Louisiana Lawmakers Vote Themselves a Raise

The Police Recruitment Plan Every City Should Copy

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for June 11, 2026. We open with a local idea that could help solve a national problem. With law enforcement agencies across Louisiana struggling to fill vacancies, officials in Shreveport and Caddo Parish are launching an effort to recruit military police officers leaving Barksdale Air Force Base directly into local law enforcement. We discuss why the concept makes perfect sense, the challenges of competing with police salaries around the country, and how years of anti-police rhetoric have contributed to today's recruitment crisis. In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, we examine the growing controversy surrounding major construction projects in New Orleans' French Quarter as businesses continue to close while roadwork drags on with no clear completion date. We also cover new student discipline policies coming to Natchitoches Parish schools, including tougher restrictions on vaping and cell phone use, and we recognize the life and service of newly elected Abbeville Councilman Neal Richard following his unexpected passing. We also highlight one of Louisiana's fastest-growing communities. New census data shows Carencro leading the state in population growth, and we explore why so many families are choosing smaller communities that offer affordability, stability, and something increasingly rare in modern America—a genuine sense of community. Later, we discuss President Trump's approach to Iran and why his critics continue to misunderstand his negotiating style. While opponents have long portrayed Trump as reckless, recent developments show a strategy built around strength, leverage, and restraint. We examine how demonstrating the willingness to act can often be the key to avoiding larger conflicts. We also dive into the growing controversy surrounding Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, whose past statements, extremist views, and Nazi-linked tattoo have sparked criticism from within his own party. We discuss the Democratic Party's struggle to reconcile its own internal factions, the irony of party leaders calling for anti-democratic solutions, and what the controversy reveals about the modern political landscape. Plus, we spotlight First Lady Melania Trump's new initiative to help foster children build financial stability as they transition into adulthood. We discuss why foster youth are often overlooked in public policy debates, the importance of creating opportunities rather than dependency, and how the program reflects a broader commitment to supporting vulnerable children and families. And finally, we compare police salaries across the country, explore what it takes to recruit and retain qualified officers, and ask whether states that pay the most actually offer the best environment for law enforcement professionals. May your pursuit of happiness bring you joy. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!

Making Fraud Legal Doesn't Make It Legitimate

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for June 10, 2026. We open with two major election integrity reforms taking effect in Louisiana that supporters say will strengthen confidence in the voting process. One law eliminates provisional ballots for voters who fail to provide proper identification, while another requires voter registration information to be cross-checked with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure only eligible citizens remain on the rolls. We discuss why election confidence matters, the debate over voter ID requirements, and whether critics are still relying on the same tired arguments Americans have been hearing for years. In our Top 3, Governor Jeff Landry signs legislation reducing the number of judges in New Orleans, sparking debate over whether fewer judges will improve efficiency or make existing court backlogs even worse. We also cover a growing infrastructure problem in New Orleans as officials warn that rusted pumping stations could create serious risks during hurricane season, and we examine the Trump administration's push for hospital price transparency as dozens of Louisiana hospitals face potential penalties for failing to disclose healthcare costs. We also highlight a major economic development announcement in northeast Louisiana. An $80 million manufacturing investment in Ouachita Parish is bringing new jobs and expanding the region's role in supporting the growing technology and data center economy. We discuss how large-scale investments create momentum that attracts even more businesses and why economic success tends to build on itself. Later, we're joined by Shannon Johnson of SoundWords and Vision and Ventures to discuss an innovative Louisiana-developed educational curriculum built around aquaponics. Combining agriculture, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the program gives students hands-on experience growing plants and raising fish while learning real-world STEM skills. With schools already adopting the curriculum and interest spreading beyond Louisiana, we explore how practical learning can help prepare students for future careers. We also examine new polling showing that a majority of Americans continue to support deporting immigrants who entered the country illegally, despite years of media narratives attempting to frame the issue differently. We discuss the distinction between legal and illegal immigration, the importance of citizenship, and why public opinion on border enforcement has remained remarkably consistent. In our Digging Deep segment, we react to comments from Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett following the murder conviction of Carmelo Anthony, who stabbed fellow teenager Austin Metcalf at a Texas track meet. We discuss the role of race in public discourse, the danger of politicizing tragedy, and why serious conversations about violent crime should focus on facts rather than rhetoric. We also celebrate a life saved through Iowa's Safe Haven law after a newborn baby was safely surrendered and placed on a path toward adoption. We discuss why these laws matter, the alternatives they provide for parents in crisis, and the importance of creating life-affirming options for vulnerable children. Plus, a new study ranks the states with the worst road rage, we break down Peter Schweizer's provocative question about election integrity in California, and we ask whether making questionable election practices legal somehow makes them trustworthy.May your pursuit of happiness bring you joy. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!

