House Appropriations begins its budget hearings today, as the Corrections Department and the Office of Juvenile Justice seek more funding amid growing incarceration populations. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

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LSU is once again requiring applicants to provide their ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (40) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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In 2023, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry issued its LA Driven strategic plan to improve the state’s economic competitiveness by 2030. Andrew Greenstein gives us a progress report.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A House committee begins holding hearings today on Governor Landry’s spending plan for the next fiscal year. The governor’s office is seeking an 82-million-dollar increase in state funding for its corrections department as the prison population has grown. Appropriations Chair Jack MacFarland says some of the additional funding is for offender rehabilitation.

Cut 4 (10) “..tax dollars.” 

The Office of Juvenile Justice is also seeking a 28-million-dollar increase as Louisiana’s juvenile justice system is incarcerating more youth offenders. Fifteen-million dollars will be used to open a new youth prison in Vernon Parish, and MacFarland says they also want to increase staff salaries.

Cut 5 (11) “…make it competitive.”

MacFarland expects debate over the L-A GATOR program, the state’s education voucher program that provides financial assistance to 56-hundred low-income families to attend private school. Landry wants to grow the program to help more than just low-income families with their educational expenses. MacFarland says Landry wants to increase funding from 44-million dollars to 88-million.

Cut 6 (09) “…still being discussed.”

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LSU applicants will once again have to submit their ACT or SAT scores when applying to the Baton Rouge campus. LSU has been operating under a test-optional policy since June 2022. LSU Board of Supervisors member James Williams opposes changing the policy. He says it will put low-income families at a disadvantage because they cannot afford A-C-T tutoring…

Cut 7 (08) “…on testing.”

But LSU says retention rates and the GPA of students who do not submit a standardized test score are lower than those of students who do provide their ACT scores. LSU Chancellor Doctor James Dalton also says the test score is one piece they will look at for admission…

Cut 8 (13) “…success.”

The average ACT score of LSU students is 27. A minimum score is not needed to be admitted to the flagship campus. And Dalton says the test score is just one component of the total comprehensive admittance process…

Cut 9 (10)  “…two jobs.”

Williams is concerned because standardized tests display known socioeconomic and geographic biases…

Cut 10 (12) “…get it.”

The holistic admissions process that LSU has used over the last several years is designed to promote economic and racial diversity. Since adopting the test-optional admissions, Black and Hispanic enrollment has increased.

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The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry says the state is making great strides towards economic competitiveness. In 2023, the group released its LA Driven strategic plan, outlining a series of goals to achieve by 2030. President and CEO Will Green says Louisiana now ranks 24th in the country in both job creation and wage growth, both far exceeding their original goals well ahead of schedule.

Cut 11 (10) “…of those goals.”

Green says one key to economic competitiveness is workforce readiness, and that involves a strong education system. He says Louisiana has made significant improvements in the classroom.

Cut 12 (08) “…than ever before.”

Green says as such, Louisiana is well on its way towards achieving its education goals of 66 percent third-grade reading proficiency and an 88-percent high school graduation rate by 2030.

Cut 13 (11)  “…our goal there (2x).”

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It was a mere formality that the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors made official last Friday – it unanimously appointed Dr. Ramesh Kolluru the new president of U-L Lafayette, removing the interim tag that he had since November. One of Kolluru’s first tasks as he assumes the role full time is to balance the school’s budget, and he says he plans on doing so without any government bailouts.

Cut 14 (10) “…the fiscal year.”

Dr. Kolluru says he wants to enhance the student experience, and that includes all facets like health and wellness, financial assistance and connecting them with business and industry as soon as possible.

Cut 15 (10) “…can choose from.”

Before being appointed interim president last year, Kolluru was the university’s vice president for research, innovation and economic development – a role he held for more than a decade. Now that he’s the full-time president, Kolluru says he will continue to grow U-L Lafayette as a research institution.

Cut 16 (11) “…academics and research.”

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The LSU baseball team improved to 11-1 yesterday afternoon with a three to nothing win over Dartmouth. William Schmidt was dominant on the mound as he threw a career-high seven and a third innings, striking out nine, allowing four hits and no walks. Schmidt has better command of his pitches this season and he explained why following yesterday’s start…

Cut 17 (12)  “…throwing more strikes.”

