LRN AM Newscall September 11

The people in one Lake Charles suburb has a strong message for the company looking to put up a data center in their community – not in our backyard. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

____________________________________________

Investigators are searching for the remains of two missing south Louisiana women that could be buried in West Feliciana Parish on the property of 43-year-old Thomas Morris. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (40) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

____________________________________________

On this, the 25th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in this nation’s history, we hear from one man who was in Washington, DC, on that terrible day. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (41) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

___________________________________________

A Missouri-based company is planning on putting up a data center in a community about eight miles north of Lake Charles, and the people who live there are not happy about it. Representative Brett Geymann (GUY-min), whose district includes Moss Bluff, says the people live there for a specific reason.

Cut 4 (11) “…of Moss Bluff.”

Representative Geymann says Moss Bluff was planned strictly as a residential community.

Cut 5 (05) “…Moss Bluff Community.”

Geymann says the people of Moss Bluff want to keep it that way. While data centers themselves have garnered a great deal of controversy in recent years with the amount of resources needed to power them, Geymann says this has nothing to do with opposition to data centers, per se – the people of Moss Bluff simply do not want one in their backyard.

Cut 6 (09) “…type of applications.”

We have reached out to the president of Azimuth Renewals, which signed an option back in April to buy about 12-hundred acres of heavily wooded property where the proposed data center would go. So far, we have not heard back.

__________________________________________

There’s been a major break in the case of two missing south Louisiana women. West Feliciana Parish Sheriff Brian Spillman says his deputies along with other agencies have begun searching a rural residential piece of property that belongs to 43-year-old Thomas Morris, who was arrested in July on an unrelated kidnapping case.

Cut 7 (10) “…including human remains.”

Madison Allen is believed to have disappeared in November 2023. She was living in Zachary. The other missing woman is Stephanie Hevia, who disappeared in March of 2025. Her last known address was in West Feliciana Parish.

Spillman says both women were known acquaintances of Morris and investigators have developed sufficient evidence to secure a search warrant of Morris’ property. The sheriff is not dismissing the possibility they may find more than just the remains of Allen and Hevia.

Cut 8 (12) “…some more information.”

Spillman says the search of the 15-acre property will be slow and methodical. He continues to ask for the public’s help in this case as their information has helped them secure the search warrant.

Cut 9 (12)  “…these two ladies.”

Morris is in jail on a 500-thousand-dollar bond. He was arrested nearly two months ago after authorities say he held a woman against her will. The victim, who was from Montana, was not allowed to leave and not allowed access to her cell phone. She eventually alerted authorities about her dire situation when she called the cops from the bathroom of a local dollar store.

__________________________________________________

It was arguably the darkest day in American history, and it happened 25 years ago today. 2,977 people were killed when 19 terrorists hijacked four planes; two of them were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, one was flown into the Pentagon, and the other crashed in a remote field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers who got word of the other three hijackings overpowered the terrorists.

Trey Williams is currently the spokesman for Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry; but on September 11th, 2001, Williams was working at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, DC. He was in his office building as American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon a short distance away and while United Airlines Flight 93 was still in the air.

Cut 10 (11) “…towards the Capitol.”

Like everyone else, Williams was trying to get home at that point; but with public transit shut down, his only options were driving or walking. With traffic at a standstill, Williams chose to walk several hours home, and the images he saw on his way home will stick with him forever, and not just the bad ones.

Cut 11 (12) “…a ride out.”

Cell phones weren’t nearly as abundant in September 2001 as they are today, and texting hadn’t been invented yet. Still, Williams was able to contact a family member back in Louisiana, who in turn contacted all other loved ones to let them know that he was safe.

Williams says his roommate worked in the Pentagon not too far from where the plane crashed; he was able to get out okay.

__________________________________________________

In the 25 years since the 9/11 attacks, anti-terrorism intelligence at all levels – federal, state and local – has become a lot more sophisticated. Mark Fontenot, the intelligence coordination center manager at GOHSEP, says everything is a lot more advanced now.

Cut 12 (13) “…homeland security threats.”

Fontenot says as part of its main responsibility, GOHSEP does a lot of public outreach.

Cut 13 (11)  “…see something, say something.”

Fontenot says the goal today is not only to respond faster, but to identify, assess and disrupt threats before they become incidents.

__________________________________________________

Eighth-ranked LSU hosts Louisiana Tech tomorrow, as both schools come off massive week one blowout wins. Tigers quarterback Sam Leavitt passed for 230 yards and a touchdown and ran for 113 yards and two scores in the 51-10 win over Clemson. Left tackle Jordan Seaton was impressed.

Cut 14 (08) “…farther we go.”

