Many are still without power across the state but there’s good news for Opelousas, CLECO says they expect to have all the power restored there by the end of day Friday and at least half of their customers in Slidell should also have power. As for the remaining 3500 Slidell customers, CLECO expects to have a better idea of when work can be completed to restore power to those homes.  As clean up continues in areas served by Entergy, work is being done to restore power to approximately 4000 homes.

Monday is Tax Day. Alexandria CPA Kurt Oestriecher (Os-stric-ker) has a tax tip for seniors. Oestricher says people over the age of 70 can use a portion of their minimum retirement distribution to get a tax break if they donate it to a church or a charitable organization.

Cut 3 (13) “…30 thousand.” 

The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance is holding a virtual FAFSA marathon next week to help students with their applications. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (33)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

It’s another great week for crawfish lovers with a 50-cent drop on average in prices this week. Crawfish App Co-Founder Laney King says the industry lowered prices again which brings the average price for a sack under $100.

Cut 12 (09) “…sweet spot.” 

After multiple delays with Federal Student Aid, the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance will have expanded virtual hours April 15-19 from 8 am until 8 pm and you can register now for an appointment if you need assistance. And if you can’t next week, the normal hours are 9 AM – to 3 PM. LOSFA Spokesperson Ebony Holmes says Until colleges can send award letters students who are eligible for TOPS should visit their student hub tracker and…

Cut 8 (12) “…of use.” 

Monday is the deadline to file federal income taxes and for those who won big by gambling, Alexandria CPA Kurt Oestriecher (Os-stric-ker) says, they will have to pay taxes on those winnings even if they suffered gambling losses with other bets.

Cut 5 (12)  “…may have.”

Good news for crawfish lovers. The average price per pound for mudbugs is 50 cents lower this week. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx.” 

It’s going to be a jam-packed weekend at the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival. Rhonda Poche says this year’s strawberry crop looks amazing and there’s a reason Louisiana has the best strawberries in the world.

Cut 11 (11) “…best around.”

Festival hours are noon to 11 pm on Friday, 9 am until 11 pm on Saturday, and 10 to 6 pm on Sunday.

As work to restore power and clean up storm damage continues, The Louisiana Department of Health reports one storm related death in Rapides Parish. A 60-year-old woman was killed after a tree and power line fell on her home outside Pineville on Wednesday.

Many are still without power across the state. Entergy is working to restore approximately 4000 homes and the latest from CLECO shows almost 10,000 without power. We expect an updated number this afternoon.

After multiple delays with Federal Student Aid, the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance anticipates students can make changes to their applications if needed next week. LOSFA Spokesperson Ebony Holmes says students can register now for virtual help with their application on their website.

Cut 6  (11) “…office hours.” 

The website is mylosfa.la.gov

Monday is Tax Day. Alexandria CPA Kurt Oestriecher (Os-stric-ker) says for taxpayers looking to reduce their tax burden when they file, making a significant contribution to your 401k plan.

Cut 4 (12) “…ROTH IRA.” 

Monday day may be Tax Day but today, the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival begins. The event, which has been going strong since 1972, is the state’s largest free harvest festival. Festival King Donald Lanier says they honor berry farmers across the state.

Cut 10 (12) “…many around. “

You’ll want to bring your appetite and enter the strawberry eating contest on Saturday and Sunday. The parade is Saturday at 9:30.

Last week former President Donadl Trump called Senator Bill Cassidy one of the worst U-S Senators in the country, but the Republican from Baton Rouge is taking it all in stride. Cassidy says as long as he’s working to do something positive for the country, the state, and those around him…
Cut 7 (08) “…achieve them.”
Cassidy his office was able to secure one-point-two billion dollars in federal funding for Louisiana for fiscal year 2024.

It’s going to be a jam-packed weekend at the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival. In addition to the state’s signature fruit, there’s plenty of food, and music and it wouldn’t be a festival without a parade in Louisiana. Festival Queen, Lauren van Mullem says it’s a great way to support the community and Louisiana berry farmers.
Cut 9 (12) “…and farmers.”
The event which has been going strong since 1972, is the state’s largest free harvest festival.

Monday is federal Tax Day. Alexandria CPA Kurt Oestriecher (Os-stric-ker) has a tax tip for seniors. Oestricher says people over the age of 70 can use a portion of their minimum retirement distribution to get a tax break if they donate it to a church or a charitable organization.
Cut 3 (13) “…30 thousand.”

LSU will complete spring practice with a spring game at 1 PM tomorrow. The Tigers are missing standout wide receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas from last year’s team, but Coach Brian Kelly likes the depth he has at wide out…
cut 20 (20) “…position”
Kelly says there’s a competitive battle for the number two quarterback spot, so expect to see a lot of Rickie Collins and A-J Swann in Saturdays’ spring game.

The House Labor Committee has once again voted down bills seeking to raise the state’s minimum wage. Every year business groups are successful in killing this legislation. Patrick Robinson from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry says increasing the minimum wage is not the way to grow the economy…
Cut 13 (09) “…environment.”
The vote was 10-5 against raising the minimum wage.

A big money maker for Tangipahoa Parish, the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival is this weekend. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says the state’s second largest festival has arts, crafts, and of course strawberries….
cut 5 (07) “…their living”
Also this weekend, the New Orleans French Quarter Festival and in DeQuincy it’s the Louisiana Railroad days festival.

