What city is the fastest growing in Louisiana? For the answer, here’s Andrew Greenstein.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Hammond Police Department has named two persons of interest in connection with the June 4 shooting at a Hammond gas station that left one woman dead. 26-year-old Jarvis Steptoe and 21-year-old Reginald Steptoe are both from the Hammond area. If you have any information about their whereabouts, contact the Hammond Police Department or Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa.

NovaSpark announced additions to its hydrogen generator manufacturing facility in West Monroe and plans to establish a new operation in Houma. Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois says it will help diversify the Terrebonne Parish economy for years to come.

Cut 9 (12)  “…future as well.”

Will Furniss, the son of ex-LSU baseball star Eddy Furniss, has helped lead Ole Miss back to Omaha. The Rebels’ College World Series run opens tomorrow night against North Carolina, the fourth-ranked national seed. While they were able to dodge a four-team SEC gauntlet on the other side of the bracket, Eddy says the Tar Heels are no slouch.

Cut 14 (13) “…Ole Miss.”

What city is the fastest growing city in Louisiana? For the answer, here’s Andrew Greenstein.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

An El Nino has officially formed in the tropical Pacific, so what does that mean for our weather in Louisiana? Joe Gallinaro has the story.

Cut 2 (24) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

____________________________________________

Which city is the fastest growing city in Louisiana? If you said Carencro, you’d be right. According to census data released last month, between July 1st, 2020, and July 1st, 2025, Carencro’s population grew by almost 42-percent, adding almost four-thousand people to a population that now tops 13-thousand. Mayor Charlotte Clavier (klah-vee-AAE) says many of those people are coming from coastal communities, where homeowners insurance is exponentially more expensive.

Cut 3 (09) “…the benefit of.”

Carencro is just north of Lafayette, bisected by I-49, and Mayor Clavier says that means Carencroians have it easy when it comes to heading into Lafayette.

Cut 4 (09) “…more traffic issues.”

Clavier says the best part about Carencro is the major sense of community.

Cut 5 (13) “…doing so well.”

Clavier notes that homebuilding is very active in Carencro, with about 15-hundred lots in active development at any given time. New construction prices are among the most competitive in the state and in the region.

________________________________________

El Nino conditions have officially developed in the tropical Pacific, and weather experts say it will intensify, possibly into a Super El Nino. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says the most immediate impact to Louisiana’s weather is the higher chances of a quiet hurricane season.

Cut 6 (10) “…even in the Atlantic.”

NOAA says there is a 63-percent chance of a Super El Nino, which would reduce the number of tropical storms even more. Keim says we’ve had Super El Ninos in the past.

Cut 7 (12) “…every year.”

Keim says not only does El Nino produce a quieter Atlantic hurricane season, it can also produce a wetter and cooler winter and spring if it hangs around that long.

Cut 8 (08) “…and winter.”

_____________________________________________________________

Terrebonne Parish is diversifying its economy; and with it will come hundreds of new jobs. Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois says NovaSpark is expanding by not only adding to its hydrogen generator manufacturing facility in West Monroe, but also by establishing an operation in Houma.

Cut 9 (12)  “…future as well.”

Bourgeois says this is especially a game changer for Houma and Terrebonne Parish, especially in light of a downturn in oil and gas.

Cut 10 (08) “…and gas hub.” 

Bourgeois says this announcement speaks for the quality of Louisiana’s workforce and Louisiana’s future potential.

Cut 11 (14) “…the hydrogen world.”

______________________________________________________

The son of LSU baseball legend Eddy Furniss, Will Furniss, is following in his dad’s footsteps at the College World Series. While he won’t be wearing purple and gold, Will has led Ole Miss to Omaha in his senior season. The first baseman hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to clinch a Super Regional win over Auburn. Eddy says that’s just who he is.

Cut 12 (13) “…get it done.” 

Ole Miss is undefeated in the NCAA Tournament, but all five of their wins have been decided by three runs or less. After some bad luck early in the season, Eddy says things have started going the Rebels’ way.

Cut 13 (12) “…one play game.”