Louisiana's Teacher Pay Deadline, Seattle's Sober-Free Tiny Homes, and the Gator That Ended One Man's Escape Plan

We open with a Louisiana education funding decision that has a June 23rd deadline — Governor Landry's executive order to redirect $168 million from non-instructional school dollars into one-time stipends for teachers and support staff, preventing a de facto pay cut that kicks in July 1st. We work through the complications — the voters rejected the constitutional amendment that would have funded permanent raises, the legislature has to approve this by a two-thirds vote through an online ballot process, and nobody has yet explained what that $168 million was actually going to be used for before it got redirected. We also take a moment to acknowledge last year's legislative session, which produced insurance reforms that are now showing real results — 40 companies have asked to lower auto insurance rates, and 19 new companies have entered the Louisiana market. That's what impact looks like. In our Top 3, the Louisiana OMV experienced massive computer outages statewide after a software upgrade described as switching from a 1972 Pinto to a 2026 McLaren — problems expected to be resolved by Wednesday. Then the city of Shreveport approved Providence House's expansion in downtown, including a four-story apartment building and four single-family homes for people getting back on their feet after homelessness — with support from neighboring arts organizations. We call it exactly the right way to address the problem — nonprofits, not government programs. And the former mayor of Deridder was sentenced to 90 days in jail after being convicted of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a juvenile — two charges that each carried up to 17 years in prison but no minimum sentence. She said at sentencing she had made a lot of promises to put Deridder on the map. Not this way. We also cover a local story that could only happen in Louisiana — or possibly Florida — where a man pulled over on Interstate 310 on suspicion of DWI decided his best option was to leap off an elevated highway into a Louisiana swamp. A gator was waiting. The man survived both the bridge jump and the alligator attack, was eventually apprehended, and we offer this as a public service announcement — in Louisiana, the swamp is not an escape route. It is a food chain. And those odds come with teeth. We dig into Seattle's latest attempt to solve homelessness — a $16,000 tiny home program where residents are not required to be sober, not required to enter addiction treatment, and not required to participate in recovery programs of any kind. We contrast this with Habitat for Humanity, which requires sweat equity and sobriety because they understand basic psychology — people value what they work for and free housing without accountability enables the very addiction that created the homelessness in the first place. We also note that Seattle added a 10% income tax on households earning over $1 million this year, ensuring the people most likely to invest in the city will be the ones most motivated to leave it. We also push back hard on Ann Coulter's claim that the Iran conflict is starting to look exactly like the Iraq War. We run the numbers — 248,000 U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq versus zero in Iran, 139 American military personnel killed in the first phase of the Iraq invasion versus 13 in the first phase of the Iran conflict, and zero casualties since the first 48 hours of the Iran operation compared to steady ongoing losses throughout the Iraq campaign. The goal in Iraq was regime change. The goal in Iran is a negotiated nuclear deal. These two things are not the same, and saying they are is either sloppy or dishonest. We also cover the Carmelo Anthony verdict — guilty of murder in the stabbing death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Texas track meet — and contrast it with a North Carolina case where the man accused of brutally murdering an innocent Ukrainian immigrant on a train has been found incompetent to stand trial. We ask the question the victims' families are asking — when does the system focus on the people who were killed rather than accommodating the people who killed them? And in a development that genuinely surprised us, Whoopi Goldberg defended President Trump's right to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden — arguing he earned it as a lifelong Knicks fan. We accept the defense while pointing out that the president of the United States doesn't need to have been a fan of the team to attend a sporting event in his own country. He needs a ticket. That's it.

The Homelessness Crisis: Compassion, Accountability, or Both?

