Get ready for another active hurricane season. NOAA is predicting an above-average season, with 13 to 19 named storms. Of them, they predict six to ten hurricanes, with three to five being major hurricanes – Category Three or higher. National Weather Service Director Ken Graham says even a storm that does not rise to the level of a major hurricane can still be very devastating.

Cut 3 (11) “…care the category.”

The number of storms for an average season is 14 and last year there were 18 named storms.

Attorney General Liz Murrill, along with state corrections officials completed a tour of the Orleans Parish Jail as the state looks at how it can prevent another jail break. Murrill says her office will spend the next several weeks looking at how to make the facility more secure, but she pointed out a quick fix and that’s not allowing construction materials to be used as weapons…

Cut 6 (11) “…gets the job done”

Murrill says making sure they have the right locks and hinges on the doors is also a top priority.

A Senate bill that would prohibit schools that receive state funding from serving ultra-processed foods at lunch is now heading to the House floor after no one voted against the bill in House Health and Welfare. The bill’s author, Covington Senator Patrick McMath, says Louisiana is one of several states considering similar legislation and the goal is…

Cut 10 (10) “…alter the ingredients.”

McMath’s bill incentivizes food makers to eliminate toxins from school lunches. The legislation also requires a warning label on foods containing artificial colors, additives or banned chemicals. And it requires restaurants to notify customers if they cook or prepare foods using seed oils.

State lawmakers now have an additional 139-million dollars to spend next fiscal year. The Revenue Estimating Conference recognized the additional cash after hearing from economists who project the amount of revenue the state will collect after July 1^st.

Former Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet has been indicted on bribery and wire fraud charges. Federal prosecutors allege Montoucet was involved in a lucrative kickback scheme involving a state contract. If found guilty. Montoucet faces up to 20 years in prison and a one-million dollar fine.

A Senate bill heading to the House floor would prohibit schools that receive state funding from serving lunches with ultra-processed foods. Andrew Greenstein has more…

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children is urging the Louisiana Legislature to increase state funding for early childhood education by an additional nine million dollars. Doctor Libbie Sonnier says it would be a wise investment…

Cut 6 (08) “….learn and excel”

The legislature found out yesterday that they will have an additional 139-million dollars to spend next fiscal year, because revenues are coming in higher than projected.

At the end of the month, the state treasurer’s office will mail out 143-thousand unclaimed property checks totaling 34-million dollars. State Treasurer John Fleming says for those who receive these checks, this is money that belongs to you. He says the money usually comes from old payroll checks, bank accounts, royalties, utility deposits, interest payments, stock certificates and life insurance proceeds…

Cut 9 (08) “…will claim it”

Visit L-A Cash Claim dot-org.

The Revenue Estimating Conference has recognized an additional 139-million-dollars in funding, which means the state will have more available dollars to plug into next fiscal year’s budget.  Louisiana Policy Institute for Children CEO Libbie Sonnier is urging legislators to use some of the additional revenue to increase funding for early childhood education…

Cut 4 (11) “…child care assistance.”

There will also be a push to fund a high-dosage tutoring program that was not funded when the House approved the budget last week.

The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested nine suspected child sex predators on child grooming and abuse charges. Sheriff Jason Ard says these nine  individuals were caught having inappropriate conversations with detectives, who they thought were teenagers…

Cut 14 (06) “…right through that”

An LSU student and an alleged gang member were among the nine people arrested.

A Senate bill that would prohibit schools that receive state funding from serving ultra-processed foods at lunch is now heading to the House floor after no one voted against the bill in House Health and Welfare. The bill’s author, Covington Senator Patrick McMath, says Louisiana is one of several states considering similar legislation and the goal is…

Cut 10 (10) “…alter the ingredients.”

McMath’s bill incentives food makers to eliminate toxins from school lunches. The legislation also requires a warning label on foods containing artificial colors, additives or banned chemicals. And it requires restaurants to notify customers if they cook or prepare foods using seed oils.

State Treasurer John Fleming says 143-thousand unclaimed property checks, totaling over 34-million dollars will be mailed at the end of the month. Fleming says his office is holding on to one-point-two billion dollars in unclaimed property and the checks they will send out on May 30^th is the result of working with the Department of Revenue to connect the unclaimed property checks with the person’s address…

Cut 7 (09) “…next month”

To find out if you have unclaimed property, search La-cash-casino-dot-org.

