Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

11.14.16
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16:45 LRN Sportscast

The NFL’s senior vice president of officiating says the blocked extra point by the Broncos was perfectly legal. Dean Blandino says Justin Simmons was able to leap over the line of scrimmage without using his hands or arms and didn’t land on a player, so the action is legal. Blandino says the move that pushed the snapper to the ground by a Broncos player was also leagal. And Blandino says it was too difficult to tell for sure if Will Parks stepped out of bounds as he was returning the ball for two points, so the call on the field stands.

The controversial play has resulted in a 4-5 record for the Saints and they now must get ready for the Carolina Panthers.

LSU is getting ready to play Florida this Saturday. It will be Senior Day. Tigers Coach Ed Orgeron is grateful for what these players have done, especially after the coaching change….
cut 30 (23) “….tremendous job”
LSU is listed as a two touchdown favorite to beat Florida. And Orgeron expects running back Leonard Fournette will be available for the game, despite limping off the field in the win over Arkansas.

11.13.16
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LRN AM Newscall November 14th

The fight for more flood recovery dollars continues today, as Congress reconvenes after the election. Emelie Gunn has the story…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Today is the last day to register with FEMA for disaster assistance. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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It will be a heated GOP-dominated runoff in the 3rd Congressional District, as Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle and Capt. Clay Higgins go head to head. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 3 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Congress reconvenes today, which means Louisiana’s congressional delegation will resume its efforts to get more federal funds appropriated for flood recovery. Baton Rouge Congressman Garrett Graves says right now the state still needs to come up with a plan for spending the $438 million they’ve already received.

cut 4  (10) “an urgency”

The Governor’s Office says the Restore Louisiana Task Force has delayed a vote on how to allocate the funds because the money is tied up in red tape. But Graves says even though they need HUD’s approval, the state should still submit one sooner rather than later.

Cut 5  (09)  “those dollars”

Graves says at this point, they aren’t sure how many payments Louisiana will receive because president-elect Donald Trump’s victory changes the dynamic. He says they’ll probably have to approve a short-term plan before he takes office in January.

Cut 6 (12) “appropriations bill”

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Today is the final day for flood victims to register for Disaster Assistance. Ray Perez with FEMA says approximately 152-thousand individuals have registered for federal aid. He says families are finally able to start the recovery process.

CUT 7 (08)  “or whatever”

Today is also the final day to submit a disaster loan application to the Small Business Administration. Perez says the SBA has already approved $1.15 billion dollars in low interest loans. He says victims are also getting money from National Flood Insurance and even more is expected to be issued.

Cut 8 (09) “been settled”

To apply for federal disaster aid visit disaster-assistance-dot-gov (disasterassistance.org). Perez says just because registration stops today, does not mean that the work stops. He says FEMA will be in Louisiana for the long term because they’re just getting started.

Cut 9 (10)  “file appeals”

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Gas prices have once again dipped below two dollars. Senior Petroleum Analyst with GasBuddy.com, Gregg Laskoski says the nation is seeing prices five cents lower than a week ago, with Louisiana being four cents lower. He says there is a very good chance we will see these gas prices continuing to decline.

Cut 10 (09)          “record high

Laskoski says retail gasoline prices are moving lower and crude oil prices are trading in a steady but narrow range. He says we typically see significant decreases in price through November and December.

cut 11 (08) “refinery production”

Laskoski says these decreases are the continuation of the significant trend of prices dropping lower than they were a year ago.

cut 12 (08) “dramatic”

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Republican Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle is up against fellow GOP contender Capt. Clay Higgins in the runoff for the 3rd Congressional District seat. Higgins is confident he will win soundly, and he says he feels good going into the runoff. He says if elected, he will not be a part of the corruption in Washington.

Cut 13 (09) “hard work”

Higgins, like many candidates this year, has presented himself as an outsider to voters. He adds that Angelle has been in politics most of his life.

cut 14 (08) “career politician”

Angelle believes he is in a strong position going into the runoff, as he beat Higgins in the polls by three percent. But he says he’s not taking anything for granted.

Cut 15 (07) “great again”

Angelle says he has a long history of disrupting the status quo, which he says is what voters want to see in their elected officials. He says south Louisiana needs a champion in Washington.

