The mayor of Ruston says Buc-ee’s is still on track for an April opening. Mayor Ronny Walker says it’s expected to employ about 200 workers, and management job listings will be posted in the coming months. Walker says wages for hourly employees start at upwards of 18 dollars an hour, making it a great opportunity for workers throughout North Louisiana.

Cut 7 (10) “…people today.”

Speculation is running rampant as to whether Jeanine Pirro is still the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. This, after President Trump harshly criticized her for dropping charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who Trump says vandalized the reflecting pool. While not explicitly taking sides in the matter, Senator Bill Cassidy says he understands why Pirro made the decision she made.

Cut 9 (11)  “…a federal judge.”

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the country’s history. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (XX) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

A close call for a five-year-old Baton Rouge boy. Police say he shot himself in the hand after finding his babysitter’s gun. Police say 21-year-old Haidyn Moten left his gun on a bed while babysitting the child, and the child went into the bedroom, found the gun and shot himself in the hand. His injuries are not life-threatening. Moten was arrested for cruelty to juveniles.

The cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the nation’s history, although Louisiana’s cases only account for a tiny fraction of the overall cases across the country. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says while the outbreak has been traced to contaminated lettuce, local lettuce at this time is in the clear.

Cut 4 (11) “…from central Mexico.”

Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says Louisiana’s first Buc-ee’s is on schedule to open in April. The 74-thousand-square-foot travel center located on Interstate 20 will house 120 gas pumps. The city has completed an eight-million-dollar project to update the roads near Buc-ee’s, and Walker says some parts of the project are ahead of schedule.

Cut 6 (11) “…substructure’s up.”

With the recall effort against East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards falling way short, what does that mean for the two statewide efforts? Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 23 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Former McNeese and Louisiana Tech Athletic Director Tommy McClelland is being hired to take the same job at Purdue. McClelland has spent the last three years at Rice and served six years in Lake Charles and eight in Ruston, where he infamously asserted that Conference USA, where Tech belonged to at the time, was superior to the Sun Belt Conference.

Louisiana’s 100 cases of cyclosporiasis only represents a very small percentage of the number of cases across the country. Dr. Fred Lopez, a professor of medicine at LSU Health New Orleans, says the current cyclosporiasis outbreak is the biggest in the nation’s history, and the number is mind-boggling.

Cut 3 (08) “…the United States.”

Michigan accounts for more than half of that number, with ten-thousand cases – and that now includes two deaths, with both of those people having underlying health conditions.

The Department of Children and Family Services has a new website. DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris says the department was able to simplify the website in part because there are less things that users have to navigate to.

Cut 23 (09) “…easier to navigate.”

A trio of groups is joining forces in challenging Entergy Louisiana’s proposal to build seven new gas plants for Meta’s new A-I data center in Richland Parish through Governor Landry’s “Lightning Speed” initiative. Susan Stevens Miller, a senior attorney at Earthjustice, says Entergy and Meta are trying to ram through these gas plants by leveraging their political influence. 

Cut 7 (13) “…long-term impacts.”

If you held a State Farm auto insurance policy before the end of last year, be on the lookout for a check in the mail. State Farm is issuing policyholders in Louisiana a special dividend of around 138 dollars per vehicle on the policy. Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says dividends like this one are not uncommon.

Cut 10 (08) “…that money back.”

Three groups are joining forces in challenging Entergy Louisiana’s proposal to build seven new gas plants for Meta’s new A-I data center in Richland Parish. Paul Arbaje (ar-BAH-hay), a senior analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says the Public Service Commission needs to step up to protect ratepayers once and for all from any costs related to these data centers.

Cut 9 (11)  “…the data center.”

Mustering less than five-percent of signatures needed to get a recall of East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards on the ballot underscores how difficult it is to recall elected officials in Louisiana. LSU political science professor Robert Hogan says even if the organizers fail to get the recalls of Governor Landry or Attorney General Liz Murrill before voters, their efforts alone are well worth it.

Cut 15 (09) “…a grassroots organization.”

