8:30 LRN Newscast September 29

A 30-day special session called by Republican lawmakers is underway. Legislation has been filed that seeks to give legislators more of a say when emergency orders are issued by the governor. Covington Representative Mark Wright says similar consultation with lawmakers exists at the federal level as well…
cut 6 (09) “….to declare war”

The 250 dollar Frontline Worker Rebate Program has processed about 65 percent of the over 240,000 applications received. Louisiana Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson says they’re confident they will give away all of the money by the October 31st application deadline.
Cut 13 (10) “…available”

With kids spending more time in front of screens these days the number of reported cases of potential online sexual predation of minors was up 200 percent from April to June. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (30) “…Matt Doyle”

The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s office has charged 27-year-old Natalie Broussard with negligent homicide after she allegedly left a two-year-old in a vehicle on Sunday afternoon. A cause of death of the child has not been released and authorities say the investigation is continuing. Broussard will make her first court appearance today.

7:30 LRN Newscast September 29

The second special session of 2020 began last night and bills have been filed that seek to scale back the governor’s authority during an emergency. House Republican Mark Wright of Covington proposes that any emergency declaration extended beyond 30 days should see more input than just the governor.
Cut 4 (13)“ …of these orders.”
Governor Edwards has said you can’t respond to a public health emergency by committee.

The Louisiana Revenue Department says it has processed about 65-percent of the 240-thousand applications they’ve received from eligible workers who are seeking a 250-dollar payment, because of the service they provided during the economic shutdown. Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson says there are thousands of people who need to respond to requests for additional information before they can get their cash…
cut 15 (07) “….information”

A UL Lafayette biologist is conducting vegetable research with NASA and launching radishes to space on Thursday. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The National Hurricane Center is keeping an eye on a broad area of low pressure in the Caribbean that has a 50-percent chance of developing into a tropical depression late this week or over the weekend.

And former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster has entered hospice care. He’s 90-years-old and people close to the situation say it’s not COVID related.

6:45 LRN Sportscast

Not a great first game for Bo Pelini, who began his second stint as LSU’s defensive coordinator on Saturday with the Tigers giving up 623 passing yards. The Tigers tried to play man-to-man coverage, but couldn’t keep up with the Mississippi State receivers or the running back coming out of the backfield. It didn’t help that LSU cornerback Derek Stingley missed the game, because of a non-COVID-19 illness. Stingley could return to practice today and play on Saturday.

LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says Stingley’s replacement Jay Ward missed a couple of weeks during the preseason because of an injury. The Tigers other starter at corner, Cordale Flott, got picked on a lot. Orgeron says they still have confidence in this group…
cut 18 (15) “….and practicing”
LSU is at Vanderbilt on Saturday.

The Saints are 1-and-2 but at least running back Alvin Kamara is off to a great start after a down year last season. Through three games this season, he has 153 rushing yards on nearly five yards a carry and 285 yards through the air with six total touchdowns. Kamara also had an impressive 52-yard touchdown catch in Sunday night’s loss to Green Bay, where he broke five different tackles. Coach Sean Payton says Kamara is a tough player who refuses to go down…
cut 20 (16) “….tackle”
The Saints are in Detroit this Sunday. The Lions ended an 11-game losing streak with a win at Arizona this past weekend.

ULM is off to an 0-3 start and they’ll have to play the rest of the season without cornerback Corey Straughter. The preseason All-Sun Belt selection announced on Twitter that he needs surgery on his wrist.

6:30 LRN Newscast September 29

The special session is underway and lawmakers will look to begin advancing legislation that will give them more of a say in coronavirus rules. Covington Representative Mark Wight has a bill to limit the amount of time a state of emergency declaration can go without legislative approval…
cut 1 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster has entered hospice care. Foster served as the state’s governor from 1996 to 2004. He is 90-years-old.

Louisiana Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson says there are 22-million dollars available for the Frontline Worker Rebate Program, which had 50-million dollars available to spend. Robinson says over 110-thousand eligible workers have received their money…
cut 14 (03) “….rebates”
The Frontline Worker Rebate Program provides a 250- dollars payment to eligible workers who had to work during the economic shutdown in the spring. Robinson says thousands of people need to respond to additional information before they get their cash.

