Support for Louisiana.

The state we're in is provided by Entergy.

Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state.

We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us.

Because together we power life.

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 and viewers like you.

Thank you.

Coastal restoration is front and center at the state Capitol.

We break down the latest projects from the Cpra designed to protect and rebuild Louisiana's coast, and a new Wetlands Education Center gives visitors a firsthand look at one of Louisiana's most threatened ecosystems, plus a new push at the capital could expand.

Who gets to hunt alligators in Louisiana?

And we'll meet our next young hero.

Ponchatoula zone.

Brooklyn Warner.

Let's get started.

Let's get to it.

Do it for.

Hi, everyone.

I'm Christina Jensen, and I'm Johnnie Atkins and much more on those top stories in a moment on this week's edition of Louisiana State.

We're in.

But first, the parents of LSU wide receiver Kyron Lacy are suing Louisiana State Police over their son's death.

Lacy took his own life following a fatal crash in April of last year.

State police originally said he caused the crash, but an investigation by the First Parish District Attorney's Office found issues with their investigation.

The lawsuit claims the state police falsified evidence, coached witnesses and failed to consider other evidence that other drivers may have caused that accident.

Laci's parents are seeking damages for his death, for public humiliation, and for the loss of their son's potential pro football career.

We have an update on his story we first brought you weeks ago.

A proposed bill known as Jodi's Law is now headed to the full Senate.

The legislation would toughen penalties and close loopholes for drivers accused in deadly hit and run cases.

It's named after a 20 year old Jodi man who was killed last year in Livingston Parish.

If senators give final approval, the bill would head to Governor Landry's desk, the last step before it can become law.

Louisiana's latest plan to fight coastal land laws is moving forward at the state capitol.

The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority's 2027 annual fiscal plan has now been approved by a Senate committee, putting it on track for a full vote by the House and Senate.

Lawmakers can only give the plan an up or down vote without making changes.

As debate continues over which restoration projects are being included and left out, I break down what's in the plan and what it can mean for Louisiana's coast.

The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, or Cpra, is moving forward with its fiscal year 2027 annual plan, which is now under consideration by lawmakers.

A $1.54 billion investment spanning 143 projects aimed at restoring and protecting Louisiana's rapidly disappearing coastline.

But as marshes continue to vanish and storms grow stronger, a bigger question is emerging.

Is it enough?

And is it the right strategy?

From Plaquemines Parish to the wetlands surrounding New Orleans, Louisiana, coast is disappearing faster than almost anywhere on Earth.

Land that once protected communities from storm surge is now open water.

This is no longer a distant environmental issue.

It's about homes, jobs, and the future of entire communities.

The state's response move faster.

Nearly 93% of the $1.54 billion plan is dedicated to engineering and construction.

A push to get projects out of planning and into the ground.

70 projects are in construction, 65 are in engineering or design, eight are in planning stages.

The plan also includes 18 dredging projects, expected to use more than 52,000,000yd³ of sediment to build over 11,000 acres of new wetlands.

Starting out west, we have the Calcasieu Sabine Marsh Creation and Hydrologic Restoration Project.

This is being funded through the Restore act.

We've got a lower, Barataria land bridge that is looking to really try to take that that fight, that flood fight, that saltwater intrusion and address it at the the lowest southern edge of the coast.

And then as we continue to go east, Schindler Island, that's one of the largest barrier islands and actually provides some level of protection and benefit to the state of Mississippi.

We're going to be restoring that barrier island this year, and that'll be one of the largest projects to get kicked off, either at the late 2026 or early 27.

Officials say these projects will do more than build land.

They'll build the economy, supporting more than 10,800 jobs and generating about $636 million in labor income.

And we look at what is really most in need.

I say the near term, but really over the next 20 years, where are we seeing the greatest amount of land loss or subsidence or flood risk?

And then how do we start to put into action projects that will address that in the near term?

But even as the state accelerates spending a major piece of Louisiana's coastal strategy is now missing.

For years, scientists said the key to saving the coast was reconnecting the Mississippi River to its wetlands, using controlled sediment diversions to build land naturally at the center of that vision.

The mid Barataria Sediment Diversion, once planned, is one of the largest restoration projects in U.S.

history, but the state has now terminated the project, cutting its funding from 2.26 billion to just over 600 million already spent.

