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.

State lawmakers hope to improve the top scholarship program to keep students from leaving Louisiana.

This week's young hero is known for his dedication to service.

We will introduce you to Matteo Guerrero.

Plus, is there relief in sight from Louisiana's housing market and skyrocketing homeowner's insurance rates?

And we will take you to Gibson, Louisiana, to learn more about the infamous outlaw duo Bonnie and Clyde.

Let's get started.

Hello, everyone.

I'm Karen LeBlanc, and I'm Victor Howell in for Dorothea Wilson this week.

Much more on those top stories in a moment.

On this week's edition of Louisiana The State We're In.

But first, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aiming to defund PBS and NPR.

The order targets the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports both networks.

The president accused both outlets of political bias and misuse of taxpayer money.

In response to the order, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting released a statement saying in part, quote, CPB is not a federal executive agency subject to the president's authority.

Congress directly authorized and funded CPB to be a private, nonprofit corporation wholly independent of the federal government.

End quote.

The order is expected to face both legal and congressional challenges.

In other news, in recent years, a lot of college bound students from Louisiana have opted to go to school in other states where they get more financial aid.

Now, state lawmakers are looking at ways to bolster the tops of scholarship program to keep students in-state.

Dorothea Wilson has more.

Louisiana college students would receive increased state funded top scholarships under a new bill proposed during the current legislative session.

House Bill 77, which recently advanced out of the Education Committee, aims to reform the scholarship amounts awarded to students through Tops.

This program is designed for high achieving students attending any of the state's public colleges and universities.

Bill author Chris Turner says this is a way to keep Louisiana's best and brightest in this state.

HB 77 came about after discussion of our kids leaving the state after high school and going to other states to look for education, and part of that is we could make an investment in Tops to keep students here.

Data shows that an increasing number of students in Louisiana are relocating to states like Mississippi and Texas for their education.

This trend has prompted lawmakers to reevaluate their strategies to find effective solutions.

After much trial and error.

House Bill 77 appears to be a promising answer to Louisiana students and the state's budget.

So we started out with a plan to where the money would follow the students, instead of just money going to the universities.

Well, that was about $60 million.

So that had to be trimmed down a little bit because that was a very big investment.

So we trimmed it down now to where we created an excellence fund, which we have opportunity, performance and honors.

Now we created Excellence Fund.

And that will put up to $12,000 in students hand if they make a 31 on the A.C.T.

are and have a 3.5.

And that way they should not have an out of pocket expense for tuition or fees and to go to any university in Louisiana.

The bill proposes the creation of a new $12,000 annual Excellence Award for the highest score in students, and establishes updated standard amounts for the other Tops awards, which currently varies based on each school's tuition.

The new amounts are $6,000 per year for the Opportunity Award, 6500 for the Performance Award, and $9,000 for the Honors Award.

These amounts are higher than what most students currently receive at their respective schools, and that isn't all.

Doctor Kim Hunter read from the Board of Regents, shared another layer of the Tops bill proposals designed with Louisiana students in mind.

So one of those that's in our package is tops for docs.

We have a physician shortage in Louisiana.

This piece of legislation would allow students who have gone out of state and didn't use all of their tops, or didn't use any of their tops, and have been accepted to a dental school or medical school in Louisiana to come home.

Restart their tops at the graduate school level and use those funds to help them to become physicians in Louisiana with a commitment that they will, work for three years in the state of Louisiana.

So we're very excited about that.

We hope that will be a carrot that will bring people back home.

People have deep roots who are from Louisiana, and we know that we are in a competitive market when it comes to talent.

We want to make sure urban and rural communities have the best physicians available to them.

So we hope this will help.

However, some experts were concerned that schools like LSU may suffer as a result.

The proposed opportunity and performance amounts are several hundred dollars lower than the current tuition rates at LSU's flagship campus in Baton Rouge, which has by far the highest number of Tops recipients among state schools, according to state data.

Nearly 9300 students at the campus received one of these awards this school year.

As a result, the bill was amended to include an additional stipend of $700 for students who enrolled in either LSU Baton Rouge or LSU Medical Center in New Orleans.

