AM Newscall October 1,2015

Tonight all four major gubernatorial candidates will appear at a televised debate hosted by W-D-S-U T-V in New Orleans. Emelie Gunn has more….

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A study finds more Louisiana motorists are buckling up in 2015. Jeff Palermo has more….

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame announces its 2016 induction class and once again it’s a star studded group of athletes and coaches. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (31) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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The four major gubernatorial candidates for governor are slated to appear tonight at 6 in a televised debate hosted by W-D-S-U T-V in New Orleans. It will also air online and on N-B-C affiliated stations across the state. L-S-U Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says this is the chance for Republican candidates Scott Angelle and Jay Dardenne to gain some traction against frontrunner David Vitter.

cut 4  (09)  “this debate”

Hogan says Angelle and Dardenne are getting a chance to receive free publicity. He expects both republicans will use this as their chance to prove to Louisianan’s why they should be elected over Vitter.

Cut 5  (07)  “generally see”

This is the only televised debate before the October 24th primary that the four major candidates have committed to attend. Vitter has missed his fair share of debates and forums, but Hogan says it doesn’t look good for him to miss too many.

Cut 6 (10)  “so much”

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Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame announces its 2016 induction class and once again it’s a star studded group of athletes and coaches. One of the headliners is four time Major League Baseball All-Star Pitcher Ben Sheets out of St. Amant High. Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Chairman Doug Ireland says Sheets is also an Olympic Gold Medalist…:

CUT 7 (10)  “excellent control”

The group  of eight will be enshrined next summer at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Museum in Natchitoches. NBA standout PJ Brown of Winnfield will also be recognized in next year’s class. Ireland says Brown was a great player at Louisiana Tech, but didn’t project to be a 15 year NBA Veteran…:

Cut 8  (08)  “in New Orleans” 

Included in the class is University of Michigan and NFL star Anthony Thomas aka, “The A-Train,” also from Winnfield and 21 year long Tulane Baseball Coach Rick Jones. Ireland says another big headliner is St. Thomas More coach Jim Hightower who is the second-winningest high school football coach in state history…:

Cut 9 (07) “St Thomas More” 

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A study shows more Louisiana drivers are buckling up this year. Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Executive Director Col. John LeBlanc says their 2015 Louisiana Seat Belt and Motorcycle Helmet Observation Survey found a record 86 percent of front seat passengers and drivers we’re using their seatbelt.

Cut 10 (11) “last year”

LeBlanc says they’re still trying to get more young male drivers to buckle up. And he says front seat seatbelt use among African Americans measured lower than other races.

cut 11 (10) “those crashes”

LeBlanc says even though the numbers are going up, we can always improve. He attributes the yearly increase to, “Click it or Ticket” and other seatbelt campaigns……. (LeBlanc says 58 percent of drivers killed in Louisiana are not buckled up.)

Cut 12 (10) “rate up”

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Get ready for some beautiful weather Louisiana as another cold front settles over the state over the next several days. State Climatologist Barry Keim says today is just the beginning with slightly cooler and less humid conditions. He says the temperatures this morning are in the 60s across most of Louisiana…:

Cut 13 (08)  “so much better”

Keim says by tomorrow morning, the minimum temperatures are going to be in the 50s, with high temperatures only in the 70s. He says this weather pattern is going to persist through the weekend and perhaps even into early next week…:

Cut 14 (10) “foothold now”

Keim says from here on out, cooler and less humid weather should start to dominate the pattern as we kiss summer heat goodbye. He feels, for the most part, those long periods of hot sticky weather are over..:

Cut 15  (10)  “of Louisiana”

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It sounds like there’s a good chance Saints quarterback Drew Brees will play this Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Brees missed week three’s loss to Carolina, because of a bruised rotator cuff. But the future Hall of Famer is back at practice throwing footballs to his receivers and he believes he’s making good progress….

Cut 16  (09)  “that’s the key”

Brees there was a bright spot to him missing last Sunday’s game. By watching from the sidelines he got a chance to see how the players pull for each other…

Cut 17 (16) “for us” 

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ULM is getting ready to play Sun Belt rival Georgia Southern this Saturday. The Warhawks are coming off a frustrating 34-0 loss to Alabama. Both of their losses have come against SEC schools and Coach Todd Berry is eager to begin conference play….

Cut 18 (15) “Georgia Southern”

ULM goes into Saturday’s game without leading receiver Rashon Ceaser, who is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. Berry says some younger players will have to step up….

Cut 19 (20) “freshman quarterback”

17:30 Newscast, September 30th, 2015

There is a $6000 reward being offered for information leading to the capture of a murderer from Iberville Parish who was released by mistake:
CUT 2 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees says he feels good about playing against the Dallas Cowboys…
cut 25 (09) “….about Sunday”
Brees says he took most of the reps at practice and he’ll continue to ramp up the volume leading up to the primetime game against the Cowboys.

