Franklinton senator Beth Mizell does not like seeing more and more school systems moving to a four-day school week…

Cut 11 (14) “…of their day”

The Senate has approved Mizzell’s bill that prevents a school system from moving to a four-day school week, unless they are an “A” graded system. There are 17 school districts in Louisiana with four-day school weeks.

A bill to prohibit the use of eminent domain when it comes to carbon capture projects was defeated in the House Natural Resources Committee. The oil and gas industry opposes the measure and New Orleans litigation attorney Lauren Mastio also spoke in opposition…

Cut 14 (12) “…legal necessity”

Rural residents and environmentalists are concerned about capturing carbon dioxide in the air and then storing it underground, which is why the bill was filed.

A proposed constitutional amendment limiting governors to two total terms takes its next step on its journey towards the ballot….

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Artemis II is heading to the moon today. Its propellant tanks were built at Michoud Assembly Plant in New Orleans. NASA spokesperson Craig Betbeze…

Cut 3 (12) “….into orbit”

A bill that would prohibit the use of eminent domain for carbon capture storage and pipeline projects was rejected by the House Natural Resources Committee on a vote of 12 to 7. Lawmakers approved legislation in 2020 that gave the government the power to use eminent domain for carbon capture and Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association president Tommy Faucheux says you can’t turn back now…

Cut 12 (12) “…to invest.”

Pineville Representative Mike Johnson spoke passionately in front of the House Natural Resources Committee about his bill that would put the power back with the property owner

Cut 13 (09) “…in the ground.”

The technology captures carbon dioxide produced by industrial factories and then it’s stored underground into large storage tanks.

A state senator’s quest to prevent additional school districts from adopting four-day school weeks advances to the House. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell’s bill passed the State Senate with Senator Eddie Lambert of Gonzales casting the lone “no” vote. Mizell says she filed a bill last year mandating a five-day school week; at that time, there were six districts with four-day weeks. She says four-day school weeks create logistical problems.

Cut 10 (10) “…nothing to eat.”

A proposed constitutional amendment to limit governors to two terms passed out of the House Governmental Affairs Committee. Under current law, governors who serve two terms can run for re-election after sitting out for four years. Chalmette Representative Mike Bayham says former governors start with an unfair advantage and that was one of the reasons it took a future governor, Kathleen Blanco, longer to be elected governor.

Cut 7 (07) “…ending her campaign.”

A proposed constitutional amendment to limit governors to two terms passed in the House Governmental Affairs Committee yesterday. Currently, governors can run for re-election after two terms after sitting out for four years. Chalmette Representative Mike Bayham says former governors start with an unfair advantage. New Orleans Representative Delisha Boyd was one of two who voted against the bill.

Cut 8 (09) “…vote for him.”

A bill that increases the penalties against a minor found guilty of calling in a bomb threat or threat of violence at school receives pushback from Democrats. Lake Charles Representative Wilford Carter’s main problem with the bill is also the thousands of dollars in fines a parent could receive.

Cut 26 (10) “…to do this.”

Johnson says his legislation leaves it up to the discretion of the courts to decide if a parent should be fined.

It’s a big day for NASA’s Michoud Assembly facility in New Orleans as the rocket factory played a significant role in the construction of Artemis Two, which is headed to the moon. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

After three months of careful transition work, the Louisiana Department of Health has transitioned over a quarter of a million Medicaid recipients to new managed care organizations after they closed their contract with United Healthcare. The department opened a special enrollment period in January for recipients enrolled with United to allow them to choose their own MCO but only 36,000 selected a new plan. The transition is now complete, and officials say they used an algorithm that prioritized keeping family members on the same plan and in their current network.

An Alexandria Senior High School baseball player was killed in a hit and run incident Tuesday night, and a 16-year-old girl was seriously injured. The Alexandria Police Department says Collin Lacaze and a young girl, whose name has not been released, were standing on shoulder of Eddie Williams Avenue around 11 p.m. when a vehicle driving southbound struck them, then fled the scene. The two young victims were transported to a hospital. Anyone with information is asked to contact APD.

Former Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet (MON-tuh-set) faces up to five years in prison for participating in a kickback scheme. Federal prosecutors say the 78-year-old Montoucet used his position as secretary to steer a state contract to a company called D-G-L-1 in exchange for one-third of the profit. FBI special agent in charge, Jonathan Tapp:

Cut 26 (06) “…this great state.”

A proposed constitutional amendment limiting governors to two total terms takes its next step on its journey towards the ballot. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

NASA is launching a spaceship to the moon today. It’s the first crewed lunar mission since 1972 and NASA’s Michoud (Me Shoe) Assembly facility in New Orleans played a major role in the Artemis II mission. NASA spokesperson Craig Betbeze says Michoud worked in NASA’s space shuttle program then transitioned to the Artemis program…

Cut 5 (10) “…pickup trucks.”

