Mornings with Brian Haldane

Talk 107.3 is gearing up for a big week as Brian Haldane heads to Washington, D.C. for DC Mardi Gras. He will anchor four shows over two days, bringing listeners direct conversations with Louisiana legislators. These talks often spark ideas and policies that shape the year ahead, and listeners will get the first look starting tomorrow at 6 a.m. The station also launches a major programming change...

The United Cajun Navy prepared ahead of the winter storm by placing supplies in Oklahoma and North Carolina. When the storm hit, Oxford, Mississippi, took major damage. The town froze over, lost power, and students struggled to stay warm and connected. Rolling Fork, already recovering from a past tornado, also faced new problems. Leaders in Northeast Louisiana reached out for help as outages grew....

Infrastructure will anchor Ascension Parish’s growth strategy in 2026 as development accelerates across the region. Ascension Chamber President Donnie Miller said leaders must act early to support investment, workforce demand, and quality of life. The Chamber plans to convene partners around four priorities: infrastructure, small business, quality of life, and workforce development. Highway 30 imp...

Washington Mardi Gras once again serves as a proving ground for Louisiana politics, networking, and momentum-building, and this year carries higher stakes than usual. As political strategist and Ringside Politics host Jeff Crouere noted, the event blends celebration with purpose, creating a space where relationships form and future plans take shape.

With early voting underway, Brad Daigle is making insurance reform the cornerstone of his campaign for Louisiana House District 60. Speaking on the campaign trail, Daigle says voters are most concerned about rising insurance costs and a legal system he believes has tilted too far toward excessive litigation. Drawing on 35 years of experience in insurance and risk management, Daigle argues the stat...

Louisiana leaders are pushing second chance hiring to help solve the state’s workforce shortage. Each month, 900 to 1,200 people leave prison and return to their communities. Business and policy leaders say this group represents a strong and willing labor pool. Recent tours of Angola prison highlighted job training programs that teach inmates useful skills before release. Lawmakers also discussed...

Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development officials say winter weather significantly impacted roads north of Alexandria, while South Louisiana avoided the worst conditions. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett reported about 18 road closures, mainly in North Louisiana, with icy bridges and elevated interstates posing the biggest risks. Parts of I-20 remain open but treacherous, with only...

East Baton Rouge Parish avoided major impacts from this week’s freeze thanks to favorable timing and proactive emergency planning. Officials said rain ended 12–13 hours before temperatures dropped below freezing, reducing the risk of icy roads. Still, DOT crews treated critical bridges and infrastructure as a precaution. Emergency managers monitored regional weather trends, protected airport opera...

Americans for Free Markets is pushing back against government overreach that disrupts everyday banking. In a interview, AFFM president David Ibsen explained how outdated Bank Secrecy Act thresholds flag ordinary transactions and leave consumers in the dark. He argued inflation has turned routine payrolls and purchases into “suspicious” activity, while banks remain legally unable to explain delays....

Moon Griffon spoke with listeners on Talk 107.3 about community events and key political issues across Louisiana. He reflected on Guarantee’s 100th anniversary celebration in Baton Rouge and praised the strong turnout and welcoming atmosphere. Griffon also highlighted the Day of Giving at the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, noting how efficiently volunteers worked to help families in need.

Gourmet Girls in Studio Park on Lobdell Avenue brings a bougie twist to Mardi Gras with its Queen’s Cake, a $75 king cake filled with champagne mousse. Owner Katya Mangum focuses on fresh ingredients, including organic chicken, Gulf shrimp and produce across the menu. Each king cake is a 48-hour process, baked, sliced and filled after baking to keep the mousse light. Finished with a thin icing, ed...

Congresswoman Julia Letlow’s decision to run against Sen. Bill Cassidy leaves Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District open. The newly drawn district now includes a large section of Baton Rouge. State Sen. Rick Edmonds became the first candidate to announce his campaign.