It was not a great weekend for LSU’s bats. The Tigers scored just 11 runs over the last three games after scoring 34 runs in three games in Jacksonville. Jake Brown, who homered for the fifth time on the season on Sunday, is confident the bats will come back around…

Cut 18 (16)  “…back to it.” 

LSU hosts Northeastern tonight at 6:30 to conclude the wrap around series.

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The Ragin Cajuns seven game winning streak was snapped on Friday, but U-L Lafayette won on Saturday and Sunday to take the three-game series against UC San Diego. The Cajuns held on for a four-to-three victory yesterday after taking a three-to-nothing lead into the sixth inning. Coach Matt Deggs wishes they could have made it easier on themselves…

Cut 19 (17) “…finish line.”

The Cajuns will host LSU on Wednesday and visit Dallas Baptist this weekend.

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Tough weekend for Louisiana Tech as the Bulldogs were swept by 12^th ranked Southern Miss. Tech lost all three games by a combined score of 25-5. Coach Lane Burroughs is not hitting the panic button…

Cut 20 (13) “…late into the summer.”

La Tech will host Arkansas State for a two-game midweek series starting tomorrow night.

Governor Landry wants to shift West Feliciana Parish’s federal judicial districts. Andre Champagne reports while Landry stated his reason to Congress, there’s an ulterior motive in play.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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Crawfish season is officially here, and that means we begin monitoring crawfish prices. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Governor Landry is asking Congress to shift West Feliciana Parish’s federal judicial district from the Middle District to the Western District. In a letter to lawmakers, Landry stated that his reason is to ease the caseload in a district with a growing population. However, legal analyst Franz Borghardt says Landry has an ulterior motive – to shift cases involving prisoners at Angola to court where he could get more favorable rulings.

Cut 3 (09) “…the Middle District.”

All judges in the Middle district were appointed by Obama, whereas the vast majority of the judges in the Western District were appointed by Trump. Borghardt says once confirmed to the federal bench, that’s when politics are supposed to come to an end.

Cut 4 (08) “…run for re-election.”

Borghardt says shifting cases involving Angola prisoners to the Western District will not guarantee Landry any change in outcomes in those cases, since the president who nominates a certain judge to the federal bench is no indication of how that judge will rule in future cases.

Cut 5 (09) “…conservative or liberal.”

It will require an act of Congress to approve Landry’s request; Borghardt says approval is far from guaranteed.

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Three vital members of the state’s ag industry were inducted into the Louisiana Agricultural Hall of Distinction in a ceremony hosted by the Louisiana Radio Network. They are David Cupp, Billy Rogers Leonard and Jim Simon (Sea-mon). Cupp is the president of the Walsh Timber Company in Sabine Parish and has spent 45 years working in the forestry industry

Cut 6 (09) “…faboulous.”

Leonard is the owner of Integrated Crop Consulting. He spent over 35 years working for the LSU Ag Center, where he worked on over one-thousand scientific and technical articles and mentored dozens of grad students…

Cut 7 (12) “…to be here.”

Simon has been the general manager of the American Sugarcane League since 2004. He’s considered a titan in the sugar industry as he’s led research efforts, secured funding for sugar producers and played a pivotal role in U-S and Mexico’s sugar trade agreements….

Cut 8 (11) “…be recognized.”

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Now that Tony the crawfish has been pardoned, crawfish season is officially underway – and that means it’s time to start tracking crawfish prices. Laney King is the co-founder of The Crawfish App. ($4.50/lb. for live crawfish; $7.25/lb. for boiled crawfish)

Cut 9 (11)  “…for boiled crawfish.”

King says the official start of crawfish season is a big reason why those prices are down at least a dollar a pound over the last two to three weeks.

Cut 10 (09) “…sell to us.”

King says today’s prices are about $1.50 a pound higher than what they typically are at the official outset of crawfish season.

Cut 11 (13) “…definitely by Easter.”

King says she expects crawfish prices to come down about $2.50 a pound between now and Mother’s Day, when crawfish prices usually hit their lowest level of the year.

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Governor Landry is going to have another tough sell on his hands with the L-A GATOR program. That’s the voucher program that provides tax dollars to allow parents to, among other things, send their kids to private schools. Senate President Cameron Henry is looking to keep funding at 43.5-million dollars, while Landry wants to bump it to 88-million, which Henry says is untenable.

