Starting today, SNAP recipients will not be able to use their benefit cards to purchase soda, energy drinks or candy. Jeff Palermo has the story.
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Louisiana continues remembering a civil rights icon. Andre Champagne has more on the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson.
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An increasing number of school districts are going to four-day weeks. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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Starting today, SNAP recipients will no longer be able to use their benefit cards to purchase soft drinks, energy drinks or candy. Louisiana Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein (green-steen) says the state received a waiver from the feds that prevents SNAP recipients from using government assistance to purchase these items.
Cut 4 (11) “…traditional candy bars.”
Greenstein hopes this change will result in SNAP recipients purchasing healthier foods.
Cut 5 (10) “…breads and cereals.”
Greenstein says SNAP recipients can still purchase soda, energy drinks and candy — but not on the public’s dime.
Cut 6 (08) “…it in moderation.”
Greenstein says they have informed SNAP recipients of the change.
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We continue to get reaction to the death of Reverend Jesse Jackson. The iconic figure in our nation’s civil rights movement passed away yesterday at the age of 84. The founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and two-time Presidential candidate advocated for the poor and called for an open and equitable society. Louisiana’s Sixth District Congressman Cleo Fields says Reverend Jackson made several trips to Louisiana.
Cut 7 (09) “…was just remarkable.”
Jackson was known for his “I am somebody” speeches, which became a rallying cry for poor children. In 2005, he spoke on the steps of the state capitol in a rally to rebuild Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina hit. He called on state lawmakers to help displaced working families and called for the rebuilding of black neighborhoods. Fields says Reverend Jackson had the ability to galvanize people.
Cut 8 (08) “…excited about politics.”
Fields says he worked on Reverend Jackson’s Presidential campaigns in the 1980s. Fields would travel the country and organized voter registration drives. He remembers one conversation in particular he had with Reverend Jackson.
Cut 9 (11) “…impression on me.”
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A growing number of school districts are moving to four-day weeks. David Claxton, the executive director of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents and Administrators, says this seems to be happening more in rural parishes, and the biggest motivating factor is money.
Cut 10 (10) “…that way financially.”
Claxton says regardless of whether students attend school four days a week or five days a week, the state law requiring 63,720 minutes of instruction time per school year is still in force.
Cut 11 (09) “…five-day week gets.”
As for which day constitutes the extra weekend day for the four-day week students, Claxton says more times than not, it’s Monday.
Cut 12 (08) “…still in school.”
As for whether a four-day week has any effect on student achievement in either direction, Claxton says there’s currently not enough data to make a determination one way or the other.
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Since 2012, the only time of year you were able to catch a non-stop flight on Allegiant Air from Shreveport to Orlando or vice-versa was during the summer months. But Mark Crawford, the airport business and development manager for the Shreveport Airport Authority, says that changes this year.
Cut 13 (11) “…throughout the year.”
Crawford says the reason Shreveport was able to convince Allegiant to extend its non-stop flight offerings to and from Orlando later into the year is because more people wanted to visit Orlando when it’s not scorching hot outside.
Crawford says, depending on when you travel, you might be able to book each leg of your trip for less than a daily pass to Disney World.
Cut 15 (05) “…73 dollars one way.”
The non-stop flights start in May, and bookings are available now.
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After missing last season with a back injury, LSU right-handed pitcher Gavin Guidry has looked great in his two relief appearances. The former Barbe standout has allowed just one in hit in four and a third innings and has struck out ten. Guidry admits he had doubts about whether he would pitch again after undergoing back surgery last April.
Guidry made his return to the mound in the season opener and struck out the side after coming out of the bullpen. He earned the win in that game and earned the save in Monday night’s win over Kent State as he threw two and a third innings of scoreless baseball. Guidry says he is ready to pitch whenever Coach Jay Johnson calls on him.
Guidry was one of LSU’s top arms out of the bullpen as a freshman during the 2023 national championship season. He also pitched well in 2024; but just before he was set to make his season debut in 2025, his back started hurting. The Lake Charles native is glad to be pitching again for the purple and gold.
Cut 18 (12) “…again is amazing.”