Monthly Archives: January 2017

01.09.17
by

AM Newscall, January 9th, 2017

King Cake season is in full swing, and a lot of people don’t know that the filled Mardi Gras pastry is actually a Mississippi tradition. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The Transportation Task Force put together by the governor releases its final report and it calls for $700 million more a year to improve roads and bridges. Don Molino has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Don Molino”

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards sent a letter to Congress urging federal lawmakers not to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

King Cake season is in full swing, and a lot of people don’t know that the filled Mardi Gras pastry is actually a Mississippi tradition. It all started with Paul’s Pastry Shop out of Picayune in 1972, when bakers decided to spice king cakes up a bit. Sherri Thigpen is the current owner of the establishment. She says they had some learning to do…:

cut 4  (10) “dough recipe”

Thigpen says they were already known for making birthday cakes, wedding cakes and even cheese breads that were filled, so they developed a similar recipe for the king cakes…:

Cut 5  (11)  “over cream cheese”

Thigpen says with over 40 to choose from, including the option to create your own combination, Paul’s Pastry Shop offers the largest selection of flavors at a single bakery. She says at first, the recipe was not being recognized as a King Cake by bakery organizations because of the fillings…:

Cut 6 (10) “about everything”

______________________________________

Monroe is a top contender for a new Graphic Packaging facility. Senior Manager of Corporate Communications, Sue Appleyard, says while they are still looking at other potential locations, the company reached a conceptual agreement with the local union to build the facility in the Monroe area.

CUT 7 (08)  “works out”‘

Appleyard expects a final decision to come in the next few months. She says there won’t be any impact on their current paper mill, which employs the bulk of their 400 workers in West Monroe, but the two other facilities would be consolidated. She says there would be a slight decrease in the number of jobs for the area, but the overall impact won’t be hugely significant.

Cut 8 (10) “anyway”

Appleyard says this new 70-million facility will be Graphic Packaging’s first brand new plant in 10 years. She says they’re excited about the possibility of bringing this new state of the art facility to a town where Graphic Packaging has become a household name.

Cut 9 (07)  “stay there”

________________________________________

The Transportation Task Force has released their final report on how to improve the state’s transportation infrastructure, and of course, funding is number one. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the state needs to increase its investment in transportation by $700 million a year. But he says they haven’t decided how those dollars will be raised.

Cut 10 (09) “commercial vehicles”

Wilson says they’re also looking into tolls and public-private partnerships as a means of funding. He says something has to be done to address the $13 billion backlog of transportation projects, as well as address the $16 billion in new projects, like a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge. He says policy reform could be needed.

cut 11 (11) “the country”

Revenue raising proposals to fund transportations needs will be considered during the regular legislative session that begins April 10th. It’s unclear what specific proposals Governor John Bel Edwards will back but Wilson expects a lot of discussion.

cut 12 (09) “conditions”

_______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards has sent a letter to Congress urging national leaders not to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But US Senator Bill Cassidy says Obamacare isn’t working for everyone. He says when premiums and deductibles cost thousands of dollars, that’s anything but affordable.

Cut 13 (09) “deductible”

Cassidy has proposed the Patient Freedom Act, which gives states the option to choose whether or not to keep Obamacare. He says the bill would repeal the ACA on a federal level, including the individual and employer mandates, and it would prevent the federal government from forcing people to pay penalties for not having insurance. He says states could then decide their own plan of action.

cut 14 (10) “other states”

But Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee urges federal lawmakers not to fix what isn’t broken. While she admits Obamacare is causing premiums to go up nationwide, she is adamant that the Medicaid expansion has been a godsend.

Cut 15 (08) “gotten care”

Gee says she and the governor look forward to working with Congress to find a suitable replacement for Obamacare. She says their top priority is maintaining coverage for Louisiana residents. She says repealing the ACA without a replacement would have drastic consequences for Louisiana.

Cut 16 (08) “goes up”

_________________________________________________

 

01.07.17
by

11:30 Newscast Jan 7

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says one of their agents was shot multiple times in Morehouse Parish early this morning. Officials say 25-year-old Tyler Wheeler of Monroe performed a vehicle stop on Highway 165 when he was shot. Another agent reportedly arrived on scene after the shooting, and EMS was dispatched to the scene. Wheeler was airlifted to LSU Health Shreveport, and the extent of his injuries is unknown. Authorities are looking for the shooting suspect.

LSU All-American Safety Jamal Adams announces he’s skipping his senior season and entering the NFL draft. Before Adams left to go train for the draft, he thanked the LSU fans for pushing him.

