A nationwide survey by the NFIB finds that inflation has overtaken labor quality as the top problem for small businesses. Aside from inflation, NFIB state director Dawn McVea pointed to several other areas of frustration…
cut 9 (06) “….labor shortages”
McVea says the percentage of business owners expecting conditions to improve over the next six months is at its lowest love in the 48-year history of the survey.

Many residents in Northwest Louisiana are without power after storms swept through the area last night. SWEPCO spokesperson Carey Sullivan says about 37,000 customers in the Shreveport-Bossier area are without power.
Cut 5 (12) “…and dangerous.”
Sullivan says approximately 1,500 customers in the Mansfield area and nearly 600 in Logansport are also without service.

Legislation is heading to the Senate floor that will make it harder for a pregnant woman to get abortion-inducing medications without a prescription Bill author, Slidell Republican Senator Sharon Hewitt…
Cut 14 (10) “…medical oversite.”
An abortion-rights lawyer is concerned the legislation will also penalize the pregnant woman, but Hewitt says she’ll amend the bill to make sure that does not happen.

The House Health and Welfare Committee has approved a resolution that would prevent a rule from the governor going into effect that would mandate children 16 and up must be vaccinated to attend a public school, college or university. Shreveport Pediatric Infectious Disease specialist Dr. Joseph Bocchini spoke in opposition and says the decision to incorporate any vaccine into the routine schedule for children is based on the merits of the vaccine.
Cut 6 (08) “…other staff.”
Supporters of the resolution say the COVID vaccine has shown it does not prevent infection and they claim there are still health risks with getting the vaccine.

The House Health and Welfare Committee voted 12 to 5 in favor of a bill that would prevent state and local governments from issuing proof of COVID-19 vaccine requirements in order to enter schools, restaurants, and businesses. Shreveport Representative Thomas Pressly says House Bill 990 does not pertain to federal vaccine mandates…
cut 7 (05) “….to do so”
The measure heads to the House floor.

Legislation is heading to the Senate floor that will make it harder for a pregnant woman to get abortion-inducing medications without a prescription Bill author, Slidell Republican Senator Sharon Hewitt…
Cut 14 (10) “…medical oversite.”
An abortion-rights lawyer is concerned the legislation will also penalize the pregnant woman, but Hewitt says she’ll amend the bill to make sure that does not happen.

New voter research from UNO shows overall job approval for Louisiana’s two U.S. Senators is under 50-percent. Kevin Gallagher has more…:
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

And Kennedy’s re-election campaign says the junior senator now has 14-million dollars in cash on hand after raising five million dollars during the first quarter of this year.

Strong storms last night caused significant power outages in northwest Louisiana. There’s another chance for severe weather today.

The House Health and Welfare Committee approves a measure that removes the COVID-19 vaccine from the state health department’s immunization schedule, meaning children five and up would not have to be vaccinated against COVID in order to attend school. New Orleans Representative Jason Hughes voted against it because he says parents can opt-out by signing a form…
cut 4 (08) “….need this”
But Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley says some schools have not allowed parents to opt-out.

Louisiana Senator John Kennedy is up for re-election this year and a UNO survey has his approval rating at only 36-percent, but pollster Ed Chervenak says Kennedy has a much higher rating from his political base…
cut 11 (09) “….job that he is doing”
Kennedy’s campaign reports the junior senator has raised five million dollars in the first quarter and now has 14-million in his war chest.

A new report shows historic lows in confidence among small business owners. David Grubb has more…
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m David Grubb.”

66-percent of the adults who participated in an LSU Public Policy Research Lab poll say the state is heading in the wrong direction. LSU Manship School associate professor Doctor Michael Henderson says only 26-percent say the state is heading in the right direction
Cut 29 (06) “…2004″
Just over 600 adults participated in the online survey.

Strong storms rolled through north Louisiana last night. The Bossier Parish Sheriff’s office reports minor damage. SWEPCO reports about 40-thousand of its customers in Louisiana are without power from Shreveport to Natchitoches. There’s another chance for strong storms this afternoon.

Two pieces of legislation pertaining to COVID vaccines advance to the House floor. Brooke Thorington has more…
cut 1 (33) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

A Senate committee has approved legislation that would strengthen the penalties against those who distribute medication that can induce an abortion. Louisiana Right to Life says the measure would give local district attorneys the ability to prosecute these crimes and clarifies that it’s illegal to provide or mail so-called abortion pills without an in-person physician visit. But abortion-rights attorney Ellie Schilling is concerned the bill also punishes the pregnant woman…
cut 15 (12) “…pretty great”
The bill’s author, Slidell Senate Sharon Hewitt, says she’ll amend the legislation to clarify it does not criminalize a woman seeking an abortion.

A nationwide survey of small business owners finds inflation is their number one concern. NFIB state director Dawn McVea says the impact is real…
cut 8 (07) “….right now”
The percentage of business owners expecting conditions to improve over the next sixth months is at its lowest level in the 48-year history of the survey.

