Economist Dr. Loren Scott is in Alexandria today to provide details of his economic forecast. He’s predicting that the state will add 55-thousand jobs over the next two years. Scott’s forecast calls for Alexandria to add 18 hundred jobs. A new data center in Rapides Parish is driving much of that job growth, but Scott says hundreds of new jobs will be created because of an increase in ICE deportations at England Airpark.

Cut 3 (04) “…their countries.”

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Red River Revel in Shreveport, and the arts festival is now underway. It features works from 90 visual artists, as well as eight nights of music, featuring headliners such as Cowboy Mouth, Jeter Jones and Better Than Ezra. Executive director Logan Lewis says there are also plenty of food options.

Cut 8 (11) “…a fan favorite.”

Louisiana’s Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain is pleased with how the state’s sugarcane harvest is going. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The Ponchatoula teacher who was arrested on charges of sexual contact with a student has been fired. Tangipahoa Parish School System Superintendent Melissa Martin Stilley says 30-year-old Trey Sparks is no longer employed by the district. He had taught at DC Reeves Elementary School and had coached at Ponchatoula Junior High School.

Economist Dr. Loren Scott is on a statewide tour to discuss his economic forecast, in which he predicts the state will add 55-thousand jobs over the next two years. Today he’s in Alexandria; tomorrow, he visits Shreveport. Scott says the Shreveport-Bosier City area is projected to add 48-hundred jobs by the end of 2028 because of three Amazon data centers that will be built in the area.

Cut 5 (07) “…Alexandria area.”

Researchers at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center have found a link between warm temperatures and weight gain. Professor Dr. Heike Muenzberg-Gruening says leptin receptor neurons in the brain respond to warm temperatures, which lowers the body’s energy expenditure, resulting in fewer calories being burned.

Cut 23 (07) “…a weight gain.”

The parents of a Lafayette Parish teenager who was killed in a mass shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge back in April have sued the mall. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (26) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

The 50th anniversary of the Red River Revel in Shreveport is underway. Executive director Logan Lewis says with 90 visual artists showing off their works, the Revel makes for the perfect place to get your Christmas shopping underway.

Cut 7 (08) “…the shopping season.”

The festival runs for the next two Thursdays through Sundays.

The parents of a Lafayette Parish teenager who was killed in a mass shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge back in April have sued the mall. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (26) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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Louisiana’s Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain is pleased with how the state’s sugarcane harvest is going. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Economist Dr. Loren Scott is in Alexandria today to provide details of his economic forecast that predicts the state will add 55-thousand jobs over the next two years. Scott’s forecast calls for Alexandria to add 18 hundred jobs. A new data center in Rapides Parish is driving much of that job growth, but Scott says hundreds of new jobs will be created because of an increase in ICE deportations at England Airpark.

Cut 3 (04) “…their countries.”

The LaSalle Family Foundation plans to build a unit to help families that are self-deporting from the U.S., which will create 240 jobs. The GEO Group which operates the Alexandria Staging Facility is expected to hire another 50 workers.

Scott says many of central Louisiana’s long-standing businesses are also doing well.

Cut 4 (08) “…well there.”

Tomorrow, Scott will travel to Shreveport, to discuss his economic forecast with business leaders. Scott says the Shreveport-Bosier City area is projected to add 48-hundred jobs by the end of 2028, because of three Amazon data centers that will be built in the area. Scott says the data center boom is helping to boost the northern half of the state’s economy.

Cut 5 (07) “…Alexandria area.”

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This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Red River Revel in Shreveport, and the arts festival is now underway. Executive director Logan Lewis says there are 90 visual artists showing off their works at this year’s festival.

Cut 6 (12) “…we do that.”

Lewis says the Revel is also the perfect place to get your Christmas shopping underway.

Cut 7 (08) “…the shopping season.”

The Revel also includes eight nights of headline music, including Cowboy Mouth, Jeter Jones and Better Than Ezra. Lewis says there’s also plenty of food options.

Cut 8 (11) “…a fan favorite.”

The Red River Revel is being held in downtown Shreveport this Thursday through Sunday, as well as next Thursday through Sunday. It opens at 11 a-m each day and closes at ten p-m Thursday through Saturday and nine p-m Sunday.