Cut 12 (07) “…to stop it.”

Henry says when you double funding for a program every year, you have to eventually figure out when to stop doubling it.

Cut 13 (07) “…it’s not sustainable.”

Furthermore, Henry says the program is too new to examine any results to determine whether it’s even worth increasing the state’s investment on it.

Cut 14 (11) “…it every year.”

This run of dry weather has put the state in a tough spot. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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If a New Orleans-area lawmaker has his way, those who don’t pay attention when crossing crosswalks will have to pay the price. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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This run of dry weather we’ve had lately has pushed the state into drought conditions. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says currently, about three-fourths of the state is in a drought, with half of the state rated as severe to extreme drought. 

Cut 3 (13) “…coast in Terrebonne.”

Grymes says the drought is making life very tough for many people, not just firefighters.

Cut 4 (12) “…into production season.”

Grymes says what the state really needs at this point is one good damp spell.

Cut 5 (12) “…into the spring.”

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One state lawmaker wants you to pay attention when crossing crosswalks, or pay up. Chalmette Republican Representative Mike Bayham has filed a bill that would prohibit people from looking at their cell phones while crossing crosswalks. Bayham says it’s a modern-day safety issue.

Cut 6 (09) “…is paying attention.”

And if the driver also has his face in his cell phone while driving – which is now illegal in the state, thanks to the work of the legislature last year – that’s a recipe for disaster. Bayham notes that pedestrians are defenseless against motor vehicles.

Cut 7 (08) “…if not killed.”

Bayham says his goal is not to make criminals out of those pedestrians – under his bill, the infraction would be a misdemeanor penalized with a fine of just 25 dollars.

Cut 8 (10) “…going across crosswalks.”

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Governor Jeff Landry announced on his “X” account today that A-T-and-T is investing 45-million dollars to upgrade the network inside Tiger Stadium before the 2026 season. LSU President Wade Rousse joined Landry for the announcement. Rousse says when you have over 100-thousand people in one place, you need service that works…

Cut 9 (08)  “…first responders.”

AT&T president David Aubrey says they are proud to work with LSU to bring state of the art connectivity to college football’s greatest venue…

Cut 10 (08) “…connected.”

Governor Landry says this is big news for Tiger Nation.

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A 53-year-old Metairie woman has been charged in connection with the death of a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s deputy who was struck and killed during a funeral procession on January 30^th. New Orleans Police Captain Anthony Micheu (Mee-shoo) says Erica Katsanis was impaired when she struck Deputy Christopher Ohlmeyer’s motorcycle from behind…

Cut 11 (05) “…come back.”

Micheu did not say what drugs were in Katsanis’ toxicology report, but they believe she ignored the warning labels for those drugs.

Cut 12 (10) “…not properly taken.”

Deputy Ohlmeyer was 41-years-old. He is survived by his wife and their two children.

A 14-year-old girl is shot and killed in Hammond. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Governor Jeff Landry says Louisiana taxpayers should see higher refunds after they file their state income taxes. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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A 14-year-old girl is shot and killed in Hammond last night. Investigators say as the girl was sitting in the back seat of a car, 18-year-old Trey Robinson was in the front seat playing with a gun; and when he dropped it, it discharged, striking the girl. Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron Jr. says Robinson is charged with one count of negligent homicide and should never have been handling a gun in the first place.

Cut 3 (10) “…on that responsibility.”

Chief Bergeron says incidents like these are happening with a lot more frequency across the country, and people – especially teens – need to know that guns are not toys.

Cut 4 (07) “…situations like this.”

Bergeron says when people, especially teens, are negligent in handling deadly weapons, the consequences will be dire for everyone involved.

Cut 5 (09) “…long term is.”

So far, Hammond Police have not released the name of the 14-year-old victim.

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Governor Jeff Landry says when people file their state income taxes this year, they will get a bigger refund. Landry says it’s the result of the legislation approved during the 2024 Tax Reform Special Session. The governor says the typical middle-class working family save nearly five-hundred dollars…

Cut 6 (09) “…grocery.”

The legislation approved in 2024 tripled the standard deduction, meaning families now pay no income tax on their first 25-thousand dollars of income.

Landry says the reform also doubled the retirement income exemption to 12-thousand dollars, allowing a married couple over 65 to earn nearly 49-thousand dollars tax free

Cut 7 (09) “…every single year.”