Cut 16 (12) “Geaux tigers”

Wind chill advisories are in effect for much of the state today, as cold Canadian air has settled over the Bayou State. Daniel Manning with the National Weather Service in Slidell says other advisories are also in effect. She advises people to monitor the advisories, as some expired warnings will be issued again later today.

Cut 23 (10) “…temperatures tonight”

Many Louisiana residents will be staying indoors this weekend to avoid the freezing temperatures outside. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning urges people to use caution when heating their homes. He says people should never use a stove or oven as a heater.

Cut 24 (07) “…cause fires”

01.07.17
by

LRN AM NEWSCALL JAN 7

King Cake season is in full swing, and a lot of people don’t know that the filled Mardi Gras pastry is actually a Mississippi tradition. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 1 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

The Transportation Task Force put together by the governor releases its final report and it calls for $700 million more a year to improve roads and bridges. Don Molino has more…

Cut 2 (29) “I’m Don Molino”

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards sent a letter to Congress urging federal lawmakers not to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

King Cake season is in full swing, and a lot of people don’t know that the filled Mardi Gras pastry is actually a Mississippi tradition. It all started with Paul’s Pastry Shop out of Picayune in 1972, when bakers decided to spice king cakes up a bit. Sherri Thigpen is the current owner of the establishment. She says they had some learning to do…:

cut 4  (10) “dough recipe”

Thigpen says they were already known for making birthday cakes, wedding cakes and even cheese breads that were filled, so they developed a similar recipe for the king cakes…:

Cut 5  (11)  “over cream cheese”

Thigpen says with over 40 to choose from, including the option to create your own combination, Paul’s Pastry Shop offers the largest selection of flavors at a single bakery. She says at first, the recipe was not being recognized as a King Cake by bakery organizations because of the fillings…:

Cut 6 (10) “about everything”

______________________________________

Monroe is a top contender for a new Graphic Packaging facility. Senior Manager of Corporate Communications, Sue Appleyard, says while they are still looking at other potential locations, the company reached a conceptual agreement with the local union to build the facility in the Monroe area.

CUT 7 (08)  “works out”‘

Appleyard expects a final decision to come in the next few months. She says there won’t be any impact on their current paper mill, which employs the bulk of their 400 workers in West Monroe, but the two other facilities would be consolidated. She says there would be a slight decrease in the number of jobs for the area, but the overall impact won’t be hugely significant.

Cut 8 (10) “anyway”

Appleyard says this new 70-million facility will be Graphic Packaging’s first brand new plant in 10 years. She says they’re excited about the possibility of bringing this new state of the art facility to a town where Graphic Packaging has become a household name.

Cut 9 (07)  “stay there”

________________________________________

The Transportation Task Force has released their final report on how to improve the state’s transportation infrastructure, and of course, funding is number one. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the state needs to increase its investment in transportation by $700 million a year. But he says they haven’t decided how those dollars will be raised.

Cut 10 (09) “commercial vehicles”

Wilson says they’re also looking into tolls and public-private partnerships as a means of funding. He says something has to be done to address the $13 billion backlog of transportation projects, as well as address the $16 billion in new projects, like a new Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge. He says policy reform could be needed.

cut 11 (11) “the country”

Revenue raising proposals to fund transportations needs will be considered during the regular legislative session that begins April 10th. It’s unclear what specific proposals Governor John Bel Edwards will back but Wilson expects a lot of discussion.

cut 12 (09) “conditions”

_______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards has sent a letter to Congress urging national leaders not to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But US Senator Bill Cassidy says Obamacare isn’t working for everyone. He says when premiums and deductibles cost thousands of dollars, that’s anything but affordable.

Cut 13 (09) “deductible”

Cassidy has proposed the Patient Freedom Act, which gives states the option to choose whether or not to keep Obamacare. He says the bill would repeal the ACA on a federal level, including the individual and employer mandates, and it would prevent the federal government from forcing people to pay penalties for not having insurance. He says states could then decide their own plan of action.

cut 14 (10) “other states”

But Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee urges federal lawmakers not to fix what isn’t broken. While she admits Obamacare is causing premiums to go up nationwide, she is adamant that the Medicaid expansion has been a godsend.

Cut 15 (08) “gotten care”

Gee says she and the governor look forward to working with Congress to find a suitable replacement for Obamacare. She says their top priority is maintaining coverage for Louisiana residents. She says repealing the ACA without a replacement would have drastic consequences for Louisiana.