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The Louisiana Sugarcane harvest is underway, and Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says it’s going well. Heading into the season there was a concern about the pasture mealybug, an invasive species first identified in Louisiana last year. Strain says the small, white pest likes to drink sugar.

Cut 9 (09)  “…not the case.”

The LSU Ag Center says the pasture mealybug has been detected in every parish that grows sugar, most severely in West Baton Rouge, Iberia and Vermilion parishes.

Insecticides have helped with control, but the insecticides don’t kill the ones in the soil and reinfestation occurs within a couple of weeks. Researchers in Louisiana and Florida are working on a solution.

This is week four of the sugarcane harvest and Strain says it’s going smoothly. It helps that Louisiana has avoided any major storms.

Cut 10 (08) “…right now.”

According to the American Sugarcane League, all but one of the eleven mills are in operation. Strain says there is a shortage of truck drivers because of the cap the federal government has placed on H-2B visas.

Cut 11 (11) “…are in place.”

Strain is also urging motorists in south Louisiana to drive with care in areas where sugarcane harvest activity is occurring. Last week, two people were killed in St. Martinville when a passenger car collided with two sugarcane tractors.

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The LSU men’s basketball team plays an exhibition game at McNeese tonight at 6:30; but yesterday, coach Will Wade was sharpening his comedy skills at the Baton Rouge Rotary Club. He told the crowd there are two major changes since the last time he coached at LSU.

Cut 12 (13) “…N-I-L, so.”

Wade was fired from LSU in 2022 after being investigated by the NCAA for allegedly paying recruits. He said, to him, N-I-L stands for now it’s legal. A lot has changed since N-I-L was approved. Now, he has to work with realtors.

Cut 13 (12) “…lived in there (laughter).”

Wade recalled a time during his first tenure LSU was investigated after point guard Tremont Waters’ father received an Audi from his agent.

Cut 14 (11) “…better car now.”

Economist Dr. Loren Scott is in Alexandria today to provide details of his economic forecast that predicts the state will add 55-thousand jobs over the next two years. Scott’s forecast calls for Alexandria to add 18 hundred jobs. A new data center in Rapides Parish is driving much of that job growth, but Scott says many of central Louisiana’s long-standing businesses are also doing well…

Cut 4 (08) “…well there.”

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says Louisiana’s sugarcane harvest is going well so far. According to the American Sugarcane League, all but one of the eleven mills are in operation. Strain, however, says there’s a shortage of truck drivers because of the cap the federal government has placed on H-2B visas.

Cut 11 (11) “…are in place.”

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Red River Revel in Shreveport, and the arts festival is now underway. Executive Director Logan Lewis says there are 90 visual artists showing off their works at this year’s festival.

Cut 6 (12) “…we do that.”

The festival is being held this Thursday through Sunday, as well as next Thursday through Sunday. 

Ahead of the first preseason game of the Will Wade 2.0 era at LSU, Wade was sharpening his comedy skills at the Baton Rouge Rotary Club. Wade recalled a time during his first tenure at LSU when he was investigated after point guard Tremont Waters’ father received an Audi from his agent.

Cut 14 (11) “…better car now.”

Louisiana’s Agriculture Commissioner Doctor Mike Strain is pleased with how the state’s sugarcane harvest is going. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The LHSAA Executive Committee unanimously decided to uphold the suspension of the Carroll High School football season after an appeal from the school. The Bulldogs’ season is officially over. The suspension was handed down after players from the team got into a fight with Assumption High School fans after their game in Napoleonville two weeks ago.

Economist Doctor Loren Scott is in Alexandria today to provide details of his economic forecast that predicts the state will add 55-thousand jobs over the next two years. Scott’s forecast calls for Alexandria to add 18 hundred jobs, driven mainly by a new data center in Rapides Parish. Scott says hundreds of new jobs will be created because of an increase in ICE deportations at England Airpark…

Cut 3 (04) “…their countries.”

The LaSalle Family Foundation plans to build a unit to help families that are self-deporting from the U-S, which will create 240 jobs.

LSU basketball coach Will Wade showed the Baton Rouge Rotary Club yesterday why he’s still a fan favorite at LSU. Wade was fired in 2022 after being investigated by the NCAA for allegedly paying recruits. He said, to him, N-I-L stands for now it’s legal, and a lot has changed since it was approved.

