A flight instructor and her student are presumed dead after a plane crash in Lake Pontchartrain Monday night.  Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The day before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year. Don Redman with Triple-A Louisiana says more than 430-thousand people in the West South Central Region will be taking to the friendly skies, almost seven-million will hit the road this holiday, and

Cut 6 (10) “…sure of that.”

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The Saints have cut 27-year-old kicker Blake Grupe after he missed two more field goals on Sunday, and they’ve signed former LSU Tiger Cade York.  York was on LSU’s 2019 national championship team, and he made 82-percent of field goals in three seasons at LSU. He struggled his rookie season with the Bengals in 2022, and he only appeared in six games last season. WWL radio NFL analyst Mike Detillier says York has not kicked in the NFL this year.

Cut 14 (11) “…a bit inconsistent.”

The quarterfinals of the Louisiana high school football playoffs kick off Friday. LHSAA Network’s Spencer Verrett says the chaos of the D-1 non-select bracket has lived up to the hype. 26th seeded Barbe upset Northwood and West Monroe, but Verrett says their Cinderella run will have to go through second-ranked Neville.

Cut 16 (16) “…offense keep going.”

Today is one of THE  busiest travel days of the year. Don Redman with Triple-A Louisiana says almost seven-million people in the West South Central Region will hit the road this holiday; so if you’re heading out today, do so as soon as possible.

Cut 4 (08) “…bulk of people.”

A flight instructor and her student are presumed dead after a plane that took off from the New Orleans Lakefront Airport crashed into Lake Pontchartrain Monday night. The owner of Apollo Flight School, Michael Carasto, says it’s unknown why the instructional flight over the lake turned into a tragedy.

Cut 10 (12) “…or what happened.”

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High school football quarterfinals kick off this weekend. Kace Kieschnick has LHSAA Network’s Spencer Verrett’s games to watch in the non-select brackets.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

The Saints have cut 27-year-old kicker Blake Grupe after he missed two more field goals on Sunday, and they’ve signed former LSU Tiger Cade York. Grupe’s eight missed field goals this season leads the NFL. WWL radio NFL analyst Mike Detillier says the offensively-challenged Saints could no longer wait for Grupe to snap out of his slump.

Cut 13 (10)  “…they’re loaded offensively.”

After a 14-year-old Livingston Parish girl is charged with killing her newborn baby, Louisiana Right to Life wants to remind you of the state’s Safe Haven Law. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A young flight instructor and her student are presumed dead after their Cessna plane crashed into Lake Pontchartrain Monday night. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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High school football quarterfinals kick off this weekend. Kace Kieschnick has LHSAA Network’s Spencer Verrett’s games to watch in the non-select brackets.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Regardless of the mode of transportation, today is one of the busiest travel days of the year. Don Redman with Triple-A Louisiana says almost seven-million people in the West South Central Region will hit the road this holiday; so if you’re heading out today, do so as soon as possible.

Cut 4 (08) “…bulk of people.”

Redman says the best part about traveling by car this year is cheap gas.

Cut 5 (10) “…head into Christmas.”

More than 430-thousand will be taking to the friendly skies, and Redman says another mode of transportation has gained popularity this year.

Cut 6 (10) “…sure of that.”

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After a 14-year-old Livingston Parish girl is charged with killing her newborn baby, Louisiana Right to Life is reminding everyone of the state’s Safe Haven Law. Policy Director Erica Inzina says the purpose is to protect the life of the newborn baby.

Cut 7 (12) “…no questions asked.”

(Up to 60 days old, the mother can drop the baby off at a designated surrender location with no questions asked.) A mother can drop the baby off at any hospital, a staffed fire station or a staffed law enforcement station. In addition, Inzina says in South Louisiana, there are two Safe Haven drop-off boxes.

Cut 8 (15) “…has walked away.”

Inzina says in light of what happened in Denham Springs this week, there needs to be more outreach to let people know that the Safe Haven Law exists in Louisiana.

Cut 9 (08)  “…a safe option.”

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A flight instructor and her student are presumed dead after a plane that took off from the New Orleans Lakefront Airport crashed into Lake Pontchartrain Monday night. The owner of Apollo Flight School, Michael Carasto, says it’s unknown why the instructional flight over the lake turned into a tragedy.

Cut 10 (12) “…or what happened.”

