Governor Jeff Landry named former state lawmaker and Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove as the Chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. Landry says Dove took the job because he wants to restructure the CPRA …
Cut 7 (07) “…protect our coast.”
Landry also named petroleum engineer Ben Bienvenu as the Commissioner of Conservation.

Three weeks into his position as Secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services, retired Caddo Parish Juvenile Judge David Matlock recognizes changes need to be made to better assist children and families. The previous administration struggled with a lack of caseworkers and overwhelming child welfare caseloads.
Cut 9 (12) “…talk to them.”
Matlock says he wants to know what can be done for them to return to DCFS or take suggestions on what can be done to help caseworkers going forward.

College students will have to wait longer before finding out how much financial aid they’ll receive. Changes were made to this year’s FAFSA application and then more changes were needed to fix how it calculates federal student aid. The delay might not be easy for students, but Ebony Holmes with the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance says there’s a plus side…
cut 5 (10) “…in funding”

Michael Graham Junior has passed away. He served 14 years on Louisiana’s death row for murdering a Union Parish couple in 1986, but DNA evidence eventually cleared him and he was released from Angola in 2000. Director of Death Penalty Action, Abe Bonowitz, says Graham’s story is an example of a miscarriage of justice…
cut 12 (08) “..it through”
Bonowitz says the Graham family has established a Go Fund Me page in his memory.

Governor Jeff Landry talks coastal restoration and oil and gas production during a press conference at Nicholls State. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

Congressman Clay Higgins has requested the USDA provide federal aid to crawfish farmers struggling as result of last year’s historic drought and the recent freeze. Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says some farmers are barely catching anything…
cut 15 (05) “…be more”

The U-S Department of Education has announced colleges will not receive FAFSA student financial aid information until March, which means it could be April before a student knows how much financial aid they receive. Ebony Holmes with the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance says the National College Attainment Network has resources to help students determine their amount of financial aid…
cut 4 (13) “…may help”

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services is under new leadership as retired Caddo Parish Juvenile Judge David Matlock was appointed by Governor Landry. Matlock says Landry asked him to come out of retirement to lead the department and that the governor also wants to meet with foster parents personally and address their needs.
cut 11 (11) “…so much”

Governor Jeff Landry has named former state legislator and Terrebonne Parish President Gordon Dove as the new chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. Landry also named Benjamin Bienvenu as the new Commissioner of Conservation. Landry says Bienvenu and Natural Resources Secretary Tyler Gray will work to increase refining capacity…
cut 8 (11) “…..the country”

Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins has requested federal assistance for crawfish farmers who have seen a dramatic decline in production because of last year’s historic drought and the recent freeze. Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says the state’s crawfish industry needs help…
Cut 13 (07) “…to be caught.”
The LSU AgCenter estimates the potential losses to be nearly 140-million dollars due to the combined drought freeze.

Retired Caddo Parish Juvenile Judge David Matlock says Governor Landry asked him personally to head the Department of Children and Family Services, an agency facing multiple challenges.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The Advocate is reporting Governor Landry will not retain Curtis Nelson Junior as the Secretary of the Office of Juvenile Justice. Major changes could be coming to this state agency as one of the governor’s transition teams recommended a move towards probation and parole for certain juvenile offenders instead of the current therapeutic approach.

Despite strong opposition from truckers, the House and Senate Transportation committees approved Governor Jeff Landry’s plan to use a combination of federal and state dollars, plus tolls, to build a new I-10 bridge in Lake Charles. Director for the Louisiana Motor Transport Association, Renee Amar, says truckers look at tolls as an additional tax…
Cut 7 (10) “…toll is.”
Lake Charles Senator Mark Abraham knows tolls are unpopular, but necessary because there are not enough federal and state dollars available…
Cut 9 (13) “…on funding.”
The state Bond commission still has to give approval before construction can begin.

Despite winning the school’s first national championship in women’s basketball, the LSU program ran a deficit of nearly eight million dollars last fiscal year according to a report released by the Legislative Auditor’s Office. State auditor John Thiebaud (Tee-bow)…
cut 16 (07) “…winning perspective”
The NCAA recently agreed to a new TV deal which should help boost revenues for women’s basketball programs.

Former Louisiana death row inmate Michael Graham has passed away. He served on death row for 14 years, before DNA evidence cleared him of a double murder that took place in Union Parish in 1986. Director of Death Penalty Action Abe Bonowitz says Graham died a poor man because he was never compensated for being wrongfully convicted. He says they’ve set up a Go Fund me page in his memory…
cut 13 (10) “….Go Fund me”

The House and Senate Transportation committees have approved a plan to fund a new I-10 Lake Charles bridge. Tolls are part of the funding equation and the trucking industry is in opposition to using tolls to help fund the two-point-one billion dollar project. DOTD Secretary Joe Donahue says it will take seven years to build the bridge and during that time the state will look for additional funding to lower the cost of the tolls…
Cut 10 (10) “…or form.”

A state audit of the LSU athletic department found the Tigers football program generated 105 million dollars for the fiscal year that ended last June. That’s 18-million dollars more than the previous year and Brian Kelly’s program recorded a net profit of 54-million dollars, nearly a 50-percent increase from 2022. State auditor John Tiebaud…
cut 15 (07) “….their numbers”
The LSU football program received a commitment last night from four-star offensive lineman Devin Harper from Calvary Baptist High School. He’s considered the third best player in the state for the Class of 2025.

Governor Jeff Landry’s Economic Development and Fiscal Policy Council has recommended the state should begin the process of phasing out corporate and personal income taxes. Louisiana Department of Revenue Secretary Richard Nelson, expects the governor to take a long look at this recommendation
Cut 4 (09) “…that puzzle.”
Tax reform will have to wait until next year, when legislators hold a fiscal session.

Exonerated Death Row Survivor, Michael Graham Jr died has passed. He served 14 years on Louisiana’s death row until DNA cleared him of murdering a Union Parish couple in 1986. Executive Director of Death Penalty Action, Abe Bonowitz says Graham died in poverty in Virginia
Cut 11 (07) “…of that.”
Bonowitz says the Graham family has established the Michael Graham Legacy Fund and there’s also a Go Fund Me page in his memory.