The Rebels’ College World Series run opens Friday night against North Carolina, the fourth-ranked national seed. While Ole Miss was able to dodge a four-team SEC gauntlet on the other side of the bracket, Eddy says the Tar Heels are no slouch.

Cut 14 (13) “…Ole Miss.”

A Pittsburgh little league practice became a lifelong memory Monday night when ex-LSU star and Pirates ace Paul Skenes decided to drop in on his day off. Kace Kieschnick reports

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

____________________________________________

Louisiana’s youngest students made great strides in reading proficiency. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

A little league team in the north suburbs of Pittsburgh got a surprise visit from the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Monday evening. Paul Skenes was driving by Ingomar Franklin Park when he saw the lights on for a little league practice and decided to check it out. Eddie Dubis, a coach in the league and father of two of the kids, says it only took a few minutes for the 6-6 superstar to be noticed.

Cut 3 (10) “…two hours.”

Skenes stayed to take pictures, sign autographs and play catch on his day off. Dubis says what started as a group of 30 or 40 kids quickly tripled and it’s an experience his 11 and 13-year-old sons will never forget.

Cut 4 (09) “…about it.”

Dubis compared the drop-in to Micky Mantle or Willie Mayes playing ball with kids in the 60s and 70s but said it’s something you don’t see from modern athletes. He says Paul Skenes is baseball in Pittsburgh.

Cut 5 (12) “…city of Pittsburgh.”

Skenes followed the visit with a start at PNC Park against the Dodgers last night. He allowed just six hits and two runs in six innings and struck out seven in one of his best outings in nearly a month. The Pirates lost 12-3.

________________________________________

The Department of Education says literacy screening results show that at the end of the school year, more than 66-percent of students from kindergarten through third grade were reading at or above grade level — an increase of more than 16 percentage points from the start of the school year. John Wyble, the CEO of the Center for Literacy and Learning, says this increase can be attributed to a return to the science of reading.

Cut 6 (11) “…what they read.”

The Center worked with many school districts to improve their students’ literacy; and each one had more than 71-percent of their K-through-3 students reading at or above grade level at the end of the year. Wyble says the progress can also be attributed to schools diligently staying on top of students’ progress in their reading abilities.

Cut 7 (10) “…support and interventions.”

Wyble says the Center for Literacy and Learning has been working with many of the school districts where students have shown great improvement in reading.

Cut 8 (13) “…a great thing.”

Kindergartners showed the greatest progress, with 69-percent of students reading at or above grade level at the end of the school year, compared to just 29-percent at the start of the year.

_____________________________________________________________

An 80-million-dollar Faith Technologies Incorporated manufacturing facility is coming to Monroe. Construction is already underway and expected to be completed spring 2027. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois says the facility will produce electrical assemblies and energy solutions to ship to project sites along the I-20 corridor.

Cut 9 (09)  “…power-first economy.”

The 500,000-square-foot facility will be the first Louisiana location for FTI. The company has navigated the engineering, construction, manufacturing and clean energy sectors since 1972. Bourgeois says welcoming them to the area is a big win for Monroe.

Cut 10 (07) “…all day long.” 

Louisiana has already seen massive investments into data centers in Richland Parish, Rapides Parish and the Shreveport Bossier area. Bourgeois says these investments are the meeting point between the history and future of the Louisiana economy.

Cut 11 (07) “…center opportunities.”

______________________________________________________

For the second time in three days, a shooting rocks an East Baton Rouge Parish school. A student was shot while leaving Baker High School this morning. Preston Castille, the president and CEO of Helix Community Schools, the charter school network that Baker High School belongs to, says it happened while summer school was in session.

Cut 12 (08) “…still on campus.” 

That student is hospitalized in stable condition, and a suspect is in custody. Castille says while he cannot say for certain, the fact that this is the second shooting at the school in three days leads him to believe that the incidents are related, and that’s very troubling.

Cut 13 (14) “…staff remain safe.”

Castille says as such, all activities and in-person instruction have been cancelled.

Cut 14 (09) “…had been resolved.”

No word as to when the Baker High School campus will reopen.