State Farm is giving 136-million dollars in dividends back to Louisiana policyholders. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

You can take the guy out of law enforcement, but you can’t take the law enforcement out of the guy. Fresh off retiring as state police superintendent, Colonel Robert Hodges announces that he’s running for St. Tammany Parish sheriff. He’s seeking to replace Randy Smith, who resigned after attacking a diner at a Madisonville steakhouse in May.

The Department of Children and Families has a new website. DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris says the department decided to redesign the website after developers discovered it was difficult to find anything on the site while making basic improvements.

Cut 4 (08) “…out first hand.”

The Alliance for Affordable Energy has voiced opposition to Entergy Louisiana’s proposal to build seven new gas plants for Meta’s new A-I data center in Richland Parish. Executive Director Logan Burke says even though Entergy and Meta have said time and time again that they will pay the entire cost of the infrastructure buildout, they cannot be taken at their word.

Cut 8 (14) “…protection pledge – zero.”

Louisiana State Farm auto insurance policyholders are eligible to receive a special dividend of 138 dollars per vehicle on the policy. If your auto insurance is through a different company, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says you may get your turn eventually.

Cut 12 (12) “…of fewer accidents.”

The effort to recall East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards got less than five-percent of the signatures needed to get the issue before voters, so what does that mean for similar campaigns against Governor Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill? LSU political science professor Robert Hogan says it underscores the sheer difficulty of launching a recall campaign against any elected official in Louisiana.

Cut 14 (13) “…signatures are needed.”

Three groups are coming together to challenge Entergy Louisiana’s proposal to build seven new gas plants for Meta’s new A-I data center in Richland Parish. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A federal inmate serving life in prison for his role in the kidnapping and murder of a Northwest Arkansas man died yester after being found unresponsive at the U.S. prison in Pollock on Sunday.  Prison officials have not released a suspected cause of death.

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If you held a State Farm auto insurance policy before the end of last year, be on the lookout for a check in the mail. State Farm is Louisiana’s largest auto insurer, and 136-million dollars in dividend payments will be issued in total. Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says any refund is good money, and any money back in the pockets of consumers is a blessing.

Cut 11 (09) “…other than insurance.”

The Department of Children and Families has a new website.  DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris says the re-design makes the website more user friendly and just like most reputable websites, the new DCFS website is also mobile-friendly.

Cut 6 (14) “…your cell phone.”

With the recall effort against East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards falling way short, what does that mean for the two statewide efforts? Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

New Orleans police are investigating an aggravated battery in the Seventh Ward after they say a man was deliberately set on fire.  It happened last night around seven.  That’s when police got the call that a man had been doused with flammable liquid and set on fire on North Roman Street. We’re told the victim suffered burns to his arms and legs and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

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If you held a State Farm auto insurance policy before the end of last year, be on the lookout for a check in the mail. State Farm is issuing policyholders in Louisiana a special dividend of around 138 dollars per vehicle on the policy. Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says dividends like this one are not uncommon.

Cut 10 (08) “…that money back.”

The Department of Children and Families has a new website. DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris says the site’s more user friendly now, in part because the department was able to simplify the website.

Cut 5 (09) “…easier to navigate.”

A trio of groups is joining forces in challenging Entergy Louisiana’s proposal to build seven new gas plants for Meta’s new A-I data center in Richland Parish through Governor Landry’s “Lightning Speed” initiative. Susan Stevens Miller, a senior attorney at Earthjustice, says Entergy and Meta are trying to ram through these gas plants by leveraging their political influence.

Cut 7 (13) “…long-term impacts.”

With the recall effort against East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards coming up way short, what does that mean for the efforts against Governor Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill? LSU political science professor Robert Hogan says since Landry and Murrill are much more closely aligned with the Trump administration, certain voters may be more motivated to act against them.

Cut 13 (09)  “…would join in.”

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State Farm is giving 136-million dollars in dividends back to Louisiana policyholders. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

A Pitkin man is accused of setting fire to his home to commit insurance fraud.  Officials with the State Fire Marshal’s office said 37 year old was arrested Friday in connection with a house fire on Hopewell Road in February.  Ware faces two counts of insurance fraud and one count of arson with the intent to defraud.