Republican Bill Cassidy’s re-election campaign announces the US Senator from Baton Rouge raised a over two-million dollars in the second quarter bringing him to nine million in cash on hand. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Cassidy needs to be well-funded with two well-known Republican candidates John Fleming and Blake Miguez challenging him in the April 18th primary. Pinsonat expects TV ads to begin after Labor Day weekend.

Cut 5 (05) “…approaching us.”

The funeral service for Reverend Jimmy Swaggart will be held at Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge this weekend. A public viewing and wake is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a celebration of life service is Sunday evening at 6:00. Swaggart family spokesperson Megan Kelly says SonLife Broadcasting Network will also air the funderal. She says the celebration of life will be a combination of Swaggart’s life as a televangelist.

Cut 11 (08) “…the night.”

They made it official in Vernon Parish Friday morning – Fort Johnson is now Fort Polk once again but not after Confederate General Leonidas Polk. The new name honors General James H. Polk who served in WWII and the Korean War.  At the renaming ceremony, Polk’s son, James H. Polk the Third paid tribute to Sergeant William Henry Johnson whose name graced the Fort between the two Polks.

Cut 8 (12) “…that he was.”

The Army announced during the ceremony that on July 24th, its installation post exchange will be dedicated as the Sergeant William Henry Johnson Exchange.

LSU’s proposed new arena project is facing yet another delay after the CEO of the firm, who was the sole finalist to build the facility, was indicted for allegedly rigging the bid process for a similar project at UT Austin. Groundbreaking for LSU was expected in 2024 but not until May of this year did LSU Athletics Director Scott Woodward announce the Oak View Group bid. Tiger Rag Executive Editor Todd Horne says the arena was expected to be finished in 2029.

Cut 14 (12) “…of this year.”

LSU’s proposed new arena project is facing yet another delay after the CEO of the firm, who was the sole finalist to build the facility, was indicted for allegedly rigging the bid process for a similar project at UT Austin. Tiger Rag Executive Editor Todd Horne says there are a lot of unknowns.

Cut 12 (11) “…right now reeling.”

The funeral service for Reverend Jimmy Swaggart will be held at Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge this weekend. Public viewing and wake will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow, and a celebration of life service will be held at 6:00 Sunday evening. Swaggart family spokeswoman Megan Kelly says hours of the wake had to be extended due to the overwhelming support.

Cut 9 (09)  “…big attendance.”

Senator Bill Cassidy keeps adding to his campaign warchest. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Today is the final day of qualifying for the October 11th election in Orleans Parish, and there had been speculation as to whether Sheriff Susan Hutson would seek a second term. She has confirmed that she will indeed do so. Hutson had suspended her campaign following the May jailbreak, in which ten inmates escaped and one remains on the loose. Hutson, however, faces at least three challengers.

Senator Bill Cassidy’s campaign says he raised a little more than two-million dollars in the second quarter this year and now has nine-million dollars in cash on hand. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat expects Cassidy to build on his campaign warchest…

Cut 4 (10) “…on hand.”

Cassidy is facing two prominent Republicans in the newly-closed primary in April.

Fort Johnson is once again Fort Polk. The state’s largest military base was rededicated in a ceremony this morning. Its new namesake is General James H. Polk. His son, James H. Polk the Third, told those gathered that his father was a true hero, not only to the country, but to his family.

Cut 7 (10) “…who knew him.”

Funeral services for world-renowned televangelist Jimmy Swaggart will be held in Baton Rouge this weekend.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

One of the biggest conversations coming out of the tax cuts and spending bill that President Trump just signed is the fate of rural hospitals. Democrats have been sounding the alarm, saying that 33 of them across the state will close as a result of cuts to Medicaid. Rustin Loyd, a nurse from Hammond and a former hospital administrator, says those closures will cost lives.

Cut 10 (06) “…of these cuts.”

But Mark Ballard, who covered the hearings on Capitol Hill for The Advocate, told Jim Engster on Talk Louisiana that it’s important to note that the Medicaid cuts don’t happen for another two to three years, and hospitals are hoping they can get Congress to reconsider those cuts by then. If they can’t, only then would the effects of those cuts be felt.

Cut 13 (07)  “…a few years.”

Furthermore, the bill also sets up a 50-billion-dollar fund to help struggling rural hospitals.

Senator Bill Cassidy’s re-election campaign announces he has raised a little more than two-million dollars during the second quarter of this year and he now has nine million in cash on hand. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Cassidy needs to be well-funded, with two well-known Republican candidates challenging him in an April primary

Cut 3 (10) “…to spend.”

