The 2026 legislative session is off and running. Governor Jeff Landry delivered his State of the State address yesterday. Despite Senate President Cameron Henry’s opposition to increasing funding for the state’s education voucher program known as LA GATOR, Landry called on legislators to strengthen it. Henry has expressed concern about the program becoming unaffordable, but Landry does not see it that way.

Cut 6 (08) “…controlling the cost.”

Landry’s budget proposal calls for the state funding for LA GATOR to double from $44 million to $88 million.

The group Louisiana Progress is working with lawmakers on what it calls its “affordability agenda.” Executive Director Peter Robins-Brown says the costs of essentials are spiraling out of control.

Cut 7 (11) “…five, six years.”

Among the bills they are pushing, include lower fines for letting car insurance lapse, restrictions on imposing hidden fees on purchases and making it easier for people to cancel online subscriptions.

A huge cockfighting bust in St. Landry Parish. Andrew Greenstein has the details…

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

After eight years with the Saints, 37-year-old linebacker Demario Davis is moving on as he’s reportedly signed a two-year deal with the Jets. Matt Paras of the Advocate says Davis will be hard to replace…

Cut 14 (09) “…bigger role”

And the Saints have signed former Jennings star and Jacksonville running back Travis Etienne.

Governor Jeff Landry hits on crime, education and inspection stickers in his rundown of legislative priorities for the 2026 legislative session. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (40) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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A huge cockfighting bust in St. Landry Parish. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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One of the best running backs in Louisiana high school football history is returning to his home state to play for the Saints. Andre Champagne has the story.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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Governor Jeff Landry laid out his legislative priorities for the 2026 session that got underway on Monday. Landry, who pushed tough-on-crime legislation in his first year in office, would now like lawmakers to approve a measure that allows the governor to recommend the removal of judges.

Cut 4 (16) “…they are incompetent!”

Landry used the murder of Jacob Carter as evidence that the legislature needs to pass this proposed constitutional amendment. The out-of-state tourist was killed during a robbery in the French Quarter in 2024. The teenager wore an electronic ankle monitor after he was arrested with guns and drugs, but the battery was dead when he shot Carter in the back.

Landry is also pushing for the approval of House Bill 838, which would eliminate the need for Louisiana residents to get an inspection sticker for non-commercial vehicles.

Cut 5 (14) “…only six dollars.”

The governor says the QR code can provide instant information to law enforcement about ownership, year, make, model, and, eventually, insurance coverage.

And despite Senate President Cameron Henry’s opposition to increasing funding for the state’s education voucher program known as LA GATOR, Landry called on legislators to strengthen it. Henry has expressed concern about the program becoming unaffordable, but Landry does not see it that way.

Cut 6 (08) “…controlling the cost.”

Landry’s budget proposal calls for the state funding for LA GATOR to double from 44-million dollars to 88-million dollars.

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The group Louisiana Progress is working with lawmakers on what it calls its “affordability agenda.” Executive Director Peter Robins-Brown says the costs of essentials are spiraling out of control, and it didn’t happen overnight.

Cut 7 (11) “…five, six years.”

Robins-Brown says Progress Louisiana is backing 16 bills addressing a wide range of issues that are costing Louisianans a disproportionate amount of their hard-earned money.

Cut 8 (10) “…health care costs.”

Robins-Brown says they are pushing legislation to reduce the fines a driver receives for allowing their auto insurance to lapse and they also want Louisiana to stop referring insurance-lapse debts to the state Office of Debt Recovery…

Cut 9 (08)  “…collection fee.”

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A major cockfighting bust in St. Landry Parish. Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says the raid happened over the weekend near Opelousas. (70 roosters seized; more than 60 people arrested.)

Cut 10 (08) “…that were participating.”

Sheriff Guidroz says the property owner, 36-year-old John Lachapelle, was the principal organizer. He’s facing felony charges, including cockfighting, possession of schedule two drugs and illegal carrying of weapons. Guidroz says it took a large team of deputies to carry out the raid.

