A recent study of YouTube viewership habits finds the Bayou State loves professional wrestling.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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The Bayou Bengals are turning the White House Purple and Gold today in honor of their National Championship victory. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

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The Jazz Fest lineup is in and this year’s bill is absolutely stacked. Matt Doyle spoke with festival producer Quint Davis about who’s showing up…

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

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A recent study finds that professional wrestling is the most popular content on YouTube for Louisiana web surfers.  Frontierbundles.com conducted the study and spokesperson Elaine Thompson says the research is based on each state’s most searched or subscribed YouTube channel, with WWE picking up the pinfall over everyone else.

Cut 4 (13) “…Mr. Beast and Smosh.”

Across the nation, WWE is tied with Bright Side for the top YouTube channel.

Thompson says the Bayou State isn’t alone in its fascination with piledrivers and powerbombs as WWE is the most popular YouTube channel in seven other states.

Cut 5 (09) “…South Carolina.”

Since starting in 2005 YouTube has grown to be the second biggest search engine on the web, only behind Google.  Thompson says it is more used than Bing, Yahoo, and Ask combined.

Cut 6 (10) “…every single day.”

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The LSU Championship Parade is set for Saturday at 11AM at the school’s flagship Baton Rouge campus.

LSU Senior Associate Athletic Director Robert Munson says it’ll be a party and one last time to see all of the players and coaches together before many of them move on in their careers or graduate.

Cut 7 (10) “…Championship”

The campus will open early to tailgating at 8 AM.

The parade starts at the School of Music and wraps up by heading down victory hill. Munson says approach the parade like you would game day against a major opponent.

Cut 8 (11) “…the better”

Rain is expected, but unless it is severe Munson does not expect it will stop the parade.

Once the parade wraps up the party moves inside the Maravich Assembly Center at 12 PM. Munson says the room will be packed with dignitaries, and award celebrations.

Cut 9 (10) “…this season”

LSU Championship gear will be available for purchase outside the PMAC.

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The National Champion LSU Tigers visit Washington DC today.  Congressman Garret Graves says there are a number of different events to honor the team including a dinner, a tour of the Capitol and the House floor, and a meeting with the President at the White House.

Cut 10 (11) “…actions confirm that.”

Graves was in the skybox at the Superdome with President Trump and says the President tries to remain impartial on who he pulls for, but…

Cut 11 (12) “…leave a fan.”

When the Clemson Tigers were the champs last year, they visited DC during the partial government shutdown, which resulted in a menu full of fast food.  Graves says time will tell what is on the menu for the Bayou Bengals.

Cut 12 (10) “…final decision made.”
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This year’s Jazz Fest lineup is in and the Foo Fighters, Lizzo, Wu-Tang Clan, The Who, Stevie Nicks, Lionel Richie, and others will headline a stacked festival bill.

Festival producer Quint Davis says this year is a perfect combination of some of the biggest touring acts on earth coming to New Orleans to mingle with local stars like Tank and the Bangas and Irma Thomas…

Cut 13 (11) “…our people”

A few of the other headliners include Elvis Costello, The Lumineers, Black Crowes, Lenny Kravitz, and the Dead and Company.

Festival legends Art Neville and Dr. John passed away last year, so along with two star-studded tribute acts, visitors can join a jazz funeral procession in honor of the artists…

Cut 14 (11) “…forever.”

Neville and Dr. John will each have their own processions.

Jazz Fest always sparks interesting locally flavored collaborations, and this year that honor goes to the Wu-Tang Clan who’ll take the stage live with New Orleans’ own Soul Rebels Brass Band…

Cut 15 (11) “…that on.”

The Festival runs April 23^rd through May 3^rd.

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After four years leading LSU’s defense, coordinator Dave Aranda leaves to take on the recently vacant head coaching job at Baylor.

Aranda was highly regarded, and as such was the best-paid coordinator in the country. USA Today’s Glen Guilbeau says Aranda was a talented guy who did a lot of good for the Tigers.

Cut 16  (22)  …loss” 

Aranda ran a top 30 defense each of his four years at the school.

But Guilbeau says he’s not irreplaceable, and he’s not even as big a loss as the recent departure of Joe Brady. He expects the position to be filled with another bright defensive mind.

