Moon Griffon joins the show to discuss early voting for the upcoming election, emphasizing its convenience and importance. He also delves into Amendment 2, explaining how it will impact business operations in Louisiana. Griffon highlights the potential changes and benefits of the amendment, encouraging listeners to participate in early voting to shape the state's future. His insights aim to inform and motivate the public to engage actively in the electoral process.

Will Green from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) joins the show to discuss Louisiana's challenging legal environment, often referred to as a "judicial hellhole", highlighting the impact of the state's legal climate on businesses, emphasizing the need for reforms to improve fairness and predictability in the judicial system. Green advocates for changes to attract and retain businesses in Louisiana, fostering a more favorable economic environment. 

Dr. Elizabeth Person explains the distinct roles of emergency rooms (ER) and primary care physicians (PCPs). ERs handle acute, life-threatening conditions requiring immediate attention, such as heart attacks or severe injuries. In contrast, PCPs manage ongoing health issues, preventive care, and routine check-ups. Dr. Person emphasizes the importance of understanding these differences to ensure patients seek appropriate care based on their medical needs.

Rodney Mallett from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) joins the show to discuss the National Transportation and Safety Board's (NTSB) request to inspect nearly 50 bridges nationwide, including eight in Baton Rouge, following a Baltimore bridge collapse. The NTSB's stricter criteria focus on vulnerability to vessel impacts. Mallett reassures that Louisiana regularly assesses bridge safety, especially for major Mississippi River bridges, and collaborates with the Coast Guard and Mississippi River pilots. He highlights the robustness of these bridges and the importance of extra caution for critical infrastructure. The report on these inspections is expected in 30 days.

Mindi Odell, owner of Cake That, joined the show on this Foodie Friday to discuss her passion for sweets and entrepreneurship. She also shared her thoughts on the Dubai Bar, a dessert that has gone viral on TikTok and is now available in her store. Mindi highlighted the excitement of new food trends and the creativity involved in running a successful bakery.

Economist Scott Burns joins the show to discuss the impact of tariffs and the ongoing trade war. He explained that tariffs are essentially taxes on American consumers, leading to higher prices for imported goods. While politicians often support tariffs as a means to protect domestic jobs, economists generally oppose them due to their negative effects on the economy. Burns highlighted that tariffs can lead to unintended consequences, such as job losses in other sectors. He also mentioned that if tariffs were used as a negotiation tactic to reduce global tariffs, they could be beneficial, but this outcome is uncertain.

Patrick "Patty G" Gremillion joins the show to discuss the workforce in Baton Rouge. He addressed factors that drive people away from the area and proposed strategies to attract them back. The conversation focused on understanding the challenges and opportunities within the local job market, aiming to improve retention and attract new talent to Baton Rouge.

State Senator Rick Edmonds recently announced legislation to create an Independent School District for the city of Saint George. Drew Murrell, a member of the transition team and soon-to-be Councilman, joins the show to discuss the initiative. The effort to establish the district has been ongoing for nearly 15 years, driven by community leaders like Patty Cooke and Norman Browning.Initially, the goal was to form a school district, but organizers were told they needed to create a city first. This led to the establishment of the city of Saint George. Despite the additional responsibilities of running a city, the commitment to forming a school district remains strong. Murrell emphasized that the processes for managing the city and the school district will be separate, with different leadership and taxing structures.The proposed school district will have boundaries coterminous with the city of Saint George. It will include public, private, and charter schools, aiming to provide high-quality education and eliminate failing schools. The goal is to offer parents the ability to choose the best school for their children within the district, fostering competition and improvement among schools.The next step involves passing the legislation, which will then be put to a statewide ballot in November for a constitutional amendment to officially create the school district. Murrell expressed confidence in the success of this effort, aiming for better education for all students in the area.

The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council's Executive Director, Chris Csonka joins the show to discuss key issues in public safety and criminal justice. He highlighted current challenges and initiatives aimed at improving community safety. Additionally, Csonka provided details about the upcoming safety summit, which will bring together experts and stakeholders to address pressing safety concerns and develop strategies for a safer community. The summit aims to foster collaboration and innovative solutions to enhance public safety.

For more information, visit: https://www.ebrcjcc.org/

Anthony Keeney, the newly appointed council member, made his first appearance on the show to discuss his adaptation to the new role. He emphasized the importance of creating a unified master plan to guide future development and highlighted various opportunities for the next decade. Keeney shared his vision for fostering community growth and collaboration, aiming to address key challenges and leverage potential advancements for the betterment of the area.