While the Republicans are dominating the airwaves in the U.S. Senate race in Louisiana, there’s also a runoff on the Democratic side. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The latest Kids Count Data Book shows that Louisiana still has lots of room for improvement in child well-being. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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U-N-O is just one month away from becoming LSU New Orleans, and the transition is a game-changer, Kace Kieschnick Reports

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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While the Republican candidates for U.S. Senate are dominating the airwaves in the run-up to the runoff, both in terms of advertising and in headlines, there’s also a runoff for the Democratic nomination as well. Jamie Davis and Gary Crockett will square off on June 27th for the right to take on Julia Letlow or John Fleming in the November general election. Davis was the runaway top vote-getter in the primary, garnering 47-percent of the vote. He’s urging his supporters to get out the vote once again.

Cut 4 (12) “…once more again.”

Gary Crockett, on the other hand, barely eked out second place, besting Nick Albares by just 284 votes to advance to the runoff. Crockett says his strategy is to get Albares’ supporters on his side.

Cut 5 (07) “…voters as well.”

Davis is a former police juror in Tensas Parish and says his experience on that body, along with his experience in his chosen profession, make him well prepared for the rigors in the U.S. Senate.

Cut 6 (10) “…is all about.”

Crockett says that, while he comes from a different background and this is his first political campaign, he has what it takes to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Cut 7 (12) “…what is important.”

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The latest Kids Count Data Book shows that Louisiana still has plenty of room for improvement in the well-being of its children. The 2026 report ranks Louisiana 48th overall. Theresa Falgoust (FAAL-goo), the chief data and impact officer for the Agenda for Children, says that includes an economic well-being ranking that’s dead last in the country.

Cut 8 (06) “…full-time year-round.”

Louisiana also ranked low in health and in family and community. Louisiana’s best individual ranking was in education, where it ranked 35th. Falgoust says it’s a testament to the investments the state is making in early childhood education.

Cut 9 (07)  “…and first grade.”

Falgoust says there is a positive to come out of this report – when compared to last year, Louisiana made one of the biggest improvements in the country.

Cut 10 (07) “…for South Carolina.”

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The University of New Orleans is switching gears as it prepares to transition to the LSU system on July 1st. Interim Chancellor Jeanette Weiland says the university wouldn’t have survived without the 20-million-dollar cash infusion from the state of Louisiana, but now they’re back in the black and looking ahead.

Cut 11 (11) “…is enrollment growth.”

Weiland is setting the institution’s fall enrollment goal at six thousand students. She says as part of the LSU system, UNO can aggressively target the thousands of applicants denied by LSU’s main campus who meet its admissions requirements.

Cut 12 (12) “…give them tours.”

Weiland, who’s a UNO graduate herself, says keeping the university flourishing is not just business, it’s personal. She says the soon-to-be LSU New Orleans offers opportunity at an affordable price nationwide, and the best is yet to come.

Cut 13 (11)  “…economic development impact.” 

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The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission has approved new chronic wasting disease management zones as a result of legislation approved in the recently completed legislative session. LDWF’s deer program manager Jonathan Bordelon says the size of the four zones has been reduced…

Cut 14 (09) “…were used prior.”

Three of the zones are located in northeast Louisiana, and a fourth zone covers most of Concordia and Avoyelles parishes.

There have been at least 55 confirmed cases of CWD since first detected in Louisiana in 2022. It’s a 100-percent fatal, neurodegenerative disease. Bordelon says that’s why the export of deer carcasses outside of the CWD Management Zone is prohibited…

Cut 15 (13) “…in new areas.”

One of the issues that lawmakers had with the CWD zones was that baiting restrictions penalized hunters and local businesses that rely on deer feed. Bordelon says the new CWC regulations allow from September 1^st to March 31^st, 2027, in the four CWD management zones…

Cut 16 (09) “…their surveillance goals.”

The Louisiana Wildlife Federation opposed easing the baiting restrictions over concerns that bait piles lead to deer congregating, which increases the transmission of the fatal disease.

A new law signed by Governor Landry looks to create a more family-friendly gameday atmosphere on college campuses in Louisiana. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Even though the new law doesn’t take effect until January 1st, your days of schlepping to a vehicle inspection station are, for all intents and purposes, over. Andrew Greenstein reports.

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Governor Landry signed a bill increasing the penalties for marijuana use on college campuses and near schools. While the new law affects all school zones across the state Pollock Representative Gabe Firment says it specifically targets creating a more family-friendly environment at on-campus tailgates on gamedays.

Cut 3 (09) “…good time.”

Those caught smoking marijuana in school zones now face up to a year in jail and a one-thousand-dollar fine. Firment says smoking marijuana within two-thousand feet of campuses and schools was already illegal in Louisiana.

Cut 4 (10) “…the penalties.”

Opponents of the bill argue the bill does nothing to address alcohol use on campus, especially that done by underage students. Firment’s answer is simple — consuming alcohol in a school zone is not illegal.

Cut 5 (09) “…to enforce.”

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The elimination of state inspection stickers doesn’t officially happen until January 1st; but for all intents and purposes, your days of schlepping to get your vehicle inspected are over. Governor Landry has told State Police not to issue citations for expired inspection stickers. And Larry Bagley, who authored House Bill 1085, says even if your inspection is due for renewal this month, just let it go.

Cut 6 (08) “…on all that.”

Bagley says if you recently paid for your two-year renewal already, however, you’re out of luck.

Cut 7 (09) “…get a refund.”

Bagley says among the practical reasons to eliminate the inspection sticker is to put certain counterfeiters out of business.

Cut 8 (11) “…the parking lot.”

The inspection sticker will be replaced by a QR code that will cost six dollars a year, which will be rolled into your annual registration renewal – it’s not paid separately. The QR code will arrive in the mail; it measures about two inches long by one inch tall and will be affixed to the bottom of the passenger side of the windshield.

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The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office announced a new Drone as First Responder program. The drones are operated by a real-time crime center that monitors drone video and live body camera feeds to quickly respond to emergencies. Sheriff Marc Mashaw says drones can cover a wide area and arrive on scene in as little as 70 seconds.

Cut 9 (08)  “…speed matters.”

When a 911 call comes in, OPSO can launch drones directly to the scene. The fleet features two drones that can break glass to enter a building and allow deputies to negotiate with suspects remotely. Mashaw says the program transforms emergency response and community protection.

Cut 10 (13) “…different description.” 

The drones can even help first responders speak directly to the public during emergencies or take life-saving action. Mashaw says drones can drop off life jackets, tourniquets and other emergency equipment while deputies are on the way.

Cut 11 (13) “…we’re responding.”

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologists believe they are making progress in restoring critical fish habitat on Toledo Bend. LDWF Biologist Manager Villis Dowden says over the past two weeks crews have stocked 110 containers of native eelgrass which can provide critical habitat for juvenile fish….

Cut 12 (07) “…wildlife species.” 

Dowden says some early attempts to plant eelgrass in past years did not succeed, because of several challenges, including strong wave action, so they are using more sheltered planting areas…

Cut 13 (08) “…planting.”

Toledo Bend along the Texas-Louisiana border in Sabine Parish is known as one of the best fishing spots in the country. From 2015 to 2017, Bassmaster Magazine ranked Toledo Bend as the best bass lake in the nation.

But high, muddy water in 2016 and 2017 led to a significant, sustained decline in native aquatic vegetation. Dowden says the habitat restoration methods they are doing now, have worked in reservoirs in other southern states

Cut 14 (11) “…goes on.”