The regular legislative session is less than two months away, and the soaring cost of insurance is expected to be one of the big issues. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Though Pope Francis, hospitalized with respiratory issues is improving and his condition has been upgraded from critical to serious, Teresa Tomeo (TOM-ee-oh), host of a daily EWTN talk show, says, he is not out of the woods yet and Catholics everywhere are praying for the Pope’s recovery.

Cut 7 (12) “…in the hospital.”

McNeese men’s basketball is regular season champs of the Southland Conference for a second straight season. This is only the second time the Cowboys have won back-to-back regular season championships. The first time they did it was the early 2000s. Coach Will Wade says it takes consistency to go back-to-back…

Cut 10 (10) “…different guys.”

It’s a beautiful warm Louisiana day. The cold weather appears to be behind us and Louisiana’s strawberry crop seems to have survived the historic snowfall and freezing weather. Darryl Poche, co-owner of Landry-Poche Strawberry Farm, says as the spring weather rolls in it will be a few short weeks before strawberries are ready to be picked.

Cut 14 (08) “…at that time.”

A State Police Captain was arrested this morning, accused of driving drunk while off duty and hitting a Baton Rouge Police unit in a multi-vehicle crash. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Catholics in Louisiana and all around the world are praying for Pope Francis, who’s hospitalized with respiratory issues. Since his condition was upgraded from critical to serious. EWTN, talk show Teresa Tomeo (TOM-ee-oh), says as he recovers in the hospital, Pope Francis has resumed some of his duties, but there are others helping.

Cut 8 (10) “…holy father’s responsibilities.”

The soaring cost of insurance is expected to dominate the upcoming regular legislative session. Ben Riggs with Real Reform Louisiana says the cost of insurance is taking a huge chunk out of families’ budgets statewide.

Cut 3 (09) “…pay for insurance.”

He contends the huge premiums can be attributed in part to Louisiana’s lax regulation of the insurance industry.

Warmer weather is returning and after an historic freeze, strawberry season is upon us. Darryl Poche co-owner of Landry-Poche Strawberry Farm in Livingston Parish says it looks like the worst done for this year.

Cut 13 (08)  “…white with blooms.”

Poche says as spring weather rolls in it will be a few short weeks before strawberries are will be ready to be picked.

We’re learning new information on the death of a Kansas City TV reporter who died while covering the Super Bowl in New Orleans. Preliminary toxicology reports indicate that Adan Manzano had Xanax in his system on the day he died. That would fit the M-O of suspect Danette Colbert, who has a history of drugging her victims before robbing them. Manzano’s credit cards were found in Colbert’s Slidell home the day after he was found dead. A Jefferson Parish judge ordered Colbert to be held without bond, declaring her a flight risk due to previous failures to appear in court.

Insurance reform is expected to be one of the biggest issues for lawmakers in the upcoming regular session. Ben Riggs with Real Reform Louisiana says in order to rein in the soaring cost of insurance, industry regulations in Louisiana need to be beefed up.

Cut 5 (14) “…insurance are justified.”

Warm temperatures have returned and the cold weather appears to be behind us. So how did Louisiana’s strawberry crop do with a historic snowfall and last week’s freezing weather. Darryl Poche (po-SHAY) is the co-owner of Landry-Poche Strawberry Farm in Livingston Parish…

Cut 12 (16) “…10-percent.”

For the second year in a row, McNeese men’s basketball is regular season champs of the Southland Conference. The Cowboys clinched the title with a 100 to 65 win over UT Rio Grande Valley last night. McNeese will have the number one seed in the upcoming Southland Tournament and Coach Will Wade says winning it will guarantee them a spot in the Big Dance…

Cut 9 (09)  “…signed up for”

The regular legislative session is less than two months away, and the soaring cost of insurance is expected to be one of the big issues. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

___________________________________________________

A State Police Captain was arrested this morning, accused of driving drunk while off duty and hitting a Baton Rouge Police unit in a multi-vehicle crash. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

___________________________________________________

The soaring cost of insurance is expected to dominate the upcoming regular legislative session. Ben Riggs with Real Reform Louisiana says the cost of insurance is taking a huge chunk out of families’ budgets statewide.

Cut 3 (09) “…pay for insurance.”

Riggs says the high price of insurance could lead to a housing crisis in the state. He says in addition to climate change, which results in severe storms that cause huge financial losses, the huge premiums can be attributed to Louisiana’s lax regulation of the insurance industry.

Cut 4 (15) “…bunch of standards.”

Riggs says insurance industry regulations in Louisiana need to be beefed up.

Cut 5 (14) “…insurance are justified.”