Early Childhood Education Advocates are urging the Louisiana Senate to spend more dollars on the Child Care Assistance Program. Sean Richardson reports the Louisiana House’s proposed budget keeps funding at the same level as this year…

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

And state lawmakers now have an additional 139-million dollars to spend next fiscal year. The Revenue Estimating Conference recognized the additional cash after hearing from economists who project the amount of revenue the state will collect after July 1^st. Senate President Cameron Henry says the additional dollars could fund more criminal justice improvements, economic development initiatives and some lawmakers want to see the state spend 30-million dollars to keep a high-dosage tutoring program going.

Livingston Parish once again teamed up with former Dateline NBC correspondent Chris Hansen in an online sex sting. This time, nine men were arrested, including two registered sex offenders and one man who brought a loaded gun to the sting house. Sheriff Jason Ard says the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force set up the operation in March and April, creating a fake social media profile.

Cut 13 (11)  “…an undercover deputy.”

An LSU student and an alleged gang member were among the nine people arrested.

At the end of the month, Louisiana’s Treasurer’s Office will send out 143-thousand unclaimed property checks totaling over 34 million dollars. State Treasurer John Fleming says there are about 25-hundred people receiving unclaimed property that’s higher than their maximum for an automatic check…

Cut 8 (11) “…verifying their identity”

The unclaimed property checks are blue and it will have a logo that says Your Money…Claim It.

Five inmates from last Friday’s jailbreak at the Orleans Parish jail have been captured and five of them remain on the run. And State Police announced this afternoon that two people have been arrested for allegedly assisting some of the fugitives. The individuals arrested have been identified as 32-year-old Cortnie Harris of New Orleans and 38-year-old Corvanntay Baptist of Slidell..

Meanwhile, the calls are growing for the Orleans sheriff to resign…

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein”

The Louisiana House has approved legislation that would increase the tax on online sports betting operators like Draft Kings and Fan Duel. The tax would increase from 15-percent to 21.5 percent and Division one college athletic programs would receive some of the revenue, two million dollars for each school. Piper Hutchinson with the Louisiana Illuminator says the bill’s author, Columbia Representative Neil Riser, originally proposed a higher tax…

Cut 14 (09) “….their lobbying efforts”

The measure heads to the Senate for more discussion.

The Jimmie Davis Bridge Construction project has hit the one-year mark. DOTD spokesperson Erin Buchannan says the contractor continues to make progress with building the foundations of the new four-lane bridge in Bossier and Caddo Parishes and significant work is underway to realign and widen LA 511 on both sides of the river…

Cut 5 (09) “…two years from now”

The search continues for five of the ten inmates who escaped from the Orleans Parish jail last Friday. State Representative Aimee Freeman has called for Orleans Sheriff Susan Hutson to resign…

Cut 9 (10) “…these criminals”

Hutson told the New Orleans City Council that she takes full accountability for this failure. But Hutson also told the council she does not have enough funding…

Cut 7 (14) “…our needs”

Hutson is up for re-election in October. She has suspended her campaign and she was already facing two challengers before the jail break.

State Police have charged state representative Kyle Green with a DWI and child endangerment after he was involved in a single vehicle wreck in Jefferson Parish during the middle of the night. The wreck happened at around 2:30 in the morning and no one was injured, including the three children he had in his vehicle. State Trooper Jacob Pucheu says troopers at the scene noticed signs of impairment and conducted a series of field sobriety tests..

Cut 12 (08) “….or death”

The children in the vehicle were released to a family member.

The Jimmie Davis Bridge Construction project has hit the one-year mark. DOTD spokesperson Erin Buchannan says the contractor continues to make progress with building the foundations of the new four-lane bridge in Bossier and Caddo Parishes and significant work is underway to realign and widen LA 511 on both sides of the river…

Cut 5 (09) “…two years from now”

As the search for the five remaining Orleans Parish Jail escapees continues, calls grow for the sheriff to step down. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Richland Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that wounded four people. It happened last night in Rayville at the Richland Apartments. Deputies say three of the victims were sent to the hospital and one of the individuals declined medical treatment. Investigators believe gunfire erupted as a result of a physical altercation.

A bill that would make the Insurance Commissioner an appointed position in state government rather than an elected position appears to be dead for the legislative session. New Orleans Senator Royce Duplessis is author of the bill as part of an effort to lower insurance rates. He received push back fellow senators during the debate on the Senate floor. Bossier City Republican Adam Bass questioned Duplessis…

Cut 14 (15) “…finding another solution”

Duplessis tabled a vote as it appears he does not have the votes for it to pass.

It’s been one year since construction began on a new 360-million-dollar Jimmie Davis Bridge in Bossier and Caddo Parishes.  State Transportation spokesperson Erin Buchanan says the new 4-lane bridge will replace the existing 2-lane structure….

Cut 3 (08) “…in those areas.”

The new four-lane bridge will open in 2027.