WE SUPPORT SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING AT 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 AN
HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.
AND THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC
BROADCASTING WITH SUPPORT FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY LNS CAPTIONING
WWW.LNSCAPTIONING.COM
EARLY VOTING TURNOUT HAS REMAINED HIGH.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE GOVERNOR'S RACE?
CANDIDATES REALLY HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO TALK TO YOUNG
PEOPLE. WHY MANY YOUNG PEOPLE AREN'T
GOING TO THE POLLS. VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES
ARE NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE OF THIS.
WORKING TO RIGHT A WRONG THAT HAS GONE ON FOR DECADES.
HI, EVERYONE. I'M NATASHA WILLIAMS.
I'M ANDRE MOREAU. MUCH MORE ON THOSE TOP STORIES
IN A MOMENT ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "SWI," BUT FIRST A
LOOK AT OTHER NEWS MAKING HEADLINES ACROSS LOUISIANA.
THIS WEEK A LOT OF FIRSTS FOR LSU FOOTBALL.
THE TIGERS EARNED THEIR FIRST EVER NUMBER ONE RANKING IN THE
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF POLL. THEY'RE ALSO FIRST IN THE AP AND
COACHES' POLL. IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY
DID SATURDAY. A 46-41 SCOREFEST OVER
PREVIOUSLY UNBEATEN ALABAMA. THE TIGERS' FIRST VICTORY OVER
THE TIDE SINCE 2011. QUARTERBACK JOE BURROW AND
RUNNING BACK CLYDE EDWARDS-HELAIRE WERE FLAWLESS,
PROPELLING LSU TO A 20-POINT HALFTIME LEAD AND THEN MAKING
ALL THE CLUTCH PLAYS TO SECURE THE VICTORY.
THE TIGERS TRY TO KEEP THEIR PERFECT SEASON GOING SATURDAY
NIGHT AT OLE MISS. HOUSTON WRITER BRYAN WASHINGTON
NAMED THE WINNER OF THE 2019 ERNEST J. GAINES AWARD FOR
LITERARY EXCELLENCE. HIS DEBUT BOOK ENTITLED "LOT" IS
A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES. WASHINGTON RECEIVED HIS AWARD
JANUARY 30 IN A CEREMONY AT THE MANSHIP THEATER AT SHAW CENTER
FOR THE ARTS IN BATON ROUGE. THE GALA WILL HONOR THE WRITERS,
OF COURSE, AND ALSO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE LITERARY GREATNESS OF THE
LATE ERNEST J. GAINES. HE PASSED AWAY JUST LAST WEEK AT
HIS HOME IN OSCAR. GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS
ANNOUNCED THAT $10 MILLION IN RECOVERY MONEY FROM HURRICANES
IKE AND GUSTAV WILL BE USED TO BUILD PERMANENT HOUSES AT CAMP
BEAUREGUARD IN PINEVILLE. THE 50 NEW HOUSES WILL BECOME
HOME TO NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN.
THE NEW HOMES WILL REPLACE AGING MOBILE HOMES, WHICH WERE BROUGHT
IN FOR DISPLACED FAMILIES AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA.
WHO KNEW LOUISIANA WAS SUCH A TOURISM DESTINATION FOR GERMANY.
FOR ONE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BILLY NUNGESSER, RIGHT NOW, AS
CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS'
ASSOCIATION, HE'S LEADING A WEEK LONG DELEGATION THERE.
NUNGESSER IS MEETING WITH GERMAN POLITICAL AND BUSINESS LEADERS
TO CONTINUE PROMOTING OUR STATE AS A TOURIST DESTINATION AND A
PLACE TO DO BUSINESS. GERMAN VISITORS SPENT MORE THAN
$80 MILLION IN LOUISIANA LAST YEAR.
CURRENT MONEY CONCERNS ARE CREATING WORRY THAT HALF OF THE
SCHOOLS IN POINTE COUPEE PARISH COULD CLOSE AND JOBS SLASHED IF
A PROPERTY TAX UP FOR RENEWAL VOTE THIS WEEKEND FAILS.
THE $5.5 MILLION THE TAX GENERATES ACCOUNTS FOR MORE THAN
A QUARTER OF THE BUDGET FOR PARISH SCHOOLS.