However, the bill is still awaiting final approval in the current session.

Either way, lawmakers are working to keep our students home.

Collectively, we hope we will develop more talent in Louisiana, and we will develop talent that will stay in Louisiana and work here in our state.

So stay tuned as we continue to navigate through the legislative process.

But we're very, very, pleased about the conversations we're having to this point.

And very determined to do all we can to support students.

From hashtags to headlines, here's what's trending this week.

Okay, a lot of people are dealing with sticker shock when it comes to shopping for fast fashion online.

These mega sites, she and Timo.

Prices are crazy.

She and her team who a lot of people like to go there for budget items, get great pricing.

Well, prices have jumped by as much as 377% on some items because of the Trump administration's tariffs.

Now, and in some cases, the new import charges are higher than the cost of products, that people are pretty outraged.

How do your daughters feel about this?

Because, Shannon, tell me a real popular way.

She is very popular with the teens and the outfits.

Yes, that's that's it's quite a hit when you're trying to outfit them for sure.

Financially.

Yeah.

It's gonna be a problem.

Yeah.

Going to have to go shop retail for your homecoming dresses.

Exactly right.

All right, well, we are going to switch gears now.

A teenager from Paris is officially the, in the American Idol top ten.

Yeah.

How about how about this LSU freshman John Foster made the cut earlier this week after performing Randy Travis hit.

I Told You So.

Signs are showing up and popping up all over West Baton Rouge Parish supporting him.

You know what it's like.

It's Lane Hardy 2.0.

Remember when Lane made that big run from Denham Springs area?

Now he's doing it from West Baton Rouge Parish.

He does channel that Randy Travis is kind of got that character about him.

All right.

A measure is up for debate in the Louisiana legislature that could make changes to LSU football schedule.

This one's going to be tough.

The plan would ask the SEC to only schedule games after 6 p.m. in September.

Its author says day games are dangerous for players and fans because of the heat.

Remember one year ago they played UCLA?

It was an extremely hot afternoon, right?

The problem is when you have contracts with the big networks, right?

Millions and billions of dollars, if they want you to play at 11, you're going to play at 11 and they're there.

And it's the problem, right?

They're looking out for the players safety.

But big bucks are at stake.

So we'll see if the measure actually clears the legislature and if the SEC will agree to the change, which sounds like that's going to be the big challenge that a lot of fans will be holding on to see if that goes through indeed, and changes those kickoff times.

Well, our young hero this week is Mateo Guerrero, a senior at Bossier High School.

Mateo is known for his resilience and passion for making a difference in his community.

Dorothea Wilson is back and has his story.

Luke 631.

They want to others as you would like them to do to you.

Meet Mateo Guerrero, a young man who truly embodies the essence of a young hero.

For a second I was wondering, you know, like who?

Like who nominated me?

Why did they nominate me?

But then I look back on my whole life and I was like, my whole life is why they nominated me.

Mateo has shown a profound dedication to service throughout his high school experience, accumulating over 275 community service hours.

He regularly volunteers at local events in Bossier City and dedicates his time to church activities like Vacation Bible School, mission fairs, mission trips, and more.

You know, one of my biggest assets, I guess I have is being able to put others before myself.

I'm going to the National Guard and I feel like that's a big part of service as well.

You know, I've done over 270, 275 hours of community service.

I just always like to put my heart, put others for myself and just to see my impact on everyone around the world.

It just, you know, it warms up my heart.

And Mateo is indeed doing just that.

Making a significant impact on everyone he meets include those who are expected to impact him.

Don't even have to motivate him.

He just most of you can hear it and you see it as a coach.

We say that a lot.

Yeah, it and it.

What is it I don't know yeah he doesn't he got it.

Just got it like he knows what to do in all situations.

Yeah he knows how to talk to people.

He knows how to get along with people.

And he just gets like that.

And that's a gift.

And that's that's a gift from God.

Now that was head basketball coach Justin Collins, who's been mentoring Mateo since his freshman year.