LA Tech beat Northwestern State 80-6 in its opener. Wide receiver Dedrick Latulas had two catches for ten yards and a touchdown and a 58-yard punt return touchdown. He says he’s excited to play in a sold-out Tiger Stadium, but the Bulldogs are not intimidated by LSU.

Cut 15 (11) “…with a W.”

LSU is a 31-and-a-half-point favorite over the Bulldogs. With many already looking ahead to a dramatic reunion between coach Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss next weekend, wide receiver Winnie Watkins says the players are completely focused on Tech.

Cut 16 (12) “…and working hard.”

Kickoff is at 6:30.

__________________________________________________

The Saints kick off year two with head coach Kellen Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough on Sunday. They have a tough test going on the road against Detroit, who have had four straight winning seasons. Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley says quarterback Jared Goff is a big part of that success.

Cut 17 (18) “…ever thrown it.”

The Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs was named to his third straight Pro Bowl last season after totaling over 18-hundred scrimmage yards and 18 touchdowns. Staley says he’s a weapon no matter what he’s doing.

Cut 18 (18) “…very complete player.”

Kickoff Sunday is at noon.

__________________________________________________

ULM faces UAB on the road at 2:30 tomorrow. The Blazers lost their opener to Illinois in a 42-23 game that was closer than the final score shows. Warhawks coach Bryant Vincent says they beat them in every stat but the scoreboard.

Cut 19 (12) “…makes them go.”

The Warhawks are coming off a 62-13 loss to Mississippi State. Vincent says the Bulldogs are easily the most talented team they’ll face all season, but he expects a similar style of play from the Blazers.

Cut 20 (19) “…the red zone.”

 

5:30 LRN Newscast

Tomorrow will tie the record for the latest date into a hurricane season without an Atlantic hurricane; and with no tropical cyclone activity expected in the Atlantic over the next seven days, we will certainly break the record Saturday. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says we could be on track to not only break that record, but also to demolish it.

Cut 10 (11) “…tropical storm.”

Diesel prices in Louisiana have never been higher. The statewide average for diesel is almost $5.59 a gallon. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says these high diesel prices are adding to the woes experienced by already-suffering Louisiana shrimpers.

Cut 5 (13) “…higher than that.”

The public transit system in Shreveport-Bossier City is using an autonomous bus. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

One of the stars of the TV show “Swamp People” was arrested in Iberville Parish. 44-year-old Willie Edwards Jr., who starred on the History Channel program which premiered in 2010, is charged with felony theft and possession of stolen items. This, after sheriff’s detectives found the stolen items at the home of 46-year-old Elgin Floyd.

4:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU will look to continue its hot start against Louisiana Tech this weekend. The Tigers’ offensive line looked much improved in the 51-10 win over Clemson. LSU allowed zero sacks and racked up 309 rushing yards, almost double last year’s season-high 166 yards versus South Carolina. Colorado transfer left tackle Jordan Seaton says running back Dilin Jones played a big hand in that too.

Cut 17 (12) “…level untouched (2x).”

The Tigers and Bulldogs kick off at 6:30. Death Valley will have a sold-out crowd for the second straight week.

Former LSU center Kate Koval is entering the transfer portal after leaving LSU before the start of classes. The NCAA granted Koval a waiver to play at a new school this season after she withdrew from LSU following the signing of Russian forward Anna Minaeva. Koval’s father serves in the Ukrainian military, and she chose not to play with the Russian 17-year-old to stay true to herself, her family and her country.

The Saints open the season on Sunday against the Lions. Quarterback Tyler Shough will look to take the next step leading the offense in his first full offseason as the starter. The Saints’ first team did not play in the preseason, but he says he got plenty of work in during training camp.

Cut 20 (17) “…any negative plays.”

Shough went 5-and-4 as the starter last season and averaged 250 passing yards a game. Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said Shough was the team’s highest-rated quarterback in last year’s draft, over top-overall pick Cam Ward.

Running back Alvin Kamara was limited for a second practice after returning from an MCL sprain. Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux was added to the Saints’ injury report as he missed practice for a regularly scheduled rest day.

New Orleans kicks off the season in Detroit at noon Sunday.

4:30 LRN Newscast

Diesel prices in Louisiana are now in record territory. The statewide average for diesel is almost $5.59 a gallon. Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says whereas most of us don’t drive diesel vehicles, we’ll be paying these high diesel prices in the form of higher prices for goods, and those high prices will linger for quite some time.

Cut 4 (13) “…to a year.”

Don Redman with Triple-A Louisiana says he does not expect these high diesel prices to remain this high for too much longer.

Cut 6 (11) “…of those prices.”

The statewide average for regular unleaded gasoline, meanwhile, is currently at $3.85 a gallon.

