THAN POWER. WE SUPPORT SCIENCE AND
ENGINEERING TO BUILD A BRIGHTER PATH TO BETTER JOBS AND HELP
PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION BECAUSE TOGETHER, WE POWER LIFE.
ENTERGY. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED
BY THE FRED B. AND RUTH B. ZIEGLER FOUNDATION AND THE
ZIEGLER ART MUSEUM. LOCATED IN JENNINGS CITY HALL,
THE MUSEUM FOCUSES ON EMERGING LOUISIANA ARTISTS AND IS A
HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.
AND THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC
BROADCASTING WITH SUPPORT FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
♪♪ ♪♪
SUGAR RECOVERY WAS AT RECORD LEVELS.
HOW THE STATE'S SUGAR CANE HAS APPARENTLY SURVIVED OUR
WINTER. THIS SEASON, MOTHER NATURE IS
REALLY PLAYING WITH US. THE RULES AREN'T APPLYING.
THE RULES AREN'T APPLYING. TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHY IT'S
BEEN SO COLD. CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS ARE
LIKE A KNIFE FIGHT. A FIRST EVER SUMMIT LOOKS AT
REDISTRICTING IN LOUISIANA. HI, I'M ANDRE MOREAU.
MORE ON THOSE STORIES IN A MOMENT, BUT RIGHT NOW ON SWI,
THE STATE WE'RE IN, THE WEEK'S HEADLINES.
SEVERE COLD WEATHER PROMPTED GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS TO
ISSUE AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION THROUGHOUT LOUISIANA.
THE ICING ON ROADS CAUSED THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM TO SHUT DOWN
AND FOR DAYS, PEOPLE BASICALLY STAYED HOME.
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DEPLOYED 1,200 WORKERS FOR 24
HOUR OPERATIONS TO SECURE AND DE-ICE ROADS.
SEVERAL HUNDRED TRUCKS POURED ONE AND A HALF MILLION POUNDS OF
SALT TO MELT ICE TO REDUCE THE DANGERS OF TRAVEL.
FIVE OF THE STATE'S AIRPORTS CLOSED DURING THE DEEP FREEZE.
AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE DIED IN LOUISIANA DURING THIS ICE EVENT.
THEY INCLUDED A MAN WHO WAS KNOCKED OFF AN ELEVATED SECTION
OF INTERSTATE 10 IN NEW ORLEANS WHEN A PICKUP SPUN OUT ON ICE.
AN 8-MONTH-OLD BABY DIED IN A CAR THAT SLID INTO A CANAL IN
SUBURBAN NEW ORLEANS. WE ALL WANT THE BEST BANG FOR
OUR BUCK HEATING AND INSULATING OUR HOMES AND THIS WEEKEND LSU'S
AG CENTER CAN SHOW YOU ALL THAT'S AVAILABLE.
THEIR LOUISIANA HOUSE RESOURCE CENTER DEMONSTRATION HOME WILL
SHOWCASE THE LATEST IN ENERGY SAVINGS.
THERE'S AN OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, JANUARY 20 FROM 10 TO 2 ON
GOURRIER AVENUE. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, GO ONLINE
TO WWW.LSUAGCENTER.COM/LAHOUSE. YOU WILL GET ALL THE INFO YOU
NEED FOR THE EVENT. ALABAMA BEAT OUT LOUISIANA
FOR A $1.6 BILLION TOYOTA-MAZDA JOINT AUTO PLANT THAT WILL MEAN
4,000 NEW JOBS FOR THE YELLOWHAMMER STATE.
STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY DON PIERSON SAYS THE
BIDS WERE COMPARABLE, BUT ALABAMA'S FOOTPRINT WITH
EXISTING CAR MANUFACTURING PLANTS WAS AN ADVANTAGE.
LOUISIANA OFFERED A HALF-BILLION DOLLAR INCENTIVE, WHILE ALABAMA
OFFERED LESS CASH BUT COUNTERED WITH DONATED LAND AND PROPERTY
TAX VALUES. PIERSON SAYS HIS AGENCY WILL
REEXAMINE WHAT IT'S DOING BECAUSE IT WANTS TO BE A PLAYER
IN THE CAR BUILDING INDUSTRY A PROPOSED $3.6 BILLION
METHANOL PRODUCING MEGA-PLANT IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH NOW HAS ITS
AIR QUALITY PERMIT FROM LOUISIANA'S DEQ.