A Meta AI infrastructure training facility is coming to Baton Rouge. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

____________________________________________

Problems at the OMV today due to network outages. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

Meta announced the launch of America’s Workforce Academy, a nationwide A-I infrastructure jobs training program with a pilot academy in Baton Rouge. Meta Director of U.S. Policy Diana Doukas says the program will pay participants to train in a variety of jobs..

Cut 3 (09) “…next decade.”

The academy requires no prior experience and provides tuition, airfare and lodging. Applicants will receive their job training placement and location upon acceptance. Doukas says they will also receive a guaranteed job placement upon graduation from the four to five-week program.

Cut 4 (09) “…to do so.”

Louisiana joins Texas, Indiana and Ohio as the four states to host pilot locations. Meta has already begun construction on a 27-billion-dollar data center in Richland Parish. Doukas says Meta’s partnership with the Associated Builders and Contractors Baton Rouge training facility and its investment in Louisiana make it a perfect location.

Cut 5 (11) “…down the road.”

For more information go to meta.com/AmericasWorkforceAcademy.

________________________________________

Gabe Firment has been in the Louisiana House of Representatives for more than six years now. Could he have his sights set on something bigger, like the U.S. House of Representatives? The Republican from Pollock says several people have reached out to him over the past couple weeks asking him if he’d be interested in running for the open seat in the fifth district.

Cut 6 (12) “…an intriguing opportunity.”

Firment says he believes he would be a very effective U.S. representative.

Cut 7 (12) “…philosophy to Congress.”

Firment says as vast as the newly-drawn fifth district is, voters need a representative who can serve the interests of the entire district, regardless of which part of the district he or she is from.

Cut 8 (10) “…sense to me.”

Monroe Representative Michael Echols is planning on continuing his campaign for the fifth district. Firment says he hopes to make a decision in the next couple weeks. Qualifying runs from August 5th through the 7th.

_____________________________________________________________

The Louisiana America 250 commission is hosting a free Fourth of July concert in downtown Baton Rouge. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says there will be live music in Repentance Park starting at 2 p.m. and culminating with a big fireworks show over the Mississippi River…

Cut 9 (09)  “…to America.”

The concert will feature performances from local stars Amanda Shaw, Rockin’ Dopsie Jr., John Schneider and Wayne Toups. Nungesser says the celebration will highlight the great talent that comes out of the Bayou State.

Cut 10 (11) “…has to offer.” 

Nungesser says if you can’t make it to the Capitol City, there will likely be a celebration near you.

Cut 11 (09) “…over Louisiana.”

A full list of celebrations across the state can be found at america250la.org

______________________________________________________

If you’re trying to get things done at the OMV, either in person or online, you may have a little difficulty right now. That’s because the office is experiencing network outages. Thomas Mule’ (myoo-LAY) with the Office of Technology Services says they started replacing a legacy piece of hardware Sunday.

Cut 12 (08) “…started going out.” 

Mule’ says it’s part of switching the network from what he says is the equivalent of a 1992 Honda Civic to a 2026 McLaren 750. He says during the migration, some are experiencing connectivity issues.

Cut 13 (09) “…the new system.”

The network outages have forced some OMV offices around the state to close, and some online services are affected as well. Mule’ says it’s unclear when everything will be back up and running.

Cut 14 (08) “…tomorrow at eight.”

Mule’ says they’re almost 100-percent certain that this is not the result of a cyberattack.

It’s been 30 years to the day since Warren Morris delivered his legendary swing in the 1996 College World Series championship against Miami. Kace Kieschnick has the story.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

____________________________________________

The Secretary of State puts out the help wanted sign for poll commissioners. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

Starting August 1st, prisons, jails and other correctional facilities will be required to immediately notify the public whenever a violent inmate is inadvertently let out. That’s due to a new law Governor Landry signed last month that was authored by New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry, who said there had been several instances when it took hours for these facilities to issue bulletins about escaped inmates.

Cut 3 (04) “…we needed this.”

While it was not an inadvertent release, Landry was prompted to author the bill by last year’s jailbreak at the Orleans Parish Jail, in which the public wasn’t notified until about ten hours after ten inmates broke free. Landry wanted to be sure whatever was in her bill was something that would be able to be adhered to.