So when we cancel that, the big question is, okay, so what?

What comes next?

What is going to take the place of that?

And this annual plan doesn't really speak to that at all.

So I think people in the public and groups like mine, we're kind of hoping to see a new sense of vision.

So where is the state going to go if sediment diversions are unacceptable or undone?

You know, fundable, according to them?

What is the plan?

Environmental advocates argue that without a project of that scale, Louisiana may struggle to rebuild land fast enough to keep up with loss.

And they say the state has yet to present a clear replacement.

There's a lot of oil spill money that had been obligated to that really big project.

A lot of that was wasted, and we're never going to get that back.

So almost, you know, $618 million just for mid Barataria.

We're never going to see a benefit from that.

That's a really big deal.

The plan also brings in new funding projections, including expected coastal settlement dollars to sustain future projects.

And the growth is significant, jumping from 130 projects and just over $1.2 billion in the draft to 143 projects and 1.54 billion today.

More than 300 public comments helped shape the final version.

Now heading to the legislature for approval.

State leaders say it's a bold plan focused on building now, not waiting.

I encourage you to continue to look as far west and as far east as our entire coast.

Look at every project we're doing, and I think you should expect from us to implement projects that we can truly afford to build and maintain.

But critics say that still leaves a bigger question.

What comes next?

It's saying this is the money.

These are the projects.

We don't expect anything huge to change in it.

And so that that is, that is good from a public trust and transparency point of view.

But again, it's not good if you're looking to see that.

What does that replacement vision for that project that's no longer there.

Louisiana's disappearing wetlands take center stage in a new way.

A new wetlands educational center in Jefferson Parish gives visitors a hands on look at the fragile ecosystem and the fight to protect it.

Here's a look at how they are working to inspire the next generation of coastal stewards.

And the city of Jeanne or John Lafitte.

Where can you go to learn about the Louisiana coast?

From the wetlands to the unique wildlife to the natural marsh?

There's a brand new energy brewing in the heart of John Murphy, and it's a hop, skip and a jump from New Orleans.

The grand opening of the Louisiana Wetlands Educational Center just launched in the small town of John Murphy or Jean Lafitte.

So the genius of John Murphy, I say, Jean Murphy.

Jean Lafayette's new facility features unique exhibits helping people understand the wetland habitats, coastal protection, and the Cajun culture of the Louisiana bayous.

This was an idea that had, surfaced in 2012, and it was by our mayor, Tim Kerner, who had an inspiration, who wanted the nation, Louisiana and the world to know the importance of wetlands.

Yvette Crane has been working to put this new educational center together, focused on Louisiana's unique coastal environment.

She's also the mayor of Jean Lafayette.

You say?

Geography.

The town, geography.

And I've heard people say, Jean Lafitte.

Which is it?

I just think it should be said with the French pronunciation.

So when I'm doing the story thing, I should say geography.

I think so.

Okay, I'll do it.

Exhibits inside the genre feed center show displays like hurricanes from 1 in 1985 to Ida, which devastated the area in 2021.

We're back on our feet.

We continue to work with agencies to provide levees and protection, and that's our goal.

Other exhibits explain the different native plants and the rocks and shells natural to the marsh.

You can even create levees and streams with your own hands, so you can actually make the water flow through this small area like this.

How does that work?

It's just a kinetic sand that you can just move around and you can explore and design your levee or your area.

You can also make it rain.

Another exhibit shows how with careful planning, the marsh can be protected despite Louisiana's unpredictable weather.

Sometimes we want to stop.

Where?

If this is water, we want to stop the water.

So you put barriers in its place to stop the water from intruding in these areas.

The value of an oyster reefs in Louisiana is truly amazing.

They act as breakwaters, protecting the shorelines from erosion and improve the water quality.

A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day.

Our fishing industry had a lot to do with the thought of this, project.

It just, lets everyone know how important the coast is for our for our livelihood here.

The biggest feature of the new facility is the incredible walkway going more than a mile through Louisiana marsh.

How much did it cost to build something like that?

Well, it was built with volunteers.

We had a lot of great people that came in and got dirty and just did what they had to do in order to make this beautiful path so that people enjoy it for years and years to come.