WHEN THE GULF COAST METHANOL PARK IS COMPLETED IN TWO YEARS,
IT'S EXPECTED TO PRODUCE 7.2 TONS OF METHANOL FROM NATURAL
GAS AND EMPLOY THOUSANDS OF WORKERS.
THE COMPLEX, WHICH IS MADE UP OF FOUR IDENTICAL METHANOL PLANTS,
BOASTS BEING THE LARGEST AND LOWEST-EMISSION METHANOL PLANT
IN THE WORLD. SENATOR BILL CASSIDY HAS
BEEN AWARDED FOR HIS EFFORTS TO SAVE THE FEDERAL HISTORIC TAX
CREDITS. WORK DONE BY CASSIDY AND
LOUISIANA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION HELPED SAVE THE
HISTORIC TAX CREDIT AS REPUBLICANS PUSHED THEIR
SIGNATURE TAX BILL THROUGH CONGRESS.
LOUISIANA HAS BENEFITED FROM THE HISTORIC CREDIT PERHAPS MORE
THAN ANY OTHER STATE WITH THE REHAB OF THOUSANDS OF
HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT BUILDINGS.
THE FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM WAS THREATENED DURING THE TAX REFORM
PROCESS. SOME CHOICE WORDS FROM
GOVERNOR EDWARDS ABOUT FLORIDA GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT AND HIS
SO-CALLED "TRADE MISSION" TO LOUISIANA THIS WEEK.
SCOTT WANTS TO LURE BUSINESSES AWAY FROM LOUISIANA AND INTO
FLORIDA. BESIDES TRYING TO POACH BUSINESS
FROM US, EDWARDS SAYS SCOTT IS ALSO TRYING TO RAISE MONEY FOR
FUTURE POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS. TODAY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE
DAY THE GOVERNOR RELEASED HIS DOOMSDAY BUDGET.
FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. OF COURSE, THE WEATHER HAS
DELAYED THAT UNTIL MONDAY. GREG HILBURN WITH U.S. TODAY
NETWORK, YOU HAVE TALKED WITH PEOPLE ALL OVER THE STATE,
TALKED WITH NEWSPAPERS. WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM
PEOPLE? WHAT ARE THEY FEARING THE MOST
ABOUT THE CUTS? IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN
AND I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME ON TODAY.
I THINK THAT WHEN THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES HIS EXECUTIVE BUDGET
FOR NEXT YEAR, IT WILL BE, OF COURSE, AT LEAST $1 BILLION IN
CUTS AND IT WILL BE INTENDED TO CREATE SHOCK AND AWE.
HE WILL CUT THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE MOST WANT IN ORDER TO
FIND SOME PRESSURE POINTS ON THESE LAWMAKERS TO COME UP WITH
SOME MORE OF THE REVENUE OR TAXES THAT HE WANTS TO FILL THIS
HOLE. GO AHEAD.
ARE YOU HEARING ANYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED WHERE THERE'S BEEN
PROGRESS OR A LACK OF PROGRESS IN THE LAST WEEK OR TWO?
WELL IN THE LAST NINE WEEKS, WHICH IS HOW LONG THESE
NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN GOING ON, IT MAY BE COLD ACROSS LOUISIANA
THIS WEEK, BUT THOSE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN EVEN
COLDER. NOW, WE'LL SEE WHETHER OR NOT
THEY CAN THAW BEFORE THE TIME IT IS WHERE SOME DECISIONS HAVE TO
BE MADE. I THINK THAT THERE HAVE BEEN
MAYBE SOME PROGRESS, BUT CERTAINLY NOWHERE NEAR ANY KIND
OF RESOLUTION. DID ALL OF HIS TALKS WITH
CIVIC GROUPS AND BUSINESS LEADER OF THE PAST YEAR, DID THAT DO
ANY GOOD? IT WAS GOOD P.R. CERTAINLY, BUT
DO YOU THINK IT REALLY HELPED IN TERMS OF WHAT HE WANTS TO
ACCOMPLISH? I'M NOT SURE.
IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT THOSE CONSTITUENTS WHO HE TALKED
WITH AND TO HAVE RELAYED ANY KIND OF PRESSURE TOWARD THEIR
LAWMAKER, WHETHER HE OR SHE CAN VOTE FOR ANY KIND OF REVENUE TO
FILL THESE CUTS OR THIS TEMPORARY $1 BILLION IN TAXES
THAT'S GOING TO FALL OFF THE ROLLS.
YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS YEARS, BUT CERTAINLY NOW PEOPLE HAVE HEARD
THE SKY IS FALLING, THE SKY IS FALLING.
HOW DO YOU PLAN ON COVERING THIS LEGISLATURE WITH THAT IN MIND
AND PEOPLE, MAYBE THEY LOOK UP AND THEY SAY IT HASN'T FALLEN
YET. IT'S NOT GREAT, BUT IT HASN'T
FALLEN. HOW DO YOU PLAN ON COVERING IT?
WELL, THAT'S RIGHT. IT HASN'T AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF
THESE TEMPORARY MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN ENACTED AND FIRST TWO
YEARS AGO WITH THE TEMPORARY SALES TAX COVERING MOST OF THIS
BILLION DOLLARS, BUT THERE'S SOME OTHER TEMPORARY TAXES AND
IT'S TRUE, PEOPLE BECOME NUMB TO THE SKY'S FALLING TACTICS AND
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE WHICH
CRAFTS THE BUDGET, CAMERON HENRY, WHO'S A REPUBLICAN, HAS
SAID HE EXPECTS THESE -- THE GOVERNOR TO ISSUE THESE WHAT HE
CALLS SCARE TACTICS TO TRY TO PRESSURE LAWMAKERS INTO DOING
THINGS THAT THEY, YOU KNOW MIGHT BE RETICENT TO DO, WHICH IS
BASICALLY RAISE TAXES OR MAKE TAXES PERMANENT THAT ARE
TEMPORARY. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WHAT DO YOU WIND UP THINKING WILL HAPPEN?
I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL SESSION, EITHER IN
FEBRUARY OR JUNE, TAXES CAN'T BE RAISED DURING THIS YEAR'S
REGULAR SESSION, AND I THINK THERE WILL BE A COMBINATION, A
LITTLE PIECE OF THE PENNY, WHICH IS THE EXTRA TEMPORARY SALES TAX
PENNY WILL BE KEPT AS AGAIN, A BRIDGE AND THEY WILL PROBABLY
CLEAN SOME OF THE EXEMPTIONS FROM THE EXISTING PENNY IN ORDER
TO MOVE THEM, MOVE THEM OFF THE ROLLS TO RAISE SOME REVENUE AND
VERY POSSIBLY THEY WILL ELIMINATE THE EXCISE ITEMIZED
FEDERAL DEDUCTION FOR LOUISIANA INCOME TAXES.
THAT IS ONE MEASURE THAT WOULD ONLY TAKE A MAJORITY IN THE
HOUSE, WHICH IS 53 VOTES INSTEAD OF 70.
AND COBBLING ALL THIS TOGETHER, THAT'S MY PREDICTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL GET TO $1 BILLION.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE REPUBLICAN HOUSE WILL WARM TO THAT, BUT
SOME REVENUE WILL BE RAISED. LET ME ASK YOU BRIEFLY.
THE BIG ROADS PROJECT WAS BROUGHT UP, OF COURSE, IN THE
PAST WEEK. DO YOU SEE THEM IN ANY SPECIAL
SESSION TALKING ABOUT HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AT ALL, SNEAKING
THAT IN SOMEWHERE AND HOW TO RAISE MAYBE A GAS TAX AGAIN OR
SOME SORT OF REVENUE BUILDING PROJECT?
I DON'T THINK SO BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S SO FOCUSED ON WHAT
THEY CALL THIS FISCAL CLIFF OF FALLING OFF THIS $1 BILLION.
I DON'T THINK SO AND IT WAS SUCH A DISASTER LAST YEAR, I'M NOT
SURE THAT -- THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE -- IF THEY RAISE ANY TAXES
IN THIS SESSION TO REPLACE THESE TEMPORARY TAXES.
