Louisiana is making great strides in getting the upper hand on opioid-related deaths. Andrew Greenstein reports.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
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When forecasters said this year’s hurricane season was going to be below average, they weren’t kidding. Kace Kieschnick reports.
Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”
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The Department of Insurance says Louisiana drivers are paying 400-million dollars less for private passenger auto insurance. Jeff Palermo has the story.
Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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Opioid deaths in Louisiana are significantly down, declining 59-percent since 2022. That compares to just over a 46-percent decline nationally. Louisiana Deputy Health Secretary Dr. Pete Croughan (CROW-ghin) says there are a couple factors behind the significant drop.
Cut 4 (13) “…treatment for addiction.”
Dr. Croughan says another factor behind the steep drop is the fact that in 2022, Louisiana was one of the nation’s leaders in opioid-related deaths.
Cut 5 (10) “…get that decline.”
Dr. Croughan says obviously, even one opioid-related death is too many, so there’s still work to do to keep the momentum going to get that number down even more.
Cut 6 (10) “…interested in that.”
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When forecasters said this hurricane season would be quieter than normal, they weren’t kidding! LSU Health Secretary Barry Keim says we’re coming up on the middle of September, and we haven’t had one Atlantic hurricane yet – only tropical storms.
Keim says there are a couple reasons why hurricane season has been exceptionally quiet in the Atlantic this year.
The record for the latest in the year without a hurricane is September 11th, accomplished in 2002 and 2013; and with no tropical cyclone activity expected in the Atlantic in the next seven days, we will certainly break that record. Keim says there have been years with no recorded hurricanes at all, but those deserve asterisks.
Cut 9 (15) “…satellites back then.”
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Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the state continues to be in an insurance crisis because premiums are unaffordable for many, but there are positive signs. Temple says thanks to changes in state law, including a measure that gives providers more flexibility to raise or decrease rates, has helped bring premiums down for many.
Cut 10 (08) “…private passenger auto.”
Temple continues to urge policyholders to shop around before renewing with their current provider.
Cut 11 (10) “…to keep fighting.”
Temple says fewer accidents on the road have helped reduce auto insurance premiums. He says the total savings have been 400-million dollars.
Cut 12 (12) “…to insurance companies.”
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A federal court in Alabama will hold a hearing this afternoon in the SEC’s lawsuit that attemps to stop LSU from adding players who were on NFL rosters during training camp. The SEC amended the lawsuit to name Attorney General Liz Murrill as a defendant. Murrill says the SEC is suing LSU for violating its First Amendment rights, but it was the athletes, not LSU, that filed the lawsuit against the NCAA and SEC.
Cut 13 (13) “…evidence of that.”
The SEC’s lawsuit seeks to block the preliminary injunction granted in Baton Rouge last week that prevents the SEC from enforcing any pro-player punishments on returning fifth-year athletes or schools. Murrill says the NCAA’s exclusion of class of 2022 athletes in its five-year eligibility model was unfair, and that is why judges are siding with former college athletes.
Cut 14 (14) “…couldn’t do it.”
The SEC has also threatened to kick LSU out of the league. A vote by the member schools is scheduled for Thursday and it would require 11 votes.
But it appears LSU is backing down. On Tuesday night it was reported that instead of adding Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, who were on NFL rosters last month, to LSU’s roster. The Tigers added injured players Aiden Anding and Gabriel Reliford, which completes their roster at 105 players.
Louisiana Senator John Kennedy says if the SEC tries to kick out LSU, the federal government will come down on the league hard.
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Louisiana Tech is set to visit LSU this weekend. Bulldogs coach Sonny Cumbie says he was proud of how his players performed in their 80-6 win over Northwestern State in the season opener. He says there is a lot of good to take with them to Baton Rouge against a tougher opponent.
Cut 16 (15) “…protect the football.”
Tech gained 528 yards of offense and held the Demons to just 129 yards. It will be a bigger challenge containing LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, who Cumbie says impressed him with his arm strength and athleticism in the Tigers’ win over Clemson.
Cut 17 (15) “…in the country.”
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Ole Miss transfer wide receiver Winnie Watkins led the Tigers with seven catches for 110 yards and a touchdown in his LSU debut. The 51-10 win over Clemson was an electric performance for the sophomore and the entire LSU offense, but Watkins says the receivers are still building chemistry with quarterback Sam Leavitt.
LSU put on a show in front of a sold-out Tiger Stadium in Lane Kiffin’s first game as coach. Watkins says the team can handle the excitement because Kiffin prepares his team better than any coach in the country.
Cut 19 (20) “…with our preparation.”
Watkins played for Kiffin at Ole Miss as a freshman last season and was one of four former Rebels to transfer to LSU this offseason. He says LSU has been everything it was advertised to be.