______________________________________________________________

Catholics in Louisiana and all around the world are praying for Pope Francis, who’s hospitalized with respiratory issues. He was in critical condition, but his condition has been upgraded to serious. Teresa Tomeo (TOM-ee-oh), who hosts a daily Catholic talk show syndicated by EWTN, says Pope Francis, who’s currently the third oldest serving pope, is not out of the woods just yet.

Cut 6 (04) “…last few years.”

Tomeo says Catholics everywhere, including at the Vatican, are praying for Francis’ recovery.

Cut 7 (12) “…in the hospital.”

While Francis has resumed some of his duties as he recovers in the hospital, Tomeo says there are others in his inner circle who’s taking up the slack in leading the Catholic church.

Cut 8 (10) “…holy father’s responsibilities.”

______________________________________________________________

McNeese men’s basketball is regular season champs of the Southland Conference for a second straight season. The Cowboys clinched the title with a 100 to 65 win over UT Rio Grande Valley last night. McNeese will have the number one seed in the upcoming Southland Tournament and Coach Will Wade says winning it will guarantee them a spot in the Big Dance…

Cut 9 (09)  “…signed up for”

This is only the second time McNeese has won back-to-back regular season championships. The first time they did it was the early 2000s. Wade says it takes consistency to go back-to-back…

Cut 10 (10) “…different guys.”

The Cowboys are now 34-2 in Southland Conference games under Wade. Christian Shumate has been a major part of the Cowboys success as he had his 39th career double-double last night, 19 points and 10 rebounds. The senior says it’s been a great ride…

Cut 11 (14) “…our fans.”

The Cowboys have two more regular season games on the road and then the Southland Conference Tournament starts in Lake Charles on March 9.

___________________________________________________________

Warm temperatures have returned and the cold weather appears to be behind us. So how did Louisiana’s strawberry crop do with a historic snowfall and last week’s freezing weather. Darryl Poche is the co-owner of Landry-Poche Strawberry Farm in Livingston Parish…

Cut 12 (16) “…10-percent.”

Poche and his wife, a fourth-generation strawberry farmer, have been farming for 23 years and have seen harsher conditions, but says it looks like the worst done for this year.

Cut 13 (08)  “…white with blooms.”

Poche says as spring weather rolls in it will be a few short weeks before strawberries are gonna be ready to be picked.

Cut 14 (08) “…at that time.”

The regular legislative session is less than two months away, and the soaring cost of insurance is expected to be one of the big issues. Ben Riggs with Real Reform Louisiana says in addition to climate change, which results in severe storms that cause huge financial losses, the huge premiums can be attributed to Louisiana’s lax regulation of the insurance industry.

Cut 4 (15) “…bunch of standards.”

Catholics in Louisiana and all around the world are praying for Pope Francis, who’s hospitalized with respiratory issues. He was in critical condition, but his condition has been upgraded to serious. Teresa Tomeo (TOM-ee-oh), who hosts a daily Catholic talk show syndicated by EWTN, says Pope Francis, who’s currently the third oldest serving pope, is not out of the woods just yet.

Cut 6 (04) “…last few years.”

A State Police Captain was arrested this morning, accused of driving drunk while off duty and hitting a Baton Rouge Police unit in a multi-vehicle crash. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The soaring cost of insurance is expected to dominate the upcoming regular legislative session. Ben Riggs with Real Reform Louisiana says the cost of insurance is taking a huge chunk out of families’ budgets statewide.

Cut 3 (09) “…pay for insurance.”

Riggs says the high price of insurance could lead to a housing crisis in the state.

Whooping (HOO-ping) cough, a preventable respiratory illness, is spreading among children in Louisiana, with two reported deaths in the last six months. Manning Family Children’s Hospital Physician in Chief Dr. Mark Kline says numbers are way up. He says in 2023 there were only around a dozen cases in the state.

Cut 7 (13) “…from whooping cough.”

Kline says nearly 120 cases have been reported so far in 2025 and there is a vaccine available to help prevent the respiratory illness and reduce symptoms.

McNeese men’s basketball is regular season champs of the Southland Conference for a second straight season. The Cowboys clinched the title with a 100 to 65 win over UT Rio Grande Valley last night. McNeese will have the number one seed in the upcoming Southland Tournament and Coach Will Wade says winning it will guarantee them a spot in the Big Dance…

Cut 9 (09)  “…signed up for”

The Cowboys have two more regular season games on the road and then the Southland Conference Tournament starts in Lake Charles on March 9.

Warm temperatures have returned and the cold weather appears to be behind us. So how did Louisiana’s strawberry crop do with a historic snowfall and last week’s freezing weather. Darryl Poche is the co-owner of Landry-Poche Strawberry Farm in Livingston Parish…

Cut 12 (16) “…10-percent.”

