REC finds additional monies for FY 24-25 state budget
Louisiana lawmakers in the House reduced teacher stipends from $2,000 to $1,700 for the 2024-25 Fiscal Year. And while the budget has yet to be heard in Senate Finance, House Appropriations Chairman Jack McFarland said the Revenue Estimating Conference figures could allow for those cuts to be restored. "Which is g...
May 11, 2024
Pictures of Money / CC
Constitutional Convention bill still has to pass in the Senate
A bill to hold a Constitutional Convention, in August as opposed to May, still must pass in the Senate. While Senate President Cameron Henry said a new start date is more realistic, he said there are still several unknowns about the process that will be used in June and July before the convention. "To allow for en...
May 10, 2024
Stuart Seeger / CC
"Every Fish Matters" 2nd Annual Release Event
Tournament Fisherman, Cliff Crochet is going to be at Veterans Park and Pierre Part with "Every Fish Matters" from 6am to noon this Saturday and he's bringing fish a lot of them. "So on Saturday in total we have approximately80,000 fish." Croche said. Bring the family and an ice chest and get ready ...
May 10, 2024
AlexLipa / Depositphotos.com
NAACP agrees with AG time for SCOTUS to settle Louisiana's congressional map
For the first time since the state has been attempting to update the congressional map from the 2020 Census, all sides agree that the matter needs to be settled by the US Supreme Court "And I think the fact that all of us are on the same page speaks to the direness of the situation that we're in here and how essen...
May 10, 2024
niphon / Depositphotos.com
W Monroe Mayor working to keep Glenwood open
With the future of West Monroe's Glenwood Regional Hospital in jeopardy, after parent company Steward Health Care declared bankruptcy, Mayor Staci Mitchell said the potential closure would gravely impact the city and they are doing all they can to help the hospital get sold and remain open. "Because there's a trem...
May 09, 2024
AlexNazaruk / Depositphotos.com
Louisiana ranks No. 2 in the Nation for gun-related deaths
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. "That includes homicides, suicides and unintentional injuries. Conversely, we see that s...
May 09, 2024
dovapi / Depositphotos.com
Senate President says they can't meet deadline for congressional map
The three-panel court has given the state a June 3rd deadline to draw a new congressional map. The legislature is in session, and they are scheduled to end June 3rd as well. But with the budget yet to be heard in Senate Finance, Senate President Cameron Henry said it's impossible for them to even file a bill for a new ...
May 09, 2024
slickspics / Depositphotos.com
Elimination of Required Breaks for working Louisiana Teens close to being passed
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. "Tee...
May 09, 2024
West Monroe's Glenwood Regional Medical Center to be sold
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 tim...
May 09, 2024
AlexLipa / Depositphotos.com
Louisiana ranked dead last in 2024 Best States Report
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. "No. 48 for obesity rate, No. 47 for adults who ha...
May 09, 2024
aallm / Depositphotos.com