Cut 4 (11) “…address the situation.”

For instance, Landry offered an amendment to narrow the scope of her bill, limiting the notification requirement to the inadvertent release of an inmate charged with or convicted of a violent crime.

Cut 5 (11) “…knows right away.”

Landry’s bill sailed through the legislature without a dissenting vote at any stage.

________________________________________

Today is the 30th anniversary of one of the most iconic moments in LSU baseball and College World Series history. In the 1996 College World Series championship against Miami, the Tigers were down 8-7, with two outs and a runner on third, when second baseman Warren Morris stepped up to the plate. Morris roped a two-run walk-off homer over the right field wall to win the Tigers’ third national championship.

Cut 6 (12) “…seen him.”

The walk-off home run is still the only one in the College World Series Championship game. Morris was batting ninth in the lineup after returning from a wrist surgery just over two weeks before the NCAA tournament. Morris hadn’t hit a home run all season, but he says he told coach Skip Bertman something was different that day.

Cut 7 (12) “…all year.”

LSU trailed 7-3 in the game before tying it in the eighth. The Hurricanes took back the lead in the top of the ninth and were three outs away from a national title. Down again, with wind blowing in and Miami All-American closer Robbie Morrison on the mound, things were looking bleak for the Tigers, but Morris says he never wavered.

Cut 8 (12) “…of destiny.”

The walk-off capped off an 8-and-0 postseason run to a College World Series title.

_____________________________________________________________

If you need some extra cash this summer or this fall, why not volunteer to be a poll commissioner? The Secretary of State’s Office needs poll commissioners for the June 27th runoff election and the November 3rd general election. Secretary Nancy Landry says poll workers are essential in keeping elections running smoothly in the state.

Cut 9 (09)  “…here in Louisiana.”

Landry says poll commissioners can earn up to 200 dollars a day, and commissioners in charge can earn up to 350 dollars a day.

Cut 10 (12) “…in your community.” 

Landry says there are some requirements in order to be a poll commissioner.

Cut 11 (14) “…to vote yet.”

More information is on the Secretary of State’s website.

______________________________________________________

Louisiana ranks 48^th for child well-being in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2026 Kids Count Data Book. Chief Data and Impact Officer at the Agenda For Children, Teresa Falgoust, says one out of five children in Louisiana live in high-poverty neighborhood, which is one reason why the state ranks so low, but it’s not all bad news…

Cut 12 (10) “…stunning progress.” 

Louisiana also ranks 49^th for the health of its children. Falgoust says it’s concerning to see an increase in the percentage of low-birthweight children…

Cut 13 (10) “…11.6 percent.”

Falgoust says Louisiana progressed in education, where its score improved by 83 points, more than other state…

Cut 14 (09) “…on time.”

While the Republicans are dominating the airwaves in the U.S. Senate race in Louisiana, there’s also a runoff on the Democratic side. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

The latest Kids Count Data Book shows that Louisiana still has lots of room for improvement in child well-being. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

____________________________________________

U-N-O is just one month away from becoming LSU New Orleans, and the transition is a game-changer, Kace Kieschnick Reports

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

_________________________________________________________

While the Republican candidates for U.S. Senate are dominating the airwaves in the run-up to the runoff, both in terms of advertising and in headlines, there’s also a runoff for the Democratic nomination as well. Jamie Davis and Gary Crockett will square off on June 27th for the right to take on Julia Letlow or John Fleming in the November general election. Davis was the runaway top vote-getter in the primary, garnering 47-percent of the vote. He’s urging his supporters to get out the vote once again.

Cut 4 (12) “…once more again.”

Gary Crockett, on the other hand, barely eked out second place, besting Nick Albares by just 284 votes to advance to the runoff. Crockett says his strategy is to get Albares’ supporters on his side.

Cut 5 (07) “…voters as well.”

Davis is a former police juror in Tensas Parish and says his experience on that body, along with his experience in his chosen profession, make him well prepared for the rigors in the U.S. Senate.

Cut 6 (10) “…is all about.”

Crockett says that, while he comes from a different background and this is his first political campaign, he has what it takes to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Cut 7 (12) “…what is important.”