The Louisiana Attorney General’s office says they’ve seen a 200-percent increase in online sexual predator cases since the pandemic started. Louisiana Internet Crimes against Children Commander Corey Bourgeois says they are trying to keep up with the reported cases…
cut 9 (12) “…office”

AM Newscall 09/29/2020

A House bill from Covington Republican Mark Wright aims to limit the amount of time a state of emergency declaration can go without legislative approval. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

________________________________

With kids spending more time in front of screens these days the number of reported cases of potential online sexual predation of minors was up 200 percent from April to June. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…Matt Doyle” 

___________________________________________

A UL Lafayette biologist is conducting vegetable research with NASA and launching radishes to space on Thursday. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (31)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

_______________________________

The second special session of 2020 began last night and bills have been filed that seek to scale back the governor’s authority during an emergency. House Republican Mark Wright of Covington aims to limit the amount of time a state of emergency declaration can go without legislative approval. Wright proposes that any emergency declaration extended beyond 30 days should see more input than just the governor.

Cut 4 (13)“ …of these orders.” 

Republican lawmakers did not consult with the governor before calling this 30-day session. Governor Edwards has said you can’t respond to a public health emergency by committee. But Wright says his legislation could result in future emergency orders being more effective, because it will have the backing of the legislature as well.

Cut 5 (12) “…we have now.”

Wright calls the legislation an additional layer of checks and balances and says similar consultation with lawmakers exists at the federal level as well.

Cut 6 (09) “…to declare war.”

_____________________

According to the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, there’s been a 200 percent increase in online sexual predator cases during the pandemic.

Louisiana Internet Crimes against Children Commander Corey Bourgeois says the increase appears to be linked to the fact that kids spent more time online due to the stay at home order.

Cut 7 (12) “…minors”

Despite that increase in activity Bourgeois says the number of total arrests for online predation will likely not be notably higher at the end of the year.

Bourgeois says parents must be the frontline of defense against online predators and keep a close eye and limits on their young children’s internet usage despite pressure not to do so…

Cut 8 (12) “…children”

Bourgeois says nationwide there have been 16 million cases of potential online predation reported by social media companies between April and June to watchdogs, 743 of those were in Louisiana.

Cut 9 (12) “…office”

_______________________________________

Radishes from UL Lafayette will soon be growing in space.  UL Lafayette vegetable researcher Dr. Karl Hasenstein says the research has been in the works for three years but needs to be tested in space to advance cosmic exploration.

Cut 10 (13) “…moon or Mars.”

Seeds will travel to the International Space Station via a rocket launch on Thursday from a NASA facility in Virginia.

Hasenstein says radishes were selected for their ability to be grown rapidly with a greater quantity in a smaller amount of area.  The usefulness of the plants also extends beyond the ability to be a food source.

Cut 11 (09) “…consumed by humans.”

Two batches of 20 radishes will be grown in space, then upon harvest will be sent back to earth for further research, including a comparison to radishes grown on earth at the same time.

Cut 12 (12) “…do the analysis.”

____________________________________________________

The 250 dollar Frontline Worker Rebate Program has processed about 65 percent of the over 240,000 applications received.

Louisiana Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson says they’re confident they will give away all of the money by the October 31st application deadline.

Cut 13 (10) “…available”

Eligible workers have to earn less than 50,000 dollars a year and have worked in a specifically listed frontline job for a certain amount of hours during the pandemic.

Robinson says they only have about 22 million dollars left to give out from the 50 million dollar pot, and over 110,000 eligible workers have received their money.

Cut 14 (03) “rebates”

Robinsons says they still have thousands of people who need to respond to requests for additional information before they can get their cash.

