The world is bracing for a big announcement by President Trump on global tariffs. Colleen Crain reports…

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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Governor Landry has ordered a hiring freeze within the state’s executive branch. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The world is bracing for a big announcement by President Trump on global tariffs. U-N-O economics professor Dub Lane says while countries will pay a tax on the goods they export to the United States, those extra costs will end up being passed along to the consumer.

Cut 3 (10) “…be U.S. citizens.” 

Lane says there’s a reason that many goods are manufactured overseas in the first place.

Cut 4 (09) “…be more expensive.”

President Trump says one purpose of the tariffs is to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Lane says if China loses jobs because of the tariffs, those jobs would most likely go to Vietnam or Bangladesh and not the U.S.

Cut 5 (12) “…over other people.”

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A warrant has been issued for a Slidell man after investigators say he forced his way into a home and assaulted a woman. Lieutenant Suzanne (soo-ZAHN) Carboni says St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputies responded to the home U-S Highway 190 East, learning that 52-year-old Tyrone Mercadel (MERK-a-dell) had kicked in the door and attacked the woman.

Cut 6 (08) “…actively fighting them.”

Carboni says in self-defense, the woman fired two shots, hitting Mercadel in the leg.

Cut 7 (12) “…shoot out his tires.”

Authorities later located Tyrone Mercadel and transported him to a hospital. Carboni says once released, he will be arrested for aggravated battery.

Cut 8 (12) “…fired upon the vehicle.”

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Governor Landry has ordered a temporary hiring freeze for the executive branch of state government. In a statement, Landry’s office says the goal is to save 20-million dollars in the general fund. In a statement, Landry’s office says the upcoming fiscal year’s budget was prepared using a standstill approach, removing one-time items and incorporating cost-saving measures. While the statement puts some of the blame on the prior administration that’s now been out of office for more than a year, political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says changes to the tax law may have had something to do with it.

Cut 9 (11)  “…the entire budget.”

Pinsonat says work had already been underway on how to shave money off the state budget.

Cut 10 (09) “…to do that.”

Landry says part of the reason for the hiring freeze is the failure of Amendment 2 at the ballot box. Pinsonat says that has an indirect effect on state revenues.

Cut 11 (12) “…have no choice.”

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Experian has teamed up with LSU women’s basketball star Flau’jae Johnson to help relieve five-million dollars of consumer debt for five-thousand families in Louisiana. Christina Roman with Experian says the partnership is perfect since Experian and Johnson both promote financial literacy…

Cut 12 (09) “…tangible difference.”

Roman says Experian originally committed five-million dollars to this initiative and they tacked on an additional 100-thousand dollars for every game LSU won in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, which was three.

Roman says Louisiana has one of the highest poverty rates in the country and relieving five-million dollars in consumer debt could be life changing…

Cut 13 (13)  “…in Louisiana.”

Johnson says money management is extremely important and she’s learning firsthand as she is one of the biggest NIL earners in college athletics.

Roman says the five-thousand families who will have their debt relieved were chosen by ForgiveCo…

Cut 14 (10) “…debt payoff.”

Two death row inmates in Caddo Parish have learned their execution dates this week. Andrew Greenstein reports Caddo Parish has a disproportionate number of death row inmates in the state – despite it having a Democratic district attorney.

Cut 1 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Baton Rouge prosecutors reach a plea deal with a man who killed his pregnant girlfriend and her two-year-old son three years ago. Colleen Crain reports…

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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Louisiana tax filers can use United Way Southwest Louisiana’s My Free Taxes app, a free online tax filing service. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Despite having a Democratic district attorney, Caddo Parish, which includes Shreveport, has a disproportionate number of inmates on death row. In general terms, Republicans tend to support capital punishment much more than Democrats. So why the anomaly? LSU Shreveport political science professor Jeff Sadow (SAD-ow) says many of those death row inmates were sentenced years ago.