Cut 16  (08)  “to work”

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The Golden Boot Trophy is back in Baton Rouge as a result of LSU’s dominating 38-10 win over Arkansas in Razorback Stadium. It’s the Tigers first win over the Hogs since 2013. Interim Head Coach Ed Orgeron says the players were determined to get a win in Fayetteville…

Cut 17 (15)” football team”  (2x)

The Tigers won thanks to a stingy defense that forced three turnovers and a ground game that couldn’t be stopped. LSU had 390 yards rushing. Derrius Guice led the way with 252 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns. Orgeron says he still had faith in his offense after a tough performance against Alabama…

Cut 18 (18) “ against Florida”

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The Saints lost in a shocking manner on Sunday afternoon in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome as Denver blocks an extra point with 1:22 left in the game and returned it for two points for a 25-23 victory. Will Parks returned the blocked kick for a score. It appeared he may have stepped out of bounds, as he raced to the end zone. Coach Sean Payton was ok with the officials not reversing the call…

Cut 19 (10)   “understand”

The Saints nearly won this game, despite committing four turnovers. Quarterback Drew Brees touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks tied the game, but a jubilant Dome went silent when the blocked kick was returned for a score. The loss drops New Orleans record to 4-5. Payton says the team will have to bounce back, with Carolina coming up on Thursday…

cut 20 (09) “next game”

10.28.16
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18:30 LRN Newscast October 28th

The state is looking at another round of budget cuts because the state finished last fiscal year with a 313 million dollar deficit. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says a few factors are leading to Louisiana continuously facing these financial problems.
cut 12 (10) “are down”
State agencies and colleges have been asked to prepare for cuts between seven and ten percent.

51-percent of those surveyed in a University of New Orleans poll say the state is heading in the wrong direction. But Pollster Ed Chervenak says 35-percent say it is heading in the right direction and that’s a 15-percent increase over last year. He says a new governor in office might be the reason why…
cut 11 (10) “…Baton Rouge area”
About 600 people were polled in the survey.

A Korean War veteran from Crowley has been finally laid to rest in his hometown. Army Sgt. First Class Lawrence Smith died 65 years ago in a prisoner of war camp in North Korea. Alex Juan with the State Department of Veterans Affairs says they are happy to welcome Smith home. She hopes this brings his family peace…:
Cut 6 (08) “some peace”
Juan says they are able to identify remains by using DNA testing now.

It will be summer 2018 at the earliest when it comes to the availability of medical marijuana for Louisiana patients. That’s what LSU’s vice president for agriculture Bill Richardson said at a public meeting that was attended by those companies and businesses interested in helping the school grow and distribute medicinal cannabis. No state dollars will be used in the production, so investors are needed.

And Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have sold their home in the New Orleans French Quarter. Court records show it sold for 4.9 million dollars.

10.28.16
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17:30 LRN Newscast October 28th

Just over half of the Louisiana residents polled say the state is heading in the wrong direction. In a University of New Orleans Survey of 600 likely voters, 51-percent are pessimistic about the state’s future. But UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak says 35-percent say the state is moving in the right direction and that’s a 15-percent increase over last year…:
Cut 9 (09) “a result”
The survey also found Governor Edwards’ approval rating at 56-percent.

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne gave some bad news to legislators today. Dardenne says a 313-million dollar budget deficit could grow, if tax collections continue to lag. The deficit was created, because the state did not collect enough revenues to equal the amount of spending that took place in the fiscal year ending June 30th.

The Republican Party in Louisiana is so sure Donald Trump has locked up the votes here, they are sending its volunteers to Florida — a battleground state which accounts for 29 electoral votes. Party chair Roger Villere…:
Cut 5 (10) “for their country”
He says they believe it’s important to be there because the best path to a Trump presidency is to win Florida.

A Korean war veteran from Crowley was laid to rest today, 65 years after his death. Army Sergeant First Class Lawrence Smith’s remains were possibly discovered in the early 1990s. Alex Juan, with the state department of veterans affairs, says the process of properly identifying prisoners of war and shipping them home can take a long time…
cut 7 (07) “…burial grounds.”
Smith died when he was 26-years-old.

10.28.16
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16:45 LRN Sportscast October 28th

The big story line for Sunday’s Saints-Seahawks game is the return of tight end Jimmy Graham to New Orleans. Graham became a huge star in the NFL because of his productivity with the Saints. He has not put up the same type of numbers in Seattle. New Orleans received center Max Unger in the trade for Graham and Quarterback Drew Brees says Unger has played better than he could have ever imagined…
cut 18 (18) “…in a captain”
Kick-off is at noon on Sunday.

It’s a perfect night for high school football as it is week nine of the regular season. The big rivalry game in the Acadiana area is Ascension Episcopal versus Lafayette Christian. North Desota against Minden is also a good one and Peabody against Jena should also be a good one.