THE TAX RATE HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE THE 1970s AND
HAS BEEN RENEWED EVERY DECADE. WORK TO CREATE FOUR ARTIFICIAL
REEFS TO ATTRACT SPORTFISH IN LAKE BORGNE AND THE MISSISSIPPI
SOUND SHOULD BE FINISHED BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
THE REEFS WILL PROVIDE A HABITAT WHERE SPECKLED TROUT, REDFISH
AND FLOUNDER ARE LIKELY TO HANG OUT, CONTRACTORS HAVE PUT DOWN
880 TONS OF LIMESTONE AND 80 CUBIC YARDS OF CONCRETE DOMES.
OYSTER SHELLS STILL TO COME WILL COMPLETE THE NEW HABITAT.
IT APPEARS A COALITION OF STATE, LOCAL, AND LSU OFFICIALS HAVE
COME TOGETHER IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE THE SIX LAKES WHICH
SURROUND THE LSU CAMPUS IN BATON ROUGE.
A PLAN WAS FIRST DISCUSSED FOUR YEARS AGO, THE COALITION
INCLUDES THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, BREC,
LSU, THE LSU ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT, AND THE BATON ROUGE
AREA FOUNDATION. LSU'S REAL ESTATE AND FACILITIES
FOUNDATION WILL BE IN CHARGE OF ISSUING THE CONTRACTS AND WILL
OVERSEE THE EXTENSIVE WORK. THE WORK INCLUDES DREDGING ALL
SIX LAKES, BUILDING A BRIDGE AND SIDEWALKS AND BIKE PATHS.
FUNDING WILL COME FROM CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY EACH OF
THE PARTNERS. THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. LOUISIANA, WE ARE TRUMP COUNTRY.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] WE LOVE PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HE
LOVES LOUISIANA. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP LEFT A
WASHINGTON EMBROILED IN AN IMPEACHMENT DRAMA FOR BOSSIER
CITY TO RALLY REPUBLICANS AND RUNOFF CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR
EDDIE RISPONE. THE THURSDAY NIGHT EVENT TOOK
PLACE AT THE CENTURY LINK CENTER.
TRUMP IS URGING REPUBLICANS TO VOTE PARTY AND ELECT RISPONE.
BRING DOWN YOUR TAXES. IF YOU WANT TO DEFEND YOUR
VALUES, YOUR JOBS AND YOUR FREEDOM, THEN YOU NEED TO
REPLACE RADICAL LIB CAL JOHN BEL EDWARDS WITH A TRUE LOUISIANA
PATRIOT, EDDIE RISPONE. EDDIE RISPONE.
GREAT GUY. THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL
COMMITTEE HAS POURED ANOTHER $1 MILLION IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE
IN THE FINAL DAYS BEFORE TOMORROW'S ELECTION.
GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT LOSING A SECOND MAJOR STATE RACE,
KENTUCKY RECENTLY ELECTING A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR.
FOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS TO WIN, HE NEEDS A STRONG BLACK VOTER
TURNOUT AND BLACK VOTER OUTREACH HAS INTENSIFIED.
POLLS SHOW EDWARDS WITH A SLIGHT EDGE, 46 TO 48%.
THE GOP MESSAGE IS TO NATIONALIZE THE VISIT, TRUMP'S
VISIT JUNE SCORED THAT. DEMOCRATS ARE KEEPING STHAR
ISSUES ON STATE SUCCESSES. THIS WEEK TO ENSURE HIS MESSAGE
IS HEARD, THE GOVERNOR ROLLED OUT A FINAL STATEWIDE MEDIA
TOUR. THAT MEANT HE WAS IN PLACE AT
LPB STUDIOS, HOME OF LOUISIANA'S ONLY STATEWIDE NEWSCAST BEFORE
6:00 IN THE MORNING THURSDAY SO HE COULD BEAM HIS MESSAGE VIA
SATELLITE TO TV STATIONS AND MARKETS ALL OVER THE STATE.
HE APPEARED ON NUMEROUS MORNING SHOWS AND HE BEGAN A NUMBER OF
TAPED TV INTERVIEWS WITH REPORTERS FROM STATIONS
STATEWIDE. LPB HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET
THE LAST WORD FROM HIM. WE'VE MADE TREMENDOUS
PROGRESS OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
THE LARGEST BUDGET DEFICIT HAS BEEN DEALT WITH.