___________________________________________________

The latest Kids Count Data Book shows that Louisiana still has plenty of room for improvement in the well-being of its children. The 2026 report ranks Louisiana 48th overall. Theresa Falgoust (FAAL-goo), the chief data and impact officer for the Agenda for Children, says that includes an economic well-being ranking that’s dead last in the country.

Cut 8 (06) “…full-time year-round.”

Louisiana also ranked low in health and in family and community. Louisiana’s best individual ranking was in education, where it ranked 35th. Falgoust says it’s a testament to the investments the state is making in early childhood education.

Cut 9 (07)  “…and first grade.”

Falgoust says there is a positive to come out of this report – when compared to last year, Louisiana made one of the biggest improvements in the country.

Cut 10 (07) “…for South Carolina.”

___________________________________________________

The University of New Orleans is switching gears as it prepares to transition to the LSU system on July 1st. Interim Chancellor Jeanette Weiland says the university wouldn’t have survived without the 20-million-dollar cash infusion from the state of Louisiana, but now they’re back in the black and looking ahead.

Cut 11 (11) “…is enrollment growth.”

Weiland is setting the institution’s fall enrollment goal at six thousand students. She says as part of the LSU system, UNO can aggressively target the thousands of applicants denied by LSU’s main campus who meet its admissions requirements.

Cut 12 (12) “…give them tours.”

Weiland, who’s a UNO graduate herself, says keeping the university flourishing is not just business, it’s personal. She says the soon-to-be LSU New Orleans offers opportunity at an affordable price nationwide, and the best is yet to come.

Cut 13 (11)  “…economic development impact.” 

___________________________________________________

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission has approved new chronic wasting disease management zones as a result of legislation approved in the recently completed legislative session. LDWF’s deer program manager Jonathan Bordelon says the size of the four zones has been reduced…

Cut 14 (09) “…were used prior.”

Three of the zones are located in northeast Louisiana, and a fourth zone covers most of Concordia and Avoyelles parishes.

There have been at least 55 confirmed cases of CWD since first detected in Louisiana in 2022. It’s a 100-percent fatal, neurodegenerative disease. Bordelon says that’s why the export of deer carcasses outside of the CWD Management Zone is prohibited…

Cut 15 (13) “…in new areas.”

One of the issues that lawmakers had with the CWD zones was that baiting restrictions penalized hunters and local businesses that rely on deer feed. Bordelon says the new CWC regulations allow from September 1^st to March 31^st, 2027, in the four CWD management zones…

Cut 16 (09) “…their surveillance goals.”

The Louisiana Wildlife Federation opposed easing the baiting restrictions over concerns that bait piles lead to deer congregating, which increases the transmission of the fatal disease.

A new law signed by Governor Landry looks to create a more family-friendly gameday atmosphere on college campuses in Louisiana. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

____________________________________________

Even though the new law doesn’t take effect until January 1st, your days of schlepping to a vehicle inspection station are, for all intents and purposes, over. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

Governor Landry signed a bill increasing the penalties for marijuana use on college campuses and near schools. While the new law affects all school zones across the state Pollock Representative Gabe Firment says it specifically targets creating a more family-friendly environment at on-campus tailgates on gamedays.

Cut 3 (09) “…good time.”

Those caught smoking marijuana in school zones now face up to a year in jail and a one-thousand-dollar fine. Firment says smoking marijuana within two-thousand feet of campuses and schools was already illegal in Louisiana.

Cut 4 (10) “…the penalties.”

Opponents of the bill argue the bill does nothing to address alcohol use on campus, especially that done by underage students. Firment’s answer is simple — consuming alcohol in a school zone is not illegal.

Cut 5 (09) “…to enforce.”

________________________________________

The elimination of state inspection stickers doesn’t officially happen until January 1st; but for all intents and purposes, your days of schlepping to get your vehicle inspected are over. Governor Landry has told State Police not to issue citations for expired inspection stickers. And Larry Bagley, who authored House Bill 1085, says even if your inspection is due for renewal this month, just let it go.

Cut 6 (08) “…on all that.”

Bagley says if you recently paid for your two-year renewal already, however, you’re out of luck.

