A new study ranks Louisiana as one of the top states for lawsuit abuse. Colleen Crain reports.
Cut 1 (33)“…I’m Colleen Crain.”
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For the first time in over 30 years a jaguar cub was born at the BREC Baton Rouge Zoo. Sean Richardson has more.
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”
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Senator Bill Cassidy breaks his silence over an early primary challenge to his 2026 re-election bid. Andrew Greenstein reports.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
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When it comes to lawsuit abuse, Louisiana ranks close to the top. The American Tort Reform Foundation ranks Louisiana as its tenth biggest Judicial Hellhole in the country. Association President Tiger Joyce says Louisiana courts awarded more than 400-million dollars in nuclear verdicts last year.
Cut 4 (10) “…the energy industry.”
Joyce says you can point to lawsuit abuse as one reason why we pay some of the highest auto insurance premiums in the country.
Cut 5 (10) “…availability of insurance.”
Joyce says the legislature has enacted several reforms in recent years, but one in particular was stopped in its tracks by Governor Landry, who the foundation says benefitted from 700-thousand dollars in contributions to his campaign by trial lawyers.
Cut 6 (08) “…Landry vetoed that.”
The foundation says excessive litigation costs result in the loss of more than 40-thousand jobs across the state each year, and it forces each resident to pay a tort tax of sorts of nearly one-thousand dollars a year.
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BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo announced the birth of a jaguar cub, the first at the zoo in over three decades and the first in the U.S. since 2022. This milestone highlights the zoo’s dedication to wildlife conservation, with director Jim Fleshman emphasizing its importance as a symbol of hope for the species.
Cut 7 (10) “…Jaguar S-S-P.”
Both mother and cub are bonding and recovering well behind the scenes, where they will remain for the next two months. Fleshman says the cub’s arrival is especially significant given its mother’s previous experiences with stillborn litters.
Cut 8 (07) “…spit and vinegar.”
This birth draws attention to the critical role zoos play in species conservation and the success of the Jaguar Species Survival Plan.
Cut 9 (07) “…100 years.”
The community is invited to participate in naming the cub, which will make its public debut in spring 2025.
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Senator Bill Cassidy breaks his silence on drawing an early primary challenger for his 2026 re-election campaign. State Treasurer John Fleming announced last week that he will run for Cassidy’s seat, saying among other things that he’s not conservative enough for Louisiana. Cassidy told reporters that he has had better things to do than to read Fleming’s announcement, and that he’s baffled over Fleming’s intentions.
Cut 10 (11) “…out of Louisiana.”
Cassidy says he will run on his record and would gladly take the blame for doing things for Louisiana.
Cut 11 (13) “…roads and bridges.” (takes blame for $1.35B for broadband internet and $5.9B from infrastructure law to build roads and bridges)
That’s not the only infrastructure project that Cassidy said he would take the blame for.
Cut 12 (12) “…take that blame (2x).” (takes blame for over $10B for building levees and flood mitigation)
Cassidy says if people believe that the state shouldn’t get that ten-billion dollars, then maybe they don’t want to be in Louisiana.
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A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of an eight-year-old boy in what investigators in Baton Rouge describe as a targeted attack. 22-year-old Kendrick Profit faces charges including first-degree murder, attempted murder, obstruction of justice, and illegal use of weapons in the drive-by shooting near Swan Avenue. Sergeant L’Jean (“ell jeen”) McKneely says the community was crucial in the investigation.
Cut 13 (07) “…vital to this arrest.”
The car’s pregnant driver was unharmed. However, her three children in the car were struck by bullets. The shooting caused the mother to go into labor the following day. McKneely says all three boys were hospitalized, with one critically injured and two seriously injured. Tragically, eight-year-old Diellon (“dillon”) Daniels died of his injuries.
Cut 14 (13) “…accountable for their action.”
The investigation continues as the community mourns the loss of the young boy and seeks justice for the family impacted by this violent attack. McKneely says if anyone has information on the shooting to contact Crime Stoppers.
Cut 15 (12) “…behind bars.”
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St. James is back in the state championship game for a second consecutive season after suffering a heart breaking loss to Union Parish last season. Wildcats Coach Lavanta Davis is trying to bring home a sixth state title for St James…
Cut 16 (12) “…miscues.”
Davis has a young team on his hands. His quarterback is freshman Ja’Juan Jackson, who has completed 70-percent of his passes for 1,840 yards and 23 touchdowns. Davis says his 14-year-old signal caller has handled the offense well…
Cut 17 (17) “…from it.”
St. James will play Sterlington tomorrow night in the Division 3 non-select state championship game. Panthers head coach Lee Doty says his team has gotten better every week…
Cut 18 (23) “…finally got healthy.”
Sterlington relies on its ground game. They have two one-thousand yard rushers Hagen Herring and Gaven Evans. Doty says Herring is averaging ten years a carry…
Cut 19 (20) “…longest run.”