House Ways and Means Chairman Tony Bacala says he’s personally experienced the tax relief that Landry said is coming to Louisiana taxpayers. Bacala says last year he owed the state money; this year he’s getting a refund…

Cut 8 (06) “..coffer.”

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Today is another no-burn day throughout the State of Louisiana. This, as dry conditions continue to persist throughout the state. Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says as wildfires continue to burn, what the state really needs is rain. He says while no rain is in the forecast for the foreseeable future, there has been some improvement in conditions.

Cut 9 (12)  “…above the waterline.”

Strain says while relative humidity is improving, wind continues to be a factor in fueling the fires.

Cut 10 (12) “…long ways away.”

Strain says within fires where there’s a lot of debris on the ground, especially in areas of large acreage, don’t think that you’re out of danger when you don’t see flames emerging – you could have a rekindle.

Cut 11 (10) “…burn for months.”

New data from the Louisiana Department of Insurance shows private auto insurance rates declined in 2025, while commercial auto insurance rates continue to rise. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The United Cajun Navy has joined the search for the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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New data released by Louisiana’s Insurance Department shows private auto insurance rates declined on average nearly six-percent in 2025, while homeowners insurance rates rose slightly. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the decrease in auto premiums is due to a reduction in accidents. He believes rates will continue to drop as a result of tort legislation approved last year…

Cut 3 (07) “…claims happen.”

Temple says the average rate change for homeowners’ insurance in 2025 was four-percent, but last year was the first time since 2020 that they had more three insurance providers file for a rate decrease…

Cut 4 (10) “…rate decrease.”

The 2025 insurance trends also commercial auto insurance increased nearly six-percent on average in 2025. Temple says commercial auto insurance rates are still extremely high because the limits on what could be paid out because of a serious accident are still very high…

Cut 5 (12) “…exposed.”

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The United Cajun Navy is now involved in the search for the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie. Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona, during the early morning hours on February 1st. Incident Commander Josh Gill is on the ground in Tucson. 

Cut 6 (08) “…the sheriff’s department.”

Gill says he and his team are canvassing the area near the 84-year-old’s home with flyers and are speaking to as many people as they can.

Cut 7 (06) “…to this family.”

Gill says the United Cajun Navy has activated its “Saw It, Report It” system, allowing people to quickly submit tips via their smartphones.

Cut 8 (11) “…finding Miss Guthrie.”

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For the third year in a row, Central Louisiana Technical Community College is ranked as the top community college in the state. The ranking comes from Niche (“neesh”), a data-driven college ranking platform. Chancellor Dr. Heather Poole says there are many factors that go into CLTCC’s dominance in the state ranking. 

Cut 9 (14)  “…their program immediately.”

Dr. Poole says CLTCC also provides wraparound services for all students as they go through their programs that will directly lead to their careers.

Cut 10 (07) “…track looks like.”

Poole says all of CLTCC’s programs directly relate to the industries that are prevalent throughout the state, and nearly everyone who graduates lands a high-paying job right away.

Cut 11 (12) “…work right now.”

Niche also ranks CLTCC the 21st best community college in the nation.

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Dry and gusty winds continue to fuel wildfires in Louisiana. Two more forest fires broke out in Beauregard Parish today and firefighters have also been battling wildfires in northwest and southeast Louisiana. Ag and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says do not do any outdoor burning even if you are a prescribed burner…

Cut 12 (12) “…containment zone.”

Strain says the grass is dead from the winter, which is helping to fuel these fires. He says they’ve had situations where firefighters were battling blazes where the dead grass was above standing water, but it was still on fire…

Cut 13 (12) “…willdfires.”

Strain says crews have battled more than 40 wildfires in Louisiana since the weekend.

President Trump approves Governor Landry’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration for nine parishes in north Louisiana impacted by last month’s winter storm. Andre Champagne reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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A bill in the legislature could add an extra layer of protection in imports of certain seafood. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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Louisiana classrooms are given the green light to start putting up the Ten Commandments posters. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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President Trump has approved Governor Landry’s request for a Major Disaster declaration for nine parishes in north Louisiana from last month’s massive winter storm. Mike Steele with GOHSEP says the storm has cost state and local governments a lot of money so far, and the declaration will go a long way towards helping them out.