Cut 7 (09) “…get a refund.”

Bagley says among the practical reasons to eliminate the inspection sticker is to put certain counterfeiters out of business.

Cut 8 (11) “…the parking lot.”

The inspection sticker will be replaced by a QR code that will cost six dollars a year, which will be rolled into your annual registration renewal – it’s not paid separately. The QR code will arrive in the mail; it measures about two inches long by one inch tall and will be affixed to the bottom of the passenger side of the windshield.

_____________________________________________________________

The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office announced a new Drone as First Responder program. The drones are operated by a real-time crime center that monitors drone video and live body camera feeds to quickly respond to emergencies. Sheriff Marc Mashaw says drones can cover a wide area and arrive on scene in as little as 70 seconds.

Cut 9 (08)  “…speed matters.”

When a 911 call comes in, OPSO can launch drones directly to the scene. The fleet features two drones that can break glass to enter a building and allow deputies to negotiate with suspects remotely. Mashaw says the program transforms emergency response and community protection.

Cut 10 (13) “…different description.” 

The drones can even help first responders speak directly to the public during emergencies or take life-saving action. Mashaw says drones can drop off life jackets, tourniquets and other emergency equipment while deputies are on the way.

Cut 11 (13) “…we’re responding.”

______________________________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologists believe they are making progress in restoring critical fish habitat on Toledo Bend. LDWF Biologist Manager Villis Dowden says over the past two weeks crews have stocked 110 containers of native eelgrass which can provide critical habitat for juvenile fish….

Cut 12 (07) “…wildlife species.” 

Dowden says some early attempts to plant eelgrass in past years did not succeed, because of several challenges, including strong wave action, so they are using more sheltered planting areas…

Cut 13 (08) “…planting.”

Toledo Bend along the Texas-Louisiana border in Sabine Parish is known as one of the best fishing spots in the country. From 2015 to 2017, Bassmaster Magazine ranked Toledo Bend as the best bass lake in the nation.

But high, muddy water in 2016 and 2017 led to a significant, sustained decline in native aquatic vegetation. Dowden says the habitat restoration methods they are doing now, have worked in reservoirs in other southern states

Cut 14 (11) “…goes on.”

Today is day one of hurricane season. GOHSEP says it’s ready, and it wants you to be too. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

UL Lafayette’s baseball season ended last night after losing to Mississippi State 19-5 in the Starkville Regional final. Kace Kieschnick reports…

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

____________________________________________

Today is day one of Hurricane Season, and GOHSEP is ready. Spokesman Mike Steele says the agency has spent the last several months preparing for the 2026 hurricane season.

Cut 3 (11) “…the same page.”

Steele notes that due to changes with FEMA, there may be more that would need to be asked of first responders at the state and local levels. But he notes that those are things that they had already started doing.

Cut 4 (12) “…lot of times.”

Steele says GOHSEP has done its part in preparing for hurricane season – now it’s time to do your part.

Cut 5 (13) “…and your property.”

Steele says a great resource is the Get A Game Plan website and app.

__________________________________________

The UL Lafayette baseball season came to an end last night after the Ragin’ Cajuns fell to Mississippi State 19-5. The depleted UL bullpen couldn’t keep up with the Bulldog batters who knocked 20 hits and nine runs in the final three innings. Cajuns head coach Matt Deggs didn’t make excuses after playing 11 games in 13 days.

Cut 6 (12) “…great starts.”

The Cajuns made a frantic push to earn a regional bid, winning their final four Sun Belt series and finishing second in the conference tournament. They relied on a deep and talented freshman class, who Deggs says have only gotten better as the season’s gone on.

Cut 7 (14) “…of season, man.”

UL-Lafayette ends the year with a 41-and-25 record after a disappointing 27-win 2025 campaign. It is the third 40-win season and fourth regional appearance for the Cajuns under Deggs, and he says they can be back and even better next season.

Cut 8 (14) “…with this group.”

2016 was the last time Tigue Moore Field hosted a Regional.

