4:45 LRN Sportscast January 27

The search for Sean Payton’s replacement has begun. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports the Saints have reached out to Tampa Bay with a request to interview offensive coordinator Bryron Leftwich and to the Detroit Lions to meet with defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Owner Gayle Benson promised the team would look at both in-house and external candidates. Rod Walker, who covers the Saints for NOLA.com, says New Orleans is the type of landing spot that any coach would be drawn to.

Cut 18 (6) “…good situation.”

With mobile sports betting set to kick off on Friday morning, individual platforms have begun to announce who will be online for bettors. Companies include DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesar’s.

The Tulane Green Wave set a school record for margin of victory in any conference game with a 97-63 destruction of Tulsa in New Orleans Wednesday night. Tulane’s previous largest victory in the AAC had been 23 points against South Florida in 2017, and the overall record came in a 33-point win against Virginia Tech in 1991.

12th-ranked LSU takes on Arkansas tonight, looking to rebound after their one-point loss at Florida. The Razorbacks come in hot, having won three of four including back-to-back routs of Alabama and Mississippi State. Arkansas plays small and shoots a lot of threes, having made an SEC-high 177 this year. Tigers coach Kim Mulkey understands the challenge for her big frontcourt..

Cut 22 (18) “…all over the floor.”

The LSU athletic department lost money during the 2021 fiscal year. While revenues were down nearly $39 million, Tiger Rag-dot-com editor Adam Hunsucker says it could have been worse…

Cut 9 (11) “…9.6 million.”

4:30 LRN Newscast January 27

A 65-year-old Church Point woman is the 13th person in Louisiana to die in a home fire this year. State Fire Marshal’s spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says they are investigating the cause of the deadly blaze that took place this morning in the Acadia Parish town…:

CUT 06 (11)      “…escape the home.”

Rodrigue says firemen believe the home had no working smoke detectors.

The LSU Athletic Department actually lost money during the 2021 fiscal year. Revenues were down nearly $39-million. A lot of that reflected in a 52-percent drop in donations to Tiger Athletics. TigerRag.com editor Adam Hunsuker (HUNS-ker) says that is definitely pandemic-related, and the boosters will be back…:

CUT 10 (14)      “…will be better.”

 

A Caddo Parish grand jury returns an indictment for the woman accused of tossing two of her kids off a bridge over Cross Lake last September. One of Ureka Black’s children survived, one didn’t. She’s now formally charged with 2nd-degree murder and attempted murder.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reports an estimated 280 million fish were killed in inland waters due to Hurricane Ida. Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 01(33)      “…Brooke Thorington.”

3:30 LRN Newscast January 27

State health officials say Omicron coronavirus has peaked in Louisiana and case counts are on the decline. LDH reports another 75-hundred new COVID cases today. The highest percentage of new cases is from northwest Louisiana, which is 16-percent. Statewide, nearly 20-percent of the new cases are among those 5 to 17. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says it will take few weeks before we see significantly lower number of new daily COVID cases…:

CUT 13(10)      “…person-to-person.”

Meanwhile human trials are underway with Omicron-included vaccines from Pfizer and Modern.

This news in unlikely to change Governor John Bel Edwards’ plans to skip the majority of DC Mardi Gras events this week. Though Mr. Edwards IS in the Nation’s Capital, he will skip a lot of the larger social events due to the potential spread of Omicron.

 

Believe it or not, the LSU athletic department lost money during the 2021 fiscal year. While revenues were down nearly $39-million, Tiger Rag.com editor Adam Hunsucker says it could have been worse…:

CUT 09(11)      “…9.6 million.”

One of the areas impacted most was donations to the athletic department.

State wildlife & Fisheries agents report Hurricane Ida last fall killed nearly 300-million fish in Louisiana’s inland waterways. LDWF spokesman Robby Maxwell says not to worry, anglers. Fish are prolific breeders and they WILL bounce back…:

CUT 05(11)      “…thousands of years.”

More data on the Ida fish kill is online at “wlf.la.gov”

2:30 LRN Newscast January 27

State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter says the Omicron surge has peaked in Louisiana, but there’s still a lot of COVID circulating in the state. But Kanter says the number of COVID cases will remain high for the next few weeks…

CUT 12(07)      “…we are now”

76-hundred new cases of coronavirus are reported by LDH today. Almost 2200 are in the hospital, and about 73-percent of them are not fully vaxxed.

A 65-year-old Church Point woman becomes the state’s 13th house fire victim so far this year. The Acadiana Parish home caught fire early this morning. State Fire Marshal’s spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says firefighters are pretty sure that the home had no working smoke detectors…:

CUT 08(07)      “…save lives.”

Have you checked YOURS lately?

 

For the first time since 2004, the LSU athletic department lost money. David Grubb has more…:

CUT 02(32)      “…David Grubb.”

Not everyone is looking back at Saints coach Sean Payton with love. A writer for BarStool Sports says “pump the brakes” on putting Payton in the Hall of Fame. He also wrote that Payton “weaseled out of his contract” with the team.

