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.

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