Carasto says the Cessna plane they were flying was a late 70s or 80s model, but it was maintained to regulation standards. He says there was no distress call, and the plane disintegrated once it hit the water, so the chances of survival were slim.

Cut 11 (14) “…much in shock.”

Carasto says the instructor was highly qualified with 13-hundred flying hours. He says both victims were in their 20s.

Cut 12 (06) “…is my first.”

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The Saints have cut 27-year-old kicker Blake Grupe after he missed two more field goals on Sunday, and they’ve signed former LSU Tiger Cade York. Grupe’s eight missed field goals this season leads the NFL. WWL radio NFL analyst Mike Detillier says the offensively-challenged Saints could no longer wait for Grupe to snap out of his slump.

Cut 13 (10)  “…they’re loaded offensively.”

York was on LSU’s 2019 national championship team, and he made 82-percent of field goals in three seasons at LSU. He struggled his rookie season with the Bengals in 2022, and he only appeared in six games last season. Detillier says York has not kicked in the NFL this year.

Cut 14 (11) “…a bit inconsistent.”

The Saints passed on signing kicker Justin Tucker, who recently completed a ten-game suspension for alleged improper behavior with massage therapists. Detillier says there’s simply too much baggage with Tucker.

Cut 15 (12) “…his NFL career.”

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The quarterfinals of the Louisiana high school football playoffs kick off Friday. LHSAA Network’s Spencer Verrett says the chaos of the D-1 non-select bracket has lived up to the hype. 26th seeded Barbe upset Northwood and West Monroe, but Verrett says their Cinderella run will have to go through second-ranked Neville.

Cut 16 (16) “…offense keep going.”

Verrett says he’s circling Belle Chasse versus West Feliciana in Division Two. Coach Stephen Meyers’ Cardinals have the makings of a championship contender.

Cut 17 (16)  “…back in Louisiana.”

Third-seeded St. James will take on sixth seeded Oak Grove Friday in the division three quarterfinals. Verrett says this will be a matchup between two dynamic offenses.

Cut 18 (18)  “…to possibly win.”

Oak Grove is outscoring opponents 89-0 in the playoffs this year so far.

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UL-Lafayette football is just one win away from becoming bowl eligible for the eighth straight year. The Cajuns take on the ULM Warhawks Saturday for rivalry weekend, and head coach Michael Desormeaux (DEZ-er-moe) says he wants his team to start out faster and be able to finish the season strong.

Cut 19 (13) “…postseason dreams alive.”

In the Cajuns’ 34-30 win over Arkansas State, starting center Cooper Fordham and veteran reserve Mackey Maillho (MAIL-oh) suffered season-ending injuries. UL-Lafayette is now up to nine offensive linemen who are out for the year. Desormeaux says everyone has elevated their play to get the team to this point.

Cut 20 (21) “…handle and weather.”

Kickoff in Lafayette Saturday is at 2 p.m.

Attorney General Liz Murrill is criticizing a judge for granting bail to a death row inmate. Judge Alvin Sharp threw out Jimmy Duncan’s 1998 first-degree murder conviction for killing his girlfriend’s 23-month-old daughter and granted him 150-thousand dollars bail. Murrill says since the case is on appeal at the state Supreme Court, the decision to grant Duncan bail was not Sharp’s to make.

Cut 4 (06) “…orders at all.”

LSU kicks off the Death Valley Concert Series with a performance by Zach Bryan March 28th. LSU Deputy Athletic Director Clay Harris says both LSU and the city are putting emphasis on bringing live music to Tiger Stadium.

Cut 8 (08) “…you name it.”

Harris says the school feels that it’s important to open the doors to Tiger Stadium more than seven times a year for football games.

This holiday week, police departments are out in full force watching out for people in vehicles who are not wearing their seatbelts. The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission’s Click It or Ticket Campaign is going on now through Sunday; and spokesman Greg Fischer says since seat belt violations are a primary offense in Louisiana, an officer can pull you over just for not being buckled up.

Cut 9 (09)  “…your seat belt.”

Willis Knighton Health’s Progressive Care Center in Shreveport earned a Best Nursing Home Award for 2026 by U.S. News and World Report. Administrator Debra Crump says all glory goes to her staff.

Cut 12 (09) “…that we do.”

