09:30 LRN Newscast, July 18th

Lawmakers will return to the Capitol today at noon for a veto override session. The hot button measure Governor John Bel Edwards rejected would ban certain medical procedures for transgender youths. 25 bills in total were vetoed including parts of three budget proposals. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says not to count Edwards out because he’s a lame duck governor because he still has control over spending:
CUT 12 (12) “put together”
It will take 70 votes in the 105-member House and 26 votes in the 39-member Senate to override a governor’s veto.

The entire state is under yet another heat advisory today. Forecasters say we could see record high temperatures hit this afternoon at near 100 degrees, with a heat index back at over 110 degrees. This is the forecast for the remainder of the week with better chances for rain coming in for the weekend.

The recently fired gunman who killed two former co-workers at a Harvey shipyard Monday before being shot to death by deputies has been identified by the Jefferson Parish Coroner as 31-year-old Willis Thomas Jr. Sheriff Joe Lopinto says after the murders deputies tracked Thomas down at an apartment complex…:
CUT 13 (10) “pronounced dead”
Officials believe Thomas targeted the two victims.

Eligible low-income Cleco customers who want to save money on power bills could receive assistance through the utility’s energy efficiency program. Spokeswoman Marianne Addy encourages all of their customers to apply because everyone is at least eligible for home weatherization:
Cut 6 (06) “benefit you”
Apply at Cleco.com.

08:30 LRN Newscast, July 18th

The veto override session begins a noon today in Baton Rouge, where lawmakers will look at the bills Governor John Bel Edwards rejected. One of the measures driving the session would ban doctors from performing medical procedures to alter the sex of a child. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says a vote to overturn that veto could happen today…:
Cut 11 (12) “be done”
The session must end Saturday.

Candidates running for statewide office this fall had to submit updated campaign finance reports to the state Ethics Board on Monday. In the Governor’s race, Republican Jeff Landry reported $9.1 million dollars in cash on hand. State Treasurer John Schroeder reported $2.2 million in ready funds, with attorney Hunter Lundy showing $2.1 million. And Stephen Waguespack reports 1.9 million.

The Legislative Auditor releases a report showing labor shortages and higher pay demands are causing staffing issues for state parks. Teiko Foxx has more…:
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Teiko Foxx”

LSU Quarterback Jayden Daniels is one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy, but at SEC Media Days Monday the senior said he’s more focused on winning games…:
Cut 17 (14) “…with it”

07:30 LRN Newscast, July 18th

State lawmakers convene an override veto session at noon today. Jeff Palermo has a preview..
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

At SEC Media Days Monday, LSU Quarterback Jayden Daniels said he believes The tigers can have one of the top offenses in the country:
Cut 15 (15) “make plays”

The Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office has released the identity of the man who allegedly killed two former co-workers at a Harvey shipyard Monday before being shot to death in a gunfight with deputies. They say the gunman is 31 year old Willis Thomas Jr of Harvey. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto says Thomas was fired last week…:
CUT 14 (14) “answer”
The situation remains under investigation.

If you meet certain income requirements, Cleco residential customers may be eligible for energy-efficient products and services at no out-of-pocket costs. Spokesperson Marianne Addy says weatherizing homes can save customers energy and money…:
Cut 4 (12) “energy usage”
Visit Cleco.com to apply.

06:45 LRN Sportscast, July 18th

LSU Coach Brian Kelly was the first to speak at SEC Media Days in Nashville which kicked off Monday, and he indicated right off the bat that he knows the bar has been set high by his colleagues in terms of winning championships in year two of the job. Jay Johnson and LSU Baseball won a College World Series, and Kim Mulkey and LSU women’s basketball won the NCAA Tournament. Kelly knows what’s expected of him:
CUT 18 (09) “in our court now”
Jayden Daniels is back as the starting QB and he’s confident the Tigers can have one of the top offenses in the country…:
Cut 15 (15) “make plays”
The Tigers kick off the season September 3rd against Florida State in Orlando.