Cut 16 (08) “goes up”

01.07.17
by

10:30 Newscast Jan 7

A Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agent was shot multiple times early this morning, according to LDWF. Officials say the shooting occurred when 25-year-old Tyler Wheeler of Monroe performed a vehicle stop on Highway 165 in Morehouse Parish. Another agent was reportedly nearby and arrived on scene shortly after the shooting, and EMS was immediately dispatched to the scene. Wheeler was airlifted to LSU Health Shreveport Trauma Center for treatment, and the extent of his injuries is unknown. Authorities say the search is on for the shooting suspect.

Governor John Bel Edwards says the state has sent the plan for spending the first round of federal flood recovery aid to the feds for approval. He says state officials had to wait for HUD to outline how the money could be spent before it devised its plan. But he hopes spending the second round of aid won’t take so much time.

Cut 23 (08) “…federal register”

Edwards says he is also heading back to Washington to seek additional federal assistance.

Many Louisiana residents may not know how to respond to the cold temperatures we’re experiencing around the state. Mario Valverde with the National Weather Service says one of the biggest dangers will be the roadways because freezing rain and sleet rained down over much of the Bayou State yesterday.

Cut 24 (07) “…use caution”

Valverde advises people to stay off the roadways if possible.

One way to avoid the freezing temperatures outside is to stay indoors. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says people also need to take caution when heating their homes. He says portable space heaters should never be left unattended.

Cut 21 (08) “…of danger”

Browning says people should keep at least three feet of open space around portable heaters.

01.07.17
by

9:30 Newscast Jan 7

Governor John Bel Edwards announces the state’s plan for spending the first round of feral flood recovery dollars has been sent to HUD for approval. He says the first $438 million will go to help the elderly and disabled, but he understands all flood victims need assistance.

Cut 24 (12) “…in Louisiana”

Edwards says the second round of money will go to home and business owners and renters.

It was a frigid night around the Bayou State, and forecasters say today won’t be much warmer. Mario Valverde with the National Weather Service says Shreveport got down to 19 degrees, and other areas of the state were even colder.  He says don’t expect things to warm up much as the day goes on.

Cut 23 (08) “…get colder”

This weekend, South Louisiana could see some of the coldest temperatures we’ve seen since 2015. That’s according to Christopher Bannan with the National Weather Service in Slidell, who says wind chill advisories have been posted.

Cut 8 (08) “Baton Rouge Area”

Bannan says winter weather advisories are also in effect for many parishes.

With so many people staying indoors because of the weather, state Fire Marshal Butch Browning warns residents to be careful when heating their homes. He says people should never use their stove or oven to heat their home, and always monitor space heaters.

Cut 14 (10) “on fire”

Browning also urges people to make sure their smoke detectors are working properly.

01.07.17
by

8:30 Newscast Jan 7

South Louisiana residents are waking up to much colder temperatures this morning. Daniel Manning with the National Weather Service advises everyone to bundle up.

Cut 23 (10) “…strong winds”

Manning says wind chills are down in the low teens for much of the state.

Cold temperatures coupled with yesterday’s winter precipitation are increasing the danger on roadways. State Trooper Scott Moreau says DOTD is doing what they can to keep roads open, but several roads and bridges around the state have been closed due to icy conditions. He says if you have to drive today, take extra precautions.

Cut 13 (08) “your seatbelt”

Moreau advises people not to get on the roads if possible.

Governor John Bel Edwards says the state has sent the plan for spending the $438-million dollars in federal flood recovery aid to HUD for approval. The governor says this first round of money will go to help the elderly and disabled, and the additional $1.2 billion Congress approved will go to homeowners, renters and business owners. But it will be several months before the money gets in the hands of those who need it.

LSU All-American Safety Jamal Adams announces he’s skipping his senior season and entering the NFL draft. Adams held a press conference Friday to thank all of those who helped him become a likely first-round draft choice. Adams was emotional when talking about his parents.

Cut 15 (15) thank em enough”

Adams says he wouldn’t change his experience as a tiger for anything in the world.

01.06.17
by

18:30 Newscast Jan 6

State officials are advising Louisiana residents to stay safe as winter weather moves through. State Trooper Scott Moreau says as freezing rain and sleet falls in many north and central Louisiana parishes, roadways are becoming more dangerous. He advises people not to drive if at all possible.

Cut 12 (08) “at all”

And Christopher Bannan with the National Weather Service says even after the precipitation moves out, residents should still take caution when driving.

Cut 7 (11) “elevated roadways”

Bannan says south Louisiana could see the coldest temperatures we’ve seen since 2015.

