Today marks the official beginning of the 2026 hurricane season. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says NOAA is predicting a below average season, with eight to 14 named storms. Keim says says El Niño conditions will result in fewer storms this year.

Cut 29 (05) “…from really blossoming.”

Just because NOAA and Colorado State researchers are forecasting a quieter season that doesn’t mean we should let our guard down, so says Mike Steele with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness…

Cut 5 (13) “….and your property”

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

Today is the final day of the legislative session and the major piece of legislation that made it to the governor’s desk was a bill that reduced the number of majority-Black Congressional districts from two to one. Melinda Deslatte with the Public Affairs Research Council…

Cut 13 (11) “…map in 2024”

The so-called Five-one-map, meaning five Republicans likely representing the state’s six congressional districts will likely face a legal challenge.

Today, homeowners seeking a grant of up to ten thousand dollars to pay for a fortified roof can get register to be selected to receive the grant dollars. Three-thousand homeowners will be selected, and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the eligible area has been expanded to include Acadia, Jefferson Davis and Lafayette parishes, as well as portions of eight other parishes previously excluded from the program.

Cut 12 (08) “…hurricane-force winds.”

For more information go to the Department of Insurance’s website.

The 2026 regular session ends today, and lawmakers must complete their work by six PM. They have already done their heavy lifting for the session, passing a new Congressional map that features five Republican districts and one Democratic district. The Republican led-Legislature’s decision to eliminate one of the Black majority districts upset Democrats and a lawsuit contesting the map will likely be filed.

Melinda Deslatte with the Public Affairs Research Council says  a fair congressional map is something that precisely no one at the Capitol can agree on, and the battle has actually been going on for many years, even before the 2022 drawing of the map that started the chain of events that has led us to this point.

Cut 15 (10) “…up in court.”

It remains to be seen what the map will look like for the November House elections.

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.

Registration for a new round of fortified roof grants opens today. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says it opened at eight this morning.

Cut 10 (09) “…a potential grantee.”

This round of funding will be for three-thousand roofs, and Temple says history has shown that the number of people registering for the lottery will exceed that number several times over. For more information go the Department of Insurance’s website.

Today is the final day of the legislative session and this session will be remembered for the Congressional map that will give Republicans another seat in the U-S House as Louisiana will likely have five Republicans in their House delegation to one Democrat, instead of the current four-two split. Melinda Deslatte with the Public Affairs Research Council says now that the map has been signed into law, the next stop will very likely once again be the courts.

Cut 14 (08) “…this map stands.

Today is the first day of the hurricane season as forecasters are predicting a below average hurricane season. But as we all know, all it takes is one major storm to make it a bad season. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says take the time now, to Test flashlights, batteries and generators, and make sure your family is on the same page in case of evacuation.

Cut 6 (07) “…just be prepared.”

Registration for a new round of fortified roof grants opens today. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

A great season for the Ragin Cajuns ended last night with a 19 to five loss to Mississippi State, the number 14 overall seed in the NCAA Baseball Tournament. U-L Lafayette reached the Regional Finals by beating Cincinnati eight to six. The Cajuns finished with a 41-25 record.

Today is June first, which in Louisiana means the start of hurricane season. Experts say this year’s season has been forecasted to be below average, thanks to El Niño conditions.  And while there may be fewer storms, LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says we should all stay alert, because all it takes is one storm to ruin your year.

Cut 5 (09) “…relatively quiet season.”

Registration for a new round of fortified roof grants opens today. Insurance Commissioner Temple says this year, they’re focusing on areas within a 130-mile-an-hour wind zone. Therefore, the eligible area is expanded to include Acadia, Jefferson Davis and Lafayette parishes, as well as portions of eight other parishes previously excluded from the program.

Cut 12 (08) “…hurricane-force winds.”

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Today’s the final day of the legislative session  as Louisiana lawmakers will be in an all-out game of Beat The Clock to get those last-minute bills onto Governor Landry’s desk. While this year’s session will be remembered for the congressional map redistricting that lawmakers suddenly became tasked with near the end of the session, Barry Erwin, the chief policy officer of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says lawmakers did pass several bills aimed at strengthening Louisiana’s workforce.  And he says while most bills looking to make changes to the TOPS program went nowhere this year, the discussion isn’t over yet. discussion.