LSU Coach Brian Kelly was also asked at SEC Media days whether his program would be looking for ways to take advantage of AI technology, and he responded that it’s an intriguing opportunity they’ll be looking to make room for. He said he believes AI could create a model for them to know what kind of player they need to go after in terms of what the team is looking for.

LSU Baseball outfielder Brayden Jobert won’t be back as a Tiger in 2024 as the former Northshore High, Nicholls and Delgado standout says he intends to sign with St. Louis instead. The Cardinals selected Jobert in the 12th round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Jobert hit .273 with 21 doubles, three triples, 32 homers, 107 RBI and 86 runs over the past two seasons at LSU including .301 this past season with 14 homers including a team-high three bombs in the College World Series for the national champion Tigers.

06:30 LRN Newscast, July 18th

State lawmakers return to the capitol today for a veto override session. Governor John Bel Edwards rejected 25 bills and parts of three budget measures previously approved by lawmakers. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says legislators are more likely to get the two-thirds majority they need if they focus on just a few of the vetoes…:
Cut 10 (09) “passing nothing”
The session can’t last more than five days.

State Parks have been faced with challenges due to low staffing levels according to a new report from the Legislative Auditor. State Park Director Brandon Burris says recruiting new employees has been hard.:
Cut 7 (12) “us yeah”
But he says visitation numbers are high.

Attorney General Jeff Landry is lapping the field when it comes to campaign dollars in the race for governor. Jeff Palermo has the story:
Cut 3 (27) “I’m Jeff Palermo”
And Stephen Waguespack reports $1.4 million dollars raised, with 1.9 million cash on hand.

Dow Chemical has issued a statement in response to the explosion at its facility in Plaquemine Friday, but limited details have been released on what caused the blast and fire. The statement said the site remains operational and air monitoring data is being gathered, though the numbers indicated it was safe to lift the shelter in place 6 hours after the explosion. Dow said assessment of the impacted area continues.

09:30 LRN Newscast, July 17th

The Hollywood industry is nearly completely shut down as actors have now joined screenwriters in going on strike. One issue is fair compensation that accounts for how many people watch streaming platforms. Baton Rouge based actor Jason Bayle says streamers generally do not share viewing info…:
Cut 8 (12) “any money in the business”
He doesn’t feel like this will be resolved for quite some time.

The veto override session begins tomorrow seeking to reverse the governor’s rejection of several bills, including those some deem as anti-LGBTQ like the one called, Don’t Say Gay. Chair of the House Republican Delegation and Erath Representative Blake Miguez goes a bit further in referring to the bill banning medical procedures on minors:
Cut 12 (06) “of children”
The veto override session is scheduled to take five days.

With its $18.5 million investment to set up a manufacturing facility, SLB is bringing hundreds of jobs to the old General Motors Plant in Shreveport. Teiko Foxx has more…:
Cut 3 (33) “I’m Teiko Foxx”

There was no big winner in Saturday night’s Powerball jackpot meaning tonight’s drawing is worth an estimated $900 million dollars. The Mega Millions jackpot also continues to grow with tomorrow night’s drawing worth an estimated $640 million.

08:30 LRN Newscast, July 17th

Lawmakers will be back in Baton Rouge tomorrow for the third veto override session in 3 straight years. Shreveport Representative and Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Sam Jenkins says many of the bills the governor rejected are government overreach…:
Cut 11 (11) “these laws”
In order for any of the bills to take effect, a two-thirds majority approval is needed from both the House and Senate.

Starting today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has increased the daily limit for red snapper from three to four for private recreational and state-charter boat fishermen. LDWF fisheries biologist Jason Adriance says they are happy to relax the regulations:
Cut 6 (09) “the freezer”
He says the increase is the result of a lower-than-expected harvest rate.