Cut 15 (07) “…information”

________________________________________

LSU Football Coach Ed Orgeron admits they should have had a better plan in place on both sides of the ball this past Saturday when they lost to previously unranked Mississippi State 44-34. LSU allowed 623 passing yards and the Tigers offense allowed seven sacks. Coach Ed Orgeron says he looks forward to getting back on track this Saturday at Vanderbilt

Cut 16 (22) “…fixing it” 

Myles Brennan threw for a bunch of yards in his first start, but he was also intercepted twice and brought down behind the line of scrimmage seven times. Orgeron says Brennan needs to make quicker decisions…

Cut 17 (17) “…quarterback would” 

Cornerback Derek Stingley Junior could return to practice as early as today. He missed the season opener after suffering a non-COVID illness on Friday night that sent him to the hospital. Orgeron hopes Stingley can play on Saturday.

He says it hurt that Stingley’s replacement Jay Ward missed a couple of weeks during the preseason because of an injury. LSU’s other starter at corner Cordale Flott got picked on a lot. Orgeron says they still have confidence in this group

Cut 18  (15) “…and practicing” 

___________________________________________________________________

The Saints made Alvin Kamara one of the highest-paid running backs in the league just before the season started and so far that investment is paying off.

Through three games he has 153 rushing yards on nearly five yards a carry and 285 yards through the air with six total touchdowns. Coach Sean Payton highlighted his 52 yard TD catch in Sunday night’s loss…

Cut 19  (15) “…later on”    

Just days before the season opener against the Bucs Kamara signed a five year, 75-million dollar extension with the team. Only Panther’s QB Christian McCaffery makes more at 16 million a year.

In that 52 yard explosion against Green Bay Kamara broke six different tackles off a short line of scrimmage dump-off pass. Payton says he’s just a tough player to keep down…

cut 20 (16) “..tackle”

LRN Legislative Report 09/29/2020

The 2nd special session of the year gaveled in yesterday at 6 PM with lawmakers returning to the Capitol with three main priorities per the call. Expect a lot of discussion about the rapidly dwindling unemployment trust fund and how to stop it from fully draining, and thus causing significant tax hikes on businesses next year. There will also be quite a few attempts coming out of the house that will seek to limit the governor’s broad authority to implement public health restrictions on businesses. Finally, lawmakers will seek to find some way to facilitate the post-Laura recovery in southwest Louisiana. But the issue that is likely to grab the most headlines will be the challenges to the Governor’s public health orders. Bills have been filed that seek to scale back the governor’s authority during an emergency. House Republican Mark Wright of Covington aims to limit the amount of time a state of emergency declaration can go without legislative approval. Wright proposes that any emergency declaration extended beyond 30 days should see more input than just the governor.

Cut 4 (13)“ …of these orders.” 

Lawmakers are scrambling to find cash to fill the near-empty unemployment trust fund but it appears one possibility is now off the table, and that’s the Frontline Worker Rebate Program…

The 250 dollar Frontline Worker Rebate Program has processed about 65 percent of the over 240,000 applications received.

Louisiana Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson says they’re confident they will give away all of the money by the October 31st application deadline.

Cut 13 (10) “…available”

Eligible workers have to earn less than 50,000 dollars a year and have worked in a specifically listed frontline job for a certain amount of hours during the pandemic.

5:30 PM Newscast

Louisiana’s Republican Congressional Delegation has nothing but good things to say about President Trump’s nomination to the Supreme Court, Metairie native Amy Coney Barrett. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

Over in Opelousas, police have charged 24-year-old Maleke Guillory with two counts of negligent homicide after he fatally shot his pregnant girlfriend during an argument. The victim, 31-year-old Tyana Thomas was five-months pregnant.

Calcasieu Parish has been working overtime to get the epicenter of Hurricane Laura’s devastation back to some sense of normalcy. Power has been restored to most areas and the debris has been pushed to the sides of nearly all roads in the parish. President of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury Tony Guillory says the blue roofs are now a normal sight around the area, a constant reminder to locals of the damage done, long after the national spotlight has moved on.

Cut 8 (12) “…forget about you.”

Enrollment at Natchitoches based Northwestern State University is up five percent this year to a record 11,447 students. Demons President Nick Maggio says he 136-year-old institution was well prepared for pandemic due to its robust online class offerings that have been a big hit with non-traditional students.