WE RAN A SURPLUS AFTER A $300 MILLION TAX CUT LAST YEAR, WE
RAN A SURPLUS. WE ARE INVESTING IN GAGS,
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IS DONE. WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF A RECENT
CRIME REPORT FROM 2018. EVERYTHING I HAVE DONE, ANDRE,
HAS BEEN ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MAJOR GOALS.
MOST OF THOSE THINGS REQUIRES A 2/3 VOTE IN THE LEGISLATURE.
THAT IS THE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS GOING FORWARD.
I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, CONTINUE TO MAKE
PROGRESS AND STRENGTHEN OUR STATE.
ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 16, POLLS OPEN 7:00 A.M. AND CLOSE
AT 8:00 P.M. BETWEEN 2012 AND 2014 VOTER
TURNOUT AMONG THOSE OF AND OLDER FELL 16 POINTS, BUT TURNOUT
AMONG THOSE 18 TO 29 FELL 25 POINTS.
IN AN AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA SHOWS THOSE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO DROP.
WE TALKED WITH STUDENTS AND A PROFESSOR AND LOCAL AUTHOR ABOUT
SOME OF THE REASONS WHY MANY YOUNG PEOPLE AREN'T ENGAGED.
ON A BRISK FALL MORNING, STUDENTS FILL THE SIDEWALKS OF
THE LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS FOR MANY POLITICS THE
FARTHEST THING FROM THEIR MINDS. STUDENT ATHLETE WHITNEY FOREMAN
IS FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS. I'M WAY TOO BUSY.
I PLAY VOLLEYBALL. I FOCUS ON SCHOOL AND MY SPORT.
I HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY. LSU SENIOR OF KANSAS CITY
LIKE MANY YOUNG PEOPLE GET THEIR NEWS, POLITICAL OR OTHERWISE
FROM SOCIAL MEDIA. I SEE IT ON TWITTER AND WILL
LOOK IT UP AND READ ABOUT IT. IT IS OBVIOUS THE POLITICAL
CLIMATE IS TERRIBLE. BRITTANY WIMBERL AND OTHERS
SAY WHEN THEY DO TUNE IN THEY ARE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF BY
WHAT THEY SEE AND HEAR. THE PRESIDENT, I DON'T LIKE
WHAT HE SAYS MAINLY BECAUSE WHAT I SEE ON THE COMMERCIALS ARE
NEGATIVE AGAINST THE GOVERNOR. JUST LIKE MANY IN HIS
GENERATION, JAMES MARTEN SPENDS MORE TIME ON HIS PHONE THAN
WATCHING TV. HE IS CAUTIOUS ABOUT WHAT HE
FINDS IN HIS NEWS FEED. I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING I
SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I BELIEVE EVERY COMPANY HAS
SOMEWHAT OF AN AGENDA. WHATEVER I'M LOOKING AT ON MY
FEED, I KNOW IF I'M GOING TO TAKE IT TO HEART I HAVE TO
DOUBLE CHECK IT. MARTIN ADMITS HE IS NOT
INTERESTED. I'M OVERALL UNINFORMED.
I DIDN'T EVEN VOTE THIS PAST GOVERNOR ELECTION BECAUSE I
DIDN'T FEEL CONFIDENT OR INFORMED ENOUGH TO MAKE A SOLID
DECISION. IT IS NOT HIGH ON MY PRIORITY
LIST. ANOTHER SOPHOMORE AGREES.
I FIND A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO
IT. I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS NOT
GETTING THEM TO PAY ATTENTION, BUT MAYBE JUST SORTING IT OUT
AND FIGURING OUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT, WHAT IS NOT
IMPORTANT, HOW MUCH EMPHASIS WE PUT ON THIS OR THAT.
ROBERT MANN IS A PROFESSOR AND POLITICAL HISTORIAN.
PART OF HIS JOB IS MAKING SURE STUDENTS CAN SEPARATE SOCIAL
MEDIA FACT FROM FICTION. WHAT WE DO HERE IS HELPING
THEM FIGURE OUT WHAT IS REAL, WHAT IS NOT.