Cut 17  (18) “there” 

Aranda has been a sought after hire for years now, and recently was interested in taking over UNLV’s program. Guilbeau says now is a good time for him to take the next step.

cut 18  (16) “the craft”   

Aranda takes over for a program that just lost Matt Rhule to the Carolina Panthers. That departure led to the poaching of LSU offensive wunderkind Joe Brady.

Former LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Junior’s conduct following the national championship game has him in trouble with the law. The New Orleans Police Department has issued an arrest warrant for Beckham for slapping an officer on the rear end. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says Beckham’s behavior went too far
Cut 9 (08) “over the place”
Beckham has also been in the news for his money handshakes with a few players after the game.

After nearly two years of a trade war, phase one of the trade agreement between the US and China has been signed.  Louisiana Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says China will buy $36.5 billion in ag products this year adding structural reforms will change the goods that China purchases which he says should result in long term stability.

Cut 14 (11) “…that’s $850 million.”

An environmental coalition sues the Army Corps of Engineers over the permitting of a plastics plant in St. James that they say would pump out greenhouse gases equivalent to three coal power plants, send poisonous waste downriver into New Orleans’ drinking water, and irreparably harm the local community.

Cut 7 (10) “illnesses”

That’s Center for Biological Diversity staff attorney Emily Jeffers who says the Corps did not, as legally required, disclose that when the permit was issued. The Corps says they can’t comment on the suit.

A twelve-year-old girl and her mother are dead and two other hospitalized following a trailer fire in Lake Charles.  State Fire Marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says firefighters got the call around 10:30 Tuesday night.

Cut 3 (12)  “…into the room.” 

39-year-old Marie Bourque was identified as the adult fatality.

LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda is reportedly set to leave the program to take over as the new head coach of Baylor. Aranda was widely regarded as one of the best defensive minds in college football.

And that’s not the only story blowing up the LSU newswire today. An arrest warrant is now out for former star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for an incident caught on tape where he slapped the behind of a Superdome police officer who was reportedly in the locker room during an incident where players were caught smoking cigars. This stacks with another video controversy where he was caught handing out money to players after championship game.  NFL analyst Mike Detillier says if they want to keep playing, they’ll have to give it back.

Cut 11 (11) “…a year”

OBJ’s pro team, the Cleveland Browns, says they are monitoring the situation.

The Army Corps of Engineers has been sued by a coalition of environmental groups for allegedly failing to disclose the public health risks of a plastics plant set for construction in St. James Parish. The Center for Biological Diversity is one of the plaintiffs and staff attorney Emily Jeffers says the Corp was blatantly disregarding the law when they issued a permit for the Formosa facility.

Cut 6 (10) “discharged”

A Corps spokesperson says they cannot comment on litigation.

After nearly two years of a trade war, phase one of the trade agreement between the US and China has been signed.  Louisiana Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says the benefit to the state’s economy is unprecedented.

Cut 12 (10) “…trade war began.”

The New Orleans Police Department has issued an arrest warrant for Beckham for slapping an officer on the rear end during a post-game celebration with LSU players. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says O-B-J has been a huge supporter of the LSU football team, but the relationship might need a time out…
Cut 10 (10) “…cool down” 
Beckham has also been in the news for his money handshakes with a few players after the game.

After nearly two years of a trade war, phase one of the trade agreement between the US and China has been signed.  Louisiana Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says China will buy $36.5 billion in ag products this year with spending increases in upcoming years.

Cut 13 (11) “…very very closely.”

The Army Corps of Engineers has been sued by a coalition of environmental groups for allegedly failing to disclose the public health risks of a plastics plant set for construction in St. James Parish. The Center for Biological Diversity is one of the plaintiffs and staff attorney Emily Jeffers says the Corp was blatantly disregarding the law when they issued a permit for the facility.The suit alleges that a full accounting of the public health effects was not done because it would likely have resulted in a rejection of the site’s permit.
Cut 8 (08) “…approve it”
A Corps spokesperson says they cannot comment on litigation.

A twelve-year-old girl is dead and her mother is fighting to stay live following a trailer fire in Lake Charles.  State Fire Marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says investigators are considering electrical malfunction as a potential cause, but they are continuing to work through the evidence before ruling anything out.

