Since 2018, accidental overdose has been the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in Louisiana. Colleen Crain has more on what the Department of Health is doing to address it.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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The field is set for the Louisiana Senate Republican primary. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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First Congressional District Congresswoman Steve Scalise is seeking a tenth term in Congress, and his most formidable challenger is a special education teacher from Metairie. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Accidental overdose has been the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in Louisiana since 2018. Secretary of Health, Bruce Greenstein (Green steen) says, in an effort to keep women alive and families intact, the Department of Health has launched a program to bridge the gaps between emergency care, prenatal services, and ongoing substance use treatment.

Cut 4 (08) “…coordinated care.”

LDH says substance use disorder is a chronic, treatable medical condition that has dangerous impacts on pregnant women and their infants. Greenstein says the data shows a vast majority of overdose deaths are preventable.

Cut 5 (10) “…of her child.”

Project MOM (Maternal Overdose Mortality) is designed to normalize SUD screening, address stigma and bias, and implement evidence-based practices to create safer, more effective pathways to care. Greenstein says eleven hospitals around the state are participating.

Cut 6 (12) “…sustain recovery.”

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The field is set for the Louisiana Republican Senate primary. Bill Cassidy has drawn two major challengers – Julia Letlow and John Fleming. After voting to convict then-former President Trump in his second impeachment trial in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol on January 6th, 2021, Cassidy finds himself in the political fight of his life. He says he’s confident that won’t be the factor his opponents make it out to be.

Cut 7 (13) “…of my opponents.”

Letlow got into the race after President Trump endorsed her, which cleared what had been a much more crowded field. Letlow was elected to the US House in 2021 when she won a special election following the untimely death of her husband, Luke, from COVID complications.

Cut 8 (09) “…make Louisiana stronger.”

Cassidy’s other major challenger is State Treasurer John Fleming, who had previously served in the House of Representatives and in Trump’s cabinet during his first presidency. He says he has proven that he represents all of his constituents, whether they vote for him or not.

Cut 9 (12)  “…my conservative beliefs.”

The primary election is May 16th; if no one gets 50 percent plus one of the vote, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff on June 27th.

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Louisiana’s longest serving U-S House member, Steve Scalise, is seeking a tenth term. The Republican from Jefferson Parish, who also serves as the U-S House majority leader, is heavily involved in national politics. But Scalise says he’s played a crucial role in securing funding for roads and bridges and flood control projects…

Cut 10 (10) “…their home .”

Scalise says he wants to keep working on reducing inflation

Cut 11 (09) “…national debt.”

Scalise is facing one challenger in the Republican primary, and there are two Democrats who have signed up in the Democratic party. Only one of Scalise’s challengers has raised money, and that’s Lauren Jewett from Metairie. Jewett says improving public education is one of her main campaign platforms

Cut 12 (13) “…great educators.”

Jewett has spent more than 17 years as a special education teacher. She says she will bring practical experience, compassion, and accountability to Congress…

Cut 13 (09)  “…this country.”

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The sixth-ranked LSU women’s basketball team once again has to bounce back from a loss to 3rd-ranked South Carolina, as the Gamecocks defeated the Lady Tigers for an 18th consecutive time on Saturday night, 79-72. LSU coach Kim Mulkey says her team’s nine missed free throws were the story of the game…

Cut 14 (13) “…you win.”

Mulkey says it’s the little things that will cost you games against really good opponents…

Cut 15 (14) “…game tonight.”

Flau’jae Johnson led LSU with 21 points, but she missed two free throws with 45-seconds left that could have given the Lady Tigers their first lead of the second half.  The senior was dejected after the game, but they need to learn from this loss…

Cut 16 (16) “…Big dance.” 

LSU is at 14th-ranked Ole Miss on Thursday night.

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The top-ranked LSU baseball team opened the 2026 season with a three-game sweep over Milwaukee. After a sluggish win on Saturday, the Tigers dominated on Sunday, winning 21-7. Junior right fielder Jake Brown belted two home runs, including a grand slam, and finished with a career-high six RBIs. Brown says they were ready to play…

Cut 17 (17)  “…getting to work.”

LSU set a school-record with 49 strikeouts in a series. Coach Jay Johnson says he has a lot of pitchers that can throw strikes…

Cut 18 (11)  “…a strength.” 

LSU continues its five-game homestand by hosting Kent State tonight at 6 PM.

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Louisiana Tech completed a four-game sweep of Houston Christian by blanking the Huskies 11 to 0 in seven innings. The Bulldogs scored 39 runs in the four-game series. Coach Lane Burroughs says they swung the bats well

Cut 19 (21) “…this weekend”

Tech will host McNeese on Wednesday.

