With about a year & half until the next governor’s race in Louisiana, where are all the declared candidates? Kevin Gallagher has that…:
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”
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The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act is on its way to the Governor’s desk for signature, but will Governor Edwards sign off on it this year after being vetoed last year. Brooke Thorington asks a political analyst.
Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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Some unwelcome visitors could be in your garden…David Grubb has the story…
Cut 3 (36) “…I’m David Grubb.”
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The Louisiana Workforce Commission reports unemployment in Louisiana has reached a record low. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows the not-seasonally-adjusted jobless rate for April 2022 at just 3.5-percent. LWC Secretary Ava Cates says that’s the lowest rate since 1976 and very good news for Louisiana…:
Cut 4 (07) “…we’ve ever experienced.”
Louisiana has gained over 200-thousand jobs in seasonally adjusted non-farm employment since April 2020. Cates says the data is encouraging, and an indication that more people are going back to work as the pandemic winds down…:
Cut 5 (14) “…better jobs.”
She says job growth is slowest in cities who rely heavily on the energy industry.
The unemployment rate has been slowly dropping over a two-year period. There’s been gains in health care jobs, transportation jobs and there’s been an increase of over 16-thousand jobs in the leisure & hospitality industry. Cates says tourism and convention business is also returning – particularly in New Orleans, as COVID goes from a pandemic to endemic…:
Cut 6 (05) “…back into New Orleans.”
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Louisiana will elect a new governor in about 18 months, but there are virtually NO officially announced candidates at this time. New Orleans political analyst Ron Faucheux (pronounced: FO-shay) says, in years past, prospective candidates would have announced their intentions by now to maximize campaign fundraising…:
Cut 7 (07) “…than they used to.”
There have been some familiar names mentioned as POSSIBLY running for governor in 2023. Attorney General Jeff Landry, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser have mentioned they were considering it. State Treasurer John Schroder has told supporters he’ll run, but has made no official announcement. Another name being mentioned is U.S. Senator John Kennedy. Faucheux says he’d be shocked if that happens…:
Cut 8 (12) “…re-election to the Senate.”
Former state Senator Elbert Guillory – a Black Republican – has also discussed a possible run. But, are there any CURRENT state legislators who’d like to be governor…?
Cut 9 (14) “…giving it some thought..”
The race is wide open, as Governor John Bel Edwards has reached his term limit, and may not run again. Faucheux says he’d have thought the field of prospective candidates would be taking shape by now.
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The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act is on its way to the Governor’s desk after the Senate voted 32-6 to concur a House amendment. The lower chamber voted for it last week. The bill which bans transgender females from competing in female sports was vetoed by Governor John Bel Edwards last year. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat on what’s next for the bill.
Cut 10 (09) “…sign it.”
The bill which bans transgender females from playing female sports in K-12 and college competitions was amended to remove the ban from intramural sports. Pinsonat says Edwards has said the amendment is significant.
Cut 11 (05) “…better bill.”
But even with intramurals taken out, he says the legislation is unnecessary. But supporters of the legislation point to Lia Thomas, a biological male who won an NCAA swimming championship in female swimming.
And with just under two weeks left until the session ends, Pinsonat says the clock begins to tick once the governor acts. For example, if he rejects the legislation…
Cut 12 (06) “…and when.”
Pinsonat expects the governor most likely will either sign the legislation or not sign the bill and it will become law, just without his written approval.
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If you’ve been out in the garden or the backyard in South Louisiana, you may have seen something that looks like a worm but isn’t quite one. These so-called “hammerhead worms” tend to make themselves at home where they can find high temperatures and humidity. LSU AgCenter entomologist Nathan Lord says the hammerheads are rarely a welcome sight…
Cut 13 (09) “…gardens and forests.”
The problem is that the hammerhead worm is a predator, and its prey is the common earthworm. Lord says that earthworms perform a number of important functions in our soil and water systems, so their presence is significant on many levels.
Cut 14 (10) “…those ecosystems.”
If you do see a hammerhead worm, there are two things you should remember. One, they aren’t easy to kill. And two, they don’t make good pets or snacks.
Cut 15 (12) “…on humans.”
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Heading into their series against Vanderbilt, LSU baseball was up against the ropes. So the Tigers came out swinging and delivered a three-game knockout of the Commodores, scoring 42 runs. Dylan Crews, the newly crowned SEC Co-Player of the Year says that the Tigers understood the assignment and came through at the right time.
Cut 16 (17) “…needed to do.”
Crews, who leads the SEC in home runs, runs scored, and ranks in the top four in nearly every major offensive category, is the first Tiger to be named Player of the Year since Raph Rhymes in 2012. To put a little icing on that cake, Crews was also named to the SEC’s All-Defense team.
Cut 17 (13) “ …very blessed.”
Now, the Tigers enter the SEC tournament as the fourth seed, knowing that a couple of wins could have them hosting a regional. LSU will face either Auburn or Kentucky on Wednesday night, and Crews says they’ve come to Hoover on a mission.
Cut 18 (20) “ …ready for it.”
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Cut 19 (19) _“…be a grinder.”
Cut 20 (11) “ …on the ground.”