Louisiana ranks 49^th in the country for overall child well-being according to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book. Jeanne Burns on why Louisiana ranks so low.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

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Speed cameras are the governor’s signature away from being outlawed in the state — well, most of it, at least. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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AARP Louisiana is urging Governor Landry to veto a bill that would cap malpractice liability for nursing homes. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Louisiana ranks 49^th in the country for overall child well-being according to the Kids Count Data Book that’s put together by the Annie E Casey Foundation. Director of Data and Research at Agenda for Children, Tereasa Falgoust, says one of the main reasons for the poor ranking is that 20-percent of Louisiana children live in a high-poverty neighborhood ranking, compared to just eight percent nationwide…

Cut 4 (11) “…health care.”

Falgoust says a lot more work needs to be done to make communities safer. She says Louisiana’s child and teen death rate was ranked 49^th out of 50 states as 30-percent of deaths to children and teens were due to homicide, double the national rate…

Cut 5 (14) “…the solution.”

Louisiana ranked 48^th last year in this child well-being report. Falgoust says the state has dropped a spot in the rankings despite gains in education. She says Louisiana ranks 35^th in education as reading scores have improved thanks to high-dosage tutoring…

Cut 6 (09) “…transformative.”

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A bill to largely ban speed cameras across the state – well, most of it, at least – is on Governor Landry’s desk. Monroe Republican Senator Stewart Cathey says he’s happy that he got his bill across the finish line. 

Cut 7 (11) “…State of Louisiana.”

There have been efforts in the past to ban speed cameras in the state. This version of the legislation, however, allows speed cameras to operate in school zones. Cathey says that’s a reasonable compromise.

Cut 8 (12) “…school zone’s operational.”

However, Cathey’s bill was thrown a curveball as the House passed – by one vote – an amendment that exempts Opelousas from this ban. The city says it does not have the resources within its police department for officers to run radar. Cathey says it’s a dangerous slippery slope.

Cut 9 (12)  “…across our state.”

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AARP Louisiana is urging Governor Landry to veto Senate Bill 134, which would cap malpractice damages against nursing homes at 500-thousand dollars. The organization says it would effectively eliminate people’s ability to hold nursing homes accountable for malpractice. Director of Advocacy Andrew Muhl (“mull”) says nursing homes in Louisiana rank among the nation’s worst. 

Cut 10 (12) “…them even worse.”

Muhl says oversight of the nursing home industry has been decreasing over the years.

Cut 11 (11) “…is held to.”

The bill’s author, Shreveport Republican Senator Thomas Pressly, says his bill clarifies the Medical Malpractice Act, which was always intended to include nursing homes.

Cut 12 (14) “…or on site.”

AARP says the bill would have essentially gotten Bob Dean off the hook for his role in a situation, in which eight of his nursing home residents died when they were moved to a warehouse during Hurricane Ida. Pressly says Dean’s liability would not have been capped under his bill.

Cut 13 (10)  “…Medical Malpractice Act.”

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The LSU baseball team is headed to the College World Series for a 20th time. The Tigers swept the Super Regional series versus West Virginia, winning last night 12 to 5 over the Mountaineers for their 48th win on the season. Coach Jay Johnson says the players put in the work to punch their ticket to Omaha…

Cut 14 (09) “…with them.”

Johnson says this team was built around 12 returning players from last year’s team, plus an outstanding freshman class and key pick-ups out the transfer portal. He says it all came together to form a championship worthy team…

Cut 15 (13) “…tonight.”

Shortstop Stevan Milam was the offensive star of the super regional series. He hit a grand slam in game one and drove in four more runs on Sunday night. Milam struggled with the bat in SEC play, but he’s been a Monster at the plate in the NCAA Tournament….

Cut 16 (09) “…to LSU.”

LSU first baseman Jared Jones is one of two players who was on the 2023 national championship team. Jones understands what it will take to bring home an eighth national championship for the program…

Cut 17 (10)  “…get ready for Game 1.”

Game one will be Saturday against Arkansas, who swept its Super Regional series versus Tennessee.

Senator Bill Cassidy and other Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee met with President Trump this week to discuss the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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With warmer temperatures here, now is the time to take steps to protect yourself from West Nile Virus. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee met with President Trump this week to find common ground on his “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Among them was Bill Cassidy, who says the two-hour meeting was very productive. Like other senators, Cassidy says the bill as passed by the House will not pass in the Senate without some changes.

Cut 3 (17) “…people do better.”

Cassidy says Trump laid out his main objectives that he wants to achieve with his “Big, Beautiful Bill.”

Cut 4 (17) “…the American people.”

Not everyone is happy with the “Big, Beautiful Bill” – among them, Elon Musk. He calls the bill, in his words, “an abomination” that’s full of pork spending. That’s led to a war of words between Musk and Trump that’s blown up in public. While some say the relationship between Trump and Musk is damaged beyond repair, Cassidy says it’s more like a lover’s tiff.

Cut 5 (12) “…wish you hadn’t.”

Cassidy says he’s confident that cooler heads will ultimately prevail and Trump and Musk will once again work together.

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Mosquito season is upon us, so now is the time to take steps to protect yourself from West Nile Virus. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says when you go outside, apply EPA-approved mosquito repellent containing DEET, and take other steps as well.

Cut 6 (09) “…hours or so.”

Sokol says wearing insect repellent is only one step in protecting yourself against West Nile.

Cut 7 (12) “…windows and doors.”

Sokol says it’s also important to eliminate any standing water on your property, since standing water is the perfect breeding ground for mosquitos.

