President Trump approves all of Louisiana’s requests for federal disaster assistance following Tropical Storm Arthur. This now includes all assistance requested for Avoyelles, Point Coupee and St. Landry parishes, as well as support for St. Charles and Winn parishes.

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the country’s history. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Speculation is running rampant as to whether Jeanine Pirro is still the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. This, after President Trump harshly criticized her for dropping charges against a former Olympic canoeist who Trump says vandalized the reflecting pool. Senator Bill Cassidy says he understands why Pirro made the decision she made.

Cut 9 (11)  “…a federal judge.”

Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule to open in April. The 74-thousand-square-foot travel center located on Interstate 20 will house 120 gas pumps. The city has completed an eight-million-dollar project to update the roads near Buc-ee’s, and Walker says some parts of the project are ahead of schedule.

Cut 6 (11) “…substructure’s up.”

Louisiana’s 100 cases of cyclosporiasis only represents a very small percentage of the number of cases across the country. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says the current cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the nation’s history, and the number is mind-boggling.

Cut 3 (08) “…the United States.”

The Buc-ee’s in Ruston is still on track to open in April. Mayor Ronny Walker says city officials have watched other Buc-ee’s locations to prepare for the impact it will bring to Ruston. He says Ruston’s infrastructure is part of what brought the investment in the first place, and he receives almost weekly calls about potential investment nearby.

Cut 8 (12) “…things like that.”

Qualifying for the ballot for the U.S. House of Representatives gets underway tomorrow morning. Qualifying had previously taken place back in February, but the closed primary was cancelled after the Supreme Court ruled the state’s previous congressional map an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. ULM political science professor Pearson Cross says with districts five and six open, there are a few wild cards.

Cut 10 (12) “…to the sixth.”

Senator Bill Cassidy says he’s concerned about President Trump’s plan to sell early access to his Truth Social posts, especially since Trump’s posts could have a profound effect on things like the stock market. Cassidy says allowing people early access to presidential messaging based on their ability to pay for it is wrong.

Cut 11 (09) “…the same access.”

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the country’s history. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule for a spring 2027 opening. Kace Kieschnicki has more.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Louisiana’s 100 cases of cyclosporiasis only represents a very small percentage of the number of cases across the country. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says the current cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the nation’s history, and the number is mind-boggling.

Cut 3 (08) “…the United States.”

Michigan accounts for more than half of that number, with ten-thousand cases – and that now includes two deaths, with both of those people having underlying health conditions. Lopez says while the outbreak has been traced to contaminated lettuce, local lettuce at this time is in the clear.

Cut 4 (11) “…from central Mexico.”

Lopez says cyclospora is normally prevalent in the warm months, namely May through August; and while lettuce is the most common source of the parasite, it has been found in other produce as well.

Cut 5 (11) “…in the past.”

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Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule to open in April. The 74-thousand-square-foot travel center located on Interstate 20 will house 120 gas pumps. The city has completed an eight-million-dollar project to update the roads near Buc-ee’s, and Walker says some parts of the project are ahead of schedule.

Cut 6 (09) “…island substructure’s up.”

Buc-ee’s is expected to employ around 200 workers when it opens. Walker says management job listings will be posted in the coming months, and wages for hourly employees start at upwards of 18-dollars an hour. He says it will be a great opportunity for workers throughout North Louisiana.

Cut 7 (09) “…for people today.”

Walker says city officials have watched other Buc-ee’s locations to prepare for the impact it will bring to Ruston. He says Ruston’s infrastructure is part of what brought the investment in the first place, and he receives almost weekly calls about potential investment nearby.

Cut 8 (12) “…things like that.”

Walker says Ruston has spent over 250-million dollars on infrastructure in the last decade.

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Speculation is running rampant as to whether Jeanine Pirro is still the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia after she was seen leaving the West Wing of the White House wheeling a big box. This, after President Trump harshly criticized her for dropping charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who Trump says vandalized the reflecting pool. While not explicitly taking sides in the matter, Senator Bill Cassidy says he understands why Pirro made the decision she made.

Cut 9 (11)  “…a federal judge.”

On President Trump’s plan to sell early access to his Truth Social posts, Cassidy says he’s greatly concerned about that, especially since Trump’s posts could have a profound effect on things like the stock market.

Cut 10 (07) “…them equal access.”

Cassidy says allowing people early access to presidential messaging based on their ability to pay for it is wrong.

Cut 11 (09) “…the same access.”

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the country’s history, with about 18-thousand confirmed or suspected cases nationwide – 100 of them here in Louisiana. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says cyclospora is normally prevalent in the warm months, namely May through August; and while lettuce is the most common source of the parasite, it has been found in other produce as well.

Cut 5 (11) “…in the past.”