Cut 8 (08) “…study it further.”

Erwin says one surprising bill that ultimately became law is one that gives colleges and universities a great deal of flexibility to raise tuition.

Cut 9 (11)  “…of the legislature.”

Today is the last day of the 2026 legislative session. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Tragedy in Monroe over the weekend as two  female juveniles drowned in the Ouachita River.  West Monroe Police say they got the 911 call just before six last night.  Dive Teams from Monroe PD and the Ouachita Sheriff’s Office responded to assist in the search.  We’re told the bodies of both girls were recovered by less than two hours later.

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The start of June in Louisiana doesn’t just mean the beginning of summer; it’s also the start of hurricane season. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says this year’s season has been forecasted to be below average, with a predicted total of eight to 14 named storms, thanks to El Niño conditions.

Cut 4 (05) “…from really blossoming.”

Registration for a new round of fortified roof grants opens today in Louisiana . This round of funding will be for three-thousand roofs, and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says history has shown that the number of people registering for the lottery will exceed that number several times over.

Cut 11 (09) “…we possibly can.”

Registration begins this morning at eight…and the three-thousand people who receive those grants will be selected at random on June 22nd.

Louisiana has a new congressional map.  After the Senate gave its final legislative passage of the new congressional map on Friday, the Public Affairs Research Council issued new commentary on the map that Governor Landry quickly signed into law. Research Director Melinda Deslatte says the new map essentially undoes the work of the legislature in 2024.

Cut 13 (11)  “…map in 2024.”

The 2026 legislative session comes to an end at six this evening, while this session will be remembered for the last minute congressional map redistricting lawmakers had to do, Barry Erwin, the chief policy officer of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says it was a productive session, as lawmakers passed several bills aimed at strengthening Louisiana’s workforce.

Cut 7 (12) “…own legislation too.”

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It’s the first of June, which also means it is the first day of hurricane season. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Registration for a new round of fortified roof grants opens today. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says it opens at eight this morning.

Cut 10 (09) “…a potential grantee.”

The grants will be for ten-thousand dollars each, and the three-thousand people who end up receiving those grants will be selected at random on June 22nd.

After the Senate gave its final legislative passage of the new congressional map, the Public Affairs Research Council issued new commentary on the map that Governor Landry quickly signed into law. Research Director Melinda Deslatte says the new map essentially undoes the work of the legislature in 2024, when Landry called them into a special session just after taking office to redraw the map to comply with a judge’s order to create a second majority-Black district.

Cut 13 (11)  “…map in 2024.”

Deslatte says now that the map has been signed into law, the next stop will very likely once again be the courts.

Cut 14 (08) “…this map stands.”

The 2026 legislative session comes to an end at six this evening, and lawmakers will be in an all-out game of Beat The Clock to get those last-minute bills onto Governor Landry’s desk. While this year’s session will forever be remembered for the congressional map redistricting that lawmakers suddenly became tasked with in the latter part of the session, Barry Erwin, the chief policy officer of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says it was actually quite productive. He says lawmakers passed several bills aimed at strengthening Louisiana’s workforce.

Cut 7 (12) “…own legislation too.”

Erwin says most bills seeking to make changes to the TOPS program went nowhere this year, but he says this is likely not the last of the discussion.

Cut 8 (08) “…study it further.”

It’s the first of June, which also means it is the first day of hurricane season. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Today is the last day of the 2026 legislative session. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Registration for a new round of fortified roof grants opens today. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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The start of June in Louisiana doesn’t just mean the beginning of summer; it’s also the start of hurricane season. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says this year’s season has been forecasted to be below average, with a predicted total of eight to 14 named storms, thanks to El Niño conditions.

Cut 4 (05) “…from really blossoming.”

While there may be fewer named storms forecasted overall, models still predict the formation of one to three major hurricanes. Keim says to stay alert, because all it takes is one storm to ruin your year.

Cut 5 (09) “…relatively quiet season.”

Keim says the start of the season is a great time to make preparations in case of a storm. Test flashlights, batteries and generators, and make sure your family is on the same page in case of evacuation.

Cut 6 (07) “…just be prepared.”