_____________________________________________________________

One year after vetoing a similar bill, Governor Landry allows a bill to ban balloon releases to become law without his signature. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser is grateful that Landry allowed Harahan Representative John Illg’s balloon release ban to become law this time around, saying it will save wildlife in the long run.

Cut 9 (06)  “…tangled in them.”

What was different about Illg’s bill this year is that it added balloon releases to the state’s existing anti-littering law, whereas last year, it was a standalone law. Nungesser says while balloon releases may look good when it’s happening, they cause problems when the come down

Cut 10 (08) “…waterways or drains.” 

Nungesser says when balloons end up in waterways, it’s not just the marine wildlife that could suffer.

Cut 11 (04) “…in the waterway.”

In his veto last year, Landry stated that it would have been impossible to enforce.

______________________________________________________

There will be no new bridge over the Mississippi River named after President Trump. A bill to do so that sailed through the House died in the Senate. The author, Monroe Representative Michael Echols, says the purpose behind his bill was to coax the Trump administration to give the state a hefty portion of the three-billion dollars it would cost to build the additional bridge.

Cut 12 (10) “…this done faster.” 

Echols says this was his way of kick-starting the project, which has been talked about for 30 years.

Cut 13 (04) “…with that effort.”

Echols says, in fact, the Senate told him it had no desire to take up any road or bridge-naming bills this year. He says naming the bridge after Trump was not absolute; it was contingent on him securing federal funding during his term.

Cut 14 (09) “…dollars to Louisiana.”

Voters will have a chance in November to decide whether two-term governors can still seek to reprise their roles after sitting out four years. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

____________________________________________

Governor Jeff Landry signs legislation that adds 50-million dollars to the Fortified Roof Program. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

____________________________________________

The ability for two-term governors to make another run for the state’s top job after sitting out four years is now in the hands of the voters. Chalmette Representative Michael Bayham’s constitutional amendment limiting governors to two lifetime terms has passed both houses by the requisite two-thirds majority and will be on the November 3rd ballot. Bayham says prior history has shown that nothing good results when governors keep coming back time and time again.

Cut 3 (09) “…to federal prison.”

Even though constitutional amendments have fared poorly at the ballot box over the last two years, Bayham says he’s confident that this one will pass, pointing to how the 1995 legislative term limit amendment passed with more than 75-percent of the vote. He says if voters approve this one, it will mark a new day in Louisiana. 

Cut 4 (07) “…haunted us.”

Some Democrats expressed concern that Bayham was specifically targeting John Bel Edwards, who would otherwise be eligible to run for re-election next year – although this amendment would also apply to Republican Bobby Jindal. Edwards and Jindal are the only two living former Louisiana governors. Bayham says neither one expressed any concern to him about the amendment.

Cut 5 (07) “…or Governor Edwards.”

__________________________________________

At the SEC Spring Meetings, LSU Coach Lane Kiffin made his first public comments since adding former head coach Ed Orgeron to his coaching staff…

Cut 6 (08) “..of it.”

Kiffin also says quarterback Sam Leavitt’s rehab from a foot injury continues to go well. He’s running at 21 miles per hour.

But in Destin, Florida, reporters wanted to focus on Kiffin’s decision to leave Ole Miss for LSU. Kiffin says he enjoyed his time with the Rebels, but LSU was an opportunity for him to do something new…

Cut 7 (11) “..new challenge”

Kiffin was asked his thoughts on his highly anticipated return to Oxford when the Tigers play the Ole Miss Rebels on September 19th. Lane did not take the bait…

Cut 8 (09) “…at it”

Kiffin coached at Tennessee for one season and when he returned there as the head coach of Ole Miss in 2021, objects were thrown at him, including a mustard bottle and a golf ball.

_____________________________________________________________

Governor Jeff Landry signed a bill today that expands a program that provides grant dollars for homeowners to pay for a fortified roof on their home. Landry says this is important legislation because fortified roofs can limit storm damage…

Cut 9 (14)  “…the benefit.”

The measure signed into law by the governor expands the fortified roof program by additional 50-million dollars.

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says they will be distributing more grants this summer and a lottery to receive a grant of up to ten-thousand dollars will begin next week…

Cut 10 (13) “…to homeowners.” 