Since the National Hurricane Center started using satellites to track hurricanes in the 1960s, September 11th has been the latest date of the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. We will break that record this year. With consistent wind shear stopping tropical bands from organizing in their typical hot spots, State Climatologist Jay Grymes says storms do not have the time or space to develop into hurricanes.

Cut 12 (13) “…hurricane intensity.” 

The public transit system in Shreveport and Bossier City has a self-driving bus. SporTran CEO Dinero Washington says while this technology might result in fewer bus drivers, it will create other job opportunities to run a fleet of self-driving buses.

Cut 9 (11)  “…vehicles.”

3:30 LRN Newscast

Diesel prices in Louisiana are at an all-time high. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The high diesel prices are also unkind to Louisiana shrimping industry, which is also battling imported shrimp that’s cheaper, which drives down the prices for locally-caught shrimp. The Louisiana Shrimp Association  is asking the President to issue an executive order that caps the amount of shrimp imported into the United States.

 

The public transit system in Shreveport and Bossier City has a self-driving bus. It’s part of a pilot program funded by a one-million-dollar federal grant. SporTran CEO Dinero Washington says some passengers might be scared to get on an autonomous bus, so they will still have a driver behind the wheel…

Cut 7 (06) “…going to happen.”

The self-driving bus seats 12 people and it will be used to pick up and drop off passengers in Shreveport’s Medical and Entertainment districts.

UL Lafayette goes on the road to face 14th-ranked USC this weekend. Cajuns head coach Michael Desormeaux says his team can make a statement against the Trojans.

Cut 16 (17) “…they do, period.”

It’s a late start on the west coast, kick off is at 10 PM central time on the Big 10 Network.

LRN PM Newscall September 10

Diesel prices in Louisiana are at an all-time high. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

The public transit system in Shreveport-Bossier City is using an autonomous bus. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

____________________________________________

Diesel prices in Louisiana have never been higher. The statewide average for diesel is almost $5.59 a gallon. Interestingly, this comes as the average for regular unleaded gasoline is not close to record territory – currently at $3.85, well short of the record of $4.56, set in June of  2022. Don Redman with Triple-A says the United States, being one of the leading exporters of diesel, is having to export a lot more, especially to Europe.

Cut 3 (09) “…start making diesel.”

Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says whereas most of us don’t drive diesel vehicles, we’ll be paying these high diesel prices in the form of higher prices for goods, and those high prices will linger for quite some time.

Cut 4 (13) “…to a year.”

Strain says these high diesel prices are also adding to the woes experienced by already-suffering Louisiana shrimpers.

Cut 5 (13) “…higher than that.”

Redman says he does not expect these high diesel prices to remain this high for too much longer.

Cut 6 (11) “…of those prices.”

____________________________________________

The public transit system in Shreveport and Bossier City has a self-driving bus. It’s part of a pilot program funded by a one-million-dollar federal grant. SporTran CEO Dinero Washington says some passengers might be scared to get on an autonomous bus, so they will still have a driver behind the wheel.

Cut 7 (06) “…going to happen.”

The self-driving bus seats 12 people and it will be used to pick up and drop off passengers in Shreveport’s Medical and Entertainment districts. Washington says they expect to acquire additional autonomous buses.

Cut 8 (10) “…additional vehicles.”

Washington says SporTran will break ground on an autonomous facility next month. While this technology might result in fewer bus drivers, Washington says it will create other job opportunities to run a fleet of self-driving buses.

Cut 9 (11)  “…vehicles.”

____________________________________________

Tomorrow will tie the record for the latest into a hurricane season without an Atlantic hurricane in the satellite era. The September 11th mark was also reached in 2002 and 2013, but State Climatologist Jay Grymes says we could be on track to not only break that record, but also to demolish it.

Cut 10 (11) “…tropical storm.”

The National Hurricane Center expects no tropical cyclone activity over the next week. Grymes says a strong El Niño is doing its job.

Cut 11 (13) “…tropical development.”

With consistent wind shear stopping tropical bands from organizing in their typical hot spots, Grymes says storms do not have the time and space to develop into hurricanes.

Cut 12 (13) “…hurricane intensity.”

 

2:30 LRN Newscast

Tomorrow, we will tie a record; and on Saturday we will break it. In the satellite era, September 11th is the latest date of the first hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season, and the National Hurricane Center is not expecting any tropical cyclone activity over the next week. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says a strong El Niño is doing its job.

Cut 11 (13) “…tropical development.”

Diesel prices in Louisiana have never been higher. The statewide average for diesel is almost $5.59 a gallon. Don Redman with Triple-A says the United States, being one of the leading exporters of diesel, is having to export a lot more of it, especially to Europe.

