An effort to legalize the sale of marijuana for recreational use will be up for debate in the legislative session that begins next week. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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A new legislative session is now less than a week away, and one of the big issues lawmakers will be tackling will be carbon capture. Andre Champagne reports.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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The chancellor of LSU-Alexandria announces his retirement. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A bill has been filed for the upcoming legislative session that would allow for the sale of recreational marijuana, but only at a few locations. New Orleans Representative Candace Newell’s legislation would allow for the sale of recreational marijuana by businesses that have a license to dispense medical marijuana, but the recreational weed must be sold at a separate location.

Cut 4 (07) “…recreational can work.” 

There are nine companies in Louisiana licensed to sell medical marijuana in the nine different regions of the state. So under Newell’s bill, these businesses would have the opportunity to sell recreational marijuana at a location separate from the medical marijuana pharmacy.

Weed is legal in 24 states, and Newell believes Louisiana should join that growing list and benefit from the tax revenue that can be gained from the sale of marijuana.

Cut 5 (12) “…to sustain ourself.”

Newell’s legislation will be debated in the regular session that is set to begin on Monday. She’s not optimistic her legislation will pass, but the legalization of recreational marijuana use needs to be debated.

Cut 6 (10) “…get 53 yes’s.”

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Carbon capture will be one of the big issues in the upcoming legislative session, which gets underway in less than a week. Senate President Cameron Henry acknowledges that it’s a hot-button issue relating to the oil and gas industry.

Cut 7 (06) “…medium to it.”

Henry says the oil and gas industry is a major economic driver for the state, and local governments need to keep that in mind when navigating the issue.

Cut 8 (13) “…chased one away.”

House Speaker Phillip DeVillier says he supports carbon capture.

Cut 9 (10)  “…it safely there.”

DeVillier acknowledges, though, that this is something that people have a lot of concerns about, and he has an open door to listen to those concerns.

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The chancellor of LSU-Alexandria announces his retirement. After 43 years in the LSU system, Dr. Paul Coreil will retire at the end of this academic year. The 70-year-old says the 13 years he spent in Alexandria, the last eight of which were as LSU-A’s chancellor, have been the best years of his career.

Cut 10 (07) “…an LSU position.”

Dr. Coreil says the one accomplishment that stands out to him the most during his time in Alexandria was rebranding the school to utilize the same colors, fonts and styles as those of the flagship campus in Baton Rouge.

Cut 11 (14) “…State of Louisiana.”

Soon afterwards, all other schools in the LSU system followed suit, as will the University of New Orleans when it becomes LSU-New Orleans on July 1st.

This is not the first time Coreil will retire. Coreil originally attempted retirement following 30 years at the LSU Ag Center, but that was the one and only thing he had ever failed at in his life. He says this time, he and his wife have a plan to make retirement more successful this time around.

Cut 12 (07) “…going to have.”

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Crude Oil prices surged above 70 dollars a barrel since the U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran began. Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association President Tommy Faucheux says it’s not a surprise to see the market respond like this.

Cut 13 (08)  “…more than that.”

Tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which is located at the southern end of the Persian Gulf, has been significantly disrupted. Twenty-percent of the world’s oil supply passes through that strait. Faucheux says this is why America needs to continue to rely less on international oil and gas supplies.

Cut 14 (11) “…will do that.”

The next Gulf lease sale is scheduled to take place next week. Faucheux says this latest conflict in the Middle East is another example on why domestic energy production is so important.

Cut 15 (11) “…down the road.”

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The ULM baseball team is riding a six-game winning streak, and the Warhawks look to make it seven straight tonight when they host Southeastern at six p.m. ULM scored 34 runs in its three-game sweep over Western Illinois. Coach Ford Pemberton says he likes how his team executed in the batter’s box.

Cut 16 (13) “…miss a beat.”

Senior third baseman Jake Haggard had one of the best weekends of anyone in college baseball. Haggard batted .411 with one homer, two doubles, and 9 RBI in ULM’s series against Western Illinois. Pemberton says he’s proud of Haggard’s hot start.

Cut 17 (15)  “…continue doing it.”