____________________________________________________

The 2026 legislative session comes to an end at six this evening, and lawmakers will be in an all-out game of Beat The Clock to get those last-minute bills onto Governor Landry’s desk. While this year’s session will forever be remembered for the congressional map redistricting that lawmakers suddenly became tasked with in the latter part of the session, Barry Erwin, the chief policy officer of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, says it was actually quite productive. He says lawmakers passed several bills aimed at strengthening Louisiana’s workforce.

Cut 7 (12) “…own legislation too.”

Erwin says most bills seeking to make changes to the TOPS program went nowhere this year, but he says this is likely not the last of the discussion.

Cut 8 (08) “…study it further.”

Erwin says one surprising bill that ultimately became law is one that gives colleges and universities a great deal of flexibility to raise tuition.

Cut 9 (11)  “…of the legislature.”

____________________________________________________

Registration for a new round of fortified roof grants opens today. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says it opens at eight this morning.

Cut 10 (09) “…a potential grantee.”

This round of funding will be for three-thousand roofs, and Temple says history has shown that the number of people registering for the lottery will exceed that number several times over.

Cut 11 (09) “…we possibly can.”

Temple says this year, they’re focusing on areas within a 130-mile-an-hour wind zone. Therefore, the eligible area is expanded to include Acadia, Jefferson Davis and Lafayette parishes, as well as portions of eight other parishes previously excluded from the program.

Cut 12 (08) “…hurricane-force winds.”

The grants will be for ten-thousand dollars each, and the three-thousand people who receive those grants will be selected at random on June 22nd.

____________________________________________________

After the Senate gave its final legislative passage of the new congressional map, the Public Affairs Research Council issued new commentary on the map that Governor Landry quickly signed into law. Research Director Melinda Deslatte says the new map essentially undoes the work of the legislature in 2024, when Landry called them into a special session just after taking office to redraw the map to comply with a judge’s order to create a second majority-Black district.

Cut 13 (11)  “…map in 2024.”

Deslatte says now that the map has been signed into law, the next stop will very likely once again be the courts.

Cut 14 (08) “…this map stands.”

Deslatte says a fair congressional map is something that precisely no one at the Capitol can agree on, and the battle has actually been going on for many years, even before the 2022 drawing of the map that started the chain of events that has led us to this point.

Cut 15 (10) “…up in court.”

The Senate gives the final okay to the new congressional map, Governor Landry signed it yesterday.  The new map effectively eliminates one majority Black district, likely resulting in Louisiana electing five Republicans and one Democrat in November. ULM Political Science professor Pearson Cross says this was as predictable an outcome as could ever be.

Cut 12 (10) “…in the majority.”

On the heels of a record-breaking Love The Boot Week will come another statewide cleanup initiative. In September, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and Keep Louisiana Beautiful will launch Love Our Waterways. Nungesser says efforts to beautify the Bayou State and protect wildlife won’t stop now that Love the Boot Week is over.

Cut 5 (11) “…litter in Louisiana.”

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Is it possible that gasoline prices have peaked? Here’s Joe Gallinaro.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Louisiana has banned the planned, intentional outdoor release of twelve or more mylar or latex balloons. In order to protect wildlife, waterways, and power grids, the new law classifies mass balloon releases as intentional littering.  Penalty for a first offense is $500 and 8 hours of community service. The new law will go into effect August first Releases of balloons made of biodegradable or photodegradable materials are not penalized.

The State Senate gives final approval of a new congressional map that removes one of the state’s two majority Black districts. The new map will likely result in five Republicans and one Democrat being elected to Congress in November. Governor Landry signed the map into law late yesterday.

Louisiana volunteers removed 566 tons of litter during Love The Boot Week 2026. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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People in New Orleans are responding to a viral Tulane study that’s urging people to move out, with rising sea levels poised to consume the city by the end of the century. Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans Executive Director Jessica Dandridge-Smith argues researchers did not account for the existing flood mitigation infrastructure in the city or the ongoing innovation throughout the Louisiana coast.

Cut 10 (12) “…across the world.”

Gasoline prices have fallen 13 cents over the last week to a new statewide average of $3.89 a gallon for regular unleaded. Patrick De Haan, a petroleum analyst with Gas Buddy-dot-com, says diesel prices are also coming back down.

Cut 8 (11) “…five-dollar mark.”