Mornings with Brian Haldane

Sarah Harbison highlighted Louisiana’s recent regulatory wins at the Pelican Institute’s Solutions Summit. She pointed to last year’s passage of the REINS Act, which forces agencies to justify costly regulations, and the end of “Skidmore deference,” which removed the courts’ habit of favoring state agencies during challenges. Her first panel, Ridiculous Regs and How to Stop Them, explores how rule...

Erin Bendily from the Pelican Institute led a sharp conversation at the Solutions Summit about school choice and the direction of K-12 education in Louisiana. She opened with the Gator Scholarship Program, which now sits in its application season for the 2026–2027 school year. Families across the state want answers about funding, availability, and long-term stability. Thousands of applicants alrea...

Here’s a tight, readable summary with active voice and no passive voice:The Pelican Institute’s 2026 Solutions Summit opened with a heavy focus on technology and economic growth. Vance Ginn led the “Silicon Bayou” session and pushed Louisiana to embrace innovation instead of fearing it. He said AI already drives daily tools, boosts health care, and supports personalized learning, and he urged lawm...

Daniel Erspamer from the Pelican Institute previewed the biggest political storylines ahead of Louisiana’s 2026 legislative session. He pointed to the Public Service Commission races as a major focus, especially with Baton Rouge residents furious over soaring Delta Utilities gas bills. The Pelican Institute hosts a candidate forum today for Districts 1 and 5. Erspamer revealed early polling number...

Sal Nuzzo, Senior Fellow at the James Madison Institute and Executive Director of Consumer Defense, spoke at the Pelican Institute’s 2026 Solutions Summit about the growing fight over ESG and energy policy. He said ESG rules often bypass voters and lawmakers, pushing hidden regulations through state agencies. Nuzzo argued that supporters misuse the idea of diversity and that real diversity include...

BREC rolled out a major round of updates. The Perkins Master Plan is approved, with the first phase starting at Olympia Stadium. Leaders said last year’s reduction in force was meant to streamline operations and raise pay for the employees who stayed. A community meeting on the Airline Highway project is set for March 19 in St. George. Summer camp registration opens March 7 with art, sports, outdo...

New Orleans tourism is surging again. Walt Leger says Mardi Gras brought 2.2 million visits and a 20% jump in out-of-town travelers, matching pre-COVID levels. The Recycle Dat program expanded, major conventions arrived immediately after the holiday, and big events like Sail 250 and the New Orleans Book Festival are on the way.

Moon Griffon says the upcoming legislative session still feels light on major moves, even as workforce issues dominate early conversations. He expects lawmakers to revisit carbon capture and insurance reforms, noting that AI and better driver behavior may influence recent rate drops more than policy changes. Griffon also points to growing tension in the May closed primaries, where ads targeting Co...

Will Green from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry says the LA Driven plan is showing clear progress. Louisiana has already reached two major goals: moving into the top half of states for job creation and increasing high-wage jobs. Big projects from Amazon, Hyundai Steel, Meta, and others helped push those numbers up. Education indicators are improving too. Third-grade reading is u...

State Representative Jack McFarland says the 2026 legislative session will start with a simple goal: hold spending steady and review every agency line by line. He joined Brian Haldane to explain why the budget will drive the session from day one.

QDOBA in Towne Center at Cedar Lodge brings in steady crowds for a reason, and Manager Deaton Trahan says 2026 is shaping up to be one of their strongest years yet. He joined us to walk through what’s driving the momentum and why Baton Rouge diners keep coming back.

State Representative Michael Melerine says the upcoming legislative session will center on one major priority: building a workforce strong enough to meet Louisiana’s rapid economic growth. He joined Talk 107.3 to outline the stakes. Major projects are landing across the state, from the $12 billion data center investment in Shreveport to the new Hyundai plant in southeast Louisiana. Melerine said l...