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The Louisiana Tech baseball team looks to bounce back against Arkansas State tonight after being swept by Southern Miss last weekend. Head coach Lane Burroughs says his team has to forget about the sloppy weekend and get ready for the next opponent.

Cut 18 (15)  “…keep getting better.”

Tech was without junior catcher Hayden Gustavson this weekend, but Burroughs believes the Bulldogs will be dangerous when they are at full capacity.

Cut 19 (08) “…we’ll be fine.”

First pitch is at six p-m.

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The sixth-ranked LSU women’s basketball team will have an opportunity to strengthen its case for a number-one seed with a strong showing in the SEC Tournament this week. While the Tigers could improve their NCAA Tournament positioning, head coach Kim Mulkey is not placing significant emphasis on the tournament.

Cut 20 (21) “…conference to postseason.”

LSU’s first game of the tournament will be Friday at 1:30 p.m.

A water crisis in Shreveport. A citywide boil advisory is in effect after a water main busted over the weekend, resulting in low water pressure for many in the city. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux says to restore water pressure to all customers, crews will need to complete a temporary fix.

Cut 9 (11)  “…a break.”

The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran will mean higher gas prices here at home. Triple-A’s Nick Chabarria says oil prices rose sharply after the initial strikes, and that will lead to higher prices at the pump. He says that’s on top of the prices that were already on the way up due to the shift from winter blend to summer blend.

Cut 12 (07) “…local pumps.”

If you can conjure up the energy to get out of bed early tomorrow morning, do it. Because you’ll be in for a very special treat up in the sky – a total lunar eclipse. During the 5:00 hour, the sun, the Earth and the moon will all be perfectly aligned, and that will turn the moon red. LSU Planetary Astrophysicist Dr. Natalie Hinkel says take full advantage – your next opportunity will not come around for a while.

Cut 5 (08) “…years from now.”

Southeastern Louisiana University celebrated historic growth with over 15-thousand students enrolled for the first time in 10 years and the largest Spring enrollment in school history. Chief Enrollment Management Officer Kay Maurin says it wasn’t luck.

Cut 6 (11) “…categories of student.”

The LSU baseball team improved to 11-1 yesterday afternoon with a three-to-nothing win over Dartmouth. It was not a great weekend for LSU’s bats. The Tigers scored just 11 runs over the last three games after scoring 34 runs in three games in Jacksonville. Jake Brown, who homered for the fifth time on the season on Sunday, is confident the bats will come back around…

Cut 18 (16)  “…back to it.”

LSU hosts Northeastern tonight at 6:30 to conclude the wrap-around series. The Tigers remained as the No. 2 team in this week’s D1baseball rankings.

LSU football coach Lane Kiffin will ride in his second parade in a month on Saturday, March 14, in Baton Rouge at the St. Patrick’s Day parade with comedian Theo Von. The parade begins at 11 a.m. and will ride through the Hundred Oaks neighborhood and Perkins Road overpass area in town.

The LSU women’s basketball team concluded the regular season with a 72-63 win over Mississippi State yesterday.  Junior guard Mikaylah Williams recorded her third consecutive double-double with a season-high 26 points and career-high 15 rebounds in the win. Head coach Kim Mulkey said allowing Williams to play inside recently has boosted her productivity.

Cut 21 (14): “whole other level.”

The Tigers stayed put as the No. 6 team in this week’s AP Top 25 Poll. They came in as a two-seed and the No. 7 overall team in the latest NCAA Tournament projections by ESPN Bracketologist Charlie Crème.

The McNeese men’s basketball team will take on Nicholls in Thibodaux tonight in their last regular-season game of the year. Tipoff is at 6:30 p.m.

UNO men’s basketball will host Southeastern in the regular-season finale tonight at 7 p.m.

Gas prices usually rise at this time of the year as there is a switch from winter blend gasoline to summer gasoline. But the war that’s erupted between the United States and Iran could lead to even higher gas prices as crude oil prices have risen sharply since bombs started dropping. But AAA’s Nick Chabaarria with Triple-A says the silver lining is that gas prices are 17-cents lower than they were at this time last year…

Cut 14 (06) “…last month”

The statewide price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $2.57.

There are more than 15-thousand students at Southeastern Louisiana University, the highest spring enrollment in school history. Chief Enrollment Management Officer, Kay Maurin says as the region grows, so should Southeastern…

Cut 8 (10) “…enrollment strategies.”

