Police in Minden are investigating the death of a toddler inside a home. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A Jefferson Parish jury took less than an hour to convict Bunnak Landon of first degree murder in the brutal death of six-year-old Bella Fontenelle of Harahan. Landon killed her boyfriend’s child and left her body in a buck on the child’s mother’s front lawn. Landon claimed she was insane at the time of the crime.

The Louisiana Legislature is debating a comprehensive nutrition bill that, among other things, would ban SNAP recipients from using their benefits to buy soft drinks Governor Jeff Landry is not waiting for that bill to reach his desk….

Cut 13 (06) “….food stamp program”

The only real power the executive order has is that it directs the Department of Children and Family Services to request a waiver from the USDA to prohibit food stamp recipients from buying soda and candy.

If you are a crawfish lover than head over the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Fest in St. Martin Parish. Publicity Director Angelique Bernard says mudbugs will be prepared in many different ways and there’s more than just crawfish…

Cut 8 (15) “…under the tent”

The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Fest runs through Sunday.

Governor Jeff Landry signs an executive order that directs the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services to seek a waiver from the USDA that would ban food stamp recipients from using their benefits to purchase sodas and candy. Landry says if SNAP recipients want to buy these products, they can use their own money…

Cut 14 (11) “…that’s wrong”

Two children were found locked in car seats inside a house in Webster Parish with no adult supervision, and one of them has died. Minden Police were called to the house mid-morning yesterday on a report of a two-year-old child being found unresponsive inside the house. The girl could not be resuscitated. Minden Police Chief Jared McIver says investigators are trying to determine exactly how the little girl died.

Cut 3 (12) “…off the airway.”

Chief McIver says investigators also want to know who was supposed to be home supervising the children.

The Breaux Bridge Crawfish festival is this weekend. There have been reports with other festivals in the state serving imported seafood, but Publicity director of the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, Anquelique Bernard says the mudbugs at their festival are harvested from Louisiana waterways…

Cut 9 (09) “…coming from”

Today there will be a crawfish eating contest today. Contestants will try to eat two and a half pounds of crawfish as fast as they can.

Another hurricane season begins June 1^st and this year the National Hurricane Center will begin issuing official forecasts 72 hours out if they believe a tropical wave or disturbance will intensify quickly and impact land…

Cut 6 (16) “…and other products”

That’s Director Michael Brennan, who says Hurricane Helene quickly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane last year and caused significant damage in Florida.

Louisiana is the latest state to seek a waiver from the USDA to prohibit SNAP recipients from purchasing soda and candy with their benefits…

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein”

The Minden Police Department is investigating the death of a two-year-old child who was locked into a child seat inside a home. It’s unknown how long the toddler was left unattended. Authorities say it’s possible the two-year-old was  choked because of how she was fastened into the car seat.

Another hurricane season begins June 1^st and the National Hurricane Center says it continues to improve its forecasting. Director Michael Brennan says one area of improvement is predicting rapid intensification of a storm…

Cut 5 (10) “…early 2010s”

Brennan says this year, the National Hurricane Center will produce an official forecast track for unnamed storms as early as 72 hours in advance before that system grows into a hurricane and impacts coastal areas.

The biggest crawfish festival in the state starts today. The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival runs through Sunday, and Publicity Director Angelique (AHN-zhu-leek) Bernard says you can get crawfish prepared in many ways.

Cut 7 (11) “…it’s delicious.”

Admission is ten dollars today, 15 dollars tomorrow and five dollars on Sunday; or you can buy a weekend pass for 25 dollars.

The Louisiana Legislature is debating a comprehensive nutrition bill that, among other things, would ban SNAP recipients from using their benefits to buy soft drinks. Governor Landry is not waiting for that bill to reach his desk as he’s signed an executive order banning soda and candy purchases from  Louisiana’s food stamps program…

Cut 15 (09) “…water over soda”

Democrats in the Louisiana Legislature oppose the idea of restricting SNAP recipients from using their cash assistance to purchase of soda.

There was enough opposition in the House Natural Resources Committee to kill a bill that would give parish governments the ability to permit carbon sequestration wells in their parish. Locals are concerned about the environmental impacts, but LSU law professor Keith Hall testified the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources should be the agency that permits these projects…

Cut 11 (12) “…House Bill 4.

Another hurricane season is right around the corner and one of the new things  the Hurricane Center will do this year…is provide forecast tracks earlier for unnamed storms that are expected to intensify rapidly….