Cut 11 (08) “…whole lot different.”

Despite St. Landry Parish being billed as the Cockfighting Capital of Louisiana, cockfighting remains illegal throughout the state and the country. Guidroz says as long as that’s the case, and he does not foresee that changing anytime soon, he will vigorously enforce the law.

Cut 12 (11) “…to tolerate it.”

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The Saints were active on the first day of the NFL free agency period. Their two biggest additions were running back Travis Etienne and veteran offensive guard David Edwards. Matt Paras of The Advocate says both players are strong pieces to build around quarterback Tyler Shough and should help address the issues with the run game from last season.

Cut 13 (11)  “…Saints this offseason.”

After playing eight seasons with the Saints, veteran linebacker Demario Davis is leaving New Orleans. Davis signed a reported two-year, $22 million deal with the New York Jets on Monday. Paras says Davis, who led the team in tackles this season, will be hard to replace.

Cut 14 (09) “…a bigger role.”

The Saints also signed former Tulane and Minnesota Vikings punter Ryan Wright to a reported four-year deal worth $14 million. Paras says the move to make Wright the fourth-highest-paid punter in the NFL is justified.

Cut 15 (10) “…to solve it.”

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The LSU baseball team looks to get out of its offensive slump tonight as the Tigers host Creighton in their last game before SEC play. LSU had a total of nine hits in losses to  Sacramento State on Saturday and Sunday. Coach Jay Johnson wants his hitters to string together quality at-bats.

Cut 16 (10) “…couldn’t sustain anything.”

The Tigers are hitting .291 this season, which ranks 14th in the SEC. Johnson says his team needs to start taking more pitches to get into deeper counts.

Cut 17 (12)  “…you need baserunners.”

First pitch this evening is at 6:30.

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The UL-Lafayette baseball team is coming off a series win against Dallas Baptist. The Cajuns will play five games at home this weekend, starting with Texas Rio Grande Valley tonight. Head Coach Matt Deggs says his team has to do four things well in order to continue being successful this season.

Cut 18 (18)  “…three-run game.”

UL-Lafayette currently holds the number-12 RPI but remains unranked after opening the season 12-and-4. Deggs doesn’t want his team looking too far ahead and believes the Cajuns must focus on controlling what they can and continuing to improve each day as a team.

Cut 19 (13) “…or lose focus.”

First pitch this evening is at six.

Governor Landry laid out his legislative priorities for the 2026 session that got underway Monday. Landry, who pushed tough on crime legislation in his first year in office, now would like lawmakers to approve a measure that would give the governor the ability to recommend the removal of judges.

Cut 4 (16) “…incompetent.”

Landry also used his State of the State address to tout the successes of his administration, saying the state has made strides in improving literacy.

Cut 14 (14) “…math and reading.”

Landry also touted 100-billion dollars in economic development projects his administration has achieved.

The group Louisiana Progress is working with lawmakers on what it calls its “affordability agenda.” Executive Director Peter Robins-Brown says the costs of essentials are spiraling out of control, and it didn’t happen overnight.

Cut 7 (11) “…five, six years.”

Robins-Brown says Progress Louisiana is backing 16 bills addressing a wide range of issues that are costing Louisianans a disproportionate amount of their hard-earned money. He says these bills are being sponsored by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, which speaks to the fact that affordability affects everyone from all walks of life.

Cut 9 (05)  “…it’s everybody.”

Progress Louisiana says the group could back additional bills as the session moves forward.

Veteran linebacker Demario Davis will not return to New Orleans and instead is signing with the New York Jets on a two-year, $22 million deal that includes $15 million guaranteed. It will mark Davis’ second stint with the Jets, as he began his career in New York after being drafted in 2012.

Former Jaguars running back Travis Etienne is signing a four-year, $52 million deal with the Saints. Last season, Etienne rushed for over 11-hundred yards with seven touchdowns.  The Jennings native returns to his home state.