The Barataria Basin is a massive 1.5 million acre estuary bordered by the Mississippi River, Bayou Lafourche, and the Gulf.

The surrounding areas provide access to the natural surroundings, to the swamps, with the marsh and the bayous that define Louisiana wildlife.

What a lot of people think of when they think of a swamp is they think of a canal.

They think of a kind of clear waterway.

But what the swamp truly is, is it's a semi-permanent flooded forest.

Visitors come from around Louisiana and the world to witness this natural marsh.

And we often come down to Lafayette.

It's 30 minutes from New Orleans.

We're taking pictures of birds, of alligators.

The swamp.

What would you think if they wanted to tear all this down and just put up a parking lot?

I would say absolutely not.

I think that nature is really important for the world, and I think everyone should have a chance to enjoy it and look at it.

And I think that this preserve is really good for the community.

We got some money from the federal government to reconstruct our trails, to raise them up higher, to make them more resilient to rising sea levels.

In all of the hurricanes that we get inundated with, families and visitors of all ages come in to see for themselves.

What did you say?

Alligator alligators.

And what else?

Just for two squirrels and cuckoo turtles.

Tell me what kind of review we do at this park.

Thumbs up, thumbs up.

Why is low information display cool as what?

A gator without the bayou and Louisiana.

We're really thrilled to be here in the town of Jean Lafitte.

Right now, our park is going through a construction process.

Is it geography or team of feet?

Well, depends on who you ask.

So everyone should set course for the basin.

Louisiana Wetlands Educational Center offers beautiful scenery and education for the kids.

We would like people to come in and enjoy this and enjoy swamp tour and spend the weekend with us.

It's the perfect place to witness real Louisiana nature.

All in the town of John Lafayette or Jean Lafayette, Louisiana.

A new proposal at the state Capitol could open the door to more hunting opportunities across Louisiana.

Lawmakers are now weighing a plan to create a recreational alligator hunting season.

I spoke with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries about what this could mean for sportsmen and for the state's conservation efforts.

Joining me now is Tyler Bosworth, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

Thank you so much for being here.

Thank you for having me.

I want to talk about Senate Bill 244.

It just passed the Louisiana Senate.

It would authorize a new recreational alligator hunting season.

What does that bill entail?

That's right.

So Senate Bill 244 by Senator Allen.

It really gives broad authority to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to establish a first of its kind recreational alligator season in the state of Louisiana.

And how would this differ from the commercial season?

So right now, the commercial alligator hunting or the alligator hunting that we have in Louisiana is strictly commercial in nature, and it's highly regulated because of its commercial nature for global commerce.

A recreational season would be truly recreational in nature, where you're not having to be tied to that land, and those tags will be recreational, and they won't be governed by the Cites convention.

How many tags could each hunter receive?

So, the way that we're proposing the notice of intent that would run through our, our Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, it would be a lottery system based on eight different regions that mirror our enforcement regions.

Each successful applicant in the lottery would receive two tags, and they would be able to go out on, on public public lands that we have enumerated or that we will enumerate or they'll be able to go out on their own property.

Maybe you have a smaller, parcel of land that's, adjacent to water, or you have a pond on your land, and you don't currently qualify for the commercial harvest of alligator or, you can do it on, private land with landowner consent, much like you would a turkey or a deer.

For the recreational folks, if you're south of I-10 or south of highway 90, essentially in that coastal zone, what we're proposing is your season would start in October, and it would run through the end of December.

If you're north of I-10, where there isn't a lot of commercial activity already, virtually no commercial activity, it would start and run, concurrent with, with the commercial industry September through December.

So different times for different reasons, different times for different reasons, based on just based on the commercial activity that's already occurring in the in the coastal zone.

How would the state ensure that this doesn't impede with the commercial hunting?

Everything that we've talked about with this policy, and we intend to put in place, is built in with protections to protect that, commercial industry.

Right.

And so what that looks like is the tags, like I mentioned, non non cites tags.

They'll look just like a city's tag, that plastic tag that you have to put through the tail of the alligator.

But it'll have a different nomenclature on it.

The numbers will look different.

And alphanumeric code that's still scannable but it'll be not for commerce.

Right.

And so you can take that skin as a as a harvester.

You can harvest that alligator.

You can get it processed.

You can keep the meat.