East Baton Rouge Parish families can expect clarity today on whether schools will open Monday as winter weather approaches. Superintendent LaMont Cole says safety remains the top priority as he evaluates conditions that could impact students, families, and staff across the parish. He works closely with city and state officials, local meteorologists, and neighboring districts to assess potential ha...

Louisiana continues to fight the fentanyl crisis, but East Baton Rouge Parish is finally seeing progress. Overdose deaths once topped three hundred a year. Last year, the number dropped to just over one hundred. Coroner Dr. Beau Clark credits stronger law enforcement, wider access to Narcan, and federal action at the border. A new six part docuseries called Fentanyl Stories highlights these effort...

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is gearing up for a potential freeze as Governor Jeff Landry declares a state of emergency ahead of this weekend’s winter storm. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says crews began staging salt and brine days ago, focusing on bridges and high-traffic corridors across the state. District teams now have the ability to produce and store their o...

A major winter storm is moving toward Louisiana, and state meteorologist Jay Grimes says the northern parishes will take the hardest hit. Areas north of a Natchez-Alexandria-Lufkin line could see half an inch to more than an inch of ice. That amount of ice can cripple roads, power systems, and rural communities. Grimes said temperatures in those areas may stay below freezing for more than 60 hours...

Louisiana is already seeing encouraging signs from a series of major insurance reforms passed over the last two years, according to State Rep. Gabe Firment, who joined Mornings with Brian Haldane to outline progress and preview what comes next. Firment said lawmakers spent 2024 drilling into the cost drivers behind Louisiana’s high auto insurance rates, ultimately passing a balanced package of 10...

The segment opened with Haggai Davis putting political rumors to rest, clearly stating he is not running for the U.S. Senate, Congress, or any other office. With Louisiana politics entering another cycle of shifting seats and speculation, Davis acknowledged the constant “trickle-down” movement but made it clear he is staying out of the race. The discussion then shifted to technology, led by Walmar...

Latosha Mitchell, a violence prevention specialist with ICARE, joined the Crime Stoppers segment to explain how the program works to reduce harm and promote safer environments for students and families across East Baton Rouge Parish. She said violence prevention centers on recognizing risk factors early and using education to help individuals build self-regulation skills.

The Vital Signs Family Forum, presented by Victoria’s Voice Foundation in partnership with East Baton Rouge Parish and the Mayor-President’s Office, takes place tonight at the Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch Library. The program gives parents, caregivers, and educators practical tools to identify early signs of behavioral health challenges and substance use among teens. Leah Shepard of Vict...

Chris Meyer from the Baton Rouge Area Foundation joined Mornings with Brian Haldane to share an update on Plan Baton Rouge 3. This version continues a 20-year effort to shape the future of downtown. More than 5,000 residents took part in meetings and surveys over the last year. Their feedback helped guide the priorities in the plan. Meyer said the goal is simple: create a clear vision for downtown...

Family Service of Greater Baton Rouge is celebrating a major milestone this week as the organization marks 31 years of its “Celebrate the Family” event. The long-running program honors community members who demonstrate outstanding service and leadership across the Capital Region. This year’s celebration highlights four honorees whose work has made a meaningful impact: Judge Don Johnson, Rose Hudso...

Baton Rouge faces a volatile winter weekend as a powerful national storm system approaches, bringing a mix of heavy rain, plunging temperatures, and a potential icing threat across parts of Louisiana. WBRZ Chief Meteorologist Dr. Josh Eachus joined the show to break down what to expect and when to expect it.

State Representative Dixon McMakin says he’s strongly considering a run for Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District after Julia Letlow announced her bid for the U.S. Senate. The district stretches from Monroe to Baton Rouge, aligning with McMakin’s deep roots in both regions. He launched an exploratory committee and is gathering feedback from voters as he evaluates the opportunity. McMakin says he’...

A renewed conversation is emerging in East Baton Rouge Parish over whether the city-parish form of government still works for a growing and increasingly complex region. Metro Councilman Rowdy Godet says the discussion is being driven by the addition of new incorporated cities, including St. George, and long-standing questions about representation and service delivery. While some residents argue Ba...