For the first time in nearly a quarter century, East Baton Rouge Parish elects a Republican mayor-president, as Sid Edwards has unseated two-term incumbent Sharon Weston Broome. At his victory rally, the longtime high school football coach said voters wanted change.

Cut 3 (13) “…going to happen. (cheers fade)” 

Edwards got 54-percent of the vote to Broome’s 46.

Public library usage in the state is approaching pre-pandemic levels. Last year, more than ten-million people visited public libraries – a double-digit percentage increase from 2022. State Librarian Meg Placke says not only do libraries have volumes of books that can be checked out, but they have lots of programs for the entire family.

Cut 10 (10) “…summer reading programs.”

Placke says many patrons are also taking advantage of the library’s online offerings.

Planning for this year’s Allstate Sugar Bowl will be a little more challenging than in years past. That’s because given the new College Football Playoff format, one of the two participating teams will not be known until less than two weeks before the game. Georgia will take on the winner of Notre Dame and Indiana, which will take place December 20th in South Bend. Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley says the planning workload is bigger this year.

Cut 6 (09) “…Dame and Indiana.”

As Tulane gets set to take on Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa, a couple developments within the team. First-year head coach John Sumrall has agreed to a contract extension with the school. Sumrall was already under contract through 2029. The school did not specify the length of the extension or how much it’s worth. And the Green Wave could be without star quarterback Darian Mensah. The redshirt freshman is reportedly entering the transfer portal.

A shocker in Baton Rouge as political newcomer Sid Edwards unseats two-term incumbent mayor-president Sharon Weston Broome and will become the parish’s next mayor-president. John Couvillon, the owner and founder of JMC Analytics and Polling, says two factors in particular worked in Edwards’ favor.

Cut 5 (08) “…Coach Sid’s corner.”

Edwards is the first Republican to be elected mayor-president of East Baton Rouge Parish in 24 years.

As for the statewide amendments on this past Saturday’s ballot – all four passed by wide margins.

More and more people are using public libraries in the state. Last year, more than ten-million people visited public libraries – a double-digit percentage increase from 2022. State Librarian Meg Placke says library usage is almost at pre-pandemic levels.

Cut 9 (07)  “…across the board,”

The LSU Tigers are headed to the Texas Bowl for the third time, and they’ll battle the Baylor Bears on New Year’s Eve in Houston. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Time is running out to reauthorize the Farm Bill. Don Molino reports.

Cut 1 (31)“…I’m Don Molino.”

The flu seems to be hitting Louisiana hard right now.  According to the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Louisiana is among four spots now experiencing high levels of the flu.   The other four are Georgia, Arizona, and Washington D.C. The CDC recommends everyone six months and older gets a flu shot each year.

Longtime high school football coach Sid Edwards pulled off a stunning victory on Saturday night as he defeated two-term Democratic incumbent Sharon Weston Broome in the Baton Rouge mayor-president race. John Couvillon says Edwards was a longshot in the race as the Republican political newcomer was greatly outspent during the campaign.

Cut 4 (10) “…who finished third.”

Edwards received 54-percent of the vote.

Saturday night was a disappointing night for Cajun fans as U-L Lafayette lost the Sun Belt Championship game to Marshall 31 to 3. Redshirt senior quarterback Chandler Fields left the game in the second quarter with an injury and freshman Daniel Beale failed to throw for 100 yards. Receiver Lance LeGendre (le-ZHAHN) says the team has a next-man-up mentality, and this was no different.

Cut 16 (12) “…running the ship.”

The Cajuns will play in the New Mexico Bowl on December 28^th against TCU.

A shocker in Baton Rouge as political newcomer Sid Edwards has unseated two-term incumbent mayor Sharon Weston Broome and will become the parish’s next mayor-president in January. At his victory rally, the longtime high school football coach said voters wanted change.

Cut 3 (13) “…going to happen. (cheers fade)”

Edwards received 54-percent of the vote in the low turnout election.

The first bear hunt in Louisiana since 1987 got underway this weekend. John Hanks, the large carnivore program manager at the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, says the season will last 16 days, and ten hunters were chosen by lottery to participate.

Cut 7 (10) “…and not harvest.”

Two more Louisiana teachers have been recognized with a Milken Educator Award.  Band director at Maplewood Middle School from Sulphur was honored with the prestigious Milken Educator Award and a $25,000 cash prize to Kyle Cook during a school assembly, with State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley in attendance. Cook says it was a total surprise.

Cut 10 (08) “…very grateful.”

The other winner is Charday Wilson, a master teacher at Logansport High School.  Born and raised in DeSoto Parish, Wilson attended LHS as a student before excelling as a collegiate athlete and becoming the first in her family to graduate college at Louisiana Tech. Her return to LHS as a math and science master teacher has been transformative, playing a key role in the school’s rise from a ‘B’ to an ‘A’ rating.

Cut 12 (07) “…combination school.”

