The Trump Administration has finalized a Medicare Advantage payment rate increase which will result 13-billion dollars in additional funding for Medicare Advantage plans. Darren Grubb, with the advocacy group Medicare Advantage Majority says this is great news for those who are covered by Medicare Advantage…

Cut 8 (11) “…they need them”

If you’ve been craving crawfish, now’s the time to get some as crawfish prices are down now that Easter’s over,

Cut 15 (11) “…your favorite spot.”

That’s Crawfish App co-founder Laney King, who says that means a sack of crawfish is selling for less than 100-dollars and boiled crawfish is going for $5.60 per pound.

The Louisiana Wildlife Federation is urging you to do your part in keeping birds safe during their journey up north. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

In LSU women’s basketball news…Jada Richard of Opelousas, is reportedly entering the transfer portal. No reason given on why, but LSU is hosting a Laila Reynolds today. She was Florida’s point guard last season and averaged 12 points a game.

The Louisiana Senate approves legislation that would allow local governments to hold a vote to see if their residents want to have fluoride removed from their drinking water. Houma Republican Mike Fesi is the author of the bill. He says fluoride is bad for your body and your brain…

Cut 9 (11) “….the water”

Local governments began adding fluoride to public water systems in the mid-1900s as a way to prevent tooth decay. Health experts say its safe. This measure still needs House approval.

Birds are migrating back north and passing over Louisiana. The Louisiana Wildlife Federation is urging you to turn off all unnecessary lights on your property at 11 p-m each night through the end of May and that especially goes for landscape lighting…

Cut 4 (12) “…disorient brids.”

LSU baseball will receive more revenue sharing dollars to help the program keep winning championships. Joe Gallinaro has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro”

LSU is a special place to Johnny Jones. The 65-year-old DeRidder native led the men’s basketball team to the Final Four as a player, he was an assistant coach and he spent five seasons as a head coach at LSU. After an eight-year run as the head coach at Texas Southern, Jones is returning to LSU as an assistant coach for Will Wade.

If you misgender a co-worker in the workplace, you can’t be fired, under a bill heading to the House floor. Opponents of the legislation say some people who choose not to use the pronoun that a person wants to be identified as…is harassment. Denham Springs Representative Roger Wilder says he will always use the birth-assigned pronouns based on his religious beliefs, and he shouldn’t lose his job over that.

Cut 13 (10)  “…to protect that.”

The measure heads to the House floor for more discussion.

There are five constitutional amendments on the May 16^th ballot. One of them is straightforward. Should Louisiana raise the mandatory retirement age of judges from 70 to 75 years-old. Steven Procopio of the Public Affairs Research Council…

Cut 8 (07) “….fresh or younger”

For a full breakdown of the five constitutional amendments. Go to PAR’s website.

About 300-thousand people are expected to attend the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival this weekend. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Crawfish lovers will pay less for mudbugs this week, now that the Easter holiday is behind us. Laney King is the co-founder of the crawfish app…

Cut 14 (13) “…dollars a pound”

The House Labor Committee passes legislation that would prohibit a private or public employer from firing or taking retaliatory action against an employee for misgendering. Chairman Raymond Crews of Bossier City is the author of the legislation.

Cut 10 (09) “…is that proper?”

Crews is referring to Luke Ash, who was let go of his job last July after he refused to use someone’s preferred pronouns. The measure is heading to the House floor after a six-to-four vote along party lines in House Labor.

Shreveport Democratic Representative Tammy Phelps reminded the committee that as long as a business does not fire a worker based on race, sex, age, religion, natural origin or disability, it does not have to give a reason for the dismissal.

Cut 11 (06) “…why they’re firing.”

The discussion will continue on the House floor.

The 54^th Annual Ponchatoula Strawberry Fest begins today. It starts this morning at eleven and runs through Sunday at Memorial Park on North Sixth Street. Donald Lanier with the Strawberry Festival says they’ll be taking over Main Street tomorrow morning with a parade that begins at 9:30.

Cut 4 (08) “…off the weekend.”

About 300-thousand people are expected to attend the free festival and law enforcement from around the area will be on hand to make sure it’s a safe event.

And it will be an excellent weekend to boil crawfish. Laney King, co-founder of the Crawfish App, says there was a noticeable price drop following the Easter weekend, which is typical…

Cut 16 (06) “…nice price”

King says you can get a sack of live crawfish for under one-hundred dollars and $5.60 per pound for boiled crawfish.

Fuel prices continue to climb, with no end in sight. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Motorists might not have to pay for an inspection sticker next year. The Louisiana House has approved a bill to eliminate the inspection sticker requirement and replace it with a QR code that would cost six dollars. An inspection sticker costs ten dollars a year. The Senate still need to approve the legislation.

Another session and another year where an attempt to raise the minimum wage has been defeated. The House Labor Committee voted along party lines today to kill a proposal to increase the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to 12-dollars in 2027 and 15-dollars an hour by 2029. The Economic Policy Institute says one in five workers would see a pay raise as a result of this legislation, but Slidell Representative Brian Glorioso says workforce training is how you increase wages…

Cut 11 (11) “…in solution”

The Colorado State University Hurricane Forecast is predicting a somewhat below-average Atlantic hurricane season for 2026. Researcher Chandler Jenkins says that’s because a moderate to strong El Nino could be in place from August to October…

Cut 4 (08) “….in the Atlantic”

C-S-U is predicting 13 named storms, six hurricanes and two of the hurricanes could be major.

The first long range forecast for the upcoming hurricane season is encouraging. Colleen Crain has the story…

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

According to the latest information from the U-S Drought monitor, nearly 96-percent of the state is considered abnormally dry. The northern half of the state is considered to be in severe drought, the Delta Parishes, Natchitoches Parish and the northwestern corner of the state is in extreme drought.

The Louisiana House has approved a bill that would eliminate the inspection sticker requirement for most drivers. DeSoto Parish Representative Larry Bagley has been pushing this bill for a number of years, because he looks at the inspection sticker as an outdated burden for drivers.

Cut 10 (06) “…of those things?”

Bagley is proposing a QR code sticker that would cost six dollars a year, instead of an inspection sticker that costs 10-dollars. The measure heads to the Senate for their consideration.

A proposed bill that would require people who negotiate NIL deals for college and high school athletes to register with the state. It would also require background checks and full disclosure of fees and compensation. Legendary high school football coach J.T. Curtis of John Curtis High School agrees those acting as agents should be registered.

Cut 14 (09) “…has some qualification.”

The measure heads to the Senate floor.