Last year’s number one MLB draft pick and former LSU pitching star Paul Skenes has been called up to the big leagues by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Skenes will face the Chicago Cubs after being one of the most dominant pitchers in Triple A baseball this season posting a 0.99 ERA and struck out 45 batters in 27 and a third innings.

LSU baseball is not projected to make the NCAA tournament after the initial D-1 Baseball and Baseball America projections. The Tigers need to win four of their next six games in order to have a good chance at making the NCAA tournament and LSU will travel to face Alabama this weekend.

The two projections do have UL-Lafayette and Louisiana Tech making the tournament with the Ragin Cajuns as a two seed in College Station and the Bulldogs as a three seed in the Starkville Regional.

And ULM was able to defeat Stephen F. Austin yesterday 11 to 6 after scoring 10 unanswered runs. The Warhawks tied the game in the fifth inning and then scored their remaining 5 runs in the sixth inning to go on and win 11 to 6.

The New Orleans Saints have cut former Texas A&M, Minnesota Vikings, and Cleveland Browns quarterback Kellen Mond yesterday. Their quarterback room was crowded after the addition of South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler through the draft and Saints solution was to cut Mond. The Saints quarterback room will now include starting quarterback Derek Carr, second year quarterback Jake Haener, NFL veteran Nathan Peterman, and Rattler.

ULM softball will try to keep their historic momentum going into the SunBelt softball tournament when the Warhawks take on the South Alabama Jaguars at 4 pm today. The Warhawks secured the number 6 overall seed after winning 12 games in conference play and finishing the season with a 31 and 23 record. The LA Tech Bulldogs will face the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers after defeating UTEP 2 to nothing yesterday. The Bulldogs took two out of three games when the teams met in the regular season.

And in the Non-select Division I baseball playoffs, third seeded Sam Houston will take on second seeded West Monroe at 5:30 today and thirteenth ranked Benton will take on first seed Barbe at 5:30.

The three-panel court has given the state a June 3^rd deadline to draw a new congressional map. But with the budget yet to be heard in Senate Finance, Senate President Cameron Henry says it’s impossible for them to even file a bill for a new map because the deadline has already passed.

Cut 3 (08) “…to do it.” 

Henry says it’s time to let State Attorney General Liz Murrill handle it with an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Since Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe has declared bankruptcy, Representative Michael Echols says Steward Health Care is to blame. As for a prospective buyer, he says he’s been told the medical community has reached out to Ochsner, Willis-Knighton, and other regional medical facilities.

Cut 25 (12)  “…our patients.”

Legislation is moving closer to final passage to end the requirement for employers to give minor workers at least a 20-minute meal break if they work five or more hours. Denham Springs Republican Representative Roger Wilder says the state should not hold back teen workers who want to put in the hours…

Cut 10 (10) “…wanna work.”

The bill heads to the full Senate for final passage.

Dead last is what Louisiana is ranked for the second year in a row in US News and World Report’s 2024 Best States report. Managing Editor for Government Rankings Gary Emerling says the ranking is based on several categories that Louisiana does not perform well in…
Cut 24 (11) “…beneficiaries.”
There are some positives, Louisiana ranks 21st in healthcare access.

Louisiana ranked 50th in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 Best States, and here’s Sean Richardson on why.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

North Louisiana is under an enhanced threat level of severe weather this afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms could be accompanied by large hail and damaging wind gusts as high as 75 miles per hour. Flooding rain is also possible so remain weather aware today.

Legislation is moving closer to final passage to end the requirement for employers to give minor workers at least a 20-minute meal break if they work five or more hours. Denham Springs Republican Representative Roger Wilder says kids in school go for a long period of time, especially if they are involved in extracurricular activities…

Cut 12 (12) “…in a school.” 

The bill heads to the full Senate for final passage.

The Violence Policy Center says in 2022, Louisiana ranked second in the country for gun deaths. Kristen Rand with VPC says the number of gun-related suicide attempts increased six percent across the country in 2022.

Cut 15 (06)  “…suicide rates”

53% of homes in Louisiana have firearms.

For the second year in a row, Louisiana ranks dead last in the U-S News and World Report’s best states rankings. Managing Editor for Government Rankings, Gary Emerling, says there are two major reasons why,poor roads and a high crime rate…
cut 5 (08) “….juvenile incarceration”
Emerling says preventable hospital admissions are also 27-percent higher in Louisiana than the national average.