5-and-3 Louisiana Tech hosts 1-and-6 Rice in a Conference USA match-up. The Bulldogs are huge favorites, because Tech has a top-notch passing attack and the Owls have had trouble defending the pass. Kick-off in Ruston on Saturday is at 6:00.

Also at six o’ clock tomorrow, ULM is at Arkansas State, McNeese hosts Abilene Christian and Northwestern State hosts Nicholls. The Demons have won the last two meetings in this series. The big game in the Southland Conference is Southeastern Louisiana hosting Central Arkansas. The Lions have won three in a row, while the 18th ranked Bears are 6-1 overall. Kickoff is at 2:30.

In other action, Tulane hosts SMU, Southern is at Alcorn State and Grambling looks to improve 6-1 with a win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff.

Tonight at the Smoothie King Center, the Pelicans host Golden state the defending champs in the Western Conference. Both teams lost their season openers. Tip-off is at 8:30.

10.28.16
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16:30 LRN Newscast October 28th

A University of New Orleans Survey Research Center Poll found 64-percent of Republicans are unhappy with the direction the state is headed, compared to only 32-percent of Democrats. UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak..:
Cut 10 (09) “going well”
Overall 51-percent are pessimistic about the state’s future.

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says the state finished last fiscal year with a 313-million dollar deficit and the budget gap could get worse, if tax collections do not pick up. UL Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says the oil and gas industry continues to struggle and many people are cutting back on spending…
cut 13 (08) “…are down”
Over a billion of dollars in taxes were approved earlier this year, but it looks like the state still has budget problems.

A Korean War veteran who died 65 years ago has finally been returned to Crowley to be laid to rest. Halen Doughty has more…
CUT 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

LSU’s vice president for agriculture, Bill Richardson, said today it will be this summer at the earliest before Louisiana patients will be able to receive medical marijuna from a doctor. Richardson made the statement at a meeting attended by potential contractors who would work with the school to grow and transport the medicinal canibas.

10.28.16
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15:30 LRN Newscast October 28th

51-percent of those surveyed in a University of New Orleans poll say the state is heading in the wrong direction. But Pollster Ed Chervenak says 35-percent say it is heading in the right direction and that’s a 15-percent increase over last year. He says a new governor in office might be the reason why…
cut 11 (10) “…Baton Rouge area”
About 600 people were polled in the survey.

The state’s Republican Party is so sure Donald Trump has locked up the presidential votes here, they are sending volunteers to Florida — where 29 electoral votes are up for grabs. Party chair Roger Villere says Republicans from Louisiana will be going door to door in the Sunshine State…:
cut 3 (09) “…win Florida”

State government is looking at more budget problems. Michelle Southern has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

K-N-O-E TV is reporting we could get some sort of confirmation next week about a reported merger between Fortune 500 company, Centurylink, which is based in Monroe and Colorado based Level 3 communications. So far both companies and the state are not commenting. It’s not clear what this could mean for CenturyLink in northeast Louisiana.

10.28.16
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14:30 LRN Newscast October 28th

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne told state lawmakers today that the state finished last fiscal year with a 313-million dollar deficit and the budget gap could keep growing, because tax collections continue to lag. UL Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says it looks like the state’s budget problems are not going away, but the governor has put together a panel to try to come up with a way to stabilize the budget…
cut 14 (07) “…Louisiana budget”
Cross says Edwards has blamed much of the state’s budget woes on the previous administration, but eventually the public will start putting the blame on him.

The US Justice Department is providing a one-million dollar grant to Baton Rouge law enforcement agencies to help them pay for all of the overtime costs that were incurred as a result of the police shooting protests. Police officers and sheriff deputies worked long hours after the shooting of Alton Sterling.

A Korean War veteran, who died over 65 years ago, is being laid to rest at this hour just outside of Crowley. Army Sergeant First Class Lawrence Smith died 65 years ago as a prisoner of war. Alex Juan, with the state department of Veteran’s Affairs says Smith is receiving full military honors…
cut 8 (06) “…away gets”
Juan says it’s a tedious process when it comes to identifying and transporting the remains of US soldiers who died in military camps.

The Republican Party in Louisiana has volunteers in Florida this weekend to help campaign for Donald Trump. The Sunshine State is looking at an extremely close race between Trump and Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Louisiana GOP Chair Roger Villere…:
CUT 4 (08) “we have to win Florida”
Villere says they aren’t worried about Trump not getting the nomination in Louisiana.