President Trump is planning to sell early access to his Truth Social posts. Senator Bill Cassidy says he’s greatly concerned about that, especially since Trump’s posts could have a profound effect on things like the stock market.

Cut 10 (07) “…them equal access.” 

Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule for a spring 2027 opening. Kace Kieschnicki has more.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

A federal inmate serving life in prison for his role in the kidnapping and murder of a Northwest Arkansas man died yesterday after being found unresponsive at the U.S. prison in Pollock on Sunday.  Prison officials have not released a suspected cause of death.

The mayor of Ruston says Buc-ee’s is still on track for an April opening. Mayor Ronny Walker says it’s expected to employ about 200 workers, and management job listings will be posted in the coming months. Walker says wages for hourly employees start at upwards of 18 dollars an hour, making it a great opportunity for workers throughout North Louisiana.

Cut 7 (10) “…people today.”

Speculation is running rampant as to whether Jeanine Pirro is still the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. This, after President Trump harshly criticized her for dropping charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who Trump says vandalized the reflecting pool. While not explicitly taking sides in the matter, Senator Bill Cassidy says he understands why Pirro made the decision she made.

Cut 9 (11)  “…a federal judge.”

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the country’s history. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (XX) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

A close call for a five-year-old Baton Rouge boy. Police say he shot himself in the hand after finding his babysitter’s gun. Police say 21-year-old Haidyn Moten left his gun on a bed while babysitting the child, and the child went into the bedroom, found the gun and shot himself in the hand. His injuries are not life-threatening. Moten was arrested for cruelty to juveniles.

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the nation’s history, although Louisiana’s cases only account for a tiny fraction of the overall cases across the country. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says while the outbreak has been traced to contaminated lettuce, local lettuce at this time is in the clear.

Cut 4 (11) “…from central Mexico.”

Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule to open in April. The 74-thousand-square-foot travel center located on Interstate 20 will house 120 gas pumps. The city has completed an eight-million-dollar project to update the roads near Buc-ee’s, and Walker says some parts of the project are ahead of schedule.

Cut 6 (11) “…substructure’s up.”

With the recall effort against East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards falling way short, what does that mean for the two statewide efforts? Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 23 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Former McNeese and Louisiana Tech Athletic Director Tommy McClelland is being hired to take the same job at Purdue. McClelland has spent the last three years at Rice and served six years in Lake Charles and eight in Ruston, where he infamously asserted that Conference USA, where Tech belonged to at the time, was superior to the Sun Belt Conference.

Louisiana’s 100 cases of cyclosporiasis only represents a very small percentage of the number of cases across the country. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says the current cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the nation’s history, and the number is mind-boggling.

Cut 3 (08) “…the United States.”

Michigan accounts for more than half of that number, with ten-thousand cases – and that now includes two deaths, with both of those people having underlying health conditions.

The Department of Children and Family Services has a new website. DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris says the department was able to simplify the website in part because there are less things that users have to navigate to.

Cut 23 (09) “…easier to navigate.”

A trio of groups is joining forces in challenging Entergy Louisiana’s proposal to build seven new gas plants for Meta’s new A-I data center in Richland Parish through Governor Landry’s “Lightning Speed” initiative. Susan Stevens Miller, a senior attorney at Earthjustice, says Entergy and Meta are trying to ram through these gas plants by leveraging their political influence. 

Cut 7 (13) “…long-term impacts.”

If you held a State Farm auto insurance policy before the end of last year, be on the lookout for a check in the mail. State Farm is issuing policyholders in Louisiana a special dividend of around 138 dollars per vehicle on the policy. Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says dividends like this one are not uncommon.

Cut 10 (08) “…that money back.”

Three groups are joining forces in challenging Entergy Louisiana’s proposal to build seven new gas plants for Meta’s new A-I data center in Richland Parish. Paul Arbaje (ar-BAH-hay), a senior analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says the Public Service Commission needs to step up to protect ratepayers once and for all from any costs related to these data centers.

Cut 9 (11)  “…the data center.”

Mustering less than five-percent of signatures needed to get a recall of East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards on the ballot underscores how difficult it is to recall elected officials in Louisiana. LSU political science professor Robert Hogan says even if the organizers fail to get the recalls of Governor Landry or Attorney General Liz Murrill before voters, their efforts alone are well worth it.

Cut 15 (09) “…a grassroots organization.”

State Farm is giving 136-million dollars in dividends back to Louisiana policyholders. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

You can take the guy out of law enforcement, but you can’t take the law enforcement out of the guy. Fresh off retiring as state police superintendent, Colonel Robert Hodges announces that he’s running for St. Tammany Parish sheriff. He’s seeking to replace Randy Smith, who resigned after attacking a diner at a Madisonville steakhouse in May.