The now bankrupt Steward Health Care group is selling the Glenwood Regional Medical Center. The hospital in West Monroe has been plagued by staffing and supply issues. But complicating the issue is that Medical Properties Trust owns the property. State representative Mike Echols says one of the leaders at Steward is also under investigation….
cut 8 (12) “…my perspective”

Minors might be able to work long hours without having to take a mandatory 20-minute meal break as a result of legislation moving closer to final legislative passage. Brooke Thorington has the story…
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

Zachary Evans Cryer from Benton High School in Bossier Parish has been named the Louisiana High School student of the year by the Department of Education. Cryer is a leader for 4-H, BETA, student council and the Fellowship of Christian athletes. He also competes on the track and basketball teams, while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average.

For the second year in a row, U-S News and World Report, ranks Louisiana as the worst state in the country. The ranking is based on several categories that Louisiana did not perform well in, like crime, the economy and its roads. Are there any positives? U-S News and World Report’s Gary Emerling says Louisiana ranked 21st for healthcare access and more children under the age of five are spending time in an education setting…
cut 6 (03) “…pre-school enrollment”

A bill moving along at the state capitol would end the requirement that employers have to give minors a 20-minute meal break if they’ve worked five consecutive hours. Denham Springs Representative Roger Wilder says hard working teenagers would rather make money than take a break…
cut 11 (09) “…of pay”
The bill is heading to the Senate floor for final legislative passage.

The fate of Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe is unclear as the hospital’s owner Steward Health Care has filed for bankruptcy. Brooke Thorington has more from State Representative Michael Echols.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

LSU Football head coach Brian Kelly says there are players just looking to get paid. Kelly made the comments to WAFB-TV in response to the Tigers missing out on two proven defensive tackles who committed elsewhere. Kelly says LSU does have generous NIL opportunities, and LSU can also get you ready for the NFL. Damonic Williams and Simeon Barrow visited LSU, but are heading to Oklahoma and Miami instead.

Louisiana ranks 50th in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 Best States report, and here’s Sean Richardson to take a look at why.
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Republican Mike Johnson of Bossier Parish will keep his job as House Speaker as a vote to remove him failed miserably.

Governor Jeff Landry will visit the U-S Southern border today to get a first hand look at Operation Lone Star. Since April Louisiana National Guard soldiers have been assisting with border security efforts.

Steward Health Care has announced its selling Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe. Steward has filed for bankruptcy and is looking to sell several of its 31 hospitals in eight states. The Glenwood hospital has been struggling with staffing and supply issues and State Representative Mike Echols says it’s time for Glenwood to have a new owner…
cut 7 (11) “…Steward Health Group”
Steward says they intend to sell by the end of June.

According to the Violence Policy Center, Louisiana ranks second in the nation for gun deaths. Kristen Rand with VPC says states with weak firearm laws and higher gun ownership consistently have higher gun death rates.
Cut 13 (12) “…of gun deaths.”
Mississippi ranks first for the highest gun death rate followed by Louisiana, New Mexico, Alabama, and Missouri.

An effort to oust U-S House Speaker Mike Johnson from Bossier Parish has failed. Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene called for the vote…
cut 17 (08) “…boo, boo, boo”
The motion failed 359 to 43. Johnson said afterward he hopes this puts an end to personality politics.

At the state capitol, a bill keeps moving along that ends the mandatory 20-minute meal break for working minors who work more than 5 hours….
cut 3 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

Dead last is what Louisiana is ranked for the second year in a row in US News and World Report’s 2024 Best States report. Managing Editor for Government Rankings Gary Emerling says the ranking is based on several categories that Louisiana does not perform well in…
Cut 4 (11) “…beneficiaries.”
There are some positives, Louisiana ranks 21st in healthcare access and K-through-12 education moved up to 40. It was at 46 in 2019.

The Violence Policy Center ranks Louisiana second in the county for gun deaths….
cut 14 (11) “…was the Top 10
VPC’s Kristen Rand says based on 2022 data, 53-percent of the homes in Louisiana have firearms and the gun death rate is 28 per 100,000.

Louisiana ranked 50th in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 Best States, and here’s Sean Richardson to take a look at why.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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The fate of Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe remains to be seen since Steward Health Care declared bankruptcy. Brooke Thorington has more from State Representative Michael Echols.

Cut 2 (30)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Minors might be able to work long hours without having to take a mandatory 20-minute meal break as a result of legislation moving closer to final legislative passage. Brooke Thorington has the story…

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington” 

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Dead last is what Louisiana was ranked out of the 50 states for the second year in a row in US News and World Report’s 2024 Best States report. Managing Editor for Government Rankings Gary Emerling…

Cut 4 (11) “…beneficiaries.”