New Orleans is also signing veteran guard David Edwards to a four-year, $61 million deal. Edwards spent the last three seasons as a starter in  Buffalo and won a Super Bowl with the Rams in 2022.  Former Vikings and Tulane punter Ryan Wright is coming back to New Orleans as he is signing a four-year, $14 million deal with the black and gold.

Former Louisiana Tech and Lions cornerback Amik Robertson is signing with the Washington Commanders on a two-year, $16 million deal.

ULM fired men’s basketball coach Phil Cunningham today. In two seasons with the Warhawks, Cunningham compiled an 11-53 record.

McNeese is hosting the Southland Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournaments for the fourth straight year this week. The Cowboys enter the tournament second in the conference behind Stephen F. Austin and will play their first game tomorrow night in the semifinals. Sports Information Director Matthew Bonnette thinks home court advantage will give the Cowboys a good shot at completing the three-peat.

Cut 14 (09) “…division one school.”

LSU assistant coach Gary Redus II has been hired as the new women’s head coach at Rutgers. During his tenure, Redus helped the Tigers assemble some of the nation’s top recruiting classes, including unanimous No. 1 classes in 2023 and 2025.

The LSU baseball team dropped to No. 13 in this week’s D1Baseball rankings after losing four of its last five games.

Governor Jeff Landry opened the 2026 legislative session by delivering his State of the State address. Landry told a joint session of the legislature that he’s pleased to see auto insurance rates coming down.

Cut 13 (10) “…go back up.”

Landry also touted the successes of his administration, including 100-billion dollars in economic development projects.

Things are back to normal at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans, but that certainly wasn’t the case this weekend, as lines to the TSA checkpoint were backed up all the way to the parking garage at times. Deputy Aviation Director Erin Burns says if it wasn’t for the dedicated airport staff and the understanding traveling public, that could have made for a very chaotic scene.

Cut 4 (09) “…efficiently as possible.”

Plastic crows are the latest instrument used in the effort to smuggle drugs and tobacco into the Federal Prison in Grant Parish. Joe Gallinaro has the story.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

The district attorney in East Baton Rouge Parish says he’s aggressively prosecuting a 22-year-old man accused of raping a 94-year-old woman. Jeremiah Taylor is charged with first-degree rape and other charges. Earlier this year, Taylor was released from prison after charges in a similar case were dismissed.

Governor Jeff Landry delivered his State of the State address on the opening day of the legislative session. The Republican from St. Martin Parish used the opportunity to tout the successes of his administration, including 100-billion dollars in economic development projects…

Cut 12 (13) “…competes”

Landry says since he took office, the state has announced more than 124-thousand new private-sector jobs.

The Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested two women from Texas for allegedly using plastic crows to smuggle drugs and cell phones into the federal prison in Pollock….

Cut 10 (10) “…sky”

Sheriff Steven McCain says the two women were paid 40-thousand dollars to smuggle the drugs into the prison, but their creativity did not pay off.

If you’re planning on flying out of New Orleans this week, plan ahead…

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

And if you are driving, you’ll notice the statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline has now surpassed three-dollars. Triple-A spokesperson Don Redman…

Cut 5 (10) “….the past week”

The legislative session is underway. It opened as it always does, with the governor addressing a joint session of lawmakers. This year, lawmakers have a wide range of bills to consider. Jeremy Alford with LaPolitics-dot-com says more insurance reform legislation is on the horizon.

Cut 23 (09)  “…auto insurance.”

The session must end by June 1st.

Gas prices continue to soar across the state, with regular unleaded now averaging $3.05 a gallon. Don Redman with Triple-A says the reason is not because the war in Iran is causing a drop in oil production; rather, it’s because it’s cutting off a major shipping lane in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing tankers to find a different route to North America.

Cut 6 (08) “…start falling down.”

Two Texas women are under arrest for allegedly trying to smuggle drugs and contraband into the federal prison in Grant Parish by stuffing them inside crow decoys and dropping them via drones. Sheriff Steven McCain says it’s the latest creative attempt at this; last year, two men used a cannon to get meth and tobacco into the prison.