You can't put the meat back into commerce because we don't want to take the meat industry.

We don't want to materially affect that at all.

And then you can take your hide and send it up to Georgia or Florida.

One of these tanneries that we have, get it tanned and sent back to you.

But the tannery and the processor will know because of the color of the tag and because of the alphanumeric code on there that it's not intended for and cannot be put into commercial commerce.

Does the bill have anything to do with our current alligator population?

We are looking at it from a purely recreational access standpoint, and Governor Landry and myself, we want to give increased recreational access to harvest opportunity to the to the sportsmen and women of Louisiana.

But Senator Allen, he's an alligator, harvester, a landowner, a coastal landowner in his own right.

And and he sees the abundance of the population and the human interaction that we're that we're starting to see, outside of the coastal zone more into the northern portions of the state where you wouldn't historically have alligator encounters.

It is important to note that when we look at the population of alligator in Louisiana, and the department's estimate is 3.36 million alligators.

To put that into perspective, we have a little over 4 million people in Louisiana.

And so you can see that there is an abundance, I'm not going to call it an overpopulation of alligator, but we we are we are confident to say that the alligator population in Louisiana, the alligator itself, has fully recovered, and it can withstand a recreational harvest in concert with, the commercial harvest.

All right, my last question.

Where does the bill go from here?

We need it to get to the governor's desk so that he can sign it.

And then that starts the commission rulemaking process.

So the sooner we get it to the commission, the more time we have to have the public give input on what the actual proposal will look like once it goes through the commission.

All right.

We'll have to see what happens.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for joining us.

This week's Louisiana Young Hero comes to us from Ponchatoula, Brooklyn.

Warner is a junior at Hammond High Magnet School, a childhood encounter sparked a lifelong passion for science and technology.

Now, she's working to attract more young women to a historically male dominated field.

Here's milk in the story.

Her youngest three siblings have disabilities, and that has shaped her, I think, a lot.

It's opened her eyes to the different access.

It's opened her eyes to different people's life's journeys at a very young age, and it's caused her at a very young age to realize not everybody has things handed to them or have anything at all.

So it's just caused her to be a big sister with a big heart.

Having a big heart and empathy for others is central to who Brooklynn Warner is, and why creating access is so important to her.

All of my siblings came for foster care.

Being able to see their stories and to have as much as much sympathy and empathy as I can.

It is truly inspired me to keep going for any other kid in foster care, and the other kid that's going to the adoption process, as I can see how hard it can be, and I want them to have the easiest journey that they can.

With that goal in mind.

Brooklyn established a free school supply cabinet, offering supplies to students who may be going through the foster program or other hardships at home.

That's truly been my driving force for some of my projects, like for my supply cabinet, having those foster care students that just need extra supplies or they don't have enough money or they don't have enough resources to get those supplies, has truly also been a force.

That why I've been so motivated to continue that.

Brooklyn's other passion centers on science.

She's a champion for girls interested in Stem, and she's a leader on her school robotics team, where her contributions are out of this world.

Brooklyn's leadership, especially in robotics, she very much leads by example, and she is one that will check in and make sure that everybody is there and understanding of what's going on.

Brooklyn has kind of established a programing group.

We now have eight students who are very much interested in programing, who she has made sure are included in all aspects of what is going on with the robot, which is awesome.

It's important to me to provide this still access for girls, because it allows them to see themselves in something they may have not seen themselves in before.

This also kind of relates back to my book, The Pig Astronaut, where it tells them about my personal experience and how whenever I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut, and sometimes people would look at me a little weird because, I mean, I like, think I like glitter and I want it to show and give the opportunity to other young girls that just because you like pink, just because you like glitter, that doesn't stop you from being able to achieve anything you set your mind to.

This is precisely why Brooklyn founded her own nonprofit organization called the Pink Potion Society.

She organizes workshops for young girls to explore topics not normally associated with Stem.

We did a cosmic engineering where we tested different makeup products and how they were moved along with agriculture, and we did tested the flowers and the different petals and how they could be different.

I was able to reach out to professionals in that field so they could give a more in-depth explanation of how this relates to Stem, and why it's so important.

And how are anything you're interested in can be a Stem field because Stem is everywhere.