Cut 4 (10) “…at this point.”

Steele says the costs incurred by governments have been wide-ranging, with much more still to come.

Cut 5 (11) “…type of thing.”

Steele says the declaration, however, does not cover individuals at this point, since there weren’t a tremendous number of households impacted by the storm. Still, he says those who did sustain damage to their properties should report any damage to damage-dot-la-dot-gov. 

Cut 6 (07) “…the federal government.”

The nine parishes included in the declaration are Bienville, DeSoto, East Carroll, Franklin, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas and West Carroll parishes. Steele says more parishes may be added as damage assessment continues.

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A bill filed for the upcoming legislative session would add an additional layer in the fight against contaminated shrimp. Currently, the Department of Health and Hospitals is the only state agency authorized to seize and destroy imported shrimp found to be contaminated at ports. Under a bill filed by Houma Republican Representative Jessica Domangue, the Department of Agriculture and Forestry would be added to that list. The bill has the support of Blake Price, the director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance.

Cut 7 (13) “…antibiotics and fungicide.”

Price notes that only a very small percentage of imported shrimp is ever tested for banned antibiotics.

Cut 8 (11) “…unfit for consumption.”

Price says not only is untested imported shrimp putting people’s health at risk, but it’s also doing a number to the local shrimping industry.

Cut 9 (10)  “…flooded our markets.”

Representative Domangue is carrying the bill on behalf of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain.

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American Airlines adds an additional non-stop round-trip flight between Monroe Regional Airport and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Monroe Regional Airport Director Charles Butcher says you can thank – or blame – economic development for the addition of that fourth daily round trip.

Cut 10 (11) “…into the area.”

Butcher says locals were getting squeezed out of the seats on the three existing daily round trips to and from DFW.

Cut 11 (06) “…are flying in.”

The additional round-trip will be in the mid-morning hours and will get underway April 7th. Butcher says he hopes this is the continuation of additional economic development wins for the region.

Cut 12 (04) “…could lead to.”

The additional flights are available for booking right now.

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Louisiana classrooms are given the green light by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to put up Ten Commandments posters. This, after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a three-judge panel’s earlier decision that found the state law requiring those classroom displays to be unconstitutional. Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says the full Fifth Circuit did not overturn the ruling; it instead said it was too soon for it to rule on whether it is or not.

Cut 13 (09)  “…in the abstract.”

Ciolino says there are many unanswered questions about the Ten Commandments posters that prevent the judges from determining whether they meet constitutional muster.

Cut 14 (08) “…dangerous of that.”

Ciolino says this by no means ends the case. 

Cut 15 (12) “…to their context.”

Ciolino says he expects the case to end up right back in the full Fifth Circuit within the next six to 12 months, and it will in almost all certainty ultimately end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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The top ranked LSU baseball team improved its record 8-0 with three wins in Jacksonville this past weekend. The Tigers completed the weekend with an 11 to nothing mercy rule victory over U-C-F as William Schmidt threw five shutout innings. Coach Jay Johnson says it was high quality baseball that is sustainable…

Cut 16 (16) “…three innings.”

Cade Arrambide hit his second home run in as many days. Derek Curiel and Jake Brown each drove in three runs. But Schmidt was the story of the day as he struck out seven and walked just one over his five scoreless innings…

Cut 17 (23)  “…watch out.”

The Tigers are now 8-and-0 and look like a team that can repeat as champions. Johnson likes the approach his players are taking to every game…

Cut 18 (16)  “…do that.” 

LSU hosts McNeese on Tuesday.

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The seventh ranked LSU women’s basketball team set a school record in the NCAA women’s basketball championship era by grabbing 72 rebounds in their 108-55 thumping of the Missouri Tigers. Coach Kim Mulkey went with a smaller lineup and it resulted in everyone helping out on the glass..

Cut 19  (09) “…to watch.”

MiLaysia Fulwiley led LSU with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Mikaylah Williams also had a double-double as the Bossier City native had 12 points and ten rebounds. Mulkey also likes what Williams did on the defensive end

Cut 20 (13) “…Florida really well.”

Grace Slaughter had 14 points on 3 of 12 shooting. LSU hosts Tennessee on Thursday.

One of the greatest athletes to ever play at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette has passed away. Jeff Palermo has more on the loss of Bo Lamar who has died at the age of 74….

