Seven Republicans have signed up for the GOP Primary for the 5^th Congressional seat that’s being vacated by Julia Letlow.  Letlow has the endorsement of President Trump in the Senate Race and state senator Blake Miguez has the endorsement of the president in the 5^th District Congressional race…

Cut 5 (06) “…national level”

One of Miguez’s opponents, Baton Rouge Senator Rick Edmonds says he will fight for Louisiana values in Washington…

Cut 7 (13) “…..fight, fight, fight”

Another candidate who qualified yesterday is Misti Cordell, who is the chairwoman of the Board of Regents. She is not concerned that President Trump’s endorsement went to someone else.

Cut 8 (08) “…meet me yet.”

Monroe Mayor Friday Ellis says the amount of debris from the ice storm that his public works crews are collecting is astonishing. The average for a week is 120 tons that is taken to the landfill, but yesterday alone 600 tons of debris was collected…

Cut 3 (10) “…few years ago”

Ellis expects debris removal will take months.

The University of Louisiana Monroe has installed drone detection equipment atop Malone Stadium. Doctor Mark Johnson is the training director for ULM Police and says this will bolster public safety as universities are facing escalating challenges from unauthorized drones. Johnson says Sky Safe gives campus police a reliable way to manage drones…

Cut 12 (10) “….come on”

On the first day of qualifying to run for U.S. Senate and House seats, six Republicans qualified for the Fifth Congressional District race. The seat is being vacated by Julia Letlow as she’s running for U.S. Senate. Among the six is State Senator Blake Miguez, endorsed by President Trump, who says he is running on his record of conservative legislation.

Cut 4 (13) “…banning Zucker-bucks.”

A lot has been made of the fact that Miguez lives far outside of the 5^th district in New Iberia, though legally he doesn’t have to live in the district to serve it. His opponents, including State Senator Rick Edmonds, believe it’s important a representative live in the district they represent.

Cut 6 (11) “…know this district.”

Two foreign nationals are indicted by federal prosecutors in what is believed to be one of the biggest meth busts in Louisiana history. U.S. Attorney Kurt Wall says Livingston Parish deputies pulled the two men over on I-12 last Saturday; and during a search of the vehicle, they discovered among other paraphernalia, 71-hundred dollars in cash and 164 kilograms of methamphetamine. (360 pounds)

Cut 13 (10)  “…pounds of methamphetamine.”

The University of Louisiana at Monroe says it has bolstered public safety on its campus with the installation of a drone detection system. Dr. Mark Johnson is the Training Director for ULM Police, and he says universities are facing escalating challenges from unauthorized drones, especially during large events, such as academic ceremonies and football games.

Cut 10 (11) “…could do that.”

On day one of qualifying, six Republicans and three Democrats qualified for the ballot in the fifth congressional district. Andrew Greenstein reports one candidate’s opponents are taking him to task for where he lives.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The other well-known Republicans in the 5^th District Congressional primary are Misti Cordell, who is the chairperson for the Board of Regents and Monroe state representative Michael Echols qualified this morning.

The University of Louisiana Monroe has installed drone detection equipment atop Malone Stadium. Doctor Mark Johnson is the training director for ULM Police and says this will bolster public safety as universities are facing escalating challenges from unauthorized drones. Johnson says Sky Safe gives campus police a reliable way to manage drones…

Cut 12 (10) “….come on”

The U-S Attorney for Louisiana’s Middle District, Kurt Wall, has announced two foreign nationals have been indicted after 360 pounds of methamphetamine were found in their vehicle during a traffic stop in Livingston Parish on Saturday….

Cut 14 (12) “….these two gentlemen”

The Justice Department says the two men are in the country illegally.

The first day of qualifying for this year’ s federal elections has concluded and John Fleming of Minden was the first Republican to officially enter the Senate Republican Primary. Fleming says he’s the true conservative in the race, more so than incumbent Bill Cassidy and Julia Letlow…

Cut 4 (10) “…65-percent”

The lone Democrat to qualify for the Democratic primary is Tensas Parish farmer Jamie Davis. Davis says at the end of the day, everyone has the same feelings about what’s happening in Washington…

Cut 5 (09) “…tired of it”

Several candidates signed up to represent the Fifth District Congressional District. That seat is being vacated by Letlow. Qualifying continues through Friday afternoon.

President Trump has signed a bill aimed at stopping some welfare fraud. Senator John Kennedy’s bill, Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act allows the Social Security Administration to share the Death Master File with the Treasury Department so they can discontinue payments to recipients who have passed away.

Cut 7 (08) “…the checks.”

Kennedy says this legislation will save the American taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars.

A huge meth bust leads to a federal indictment against two foreign nationals. U.S. Attorney Kurt Wall says it’s the result of a traffic stop along I-12 and Livingston Parish Sheriff deputies found 64 kilograms of a mixture containing methamphetamine in the vehicle.

Cut 13 (10)  “…pounds of methamphetamine.”

The Justice Department says the two men are citizens of Honduras and El Salvador and are in the country illegally.

Qualifying for the closed primaries is underway. Andrew Greenstein is at the Louisiana State Archives in Baton Rouge and has a look at who’s qualified so far for U.S. Senate.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

With Letlow running for U-S Senate, that leaves her fifth District Congressional seat vacant. Nine people have qualified to run in that election, including two Republican lawmakers Rick Edmonds from Baton Rouge and Blake Miguez from New Iberia. The Chairperson for the Board of Regents, Misti Cordell, will also compete for the Republican nomination.

A temporary bill aimed at stopping some welfare fraud is now permanent as President Trump signed Senator John Kennedy’s bill, Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act. Previously, the Social Security Administration needed congressional approval to share the master file of names of deceased people with other agencies. This act makes permanent that temporary law that allowed the information to keep improper payments from being sent to dead people. Kennedy says it saved the federal government at least 330-Million dollars in improper payments since December of 2023.

Cut 8 (10) “…duh.”

Former LSU and Neville football star Will Campbell did not have a good game in the Super Bowl as his Patriots lost to the Seahawks. The rookie offensive tackle waited until Tuesday to talk to reporters and said the knee he injured in the regular season, is still not 100-percent, but he’s not making excuses…

Cut 12 (07) “…I was healthy”

Candidates who plan on running for U-S Senate and the U-S House of Representatives are qualifying today at the Secretary of State’s Office in Baton Rouge. Bill Cassidy is seeking a third term and is expected to qualify either tomorrow or Friday. State Treasurer John Fleming is one of Cassidy’s main challengers in the Republican Primary. The other is Congresswoman Julia Letlow. Fleming says he’s the most conservative candidate in the Republican primary…

Cut  4 (10) “…..65-percent”

A well-known Democrat is not expected to challenge the Republican Primary winner. But someone will face a Republican in the November general election. Tensas Parish farmer Jamie Davis believes he will be the one and he could shock the world…

Cut 6 (10) “… a new champion”

President Trump has signed Senator John Kennedy’s bill that puts a mechanism in place that prevents dead people from receiving government assistance after they pass away. Kennedy says he has been working to prevent welfare fraud for years and cited the 2023 cost of sending the improper payments…

Cut 9 (08)  “…dead people.”

Kennedy’s legislation ensures the Social Security Administration will share death notices with the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay system.

The LSU men’s basketball team was trounced by 21^st ranked Arkansas last night. The final score was 91-62 as LSU shot just 31-percent from the field. Coach Matt McMahon on another difficult night…

Cut 27 (13) “…shots there”

LSU is 2-9 in SEC play.