He notes that he's watched Mateo grow into not just an exceptional player on the court, but also a remarkable leader and outstanding person.

Coach Collin emphasizes that students like Mateo are rare and are hard to come by.

That's just something that, you just can't explain.

Most kids just don't have.

We are going to miss him when he graduates.

Yes, I know, I don't think we'll find another Mateo.

Wow.

Because we just that if we do it, maybe.

I don't know if I'll still be coaching here in that building.

Will have done tail.

So, yeah, he left a big mark in our program to the school.

While Coach Collins will feel the absence of Mateo, strong presence on the team and servant's heart, no one will feel it more than his former algebra teacher and mother, Cecilia Guerrero.

I will call his name at graduation, and in my mind, I'll start the countdown of 11 days and I'm not going to cry, I promised him.

I, San Mateo, it was the first thing I think was he was preseason football player of the year, and the same week he got homecoming king and he was like, mom, don't cry.

And I said, I'm not going to cry till May.

But I know in my mind I'm going to start that countdown of I have 11 days till my baby leaves.

After graduation, Mateo enlisted in the Army National Guard and is set to leave for basic training in Missouri as part of his commitment to service.

Although mom Guerrero feels a sense of sadness watching her young hero leave home, she believes he will have an even greater influence in the world, just as he has within their local Bossier City community.

Wow.

We can imagine what he's going to be doing in Missouri with guns and grenades, and I can only imagine.

But, it's this feeling of the greatest pride that I've ever felt in my life to say that my son is going to be in the Louisiana Army National Guard, that he's going to take part of the ROTC program and be commissioned as an officer, like the greatest pride ever, mixed with the greatest heartache I've ever felt because he's leaving.

It scares me.

I expect always, always excellence and the best he can be.

I expect that he's going, get his college degree and I'm hoping a masters.

So that is a hope.

Let me expect it.

But, expect that whatever he does, he'll be great.

I expect that he will move up in the ranks of the Louisiana Army National Guard.

And one thing that I've really prayed for, and I expect, because I believe that God is faithful, is that Mateo is going to change lives.

While Mateo will miss his Bossier City family, he is ready to take on the world and leave every place he touches better than he found it.

I am with Eric Guerrero, and I'm a young hero.

Dorothea, thanks so much, Karen.

You love to hear these stories.

It's such inspiration to see how active they are in the community.

You know what?

These aren't just young heroes sitting in front of video games or on their phone doing things in the community, being so active.

Just love here.

Yeah, I'm sure next leaders, it gives me a lot of a lot of faith and sure hope it's short.

All right, well, LPB Louisiana Young Heroes program is presented with the generous support of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, the Gail and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation, and fisherman Haygood, along with title sponsor Community Coffee and with additional support from the U.S. Army Baton Rouge Recruiting Battalion, Demko and McDonald's.

There is cautious optimism that Louisiana's housing market is slowly improving, but challenges remain like high mortgage rates and unaffordable homeowners insurance.

I spoke with the head of the Louisiana Realtors to see how the state's real estate market is changing.

We are bringing you an update on Louisiana's housing market.

And who better to talk about housing?

We have Norman Morris is the CEO of Louisiana Realtors.

Now.

This is an organization that represents about 15,000 Realtors across the state of Louisiana.

Lots to unpack here.

And first of all, just give us an overview.

What is the current housing market like in Louisiana?

Is it healthy or is it anemic?

No.

Thanks for having me, Karen.

Today.

And I will tell you, we have a very stable, real estate market in Louisiana.

We're starting to see some positive signs, even create more positively in that market.

Obviously, inventory has been a big issue, negative issue in Louisiana for some time now over the last several years.

But you're starting to see some positive signs of inventory increasing in the market, which is a plus for consumers out there.

Leaders for a Better Louisiana released their first quarter, economic outlook for 2025.

And in it, they cited a a low housing inventory in terms of new construction.

How is that impacting, the Louisiana housing market?

We need a robust new construction market in Louisiana to bring those new housing stocks to the market, to give consumers more options.

And we need a healthy resale market with the older homes as well.