NOW, THEY MAY ADD A SWEETENER IN THERE AS PART OF THE
NEGOTIATIONS TO SAY WE WILL VOTE ON THIS IF PART OF IT WOULD GO
TOWARDS TRANSPORTATION. SO THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
ALL RIGHT, GREG HILBURN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU, ANDRE. A FIRST-EVER SUMMIT ON THE
DRAWING OF POLITICAL BOUNDARIES IN LOUISIANA TOOK PLACE TODAY ON
THE LSU CAMPUS. IT WAS FUELED BY WHAT'S KNOWN AS
GERRYMANDERING, OR DRAWING DISTRICTS FOR POLITICAL PARTY
ADVANTAGE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CASES THAT
COULD HEAD TO THE SUPREME COURT ABOUT HOW STATES DRAW THEIR
DISTRICTS AND IN THE YEAR 2020, LOUISIANA WILL AGAIN LOOK AT ITS
DISTRICTS. LPB PRESIDENT BETH COURTNEY
MODERATED A TALK THAT INCLUDED A PANEL OF STATE LEGISLATORS.
HERE'S A LOOK. THE LAW IS CLEAR THAT RACIAL
GERRYMANDERING IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
WHAT IF DISTRICTS ARE DRAWN TO FAVOR CERTAIN PARTIES?
IS THIS A CLEVER STRATEGY OR UNCONSTITUTIONAL?
WE HAVE KIND OF MAINTAINED THAT AGREEMENT, IF YOU WILL
AMONGST LEGISLATORS, THAT UNLESS YOU REALLY GET INTO A TRUE
BATTLE ON LINES THAT I'LL DRAW MY DISTRICT, YOU DRAW YOUR
DISTRICT AND HOPEFULLY, YOU CAN APPEASE AS MANY LEGISLATORS AS
YOU POSSIBLY CAN. IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE A
KNIFE FIGHT, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE A MEMBER
WHICH HAS BEEN THE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WE'VE HAD.
WHEN YOU MOVE A NUMBER AROUND, YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE A
PRECINCT AROUND TO GET THAT DONE, YOU HAVE -- IT GETS SO
CONTENTIOUS THAT WHEN YOU MOVE THE ONE, YOU MOVE IT DOWN, AND
YOU MOVE THAT, IT'S JUST LIKE THE LAW OF PHYSICS.
IT PUSHES SOMETHING ELSE. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING IS WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT THE PREMISE THAT WE DON'T FEEL
THAT MINORITY DISTRICTS NEED TO BE PACKED.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE PACKED BECAUSE WHEN YOU PACK ONE
MINORITY DISTRICT YOU THEN CREATE ANOTHER WHITE DISTRICT.
IF YOU WANT TO WATCH THE ENTIRE DISCUSSION, YOU CAN
ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT LPB.ORG/NEWSMAKERS.
♪♪ ♪♪
THIS WINTER MAY NOT GO DOWN AS HISTORICALLY, THE COLDEST
EVER ON RECORD, BUT IF YOU ASK AROUND, MOST WILL TELL YOU THEY
DON'T REMEMBER THAT WAS CONSISTENTLY THIS COLD.
WE SAT DOWN WITH STATE CLIMATOLOGIST BARRY KEIM.
IF THERE'S A METEOROLOGICAL THING ABOUT THIS WINTER, IT
WOULD BE THE POLAR VORTEX. EXPLAIN THAT FOR US.
THE POLAR VORTEX IS ESSENTIALLY THE POSITION OF THE
JET STREAM AND WHEN THE JET STREAM OVER THE UNITED STATES
GETS IN A CONFIGURATION WHERE LOUISIANA FALLS ON THE NORTH
SIDE, WHAT THAT TELLS SUS WE ARE EXPERIENCING EITHER AIR OFF OF
THE PACIFIC OCEAN OR OUT OF CANADA AND IN THIS CASE WE'RE
LOOKING AT CANADIAN AIR THAT'S BEEN POURING INTO LOUISIANA.
POURING IN REALLY SINCE NOVEMBER.
THE DECEMBER SNOW AND COLD AND NOW THIS SECOND SNOW EVENT IN
MID-JANUARY WITH THE ADDITION OF FREEZING RAIN AND ICE.
THIS WEEK, SHREVEPORT AND MONROE GOT IT FIRST, WITH TWO TO THREE
INCHES OF SNOW PLUS ICE REPORTED.