PM LRN Newscall Jan 27

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reports an estimated 280 million fish were killed in inland waters due to Hurricane Ida. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

______________________________________

For the first time since 2004, the LSU athletic department lost money. David Grubb has more.

Cut 2 (32)…I’m David Grubb.”  

______________________________________

In addition to property damage, an estimated 280 million fish were killed in inland water in Louisiana due to Hurricane Ida. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Inland Fisheries Fish Kill Coordinator Robby Maxwell says while the numbers are alarming it’s a regular occurrence with storms.

Cut 3 (10) “…south Louisiana.”

By comparison, an estimated 200 million were killed after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Maxwell says the inland waters of the fish kill from Ida spanned 1.8 million acres. And from a storm in size similar to Ida, with Laura in 2020, Maxwell says they saw an area of about 9 million acres of fish kill.

Cut 4 (13) “…and sitting.”

Fish kills are a result of high winds and storm surges that create low-oxygen conditions. Maxwell reminds fishing enthusiasts that there are plenty of areas of the state that have fish and Louisiana will remain the Sportsman’s Paradise.

Cut 5 (11) “…of years.”

For more information about or to report fish kills to visit LDWF’s website.

_________________________________________

A 65-year-old Church Point woman becomes the 13th person to die from a home fire in Louisiana this year. State Fire Marshal’s Office spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says they are investigating the cause of the deadly blaze that took place this morning in the Acadia Parish town…

 Cut 6 (11) “…escape the home.” 

Rodrigue says an official cause of the fire remains undetermined but they are looking at several potential causes including an electrical manufacturing related to house wiring…

Cut 7 (11) “…unattended candle.” 

Rodrigue says the home also lacked working smoke detectors…

Cut 8 (07) “…save lives.”  

Rodrigue says Operation Save A Life can help provide a home with working smoke alarms. Go to the State Fire Marshal’s Office website for more information.

______________________________________________________

The LSU athletic department lost money during the 2021 fiscal year. While revenues were down nearly $39 million, Tiger Rag-dot-com editor Adam Hunsucker says it could have been worse…

Cut 9 (11) “…9.6 million.”

One of the most impacted areas was giving, as LSU saw a 52 percent decrease in donations to the athletic department. Hunsucker says that purse strings tightened during the pandemic, but boosters will be back.

Cut 10 (14)  “…will be better.” 

After several layoffs, pay reductions, and other staff and cost-cutting measures during the downturn, Hunsucker sees signs that LSU is regaining its financial strength.

Cut  11 (15)   “…be better”

_______________________________________________

State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter says the Omicron surge has peaked in Louisiana, but there’s still a lot of COVID circulating in the state. But Kanter says the number of COVID cases will remain high for the next few weeks…

Cut 12 (07) “…we are now.”  

The Louisiana Health Department reported another 75-hundred new COVID cases today. The highest percentage of new cases is from northwest Louisiana, which is 16-percent. Statewide, nearly 20-percent of the new cases are among those 5 to 17.

Kanter says it will take a few weeks before we see significantly lower number of new daily COVID cases…

Cut 13 (10) “…person to person”

Kanter says he’s optimistic the state is heading in the right direction in the fight against the Omicron variant…

Cut 14 (11)  “…week prior.” 

______________________________________________

12th-ranked LSU takes on Arkansas tonight, looking to rebound after their one-point loss at Florida. The Razorbacks come in hot, having won three of four including back-to-back routs of Alabama and Mississippi State. Arkansas plays small and shoots a lot of threes, having made an SEC-high 177 this year. Tigers coach Kim Mulkey understands the challenge for her big frontcourt.

Cut 15 (18) “…all over the floor.” 

1:30 LRN Newscast January 27

Data about the different kinds of damage done by Hurricane Ida continues to come in. State Wildlife & Fisheries report some 280-million fish killed in inland waters by the storm. Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 01  (33)        “…Brooke Thorington.”

A Livingston Parish couple are in jail for allegedly robbing local dollar stores. Deputies say they hit a Dollar General Wednesday and robbed a Dollar Tree store about ten days earlier. They’re both being held pending bonds of a 100-k each.  (What did they expect to get from a dollar store?)

 

A house fire in the Acadia Parish town of Church Point claims the life of a 65-year-old woman, making her the 13th die in a fire so far this year. State Fire Marshal’s spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says an official cause of the fire remains undetermined but they are looking at several potential causes; including an electrical wiring problem…:

CUT 07(11)      “…an unattended candle.”

A Caddo Parish grand jury returns an indictment for the woman accused of tossing two of her kids off a bridge over Cross Lake last September. One of Ureka Black’s children survived, one didn’t. She’s now formally charged with 2nd-degree murder and attempted murder.

Folks in St. Tammany Parish were scratching their heads this morning at a huge presence of local law enforcement and FBI units in Mandeville. Mandeville cops say the FBI was conducting a “law enforcement action”, and there is no threat to the general public.

12:30 LRN Newscast Jan 27

A 65-year-old Church Point woman becomes the 13th person to die from a home fire in Louisiana this year. State Fire Marshal’s Office spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says they are investigating the cause of the deadly blaze that took place this morning in the Acadia Parish town…

 Cut 6 (11) “…escape the home.” 