Two more teachers from Louisiana were awarded with 25-thousand -dollars as they are Milken Educator Award winners.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested a 15-year-old after he made statements on social media about planning to bring a gun to school today and shoot a classmate who was spreading rumors about him. Deputies say the teenager admitted he didn’t have a gun and didn’t have access to one, but he was still charged with terrorizing.

There’s only a few more days left on the calendar for Congress to pass a new Farm Bill this year. Louisiana Forestry Association Executive Director Buck Vandersteen says without the reauthorization of the Farm Bill, many important resources would stand to greatly suffer.

Cut 6 (13) “…of that nature”

If Congress fails to send a Farm Bill to the President by the end of the session, the 119th Congress will have to start from square one to reauthorize it.

The Ragin Cajuns were blown out Saturday night in the Sun Belt Championship game as the Marshall Thundering Herd trampled U-L Lafayette 31 to 3. Cajuns Coach Michael Desormeaux says regardless of the lopsided result, he’s proud of everything that his team has accomplished to this point…

Cut 15 (16) “….we wanted tonight”

The Cajuns will now get ready to play TCU in the New Mexico Bowl on December 28^th.

Time is running out for Congress to pass a new Farm Bill. Executive director of the Louisiana Forestry Association, Buck Vandersteen, says federal lawmakers are supposed to pass a new Farm Bill every five years…

Cut 5 (10) “….a year overdue”

The Louisiana Farm Bureau says a Farm Bill provides essential risk management tools, nutrition programs, and conservation efforts and without one, farmers, ranchers and rural economies face uncertainty.

The first black bear hunting season in Louisiana started on Saturday in northeast Louisiana and it will last 16 days. The only tags awarded were through a lottery and each tag holder can only harvest one bear….

Cut 9 (04) “….to a family”

John Hanks is the large carnivore program manager at L-D-W-F and a black bear hunting season was reinstated because the black bear population is at a more healthy number now.

Charday Wilson, a math and science master teacher at Logansport High School in DeSoto Parish is a 25-thousand dollar Milken Educator Award recipient. Wilson works with teachers to create individualized game plans needed for lesson pacing, classroom management, formative assessments, and co-teaching at her alma mater…

Cut 13 (10) “…quality citizens”

It wasn’t a master piece, but the Saints beat the New York Giants 14 to 11 yesterday to improve to five and eight, two games back of first place Tampa Bay. Interim head coach Darren Rizzi says being in playoff contention motivates the team…

Cut 18 (16) “….for us”

But Saints quarterback Derek Carr reportedly fractured his non-throwing hand and could miss this Sunday’s game against Washington.

Time is running out to reauthorize the Farm Bill. Don Molino reports.

Cut 1 (31)“…I’m Don Molino.”

The first legal bear hunting season in Louisiana since 1987 got underway in northeast Louisiana on Saturday. Tags went out to ten hunters through a lottery and they can only harvest one bear during this 16-day season. John Hanks leads the state’s large carnivore program….

Cut 8 (09) “…utilize this animal”

Governor Landry will have more to say about Black Bear management at a press conference at noon today.

Two teachers on the western side of the state are 25-thousand dollars richer because they have won the Milken Educator Award, which goes to a select number of teachers every year for their outstanding work.

Charday Wilson is a math and science teacher at Logansport High School in DeSoto Parish and she’s a Milken Educator Award recipient because she helped Logansport rise from a B school rating to an A rating…

Cut 12 (07) “…combination school”

And the band director at Maplewood Middle School in Sulphur is also a Milken Award Recipient. Kyle Cook was recognized for including core academics like math with his music instruction….

Cut 11 (13) “….people of society”

We’re approaching the end of 2024 and, as such, the end of the 118th Congress. And Congress has still yet to send a reauthorization of the Farm Bill to President Biden’s desk. Buck Vandersteen, the executive director of the Louisiana Forestry Association, says it’s imperative that Congress do so.

Cut 4 (11) “…and national security”

Only 20-percent of the Farm Bill goes to farmers, ranchers, foresters and land-grant universities. The remaining 80-percent goes towards nutrition programs for feeding hungry children and adults.

The first bear hunt in Louisiana since 1987 got underway this weekend. John Hanks, the large carnivore program manager at the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, says the season will last 16 days, and ten hunters were chosen by lottery to participate.

Cut 7 (10) “…and not harvest.”

Louisiana college football teams went 0-and-3 in conference championship games over the weekend. Tulane, Southern and the Ragin Cajuns all lost in lopsided games. U-L Lafayette fell to Marshall 31 to 3 at Cajun Field. Coach Michael Desormeaux (DEZ-er-mo) says he felt like he let the team down….

Cut 14 (15) “….and they’re winners”

The Ragin Cajuns will now get ready to play TCU in the New Mexico Bowl on December 28^th. Marshall will play 22^nd ranked Army in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on December 28^th in Shreveport.

The LSU Tigers will play on New Year’s Eve against Baylor in the Texas Bowl.

The Saints beat the New York Giants 14 to 11 yesterday, but quarterback Derek Carr reportedly suffered a fracture to his non-throwing hand.