Cut 4 (10) “…of the trailer.”

Handing out money to LSU players following the national championship is not the only thing Odell Beckham did following the Tigers’ historic victory. Jeff Palermo has more on the video that shows Beckham spanking a police officer…

cut  2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

The Jazz Fest lineup is absolutely stacked this year with Foo Fighters, Lizzo, and the Wu-Tang Clan primed to headline along with classic hitmakers like Stevie Nicks, Lionel Richie, the Who, and Dead and Company. The festival will also have several tributes to the late Dr. John.

A trailer fire in Lake Charles kills a 12-year-old girl and puts three other people in the hospital. State Fire Marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says the home did not have working smoke alarms, which could have added critical seconds to the escape.

Cut 5 (13) “…alarms save lives.”

This is the first residential fatal fire in Louisiana of 2020.

After nearly two years of a trade war, phase one of the trade agreement between the US and China has been signed. Louisiana Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says structural reforms will change the goods that China purchases which he says should result in long term stability.

Cut 14 (11) “…that’s $850 million.”

Our largest ag trade partner today is Canada with just under $22 billion.

Another layer has been added to how Odell Beckham Junior conducted himself following LSU’s win over Clemson in the national championship game. Today the New Orleans Police Department has issued an arrest warrant for Beckham for slapping an officer on the rear end. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says Beckham’s behavior on Monday night went too far…
cut 9 (08) “….over the place”
There’s video of the incident which happened during the postgame celebration in LSU’s lockerroom.

After nearly two years of a trade war, phase one of the trade agreement between the US and China has been signed. Louisiana Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says the benefit to the state’s economy is unprecedented.
Cut 12 (10) “…trade war began.”
Our largest ag trade partner today is Canada with just under $22 billion.

Environmental groups sue the Army Corps of Engineers, alleging the organization did not disclose the public health risks of a future St. James Parish plastics plant. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Advanced Aero Services announces plans to build an aviation facility at Shreveport Regional Airport that will initially create 60 new jobs with an average salary just below 50-thousand dollars. Workers will perform maintenance, repair and overhaul work on commercial airlines at the facility.

An environmental coalition sues the Army Corps of Engineers over the permitting of a plastics plant in St. James that they say would pump out greenhouse gases equivalent to three coal power plants, send poisonous waste downriver into New Orleans’ drinking water, and irreparably harm the local community.

Cut 7 (10) “illnesses”

That’s Center for Biological Diversity staff attorney Emily Jeffers who says the Corps did not, as legally required, disclose that when the permit was issued. The Corps says they can’t comment on the suit.

A twelve-year-old girl is dead and her mother is fighting to stay alive following a trailer fire in Lake Charles. State Fire Marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says firefighters got the call around 10:30 Tuesday night.

Cut 3 (12)  “…into the room.” 

Four people were home at the time of the blaze with three of them still hospitalized. 

University of Louisiana at Monroe President Nick Bruno is retiring. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart” AM

An arrest warrant has been issued for former LSU star Odell Beckham Jr., who was caught on video hitting a Mercedes-Benz Superdome police officer on the backside after the Tigers’ win over Clesmon. Beckham is being accused of simple battery for apparently slapping the male officer’s buttocks after LSU’s championship game. OBJ has already been scrutinized for handing out cash to players following the same game.

The Tiger’s championship run has ruled record-breaking merchandise sales for the company that run’s the team’s e-commerce store. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

The Army Corps of Engineers has been sued by a coalition of environmental groups for allegedly failing to disclose the public health risks of a plastics plant set for construction in St. James Parish.

The Center for Biological Diversity is one of the plaintiffs and staff attorney Emily Jeffers says the Corp was blatantly disregarding the law when they issued a permit for the facility.

Cut 6 (10) “discharged”

A Corps spokesperson says they cannot comment on litigation.

A twelve-year-old girl is dead and her mother is fighting to stay live following a trailer fire in Lake Charles.  Four people were home at the time of the blaze with three of them still hospitalized.  State Fire Marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says firefighters got the call around 10:30 Tuesday night.

Cut 3 (12)  “…into the room.” 

This is the first residential fatal fire in Louisiana of 2020.