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The Lenten Season has arrived and seafood is in demand. Joe Gallinaro on how the supply looks…

Cut 2 (27) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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Carnival is over for 2026. As you may know, Carnival is a predominantly Catholic festival, and it was the first for the new Archbishop of New Orleans, James Checchio (CHECK-ee-oh). Coming to New Orleans from New Jersey, Archbishop Checchio says he was welcomed with open arms.

Cut 3 (08) “…last couple nights.”

Archbishop Checchio says he was impressed with all the traditions of Carnival in New Orleans.

Cut 4 (11) “…they value here.”

So with the end of Carnival comes the start of Lent, which is a 40-day period of fasting and abstinence in the Catholic church. Checchio says fasting doesn’t always have to refer to refraining from eating food.

Cut 5 (08) “…important things with.”

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A Rapides Parish woman is convicted in connection with a wildfire west of Glenmora nearly three years ago. Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says Carrie Willis was negligent as she was burning household trash on her property.

Cut 6 (14) “…a pine plantation.”

Strain says the guilty verdict will cost Willis almost ten-thousand dollars as part of her sentence.

Cut 7 (13) “…those 27 acres.”

Strain says the incident came at a time when wildfires were rampant in Louisiana and neighboring states due to a historic drought.

Cut 8 (07) “…or from negligence.”

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The University of Louisiana at Lafayette athletics is mourning the death of former basketball standout Bo Lamar who died earlier this week in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio at the age of 74. Lamar starred for the Ragin Cajuns from 1969 to 1973 and was one of the best basketball players in the country. Kevin Foote covers U-L Lafayette athletics for the Advocate…

Cut 9 (07)  “…mid major programs.”

Lamar averaged 31 points a game during his career and over his final three seasons, the Cajuns were 74-13 and only UCLA had a higher winning percentage. Foote says Lamar was the catalyst for then-Southwestern Louisiana’s rise from an NAIA program to one of the top programs in the country at the Division One level…

Cut 10 (12) “…Top Ten teams.”

Lamar scored 3,493 points, which ranks third on the NCAA’s all-time scoring list. The former All-American guard played a few seasons in the ABA and also one season for the NBA Los Angeles Lakers. When his playing career ended, Lamar worked as a color analyst on Cajuns men’s basketball TV broadcasts and he was a high school coach in Lafayette before returning to Ohio.

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As Lent begins and Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays, Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday, demand for Louisiana fresh seafood increases.  Harlon Pearce of Harlan’s LA Fish in Kenner says there’s a lot of great seafood to choose from…

Cut 11 (11) “…as well.”

Pearce says the wild catfish caught in Louisiana is amazing…

Cut 12 (06) “…amazing.”

Pearce says crabs are expensive right now and there is shrimp available, but the supply of shrimp does not pick up until April and May. He says there is crawfish and prices will go down as we get closer to Easter…

Cut 13 (08) “…us too.”

While New Orleans may be home to the most famous Mardi Gras celebration in the world, there’s another world renowned celebration taking place in Eunice. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Woodside Energy, which is building a massive LNG export terminal Calcasieu Parish, will have its logo on all of LSU’s uniforms starting next athletic season. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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While the world normally associates Mardi Gras with New Orleans, there’s another community in Louisiana where the celebration is world renowned. Cajun Mardi Gras in Eunice is a tribute to the Acadian people who settled in Southwest Louisiana, providing the foundation of the culture that defines the region. Eunice Mayor Scott Fontenot says it’s been a staple in the city for more than 100 years. 

Cut 3 (05) “…in downtown Eunice”

The signature event of Cajun Mardi Gras is the run, which is actually a parade in which participants wearing traditional Cajun attire go through rural areas on horseback, collecting ingredients for a traditional gumbo that they’ll make at the end. Mayor Fontenot says it attracts people from everywhere.

Cut 4 (11) “…from all over.”

Mayor Fontenot says Cajun Mardi Gras is a one-of-a-kind celebration.

Cut 5 (07) “…can’t duplicate this.”

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Australian-based energy company Woodside Energy’s logo will be on all LSU uniforms starting next athletic year as a part of a multi-year, multi-million-dollar deal. Woodside executive vice president Daniel Kalms says this historic initiative goes beyond the playing field….