Rodrigue says the home also lacked working smoke detectors.

Governor John Bel Edwards announces the resignation of Deputy Chief of Staff Dr. Adren Wilson who has led the Office of Programs and Planning within the Office of the Governor since 2018. Wilson has been named the new executive director of My Brother’s Keeper Alliance in the Obama Foundation. He will begin his new post in March.

And the state reports 75-hundred new COVID cases, 48 fatalities and 2,187 hospitalizations, that’s a decrease of 23 from Wednesday.

An estimated 280 million fish were killed in inland water in Louisiana due to Hurricane Ida. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Inland Fisheries Fish Kill Coordinator Robby Maxwell says by comparison, an estimated 200 million were killed after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Maxwell says the inland waters of the fish kill from Ida spanned 1.8 million acres. And from a storm in size similar to Ida, Laura in 2020 had an area of about 9 million acres in Louisiana of fish kills.

Cut 4 (13) “…and sitting.”

11:40 LRN Sportscast January 27

Two days into the search for Sean Payton’s replacement as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, several names are beginning to emerge. Dennis Allen, the team’s defensive coordinator, is the current favorite, but Gayle Benson has promised a thorough search. NOLA.com Saints reporter Rod Walker says that even though there is plenty of familiarity with Allen, the Saints should cast their net wide as they fill one of the most attractive job openings in the NFL.

Cut 17 (15) “…whoever you want.”

LSU men’s basketball ended its three-game losing streak and moved back to .500 in SEC play with a 70-64 win over Texas A&M, Wednesday night. Sophomore guard Brandon Murray led the Tigers with a game-high 21 points, and Eric Gaines added 16 points and six assists. LSU is back on the court Saturday when they host TCU at 11:00 a.m.

After suffering its first conference loss of the season, Louisiana Tech will look to get back on track as the host Rice Thursday night at the Thomas Assembly Center. The Owls, who lead the conference in three-point shooting, present a major challenge. Tech coach Eric Konkol says for Tech to collect the victory, his team is going to have to play disciplined and together on the defensive end.

Cut 20 (21) “…want to do well.”

There’s also a big in-state rival game tonight as Nicholls travels to face McNeese in Lake Charles. ULM is hosting Georgia Southern today, UL-Lafayette is hosting Georgia State, and Northwestern State hosts Incarnate Word.

With mobile sports betting set to kick off on Friday morning, individual platforms have begun to announce who will be online for bettors. Companies include DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesar’s.

11:30 LRN Newscast Jan 27

In addition to property damage, an estimated 280 million fish were killed in inland water in Louisiana due to Hurricane Ida. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Inland Fisheries Fish Kill Coordinator Robby Maxwell says while the numbers are alarming it’s a regular occurrence with storms.

Cut 3 south Louisiana:10

By comparison, an estimated 200 million were killed after Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

Willis-Knighton Health System in Shreveport is one of 400 sites conducting clinical trials for an oral medication to prevent COVID for those who are exposed by someone in their household. Principal investigator Dr. Joseph Bocchini (Bo-key-nee) Jr. says the trial is looking for qualified participants to look at
efficacy and dosage…:
Cut 11 (10) “be needed”
He says this is a critical advance in outpatient treatment of COVID.

The app LinkedIn is known for creating connections in the professional world and now a new app, BoomNation, wants to do the same for the trade industry…:
Cut 1 (33) “I’m Kevin Gallagher”

WBRZ in Baton Rouge is reporting an LSU student has been arrested for allegedly using the anonymous app YikYok to make a post about an active shooter at the dining hall on campus. LSUPD was made aware of the post on Monday and investigators were able to track the threat to 18-year-old Dominic Moore. He faces one count of terrorizing, which is a felony.

10:30 LRN Newscast Jan 27

The Caddo Parish DA’s office charges 33-year old Ureka Rochelle Black with murder and attempted murder in connection with a September 24th incident in which her were two children were allegedly thrown into Cross Lake. The 10-month-old child died as a result and his 5-year old brother survived. A conviction would bring an automatic life sentence.

Willis-Knighton Health System in Shreveport is one of 400 sites conducting clinical trials for an oral medication to prevent COVID illness for those who are exposed to the virus by someone in their household. Principal investigator Dr. Joseph Bocchini (Bo-key-nee) Jr. says this is a critical advance in outpatient therapy.

Cut 10 (12) “…management of COVID.”

For more info visit Willis-Knighton’s website and search COVID clinical trials.

D-C Mardi Gras activities get underway today as one of the biggest social events of the year for the nation’s capital returns after a one-year hiatus because of COVID. Governor John Bel Edwards will be in attendance and LA-politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says however several high-profile elected leaders are skipping the event this year…

Cut 14 (11)  “..vaccine requirement.”

Closer to home State Wildlife & Fisheries’ is encouraging you to “Get Out and Fish” today. LDWF spokesperson Danica Williams says 17 sites were stocked with adult-size rainbow trout before dawn at the following ponds.

Cut 8 (13)  “…in Minden, Louisiana.”

Ages 16 and older must have a valid Louisiana fishing license.