TESTING, UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS A GOOD SOURCE, WHAT IS NOT A GOOD
SOURCE. WHAT CAN YOU BELIEVE?
WHAT CAN'T YOU BELIEVE? LOOK, WE ALL HAVE THOSE
PROBLEMS. I FALL FOR STUFF MYSELF.
AMERICANS, SMART PEOPLE ARE FALLING FOR FAKE NEWS ON
FACEBOOK. A LOT OF RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA.
HE SAYS MANY OF HIS JOURNALISM STUDENTS ARE VERY
INTERESTED IN POLITICS AND OFTEN ENLIGHTEN HIM.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY GIVE ME INFORMATION I DON'T HAVE.
IT IS SURPRISING. I FOLLOW THE NEWS CLOSELY AND
THEY TELL ME ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED AND SHOWING ME A
VIDEO CLIP OR SENDING ME A STORY THAT I MISSED.
HE SAYS BECAUSE OF THE WAY MANY YOUNG PEOPLE GET THEIR NEWS
AND INFORMATION, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO BYPASS A LOT OF THE
MUDSLINGING. A LOT OF STUDENTS ARE NOT
SEEING THE SPOTS, THEY ARE NOT SEEING THE SAME MESSAGES WE ARE.
SOMETIMES THEY ARE NOT SEEING THE MESSAGES AT ALL OR THEY ARE
SEEING THEM ONLINE AND MAY BE SEEING SOMETHING COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE ARE SEEING BECAUSE OF THE ABILITY TO
MICROTARGET ONLINE. CANDIDATES HAVE GOTTEN
SOPHISTICATED TO TARGETING YOU. HE SAYS POLITICIANS HAVE
HISTORICALLY STRUGGLED WITH REACHING YOUNG VOTERS AND THAT
COULD BE THE REASON MANY YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T VOTE AND ARE LESS
ENGAGED. THE CANDIDATES DON'T SPEAK TO
YOUNG PEOPLE. IT IS A SELF-FULFILLING
PROPHESY. POLITICIAN KNOW YOUNG PEOPLE
GENERALLY DON'T VOTE, FOR A LOT OF REASONS, SO THEY DON'T TALK
TO THEM. AND YOUNG PEOPLE NOTICE THE
CANDIDATES DON'T TALK TO THEM SO BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY DON'T
VOTE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT COMES FIRST
THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG, BUT BOTH ARE TRUE.
UNTIL YOUNG PEOPLE GET MORE INVOLVED, MORE ACTIVE AND START
VOTING AT A HIGHER PERCENTAGE, THE POLITICIAN WON'T PAY MUCH
ATTENTION TO THEM. LPB WILL RUN ELECTION
RESULTINGS ONCE THE POLLS CLOSE. YOU CAN SEE THE LATEST RESULTS
COMING IN AS THEY HIT THE SCREEN.
YOU SEE THE BIG PICTURE THERE OF THOSE EARLY VOTING NUMBERS.
SOME PEOPLE ARE VOTING. 115,000 MORE PEOPLE HEADED TO
THE POLLS EARLY COMPARED TO THOSE WHO VOTED EARLY IN THE
PRIMARY. POLLSTER AND POLITICAL
STRATEGIST JOHN COUVILLON OF JMC ANALYTICS AND POLLING HAS BEEN
CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS. HERE'S HIS UPDATE FOR THE FULL
EARLY VOTING. 115,000 MORE PEOPLE HAVE
VOTED EARLY. I THINK YOU WILL CRACK 500,000
TOTAL EARLY VOTES. THAT MEANS IT IS THE HIGHEST
EARLY VOTING TURNOUT EVER IN A NON-PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
BY COMPARISON, 385,000 VOTERS WENTZ TO THE POLLS EARLY IN THE
OCTOBER PRIMARY. THE THING THAT HAS BEEN
INTERESTING ABOUT THE RUNOFF EARLY VOTING, IT HAS REMAINED
MORE HEAVILY DEMOCRATIC. NUMBER TWO, WHEN I LOOKED AT
THOSE WHO ACTUALLY EARLY VOTED, THERE WERE 60,000 QUOTE-UNQUOTE
NEW VOTERS. THEY DID NOT PEARPT IN THE
PRIMARY. MORE BLACK VOTERS TURNED OUT
COMPARED TO THE PRIMARY AND THE FINAL TALLY IS 31% BLACK, 6%
HIGHER IN THE PRIMARY. IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN A
SIX-POINT DIFFERENCE FOR EDWARDS.
THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS THIS, THERE HAS BEEN SPINNING GOING ON
TO THE POINT THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE FRONT LOADING THE TURNOUT.
WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS IT IS CONSISTENTLY BENEFITING THE
DEMOCRATS, IT IS MARGE NHL FOR EDWARDS ON ELECTION DAY.
HE BELIEVES 52% OF THE ELECTORATE WILL GO TO THE POLLS.
DO YOU THINK WHOEVER WINS, THE FINAL NUMBERS --
I THINK IT WILL BE IN TWO TO THREE POINTS.
THE EARLY VOTING HAS EXCEEDED 500,000 PEOPLE.
BESIDES THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, VOTERS WILL DECIDE SECRETARY OF
STATE AND BESE RUNOFF RACES SENATOR JOHN KENNEDY WHO
GAINED NATIONAL ATTENTION AT A TRUMP RALLY SAYING NANCY PELOSI
MUST BE DUMB, STRUCK A DIFFERENT ACCORD AT THE BATON ROUGE PRESS
CLUB. HE TALKED ABOUT THE 2020 CENSUS
IMPORTANCE. A GROWING NUMBERS OF
AMERICANS WHO SAY THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
CENSUS. AMONG THOSE MOST LIKELY TO SAY
THEY WILL SKIP IT, FIRST CATEGORY, YOUNG ADULTS 18 TO 29
YEARS OLD, ABOUT 34% WHEN SURVEYED SAY THEY ARE NOT GOING
TO PARTICIPATE. AFRICAN-AMERICANS ABOUT 26%.
NEIGHBORS OF OURS WITH A FAMILY INCOME OF LESS THAN $30,000,
ABOUT 24% SAY THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE.
HISPANIC AMERICANS AND HISPANICS WHO ARE IN OUR COUNTRY BUT ARE
NOT YET CITIZENS, 21%. LOOK, I UNDERSTAND DISTRUST OF
GOVERNMENT. AS BAD AS IT LOOKS SOMETIMES
FROM THE OUTSIDE, YOU SHOULD SEE IT FROM THE INSIDE, BUT THIS IS
IMPORTANT. AND I HOPE YOU WILL HELP US
PUBLICIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ALL AMERICANS INCLUDING AND
ESPECIALLY LOUISIANANS TO ANSWER THE CENSUS.
THERE IS BIG NEWS ABOUT THE SUPERDOME THIS WEEK.
THE COMMISSION APPROVED A CONTRACT TO KICK OFF THE FIRST
PHASE OF A MASSIVE RENOVATION OF THE MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME.
PRICE TAG $450 TO $500 MILLION. AFTER THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN NEW ORLEANS THIS SEASON.
THE GOVERNOR AND A CHAIRMAN FOR THE DOME COMMISSION ARE BEAMING
ABOUT WHAT IS TO COME. I EXPECT IT TO BE SUCH A GOOD
DEAL FOR THE STATE THAT EVERYBODY, REGARDLESS OF WHERE
THEY LIVE AROUND THE STATE OF LOUISIANA ARE GOING TO BE
EXCITED ABOUT IT. LOOK, NEW ORLEANS IS IMPORTANT
TO THE STATE. AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.
AND ON OCCASION YOU HAVE TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT NEW INVESTMENTS.
ESPECIALLY IN SOMETHING LIKE A FACILITY LIKE THE SUPERDOME
WHERE YOU NEED IT TO BE COMPETITIVE, NOT JUST FROM THE
ASPECT OF THE SAINTS, EVERY TIME WE IMPROVE IT WE ARE MORE
COMPETITIVE WITH BOWL GAMES AND OTHER FUNCTIONS YOU CAN GET
THERE. THE FAN EXPERIENCE IS SOMETHING
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT, TOO. AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO UPGRADE
THAT FAN EXPERIENCE AT THE SUPERDOME AND, YOU KNOW, FIRST
OF ALL, I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE STARTED BY SAYING WHAT A
WONDERFUL FACILITY THAT HAS BEEN FOR THE STATE OF LOUISIANA FOR A
LONG TIME. THIS IS A MULTIPHASE,
MULTIYEAR PROJECT THAT TOTALS $450 MILLION.