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for June 8, 2026. We open with a Louisiana law that raises an obvious question: why did it take so long? After the Orleans Parish jailbreak exposed a stunning 10-hour delay in notifying the public that violent inmates had escaped, Governor Jeff Landry signed legislation requiring correctional facilities to immediately alert the public when dangerous inmates are inadvertently released. We discuss why public safety should always come before public relations, why communities deserve timely information, and how the debate over crime, incarceration, and race often ignores the people who suffer most from violent crime. From there, we examine Louisiana's new Streets to Success Act, which would make unauthorized camping on public property a crime while creating the possibility of specialized homelessness courts. We explore the difficult balance between compassion and accountability, why simply allowing permanent homeless encampments is not a humane solution, and whether the state is prepared to provide the addiction treatment and mental health services needed to make the policy work. We also highlight one of Louisiana's biggest success stories. New education data shows dramatic improvements in reading proficiency among young students, continuing a trend that has made Louisiana one of the nation's leaders in post-COVID academic recovery. We break down the numbers, discuss the science-of-reading approach championed by State Superintendent Cade Brumley, and explain why getting children reading proficiently by third grade may be one of the most important investments a state can make. Later, we turn to energy policy and rising gas prices. As President Trump proposes suspending the federal gas tax, we welcome oil and gas expert Jay Young, CEO of King Operating Corporation, to explain what is really driving fuel costs, why events in the Middle East affect prices at American gas pumps, how refinery limitations complicate domestic energy production, and why the global oil market is far more interconnected than most people realize. And finally, we take a lighter turn with a conversation about President Trump's planned appearance at the NBA Finals, the criticism it has generated, and why presidents attending major sporting events has long been part of American culture. Along the way, we celebrate underdog stories, from teachers who invest in their students beyond the classroom to basketball legend Spud Webb, whose determination and perseverance embodied the belief that in America, people can accomplish extraordinary things despite the odds. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!

Get to the Gym, Get to Church, and Get Out of AI Chats — Dr. Abloh's Warning About AI

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for June 5, 2026. We open with Governor Jeff Landry's first veto of the legislative session — and it's a surprising one. A bill that passed both chambers of the Louisiana legislature unanimously, with zero opposition votes, would have increased compensation for wrongfully convicted and later exonerated citizens from $400,000 to $600,000 and extended the payout period from 10 to 15 years. The governor vetoed it, citing concerns about double recovery and the cost to taxpayers at a time when teacher raises went unfunded. We examine both sides — the legitimate conservative concern about safeguarding taxpayer dollars, and the equally legitimate conservative principle that it is better for a guilty person to go free than an innocent one to rot in prison. We also explain Louisiana's unusual veto override process, and ask whether the legislature will actually show up for a session to override it. In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, the governor vetoed the wrongful conviction compensation increase. Then DeSoto Parish Schools approved a 6.8% pay raise for all full-time employees — making northwest Louisiana suddenly the most interesting real estate market in the state for teachers looking for districts that want to keep them. And a bill sitting on the governor's desk would retroactively wipe out an ethics fine for Democratic state Representative Steven Jackson of Shreveport, who has racked up thousands of dollars in fines for repeatedly failing to file required financial disclosures on time. We suggest the governor decline to sign that one too.  We dig into the economic case for data centers in Louisiana — specifically Amazon Web Services building a data center just north of Benton in Bossier Parish that is expected to generate $12 million a year in water revenue alone, with Amazon also agreeing to help fund upgrades to the city's aging infrastructure. We make the case that data centers are the railroads of the 21st century — not because they're glamorous but because they generate enormous private investment in communities that might otherwise be waiting for government bonds and tax hikes. We also address the fear that data centers will take jobs and destroy the economy, and explain why every new technology in history, from the factory to the computer, created more jobs than it displaced. We sit down with Dr. Keith Abloh — author and AI expert — for one of the most important conversations we've had on this show. His central warning: AI is not just a productivity tool. It is gradually coaxing us to deposit ourselves into machines, to stop thinking for ourselves, to outsource our judgment, our direction, our creativity, and eventually our identity to systems that have no soul. He talks about the GPS problem — we don't navigate anymore and we've lost the capacity — and how AI is doing the same thing to our minds at a much larger scale. He says the first signs are already visible in younger people with shorter attention spans and less willingness to think critically. His prescription: get to the gym, get to church, get grounded in something real, because the alternative is evaporating into a chatbot. KeithAbloh.com. The Chicago Bears have voted to move forward with a stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana — just across the Illinois border — after the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois failed to offer meaningful incentives to keep them. Mayor Brandon Johnson says it's not a done deal, but we disagree. We also explain why this is not a football story — it's an economic story about what happens when you run a city in a way that makes businesses want to leave.  We also get into the World Cup arriving in the United States, Canada, and Mexico — the first time in history the tournament has been co-hosted by three countries simultaneously. We work through which professional soccer leagues have the most players in this year's cup — English Premier League at 165, Bundesliga at 90, France's Ligue 1 at 79, La Liga at 76, Serie A at 65, and MLS at 44 — and make the case that Major League Soccer has arrived as one of the top six leagues on the planet. The last time the U.S. hosted a World Cup, we didn't even have a professional league. And a freshman Democrat congresswoman from Arizona has called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked against President Trump — because in a video he appeared to have his eyes briefly closed while someone else was speaking at his desk. We ask whether she ever called for the 25th Amendment against Joe Biden. We already know the answer. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!