Cut 8 (13) “…could collect water.”

Sokol says every year, people get infected with West Nile in every part of the state, so everyone is at risk for West Nile.

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The 75th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival is tomorrow in Ruston. Tori Davis with Experience Ruston says the event has grown into a music and arts festival.

Cut 9 (15)  “…huge arts market.”

Throughout the week, restaurants throughout Ruston have been participating in the Peach Culinary Crawl, offering special peach-inspired dishes. Davis says there’s plenty of entertainment tomorrow for visitors of all ages.

Cut 10 (11) “…until 10:30 p.m..”

Davis says peaches are a huge crop in northwest Louisiana – so much so that Ruston is known as the peach capital of Louisiana.

Cut 11 (14) “…you’ll ever eat.”

The festivities begin at nine tomorrow morning, and admission is free.

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LSU is set to host West Virginia in the Super Regional round of the NCAA tournament this weekend. The Mountaineers have gone to back-to-back Super Regionals and were undefeated in Clemson last weekend. Tigers coach Jay Johnson says the Mountaineers will be ready…

Cut 12 (13) “…right now.” 

LSU will hope pitching duo Anthony Eyanson and Kade Anderson can win the series before Monday’s game three. Anderson and Eyanson rank second and third in the nation in strikeouts and have a combined 19-and-3 record. Tigers’ shortstop Steven Milam says it’ll be up to the offense to hold up their end…

Cut 13 (16)  “…how to play.”

The winner of the best-of-three series will head to Omaha for an appearance in the College World Series. Junior second baseman Daniel Dickinson says he played in Omaha on a summer travel team in high school…

Cut 14 (17) “…that picture.”

The series kicks off tomorrow at 1 p.m.

Soon, you can legally cruise down Louisiana highways with darker-tinted front windows. Andrew Greenstein reports.

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Legislators approved a new bidding process to help the Secretary of State’s Office replace Louisiana’s decades-old voting system. Kace Kieschnick has more.

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Soon, you’ll be able to tint your front windows darker. A bill allowing for just that passed overwhelmingly in both houses of the legislature and now awaits a signature from Governor Landry. Its author is Marksville Republican Representative Daryl Deshotel (DESH-uh-tell).

Cut 3 (14) “…light coming through.”

Deshotel says this bill brings Louisiana in line with other states which suffer through brutal summer heat.

Cut 4 (08) “…and other states.”

One concern brought up during debate was whether the darker tint would hinder law enforcement’s ability to look through a window during a traffic stop for things like firearms and contraband. Deshotel says law enforcement organizations had no problem with the new standard.

Cut 5 (10) “…on the bill.”

Deshotel notes that drivers are required to have their windows rolled down by the time an officer approaches, and he offered to add an amendment to impose an extra fine for not doing so. Law enforcement organizations, however, felt that wasn’t necessary.

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The Louisiana legislature has approved a new bidding process to purchase a new voting system, replacing over ten-thousand nearly 35-year-old machines. Joel Watson of the Secretary of State’s office says the new “invitation to negotiate process” can help speed up procurement…

Cut 6 (07) “…can offer.”

Louisiana’s voting machines have needed an upgrade for decades, but bidding controversies and delays have marred progress. Watson says improvements are long overdue…

Cut 7 (14) “…get there.”

New machines will produce physical paper ballots voters can review, confirm and submit. Watson says the paper ballots will help ensure transparency and voter security…

Cut 8 (06) “…the election.”

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Pope Leo the 14^th has named Uganda-born priest, Father Simon Peter Engurait as Bishop-elect for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. The 53-year-old was ordained as priest for the diocese in 2013….

Cut 9 (14)  “…and to the church.”

Bishop Elect Engurait has served as the Diocesan Administrator in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux since January 2024, upon the sudden passing of Bishop Mario Dorsonville. He previously served as the Vicar General since 2017 and has also served as the pastor of St. Bridge Parish since that time as well.

Bishop Elect Engurait says he did not expect the Holy Father to choose him to be the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux…

Cut 10 (10) “…in saying yes.”

The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in southeastern Louisiana has an estimated 90,000 Catholics, around 38% of the total population of the territory.  Bishop-elect Engurait was born in Uganda in 1971. He is seven of 14 children and he was raised Catholic.

Before becoming a priest, Bishop Elect Engurait worked in the government of Uganda and later pursued a graduate degree in business administration. In 2003, he met Bishop Sam Jacobs, then the bishop of Houma-Thibodaux, and it was Bishop Jacobs who ordained him in 2013. Bishop Elect Engurait says south Louisiana is home and he loves the people there…

Cut 11 (13) “…next Bishop.”

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The 2025 legislative session ends a week from today and this session will be remembered for auto insurance reform. The governor has signed several legal reform bills expected to produce lower payouts to car accident victims. Landry says it’s legislation the insurance industry has been seeking for several years…

Cut 12 (15) “…of that list.” 

Landry says the bills he’s signed will shield Louisianans from frivolous lawsuits driven by trial lawyers. One of the bills he signed disallows a driver without car insurance from collecting an award for bodily injury medical expenses for any amount below 100-thousand, up from 15-thousand dollars. The governor says they also eliminated a provision known as the Housley Presumption…

Cut 13 (11)  “…work harder.”

The governor has taken criticism from the insurance industry for signing a bill that gives the insurance commissioner greater authority to hold down rates. Landry says other states have a similar law and they have lower insurance rates than Louisiana…

Cut 14 (11) “…in Alabama.”