Some good news about auto insurance rates. State Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says auto insurers have filed over 20 rate decreases in the Louisiana market…..

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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So how strong is the public corruption case against New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell? Jeanne Burns spoke with a legal analyst who says it’s very strong…

Cut 2 (40) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

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All Aboard! You can now take the train from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama and back. Andre Champagne has more….

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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In a sign that the auto insurance market might be improving, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says auto insurers have filed over 20 rate decreases since the start of the year. Temple says 14 of those decreases were for more than one percent….

Cut 4 (11) “…accident frequency.”

In this year’s legislative session, state lawmakers approved several legal reform measures that are designed to reduce excessive lawsuits and inflated bodily injury claims. Temple says it will take time for this year’s legal reforms to take effect and make a difference, but it’s a positive sign that insurers are lowering rates because there have been fewer accidents since 2024…

Cut 5 (11) “…accident frenquency.”

All State, Geico, State Farm, Go Auto, Liberty Mutual, and Progressive Security are among the auto insurers who have reduced rates this year on many of their policyholders. Temple says in 2022 and 2023, drivers were seeing double digit auto insurance rate increases, but through July 2025, the average market impact is a rate decrease of two-percent…

Cut 6 (06) “…we’re seeing.”

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New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is facing charges of conspiracy, fraud and obstruction for allegedly trying to cover up a romantic relationship with her bodyguard. Prosecutors say Cantrell and retired NOPD officer Jeffrey Vappie cheated the city out of 70-thousand dollars for trips they took together under the premise that Vappie was providing security to Cantrell. Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says the evidence laid out in the 18-count indictment will be difficult to defend for Cantrell and her lawyers…

Cut 7 (11) “…70-thousand dollars.”

The mayor has previously said her relationship with Vappie was strictly professional.  But prosecutors say they found 15-thousand messages sent through the  What’s App platform that provides evidence of a love affair.

Ciolino says having an affair is not the crime, it’s the using of taxpayer money and then the coverup. He says if Cantrell is found guilty on on most of these charges could result in a federal prison sentence of five to six years…

Cut 8 (11) “…probateable crimes.”

Cantrell has five more months left in office. She’s the first sitting mayor in New Orleans’ history to be indicted. Vappie was indicted last summer on wire fraud charges, accused of filing fraduluent payroll documents and making false statements about his relationship with the mayor.

Ciolino is surprised the indictment against Cantrell didn’t come sooner…

Cut 9 (11)  “…year ago”

Vappie is facing new allegations in Cantrell’s indictment.

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Passenger rail service starts today between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama as Amtrak’s new “Mardi Gras Service” begins twice-daily routes. The service will have morning and evening departures and the train will also make stops along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Chairman of the Southern Rail Commission Knox Ross says interest is high…

Cut 10 (10) “…by that.”

Ross believes the Mardi Gras Service will bring more visitors to New Orleans and he expects the train will have passengers taking a day trip or weekend trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast or Mobile…

Cut 11 (11) “…the day.”

1996 was the last time there was passenger rail service between New Orleans and Mobile. Ross says the next step is to connect New Orleans and Baton Rouge with a passenger train…

Cut 12 (11) “…corridor”

Adult coach fares end-to-end for Amtrak’s Marci Gras Service start at 15-dollars each way and the tickets cost less if it’s a shorter distance.

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It was a rough first half to watch, but it was a good ending as Spencer Rattler led the Saints on a game-tying drive in the final minutes and the second preseason game of the year ended in 17-17 tie versus Jacksonville. Coach Kellen Moore liked how Ratter responded from a fourth quarter interception to throw a touchdown with 21 second left…

Cut 13 (17)  “..situation was.”

Rattler threw for 199 yards and he also rushed for 19 yards. Rattler connected with Mason Tipton several times on the game tying drive and Tipton finished with 100 yards receiving. Rattler on his performance…

Cut 14 (14) “…big time today.”

Tyler Shough started and led the offense for four drivers in the first half. Three of the drives ended with punts and one drive ended with a field goal. Moore is not ready to make a decision on a starting quarterback for the season opener, but he was happy with how his team competed on Sunday…

Cut 15 (15) “…was awesome.”

The game ended with rookie safety Jonas Sanker intercepting a pass with no time left.

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LSU football lost four starting offensive linemen to the NFL draft this summer. Head coach Brian Kelly is known for developing and producing top-level talent at the offensive line position. Kelly says even though the Tigers are not as top-heavy as last season, he expects big things from the new group.

Cut 16 (19) “…well together.”

LSU football had one of the worst rush attacks in the SEC last season. The Tigers have been adamant about running the ball all offseason. Head coach Brian Kelly says that running the ball this season is non-negotiable and that the Tigers have to be more physical.

