8:30 LRN Newscast July 24

Alexandria Police charge a mother with second-degree murder in the death of her 5-year-old daughter. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (27) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The 18-year-old Baton Rouge teen who police say intentionally rammed his vehicle into the back of a woman’s car on Monday night in Baton Rouge killed a traveling grief counselor, originally from Ouachita Parish. Stephanie Payne ran a motivational organization called “I’m Alive to Thrive” in honor of her daughter who died from a freak infection. Jack Jordan has been charged with second-degree murder.

A two-month-old Lake Charles infant is in D-C-F-S custody after taken out of a home because of neglect. Three people were arrested, the infant’s parents Crystal Roberts and Herbert Thibodeaux and a grandmother, Anthonette Thibodeaux. Sheriff Tony Mancuso says they were consuming synthetic marijuana when deputies arrived and had neglected the newborn for some time…
cut 11 (10) “…so long”
Mancuso says the child is said to be doing okay in the state’s custody.

Marsh Dog, a company out of Baton Rouge that makes nutria meat-based dog treats, is coming back after a hiatus and aiming to go national…
cut 4 (10) “…erosion”
That’s Founding partner Veni Harlan says they’re proud to continue the conservation battle.

7:30 LRN Newscast July 24

A 24-year-old mother has been charged with second-degree murder after the Alexandria Police department determined she killed her 5-year-old child. Corporal Wade Bourgeois says Jasmine Anderson brought her dead daughter, Audrey Chelette, to a local hospital and told doctors she was in a car accident and injured her neck…
cut 7 (07) “…vehicle crash”
Bourgeois says after a thorough investigation it was determined Anderson caused the neck injury that killed Audrey.

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff deputies arrest three people after a two-month-old baby was found in deplorable conditions at a Lake Charles home. The child’s parents and grandmother were booked and Sheriff Tony Mancuso says the trio admitted to smoking synthetic marijuana in front of the infant…
cut 12 (09) “…appropriate”

Retailers are gearing up for the rush of back to school shopping…
cut 15 (06) “….super super important”
That’s Mark Matthews with the National Retail Federation, who says families with children attending elementary or high school are expected to spend an average of 696-dollars, which tops the previous record set in 2017.

A Baton Rouge company that produces dog treats from nutria called Marsh Dog has brought its product back to local shelves after a two-year hiatus. Marsh Dog co-founder Veni Harlan says nutria meat is leaner than turkey and makes for a very healthy dog treat. She says they would like to partner with the state, since nutria are known to damage wetlands…
cut 5 (11) “…challenge”
Harlan says they have three different treats and wild nutria is the number one ingredient.

6:30 LRN Newscast July 24

An Alexandria mother has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of her five-year-old child. Corporal Wade Bourgeois says 24-year-old Jasmine Anderson brought her dead daughter, Audrey Chelette (Shu-lay), to the hospital claiming they had been involved in a single-vehicle wreck and she injured her neck. But Bourgeois says detectives never found any evidence of a crash or could not find any signs that a crash occurred at the spot Anderson claimed it happened…
cut 8 (12) “….a vehicle crash”
Media reports indicate that Audrey’s four-year-old brother also died earlier this year and Anderson’s husband passed away in 2016. But police say it’s premature to link this murder case with the previous deaths.

In Union Parish, 38-year-old Andre Durant Walker has been charged with second-degree murder after the body of his girlfriend, 35-year-old Maria Sanchez Cardin was found dead at his home in Farmerville.

The National Retail Federation predicts we’ll see record spending for back to school shopping. Families with elementary through high school students plan to spend an average of nearly $700, with college families expecting to shell out just shy of a grand. NRF spokesperson Mark Matthews says nationwide spending is nearly $80 million.
Cut 13 (11) “…saw last year.”
The biggest items for K-12 students are electronics, then clothing and accessories.

A Baton Rouge company that makes dog treats from nutria meat is re-launching their product and hoping to take it national. Founding partner of Marsh Dog Veni Harlan says the treats are tasty and healthy for dogs and it’s also good for the environment since nutria are contributing to coastal land loss…
cut 6 (09) “…challenge”
Before it’s two-year hiatus, Marsh Dog was sold in about 50 specialty pet stores and vet clinics in Louisiana.