PRETTY TO LOOK AT, DANGEROUS TO TRY AND GET AROUND IN.
A COLD RAIN HAD ALREADY SOAKED THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE,
SO WHEN IT TURNED TO FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW, AND THE MERCURY
DROPPED BELOW FREEZING, AN ICE EVENT, VERY UNUSUAL FOR US, WAS
IN FULL FORCE. WHAT IS THAT MAKES THE POLAR
VORTEX DRIFT SOUTH? WELL, THAT'S THE MILLION
DOLLAR QUESTION. BASICALLY, WHAT HAPPENS IS WE
GET A LOT OF COLD AIR THAT IS MANUFACTURED UP IN THE ARCTIC
REGION WHICH MAKES PERFECT SENSE, TOTAL DARKNESS, VERY LOW
IMPRINT OF THE SUN. AND BY VIRTUE OF THAT, LOTS OF
COLD AIR GETS PRODUCED, AND THEN IT STARTS TO FLOW OUT.
THAT AIR IS VERY COLD, VERY HEAVY AND VERY DENSE.
AND AT SOME POINT, THAT AIR IS GOING TO START TO FLOW OFF INTO
SOME DIRECTION AND CREATE A BIG LOBE OF COLD AIR DRIFTING OUT OF
THE ARCTIC REGION. AND LOUISIANA IS WHERE MUCH
OF IT DRIFTED. THE RESULT HAS PRODUCED STUFF WE
JUST DON'T SEE AROUND HERE. TYPICAL INTERSTATE GRIDLOCK?
NOT A CAR IN SIGHT WITH OUR INTERSTATE SYSTEMS CLOSED,
EVERYTHING COVERED IN ICE. THEN SNOW ON TOP OF THAT IN MANY
PLACES. TRYING TO CROSS THE STATE'S
MAJOR BRIDGES, IMPOSSIBLE. SOME WERE CLOSED FOR DAYS.
AND IT'S NOT JUST ROADS AND BRIDGES THAT CLOSED.
THE STATE'S ENTIRE TRANSPORTATION GRID WAS KNOCKED
OFFLINE. FIVE AIRPORTS CLOSED FOR SOME
AMOUNT OF TIME. AND YOU KNOW, THIS WINTER IS NOT
THE ONE THAT WAS FORECAST. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A
WEAK LA NINA WINTER, WHICH MEANS DRY AND WARMER?
THAT'S CORRECT. THEY TEND TO BE DRY IN LOUISIANA
BECAUSE THE JET STREAM IS MUCH FURTHER TO THE NORTH AND BY
VIRTUE OF THAT WE ARE BASKING IN AIR OFF THE GULF OF MEXICO.
THIS SEASON, MOTHER NATURE IS REALLY TOYING WITH US.
THE RULES AREN'T APPLYING. THE RULES AREN'T APPLYING.
AND IT IS WHAT IT IS. NOT EVERY LA NINA IS ALIKE.
THIS IS A WEAK LA NINA. HAVING SAID THAT, THINGS ARE NOT
PLAYING OUGHT HOW WE ANTICIPATED.
IN GENERAL, LOUISIANA IS NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE ICE AND SNOW
EVENTS. THEY ARE RARE AND FOR US.
HERE IN LOUISIANA, IT'S RARE THAT WE'RE CONSISTENTLY IN THE
LOW 20s AND IN THE TEENS. SO MOST OF OUR SOLID
PRECIPITATION COMES IN THE FORM OF SLEET AND SOME FREEZING RAIN
AND IF YOU GET PURE SNOW, IT'S A REAL GIFT.
ONE THING TO REMEMBER, IT'S JANUARY.
WINTER IS NOT OVER. NO IN FACT, THE TRUE MIDPOINT
OF WINTER IS PROBABLY LIKE THE THIRD WEEK OF JANUARY.
THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT NOW. SO WE'RE RIGHT ABOUT THE LOWEST
POINT AS FAR AS THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES GO.
AND WE'LL GRADUALLY START CLIMBING OUT OF THIS.
HAVING SAID THAT, SOME OF THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES WE'VE EVER
HAD IN LOUISIANA WERE IN FEBRUARY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WINTER STILL IN FRONT OF US.
