The American Farm Bureau Federation found Louisiana is home to the second-cheapest Thanksgiving dinner in the country this year. Kace Kieschnick reports…

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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DCFS is taking steps to strengthen operations at its Child Safety Response Center. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The season started with LSU fans dreaming of the College Football Playoff. It’s ending with LSU fans dreaming of Lane Kiffin. Andrew Greenstein talked with Tigers fans to gauge their confidence in LSU’s ability to lure the Ole Miss head coach to Baton Rouge.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The price for a Thanksgiving dinner in Louisiana is the second-lowest in the U.S. according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Louisiana Farm Bureau spokesman Avery Davidson says the average cost for a classic 11-item meal for approximately ten guests is $44.70.

Cut 4 (10) “…eighteen cents.”

The cost is down three dollars from last year, but Davidson says some prices have dropped while others have risen. Turkey was the biggest faller along with stuffing, but the cost of ham, sweet potatoes, and vegetables are up.

Cut 5 (13) “…those items.”

Davidson encourages Louisianians to remember farmers this Thanksgiving. Farmers receive just 9-point-one cent of every dollar spent on food, and their share of an average Louisiana Thanksgiving dinner is just five-dollars.

Cut 6 (13) “…such a meal.”

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DCFS is addressing concerns about response times at its Child Safety Response Center. Secretary Rebecca Harris says the department has received reports about delays in the ways that it receives complaints about child maltreatment. Harris says while the department strives to handle phone calls and online reports quickly, urgent situations should always be phoned in.

Cut 7 (10) “…to sexual abuse.”

That said, Harris says the processing time for online reports, which had averaged more than 24 hours earlier this year, is now less than an hour. And hold times on the phone have also gone down significantly.

Cut 8 (08) “…a half minutes.”

Harris says the health and welfare of children throughout the state is the top priority at the department.

Cut 9 (09)  “…of that call.”

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Drone Institute announced a 340-thousand-dollar expansion of its Lafayette headquarters set to be complete by June of next year. CEO George Femmer says the project will consolidate drone operations, data processing and pilot training into one facility.

Cut 10 (14) “…up to snuff.”

The company and development is estimated to produce nearly 14-hundred new jobs over the next ten years, many of which Femmer says will be high paying.

Cut 11 (11) “…our clients.”

Louisiana offered Drone Institute an incentives package including a 300-thousand-dollar performance-based grant to assist in building renovation costs in order to secure the project. Femmer says he’s been glad to call Lafayette home and invest in its future.

Cut 12 (12) “…where they live.”

Construction will begin by the end of this year and Drone Institute training and operations will continue during the multi-stage renovation plan.

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The Lane Kiffin watch is on in a big way in Baton Rouge. This past Friday, Ole Miss said in a statement that an announcement about Kiffin’s future with the university would be made this Saturday, one day after Friday’s Egg Bowl matchup against in-state rival Mississippi State. Later that night, reports surfaced that LSU was working to finalize a 90-million-dollar offer for Kiffin to lure him to Baton Rouge – with the full blessing of Governor Landry. Those two developments have LSU fans excited.

Cut 13 (08)  “…Ole Miss coach.”

One fan says he can read between the lines of Ole Miss’s statement, interpreting that as meaning the Egg Bowl will be Kiffin’s last with the Rebels.

Cut 14 (11) “…coming to LSU.”

One fan says the contract LSU is finalizing is way too good for any coach to pass up.

Cut 15 (08) “…kind of suspect.”

Florida is also hot on Kiffin’s trail, working very hard to lure him to Gainesville. Amid all the uncertainty, the one given is that the college football world – especially fans in Baton Rouge, Gainesville and Oxford – will have their eyes glued to social media Saturday for definitive word on where Kiffin will be going, if anywhere.

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Instead of playing for a berth in the SEC Championship Game and a spot in the College Football Playoff, LSU ended its 2025 home schedule by squeaking by Conference USA opponent Western Kentucky, 13-10. LSU didn’t take the lead until a minute and a half before halftime when Trey’Dez Green caught an 11-yard pass from Michael Van Buren for the Tigers’ only touchdown. After the game, Interim Coach Frank Wilson gave credit to the Hilltoppers’ defense.

Cut 16 (16) “…the football game.”

Van Buren completed 25 out of 42 passes for 202 yards and that one touchdown. He was also intercepted once. Harlem Berry was LSU’s leading rusher with 82 yards. LSU improves to 7-and-5  and wraps up its regular season Saturday against Oklahoma in Norman; kickoff is at 2:30.