Cut 3 (09) “…start making diesel.”

Drivers? We don’t need no stinkin’ drivers! The public transit system in Shreveport-Bossier City is using an autonomous bus. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

One of the stars of the TV show “Swamp People” was arrested in Iberville Parish. 44-year-old Willie Edwards Jr., who starred on the History Channel program which premiered in 2010, is charged with felony theft and possession of stolen items. This, after sheriff’s detectives found the stolen items at the home of 46-year-old Elgin Floyd.

1:30 LRN Newscast

According to Triple-A, the diesel prices in Louisiana have never been higher The statewide average for a gallon of diesel gasoline is $5.58, which is a record high. President Trump says oil and gas prices will not fall until right after the midterm election. Triple-A’s Don Redman hopes we do not have to wait that long…

Cut 6 (11) “…of those prices.”

Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says whereas most of us don’t drive diesel vehicles, we’ll be paying these high diesel prices in the form of higher prices for goods, and those high prices will linger for quite some time.

Cut 4 (13) “…to a year.”

 

Tomorrow marks an official record for the latest into a hurricane season without an Atlantic hurricane in the satellite era. The September 11th mark was also reached in 2002 and 2013, but State Climatologist Jay Grimes says we could be on track to demolish that record.

Cut 10 (11) “…tropical storm.”

El Nino conditions are the reason for the super quiet season other than a few tropical storms.

LSU will not be kicked out of the SEC. Cooler heads have prevailed after LSU made the decision not to add two players who were on NFL training camp rosters last month to their roster. Tiger Rag Editor Glenn Guilbeau says there’s no evidence LSU or coach Lane Kiffin broke any rules and he says it’s ridiculous LSU was threatened with expulsion…

Cut 15 (05) “…really Greg Sankey”

LSU will host Louisiana Tech on Saturday night.

12:30 LRN Newscast

Diesel prices in Louisiana have never been higher. The statewide average for diesel is almost $5.59 a gallon. This comes as the average for regular unleaded gasoline is not close to record territory – currently at $3.85, well short of the record of almost $4.56, set in June of 2022. Don Redman with Triple-A says the United States is a leading exporter of diesel, and it is having to export a lot more, especially to Europe.

Cut 3 (09) “…start making diesel.”

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says these high diesel prices are also adding to the woes experienced by already-suffering Louisiana shrimpers.

Cut 5 (13) “…higher than that.”

 

The bitter legal fight between LSU and the SEC over the eligibility of two football players with recent NFL ties is over for now, with LSU no longer facing the threat of expulsion from the conference. A vote on whether LSU should remain in the SEC is not happening. Tiger Rag Editor Glenn Guilbeau says the fact that SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey threatened to kick LSU out of the conference still doesn’t look good.

Cut 13 (11)  “…Greg Sankey is.”

An autonomous bus has arrived in Louisiana. The public transit system in Shreveport and Bossier City has acquired one with the help of a federal grant.  The self-driving bus seats 12 and it will be used in Shreveport’s Medical and Entertainment districts. Sportran CEO Dinero Washington says they expect to acquire additional autonomous buses…

Cut 8 (10) “….additional vehicles”

Washington says SporTran will break ground on an autonomous facility next month.

11:40 LRN Sportscast

SEC presidents are no longer slated to vote on expelling LSU from the conference at their meeting today. The legal fight between LSU and the SEC is nearing an end after the Tigers chose not to roster former NFL signees, Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, but Tiger Rag Editor Glenn Guilbeau says the fact that SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey threatened to kick LSU out of the conference still doesn’t look good.

Cut 13 (11)  “…Greg Sankey is.”

The Saints kick off the season at Detroit on Sunday. Running backs Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller returned to practice yesterday. Kamara was limited with an MCL sprain he suffered three weeks ago, but quarterback Tyler Shough says he’s as explosive as ever.

Cut 18 (12) “…feeding those guys.”

The Saints and Lions kick off at noon Sunday.

UL Lafayette is traveling to 14th-ranked USC this weekend. The Cajuns kicked off the season with a 38-7 win over Lamar. Junior quarterback Lunch Winfield was 16-for-22 for 189 yards and two interceptions but added 84 yards and two scores on the ground. Head coach Michael Desormeaux does not blame Winfield for the interceptions and says he was pleased with his 73-percent completion rate and smart decision-making.

Cut 17 (18) “…as the starter.”

Former LSU national champion pitcher Kade Anderson earned his first Major League win yesterday. He allowed one earned run and six hits and struck out five batters in the six innings during the Mariners’ 3-2 win over the Rangers. He is now 1-and-1 through four starts with a 4.29 ERA and 16 total strikeouts.`