SO WE ARE GOING TO BE MOVING PIECES AROUND AND IN THIS CASE
WE HAVE THE COMMISSARY INVOLVED IN THIS PHASE.
WE DECIDED TO MOVE IT TO ANOTHER PHASE, HOPEFULLY TO SAVE SOME
MONEY AND BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE.
SO THIS INITIAL PHASE WILL BE CLOSE TO $53 MILLION.
INVOLVE THE TEARING OUT OF THE WALKWAYS, THE INTERIOR RAMPS
INSIDE THE SUPERDOME, WHICH IS ABOUT 80,000 SQUARE FEET.
THIS IS IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN KEEPING THE SAINTS HERE FOR
ANOTHER 30 YEARS. THEY ARE A PARTNER IN THIS
PROJECT. THEY ARE PUTTING UP REAL MONEY
TO HELP US RENOVATE THE SUPERDOME.
OBVIOUSLY, MRS. BENSON AND THE SAINTS LOVE NEW ORLEANS.
THEY AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE. WE ARE HONORED TO KEEP THEM IN
LOUISIANA FOR THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE.
WHEN YOU ALREADY RANK ONE OF THE BEST VENUES IN ALL OF NFL, WE
ARE PRETTY CLOSE TO BEING THERE NOW.
WHAT THIS DOES IS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE TO THE NEXT 30 OR 40
YEARS. THIS WILL KEEP US IN COMPETITION
WITH SOME OF THESE BIG EVENTS WE ARE ALWAYS BIDDING ON.
AS IT RELATES TO THE SUPERDOME NOW AND THE EXPERIENCE OUR FANS
HAVE FLOW, WE ARE UP AT THE TOP OF THE MARK.
YES, DO OUR CONCOURSES NEED TO BE LARGER?
CERTAINLY. DO WE NEED MORE BATHROOMS IN THE
FACILITY? ABSOLUTELY.
DO WE NEED MORE ADA SEATING IN THIS BUILDING?
ABSOLUTELY. WE NEED TO DO THOSE KINDS OF
THINGS IN THIS FACILITY TO BRING IT UP TO CURRENT STANDARDS.
AS WE SALUTED AND HONORED VETERANS ON VETERANS DAY, I
PLANNED TO VISIT WITH A GROUP OF VETERANS TO SAY THANK YOU.
WE CAN NEVER THANK THEM ENOUGH. WHAT I LEARNED IS THESE GUYS
HAVE NEVER STOPPED SERVING. THEY ARE WORKING TO END THE
WIDOW'S TAX. THE ONE THING THAT CONNECTS
US ALL IS WE WERE IN THIS ONE ORGANIZATION THAT VERY FEW
OTHERS HAVE BEEN A PART OF. THE CONNECTION THAT REGINALD
BROWN SPEAKS OF IS THE ONE THAT CAN BE FORGED BY MEN AND WOMEN
WHO CHOOSE THE LIFE OF SERVICE TO AMERICA IN THE ARMED FORCES.
I FOUND SOMETHING THERE AND IT WAS TOUGH AND RIGOROUS, IT
WAS SOMETHING MAGIC ABOUT GETTING THINGS DONE.
WAYNE RADER IS A RETIRED ARMY COLONEL, SHELBY HARGROVE IN THE
ROTC ARMY RESERVES. MILITARY GIVES YOU LOTS OF
OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU DON'T GET ANYWHERE ELSE.
THE MILITARY GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO FORM ABILITIES
THAT YOU DON'T GET IN CIVILIAN LIFE.
ONE MISSION THEY ARE WORKING ON WITH GREAT HELP OF THEIR
GROUP THE MILITARIES OFFICERS ASSOCIATION IS SOMETHING KNOWN
AS THE WIDOW'S TAX. THEY TELL ME IT KEEPS THOUSANDS
OF MILITARY FAMILIES FROM COLLECTING WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY
THEIRS AND THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS.
