10:30 Newscast October 29,2016

Louisiana is facing another round of budget cuts because of last fiscal year’s 313 million dollar deficit. The state has asked agencies to look where they could make cuts. ULM Political Science Professor Pearson 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.

The Louisiana Republican Party is sending volunteers to go door to door in Florida, as they are so sure Donald Trump has locked up the presidential votes here. Many polls indicate the most realistic path to the White House for Trump includes winning Florida. Party chairman Roger Villere says if they’ve had GOP members from Louisiana in the Sunshine State rotating in and out…:
Cut 5 (10) “for their country”

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

Authorities say a substitute teacher at Pineville High School has been accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with two students. 37-year-old Donnie Woodson of Deville has been charged with two counts of prohibited sexual contact between an educator and student by the Pineville Police Department. An investigation opened after school officials reported the allegations to police. Both incidents were said to have occurred off of school grounds.

AM Newscall October 31,2016

All of this dry weather in Louisiana is adding up, and drought conditions have gripped the state. Jeff Palermo reports…:

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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State Police reminds parents and drivers to be vigilant during Halloween. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 2 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Many children in the U.S. are not being vaccinated with the HPV vaccine. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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The lack of rain during the month of October in Louisiana has caused drough conditions to develop throughout the region. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the US drought monitor shows 73% of the Bayou State is in drought, and the remaining 27% is considered abnormally dry. He says it’s brutally dry out there…:

cut 4  (10) “of normal rainfall”

Keim says this is considered the 5th driest October since 1895, and it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting any more rain this week either. He says it’s incredible that we went from the August storm event of Biblical proportions and recording breaking flooding, to drought…:

Cut 5  (09)  “use some rain”

Keim says the upside is that this dry weather helps people who are trying to rebuild their homes…:

Cut 6 (10) “for this time of year”

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State Police is giving parents some tips to make sure their trick-or-treaters have a memorable Halloween. Trooper Bryan Lee says it’s a really exciting holiday for kids, so whether you’re taking them out or driving down the roads, it’s important to be vigilant. He says always make sure kids are visible.

CUT 7 (10)  “the street”

Lee reminds parents that masks can often restrict breathing and sight, so make sure your child can see and breathe while wearing their costume. He says it’s always a good idea to check out the sex offender registry before hitting the streets for trick-or-treating at LSP.org.

Cut 8 (08) “are present”

Lee asks drivers to slow down while driving through neighborhoods and avoid distractions. He says historically, Halloween is a deadly holiday when it comes to driving…

Cut 9 (11)  “ride home”

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Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Joe Rallo is visiting north Louisiana this week to engage stakeholders and learn about issues facing that region of Louisiana. Rallo says he will provide an overview and an update on the realities of higher education. He says the upcoming legislative session and how it will impact universities will be a big topic of discussion.

Cut 10 (10) “44%”

Rallo says his message will be that public higher education is an investment, not a cost and hopes people will talk with their legislators to ensure it doesn’t faces more cuts. He says in his two years in this position, he’s learned that each region in Louisiana is different and wants to address all the issues they face.

cut 11 (10) “exciting”

Rallo says he’s excited to get a chance to talk with people in north Louisiana because they are very committed to excelling their communities. He says they are aware of the role higher education plays and how they can help

cut 12 (06) “education”

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The HPV vaccine is a great way to limit a child’s chance of future cancer. That’s according to CDC Director of Immunization Services Dr. Melinda Wharton who says during the ages of 11 and 12, children should be receiving the two shot vaccine..

Cut 13 (11) “anal cancer”

Wharton says the protection received from this vaccine is long lasting and will continue into adulthood. But she says nationally, only about 63-percent of girls have received at least one dose and that number is even lower for boys and the numbers for Louisiana children are similar.

cut 14 (10) “say okay”

Wharton advises parents to bring this up with your child’s pediatrician if it’s not already mentioned. She says when the vaccine was originally introduced, it was recommended that a child get three separate immunizations.

Cut 15 (09) “months later”

9:30 Newscast October 29,2016

The Louisiana Republican Party is so confident Donald Trump is a lock when it comes to presidential votes here that they’re sending volunteers to Florida. State GOP Chairman Roger Villere says every poll in Louisiana has shown Trump significantly ahead of Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. He says it’s an extremely close race with in Florida 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.

51-percent of Louisianians believe the state is heading in the wrong direction. That’s according to a University of New Orleans Survey Research poll. UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak says the survey finds 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”

 

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

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

The U.S. Justice Department has granted Baton Rouge law enforcement agencies with 1 million dollars to help with costs after the July shootings and protests. Overtime reached an all-time high after the death of Alton Sterling, a black man, who was shot by two white officers and then the ambush of three law enforcement officers. BRPD will receive 929-thousand dollars and the EBR Sheriff’s Office will receive 71-thousand dollars. Analysts expect the one million dollars will not cover the total cost of overtime.

8:30 Newscast October 29,2016

A little more than half of Louisianians say the state is heading in the wrong direction. That’s according to a University of New Orleans Survey Research Center Poll of 600 likely voters and 51-percent of pessimistic about the future of the state. But UNO Pollster Ed Chervenak says 35-percent say the state is moving in the right direction, a 15-percent increase from last year.
Cut 9 (09) “a result”

The Louisiana GOP is so sure Donald Trump will be a lock when it comes to presidential votes here, they’re sending volunteers to Florida, which is a battleground accounting for 29 electoral votes. Party chairman Roger Villere says it’s part of a nationwide effort among Republicans to go door to door in the Sunshine State.
Cut 3 (09) “win Florida”

 
The state is facing an additional 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 different factors are leading to Louisiana continuously facing budget issues.
Cut 12 (10) “are down”

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says many state agencies have been asked to look where they could make cuts.

A Korean War veteran from Crowley was laid to rest yesterday in his Louisiana hometown. Army Sgt. First Class Lawrence Smith died 65 years ago in a North Korean P-O-W camp. Alex Juan with the state Department of Veteran’s Affairs says they welcomed him home with open arms and hopes this brings his family peace.
Cut 6 (08) “some peace”

Sgt. Smith was buried in a family cemetery.

7:30 Sportscast October 29,2016

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”

Kick-off Sunday is at noon,

Last night in high school football…Jena beat Peabody 37-29. Minden knocked off North DeSoto 35-20, Ruston over Ouachita Parish 34-28, Sterlington beat Rayville 34-13, Tioga topped Franklin Parish 30-27 and Winnfield over Vidalia 27-17.

 
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 tonight 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.

The Pelicans lost to the Golden state Warriors 114 to 122 last night and are now 0-2. Anthony Davis scored 45 points and had 17 rebounds in his 41 minutes of playing time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.