NASA is launching its first spaceship to the moon today and NASA’s Michoud Assembly facility in New Orleans played a major role in the Artemis II mission. NASA spokesperson Craig Betbeze says both of Artemis II’s propellant tanks were built at the rocket factory in New Orleans east…

Cut 3 (12) “…into orbit”

The Artemis II crew has four astronauts and they will loop around the moon. It’s the first crewed lunar mission since 1972.

A new study by WalletHub shows that Louisiana is the most stressed state in the country. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo says of the four stress dimensions it looked at, Louisiana ranked in the top ten in all of them.

Cut 14 (09) “…safety-related stress.”

Lupo says Louisiana ranks as the most stressed state in large part because it has the highest poverty rate in the country and 16-percent of its residents haven’t seen a doctor in over a year due to the cost.

Former wildlife and fisheries secretary Jack Mountoucet of Lafayette Parish faces up to five years in prison after he pleaded guility for his involvement in a kickback scheme. Assistant US Attorney LaDonte Murphy says Montoucet worked with two other individuals to make sure a Lafayette businessman, known as Leonard Franques, received a state contract to conduct online hunting and boating courses…

Cut 10 (10) “..for that scheme”

Montoucet will be sentenced on June 30^th.

A seafood advocacy group says its audit of restaurants along the U.S. 190 corridor between Krotz Springs and Kinder, discovered that nine were serving imported shrimp, but telling customers the shrimp was domestically caught. SeaD consulting Co-Founder David Williams says at each stop, they explicitly asked about the origin of the shrimp.

Cut 11 (09) “…telling the truth.”

It is against the law for a restaurant or store to say they are selling domestic seafood, when in fact they are selling imported seafood.

Former LDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet (MON-tuh-set) pleads guilty for his role in a kickback scheme and faces up to five years in prison. Prosecutors say Montoucet used his position to ensure that Leonard Franques’ business received a contract to provide online hunting and boating courses. Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte Murphy says they stopped the scheme in its early stages.

Cut 9 (07)  “…in their government.”

A seafood advocacy group says a recent audit of 24 restaurants along the U.S. 190 corridor between Krotz Springs and Kinder found that half were selling imported shrimp. SeaD Consulting co-founder David Williams says that high number is very disappointing.

Cut 12 (11) “…not the case.”

Williams says of those 12, nine falsely claimed that the shrimp came from U.S. waters.

Legislation that increases penalties against minors for calling in fake bomb threats gets pushback, with Democrats concerned that parents could end up being fined up to five-thousand dollars. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

We’re getting word that yet another inmate in the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center has died. The Department of Corrections identified the inmate as 50-year-old Paul Gathreaux. At this time, we don’t know the circumstances surrounding Gathreaux’s death. His death is the latest in a string of deaths at the correctional center, many of which are still under investigation.

Former Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet (MON-tuh-set) pleads guilty to one felony count related to a kickback scheme.  Here’s Andre Champagne.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

Louisiana’s the most stressed state in the country…at least according to a new Wallet Hub Study based on work, family, health and safety, and money stressors.  But Wallet Hub analyst Chip Lupo says our state does have something going for it when it comes to financial stress.

Cut 16 (10) “…comes to money.”

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A bill that increases the penalties against a minor found guilty of calling in a bomb threat or threatening to commit violence at school receives pushback from Democrats on the House floor, because the proposal could also result in the child’s parents facing fines of up to five-thousand dollars for a first offense. Pineville Representative Mike Johnson’s legislation would result in a prison sentence of five to 15 years for terrorizing a school.

Cut 5 (10) “…make a threat.”

Lake Charles Representative Wilford Carter’s main problem with the bill is also the thousands of dollars in fines a parent could face.

Cut 6 (10) “…to do this.”

The House approved the bill on a 71-26 vote and heads to the Senate for more discussion.

Louisiana is the most stressed state in the country.  That’s according to a new study by WalletHub which looked at work, money, family, and health and safety related stress.  WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo says the financial stress is due in part to the higher interest rates we pay compared to those in other states…because our median credit score ranks close to the very bottom.

Cut 15 (11) “…up is excellent.”

Former Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet (MON-tuh-set) faces up to five years in prison for participating in a kickback scheme. Federal prosecutors say the 78-year-old  used his position as secretary to steer a state contract to a company called D-G-L-1 in exchange for one-third of the profit. FBI special agent in charge, Jonathan Tapp:

Cut 8 (06) “…this great state.”

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Legislation that increases the penalties against minors for calling in fake bomb threats receives pushback. Jeff Palermo reports Democratic lawmakers are concerned the measure could also result in the child’s parents being fined up to five-thousand dollars.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The FBI yesterday announced arrests in relation to 5 drug busts across Louisiana, resulting in the seizure of hundreds of pounds of narcotics linked to Mexican cartels.  The operation uncovered more than 250 pounds of cocaine, 25 pounds of fentanyl and in one case, more than 300 pounds of methamphetamine was confiscated after two Mexican nationals were arrested on the interstate in Breaux Bridge while towing an ice cream machine.