There has been a second death this year from the West Nile virus according to DHH and there are now 54 total reported cases. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says the latest death is out of the Baton Rouge area. He says about 90 percent of the cases they see are asymptomatic, but about 10 percent will develop West Nile Fever…:
CUT 4 (06) “highest risk”
He says even though it’s starting to cool off, mosquitoes remain active through the end of the year in Louisiana and it’s important to protect yourself.

A debate has started over whether star LSU sophomore running back Leonard Fournette should sit out his junior season so he doesn’t risk injury before heading to the NFL. The Heisman Trophy candidate is not eligible for the draft until after next season. But NFL analyst Mike Detillier says this argument is ridiculous…:
cut 12 (09) “like that”
Fournette weighed in on the topic by tweeting, “I will never jump ship.”

 

16:30 Newscast, September 30th, 2015

The state Department of Health and Hospitals confirms a second death this year from the West Nile Virus — this time out of the Baton Rouge area. Emelie Gunn reports…:
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

There is now a $6,000 reward being offered for information which leads to the arrest of the convicted killer who was released from prison by mistake in East Feliciana Parish. 32-year-old Benjueil Johnson is a black male, about 5’10 and 190 pounds and he lived in Plaqumine prior to incarceration. A human error allowed Johnson to bond out. If you see him please call 911.

There’s been a bit of a buzz today over Pro Football Talk’s suggestion that it would be smart for LSU’s star running back Leonard Fournette to opt out of playing next year instead of possibly getting injured and ruining his pro career. But NFL Analyst Mike Detillier says this talk is for pure gossip and getting people riled up…:
CUT 14 (06) “in 2016″
Fournette weighed in on the topic by tweeting, “I will never jump ship, I’m drowning with my brothers.”

The Louisiana Chapter of the Americans for Prosperity is out with an ad letting voters know which of their lawmakers up for re-election in the fall voted for tax increases and Medicaid expansion. A-F-P State Director Phillip Joffrion says the radio spot includes information about how legislators dealt with the state’s fiscal crisis in the last session..:
CUT 6 (08) “the budget”
He says the public can view their lawmaker’s record at Louisiana Score Card-dot-com. Louisiana AFP has ties to the Tea Party.

 

16:45 LRN Sportscast Sept 30

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees says he feels good about playing against the Dallas Cowboys…
cut 25 (09) “….about Sunday”
Brees says he took most of the reps at practice and he’ll continue to ramp up the volume leading up to the primetime game against the Cowboys.

And Brees has reportedly agreed to take a portion of his 2015 base salary and turn it into a signing bonus, which gives the team more financial flexibility this season. But it also pushes the hit on the salary cap for next year to 30-million dollars, which raises the question whether the Black and Gold can afford to keep the future Hall of Famer next year.

Southern University has announced that injured football player Devon Gales has been transferred from a hospital in Athens, Georgia to one in Atlanta. Gales sustained a spinal cord injury against Georgia last Saturday and a press release says he’ll begin a rigorous rehabilitation program tomorrow.

A debate has started over whether sophomore LSU running back Leonard Fournette should sit out next season, so that he’s 100-percent healthy for the 2017 NFL draft. The website Pro Football Talk has suggested that Fournette should bypass his junior season. NFL draft anlalyst Mike Detillier doesn’t see Fournette missing a season…
cut 14 (06) “…in 2016″
Fournette weighed in on the topic by tweeting, “I will never jump ship, I’m drowning with my brothers.”

In LSU’s three games, they’ve only thrown 47 passes. But offensive coordinator Cam Cameron says they are running the ball a lot, because that’s what opposing defenses are giving them…
cut 19 (15) “….backwards”
The Tigers host Eastern Michigan on Saturday, who rank last in the F-B-S in rushing yards allowed.

15:30 Newcast, September 30,2015

The search continues for the convicted killer who was accidentally released from the East Feliciana Parish jail on September 22nd. 32-year-old Benjueil Johnson was serving a 40 year sentence for a shooting death in Plaquemine back in 2010. State Department of Corrections spokesperson Pam Laborde says they hope they can get Johnson back in custody soon.
CUT 9 (11) “DOC custody”
The state Department of Health and Hopsitals confims a second death in 2015 from West Nile Virus. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says now there are 54 confirmed cases this year compared to 123 cases and 5 deaths in 2014. He says even though we’re approaching the cooler months, there is still the threat of infected mosquitoes.
CUT 3 (09) “mosquito repellent”
The Louisiana chapter for Americans for Prosperity releases a statewide radio ad to inform voters about lawmakers who voted for tax increases and the expansion of Medicaid. A-F-P State Director Phillip Joffrion says they want to shine a light on those legislators who voted to raise taxes so they aren’t re-elected.
CUT 7 (10) “term fixes”
He says the public can view their lawmakers record at Louisiana score card-dot-com.
There is concern over whether LSU sophomore running back Leonard Fournette should sit out next season so he doesn’t risk an injury before entering the NFL. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says sure there is always a threat in playing football, but college is where athletes learn to grow…:
cut 13 (07) “would want”
Fournette recently tweeted on the topic saying, “I will never jump ship, I’m drowning with my brothers.”