A Louisiana actor says the walk-out by Hollywood entertainment workers will soon be felt by all of us. More from Kevin Gallagher…:
Cut 1 (33) “I’m Kevin Gallagher”

Severe storms moved across parts of Northwest Louisiana Sunday afternoon downing trees and powerlines. The Caddo Sheriff’s Office reports they helped rescue a woman after a large tree landed on her car. SWEPCO reports almost 24,000 customers remain without power across the ArkLaTex.

07:30 LRN Newscast, July 17th

Lawmakers will return to Baton Rouge tomorrow for a veto override session. Brooke Thorington has more…:
Cut 2 (34) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

Both the Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots saw no ticket holders hitting all numbers in the latest drawings. The Powerball grand prize now sits at an estimated $900 million, and the Mega Millions an estimated $640 million.

The Screen Actors Guild has gone on strike and, along with the already striking Screenwriters Guild, you can expect big delays in new TV shows or movies. Jason Bayle is a Baton Rouge based actor. He says SAG’s strike is about helping those in the industry who cannot demand multi-million salary deals…:
Cut 7 (10) “work in entertainment”
He doesn’t see the work stoppage ending anytime soon.

SLB announces it will convert the former General Motors Plant in Caddo Parish into a manufacturing facility. The global technology company committed to a 7-year lease with Shreveport Business Park. Governor John Bel Edwards says the investment is expected to create 596 new direct jobs….:
Cut 14 (12) “long time”
A career fair to fill the jobs is set for next month.

06:45 LRN Sportscast, July 17th

SEC Football Media Days begin today in Nashville. The LSU Tigers are one of three schools that will be featured today as Coach Brian Kelly and players Jayden Daniels, Josh Williams and Mekhi Wingo will speak with hundreds of reporters. Host of the Locked-on LSU podcast, Caroline Fenton, says the expectations for the Tigers are much higher heading into the second year of the Brian Kelly era…:
Cut 17 (26) “…this year”
Even Kelly said in an interview with the USA Today that with another year of recruiting, 2024 is a more realistic goal to win a national title.

The Summer League has wrapped up for the New Orleans Pelicans after falling to the 76ers last night 117-114. The next time New Orleans will be on the court will be in Smoothie King Center for their preseason home opener October 10th.

Former LSU Star and Houston’s All-Star third baseball Alex Bregman delivered the biggest hit of 2023 in the Astros 9-8 win over the Los Angeles Angels last night. Bregman smacked a go-ahead, two-run homer with two outs in the ninth which gave the Astros a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Starting today, private recreational offshore fishermen will have an additional red snapper added to their daily limit, as LDWF increased it from 3 to 4. Spokesman Jason Adriance says they are happy to relax regulations…:
CUT 6 (09) “the freezer”
He says the increase is the result of a lower-than-expected harvest rate.

06:30 LRN Newscast, July 17th

The Hollywood industry is nearly completely shut down as actors have now joined screenwriters in going on strike. At issue is fair compensation that accounts for how many people watch their favorite shows and movies on streaming platforms. Baton Rouge based actor Jason Bayle says the effect of the strikes will be evident come fall…:
CUT 9 (08) “start to notice it”
He feels negotiations to resolve the matter will take quite some time.

The veto override session that begins tomorrow could result in lawmakers reversing the governor’s rejection of 25 bills. The driving force of the session is the governor’s veto of anti-LGBTQ legislation. House Republican Delegation Chair, Erath Representative Blake Miguez:
Cut 10 (12) “duck governor”
He predicts the votes in the override session will not be down party lines.

Starting today, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has increased the daily limit for red snapper from three to four for private recreational and state-charter boat fishermen. LDWF spokesman Jason Adriance this is the result of a lower-than-expected harvest:
Cut 4 (10) “on weekends”
He says the minimum size for “keeper” red snapper remains 16 inches.

One again there was no big winner in Saturday night’s Powerball drawing, so the jackpot now soars to an estimated $900 million dollars. It’s the third biggest Powerball jackpot and the 7th largest in US lottery history.