The Fortified Roof Program has been around since 2023 and since that time 4,900 homeowners have used the grant program to install fortified roofs. Temple says another eight thousand plus fortified roofs have been installed on homes that did not use the grant program.

Cut 11 (08) “…their property.”

Landry says if you go to the Department of Insurance’s website you can learn more about the fortify roof program and how it can lower your insurance premium…

Cut 12 (10) “…fortified roof.” 

Governor Landry says there’s no logical reason that teachers should not get a permanent pay increase. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

The Louisiana House approves legislation that would prevent the public from seeing the financial contracts between college athletic departments and their athletes. Joe Gallinaro has the story.

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.” 

____________________________________________

A 3.6-billion-dollar AI data center will be built in Rapides Parish. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

_________________________________________________________

As Governor Landry announced that he and the legislature will find a way to give teachers another two-thousand-dollar stipend, he says there’s no logical reason not to find the money to permanently increase teacher pay in Louisiana. Landry says over the last four decades, public school enrollment has dropped by more than 100-thousand…

Cut 4 (15) “…public school students.”

…while at the same time, per-student spending has increased.

Cut 5 (15) “…dollars for students.”

Landry says wherever that additional money is going is not into the bank accounts of teachers, who have actually seen their inflation-adjusted pay go the other direction.

Cut 6 (11) “…it for inflation.”

Landry also announced the formation of a bipartisan MFP permanent pay raise task force.

____________________________________________________

A proposal to shield the public from seeing the revenue share contracts between universities and their athletes has received approval from the Senate on a 22-13 vote. Baton Rouge Senator Franklin Foil says if other SEC schools know how much LSU is giving to a particular player, it could result in other universities offering that athlete more money to play at their schools.

Cut 7 (09) “…are doing it.”

Several senators spoke out against the legislation which LSU supports. Norco Senator Gregory Miller says the state is losing sight of its priorities with this legislation.

Cut 8 (16) “…trying to protect.”

Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell also voiced her opposition to the legislation while questioning Foil.

Cut 9 (12)  “…for state funding.”

Foil argues the money going to athletes through a revenue share deal are funds generated by the athletic department through ticket sales and television contracts.

Shreveport Senator Thomas Pressly opposes the idea of creating a new public records exemption to hide the dollar amounts students receive directly from universities.

Cut 10 (09) “…be on education.”

The measure heads back to the House for final legislative approval, because an amendment was added to the legislation that shields the current revenue share deals that universities have with their athletes.

___________________________________________________________

A 3.6-billion-dollar artificial intelligence factory is coming to Rapides Parish, as Applied Digital Corporation plans to build a massive A-I data center in the town of Boyce. The project will create more than one-thousand construction jobs, and the new campus will bring in 200 direct jobs, each paying about 90-thousand dollars a year. Governor Jeff Landry says the days of outmigration out of central Louisiana are over.

Cut 11 (13) “…you very much.”

Site development of the data center began in January, and initial operations are expected to begin in mid-2027. Louisiana Central President and CEO Chris Massingill says this project has the potential to be one of the most transformational in the history of Rapides Parish.

Cut 12 (10) “…get to work.”

Pineville-based Cleco will provide power to support Applied Digital’s data center. Public Service Commissioner Jean-Paul Coussan says this is a huge day for Cenla.

Cut 13 (09)  “…we can win.”

The campus will support advanced A-I and cloud computing workloads.

___________________________________________________________

The Pelicans introduce their new man, as they officially welcome Jamahl Mosley as their new head coach. Mosley coached the Orlando Magic for the last five seasons, leading them to the playoffs in the last three seasons; and earlier this month, they nearly knocked off the Eastern Conference’s top seed, the Detroit Pistons. Mosley says he likes what he sees in his new team.

Cut 14 (09) “…says a lot.”

Mosley says he especially likes what he sees in Zion Williamson, who he says hasn’t scratched the surface of what he can do for the Pelicans and the NBA.

Cut 15 (07) “…being healthy.”

Mosley is known as a defensive minded coach. He says he preaches defense first because the best teams in the NBA are always among the best in the league on the defensive end of the floor…

Cut 16 (12) “…high level.”