6:45 LRN Sportscast July 24

The Saints report for training camp tomorrow and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins will start camp on the physically unable to perform list. Rankins continues to recover from a torn Achilles tendon suffered in the Saints playoff win over Philadelphia on January 13th. If Rankins remains on the PUP list when the regular season starts, he’ll be forced to miss the first six games.

LSU baseball played Texas last March, the Tigers football team will travel to Austin in September and now it’s being reported the basketball team will play the Longhorns on their home floor as part of the S-E-C-Big 12 challenge. The game will take place on January 25th according to C-B-S Sports College basketball insider Jon Rothstein.

D-1 Baseball’s Kendall Rogers reports that U-L Lafayette head baseball coach Matt Deggs plans to hire former two-time major league baseball all-star B-J Ryan as his pitching coach. Ryan is a former Ragin Cajun who played for several seasons in the majors with Toronto and Baltimore.

Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson has signed a multi-year apparel deal with Jordan Brand, whose parent company is Nike. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the former Duke star is reportedly receiving 75 million dollars.

Another former Duke star, J-J Redick, spoke with reporters yesterday about signing with the Pelicans. He joins a growing Duke contingent in the Crescent City with newly acquired forwards Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, along with side existing bench players Jahil Okafor and Frank Jackson…
cut 17 (19) “….real”
Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffen says targeted Redick in free agency because his veteran presence can help set the tone for the young team.

AM LRN Newscall

A Baton Rouge-based company that makes dog treats out of nutria meat is making a comeback and aiming for a national release… Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Matt Doyle”

_________________________

Alexandria Police charge a mother with second degree murder in the death of her 5-year-old daughter.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (27) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

_____________________________________

The National Retail Federation is forecasting record household spending for heading back to the classroom.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

________________________________________

Marsh Dog, a company out of Baton Rouge that makes nutria meat-based dog treats, is coming back after a hiatus, and aiming to go national.

The company was founded seven years ago but stopped production two years ago while they worked out a deal with a national producer. Founding partner Veni Harlan says they’re proud to continue the conservation battle.

Cut 4 (10) “…erosion.” 

Harlan says nutria meat is leaner than turkey and makes for a very healthy dog treat.

The company is still working out just how much meat they’ll need, and how many treats each nutria can provide, but Harlan says the plan is to eventually partner with the state and save taxpayers millions.

Cut 5  (11) “… challenge.” 

The product has relaunched with new packaging and three treats to chose from, using wild nutria as the no.1 ingredient.

Going national will provide a new challenge, and that’s convincing dog owners in other states that the nasty swamp rats need to be taken care of. Harlan says they’re up to the task.

Cut 6 (09) “…challenge.”

Before it’s two-year hiatus, the product was sold in about 50 specialty pet stores and vet clinics in Louisiana.

________________

A mother is in custody as part of an active investigation by Alexandria Police into the death of a 5-year-old girl after she was brought to an emergency room, deceased with her throat cut. The mother, Jasmine Anderson reported that her daughter’s injuries were from a car accident. Cpl. Wade Bourgeois says the injury was considered questionable.

Cut 7 (07) “…during a vehicle crash”

Bourgeois says the investigators also could not locate the crash area of the vehicle that was described by Anderson.

Cut 8 (12) “…a vehicle crash.”

Bourgeois says after working with the District Attorney, investigators obtained a warrant for Anderson’s arrest.

Cut 9 (09) “…second-degree murder.”

The Town Talk newspaper reports the mother’s 4-year-old son died in April choking on a soda cap and the father of the children died in 2016.

 

_______________

Two parents and a grandmother are under arrest after authorities discovered drug use and “deplorable” conditions at a house where a two-month-old baby lived.

Calcasieu Parish Sherriff Tony Mancuso says his office got a complaint that parents of a newborn were smoking narcotics inside a home with their baby, and when deputies arrived…

Cut 10 (11) “child.”

The two parents, 37-year-old Crystal Roberts and 34-year-old Herbert Thibodeaux, along with the child’s grandmother, 58-year-old Anthonette Thibodeaux were arrested.

Authorities say the family was consuming synthetic marijuana when deputies arrived and Mancuso says they had completely neglected the newborn for some time.

Cut 11 (10) “…so long.”

The baby is now in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services, and “doing good”.

Mancuso says despite bringing the child into the world it’s clear the family only had one thing in mind.

Cut 12 (09) “…appropriate.”

