, later in life.

Cut 8 (14) “…are indeed working.”

Last year’s kindergarten class improved their reading scores by more than 20 points as first graders.

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Louisiana’s teacher workforce is significantly less diverse than its population of college-educated adults, according to a National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) report. Teach for America Executive Director Ge’ron Tatum says some of this is due to limited pathways and elimination of teacher prep programs.

Cut 9 (07)  “…teacher pay is inadequate,”

Louisiana teachers earn 5-thousayd-dollars less than the Southern regional average and 15-thousdand dollars below the national average, deterring people of color from entering or staying in the profession. Tatum stress that representation matters, as research shows teachers of color significantly benefit student outcomes.

Cut 10 (11) “…leads to great results.”

Tatum says to address this, strategies include recruiting from historically Black colleges, offering financial support to prospective teachers.

Cut 11 (15) “…entering the profession.”

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Three people are dead, including two children, as a result of a head-on collision between an SUV and a pickup truck on L-A 25 in Washington Parish. State Police Trooper Marc Gremillion says the adult who was killed has been identified as 42-year-old Tequilla Santee. Gremillion says the two children who died were 11 and three years old…

Cut 12 (10) “…deceased on the scene.”

The three people killed were in 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and they were from Covington. Gremillion says a Chevy Silverado heading in the opposite direction struck the Tahoe head-on. The 18-year-old driver of the Silverado was critically injured and so were two other passengers in the Tahoe.

Cut 13 (07)  “…or speed.”

Senator John Kennedy wants to give teachers who spend their own money on school supplies a bigger tax break. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 1 (27) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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Crawfish lovers are hopeful for a better crawfish season this year.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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The 2024 Prep Classic saw three teams from the Acadiana area win state championships. Jeanne (ZHAHN) Burns has more…

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

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Senator John Kennedy introduced a bill that would double the maximum that teachers can deduct from their taxable income for spending their own money on school supplies.

Cut 4 (15) “…to 600 dollars.”

Kennedy says teachers spending their own money on school supplies is unfortunately very common.

Cut 5 (10) “…their income tax.” 

Kennedy says it’s a shame that he would have to propose such a bill in the first place.

Cut 6 (12) “…an unlimited deduction.”

Kennedy says he introduced the bill mainly to get a head start on it. He acknowledges that there isn’t enough time in the current session to take it up, and he will not advance it this year. He says he will reintroduce it when the 119th Congress convenes next month.

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Crawfish farmers are expecting the 2025 mudbug season to be night and day from this year.  The historic drought of 2023 led to a delayed season with low supplies this year, but LSU AgCenter Crawfish Agent Todd Fontenot says recent rainfall should lead to a better 2025…

Cut 7 (12) “…normal like conditions.”

Fontenot reassures crawfish enthusiasts that the upcoming season is on track to recover. He attributes this optimism to improved conditions, including recent rains and a strong crop of young crawfish emerging from their burrows in recent months.

Cut 8 (08) “…into the ponds.”

Fontenot anticipates a robust harvest for 2025, with boiling spots beginning to open, allowing people to plan their crawfish boils for March, April, and May. This promising outlook should ease concerns among crawfish lovers eager to enjoy their seasonal delicacy after the challenges of the previous year.

Cut 9 (12)  “…they will grow.”

The LSU AgCenter remains hopeful that the improved environmental conditions will support a return to normal for the crawfish industry.

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Late last week, the Louisiana Department of Health detected the first possible human case of the highly pathogenic strain of Bird Flu. The state says the person lives in southwest Louisiana and is hospitalized. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says while public risk is low, the risk is there.

Cut 10 (09) “…from infected cows.”

Sokol says the symptoms of bird flu are not unlike those for human flu.

Cut 11 (13) “…headaches, fatigue.”

But Sokol cautions that in order for it to be bird flu, the person must have come into contact with an infected animal such as a bird or a cow.

Cut 12 (10) “…not bird flu.”

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Whereas Friday’s action at the Prep Classic at the Superdome featured three riveting contests, the two games Saturday were blowouts. Both got so out of hand that they went to running clocks in the second half. In the Division One Select Championship, Edna Karr out of New Orleans beat Alexandria Senior High, 53-8. ASH coach Thomas Bachman says that one loss does not take away from the team’s accomplishments all season long.

Cut 13 (09)  “…proud of them.”

Edna Karr coach Brice Brown says the win speaks to the talent that kids from New Orleans have.

Cut 14 (21) “…but great academics.”

Later, in the Division One Non-Select title game, Central, out of Baton Rouge, annihilated Ruston, 42-0, denying Ruston its second straight state title in its third straight appearance in the Prep Classic. Ruston Head Coach Jerrod Baugh took responsibility for his team’s performance.

Cut 15 (19) “…out to be.”

Central won its second state title, the first coming in 1966. Central coach David Simoneaux said his team proved a lot of people wrong.

Cut 16 (20) “…close-knit group.”

Cecilia, Sterlington, South Plaquemines, Archbishop Shaw, Catholic New Iberia and Vermilion Catholic also won state championships.

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To boost NIL efforts at LSU, head football coach Brian Kelly announced the one-million dollar match challenge. Kelly says he and his wife will match up to one million dollars in new money donated through NIL for football. Tiger Rag magazine editor  Glenn Guilbeau says it’s refreshing to see Kelly put up his own money to boost NIL efforts with the football program.

Cut 17 (14)  “…his own money.” 

Guilbeau says one thing that may have motivated Kelly to put up his own money is better job security.

Cut 18 (13)   “…from getting fired.”

The one-million dollars from the Kellys will go to the Tiger Athletic Foundation A-D’s Excellence fund.

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The Saints fell one point short of pulling off a huge come-from-behind win over the Washington Commanders, but ended up losing 20 to 19. New Orleans trailed 17-zip in the third quarter, but the offense came alive when Spencer Rattler replaced Jake Haener at quarterback. Rattler threw a touchdown pass on the final play of regulation to get within one point. Coach Darren Rizzi decided to go for the win with a two-point conversion but they could not convert…

Cut 19 (15) “…right thing.”

Saints running back Alvin Kamara injured his groin and the fourth quarter and did not return. Haener started but only completed four passes and threw an interception. Rattler was 10 of 21 for 135 yards and a touchdown. Rizzi on why he made the change…

Cut 20 (17) “…first half.”