THERE IS A LAW THAT PROHIBITS INDIVIDUALS FROM DRAWING BOTH
THEIR SURVIVOR BENEFIT FROM THEIR RETIRED SERVICE MEMBERS
SPOUSE AND THE SURVIVOR INSURANCE BENEFIT.
AND THE SURVIVOR SPOUSE PAYS A PREMIUM FOR THIS BENEFIT.
SO IT'S ONE OF THE FEW CASES THAT ANYONE KNOWS OF WHERE A
COUPLE IS PAYING A BENEFIT -- PAYING A PREMIUM FOR A BENEFIT
AND THEN THEY CAN'T ACCEPT THE BENEFIT, THEIR RETIREMENT PAID
BENEFIT IS REDUCED BECAUSE OF THAT IF THEIR SPOUSE DIES.
AS MANY AS 65,000 MILITARY WIDOWS ARE IMPACTED, MISSING OUT
ON $12,000 A YEAR TAX FREE. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS,
QUITE A FEW YEARS, CONGRESS HAS ENTERTAINED THIS CHANGE TO THIS
LAW, BUT HAS NEVER PASSED IT. AND THEY SAID IT IS BECAUSE THEY
DON'T HAVE THE $2 MILLION TO $3 MILLION IT WOULD TAKE TO FUND
IT. WHICH IS KIND OF STRANGE BECAUSE
WE FIND HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO OFUND OTHER THINGS
WHEREAS IT IS A CASE FOR US WHERE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILY
MEMBERS ARE NOT BEING FULLY TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE OF THIS.
HOW DO YOU RESPOND? HOW DO YOU REACT TO SOMETHING
THAT SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE DONE IN SUCH A BETTER WAY AND
SORT OF AN OBVIOUS CLEAR CUT HELPFUL WAY, BUT IT IS NOT?
WE UNDERSTAND POLITICS IS POLITICS.
WE TRY TO BE EVEN KEELED ABOUT THAT.
EVEN THOUGH WE ARE AN OFFICER ORGANIZATION, THE ORGANIZATION
KNOWS THAT WE DON'T EXIST UNLESS WE TAKE CARE OF THE ENTIRE
FORCE. SO THERE'S A LOT OF LEGISLATION
THAT HAPPENS IN WASHINGTON THAT AFFECTS MILITARY PAY AND
ALLOWANCES. SO THERE'S A LOT OF ADVOCACY TO
TRY TO GET THOSE BILLS PASSED TO HELP THE CURRENT SERVING
MILITARY AND THEIR SPOUSES BECAUSE THAT IS A KEY COMPONENT
OF KEEPING OUR MORALE UP IN THE ACTIVE FORCE TO ENSURE THAT OUR
FAMILIES ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF WHILE WE ARE DEPLOYED AND DOING
WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THE COUNTRY.
THEY SAY NOW FINALLY IN JUST THE PAST RECENT MONTHS THERE HAS
BEEN MOVEMENT IN WASHINGTON TO CHANGE THE ARCHAIC LAW, BUT IT
HASN'T HAPPENED YET. THEY CONTINUE THEIR FIGHT TO
SERVE WITH TEAMWORK, BROTHERHOOD AND UNITY.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE, TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, TO BE PART OF
A TEAM THAT REALLY IS COMMITTED TO A QUALITY OF LIFE THAT IS
PRETTY EXTRAORDINARY IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN VERY,
VERY SPECIAL, I THINK TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HERE AT THIS
TABLE. THOSE GUYS ARE EXTRAORDINARY.
WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE. THAT IS OUR SHOW THIS WEEK.
REMEMBER, YOU CAN WATCH ANYTHING LPB ANYWHERE TIME WITH OUR BRAND
NEW APP. DOWNLOAD FROM OUR APP STORES.
PLEASE FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.
FOR ALL OF US AT LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, I'M ANDRE
MOREAU. I'M NATASHA WILLIAMS.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, THAT'S THE "STATE WE'RE IN."
SUPPORT COMES FROM -- ENTERGY PROVIDES MUCH MORE THAN
POWER. WE SUPPORT SCIENCE AND
ENGINEERING AT 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 AN HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER
FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA. AND THE FOUNDATION FOR
EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING WITH SUPPORT FROM
VIEWERS LIKE YOU.