All three of those arrested had minor criminal histories, and all three were charged with illegal use of a controlled substance in the presence of a juvenile, a paraphernalia charge, and possession of synthetic marijuana. The parents were hit with 2nd-degree cruelty to a juvenile as well.

_____________________________

 

As students gear up to head back to the classroom, the National Retail Federation is forecasting record spending.  Families with elementary school through high school students are planning to spend an average of nearly $700, with college families expecting to shell out just shy of a grand.  NRF spokesperson Mark Matthews says nationwide spending is nearly $80 million.

Cut 13 (11) “…saw last year.”

The biggest items for K-12 students is electronics, then clothing and accessories.  College students see those trends flip-flopped.  Matthews says the higher college spending comes from having to prepare a dorm for a student.

Cut 14 (07) “…and all that.”

Matthews says the back to school season is vital to retailers and consumers are spending more than they do for the holidays.

Cut 15 (06) “…super super important.”

The overall nationwide spending is expected to be down from last year’s $82.5 billion just slightly due to fewer homes with K-12 students.

 

_____________________________

2-guard JJ Reddick has officially signed his two year deal with the Pelicans, guaranteeing the young team one of the best shooters in the league, and a player known for his skills as a mentor and culture builder.

The 35-year-old Reddick, who has never missed the playoffs, could have had his pick of the litter in free agency, but he didn’t hesitate when New Orleans called…

Cut 16  (20) “…momentum.”  

Reddick recently finished a stint in Philly where he posted a career-high 18 points a game while shooting nearly 40 percent from 3.

JJ, a former Blue Devil joins a growing Duke contingent in the Crescent City with newly acquired forwards Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, alongside existing bench players Jahil Okafor and Frank Jackson…

cut 17 (19) “real” 

Pelicans head honcho David Griffin says they pined for a vet like Reddick to help set the tone for the young team, and the shooting guard says he relishes the opportunity to build a winning culture.

Reddick gained a reputation for embracing the role of a mentor during his later years in Orlando.

530PM LRN News

A Baton Rouge teen who alleged intentionally rammed his car into a woman’s vehicle at an intersection in Baton Rouge, killing her, reportedly told police “God instructed him to kill himself” before he made the fatal decision. State Trooper Taylor Scrantz says that led to a 2nd-degree murder charge for 18-year-old Jack Jordan.

Cut 5 (11) “…Mr, Jordan.”

The crash killed 51-year-old Stephanie Payne of Greenwell Springs.

LSU players are celebrating the school’s new 25-million-dollar football operations center, but some are raising concerns about it’s optics while the campus library continues to fall apart. LSU Professor of Mass Communication Bob Mann.

Cut 12 (11) “…percent.”

The football operations center was paid for with private dollars.

Methanex announces plans to spend $1.3 billion to construct a third methanol plant in Ascension Parish and the three plants combined in Geismar would make it one of the world’s largest methanol complexes. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says the state is very attractive to the needs of the company.

Cut 7 (08) “…this product globally.”

Methanex is based in Canada. 

Gubernatorial candidate Eddie Rispone is repping his pro-Trump background in his first statewide TV ad of the campaign. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat expects the Trump focused ads to run for about three weeks before the Baton Rouge construction magnate tells voters more about his background as a businessman…

Cut 10 (07) “…Donald Trump.”

Pinsonat says the strategy is also similar to successful gubernatorial efforts from Bobby Jindal and Mike Foster.

4:45 LRN Sportscast July 23

LSU football coaches and players are impressed with their new 28-million dollar football operations building that features a new locker room, cafeteria and players lounge. Meanwhile, LSU mass communications professor Bob Mann says there are several academic buildings in the need of repairs, especially the library…
cut 13 (10) “…being pumped out”
LSU’s new ops building was paid for by private donations.

Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson has signed a contract to endorse Nike’s Jordan Brand of sneakers. Williamson chose Nike over Adidas and Under Armour, even though he broke his Nike sneaker in a game against North Carolina last February.

And Williamson has decided not to participate in the USA Basketball training camp that takes place next month in Las Vegas.

At Sun Belt Media Day, UL-Lafayette Coach Billy Napier says Levi Lewis enters preseason camp as the starting quarterback. Lewis appeared in every game last season, getting a chance to play every fourth drive. Napier says they are still waiting to see if transfer Brayden Hawkins will be eligible to play this season. Hawkins transferred in from Maryland and he’ll join several other quarterbacks who are competing for playing time.