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After dropping the first two games of the series to Missouri State, the Ragin’ Cajuns earned their first win of the season on Sunday, a nine-to-seven victory. Rigoberto Hernandez and Lee Amedee each homered. JR Tollett was the winning pitcher, and three relievers pitched well: Parker Smith, Hayden Pearson, and Garret Carter. Coach Matt Deggs…

Cut 20 (15) “…good stuff.”

The Cajuns are at Rice on Tuesday.

President Trump has pardoned the late LSU football great Billy Cannon for the counterfeiting charges he was convicted of in 1983. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The incumbent and the endorsee have qualified in Louisiana’s U.S. Senate race. Andrew Greenstein is at the State Archives in Baton Rouge with more.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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President Trump has posthumously pardoned LSU legend Billy Cannon for his involvement in a counterfeiting scheme that resulted in him spending two-and-half years in prison. Billy Cannon’s daughter, Bunnie Cannon, says the family is ecstatic over the news…

Cut 3 (12) “…humanity in him ” 

The 1959 Heisman Trophy winner took responsibility for producing fake 100-dollar bills to pay back debt from bad real estate investments. Bunnie Cannon says her father never ran away from his mistakes…

Cut 4 (09) “…he was.”

Cannon died in 2018. He’s one of five former NFL players pardoned by President Trump for crimes they committed. The presidential pardon does not wipe away Cannon’s criminal record, but it grants forgiveness. Bunnie Cannon says unfortunately there are people who like to bring up his counterfeiting conviction, but that should not define her father…

Cut 5 (11) “…came to be”

After Billy Cannon served his time prison time, he returned to dentistry and in 1995 was hired as a dentist at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Not only he did work on inmates’ teeth, he also helped offenders reform.

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Southwest Louisiana businessman Lee Mallett is the new chairman of the LSU Board of Supervisors, replacing Scott Ballard. Mallett has been on the LSU Board for 14 years. Louisiana Illuminator reporter Piper Hutchinson says Mallett is not afraid to get involved in the day-to-day activities of the LSU System…

Cut 6 (12) “…faculty affairs.”

Mallett owns several businesses and lives in Calcasieu Parish. Mallett, who does not have a college degree, has made millions in the construction industry.

He’s also friends with former LSU basketball coach Will Wade and with the Tigers basketball program having another bad season, Hutchinson says Mallett’s appointment raises speculation Wade could return to LSU…

Cut 7 (12) “…will materialize.”

A 2024 state law gives Governor Landry the authority to appoint the chairman of boards and commissions. Mallet is a major donor to Landry and also contributed to the campaigns of the two previous governors who appointed him to the LSU Board.

LSU Board members usually keep a low-profile, but that might not be the case with Mallett…

Cut 8 (11) “..chairmanship.”

There are no term limits, so Mallett is expected to be the LSU Board Chair for the foreseeable future.

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The sixth-ranked LSU women’s basketball team will take on third-ranked South Carolina tomorrow evening in front of a sold-out Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The Tigers haven’t beaten the Gamecocks since 2012, but Reed Darcey of The Advocate says they will have a chance to change that if they are able to do three specific things.

Cut 9 (07)  “…defensive end of the floor.”

Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m.

LSU enters Saturday’s top 6 showdown with the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation, averaging just over 96 points per game. Darcey says buckets could be sparse on Saturday as the Gamecocks play suffocating defense.

Cut 10 (13) “…playing a slower game.”

When it comes to high-impact games in the SEC, veteran leadership is crucial. Darcey says senior guard Flau’jae Johnson will have to step up on Saturday against South Carolina and believes it is important for her to get into a rhythm early on.

Cut 11 (11) “…around the rim. ”

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The incumbent and the endorsee in Louisiana’s U.S. Senate race qualified for the ballot on the third and final day of qualifying. Julia Letlow touted her work in the U.S. House, particularly working with the Trump administration with border security.

Cut 12 (09) “…no longer.”

Letlow also touted her education credentials and her work in reforming the education system in this country.

Cut 13 (10) “…the states.”

Cassidy also touted his record. Louisiana’s senior senator said he was instrumental in the passage of the infrastructure bill that provided billions of dollars towards roads, bridges, high speed internet expansion and water projects…

Cut 14 (10) “…good jobs”

Like Letlow, Cassidy also touted his record on border security, including the fight against the drugs that are coming into the U.S. from Mexico.

Cut 15 (11) “…our children.”