As Monday’s Tax deadline approaches you might think it’s a bonus if you’re getting money back, but truth be told it isn’t. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office says Wednesday’s severe weather resulted in one death when a tree fell on a camper trailer in Pineville. The victim’s identity has not been released.

Entergy Louisiana says four-thousand of its customers are still without power, Cleco says 8-thousand customers in Slidell are without power and another 19-hundred in St. Landry Parish.

Former President Donald Trump called Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy a total flake and one of the worst Senators in the United States during a rant last week on Truth Social. Cassidy points out he led Louisiana’s Congressional delegation by bringing in one-point-two billion dollars to Louisiana, two-point-four million is for a crime lab in New Orleans…
cut 9 (09) “….deserves justice”

The Louisiana House Labor Committee has once again shot down proposals to increase the minimum wage. Melissa Flournoy, chairperson of 10,000 women, says raising the minimum wage can improve the lives of working families…
cut 14 (14) “…year after year after”
But Business groups say raising the minimum wage will have a negative impact on the economy.

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend you’ve got two festivals to choose from. The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival and New Orleans French Quarter Festival. Teiko Foxx has more….
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Teiko Foxx.”

Cleco says crews restored power to 75-hundred of its customers in Slidell during the over night hours. But 75-hundred customers in Slidell continue to be without electricity. An EF-2 tornado hit Slidell on Wednesday. An EF-1 tornado was confirmed in St. Landry Parish and about two-thousand Cleco customers are without power in Opelousas.

The annual rejection of bills to raise the minimum wage in Louisiana occurred at the state capitol on Thursday. Teiko Foxx has a recap…
Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Teiko Foxx.”

RoyOMartin has announced it will invest more than 30-million dollars to modernize a timber manufacturing facility in Allen Parish. In northwest Louisiana, Benteler Steel-Tube Manufacturing Corporation is building a new threading facility for steel tubes and the expansion will result in 49 new jobs.

The National Weather Service has upgraded Wednesday’s tornado in Slidell to an E-F 2, with peak winds at 120 miles per hour. The worst damage occurred on Old Spanish Trail. St. Tammany parish President Mike Cooper says they are in the need of volunteers to help residents that suffered damage…
cut 30 (09) “…is needed”

Down in New Orleans, it’s the annual French Quarter Festival. The free event features more than 300 entertainers on 25 different stages. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says a diversity of food and vendors is a big attraction…
cut 6 (10) “….for more”
And on the other side of the lake this weekend, it’s the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival. Another free festival.

Louisiana will not be joining the 30 other states that have a higher minimum wage than what the federal government requires. The House Labor Committee has voted against bills that would increase the state’s minimum wage to 10-dollars an hour. Peter Robbins Brown with the Louisiana AFL-CIO says a higher minimum wage will bring many positive social impacts…
cut 16 (14) “….has increased”
But NFIB state director Leah Long says raising the minimum wage will cause a negative ripple effect…
cut 15 (07) “….and goods”
The bills were defeated on a ten to five vote.

Entergy still has more than three-thousand customers without power from Wednesday’s severe weather. Thousands of Cleco customers are also in the dark in the Opelousas and Slidell areas.

Monday is Tax Day and while you might think getting a big return is worth bragging about, a Louisiana CPA says it really isn’t. Catherine Roe with Cowart Roe says in reality it means the government has been holding onto your money when it could have already been in your pocket.
Cut 10 (11) “…money back.”
Roe says if you work for a company talk to human resources about adjusting what’s taken out of your check.

Thousands will head to southeast Louisiana to enjoy sweet strawberries, live music, and great food. The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival and French Quarter Festival are happening this weekend. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says both festivals are a big economic boost for the state.
Cut 4 (11) “…$400 million dollars.”

The House Labor Committee has once again voted down bills seeking to raise the state’s minimum wage. Every year business groups are successful in killing this legislation. Patrick Robinson from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry says increasing the minimum wage is not the way to grow the economy…
Cut 13 (09) “…environment.”
The vote was 10-5 against raising the minium wage.

U-S Senator Bill Cassidy made his first public comments since former President Donald Trump used Truth Social to rip Cassidy, calling him a flake and one of the worst senators. Cassidy said during his weekly discussion with reporters that he secured more federal funding for Louisiana than his counterpats..
cut 8 (07) “….Fiscal Year 2024”

As Monday’s Tax deadline approaches you might think it’s a bonus if you’re getting money back, but truth be told it’s not. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington.”

House Education approves legislation that says teachers must use a student’s name and pronoun that aligns with their birth sex unless the child’s parent says otherwise. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo.” 

And a bill to prohibit schools that receive state funds from serving imported seafood passes in the House on a 94-7 vote. The amended bill would also apply to the cafeteria at the state capitol. The bill now heads to the Senate.

The full House overwhelmingly approves legislation requiring schools that receive state funds to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms. Opponents say it’s unconstitutional because it’s an endorsement of religion, but Chalmette Representative Michael Bayham argues the Ten Commandments set the foundation for laws we follow today.

Cut 24 (14)  “…Western civilization.”

The proposed law does not require teachers to educate students about the Ten Commandments, but New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry says having them displayed could create issues beyond the U-S Constitution

Cut 25 (14)  “…the Bible.”

The bill now heads to Senate education.