The publication evaluates centers on their patient and resident outcomes, staffing ratio and inspection results.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin spoke to the media on Monday for the first time since last Wednesday. The Rebels are in Starkville to face Mississippi State this Friday for the Egg Bowl and Ole Miss administration is set to make an announcement regarding Kiffin’s future this weekend. Although an announcement is coming soon, Kiffin says he has eyes on finishing the season out with his team.

Cut 20 (11) “…different than that.”

Kickoff in Starkville is at 11 a.m.

The New Orleans Saints have released kicker Blake Grupe today. The move comes after Grupe missed two field goals in the 24-10 loss to the Falcons. Through 11 games, Grupe only made 18-of-26 field goals and was 5-of-11 from 40 yards or longer.

With the release of Grupe, New Orleans is signing former LSU kicker Cade York to the team’s practice squad after his tryout today. In his two years in the NFL, York has made 33-of-45 field goals with a long of 59 yards.

LSU senior cornerback Mansoor Delane has been selected as one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented annually to the best defensive back in college football. Delane is joined by Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore as finalists. Delane has two interceptions and 10 pass breakups on the season.

Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Super-Bowl winning offensive lineman Jahri Evans have been named Semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Brees headlines a group of five first-year eligible players that also includes Philip Rivers, Frank Gore, Larry Fitzgerald and Jason Witten. Evans was a finalist for the 2025 class, but didn’t make the final cut.

Southeastern senior defensive lineman Kaleb Proctor was selected as the Southland Conference Player of the Year after recording 38 tackles and 8 sacks on the season. Senior linebacker KK Reno was selected as the Southland Defensive Player of the Year after 119 tackles, 1 sack and a forced fumble. The Lions will face Illinois State in the first round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday at noon.

A man on death row for killing his girlfriend’s 23-month-old daughter is granted bail after his murder conviction is thrown out. However, he won’t be walking out as a free man anytime soon. Back in April, District Court Judge Alvin Sharp threw out Jimmy Duncan’s first-degree murder conviction and set Duncan’s bail at 150-thousand dollars – an action that Attorney General Liz Murrill says was outside his authority.

Cut 3 (08) “…the underlying ruling.”

Willis Knighton Health’s Progressive Care Center in Shreveport earns a Best Nursing Home Award for 2026 by U.S. News and World Report. Administrator Debra Crump says they’re dedicated to helping their patients recover from illness, injury or surgery.

Cut 14 (13) “…home environment.”

There’s “Something in the Orange” in Tiger Stadium this spring. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Michelle Southern.”

Louisiana Surgeon General Dr. Ralph Abraham has just been tapped as the Principal Deputy Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s the number-two job at the agency. During his time as the state’s first surgeon general, Abraham worked to end the promotion of vaccination clinics in the state.

A death row inmate is granted bail, but he won’t be walking out a free man anytime soon. Andrew Greenstein explains.

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A flight instructor and her student are presumed dead after a plane that took off from the New Orleans Lakefront Airport likely crashed into Lake Pontchartrain last night. The owner of Apollo Flight School says the instructor was highly qualified with 13-hundred flying hours. Why the plane went down is unknown.

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission has handed out grants to local police agencies to increase enforcement of the state’s seat belt laws during this Thanksgiving weekend. Commission spokesperson Greg Fischer says drivers who are not wearing seatbelts account for a disproportionate percentage of those killed in crashes…

Cut 11 (12) “….in crashes”

The Saints have apparently passed on signing kicker Justin Tucker, who recently completed a ten-game suspension for alleged improper behavior with massage therapists. WWL Radio Saints analyst Mike Detillier says too much baggage with Tucker…

Cut 15  (12) “…career”

Instead the Saints have signed former LSU kicker Cade York and cut Blake Grupe, who has missed an NFL high eight field goals this season has been cut.

A death row inmate is granted bail, but he won’t be walking out a free man anytime soon. Andrew Greenstein explains.

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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There’s “Something in the Orange” in Tiger Stadium this spring. Michelle Southern reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Michelle Southern.”

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A man on death row for killing his girlfriend’s 23-month-old daughter is granted bail after his murder conviction is thrown out. However, he won’t be walking out as a free man anytime soon. Back in April, District Court Judge Alvin Sharp threw out Jimmy Duncan’s first-degree murder conviction, saying that bite mark analysis was not scientifically defensible and that a jailhouse informant had recanted his testimony. Sharp set Duncan’s bail at 150-thousand dollars – an action that Attorney General Liz Murrill says was completely outside his lawful authority.