Cut 4 (09) “…anti-death penalty.”

In fact, those district attorneys employed prosecutors who were very aggressive in seeking the death penalty. Sadow says the current district attorney, James Stewart, fully supports the judgement of his predecessors.

Cut 5 (08) “…to capital sentences.”

Sadow says Stewart will not stand in the way of judges signing death warrants, like what Judge Donald Hathaway did this week in setting execution dates for Darrell Draughn and Marcus Reed.

Cut 6 (07) “…in the past”

The 53-year-old Draughn is scheduled to be executed May 28th for stabbing his neighbor, 64-year-old Lauretta White, to death in 2000.  The 47-year-old Reed will be put to death June 4th for killing three young men who he had erroneously thought had stolen his ex-girlfriend’s X-Box.

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A Baton Rouge man who killed his pregnant girlfriend and her two-year-old son reaches a plea deal with prosecutors. Three years ago, 23-year-old Brynnen (BRIN-in) Murphy shot and killed his pregnant girlfriend, 24-year-old Kaylen Johnson, and he threw her two-year-old son, Kaden, off a bridge. East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar (HILL-er) Moore says Johnson’s family wanted to avoid a trial.

Cut 7 (15) “…for some time.”

Murphy pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter and one count of first-degree feticide. Moore says he would have had no trouble convicting Murphy of the second-degree murder charges he was originally facing.

Cut 8 (11) “…and their future.”

Despite the lesser charges that Murphy pleaded guilty to, Moore says he will never see the light of day again from outside a prison setting.

Cut 9 (14)  “…a life sentence.”

Murphy will be formally sentenced June 10th.

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United Way Southwest Louisiana has launched My Free Taxes, a free online tax filing service for U-S tax filers earning up to 84-thousand dollars a year. The platform helps users file federal and state taxes quickly, with most completing their returns in under an hour. United Way Southwest Louisiana Associate Director of Community Impact Kimberlie Heckard says it includes guides for small business owners, gig workers, and those affected by federally declared disasters.

Cut 10 (11) “…My-Free-Taxes-dot-com website.”

Heckard says since 2020, the program has saved nearly 30-thousand people over three-million-dollars in tax prep fees while ensuring they claim eligible deductions and credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit.

Cut 11 (12) “…forms that you get”

Heckard says the program guarantees secure and accurate tax filing.

Cut 12 (14) “…the tax client.”

Free services cover W-2 income, self-employment, education expenses, and more. Taxpayers can file online at MyFreeTaxes.com, or they can schedule an appointment with a volunteer at unitedwayswla.org/vita or by dialing 211.

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Senator Bill Cassidy has introduced “The Defining Male and Female Act.”

Cut 13 (16)  “…to chest-feed.”

Senator Cassidy says the legislation he introduced last week with Kansas Senator Roger Marshall, who like him is also a doctor, would codify one of President Trump’s executive orders.

Cut 14 (10) “…identity or sex.”

Cassidy says his legislation would make accommodations for people born with chromosome variations.

Cut 15 (10) “…allows for that.”

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Derek Carr is set to return for his third season as the Saints starting Q-B but that hasn’t stopped first-year head coach Kellen Moore from doing his homework on the quarterbacks in the upcoming draft. Moore traveled to see Miami’s Cam Ward and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart perform at their pro days. Moore on what he looks for when he’s evaluating a quarterback…

Cut 16 (14) “…you can.”

Moore spoke with reporters at the NFL Owners’ meetings. Moore says the team added real value during free agency, highlighted by the signing of safety Justin Reid, who just won a Super Bowl with Kansas City….

Cut 17 (22) “…up with him.”

The Saints also re-signed tight end Juwan Johnson to a three-year, 30.8 million dollar deal. The 28-year-old Johnson had a career-high 50 receptions last season, but Moore believes he can make Johnson an even bigger threat in the passing game.

Cut 18 (20) “…add to his game.”