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson”

There’s an enhanced risk for severe weather for all of north Louisiana, most of central Louisiana and a part of southwest Louisiana for this afternoon and into tonight. Forecasters say we could see damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes can not be ruled out.

As the legislature continues to debate a bill that, among other things, would ban SNAP recipients from using their benefits to buy soft drinks, Governor Landry is taking it one step further.

Cut 13 (06)  “…food stamp program.”

Landry says if SNAP recipients want to buy those products, they can do so with their own money and not with taxpayer money.

The House Natural Resources Committee has voted down a bill that would have allowed parishes to vote on whether to permit carbon sequestration wells in their areas. There was passionate testimony on both sides, including from 16-year-old Avery Williams, who expressed concerns about storing carbon dioxide below ground…

Cut 10 (13) “…in our future.”

Industry leaders expressed concern this bill would complicate permitting and hinder a growing industry where carbon dioxide emissions are captured from the air and stored underground.

Looking for something to do this weekend? Why not take in the biggest crawfish festival in the state. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

The second weekend of Jazz Fest in New Orleans ramps up today. Luke Combs is one of the main headliners.

In Sulphur, the state high school softball tournament resumes with semifinal action.

And tomorrow is election day, voters in Lake Charles will decide whether to re-elect Nic Hunter. He’s being challenged by Democrat Marshall Simien.

As debate on a bill that would ban SNAP recipients from using their benefits to buy soft drinks works its way through the legislature, Governor Landry is taking it one step further. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

This week the state Senate approved a bill that would prohibit public water systems in Louisiana from adding fluoride to the water. Dentists oppose the effort, they say it will result in more cavities and tooth decay. But U-S Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Junior says there’s a link between fluoride and lower IQs in children.

Legislation that would have allowed parish government to vote on carbon sequestration well permits failed to pass the House Natural Resources Committee. Industry groups opposed the bill. Matt Coday, president of the Oil and Gas Workers Association, says environmental groups like the Sierra Club are using this bill to push their agenda…

Cut 12 (14) “…what powers Louisiana”

The bill failed on a ten to six vote.

The start of the hurricane season is about a month away and National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan says this year they will begin issuing official forecast tracks and watches and warnings earlier for tropical systems that have yet to form into a depression…

Cut 4 (08) “…coastal areas”

Brennan says it’s in response to unnamed storms rapidly intensifying into a hurricane in a short period of time.

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee has passed a comprehensive nutrition bill that would prohibit schools from serving lunches that contain ultra-processed foods. The measure would also prohibit SNAP recipients from using their SNAP benefits to purchase sugary drinks, like soft drinks. The bill’s author Covington Senator Patrick McMath…

Cut 14 (07) “…non nutrious”

Democrats believe its not a good idea to restrict SNAP recipients from purchasing sodas.

Congressman Troy Carter is announcing the relaunch of a bipartisan Men’s Health Caucus. The New Orleans Democrat says men need to take care of their bodies the same way as they meticulously care for their most prized possessions.

Cut 8 (13) “…in their bodies.”

The effort to ban unmanned traffic cameras that issue tickets is ongoing at the state capitol again. Sean Richardson reports Shreveport Senator Alan Seabaugh is supporting an effort to ban them outside of school zones…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Sean Richardson”

The Senate has approved an anti-traffic camera bill and the House will consider the bill soon.

State Police is investigating a fatal officer involved shooting in New Iberia last night. It happened at the intersection of Ann and Buckeye Streets. One person was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were harmed. No other details have been released.

Legislation giving the Insurance Commissioner the authority to reject rate increases deemed excessive has received approval from the Louisiana House. This proposal, backed by Governor Jeff Landry, was added to another insurance related bill and approved by the House on a 67-33 vote. Opponents say the Insurance Commissioner already has this authority, Slidell Republican Brian Glorioso disagrees…

Cut 9 (12) “….striking it down”

The amended bill heads to the Senate for more debate.

A bill that seeks to reduce the number of unmanned ticket writing traffic cameras continues to advance in the legislature. A bill to do just that was approved by the Senate this week and Shreveport Senator Alan Seabaugh added an amendment that says speed cameras that would issue citations will be allowed in school zones…

Cut 5 (04) “….the school zones”

The bill needs approval from the House before it heads to the governor’s desk.

Pediatric patients in New Orleans will soon have a hospital to call their own. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.

The search for a new president is down to two finalists, Chris Broadwater and Carrie Castille. Castillie is a Louisiana native and is currently an Agriculture and Natural Resources Consultant for the USDA. Broadwater is an attorney and a former state representative and was previously the interim chancellor for Louisiana Delta Community College.