Cut 3 (08) “…the underlying ruling.”

Murrill says as such, the decision to grant Duncan bail was not Sharp’s decision to make.

Cut 4 (06) “…orders at all.”

Murrill says this case is an example of the decades-old post-conviction relief that she has been fighting to clamp down on, so that the families of the victims can get the justice they deserve a lot sooner.

Cut 5 (10) “…forever and ever.”

As of late this morning, Duncan is still at Angola, and he’s waiting to be picked up by the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office to be taken to the Ouachita Parish Correctional Center.

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Death Valley is set to host multi-platinum artist Zach Bryan March 28th. It will be the first show in Tiger stadium since Garth Brooks’ 2022 performance. Opened by Caamp and J.R. Carroll, the concert will be the fourth stop on his With Heaven On Tour, which LSU Deputy Athletic Director Clay Harris says features multiple college football stadiums.

Cut 6 (08) “…the community.”

Bryan will kickoff the new Death Valley Live series, which Harris says will bring top artists to Baton Rouge each spring. He says they felt it was important to open the doors to Tiger stadium more than seven times a year for football games, and fans can expect another announcement soon.

Cut 7 (09) “…Memorial weekend.”

The series was put together in partnership with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, visit Baton Rouge, and the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership. Harris says both LSU and the city are putting emphasis on bringing live music to Tiger stadium.

Cut 8 (08) “…you name it.”

Presale begins December 3rd, and public tickets go on sale December 5th.

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This holiday week, police departments are out in full force watching out for people in vehicles who are not wearing their seatbelts. The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission’s Click It or Ticket Campaign is going on now through Sunday; and spokesman Greg Fischer says since seat belt violations are a primary offense in Louisiana, an officer can pull you over just for not being buckled up.

Cut 9 (09)  “…your seat belt.”

A recent audit shows that more than 88-percent of drivers in Louisiana wear their seatbelts. Fischer says while that’s good, that’s not good enough.

Cut 10 (06) “…above 91-percent.”

Fischer says drivers who are not wearing seatbelts account for a disproportionate percentage of those killed in crashes.

Cut 11 (12) “…in car crashes.”

That figure, to be more precise, is more than 56-percent.

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Willis Knighton Health’s Progressive Care Center in Shreveport earned a Best Nursing Home Award for 2026 by U.S. News and World Report. Administrator Debra Crump says all glory goes to her staff.

Cut 12 (09) “…that we do.”

The publication evaluates centers on their patient and resident outcomes, staffing ratio and inspection results. Of the nearly 15-thousand nursing homes examined, Crump says Progressive Care Center was near the top.

Cut 13 (11)  “…year three.”

The 48-bed skilled nursing facility specializes in short-term rehabilitation care. Crump says they’re dedicated to helping their patients recover from illness, injury or surgery.

Cut 14 (13) “…home environment.”

A man on death row for killing his girlfriend’s 23-month-old daughter had his conviction thrown out, is granted a new trial and is granted 150-thousand dollars bail. Attorney General Liz Murrill says the case of Jimmy Duncan is an example of the decades-old post-conviction relief that she has been fighting to clamp down on, so that the families of the victims can get the justice they deserve a lot sooner.

Cut 5 (10) “…forever and ever.”

Multi-platinum artist Zach Bryan will rock Tiger Stadium March 28th, kicking off the new Death Valley Live concert series. LSU Deputy Athletic Director Clay Harris says it’s important to open the doors to Tiger stadium more than seven times a year for football games, and fans can expect another announcement soon.

Cut 7 (09) “…Memorial weekend.”

It’s Click It or Ticket time again in Louisiana. Police officers are out in full force, working overtime to make sure everyone inside motor vehicles is buckled up; and if not, that’s a 50-dollar ticket. A recent audit showed that more than 88-percent of Louisianans buckle up; Greg Fischer with the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission says while that’s good, that’s not good enough.

Cut 10 (06) “…above 91-percent.”

Willis Knighton Health’s Progressive Care Center in Shreveport earned a Best Nursing Home Award for 2026 by U.S. News and World Report. The publication evaluates centers on their patient and resident outcomes, staffing ratio, and inspection results. Administrator Debra Crump says of the nearly 15-thousand nursing homes examined, Progressive Care Center was near the top.

Cut 13 (11)  “…year three.”