Two Washington Parish parents have been arrested after young children were found living in deplorable conditions. Chief Deputy Mike Haley says the home of 28-year-old Jessie Hoyt and 26-year-old Kayla Hoyt was disgusting and the children were also not properly cared for.

Cut 10 (11) “during the day”
The Hoyts face 4 counts each of cruelty to juveniles, and the children are in state custody.

LSU All-American Safety Jamal Adams held a press conference to announce he’s skipping his senior season and entering the NFL draft. Before Adams left to go train for the draft, he thanked the LSU fans for pushing him.

Cut 16 (12) “Geaux tigers”

01.06.17
by

17:30 Newscast Jan 6

With so many people staying indoors because of the weather, state Fire Marshal Butch Browning warns residents to be careful when heating their homes. He says people should never use their stove or oven to heat their home, and always monitor space heaters.

Cut 14 (10) “on fire”

Browning also urges people to make sure their smoke detectors are working properly.

Freezing rain and sleet is causing black ice to form on roadways around the state, causing many roads and bridges to be closed. Mark McAllister with the National Weather Service says even though the storm will taper off after midnight, the danger will linger.

Cut 4 (08) “next week”

Winter weather advisories are in effect for most of the Bayou State.

Governor John Bel Edwards says the state’s plan for spending the $438-million dollars in federal flood recovery aid has been sent to HUD for approval. The governor says this first round of money will be used to help the elderly and disabled, and the additional $1.2 billion will go to help homeowners, renters and business owners. But he says it will be several months before the money is available.

LSU All-American Safety Jamal Adams announces he’s skipping his senior season and entering the NFL draft. Adams held a press conference this morning to thank all of those who helped him become a likely first-round draft choice, and became emotional when talking about his parents…

Cut 15 (15) “thank em enough”

Adams says he wouldn’t change his experience as a Tiger for anything in the world.

01.06.17
by

16:45 LRN Sportscast January 6th

The next time LSU Safety Jamal Adams plays football, it will be with an NFL team. Adams has made the decision to skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft, where it’s expected he’ll be selected in the middle of the first round. Adams gave a heart felt speech during a Friday morning press conference as he thanked everyone, including the fans….
cut 16 (12) “…geaux tigers”
A surprise guest to Adams’ announcement was former LSU Head Coach Les Miles, who recruited the future first round pick out of Lewisville, Texas. The 63-year-old says he wants to be a head coach again and he’s looking for a school where an athletic director and president want him. Miles says he’s had some interviews including one in the last 48 hours, but he’s not disappointed that he’s yet to find a gig.

The Saints made it official Friday afternoon with the announcement they’ve let five assistant coaches go, including longtime assistant Joe Vitt, who also served as assistant head coach. Special teams assistant Stan Kwan and special teams coordinator Greg McMahon were also let go. Saints sideline reporter Kristian Garic says you saw the hand writing on the wall with McMahon…
cut 18 (11) “…long term”
None of the assistants fired were on the offensive side of the ball.

In basketball…after losing to the Hawks on Thursday night, the Pelicans begin a five-game road trip in Boston on Saturday.

Also Saturday, The LSU Tigers are home to host Mississippi State. The Bayou Bengals are looking to improve to 2-1 in league play. The Ragin Cajuns will host ULM. Louisiana Tech will take on Texas San Antonio in Ruston and Southern will be at Grambling.

01.06.17
by

16:30 LRN Newscast January 6th

Much of the state is under a winter weather advisory for this evening. The possibility of ice or sleet was only expected to impact north and central Louisiana, but Christopher Bannan with the National Weather Service in Slidell tells us that the cold air associated with this front has moved in faster than expected…
cut 6 (09) “…surge in”
In areas where the temperature is below freezing, cars are sliding off the road. State Police Trooper Scott Moreau says if you do have to drive tonight, take extra precautions…
cut 13 (08) “…your seatbelt”
The precipitation is expected to move out around midnight, but icy conditions will remain place in areas where the temperature is below freezing.

Governor John Bel Edwards says the state’s plan on how to spend 438-million dollars in federal flood aid has been sent to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development for their approval. This money will be used to help the elderly and disabled. The governor says they plan to use an additional one-point-two billion dollars to help homeowners, renters and business owners, but it will still be several months before this money is available.

Two Washington Parish parents have been arrested amid allegations they were mistreating young children. Acting on a call from a concerned citizen, Chief Deputy Mike Haley says authorities were shocked when they looked into the complaint…:
Cut 9 (12) “very, very spoiled”
28-year-old Jessie Hoyt and 26-year-old Kayla Hoyt were arrested and booked on four counts of cruelty to juveniles. The children are now in state custody.