LRN PM Newscall September 30

The state Department of Health and Hospitals confirms a second death this year from the West Nile Virus — this time out of the Baton Rouge area. Emelie Gunn reports…:

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The search continues for a convicted killer from Iberville Parish who was accidentally released from prison. Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The state Department of Health and Hospitals confirms a second death this year from the West Nile Virus. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says there are now 54 confirmed cases in 2015 and 2 deaths, compared to 123 cases and 5 deaths the prior year. He says even as we move into October, the threat of infected mosquitoes is still there..:

CUT 3 (09)  “mosquito repellent”

Guidry says the latest West Nile death is out of the Baton Rouge area. He says about 90 percent of the cases they see are asymptomatic, but about 10 percent will develop West Nile Fever…:

CUT 4 (06)  “highest risk”

Guidry says less than a percent of people bitten by an infected mosquito will develop the more serious form of the disease, but anyone can get West Nile. He says it’s important to protect yourself from mosquitoes at least until the end of the year…:

CUT 5 (07) “into December”

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The Louisiana chapter for Americans for Prosperity launches a statewide radio ad informs listeners about lawmakers who are up for re-election and voted for tax increases and the expansion of Medicaid. A-F-P State Director Phillip Joffrion says the commercial points voters to a website that has how lawmakers voted…

CUT 6 (08) “the budget” 

The Louisiana A-F-P is tied with the Tea Party. Joffrion says they want to spotlight those lawmakers who voted to raise taxes….

CUT 7 (10)  “term fixes”

Joffrion says this ad is an effort to urge Louisiana citizens to voice their concerns about Medicaid expansion and tax increases. He says the public can view their lawmaker’s record at Louisiana Score Card-dot-com.

CUT 8 (09)  “that site”

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The manhunt continues for a convicted killer who was mistakenly released from the East Feliciana Parish jail on September 22nd.  Thirty-two-year-old Benjueil Johnson was in prison, serving a 40-year sentence for a 2010 fatal shooting in Plaquemine. State Department of corrections spokesperson Pam Laborde says they hope to bring Johnson back into custody soon…

CUT 9 (11)  “DOC custody”

Laborde says they are working with Crime Stoppers to offer a one-thousand dollar reward for information leading to Johnson’s capture…

cut 10 (10)  “right thing”

Laborde says an employee at Dixon Correctional Institute in Jackson, Louisiana, overlooked the fact that Johnson was convicted of manslaughter and didn’t do the due diligence needed to make sure he would not be accidentally released…

Cut 11 (08)  “make sure”

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A debate has started over whether star LSU sophomore running back Leonard Fournette should sit out his junior season so he doesn’t risk injury before heading to the NFL. The Heisman Trophy candidate is not eligible for the draft until after next season. But NFL analyst Mike Detillier says this argument is ridiculous…:

cut 12 (09)  “like that”

Pro Football Talk got the conversation started when they suggested it would be smart for Fournette to opt out of playing next year instead of possibly getting injured and ruining his pro career. Detillier says sure there is always a risk in playing football, but college is a time for athletes to grow…:

cut 13 (07)  “would want”

Fournette weighed in on the topic by tweeting, “I will never jump ship, I’m drowning with my brothers.” Detillier says this talk is for the purpose of gossiping and getting people riled up…:

cut 14 (06)  “in 2016″

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14:30 Newscast, September 30th, 2015

There are many law enforcement agencies with boots on the ground today looking for a murderer who was released from prison by mistake in East Feliciana Parish. Thirty-two-year-old Benjueil Johnson was serving 40 years for manslaughter. State Department of corrections spokesperson Pam Laborde says an employee at Dixon Correctional Institute in Jackson, Louisiana, overlooked the fact that Johnson was a convicted killer and didn’t do the due diligence needed to make sure he would not be accidentally released…:
CUT 11 (08) “make sure”
She says Crime Stoppers is offering a $1000 reward for information leading to Johnson’s capture.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees spoke after practice today and said he is getting better and better everyday and feels really good about the Sunday game against the Cowboys in the Dome. Brees missed his first game to an injured shoulder last weekend, but Number 9 says he’ll be able to make a lot of progress in 4 days.