Cut 6 (10) “…beyond that.”

Woodside Energy was given the option to have its logo only on football uniforms, but they decided to support all 21 sports on LSU’s campus…

Cut 7 (10) “…female athletes.”

Woodside Energy’s logo is red, but Kalms says the logo patch will match the LSU’s traditional purple and gold colors…

Cut 8 (06) “…decision for us.”

Woodside Energy has been operating in Louisiana for nearly two decades focused on offshore oil and gas. But last year they made the final investment decision to build a 17 billion dollar LNG plant in Calcasieu Parish.

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New Orleans Congressman Troy Carter is among those remembering civil rights icon Jesse Jackson, who died today at the age of 84. Carter says Jackson was an influential part of his life, including at the outset of his professional career.

Cut 9 (12)  “…nurture it.”

Carter says that connection has endured ever since, including after he was elected to Congress.

Cut 10 (09) “…his son, Jonathan.”

Carter says Jackson’s message resonates today, with history on the brink of repeating itself.

Cut 11 (14) “…of his time.”

The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office rolls out new technology to warn drivers of oncoming pursuits. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Starting next year LSU will wear jersey patches sponsored by an Australian Company that’s building an L-N-G production and export terminal in southwest Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office rolls out new technology aimed at notifying drivers of nearby pursuits. Vehicles in the department are being equipped with the Pursuit Alert Digital Siren. Sheriff Brett Stassi says it allows deputies to press a single button to notify drivers of pursuits.

Cut 3 (10) “…ahead of them.”

The app “Digital Siren,” is available for free on Apple and Android devices. It was on LA 1 on New Year’s Eve 2022 where 17-year-old Maggie Dunn and 16-year-old Caroline Gill were killed by Addis Police Officer David Cauthron, who was driving 86 miles an hour while pursuing the driver of a stolen vehicle. Gill’s father, Jason, is thankful that the sheriff’s office is rolling out this technology.

Cut 4 (04) “…in those pursuits.”

The system was developed by Tim Morgan, the CEO of Pursuit Alert and Digital Siren. He says he hopes his technology will be so widespread that it will eventually no longer be necessary to download an app to receive the alerts.

Cut 5 (05) “…with some automakers.”

The system can also notify drivers of missing people, especially children, in a manner faster than an AMBER Alert.

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Funeral services for Legendary football coach Pat Collins is tomorrow in Monroe. Collins led Northeast Louisiana University, now known as ULM, to the Division One-Double-A Championship in 1987. Former N-L-U receiver Tag Rome was an assistant coach on that national championship team and says Coach Collins was a father figure and you knew where you stood with him…

Cut 6 (07) “…he was.”

Rome says Coach Collins is one of the most important people in his life. He says Coach Collins was tough on his players, but he was a strong leader…

Cut 7 (11) “…was spirtual.”

Collins also coaches at local high schools, West Ouachita and Ouachita. Rome expects a large number of people will be at the Kilpatrick Funeral Home to pay their last respects…

Cut 8 (08) “…were his family.”

Collins record at NLU was 57-35. He won two Southland Conference Championships. The Shreveport native was also a defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech in the 1970s. Those years were known as the “Glory Years.”  In 2015, Collins was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. He was 84.

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A 12-foot, one-thousand-pound, great white shark was recently tracked off of Louisiana’s coast, near the Chandeleur Islands east of New Orleans. Doctor Sean Powers, director of the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences at University of South Alabama, says it’s rare to see a great white shark near the Northern Gulf coast, but not unprecedented

Cut 9 (12)  “…over fishing.”

An organization known as OCEARCH tracks sharks and they say this shark, named Ernst, traveled south along the East Coast and entered the Gulf around Mid-November. Powers says based on the tracking information, Ernst traveled 32-hundred miles before making it into the northern Gulf coast.

Cut 10 (15) “…recently learned.”

Powers says Ernst was tagged off the coast of Nova Scotia last October and got within four miles of Gulf Shores. He says great white sharks will not get that much closer to the coast, because they like cooler waters

Cut 11 (11) “…colder waters ”

Powers says great white sharks travel alone, because as he says they are not very social until it’s time to mate. He says you can keep up with Ernst’s travels along with other sharks that have been tagged by going to ocearch.com. Ernest is now near the bend of the Florida coastline in the Gulf.

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.