Four Republican gubernatorial candidates addressed members of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry at their annual meeting yesterday and outlined what their priorities would be if elected. Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt told business leaders she wants to grow the state’s economy and pass tax reforms that respect hard-spent tax dollars.
Cut 10 (07) “…woke ideology.”
Mandeville Representative Richard Nelson, who’s the youngest candidate says the state needs to make drastic changes to keep Louisiana from the bottom of every list. He says his priorities when elected to represent District 89 will be the same as governor.
Cut 11 (10) “…have to do.”
Attorney General Jeff Landry says he would fix a broken education system, while Treasurer John Schroder says Louisiana has to restore trust in government.

Households receiving extra benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program return to their pre-COVID regular allotments this month. Deputy Assistant Secretary for DCFS, Monica Brown, says SNAP households should review their regular benefit amount and ensure their information with D-C-F-S is up to to date, because there are factors that could lead to an increase in benefits.
Cut 4 (08) “…benefit amount.”

Drugmaker Eli Lily caps the patient insulin out-of-pocket costs at 35-dollars per month. The American Diabetes Association says over a half-million Louisianans suffer with diabetes. That’s over 14 percent of the population. Doctor Daniel Hsia (SHAH) with LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center hopes to see Eli Lilly’s example become an industry standard…:
Cut 16 (11) “…that really need it.”
Eli Lilly says they will also make savings cards available to diabetics who do not have health coverage.

Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul says they are actively chasing leads as they search for a Georgia man who was in the state’s capitol city on a business trip but has been missing for more than a week.
cut 1 (39) “…Brooke Thorington”

A St. Gabriel police officer has been arrested in Livingston Parish on murder charges. Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard says 27-year-old Andre Redditt fatally shot his estranged partner.

The state department of education has started a new program to help K-through-fifth graders who are not reading at grade level. Deputy Superintendent Jenna Chaisson says families can register at read-L-A-dot-scholastic-dot-com and receive free books and resources that can improve a child’s reading ability…
cut 11 (08) “….new resource”
An estimated 150-thousand students are eligible.

Ponchatoula Representative Bill Wheat plans on filing legislation that would put a moratorium on the drilling of carbon capture wells below Lake Maurepas. Wheat says residents who care about Lake Maurepas are concerned about the long-term impacts of burying carbon that is sequestered under the lake…
cut 14 (12) “….what’s happening there”
Wheat says he’ll file a second bill that would assure that any future carbon drilling projects must pass environmental impact studies.

As a search team from Texas is in town looking for a Georgia man who went missing a week ago, Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul was a guest on Jim Engster’s Talk Louisiana this morning discussing the case. Paul says they’ve had training cadets canvas the area for Nathan Millard and they’ve been reviewing camera footage.
Cut 3 (10) “…Mr. Millard.”

An active weather day is expected today. L-R-N meteorologist John Wetherbee says the greatest risk for severe weather is for the Shreveport-Ruston area…
Cut 6 (15) “…severe thunderstorms”

The Louisiana Association of Business & Industry’s Annual Meeting today in Baton Rouge will feature the first forum of 2023 Governor candidates….:
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

St. Gabriel Police officer, 27-year-old Andre Redditt, was arrested in an early morning shooting in Denham Springs. Livingston Parish Sheriff deputies say Redditt shot and killed his estranged partner, 26-year-old Dylan Martin. The St. Gabriel Police Department says Redditt has since been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The FBI says the latest intelligence information points to COVID-19 most likely originated from a lab in China. Back in 2020, Senator Bill Cassidy says there were attempts to silence individuals who suggested such a possibility. He says it’s time for the feds to release everything they know about COVID…
cut 6 (12) “….everything we know”

A Georgia businessman and a father of five has been missing for a week now. He was last seen leaving Happy’s Irish Pub in downtown Baton Rouge on February 22nd. Volunteers with the nonprofit group, Texas EqueeSearch, arrive today in Baton Rouge to help in the search for 42-year-old Nathan Millard. Search coordinator Kristen Harvey….
cut 8 (08) “…with law enforcement”
Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul says they have spoken with a person of interest.

Showers and thunderstorms are moving across north Louisiana this morning and there’s a medium chance for tornadoes to touchdown across most of north Louisiana this afternoon and tonight. There’s an enhanced risk for severe weather in northeast and central Louisiana and a slight chance for south Louisiana.

Two farmers and a retired educator will be inducted into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction this evening. Don Molino has more.
Cut 3 (31) “…working in sugarcane.”

A so-called “Constitutional Carry” bill has been filed for the legislative session that starts in April. Oil City Representative Danny McCormick says Louisianans may already “open carry” a firearm in plain view, provided they have no criminal record. His bill would extend that right to a concealed weapon…:
Cut 10 (08) “…murderers and rapists.”
Governor John Bel Edwards has opposed previous Constitutional Carry bills, because he believes the training needed to get a permit is important.

42-year-old Dustin Granger, a Democrat from Lake Charles, announces he’s running for State Treasurer. Granger is a financial advisor…
cut 15 (11) “….for the state”
Baton Rouge Representative Scott McKnight, a Republican, is the other announced candidate.

Lafayette biotech company Tides Medical is expanding its operations and adding 40 jobs and retaining 77 existing positions. Tides Medical is a producer of skin graft products and CEO Joe Spell says they play an important role in saving limbs and lives…
cut 5 (07) “…their limbs”
Spell says their skin substitutes are primarily used to treat chronic wounds like diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers and burns.

Research out of Princeton University says back to back hurricanes hitting a particular area of the coast is a trend that will continue as a result of climate change. State Climatologist Barry Keim says back-to-back hurricane patterns used to occur once every few decades, a trend of them happening more often has emerged.
Cut 8 (07) “…you’re down.”
Keim points to major hurricanes Katrina and Rita hitting the state in 2005 and more recently Laura and Delta in 2020.

Once again a bill to allow a non-felon over the age of 18 to carry a concealed weapon without a permit has been filed for the regular legislative session.
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

A Democrat from Lake Charles announces he’s running for State Treasurer. 42-year-old Dustin Granger is a professional financial planner and wants to make the state better for future generations…:
Cut 13 (07) “…running for Treasurer.”

The Lafayette-based biotech company – Tides Medical is expanding its corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilit, which produces skin grafts…
cut 4 (11) “….our products”
Tides Medical CEO, Joe Spell, says the expansion will 77 retain jobs and create 40 new ones.

In 2020, Louisiana saw Hurricane Laura and Delta make landfall very close to each other and a few weeks apart. In 2021, it was Hurricane Ida and then 15 days later a weakening Nicholas came through southeast Louisiana. A Princeton study says expect to see more back-to-back storms because of climate change. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the researchers make this prediction because they believe climate change will lead to larger hurricanes….
cut 9 (10) “…going into the future”