BE ON THE LOOKOUT. THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A
WARMUP THIS WEEKEND. SO HOW DID SOME OF THE
STATE'S TOP CROPS WEATHER THE SEVERE COLD?
LPB'S KELLY SPIRES FOUND OUT FROM AN LSU AG ECONOMIST.
THAT'S RIGHT, ANDRE. KENT GUIDRY IS BASED OUTSIDE OF
THE TOWN OF RAYNE IN ACADIA PARISH.
WE TALKED VIA SKYPE AND HE TOLD ME THERE'S MORE GOOD NEWS THAN
BAD. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE
AREN'T TOO MANY CROPS IN THE GROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR AND
THAT SUGAR CANE HARVEST IS COMING TO A CLOSE.
I AM WONDERING IF YOU COULD TELL US WHAT HAPPENS TO SUGAR CANE
WHEN IT GETS TOO COLD AND HOW THIS COLD SNAP COULD AFFECT THE
HARVEST AS A WHOLE. YES, MA'AM.
PRIOR TO THE FIRST FREEZING EVENT AND SNOW EVENT THAT WE HAD
EARLY IN JANUARY, WE WERE APPROACHING ABOUT 90% OF THE
SUGARCANE CROP BEING HARVESTED. WHEN WE DO GET THESE REALLY
COLD, FREEZING TEMPERATURES, IT CAN START TO DETERIORATE THE
SUGARCANE IN THE FIELD, WHICH MAKES IT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT TO
GET THAT SUGARCANE PROCESSED MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN WE
NORMALLY WOULD. TYPICALLY, YOU HAVE ABOUT TWO
WEEKS. ONCE YOU GET THESE FREEZING
TEMPERATURES BEFORE YOU START TO SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT
DETERIORATION OF THE CROP IN THE FIELD.
KIND OF THE AMAZING THING, THOUGH, IS THAT MOST OF THE CROP
WAS ALREADY OUT OF THE GROUND AND WE'RE SEEING RECORD NUMBERS
IN TERMS OF SUGAR RECOVERY. ABSOLUTELY.
PRIOR TO THE FIRST EVENT THAT WE SAW EARLIER THIS YEAR IN
JANUARY, SUGAR RECOVERY WAS AT RECORD LEVELS.
WE HAD INCREASED PRODUCTION THIS YEAR.
WE HAD INCREASED ACRES IN SUGARCANE PRODUCTION THIS YEAR.
WHEN YOU COUPLE THAT WITH INCREASED CANE TONNAGE AND
INCREASED SUGAR RECOVERY, THIS YEAR, EVEN THE SPIKE, THE ISSUES
THAT WE'VE HAD HERE IN JANUARY, THE 2017 CROP WILL BE A RECORD
LARGE CROP FOR LOUISIANA. AND SUGARCANE IS A MULTIYEAR
CROP. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR CROPS
DOWN THE LINE? YEAH, CERTAINLY WHEN WE LOOK
AT SUGARCANE, WE PLANT IT IN ONE YEAR, AND THEN WE HOPE TO
HARVEST IT FOR TWO TO THREE YEARS.
SOMETIMES, EVEN FOUR YEARS AFTER THAT INITIAL PLANNING.
SO CERTAINLY WHAT HAPPENS IN ONE YEAR CAN IMPACT ON THE SUGARCANE
PRODUCTION IN THE REMAINING LIFE OF THAT PRODUCTION CYCLE.
PROBABLY A LITTLE TOO EARLY TO TELL.
WE WON'T HAVE A TRUE INDICATION OF ANY IMPACT THAT WE MAY HAVE
HAD FROM THESE FREEZING TEMPERATURES.
UNTIL THIS CROP STARTS TO GROW OUT LATER THIS SPRING.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS COLD WEATHER COULD BE GOOD
NEWS FOR CROPS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN PLANTED YET.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT FOR ME? CERTAINLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT
LOUISIANA THE MAJORITY OF OUR CROPS ARE SPRING PLANTING CROPS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THINGS LIKE CORN, SOYBEANS, COTTON, THOSE
MAKE UP A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR TOTAL AGRICULTURAL VALUE IN
LOUISIANA. WHAT THESE COLD SNAPS CAN HAVE
IS A BENEFICIAL IMPACT ON PEST POPULATIONS.
THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WHEN WE'VE HAD RELATIVELY MILD
WINTERS, INSECT POPULATIONS, DISEASE POPULATIONS TEND TO
INCREASE DURING OUR -- TEND TO LEVEL OUT WHEN WE HAVE THOSE
MILD WINTERS. HOPEFULLY, WITH THESE REALLY
COLD TEMPERATURES, THAT WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON
THOSE INSECT POPULATIONS. IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT INSECT
PRESSURE, PRODUCERS DON'T HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY THEY NORMALLY
WOULD TO MANAGE THOSE PARTICULAR PESTS SO IT CAN HAVE SOME
BENEFITS FOR OUR LATER SPRING PLANTING CROPS AND FOR MOST OF
THOSE PRODUCERS WE'RE NEEDING A GOOD PRODUCTION YEAR IN 2018.
2016, 2017, IT WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF CERTAINLY THE FLOODS
THAT WE HAD IN AUGUST OF 2016. AND THEN THIS YEAR WE ALSO HAD
SIGNIFICANTLY WET CONDITIONS, EXCESSIVE RAIN THROUGH MOST OF
OUR GROWING YEAR, WHICH REALLY HAD AN IMPACT ON A LOT OF OUR
PRODUCTION FOR A LOT OF OUR COMMODITIES SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THOSE TWO THINGS, LAST COUPLE OF YEARS BEING VERY, VERY
DIFFICULT, 2018 HOPEFULLY WILL BE A BETTER YEAR FOR OUR
PRODUCERS AND LOWER INSPECT AND DISEASE POPULATION PROVIDES KIND
OF A BASIS OR A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR THOSE CROPS GOING INTO THE
2018 PRODUCTION YEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
EXPLAINING ALL THIS AND FOR YOUR TIME, KIRK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I APPRECIATE IT.
AND A CROP OF CRAW FISH, HOW DOES THE COLD AFFECT THEM?
WELL, YOU MAY WANT TO WAIT A LITTLE LONGER BEFORE THAT FIRST
BOIL. AS IS TYPICALLY EARLY IN THE
SEASON, SUPPLY IS TIGHT, SO PRICES ARE HIGH.
GUIDRY EXPECTS THAT TO LAST A LITTLE FURTHER INTO THE SPRING
THAN IN A TYPICAL YEAR. THANKS FOR THAT.
IT'S RARE TO SEE LOUISIANA FIRST IN ANYTHING EDUCATION
RELATED, BUT FOR TWO YEARS IN A ROW, THE LUMINA FOUNDATION
RANKED US NUMBER ONE FOR THE PERCENTAGE OF WORKING AGE ADULTS
WITH A HIGH-QUALITY POST-SECONDARY CERTIFICATE.
THE STATE COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM HAS
MADE GREAT STRIDES DURING ITS 19 YEAR EXISTENCE.
DR. MONTY SULLIVAN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE STATE COMMUNITY
AND TECH COLLEGE SYSTEM, TOLD ME IT'S AN EVER-EVOLVING PROCESS TO
REMAIN VIBRANT AND PRESENT. HERES AN EXCERPT FROM OUR
INTERVIEW. WE HAVE CERTAINLY FELT THE
BRUNT OF CUTS. WE'VE BEEN CUT BY $80 MILLION
OVER THE LASTING DECADE. HOWEVER, WE SPEND OUR TIME
FOCUSED NOT SO MUCH ON THE CUTS, BUT RATHER HOW WE CONTINUE TO
DELIVER IN EVERY COMMUNITY ACROSS LOUISIANA.
THE MISSION OF TWO YEAR COLLEGES IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE OF
THIS STATE AND TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE
HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN WHAT HAS BECOME A STRONG
ECONOMY. JOIN US NEXT WEEK.
WE'LL HAVE THE FULL INTERVIEW ON NEXT WEEK'S EDITION OF SWI,
"LOUISIANA: THE STATE WE'RE IN." IN NOVEMBER, THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LAUNCHED A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND IN THE
COUNTRY ONLINE DATABASE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS.