Before you go to bed tonight, you might want to set your alarm clock a little earlier. Andrew Greenstein reports that’s because you’ll be in for a special treat up in the sky tonight.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

LSU football coach Lane Kiffin continues to engrain himself in the Louisiana culture. Kiffin will be a special guest and ride in the Wearin of the Green Baton Rouge St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 14^th. Last month. Kiffin served as a co-grand marshal for the Endymion Parade in New Orleans.

A water crisis in Shreveport. The entire city is under a boil advisory after a water main busted over the weekend, resulting in low water pressure for many in the city. Mayor Tom Arceneaux says the break occurred in a 42-inch pipe installed in 1979. He says the city realizes its water infrastructure is old, which is why have they have already started upgrading the water system

Cut 11 (13) “…occurred.”

Be prepared to pay more at the gas pump in light of the attack on Iran by joint U.S.-Israeli forces. Triple-A’s Nick Chabarria says it’s hard to say exactly how much the war in the Middle East will affect gas prices

Cut 13 (09) “…Middle East.”

For now, the statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded is $2.57.

The Louisiana National Guard will remain on patrol in New Orleans. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

One week ago, Ralph Abraham resigned from the CDC due to what he said was unforeseen family obligations. It’s possible that that family he was referring to is actually the Julia Letlow campaign, and those obligations are now tied to his new role as her campaign chair. Letlow made the announcement of Abraham as her new campaign manager today.

The joint U-S-Israeli attacks on Iran will result in higher gas prices. That is according to AAA’s Nick Chabarria, who says oil prices rose sharply after the initial strikes on Iran which will lead to an increase the price at the pump. He says gas prices were already increasing upward because of the shift from a winter blend gasoline to a summer blend…

Cut 12 (07) “…local pumps.”

Shreveport is under a citywide boil advisory after a water main burst over the weekend resulting in low water pressure for many residents. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux says it will take until Friday for workers to complete the temporary fix. Until then, he’s asking residents to conserve water to help with water pressure…

Cut 10 (12) “…at night.”

Southeastern Louisiana University is experiencing historic enrollment growth and its largest Spring enrollment in history. President William Wainwright says SLU’s growth is important as the state focuses on economic growth. Chief Enrollment Management Officer, Kay Maurin credits a comprehensive campus-wide plan that includes faculty and staff for the enrollment success that is important to their economic impact.

Cut 8 (10) “…enrollment strategies.”

LSU Alexandria Chancellor Paul Coreil announces he will retire at the end of the academic year. LSU president Wade Rousse said Chancellor Coreil’s impact on the region is immeasurable and will be felt for years to come. He praised Coreil’s leadership in enrollment growth, and projects like the recently opened Martin Family Student Success Centers. Coreil said he was especially proud of the collaborative spirit that defines LSUA.

Louisiana’s early morning sky will put on a show tomorrow with a total lunar eclipse where the moon will appear red. LSU Planetary Astrophysicist Dr. Natalie Hinkel says unlike in a solar eclipse, in which the path of totality is only a few miles wide, in a lunar eclipse it’s several hundred miles wide. This eclipse will encompass the entire state at the same time, with the change starting around 2:44 a.m.

Cut 4 (08) “…around 6:02 a.m.”

Shreveport is dealing with a water crisis as a citywide boil advisory has been issued after a water main burst over the weekend resulting in low water pressure for many residents. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux says to restore water pressure to all customers, crews will need to complete a temporary fix…

Cut 9 (11)  “…a break.”

Southeastern Louisiana University is experiencing historic growth with their largest Spring enrollment in history. Chief Enrollment Management Officer, Kay Maurin says a key component of the historic growth came in the category of dual enrollment students with over 5,000 high school students across the state earing college credit at SLU.

Cut 7 (12) “…classes early.”

LSU applicants will once again have to submit their ACT or SAT scores when applying to the Baton Rouge campus. LSU has been operating under a test-optional policy since June 2022. LSU Board of Supervisors James Williams opposes changing the policy. He says it will put low-income families at a disadvantage because they cannot afford A-C-T tutoring…

Cut 25 (08) “…on testing.”