Governor Landry is holding a roundtable this afternoon with local leaders in Natchitoches Parish as they discuss the next steps following the announced closing of the International Paper Mill. State Representative Jack McFarland says they plan on directing outgoing employees to potential employers in the vicinity…

Cut 12 (15) “…in Campti facility”

481 workers are set to be laid off in April when the mill closes.

Louisiana is seeing a rise in whooping cough cases among young children and according to Doctor Mark Kline with the Manning Family Children’s Hospital in New Orleans, two infants have died from the respiratory illness in the last six months. Kline says a vaccine is available that prevent severe whooping cough cases in kids and adults, especially pregnant women…

Cut 9 (12) “…the time of birth”

Professional wrestling’s biggest event returns to New Orleans next year. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (37) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

At this hour, Governor Landry is at the Port of Iberia in New Iberia announcing Cajun Industries plans to bring hundreds of jobs to the area as its building a module assembly yard. It’s expected to result in 600 jobs.

How to reverse the rise in auto insurance rates will be a focus of the regular session that begins in April. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says a lot of the issues with the auto insurance crisis can be traced to a lack of transparency with medical billing. Temple says there is a difference in what your medical provider billed and what your insurance provider paid, resulting in a net gain for an injured person in a wreck and an increased premium for the rest of us

Cut 14 (07) “…transparency to that.”

Professional wrestling’s biggest event will return to New Orleans next year. WWE announced that WrestleMania 42 will be held at the Superdome April 11th and 12th, 2026. Jay Cicero, the president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, says it’s another event that puts New Orleans in the global spotlight.

Cut 4 (08) “…upon and manage.”

It will be the third time New Orleans has hosted Wrestlemania in the last three years.

Louisiana is seeing an increase in whooping (HOO-ping) cough, a preventable respiratory illness which is spreading among children, with two reported deaths in the last six months….

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Shreveport police say a man in his 30s was fatally shot as he was leaving for work this morning. Authorities say the victim was shot multiple times in the chest as he was getting into his car in the Southern Hills neighborhood. It’s unknown if the shooter was on foot or in a vehicle.

Governor Jeff Landry will be in New Iberia this morning for the official announcement that Cajun Industries will employ more than 600 skilled workers at a new assembly yard at the Port of Iberia.

This afternoon, Landry will be in Natchitoches for a roundtable discussion with local leaders on ways to boost the local economy following the closure of the International Paper mill in Campti. State Representative Jack McFarland says the Louisiana Department of Economic Development is trying to land another major employer to the area…

Cut 11 (10) “…utilize wood fiber”

Wood fibre is a renewable resource produced from wood using specialized techniques.

Kerns Studios in  New Orleans which builds nearly one-thousand floats every year is expanding from its headquarters near the Mississippi River. The company plans to build two new float-building facilities in Algiers and it has also recently purchased a warehouse on Poydras Street in New Orleans.

Whooping (HOO-ping) cough, a preventable respiratory illness, is spreading among children in Louisiana, with two reported deaths in the last six months. Manning Family Children’s Hospital Physician in Chief Dr. Mark Kline says numbers are way up. He says in 2023 there were only around a dozen cases in the state.

Cut 7 (13) “…from whooping cough.”

Kline says nearly 120 cases have been reported so far in 2025 and there is a vaccine available to help prevent the respiratory illness and reduce symptoms.

Wrestlemania is returning to New Orleans. It will be held in the Superdome April 11^th and 12^th of 2026. This will be the third time that WrestleMania is coming to New Orleans; and Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation president Jay Cicero says this time, it’s a two-night event.

Cut 5 (16) “…at the stadium.”

Governor Landry will be in Natchitoches holding a roundtable with local leaders this afternoon amid the upcoming closure of the International Paper mill. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Congressman Clay Higgins says Iraq is purchasing an additional 88-thousand metric tons of U-S long grain milled rice. That brings the total tonnage amount to 220-thousand metric tons. Higgins says a meeting with the Iraqi Ambassador led to the increased partnership between the U-S and Iraq.

Auto insurance rates will be a focus of the regular legislative session that begins in April. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says there needs to be more transparency with medical billing and making sure insurance only makes a person whole after a wreck that results in an injury…

Cut 15 (09) “….that we pay”

Temple says people need to be treated fairly by their insurance company following a wreck, but legislation will be authored in the regular session that will seek to prevent excessive gains.

Wrestlemania is coming back to New Orleans. It will be held in the Superdome on April 11^th and 12^th.  Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation president Jay Cicero says the city just hosted a Super Bowl. New Orleans will also host a national semifinal college football playoff game next January and there are a lot of other great events…

Cut 6 (09) “…on a roll”

Ticket pre-sale registration is now available.