Cut 13 (12) “…lived in there (laughter).”

The parents of a Lafayette Parish teenager who was killed in a mass shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge back in April have sued the mall. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (26) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

An 84-year-old man in Lake Charles was arrested for allegedly manufacturing and selling explosive devices from his home. Several agencies were involved in the investigation that led to the arrest of John Sinkankas. The Calcasieu Sheriff’s Office says during a search of his home, which is near a school, several pounds of explosive powders, 18 pounds of explosive precursors and numerous homemade explosives were seized.

The Louisiana Tech presidential search committee holds its first meeting this afternoon. The 18-member committee  includes State Representative Chris Turner, who says while the search will stretch coast to coast, he would like to see the next president to be hired from within.

Cut 8 (14) “…and our city.”

The U-L System is hoping to name a new president on November 19^th to replace the retiring Doctor Jim Henderson.

The LSU men’s basketball team is preparing to tip off its first exhibition game at McNeese tonight at 6:30, but yesterday, coach Will Wade was sharpening his comedy skills at the Baton Rouge Rotary Club. He told the crowd, there are two major changes since the last time he coached at LSU.

Cut 12 (13) “…N-I-L, so.”

Economist Doctor Loren Scott is in Alexandria today to provide details of his economic forecast that predicts the state will add 55-thousand jobs over the next two years. Scott’s forecast calls for Alexandria to add 18 hundred jobs. A new data center in Rapides Parish is driving much of that job growth, but Scott says hundreds of news jobs will be created because of an increase in ICE deportations at England Airpark…

Cut  3 (04) “…their countries”

The Louisiana Tech presidential search committee meets today. The committee consists of 18 members, including Tech faculty, students and alumni as well as UL Board members and members of the Ruston community. Among those on the committee is State Representative Chris Turner, who says the search will begin with an open forum meeting today….

Cut 7 (11) “…some good candidates”

The search committee has an aggressive timeline as they hope the U-L System Board chooses a new president on November 19^th to replace the retiring Doctor Jim Henderson.

Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Doctor Mike Strain says the sugarcane harvest is in its fourth week and it’s going well…

Cut 10 (08) “…right now”

Strain says one of the main issues they are facing; a shortage of truck drivers because of the cap the federal government has placed on H-2B visas.

The LSU men’s basketball team will play McNeese in an exhibition game tonight, but the Tigers will only dress eight players. Coach Will Wade told the Baton Rouge Rotary Club says they are waiting on the NCAA to declare the fifth-year seniors and international players that are on the roster eligible. Wade says some of his players have former overseas teammates who have gained NCAA eligibility…

Cut 14 (11) “…going to take”

The regular season opener tips off November third.

Up until now, the 2026 hurricane season had been so slow that there was a question of whether there would be any hurricanes at all this year. Those questions were put to rest late last night as Isaias (ee-sah-EE-ahs) strengthened to become the first Atlantic hurricane of the year. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says in fact, this storm will eventually be right on the cusp of a major hurricane.

Cut 4 (08) “…Category Two strength.”

Isaias is expected to weaken by the time it makes landfall tomorrow night near the Alabama-Florida line.

The Louisiana sugarcane harvest is underway; and the state’s agriculture commissioner, Mike Strain, says it’s going well. Heading into the season, there was a concern about the pasture mealybug, an invasive species first identified in Louisiana last year. Strain says the small, white pest likes to drink sugar.

Cut 9 (09)  “…not the case.”

Here we go again with the constitutional amendments. In less than four weeks, you’ll be voting on no less than ten of them. PAR President Steven Procopio says half deal with property taxes, including Amendment Nine, which would raise the income limit for a property tax assessment freeze from 100-thousand to 150-thousand dollars.

Cut 12 (06) “…to pay more.” 

What’s old is new again. The second Will Wade era of LSU basketball tips off tonight as the Tigers head to McNeese for an exhibition game. All the proceeds from the trip to Lake Charles will go to the McNeese basketball program. Wade says he owes everything he has to the people of Lake Charles for sticking their necks out and saving his career by hiring him after he was fired by LSU in 2022.

Cut 15 (11) “…for their program.”