The National Guard will be in the New Orleans area for another six months. Governor Landry made the announcement today. There are approximately 120 Louisiana National Guard Soldiers remaining to help with public safety operations that the governor says are focused on crime reduction, enhanced responsiveness, and maintaining a visible presence to deter criminal activity throughout New Orleans. Mayor Moreno expressed her gratitude and added that this past Mardi Gras was one of the safest.

A House committee begins holding hearings today on Governor Landry’s spending plan for the next fiscal year. The governor’s office is seeking an 82-million-dollar increase in state funding for its corrections department as the prison population has grown. Appropriations Chair Jack MacFarland says some of the additional funding is for offender rehabilitation.

Cut 4 (10) “..tax dollars.” 

If you’re an early riser, you’re in for a treat tomorrow morning. Andrew Greenstein reports

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Southeastern Louisiana University celebrated its 100^th anniversary last year and this spring the university celebrates its historic growth with over 15,000 students enrolled for the first time in 10 years and the largest Spring enrollment in SLU history. Chief Enrollment Management Officer, Kay Maurin says it wasn’t luck.

Cut 6 (13) ” …this year”

If you’re an early bird – and even if you’re not – you’re going to be in for a very special treat early tomorrow morning: a total lunar eclipse. LSU Planetary Astrophysicist Dr. Natalie Hinkel says while a lunar eclipse may not be quite as spectacular or rare as a total solar eclipse, it is still quite a spectacle which happens when the sun, the Earth and the moon completely align with one another – in that order.

Cut 3 (12) “…a blood moon.”

The lunar eclipse begins at 2:44 AM.

A House committee begins holding hearings today on Governor Landry’s spending plan for the next fiscal year.  The governor’s office is seeking an 82-million-dollar increase in state funding for its corrections department.  And The Office of Juvenile Justice is seeking a 28-million-dollar increase as Louisiana’s juvenile justice system is incarcerating more youth offenders. Fifteen-million dollars will be used to open a new youth prison in Vernon Parish, and Appropriations Chair Jack MacFarland says they also want to increase staff salaries.

Cut 5 (11) “…make it competitive.”

A big change is coming for those seeking to apply to LSU’s Baton Rouge campus – prospective students will once again have to submit their SAT or ACT scores. The campus had been operating under a test-optional policy since 2022, but no more. Chancellor Dr. James Dalton says the test score is just one component of the total comprehensive admission process.

Cut 9 (10)  “…two jobs.”

LABI’s LA Driven report shows Louisiana is making strides when it comes to improving education and workforce readiness. LABI president Will Green says Louisiana is well on its way towards achieving its education goals of 66 percent third-grade reading proficiency and an 88-percent high school graduation rate by 2030.

Cut 13 (11)  “…our goal there (2x).”

Green says they are also

LSU has reinstated a standardized test requirement for admission to the Baton Rouge campus. Students would have submit either an ACT or SAT score. Chancellor Doctor James Dalton says the test score is one piece they will look at for admission…

Cut 8 (13) “….success”

LSU Board of Supervisors member James Williams expressed concern about requiring a test score., because standardized tests display known socioeconomic and geographic biases…

Cut 10 (12) “….get it”

The holistic admissions process that LSU has used over the last several years is designed to promote economic and racial diversity. Since adopting the test-optional admissions, Black and Hispanic enrollment has increased.

The Appropriations Committee begins a series of budget hearings today as they comb through Governor Landry’s budget proposal for next fiscal year. Appropriations Chairman Jack MacFarland  expects debate over the L-A GATOR program, the state’s education voucher program that provides financial assistance to 56-hundred low-income families to attend private school. Landry wants to grow the program to help more than just low-income families with their educational expenses. MacFarland says Landry wants to increase funding from 44-million dollars to 88-million.

Cut 6 (09) “…still being discussed.”

The University of Louisiana System has named Ramesh Kolluru as U-L Lafayette’s seventh president. Before being appointed interim president last year, Kolluru was the university’s vice president for research, innovation and economic development – a role he held for more than a decade. Now that he’s the full-time president, Kolluru says he will continue to grow U-L Lafayette as a research institution.

Cut 16 (11) “…academics and research.”