Pennington Biomedical Research Center will host its 26th annual Women’s Wellness Day on March 7, offering free health screenings, expert talks, and community resources. The event runs from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pennington conference center and invites women to learn, recharge, and prioritize their health. Attendees will hear from Pennington experts, including Dr. Prachi Singh on sleep and cardio...

Deputy Energy Secretary James Danly visited the Magnolia Power Generating Station in Plaquemine and said the plant arrives at the perfect time. He noted that electricity demand keeps rising across the country and that Louisiana feels that pressure as new data centers and major industries come online.

The Capital Area United Way will host a free tax-prep event Saturday at the Goodwood Main Library, offering support through its IRS-certified VITA program. George Bell and Cheri Ausberry highlighted how volunteers help low- to moderate-income families file accurately and claim eligible credits. Entergy, Red River Bank, Mid City Redevelopment, and legal-aid partners will also share resources onsite...

State Representative Kim Carver says workforce development will dominate the upcoming legislative session, with lawmakers aiming to prepare Louisianans for high-demand jobs tied to major economic projects. Carver wants stronger career exposure in middle school, giving students early access to real employers and clear paths to high-wage careers. He’s also pushing a bill that strengthens reporting r...

Lieutenant Don Coppola returned to the studio to reflect on the powerful impact of the Beyond Bars program. Earlier this week, Dez and Rashan shared raw stories about violence, accountability, and the years they lost behind bars. Their honesty stopped listeners in their tracks. Dez spoke about missing family milestones during his 15 years in prison. Rashan described nearly three decades of incarce...

State Rep. John Wyble says lawmakers enter the 2026 session with momentum and a focus on bills that affect daily life. He expects strong legislation on workforce training, coordinated statewide development, and TOPS reforms that tie public dollars to fields with high job demand. Wyble plans to codify the governor’s workforce executive order and advance HB 229, which steers TOPS funding toward degr...

A routine morning chat on Mornings with Brian Haldane turned into a deeper look at a growing problem: how much we’re being recorded without knowing it. Haggai Davis, host of Tech Gumbo, opened the segment by joking about his own computer troubles, but the conversation quickly shifted to something much bigger — the rise of Meta’s smart glasses and the privacy concerns that follow.

The Beyond Bars program brought two powerful voices into the studio. Desmond Kennedy and Rashan Williams shared raw stories about trauma, violence, and the choices that led them to long prison sentences. Kennedy, now 16 years into a 20-year sentence, described a childhood shaped by addiction, loss, and early exposure to guns. Williams, serving life without parole, talked about growing up with a mo...

The Amite River Basin Commission is advancing a major flood-mitigation effort called the Upper Amite Restoration Project, designed to lower flood risk across the Capital Region. State Representative Paul Sawyer explained that the new master plan shows the most effective way to protect the region is to hold water in the Upper Amite before it reaches the flat terrain south of I-12, where drainage sl...

Winter Storm Fern hit the Monroe and West Monroe areas hard, leaving residents with frozen pipes, water damage, and trees collapsing under ice. More than half of all reported claims statewide came from Northeast Louisiana. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple is spending the week in the region to help residents navigate claims and answer insurance questions. He says the storm highlights the need for...

Senator Bill Cassidy weighed in on last night’s State of the Union, saying the President delivered a sharp mix of policy and political theater. Cassidy said affordability drove the speech, with focus on gas prices, groceries, housing, and prescription drugs — issues he hears about from Louisiana residents every day. Cassidy said he’s already working with the White House on legislation to lower dru...

Attorney Franz Borghardt joined Mornings with Brian Haldane to break down a new bill that would livestream East Baton Rouge Family Court. The bill comes from Senator Regina Barrow. It would allow cameras in family court with certain limits. Hearings involving children would not be streamed.

With the pre-filing deadline here, Louisiana lawmakers are deep into the final push before the 2026 legislative session opens on March 9. State Representative Emily Chenevert says this week is one of the busiest of the year as legislators finalize bill requests, work with staff on language, and meet with constituents and industry groups.