Cut 17 (20)  “…on you.”

The LSU wide receiver room will not lack talent or speed in the slightest bit this season. Senior wideout Zavion Thomas is one of the players who has an ability to hurt defenses with his speed. Head coach Brian Kelly says that the offensive staff hopes to utilize Thomas’s skillset more this upcoming season.

Cut 18 (22) “…even more so.”

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Louisiana Tech’s defense finished 89^th in the country last season in sacks with only 22 on the year. Sophomore Linebacker and Ruston native Jadon Mayfield says he is expecting big things out of the defensive line and linebackers this season.

Cut 19 (17) “…this defense.”

Louisiana Tech has several players on its current roster who are from Ruston. Mayfield says that he and the others being able to play for the hometown team is a dream come true.

Cut 20 (22) “…a powerhouse.”

A federal grand jury has indicted New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell on federal corruption charges. Jeff Palermo has the details…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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A new Gallup poll finds only 54-percent of Americans consume alcohol that’s the lowest percentage in the 90-year history of the survey. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The multi-state Powerball jackpot is up to 565-million dollars for Saturday night’s drawing. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Chrislyn Maher (Mayor) says it’s the biggest Powerball jackpot of the year…

Cut 3 (11) “…big one”

Maher says the jackpot has been growing since early June. 2018 was the last time a Louisiana resident won the Powerball grand prize, but Maher says a Carencro man recently became a millionaire because of Powerball

Cut 4 (07) “…winners in Louisiana.”

Maher says expect an increase in sales heading into Saturday night’s drawing at 9:59 PM…

Cut 5 (08) “…that way.”

Tickets sales will stop at 9 PM on Saturday.

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A panel of judges on the U-S 5^th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Louisiana’s legislative district map  violates the federal Voting Rights Act. Political analyst Scott Hughes says the panel and a state judge in Baton Rouge both agree that the map approved in 2022 dilutes the Black vote…

Cut 6 (13) “…fewer black districts”

The ruling from the federal appeals court does not mean that Louisiana lawmakers have to redraw the House and Senate district maps right away. A federal appeals judge not involved in Thursday’s ruling put a pause on the case. But Hughes says the legislative map issue was not going to be resolved, until there is a U-S Supreme Court ruling regarding the state’s contested Congressional map…

Cut 7 (11) “…US Supreme Court”

The plaintiffs in the state legislative map case are arguing Blacks and Democrats are not fairly represented in the Louisiana Legislature. Hughes says one-third of the state’s voting population is black, but Republicans have a super majority control in the House and Senate…

Cut 8 (12) “..they are really not” 

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A Gallup poll finds 54-percent of Americans drink alcohol, which is a record low percentage. LSU Health New Orleans physiology professor Nick Gilpin says more Americans are understanding the health hazards that come with consuming one or two drinks a day…

Cut 9 (07)  “…and your body.”

Gilpin says studies from decades ago said it was actually a health benefit to have a drink or two a day, but new research debunks those theories. He says it’s been known that too much alcohol can impact a person’s liver, but we are learning that an overabundance of alcohol consumption can lead to other health problems…

Cut 10 (11) “…cigarettes.”

Gilpen says adults are also finding other alternatives to alcohol…

Cut 11 (06) “…use adults.”

Gilpen says the poll shows that younger adults are at the center of the decline in alcohol consumption.

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LSU football coach Brian Kelly spoke publicly today for the first time since the arrest of freshman running back JT Lindsey. Lindsey is accused of harboring two wanted second-degree murder suspects in his LSU dorm room for several days. There’s also a report of guns found inside the apartment, raising questions on how firearms got inside a university owned building. Kelly says it appears Lindsey was hanging out with the wrong crowd…

Cut 12 (11) “…your circle.”

Lindsey has been suspended from the football team until his criminal case is resolved. Kelly says Lindsey’s story is a lesson for all young student-athletes..

Cut 13 (14)  “…that now.”

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New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has been indicted on federal corruption charges as prosecutors allege, she defrauded taxpayers out of 70-thousand dollars to conceal a personal relationship with former NOPD officer Jeffrey Vappie, who served as her bodyguard. Acting US Attorney Michael Simpson…

Cut 14 (14) “…positions”

Cantrell previously said Vappie was part of her security detail and the two traveled together regularly for out-of-state and out-of-country trips. But Simpson says they found messages that show the two used the trips to foster their romantic relationship. He gave an example of a message sent by Vappie to Cantrell after a trip to D-C…

Cut 15 (15) “…physical relationship.”

Cantrell is the first sitting New Orleans mayor to face federal charges. She’s facing conspiracy, wire fraud, obstruction of justice and false statements. Simpson says his office takes allegations of public corruption seriously…

Cut 16 (11) “…own government.”