Cut 11 (08) “…get caught.”

Another water main break in uptown New Orleans leads to a widespread boil water advisory. Kaitlyn Tymrak, the interim general superintendent of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, says it was issued for much of the East Bank, including some of the most heavily populated and visited areas.

Cut 8 (10) “…New Orleans East.”

A new legislative session is now underway. Governor Landry is addressing a joint session of lawmakers to kick off the session. Among the bills lawmakers will consider is one from River Ridge Republican Senator Kirk Talbot, who’s seeking to make fortified roofs mandatory on all new construction homes. As filed, Senate Bill 147 applies statewide, but Talbot plans on narrowing that down.

Cut 12 (05) “…for new construction.” 

Uptown New Orleans has been dealing with a series of water main breaks in recent months. The latest happened overnight, when a 48-inch main ruptured. Councilwoman Aimee McCarron visited a woman who lives at the intersection of where it happened.

Cut 7 (11) “…be flooded too.”

A boil water advisory has been issued for much of the East Bank, including the French Quarter and the Central Business District.

Plastic crows are the latest instrument used in the effort to smuggle drugs and tobacco into the Federal Prison in Grant Parish. Joe Gallinaro has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

The Saints are getting some much-needed help in the backfield, landing free agent running back Travis Etienne. The Jennings native will be moving closer to home after spending his first four seasons with the Jaguars. Speaking of homecomings, former Saints linebacker Demario Davis is signing with the Jets, marking his third stint with the team.

If you’re planning on flying out of New Orleans this week, plan ahead – far ahead. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Also in New Orleans, a water main busted in uptown New Orleans and most of the East Bank is under a precautional boil water advisory…

Cut 8 (10) “…New Orleans East”

That’s Kaitlyn Tymrak with the Sewerage and Water Board.

The longer you wait to fill up your gas tank, the more money you’ll end up paying. That’s because gas prices continue to climb amid the fighting in Iran. Don Redman with Triple-A Louisiana says the average price of regular unleaded has soared 55 cents over the last month. ($2.50 a month ago to $3.05, with much of the increase over the past week)

Cut 5 (10) “…the past week.”

Redman says the jump in gas prices is not because the war is causing a drop in oil production; rather, it’s because it’s cutting off a major shipping lane.

The Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested two women from Texas for allegedly using plastic crows to smuggle drugs and cell phones into the federal prison in Pollock….

Cut 10 (10) “…sky”

Sheriff Steven McCain says the two women were paid 40-thousand dollars to smuggle the drugs into the prison, but their creativity did not pay off.

If you’re planning on flying out of New Orleans this week, plan on arriving at Louis Armstrong International Airport at least three hours before your scheduled departure. That’s because the line at the TSA checkpoint is very long. Deputy Aviation Director Erin Burns says this comes as several TSA agents are out because of the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

Cut 3 (06) “…six lanes open.”

Burns says the line is so long that it extends to the parking garage at times.

Two women from Texas have been arrested after allegedly using plastic crows to smuggle drugs, cell phones and tobacco into a federal prison located in Grant Parish. Grant Parish Sheriff Steven McCain says the suspects used a drone to drop the plastic crows filled with contraband onto the grounds of the Federal Prison…

Cut 9 (04)  “…didn’t work.”

Thirty-eight-year-old Melanie Jean Worthington and 41-year-old Kassy Marie Cole have been arrested on multiple drug charges. McCain says when authorities tracked down Worthington and Cole, they were in possession of the plastic crows that were dropped into the prison.

The 2026 legislative session begins at noon. Jeanne Burns has a look at some of the big issues that will be discussed.

Cut 2 (37) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

A state senator is looking to make fortified roofs mandatory for new construction in the coastal parishes. Senate Insurance Chairman Kirk Talbot says fortified roofs practically pay for themselves.

Cut 11 (09) “…to get it.”