Cut 11 (07) “…levels”

4:30 PM Newscast

It has been one month since Hurricane Laura made landfall, bringing widespread destruction to southwest Louisiana.  President of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury Tony Guillory says streets are cleared of debris, with much of it being pushed to roadsides.  About 120 trucks are being utilized for debris pickup.
Cut 7 (09) “…back through again.”
Hurricane Laura made landfall as a Category 4 storm around 1AM on August 27th.

Louisiana’s Republican Congressional delegation is thrilled with President Trump’s decision to nominate Metairie native Amy Coney Barrett for a seat on the U-S Supreme Court. Benton Congressman Mike Johnson met Barrett at a student leadership event in 1988 when they were high school. Johnson says Judge Barrett is a female version of Justice Antonin Scalia, who served on the court for 30 years until his death in 2016

Cut 14 (12) “…same mold”

 

The Saints have their first two-game losing streak since 2017 as they lost to Green Bay 37-30 last night. A Taysom Hill fumble in the fourth quarter turned the momentum in the Packers favor, plus New Orleans committed eight penalties. Coach Sean Payton says his team is facing a bit of gut check

Cut 3 (08)  “the truth”  

It’s the second straight week the Saints defense gave up more than 30 points.

Enrollment at Natchitoches based Northwestern State University is up five percent this year to a record 11,447 students. Demons President Nick Maggio says the 136-year-old institution is thriving and seeing gains across the board.

Cut 9 (10) “classes”

Maggio says prospective students are responding well to the University’s focus on promoting a curriculum that prepares them for in-demand jobs, and jobs of the future…

330 PM LRN News

Senator Bill Cassidy backs moving ahead with the nomination process for Supreme Court nominee and Metairie native Amy Coney Barrett. Cassidy says it’s the will of the people who elected a Republican President and the Senate has a Republican majority

Cut 13 (10) “…to do”

Cassidy’s main opponent in the US Senate race, Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins, has said the Senate should not vote on a justice nominee until next year.

Most of the power has been restored in Hurricane Laura ravaged Calcasieu parish, but unfortunately that doesn’t mean a lot of lights are on at night. President of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury Tony Guillory says there are a lot of parish residents who can’t actually live in their homes.

Cut 6 (08) “…next biggest issues.”

Hurricane Laura made landfall as a Category 4 storm around 1AM on August 27th.

While the Saints as a whole have been pretty terrible running back Alvin Kamara is certainly living up to the hefty contract he signed just before the season started. Alvin Kamara had a huge game for the Black and Gold against the Packers in last night’s 37-30 loss. He gathered 197 yards from scrimmage, including a 52-yard touchdown catch that saw him break five tackles. Meanwhile Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns, but he says mistakes keep costing them

Cut 4 (12)“ opportunities” 

Enrollment at Natchitoches based Northwestern State University is up five percent this year to a record 11,447 students. Demons President Nick Maggio says prospective students are responding well to the University’s focus on promoting a curriculum that prepares them for in-demand jobs, and jobs of the future…

Cut 10 (12) “…sciences”

4:45 LRN Sportscast September 28

The Saints have a two-game losing streak for the first time since 2017 after losing to Green Bay 37-30 last night. New Orleans Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns, but he says mistakes keep costing them…
cut 4 (12) “…opportunities”
The Saints had nearly 400 yards of total offense but also settled for three field goals.

LSU Quarterback Myles Brennan threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns, but he was also intercepted twice and sacked seven times in the Tigers 44-34 defeat to previously unranked Mississippi State. Brennan says they don’t want to get used to losing…
cut 18 (09) “..period”
LSU is at Vanderbilt on Saturday.

The Cajuns had a dramatic victory on Saturday as Nate Snyder hit a 53-yard field goal with no time left to give U-L Lafayette a 20-18 win over Georgia Southern. The Cajuns won despite not having several starters and reserves available because of COVID-19 and injuries. Coach Billy Napier says this game will serve as a great learning tool for these young adults…
cut 20 (25) “…game of football”
Napier is optimistic they’ll have more players available for their next game, an October 7th matchup with Appalachian State.

La Tech quarterback Luke Anthony has been named the Conference USA Offensive player of the week. Anthony threw for five touchdowns and ran for another in the Bulldogs 66-38 win over Houston Baptist.