New Orleans Representative Matthew Willard will lead the House Democratic Caucus when the legislature meets next month for a special redistricting session. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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This year’s drought has had a tremendous economic impact on Louisiana. Colleen Crain has the story…
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U-S suicide rates reached a record high last year with nearly 50 thousand people losing their lives. Teiko Foxx has the story…
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New Orleans Representative Matthew Willard has been elected chairman of the House Democratic Caucus for the 2024 legislative term. And even with a Republican governor and supermajority in the legislature, he says Democrats will continue to champion people-centric issues like insurance reform, equal pay for women, and rape and incest exceptions to the state’s abortion ban…
Cut 4 (06) “…in Louisiana.”
Among the first issues lawmakers will address in 2024 is the special redistricting session following a court order to create two majority-minority congressional districts. Even with a tight deadline, Williard believes lawmakers will complete the task.
Cut 5 (09) “…majority-minority seats.”
The earliest the legislature could meet after a special session can officially be called for on January 8th is the 15th and the deadline has been extended to January 30th.
Willard says the courts agree the current congressional map passed by the majority Republican legislature twice violates the Voting Rights Act. He believes GOP members who thought the courts would approve their map with only one majority-Black congressional district no longer have that failsafe.
Cut 6 (11) “…Rights Act.”
In addition to Willard as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, New Iberia Representative Marcus Bryant was elected Vice Chair, New Orleans Representative Aimee Adatto Freeman was elected Treasurer and Monroe Representative Adrian Fisher was elected Whip.
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Drought, record heat, and historic wildfires cost Louisiana over 1.7 Billion Dollars this year. Dr. Kurt Guidry with the LSU Ag Center says, unlike other damaging incidents, no part of the state escaped the impact…
Cut 7 (08) “…natural disasters..”
Guidry says, the losses are due to – partial or total loss of usable acres, lower quality yields, and higher irrigation costs.
As staggering as losses of 1.7 billion dollars are, Guidry says, the economic impact to some agricultural industries were are not included in the figure because the impact for multi-year crops like sugar cane and livestock businesses are not yet known. Guidry says, for the livestock industry, it’s more than just the necessary sale of cattle…
Cut 8 (10) “…calves next year.”
So what has the drought done to next year’s crawfish yield? Guidry says the winter rain may help some but this year has been a challenge…
Cut 9 (10) “…point in time.”
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A new report by the National Center for Health Statistics reveals suicide rate in the U-S last year reached a record high. More than 49 thousand people intentionally committed suicide. LSU Health New Orleans Chair of Psychiatry Dr. Rahn Bailey says there has been an explosion in the lethal method of suicide.
Cut 10 (07) “…with pills.”
The CDC says the country’s gun suicide rate increased by almost two percent compared to 2021. In 2022, 80 percent of men died by suicide.
Indigenous people have the highest suicide rate at 27 deaths per 100,000 followed by white men at 18 deaths per 100,000.
Bailey says there has been an increase in drug overdose deaths largely driven by opioids.
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Bailey says the stigma of mental illness needs to be removed so individuals are more likely to seek help.
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If you or someone you know is going through a mental crisis, call or text 988 to receive support during a crisis.
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It’s the semifinal round of the high school football playoffs. The top-seed in Division One non-select, Ruston, is seeking its first state championship since 1990 but they face a red-hot Mandeville team. Sports Scouting Report Podcast host Lee Brecheen says the Bearkats are one of the best teams in the state…
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North DeSoto is looking for its first state championship in football. They are the top seed in Division Two non-select and Brecheen says they’ll host a very talented Opelousas team tonight…
Cut 14 (12) “…move.”
Newman is one game away from playing in its first state championship game. They have to beat Calvary Baptist to get to the Dome next week. Brecheen says the Cavs will be tough to beat…
Cut 15 (12) “…much speed.”
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The Saints are 5-and-6 and a lack of touchdowns after entering the red zone is a major reason why the Black and Gold have a losing record. New Orleans is 17 of 40 in the red zone this season. That’s the four-worst percentage in the NFL. Quarterback Derek Carr says they are spending more time on red zone drills this week…
Cut 16 (12) “…in house.”
The Saints are gearing up for a big home game this Sunday against the Detroit Lions. The Lions are 8-and-3. Safety Tyrann Mathieu says this is a good measuring stick game for the Black and Gold…
Cut 17 (19) “…going forward.”
Detroit has one of the better rushing offenses in the NFL as they average 4.6 yards a carry. Mathieu has been watching tape on Lions running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs…
Cut 18 (21) “…last weekend.”
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Cut 19 (18) “…moving forward”
Cut 20 (20) “…that’s significant.”