66-percent of the adults who participated in an LSU Public Policy Research Lab poll say the state is heading in the wrong direction.  LSU Manship School associate professor Doctor Michael Henderson says only 26-percent say the state is heading in the right direction…
cut 9 (06) “…2004”
Just over 600 adults participated in the online survey.

A University of New Orleans research poll shows falling approval numbers for Governor John Bel Edwards. UNO political science professor Dr. Ed Chervenak says 38-percent of persons surveyed said they approve of the job Edwards is doing…:
Cut 10 (12) “…the death of Ronald Greene.”
A similar poll in 2020 had Edwards’ approval rating at 56-percent.

On a ten to three vote, the House Criminal Justice Committee approved legislation to allow non-felons 21 and older to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Baton Rouge Rep. Denise Marcelle voted against it and says issuing gun permits is vital to know who has the legal right to carry.
Cut 12 (13) “…poor people.”
Oil City Representative Danny McCormick is the author of the measure and says people should not have to pay for a permit to conceal carry.

Cleco announces the company will invest 900-million dollars to reduce carbon emissions at the largest of its nine electric generation units in Louisiana. CEO Bill Fontenot.…
Cut 4 (12) “…economic development.”
Cleco calls the project Diamond Vault and estimates it will create up to 40 direct jobs and over one-thousand construction jobs.

A nearly one billion dollar investment in clean fuel is being made in central Louisiana. David Grubb has more.
Cut 1 (34) “…I’m David Grubb.”

Much of the state is under a slight risk for severe weather today and the threat becomes more severe tomorrow, especially for the northern half of the state, which is under an enhanced threat for severe weather tomorrow afternoon. We Already seeing scattered showers in south Louisiana this morning.

An SUV with eleven children inside flipped over several times in East Baton Rouge Parish, but none of the children were seriously injured. Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran says it’s a miracle no one was killed…
cut 14 (11) “….back of the vehicle”
The driver of the vehicle and mother of the children, 34-year-old Leticia Brothers of Baton Rouge, faces eleven charges of cruelty to a juvenile, driving with a suspended license and no insurance.

We are less than a week away from the federal tax deadline, which is April 18th. Catherine Rowe who is a member of the Louisiana Society for CPAs says most filers dealing with only W-2s don’t need much tax advice, but with payments and credits that you may have received over the past year, you might need the help of CPA…
cut 21 (12) “….loss of a refund”

A University of New Orleans telephone poll of 325 registered voters puts Governor John Bel Edwards’ approval rating at 38-percent, down from 56-percent in a similar poll conducted in 2020. Pollster Ed Chervenak says 31-percent of whites approve of Edwards, compared to 55-percent of blacks and age appears to influence perceptions of the governor’s performance…
cut 11 (08) “…18 to 44”

Last year, Governor Edwards vetoed a bill that would allow non-felons to conceal carry a firearm without a permit. That legislation is back this year and Oil City Representative Danny McCormick’s constitutional carry bill will be heard today in the House Criminal Justice Committee…
cut 7 (11) “..amemdnent rights

Cleco announces the company will invest 900-million dollars to reduce carbon emissions at the largest of its nine electric generation units in Louisiana. CEO Bill Fontenot says the work done at the Brame Energy Center in Lena will remove and compress 95-percent or more of the C-O-two emitted and store it in geological formations under the site. Fontenot says nearby private industries can also take advantage…
Cut 4 (12) “…economic development.”
Cleco has named the project Diamond Vault and estimates it will create up to 40 direct jobs and an average of 11-hundred construction jobs in cenla over a three-year period.

A Baton Rouge mom faces 11 counts of cruelty to a juvenile after the S-U-V she was driving flipped over several times. 34-year-old Leticia Brothers had all eleven of her children in the vehicle, but none of them were seriously injured. Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran says the kids were not buckled up…
cut 15 (05) “…can happen”
The Advocate reports that in 2015 the state removed Brother’s nine children from her home after they were found with little food and no beds.

A new University of New Orleans research poll shows falling approval numbers for Governor John Bel Edwards. UNO political science professor Dr. Ed Chervenak says fewer than 40-percent of persons surveyed said they approve of the job Governor Edwards is doing…:
Cut 10 (12) “…the death of Ronald Greene.”
A similar poll in 2020 had Edwards’ approval rating at 56-percent.

One of the governor’s goals is for Louisiana to be a net-zero emission state by 2050. Cleco is helping the state reach that goal by announcing a 900-million dollar emissions reductions project at a power-generating facility in Rapides Parish. Cleco CEO Bill Fontenot says they are also committed to reducing emissions
cut 6 (12) “….by 2050”

Bills to allow non-felons to conceal carry a handgun in Louisiana without a permit are scheduled to be heard in committees today…
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

An East Baton Rouge Grand Jury has found 23-year-old Dyteon Simpson of Baker guilty of killing former LSU basketball player Wayde Sims. Simpson faces a mandatory life sentence for fatally shooting Sims who prosecutors say was intervening in a fight just off of Southern’s campus in September 2018.