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Louisiana Tech is bowl eligible as the Bulldogs earned their sixth win of the season on Saturday with a come-from-behind win over Liberty, dousing the Flames 34-28 in overtime. Tech trailed by three touchdowns in the third quarter to pull off the biggest win in Sonny Cumbie era…

Cut 17 (08)  “…to compete.”

Quarterback Trey Kukuk sparked the rally and he did it with his legs. Kukuk had 31 yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter and a 29-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to tie the game. Kukuk says the players wanted to win this game for Cumbie and the coaches…

Cut 18 (18))  “…into this team.”

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The Saints made three trips into the red zone against the Falcons on Sunday, but only managed three points in a 24-10 loss to Atlanta. Kicker Blake Grupe missed two field goals. And in the third quarter, the Black and Gold failed to score a touchdown after getting the ball to the one-yard line. Coach Kellen Moore says they didn’t get it done on offense…

Cut 19 (10) “…find a way.”

The only touchdown for the Saints came in the second quarter, when Justin Reid returned an interception for a touchdown. The loss drops New Orleans record to 2-9. Reid says they are not giving up on the season…

Cut 20 (13) “…can do.”

The Saints are at Miami this Sunday.

With the immigration crackdown in New Orleans approaching, an immigration lawyer is reminding you of your rights, should you encounter a Border Patrol agent. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The Rapides Parish facility where plastic containers are manufactured for companies around the world announces a major expansion. Andre Champagne reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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Lafayette Police arrest two Vermillion Parish men for allegedly assaulting a man who was walking home from Festivals Acadiens et Creoles last month. Tristan Frederick and Tynes Chaney, who are both 23, are charged with second-degree battery in the October 12th attack on Dustyn Cope. Sergeant Robin Green says important evidence led investigators to the two men.

Cut 3 (09) “…after the festival.”

Cope is half Filipino and says the attack was racially motivated, with his attackers and others with them calling him racial slurs. Sergeant Green says the exact motive at this time, however, remains unclear.

Cut 4 (07) “…not prove that.”

Green says attacks like this one cast a very dark shadow on Lafayette.

Cut 5 (10) “…we have here.”

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A Baton Rouge immigration lawyer is reminding you of your rights should you be approached by a Border Patrol officer during the immigration crackdown operation that will be getting underway soon in and around New Orleans. David Rozas says the right to remain silent extends to everyone in the country, whether they’re citizens or immigrants.

Cut 6 (11) “…to remain silent.”

Rozas says if you do exercise your right to remain silent, you may still be detained, but the grounds for the federal agents to detain you have been playing out in the federal courts. Rozas says especially during the operation, immigrants who are in the country legally need to make an extra effort to have their required identification with them at all times.

Cut 7 (11) “…search and seizure.”

While President Trump, Governor Landry and others maintain that the federal agents are going after the most violent criminals, Rozas says the people they’ll really be going after are other people entirely, and they’ll be targeting them solely based on the color of their skin.

Cut 8 (11) “…last 20 years.”

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The LSU Board of Supervisors has called for a special meeting tomorrow to discuss the lawsuit filed by Brian Kelly against LSU as the former Tigers football coach is seeking his entire 54-million-dollar buyout. Piper Hutchinson with the Louisiana Illuminator says most of the meeting will take place behind closed doors

Cut 9 (10)  “.of the meeting.”

When LSU fired Kelly last month they said negotiations over the size of the buyout would continue. Contractually, Kelly is due 54-million dollars, but according to the lawsuit filed by Kelly’s attorneys, the school is seeking to fire Kelly with cause, which means they would not have to pay any of the buyout. Hutchinson says we will find out tomorrow on how LSU plans to respond to Kelly’s lawsuit…

Cut 10 (09) “…meeting is over.”

Hutchinson says once the board members emerge from executive session, they will announce their next steps in the Kelly buyout dispute…

Cut 11 (11) “…of that meeting.”

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Plastipak Manufacturing announces a major expansion of its Pineville manufacturing facility. The nearly 54-million-dollar plan will add 200-thousand square feet to its facility, and it will create 15 direct jobs and 25 indirect jobs while retaining 340 current positions. Louisiana Central President and CEO Chris Masingill says Plastipak is one of the global leaders in plastic packaging.

Cut 12 (12) “…supply chain synergy.”

Masingill says as such, if you use a certain brand of detergent, the bottle that it’s contained in was manufactured in Rapides Parish.

Cut 13 (10)  “…from that facility.”

Masingill says the expansion of the facility is a huge economic win for the entire Central Louisiana region.

Cut 14 (12) “…and business climate.”

The project is expected to be completed by the end of next year.