It was 2026 Louisianan legend honoree Calvin Mackey, founder of Stem Nola, who inspired Brooklyn's interest in Stem.

As a little girl, he used to hold small little stem caps, and she used to actually go.

My husband and I are neither one of us are in the science or Stem world.

So I was like, well, you know, if she wants to go, let's go.

And she was in her that he was doing some kind of stop.

Rocket.

She just stood next to him, staring at him as he was playing with these rockets.

And it was that day, that evening where she said, mom, I want to do that.

That day began an interest and journey in Stem that has continued to guide Brooklyn's life path.

Her contributions are already being recognized in a big way.

When I was named the top 40 Women in Computing, it was so shocking.

I still am shocked to this day and I applied for it just for fun to see.

Oh, I'm probably not going to get this.

That's going to apply anyway.

And when I got it like one nationally my first try, it was inspiring to me.

And then it made me realize that what I'm doing isn't as small scale as I think it is.

I'm truly affecting my community.

I'm truly making an impact.

So I've met so many, so many amazing girls that have the same intentions and have the same motivation to push forward to impact our community going forward is in Brooklyn's nature.

She's won awards for leadership in robotics competitions, as well as bronze and silver awards for her Girl Scout projects.

Don't pollute the blue and very fresh used car fresheners.

And speaking of Girl Scouts, as a young leader in Stem with aspirations to work for NASA, the Artemis two mission to the moon with a former fellow Girl Scout in space is another awe inspiring example of the trajectory that studies and Stem create.

I miss too, it was.

It was so beautiful to watch and I watched at home actually with one of my friends, my phone.

And it was it was the coolest thing ever, having to see and watch the countdown and watch how many people were actually there and were so interested in Artemis still in me, able to see the astronauts get prepared to go to space, as I've been doing a lot of research on them.

I know one of the astronauts is actually a Girl Scout, which hit home for me personally, and it was truly astronomical and it was just amazing.

And I'm fully on board.

I love Artemus, too.

It's just it's so inspiring and hopefully one day that could be me.

Brooklyn is a role model for her peers and someone who makes her community proud.

That's why Cobia Ventress was inspired to nominate her for a Young Heroes Award.

I think that Brooklyn is an amazing young woman and to be the amazing young woman she is today.

She has a very great mother standing behind her, pushing her to be the best woman she can be.

And I think that is a beautiful thing to have and be able to showcase in the community.

She's always been self-determined, self-starter.

If she sees a problem, she doesn't come to me with a complaint.

She comes to me with a solution.

Really been a blessing to be her parent.

I would say I do this because it helps the future.

I would say that growing up it was hard to get where I am, to still be true to myself and want to be an engineer and want to be a woman in Stem, and I want to make that route easier for whoever comes next.

I just want to make sure that my impact was measurable.

For the future engineers of tomorrow.

I'm Brooklyn Winter and I'm a young hero.

Johnny, I think it's great that she's trying to encourage girls to go into Stem programs.

We need that.

Very impressive what she's done at such a young age.

Congrats to her.

Well, hopefully these Louisiana Young Heroes program is presented this year with the generous support of presenting sponsor, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library.

The title sponsor the William J. Dora family, and with additional support from the community Coffee Demko and McDonald's.

And a special thanks to Louisiana propane dealers and LSU football.

And before we go, big congratulations to our dream getaway raffle winner, Vera.

Oh from Baton Rouge.

Very.

You have just won an unforgettable dream getaway to stunning Bellagio, Italy, plus a $5,000 Delta gift card to make your journey even more incredible.

We are so excited for you and we can't wait for you to experience this once in a lifetime adventure!

Congratulations and thank you to everyone who participated.

You made this year's raffle an amazing success and we couldn't have done it without you.

Well, that's our show for this week.

Remember, you can watch anything LPB any time, wherever you are with our LPB app, and you can catch LPB news and public affairs shows, as well as other Louisiana programs that you've come to enjoy over the years.

And please like us on Facebook and Instagram for everyone at Louisiana Public Broadcasting, I'm Christina Jensen and I'm Johnny Atkinson.

Until next time.

That's the state we're in.

Support for Louisiana.

The state we're in is provided by the Entergy.

Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state.

We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us.

Because together we power life.

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 by Visit Baton Rouge and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

And viewers like you.

Thank you.