They made it official in Vernon Parish this morning – Fort Johnson is now Fort Polk once again. They rededicated Louisiana’s largest military base in a 30-minute ceremony this morning. However, it is not named for its prior namesake, Confederate General Leonidas Polk. Instead, it is now named for General James H. Polk. His son, James H. Polk the Third, addressed the ceremony.

Cut 6 (10) “…James H. Polk.”

The tax and spending bill will mean more money for Louisiana for coastal protection and restoration projects. Neal McMillan, the director of federal affairs of the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources, says Louisiana will get an additional 50-million dollars a year.

Cut 7 (07) “…lifting the cap.”

The MLB Draft gets underway in Atlanta this weekend. LSU is sure to have several names come off the board following their national championship-winning season. Along with projected number-one overall pick Kade Anderson, Anthony Eyanson is also expected to be taken early. His stock skyrocketed after a dominant season in Baton Rouge, and D1 Baseball analyst Aaron Fitt says it might not be done rising.

Cut 15 (13) “…in Omaha.”

The rift between Shreveport Republican Senator Alan Seabaugh and GOP Governor Jeff Landry widens after Seabaugh tells KEEL Radio that Landry is not doing a good job as governor. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

They made it official in Vernon Parish this morning – Fort Johnson is now Fort Polk once again. They rededicated Louisiana’s largest military base in a 30-minute ceremony this morning, now naming it for General James H. Polk.

An outspoken GOP lawmaker in north Louisiana says Republican Governor Jeff Landry has been a huge disappointment. Shreveport Senator Alan Seabaugh made that statement on KEEL Radio. A rift between Landry and Seabaugh has been growing since last year, and Seabaugh says it got more personal after the governor used his line-item veto power to scrap funding for four projects in his district.

Cut 4 (07) “…isn’t.”

Landry recently criticized Seabaugh for not being present for a committee vote on a bill to reign in lawyer advertising.

A survey paid for by the state shows Louisiana’s Menhaden Industry is not killing as many red fish as feared. Golden Meadow Representative Joe Orgeron says the study was conducted to see if there was a high mortality rate of red fish entangled in menhaden nets…

Cut 30 (08) “…survive.”

One of the biggest questions surrounding the tax and spending bill that President Trump signed last week is what will happen to rural hospitals….

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The tax and spending bill means more funding for coastal restoration because it lifts a cap that was in place on revenues that go to Gulf states for offshore oil and gas produces. Neal McMillan from the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources on how the additional dollars can be spent…

Cut 9 (12) “..as well”

Time will tell if President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill as he calls it will be good for America. U-S Senator John Kennedy took to the Senate floor this week to remind Americans this legislation will provide citizens with a tax break, by extending the tax cuts approved by Congress in 2017…

cut 28 (09) “…that’s just a fact”

Democrats have expressed concerns about the cuts to health care and what it will mean for rural hospitals. Rustin Loyd is a nurse who lives in Hammond and worries about the future of two rural hospitals in Tangipahoa Parish…

Cut 11 (10) “…more people dying”

Senator Bill Cassidy points out that this budget bill sets up a 50-billion dollar fund to help struggling rural hospitals.

Iconic musician Paul McCartney is bringing his “Got Back Tour” to New Orleans. Michelle Southern has more on his October 29th show at the Smoothie King Center…

Cut 27 (35) “…I’m Michelle Southern.”

Sunday night is the Major League Baseball Draft. Rosepine’s Ethan Frey is expected to be selected in the first few rounds and Aaron Fitt from D-1 Baseball-dot-com says it’s likely Frey has played his last game at LSU…

Cut 16 (12) “…would expect”

Just over a week ago, we reported that Governor Jeff Landry issued 17-line item vetoes from two separate funding bills and 16 of the line item vetoes targeted Republican lawmakers who voted against an insurance reform bill supported by the governor. Shreveport Senator Alan Seabaugh had funding from four projects taken away from him. He says one of them would have made it safer to enter and exit Parkway High School in Bossier City…

Cut 6 (08) “….hurts people”

There’s a lot of debate over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is President Trump’s legislation that funds many sought after Republican priorities. The controversial bill also removes a cap on the amount of money Louisiana receives in offshore oil and gas revenue.

Cut 8 (08) “….than that limitation”

Neal McMillan, director of federal affairs of the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources says the removal of the cap means more coastal restoration dollars.

The MLB Draft begins Sunday night, and three LSU pitchers are hoping to hear their names called early. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

A proposed new sports and entertainment arena for LSU is in jeopardy after the CEO of a firm that was the sole finalist to develop the project was indicted for allegedly rigging the bid process for a similar facility built at the University of Texas. LSU says its weighing how the criminal charges could affect the Baton Rouge project.