10.28.16
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LRN PM Newscall October 28th

A Korean War veteran who died 65 years ago has finally been returned to Crowley to be laid to rest. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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State government is looking at more budget problems. Michelle Southern has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Souther”

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The Republican Party in Louisiana is so sure Donald Trump has locked up the presidential  votes here, they are sending its volunteers to Florida — a battleground which accounts for 29 electoral votes. Party chair Roger Villere says it’s part of a nationwide effort among GOP members to go door to door in the Sunshine State…:

Cut 3 (09) “win Florida”

Villere says every poll in Louisiana has shown Trump significantly ahead of Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton – some by as many as 20 points. He says in Florida it’s an extremely close race with polls constantly going back and forth…:

cut 4  (08) “we have to win Florida”

Many polls indicate the most realistic path to the White House for Trump includes winning Florida. Villere says if  they’ve had GOP members from Louisiana in the Sunshine State rotating in and out…:

Cut 5  (10)  “for their country”

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A Korean War veteran from Crowley is finally laid to rest in his Louisiana hometown today. Army Sgt. First Class Lawrence Smith died 65 years ago in a prisoner of war camp in North Korea. Alex Juan with the State Department of Veteran’s Affairs says they are so happy to welcome Smith home. She hopes this brings his family peace.

Cut 6 (08) “some peace”

In the early 1990’s, Sgt. Smith’s daughter received a call that North Korea found over 200 boxes of U.S. Servicemen’s remains and her father could be one of them. Juan says the process of properly identifying bodies and shipping them home can take a very long time.

CUT 7 (07)  “burial grounds”

Smith passed away at 26-years-old and is survived by his daughter Melinda Crowley, who plans to bury her father with her late mother. Juan says they are able to identify remains by using DNA testing now. She says full military protocol will be in effect when Smith in finally laid to rest in a family cemetery near Crowley.

Cut 8 (06) “away gets”

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Just over half of the Louisiana residents polled say the state is heading in the wrong direction. A University of New Orleans Survey Research Center Poll surveyed about 600 likely voters and 51-percent are pessimistic about the state’s future. But UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak says 35-percent say the state is moving in the right direction and that’s a 15-percent increase over last year.

Cut 9 (09)  “a result”

Chervenak says the poll shows 64-percent of Republicans are unhappy with the direction the state is headed compared to only 32-percent of Democrats.

Cut 10 (09) “going well”

The survey also found Governor John Bel Edwards’ approval rating is at 56-percent. Chervenak says residents might be more optimistic about the state’s future because Edwards’ has a more positive rating than Jindal.

cut 11 (10) “Baton Rouge area”

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The state is looking at another round of budget cuts because the state finished last fiscal year with a 313 million dollar deficit. UL-Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says a few factors are leading to Louisiana continuously facing these budget problems.

cut 12 (10) “are down”

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says many state agencies have been asked to look where they could make cuts and it looks like colleges and healthcare will take the biggest hits. Cross says the oil and gas industry is struggling and a lot of people aren’t spending money…

Cut 13 (08) “are down”

The Edwards’ administration has said they could possibly use the rainy day fund to help offset some of the deficit. Cross says Governor Edwards has put together a panel to try to come up with a way to stabilize the budget.

cut 14 (07) “Louisiana budget”

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10.28.16
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11:40 LRN Sportscast October 28th

Sunday’s game between the Saints and Seahawks marks the return of tight end Jimmy Graham to New Orleans. Graham was a huge part of the Saints offense during his five seasons in the Big Easy. He had 4,752 yards on 386 catches and 51 touchdowns. Saints Quarterback Drew Brees says it will be weird to see Graham in an opposing uniform…
cut 17 (19) “…love there”

Tomorrow night in Ruston, it will be Louisiana Tech hosting Rice. Tech has the third best passing offense in college football. Rice won its first game of the season last week. Owls quarterback Tyler Stehling threw for 407 yards and five touchdowns in the win over Prairie View.

So what will Anthony Davis do for Game two. Davis scored 50 points in a loss to Denver in the season opener. Tonight A-D and the Pelicans host the Golden State Warriors. The defending Western Conference champs also lost their season opener as they were blown out by San Antonio. Tip-off is at 8:30 tonight as ESPN will televise the contest.

In high school football…the defending champs in Class 1A has a big game tonight as Kentwood travels to Ascension Catholic. Ascension Episcopal visits Lafayette Christian and Amite hosts McDonogh 35 in another interesting non-district game.

The best game in the Southland Conference this week is in Hammond as Southeastern Louisiana hosts Central Arkansas. The 18th ranked Bears are 6-1 overall, 5-0 in the league. The Lions have won three in a row and they are 4-1 in the conference. Kickoff is at 2:30.

In other Southland action, Nicholls is at Northwestern State, McNeese hosts Abilene Christian. Both of those games are at 6 PM.