So anytime that we have a downturn in one of those sectors, it certainly hurts the real estate market.

So we're hopeful that in the next year to two years, the new construction market can pick up.

So let's talk specifically about homeowners insurance reform that was passed the last legislative session.

Are we actually seeing positive, effects in the marketplace?

We've been in a crisis mode.

Still are not where we need to be, but because of some reforms at the legislature last year and obviously this year looking to build upon that, with the 4 to 5 roof program to try to get a permanent source of funding, to be able to give more grants so that more individuals can put those types of roofs on is only going to help the insurance, problem here in Louisiana to bring those rates down, provide more options for consumers.

So we're seeing insurance, positivity.

According to Tim Temple's Office of Commissioner of Insurance, there's about 9 or 10 new companies since January that have come in and started writing policies in Louisiana, which is for the first time in many years that has happened.

But I think the reforms that were made last year, the three year rule and allowing the companies to come in and immediately charge their premiums when they put those to the commissioner at that point, I think those might take 2 or 3 years down the road to see real significant impact.

But I think what's the main one that we've seen immediate impact is those 4 to 5 routes that are being put on, particularly in your coastal parishes, from from the New Orleans to the west side of the state in Lake Charles.

We're actually seeing a real time deduction in premiums for those homes that have those installed roof system.

And on average, what is it percentage?

We're hearing anywhere from maybe $2,000 to 15, $1,800 lower than what they normally repay as a reduction on the total premiums.

And it varies depending on on the premium itself.

Let's talk interesting rates on mortgages.

Where are we at currently?

What is the rate?

It's fluctuating.

Seven a little above seven.

And certainly we would like to see that, as I mentioned earlier, about six.

If we can get around six lower than six, 5.5, I think that would be a great, great, level.

And I think that would spur on some more activity in the real estate market, but hopefully we'll see that within the next six months.

So we do have that situation where homeowners that perhaps are interested and upgrading or buying a home, are sort of stuck in their home if they've got one of those really attractive rates, right?

Yes.

As you recall, back around 2021, the rates, in some cases dipped a little bit below three.

And a lot of people took great advantage of that.

But now if you fast forward in the rate Trent seven a little of the 7.4, it's it makes it much more difficult to jump from a 3% rate all the way up to a 77.5 rate.

So another factor that influences Louisiana housing market is consumer confidence.

And given the current trade wars and tariffs, are you seeing, concern and apprehension, our, potential home buyers holding back, kind of waiting to see what's going to happen with the economy?

I think that is a possibility that that does occur.

And I think even the elections that we just finished in November with the national elections, and once those were over, we saw a good trend upward in activity in the real estate market.

So although the tariffs and everything that are going on, obviously still things are high, you know, cost of things are high and that expendable income that individuals have, it's harder to save, harder, you know, to put money together to get into a home.

So we're hopeful we can also, you know, Washington helps in the policies that would bring down inflation.

And we can get the cost of things under control.

I think you're going to see even a more robust real estate market in Louisiana.

Well, Norman Morris, CEO of Louisiana Realtors, thanks for dropping by LPB Studios to give us an update on the housing market, especially as we enter a new legislative session and continue our push for insurance reform.

So great update.

Thank you.

Thank you for having me.

Romanticized as a rebellious lovers on the run from the law, Bonnie and Clyde cemented their place in American folklore.

The notorious outlaws met their end in an ambush just outside of Gatlin, Louisiana, where a museum now focuses on their story.

I took a tour to learn more about this legendary outlaw couple.

Hi there.

Good afternoon.

You must be Perry.

I'm Barry.

Yes I am.

How are you?

Owner of the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum.

Yes, I am Perry.

Where are we, exactly?

You're in.

Given Louisiana.

This is where Bonnie and Clyde bought their last meal.

They were shot and killed ten minutes after they left here that morning.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were the 1930s violent version of Romeo and Juliet, the subject of Hollywood movies and an enduring public fascination all chronicled in the museum.

Contrary to popular belief, and this museum is not dedicated to Bonnie and Clyde.