The Saints report for training camp on Thursday. Will Pro Bowl wide receiver Michael Thomas have a deal done by then. Yahoo Sports reports the Saints are offering a contract that will pay Thomas 18 to 19 million dollars a year, while Thomas is reportedly looking for 20-million a year.

And former LSU star Odell Beckham Junior told G-Q magazine that he felt disrespected when the Giants traded the star wide receiver to the Browns. Beckham says the Giants have been a losing a franchise lately and he’s the only reason why the team still appeared in prime time games.

4:30 PM Newscast

Republican Eddie Rispone has launched his first statewide governor’s race ads, and his message to the voters is pretty straight forward…

cut  2 (30) I’m Matt Doyle”  

The two parents along with a grandmother are under arrest after authorities discovered drug use and “deplorable” conditions at a house where a two-month-old baby lived. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s office got a complaint that parents of a newborn were smoking narcotics inside a home with their baby, and when deputies arrived they found the child is a soiled diaper. The baby is now in the care of DCFS and is doing well.

Methanex announces an expansion of the company’s Louisiana operations with a $1.3 billion investment to construct a third methanol plant in Ascension Parish. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says the plant will create 62 new direct jobs with competitive wages.

Cut 6 (08) “…next three years.”

The operation is expected to begin in 2022.

A Baton Rouge teen faces second-degree murder after he allegedly admitted to intentionally causing a crash that killed 51-year-old Stephanie Payne of Greenwell Springs. Impairment is not suspected to be a factor and State Trooper Taylor Scrantz says they are not sure why Jordan decided to hit Payne’s Nissan Rogue at a high rate of speed…

Cut 4 (10) “…motive was”

Jordan has also been charged with reckless operation and simple escape.

 

3:30 PM Newscast

State Police charge an 18-year-old Baton Rouge teenager for intentionally causing a crash that killed 51-year-old Stephanie Payne of Greenwell Springs. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A mother is charged with second-degree murder as part of an active investigation by Alexandria Police into the death of 5-year-old girl after she was brought to an emergency room, deceased with her throat cut.  The mother reported that her daughter’s injuries were from a car accident.  Investigators indicated that the story didn’t add up.

 

Gubernatorial candidate Eddie Rispone has released his first statewide TV ads of the campaign, The content of which heavily lean into Rispone’s historical support for President Trump, and Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says it’s a good ad, targeted to a crucial part of the Republican base.

Cut 9 (10) “…Donald Trmp.”

Pinsonat says Trump is one of the highest polling political figures in recent Louisiana history.

LSU football coaches and players are impressed with their new 28-million dollar football operations building that features a new locker room, cafeteria and players lounge. Meanwhile, other portions of the campus, including the library, are in dire need of repair or replacement.  LSU mass communications professor Bob Mann says in order to see a change, there needs to be a paradigm shift in the way the state’s leaders and residents look at education.
Cut 14 (11) “…side of campus.”
LSU’s new football ops building was paid for by private donations.

2:30 LRN Newscast

A Baton Rouge teen faces second-degree murder after he allegedly admitted to intentionally causing a crash that killed 51-year-old Stephanie Payne of Greenwell Springs last night. State Trooper Taylor Scrantz says Jack Jordan hit the gas and plowed into the back of Payne as she waited at a Baton Rouge intersection…
Cut 3 (11) “…resting.”
The arrest warrant says Jordan told investigators that God instructed him to kill himself.

LSU football coaches and players are impressed with their new 28-million dollar football operations building that features a new locker room, cafeteria and players lounge. Meanwhile, LSU mass communications professor Bob Mann says there are several academic buildings in the need of repairs, especially the library…
cut 13 (10) “…being pumped out”
LSU’s new ops building was paid for by private donations.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Eddie Rispone releases his first major television ad of his campaign and in the 30-second spot he praises President Donald Trump. Rispone is battling to get in a runoff with Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards. Congressman Ralph Abraham is the other funded Republican candidate in the race. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Rispone’s deep pockets give him an advantage…
cut 11 (10) “…known”
Rispone has a 10-million dollar war chest.

Methanex’s decision to build a third methanol plant in the Ascension Parish city of Geismar means that the area will be home to one of the world’s largest methanol complexes. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says methanol is a product critical to all economies…
cut 8 (12) “….the global economy”
The operation is expected to begin in 2022.