Some factors contributing to the poor ranking are Louisiana factories putting more than three-thousand pounds of industrial toxins per square mile compared to the national average of just over 900.  Nearly one-third of Louisiana roads are in poor condition and a high crime rate.

Cut 5 (08) “…juvenile incarceration.” 

But there were some positive takeaways from the ranking.  Pre-K through 12th grade has improved to 40th from 46th in 2019. He says more children under the age of five are also spending time in an education setting…

Cut 6 (03) “…pre-school enrollment for sure.”

___________________________________________________________

With the future of Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe in peril, Representative Michael Echols says the Dallas-based owner, Steward Health Care, is solely to blame for the hospital declaring bankruptcy. He says the possible closure would have a huge impact on the community.

Cut 7 (11) “…Steward Health group.”

The company says they intend to sell by the end of June. But complicating the issue is that the building and land are owned by Medical Properties Trust. Echols says once the leaders at Steward are investigated…

Cut 8 (12) “…my perspective.” 

As for a prospective buyer, Echols says he’s been told the medical community has reached out to Ochsner, Willis-Knighton, and other regional medical facilities.

Cut 9 (12)  “…our patients.”

Glenwood has been cited repeatedly by the Louisiana Department of Health for putting patients in immediate jeopardy of harm. A statement from Steward Health Care said they do not expect interruptions in daily operations due to filing for bankruptcy.

_________________________________________________________________

Legislation is moving closer to final passage that would end the requirement for employers to give minor workers at least a 20-minute meal break if they work five hours or more. Denham Springs Republican Representative Roger Wilder says the state should not hold back teen workers who want to put in the hours…

Cut 10 (10) “…wanna work.”

Wilder’s legislation has already passed the House and it received unanimous approval from the Senate Labor Committee on Wednesday. Wilder says he’s been speaking with young workers about staying on the clock for long periods of time…

Cut 11 (09) “…of pay.”

Wilder also points out that kids in school go for a long period of time, especially if they are involved in extracurricular activities…

Cut 12 (12) “…in a school.” 

The bill heads to the full Senate for final passage.

______________________________________________

According to the Violence Policy Center in 2022, Louisiana ranked second in the nation for gun deaths. Kristen Rand with VPC says states with weak firearm laws and higher gun ownership consistently have higher gun death rates.

Cut 13 (12)  “…of gun deaths.”

Mississippi ranked first for the most gun death rates followed by Louisiana, New Mexico, Alabama, and Missouri.

VPC says the numbers for 2022 indicate 53-percent of homes in Louisiana have firearms and the gun death rate is 28 per 100,000. Rand says for the Bayou State, this is nothing new…

Cut 14 (11)  “…the top 10.”

While the number of firearm homicides in the country decreased by six-percent from 2021 to 2022, gun suicides increased by almost three-percent in 2022. Rand says studies show if you survive a suicide attempt, you’re less likely to try again and that means matter. Meaning if you use a more lethal method, which tends to be a firearm you’re more likely to complete suicide.

Cut 15 (06)  “…suicide rates”

Rhode Island had the lowest gun death rate of three persons per 100,000 and household gun ownership was almost 15-percent.

______________________________________________

Cut 16 (06)  “…more and more bizarre.”

____________________________________________________________________________

Cut 17 (17) “…we’re doing that”

Cut 18 (20)  “… we’re in the fight.”

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Cut 19 (14) “…do things.” 

Cut 20 (19) “….we practice.”

Legislation to hold a Constitutional Convention passes in the full House after amendments to change the start date from May 20^th to August 1^st. Bill author New Iberia Representative Beau Beaullieu says the dates were altered over concerns that the process was hasty.

Cut 25 (07) “…be rushed.” 

While Beaullieu stressed the convention will be a refresh, not a rewrite of the constitution, Baton Rouge Representative Edmond Jordan expressed hesitation.

Cut 26 (12)  “…not true.”

The bill which needed a two-thirds majority passed on a 75 to 27 vote. The bill now heads to the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Students may be turning off their phones and tucking them away during the school day with legislation nearing final passage…

Cut 24 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

And a bill to repeal the requirement that employers give minors who work five or more hours at least a 20-minute meal break is nearing final passage. Denham Springs Republican Representative Roger Wilder says the state should not hold back teen who want to work.

Cut 10 (04) “…to work.”