Planning for the 2026 legislative session will intensify now that it’s a new year. Jeff Palermo reports on the big issues lawmakers will tackle this year…
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Dr. Marie Vasquez Morgan with LSU Health Shreveport has the info you need not to fail your health resolutions for 2026. Kace Kieschnick reports.
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A statue is unveiled in Avoyelles Parish to commemorate the 165th anniversary of the liberation of a wrongfully enslaved man. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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In three months, state lawmakers will head to Baton Rouge for the regular legislative session. Senate President Cameron Henry anticipates a lengthy discussion about the state’s future energy needs, with construction beginning on two massive data centers, and the possibility of more data centers being built in the Bayou State…
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Lawmakers will not have to worry about budget cuts. That’s because of stronger than expected tax collections could result in a nearly 300-million-dollar surplus when the current fiscal year ends on June 30th. Henry says he’s not looking to go on a spending spree, instead the legislature should practice fiscal restraint…
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Auto insurance reform was a significant issue in last year’s legislative session as lawmakers approved legislation intended to reduce court settlements and frivolous lawsuits that insurance companies say are resulting in the highest rates in the nation. Henry says several of those new laws did not take effect until January 1st, and they need to see how they impact rates…
Cut 6 (11) “…auto insurance”
The legislative session begins March 9th and ends June 1st.
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If the New Year resolved to lead a healthier lifestyle, LSU Health Shreveport Director of Institutional Wellness Dr. Marie Vasquez Morgan has some advice. She says maintaining any resolution starts with setting S.M.A.R.T goals.
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She says we are what we eat, and everything starts with the food you choose to fuel your body. Dr. Morgan says focus on balanced meals with lean protein, whole grains, and lots of fruits and vegetables.
Cut 8 (10) “…and antioxidants.”
If you’re looking to be more active in 2026, she recommends finding exercises you enjoy. If you feel you can’t make time for activity, small changes in your daily life can make a world of impact. Dr. Morgan says consistency is most important.
Cut 9 (14) “…big difference.”
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A statue was unveiled in Avoyelles Parish to commemorate the 165th anniversary of the liberation of a wrongfully enslaved man. Solomon Northup was born a free man in upstate New York in 1807; Melissa Howell, a direct descendant, says in 1841, two men approached him with what seemed to be a lucrative offer.
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That change was not for the better. Howell says the men tricked Northup into slavery.
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Northup’s 12-year slavery journey ultimately led him to Louisiana, where a carpenter named Samuel Bass befriended him and ultimately helped him escape. Howell says the location of the statue of Northup, who was given the name “Platt Hamilton” by his slavemasters, is very significant.
Cut 12 (11) “…his reclaimed freedom.”
The statue was sculpted by Wesley Wofford. Northup’s story is immortalized in his 1853 autobiography, “12 Years a Slave,” which was adapted in 2014 into an Academy Award-winning picture of the same name. A screening of that film was held over the weekend in Marksville.
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The federal government minted its last penny about two months ago, but it will be decades before the penny becomes a rare coin. Newly confirmed U.S. Mint Director Paul Hollis from Mandeville says enough pennies have been minted to stack them to the moon and back.
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In addition to the massive amount already in circulation, the fact that Americans rarely use cash anymore will prolong the penny’s survival. Hollis says consumers are using coins less and less.
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Some stores are already price-rounding to eliminate the need for pennies. Hollis hopes retailers will do so in favor of the consumer.
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The Saints’ season ended with a hard-fought19-17 loss to Atlanta. New Orleans finishes with 6-11, but there’s a lot of optimism about what next year will bring. That’s because of rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, who led the team to a four-game winning streak that ended with the loss to the Falcons. Linebacker Demario Davis believes the Saints have their Q-B 1…
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Shough threw for 259 yards and a touchdown, and he also ran for a touchdown. But he also threw a critical interception in the fourth quarter when New Orleans had a chance to take the lead. The loss to the Dirty Birds resulted in Carolina winning the NFC South, instead of Tampa Bay. Shough says he wanted to finish the season on a five-game winning streak…
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The Saints went 5-4 in the nine games he started at quarterback.
Davis says he plans to return for year 15 in the NFL. He believes the Black and Gold have a good nucleus of players on defense…
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The fifth-ranked LSU women’s basketball team is off to a 0-2 start in SEC play for the first time under head coach Kim Mulkey. The Lady Tigers followed up a two-point loss to 11th-ranked Kentucky with a 65-61 loss to 12th-ranked Vanderbilt. In both games, LSU could not hold on to a seven-point fourth-quarter lead. Coach Kim Mulkey has questioned her team’s toughness after both losses…
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LSU’s next game is Thursday against 15-1 Georgia. Following the trip to Athens, the Lady Tigers face two teams ranked in the Top 10, Texas and Oklahoma. Mulkey on the difficult schedule her team faces…
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