IT'S CALLED THE LOUISIANA SCHOOL FINDER TOOL, AND IT GIVES
PERFORMANCE SCORES FOR ALL OF THE STATES PUBLICLY FUNDED EARLY
CHILDCARE CENTERS TO SHOW HOW WELL STUDENTS ARE PREPARED TO
MOVE ONTO THE NEXT GRADE. WOMEN GENERALLY HAVE
PART-TIME JOBS THAT ARE TWICE THE NUMBER OF MEN, AND THEY
OFTEN CITE THE FACT THEY'RE NOT FULL-TIME WORKERS BECAUSE OF THE
HIGH COST OF CHILDCARE SO IF THEY HAD AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE
CHILDCARE THEY COULD PROBABLY ENTER THE FULL-TIME WORKFORCE AS
WELL. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS
IN TERMS OF ABSENTEEISM, IN TERMS OF PRODUCTIVITY,
EVERYTHING ABOUT EARLY CHILDCARE AND LEARNING IMPACTS THE
WORKFORCE AND THE ECONOMY. THIS MONTH, LOUISIANA PUBLIC
SQUARE AIRS WEDNESDAY, JANUAR 24th AT 7:00 P.M. ON LPB AND
IN NEW ORLEANS ON WLAE. VISIT LPB.ORG/PUBLICSQUARE FOR
MORE INFORMATION. ACCLAIMED LOUISIANA AUTHOR
ERNEST GAINES HAS WRITTEN A NEW NOVELLA, "THE TRAGEDY OF BRADY
SIMS." THE STORY REVOLVES AROUND A
COURTHOUSE SHOOTING THAT LEADS A YOUNG REPORTER TO UNCOVER AN OLD
STORY OF RACE AND POWER, BLACK AND WHITE.
THE 11th ERNEST GAINES AWARD FOR LITERARY EXCELLENCE WAS
GIVEN THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE MANSHIP THEATRE AT THE SHAW
CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN BATON ROUGE AND FEATURED ERNEST GAINES
HIMSELF READING FROM HIS NEW BOOK..
NEXT, CAME THE LOUDEST SOUND THAT I HAD EVER HEARD.
I SAW THE PRISONER FALL BACK WITH BLOOD SPLASHING FROM HIS
BODY AND BOTH DEPUTIES LET GO OF HIS ARMS AT THE SAME TIME.
THE WINNER OF THE 11th ERNEST GAINES AWARD IS LADEE
HUBBARD FROM NEW ORLEANS FOR HER NOVEL, THE TALENTED RIBKINS.
SHE RECEIVED $10,000 CASH AND A COMMEMORATIVE SCULPTURE.
THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEK.
REMEMBER, YOU CAN WATCH LPB ON DEMAND ON YOUR PHONE OR TABLET
WITH OUR LPB ANYWHERE APP. THE DOWNLOAD IS FREE FROM YOUR
APP STORE. YOU CAN CATCH LPB NEWS AND
PUBLIC AFFAIRS SHOWS, AS WELL AS OTHER LOUISIANA PROGRAMS YOU
HAVE COME ENJOY OVER THE YEARS. AND PLEASE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
AS WELL. FOR EVERYONE AT LOUISIANA PUBLIC
BROADCASTING, I'M ANDRE MOREAU, THANKS FOR WATCHING.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, THAT'S THE STATE WE'RE IN.
♪♪ ♪♪
CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AND VISIT LPB.ORG, WHERE
YOU CAN VIEW MORE STORIES AND LEAVE US A COMMENT.
THIS PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE ON DVD.
SUPPORT COMES FROM -- ENTERGY PROVIDES MUCH MORE
THAN POWER. WE SUPPORT SCIENCE AND
ENGINEERING IN LOCAL SCHOOLS TO BUILD A BRIGHTER PATH TO BETTER
JOBS AND HELP PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION, BECAUSE TOGETHER, WE
POWER LIFE. ENTERGY.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE FRED B. AND RUTH B.
ZIEGLER FOUNDATION AND THE ZIEGLER ART MUSEUM LOCATED IN
JENNINGS CITY HALL. THE MUSEUM FOCUSES ON EMERGING
LOUISIANA ARTISTS AND IS A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER
FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA. AND THE FOUNDATION FOR
EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, WITH SUPPORT FROM
VIEWERS LIKE YOU.