It is dedicated basically to our Sheriff, Henderson Durden.

That brought them down.

This incident changed his life.

Perry Carver took over the museum from its previous owner, fostering a childhood fixation on Bonnie and Clyde, so-called death car.

Perry's grandparents knew the man who once owned the stolen, bullet riddled Ford V-8 that the couple died in.

Mr. Todd, toddy let me play in the car, okay?

And he started giving me things from the car.

In three years, they gave me things like glass and pieces at the front seat, a door handle.

The last thing he gave me was a hood ornament.

On May 23rd, 1934, Bonnie and Clyde stopped here.

The former site of a deli, to buy sandwiches before heading out of town.

A posse of Bienville Parish lawmen ambushed the couple as they were leaving town.

A replica of the Bonnie and Clyde death car is on view with its bloody contents.

So how accurate is this car?

This car is very accurate.

Some of these bullet holes are a little off, but not many.

These are exit holes.

They used high powered rifle that came right through the car.

You know, 20,000 people showed up in Arcadia to see their bodies that day.

A thousand people showed up at the ambush site before they ever moved them.

A painting next to the car depicts the lawmen, including Bienville Parish Sheriff Henderson Jordan and Deputy Prentiss Oakley, who fired the shots that ended the couple's crime spree.

Perry says Bonnie and Clyde bodies sat in the car on public view for three hours before they were taken to a morgue at the Congo Furniture Store and Funeral Parlor in Arcadia.

This was Doctor Wade's examining table.

He had Clyde laid out on this table, looking at their dead Bonnie and Clyde.

They're embalming.

They're trying to embalm him in this picture.

Perry wrecks the morgue scene in a simulated autopsy room with bloodied mannequin bodies of Bonnie and Clyde.

It's one of several hyper realistic and gruesome exhibits on display.

Over the years, Perry has amassed an assortment of photos, artifacts, memorabilia and the couple's personal belongings, including clothing and guns.

If you take the time to meander through the museum, there is much to read and learn.

The exhibit also chronicles the 1930s sensationalism of famous gangsters known as the Fab Five.

John Dillinger, Babyface Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd and the Barker Gang all bank robbers.

A lot of these boys were very young.

They saw the banks come in and take everything their families had.

And you know, a lot of them just wanted to strike revenge.

In fact, locals say before they were ambushed in 1934, they were planning to rob this bank in Arcadia.

Now, today, it's still here.

It's a shell of a building.

But here's the fascinating thing.

I'm going to take you inside and show you that the original bank vault is still here.

This right up above me is the safe that locals say Bonnie and Clyde were going to rob.

The day they were ambushed back at the museum.

If you want to pay your respects to the infamous criminals, replicas of Bonnie and Clyde tombstone stand side by side in a graveyard exhibit where they actually buried their buried in Dallas.

He's in Western Heights and she's in Crown Hill, and her niece is in the process right now of moving her and putting her next to Clyde.

The museum also has a well-stocked gift shop where you can purchase bricks from the criminal couple's hideout sites and other northwest Louisiana places tied to their demise.

A cafe next door.

McCann Fils Cafe named after the original sandwich shop, serves up fried Bologna sandwiches and BLT sandwiches.

Reportedly, Bonnie and Clyde last meal on that fateful day at on highway 154, a marker stands that marks the spot where Bonnie and Clyde were killed as law enforcement came out of the forest and shot at them.

Now, today, it functions as a kind of shrine.

People come here and they place bullet casings and other little mementos and their honor.

Now over here.

This was the site of a bronze plaque commemorating the site, and someone stole it.

I want them to enjoy this history and just know crime does not pay.

That's our show for this week.

Remember, you can watch anything LPB anytime, wherever you are, with our LPB app.

You can also catch LPB news and public affairs shows, as well as other Louisiana programs you've come to enjoy over the years.

And please like us on Facebook, on zoom, and on Instagram for everyone at Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

I'm Karen Lalor and I'm Victor Hall.

Until next time.

That's the state we're at.

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 by Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.

Visit Baton Rouge and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting and viewers like you.

Thank you.