There have now been two West Nile deaths in Louisiana according to the state Department of Health and Hospitals. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says there are now 54 confirmed cases in 2015 and 2 deaths. He says it’s important to protect yourself from mosquitoes at least until the end of the year…:
CUT 5 (07) “into December”
Guidry says the latest West Nile death is out of the Baton Rouge area.

The Louisiana Chapter of the Americans for Prosperity is out with an ad letting voters know which of their lawmakers up for re-election in the fall voted for tax increases and Medicaid expasion. A-F-P State Director Phillip Joffrion says the public can view legislators records at LouisianaScoreCard.Com…:
CUT 8 (09) “that site”
The Tea Party affiliated group wants to spotlight lawmakers who voted to raise taxes.

 

13:30 Newscast, September 30th, 2015

The search continues for a convicted killer from Iberville Parish who was accidentally released from prison. Jeff Palermo has the story…:
CUT 2 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A debate has started over whether star LSU sophomore running back Leonard Fournette should sit out his junior season so he doesn’t risk injury before heading to the NFL. The Heisman Trophy candidate is not eligible for the draft until after next season. But NFL analyst Mike Detillier says this argument is ridiculous…:
CUT 12 (09) “like that”

There has been a second death this year from the West Nile virus according to DHH and there are now 54 total reported cases. State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says the latest death is out of the Baton Rouge area. He says about 90 percent of the cases they see are asymptomatic, but about 10 percent will develop West Nile Fever…:
CUT 4 (06) “highest risk”
He says even though it’s starting to cool off, mosquitoes remain active through the end of the year in Louisiana and it’s important to protect yourself.

Secretary of State Tom Schedler says the ballots for the upcoming elections have gone to the printer but there’s a chance some races listed will be removed before election day for various reasons. He says when you go to the precinct October 24th you should make sure the person you are voting for is still active…:
CUT 1 (07) “will not count”
He says the sample ballots at geauxvote.com are always up to date.

 

12:30 Newscast, September 30th, 2015

Authorities still can’t locate a convicted murderer who was released from jail in East Feliciana Parish by mistake last week. 32-year-old Benjueil Johnson pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2013. State Department of corrections spokesperson Pam Laborde says they are working with Crime Stoppers to offer a one-thousand dollar reward for information leading to Johnson’s capture…:
cut 10 (10) “right thing”
Laborde says Johnson’s accidental release was the result of a DOC employee not being diligent.

New Orleans Police are investigating an armed robbery that happened this morning at a school in Treme. They say a teacher was walking into the Success Preparatory Academy around 7am while no children were at the school, when she was approached by a suspect with a gun who robbed her. Police say it also happened to another teacher. The gunman remains at large.

The Louisiana Chapter of the Americans for Prosperity is out with an ad letting voters know which of their lawmakers up for re-election in the fall voted for tax increases and Medicaid expasion. A-F-P State Director Phillip Joffrion says the radio spot includes information about how legislators dealt with the state’s fiscal crisis in the last session..:
CUT 6 (08) “the budget”
He says the public can view their lawmaker’s record at Louisiana Score Card-dot-com. Louisiana AFP has ties to the Tea Party.

ESPN is reporting that Saints quarterback Drew Brees has agreed to convert part of his base salary into a signing bonus. That would give the team more financial flexibility to possibly make a roster move this year.

 

11:40 LRN Sportscast October 30

ESPN is reporting that Saints quarterback Drew Brees has agreed to convert part of his base salary into a signing bonus, which gives the team more financial flexibility to possibly make a roster move this year, as it clears up around two-point-six milion dollars in cap space. It also elevates his cap number to 30 million dollars in 2016, which is the highest in the NFL. Meanwhile, Brees is expected to throw at practice everyday this week as he attempts to return to action for Sunday’s game against Dallas.

Former LSU Tiger Tryann Mathieu has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Mathieu had two interceptions in a blowout win over the 49ers and returned one of the passes for a touchdown.

The LSU football team continues to get ready for Eastern Michigan. The Tigers are a 44.5 point favorite. There are some good games involving teams from the SEC West this weekend, Alabama is at Georgia, Arkansas travels Tennessee and Texas A-and-M hosts Mississippi State.

Louisiana Tech Coach Skip Holtz wants to see Joe Aillet Stadium sold out for Saturday’s game against UL Lafayette. For the fans that go to the game, they’ll see a Bulldog offense averaging 523 yards a game. But Bulldogs quarterback Jeff Driskel says there’s room for improvement…
cut 17 (17) “…they are there”
The Ragin Cajuns are looking to get off to a fast start. They’ve started slow in their two losses.

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame has announced its 2016 induction class. Headlinging the list is former major league all-star pitcher Ben Sheets, who had a standout collegiate career at ULM, former New Orleans Hornet and NBA champion PJ Brown, former Winnfield standout and NFL star Anthony Thomas, ex Tulane baseball coach Rick Jones and St. Thomas more football coach Jim Hightower.