Governor Landry makes another huge economic development announcement. Andrew Greenstein is at the Capitol with more.
Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
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A 73-year-old man from Cuba who was taken into custody by ICE agents in Lafayette as he was on his way to work is back with family. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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State Police have charged a 26-year-old woman with vehicular homicide after she was allegedly driving drunk and hit a Monroe woman on I-20 in Ouachita Parish yesterday. State Trooper Ryan Davis says Mecca King was traveling in the outer lane and gradually veered onto the shoulder and struck a pedestrian, 38-year-old Eugenia Bates.
Davis says King was found to have an odor of alcohol on her breath. Upon questioning, King admitted to drinking two alcoholic beverages.
Cut 4 (07) “…careless operation.”
King was arrested and booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center. Davis reminds you that walking along the Interstate is illegal, and there’s no excuse for impaired driving.
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Mega Millions players will face a price hike as tickets increase from two to five dollars, starting with today’s drawing. Kim Chopin (show-PAN) with Louisiana Lottery says, in return, players will get slightly better odds of winning the jackpot—improving from 1 in 303 million to 1 in 290 million—and more frequent billion-dollar prizes.
Chopin says non-jackpot prizes will also rise, starting at ten dollars, and each ticket will include a free multiplier feature.
Chopin hopes these changes will combat “jackpot fatigue,” a trend where only enormous prizes attract attention. They aim to distinguish Mega Millions from Powerball and raise the average jackpot from 450 million to 800 million dollars.
Cut 8 (12) “…grow a lot faster.”
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Another company makes a huge investment in Louisiana. CF industries is putting up a massive ammonia facility on the West Bank of Ascension Parish. In a ceremony at the Capitol this morning, Governor Landry said it will be the largest facility of its kind in the world..
Landry says the new facility will create many high-paying jobs…
Cut 10 (10) “…100-thousand dollars.”
Landry says this is the latest in a series of major economic development projects to come to Louisiana, leading to a very bright future in the state…
Cut 11 (11) “…innovation and sustainability.”
CF Industries started evaluating Ascension Parish three years ago in deciding where to build its new ammonia facility. Along with the direct jobs, the project will also create more than 300 construction jobs. No word on when construction will begin; CF Industries is looking for the facility to be operational in 2029.
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House Appropriations Chairman Jack McFarland warns that budget cuts are coming because Constitutional Amendment Two did not pass last month. McFarland says passage of the amendment would have provided Louisiana with additional dollars to spend this year…
Passage of Amendment Two would have made a temporary two-thousand dollar teacher pay stipend permanent. 198-million dollars is needed to make the stipend a permanent two-thousand dollar raise and McFarland says finding the money remains a priority, because the state is finally making gains in student achievement…
It’s possible the state’s revenue shortfall will not be as big. Legislative leaders could recognize additional revenue when it meets in May. House Ways and Means Chairwoman Julie Emerson says for tax revenues to increase more than anticipated, the state’s economy needs to be doing well…