11:40 LRN Sportscast

LSU and Florida State are getting ready for their top 10 matchup this Sunday in Orlando. Returning quarterback Jayden Daniels passed for 209 yards and 2 touchdowns in their meeting last year, and Coach Brian Kelly has encouraged Daniels to push the ball down the field with his arm, but Daniels says if he needs to get yards with his legs he won’t hesitate.

Cut 18 (20) “…do that

Louisiana Tech rushed for less than three yards a carry last week. Even though Tyre Shelton is coming back from injury, coach Sonny Cumbie says that other running backs are getting touches in practices as well.

Cut 20 (11) “…on offense.”

College football is back tonight in the state of Louisiana.

Nicholls faces Sacramento State tonight at 6 p.m. for their season opener. Nicholls is 29-22 all time in their home openers and 6-2 under head coach Tim Rebowe, but they will have a tough task ahead of them if they want to make it 7 wins for the coach. Sacramento State is ranked 4th in the coach’s poll and went undefeated in last year’s regular season.

Nicholls is also expected to be led by juco transfer Pat McQuaide. The Mississippi Gulf Coast transfer was first team All South MACCC first team honoree last year and will be looking to get his first win with his new team.

Around the state with high school football, Evangel Christian is playing at Neville tonight and Homer plays at Union Parish. Notre Dame plays at Southside, Woodlawn Baton Rouge plays U High, Bolton goes to Tioga, and Loyola Prep and Captain Shreve play in Independence Stadium.

SEC powerhouse Florida plays Number 14 Utah tonight for the matchup with a ranked opponent of week 1.

 

10:30 LRN Newscast Aug 31

10:30

Governor John Bel Edwards says more than 50-thousand acres have been burned by wildfires that have plagued the state. Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says downed trees from recent hurricanes are providing a lot of fuel to the wildfire. He says there was a federal program to assist property in removing downed trees. The average cost was 400 to 500 dollars…

Cut 13 (12) “…go do it.”

 

You may want to cook your burgers and hot dogs indoors for Labor Day and Game Day this year. State officials say it would be too risky to light your grill under the statewide burn ban. Director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Casey Tingle says we need to prevent what is already a serious situation from becoming worse.

Cut 6 (09) “…that.”

Next year, Louisiana will celebrate Mardi Gras a month early and promote tourism to the Bayou State at the annual Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 3 (31) …I’m Teiko Foxx.”

If you’re hitting the road for Labor Day weekend, the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Louisiana today is $3.38. That’s one penny down from this time last year when it was $3.39 a gallon. And as my grandmother says, spend that penny wisely now. The national average is $3.83 a gallon.

 

 

9:30 LRN Newscast

Big meeting tonight in Lake Charles as residents will have a chance to meet with state transportation officials about a new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge that would require tolls for vehicles to cross. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says this is just an informational meeting. He says next month the House and Senate Transportation committee will vote on whether to move forward with the two-billion dollar project…
cut 9 (06) “…transportation committee”
Today’s meeting will take place from four to seven PM at the Lake Charles Civic Center.

The LSU AgCenter has received a patent for a bait they’ve developed that can kill a wild hog after they consume it. LSU Ag Center animal specialist Glen Gentry says they are still looking at ways to deliver the bait…
cut 5 (07) “,,,field trials”
The bait has the consistency of gummy bears, it’s about the size of a golf ball and tastes fishy. The state’s wild hog population has grown to one-million.

A mandatory evacuation order was issued last night for Earnest Thompson and D-E Stephens Roads in the Pitkin area as a result of a wildfire in Vernon Parish. Governor John Bel Edwards says for those living in areas where there are wildfires, be prepared to evacuate…
cut 28 (13) “…so forth”
Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says once the threat is over, he, along with the governor and other participating agencies plan to review what was done correctly and how they can be better prepared
Cut 15 (11) “…fire departments.”
Firefighters have been battling the the largest wildfire in the state, the Tiger Island Fire in Beauregard Parish since August 22nd.

8:30 LRN Newscast

The Louisiana Department of Transportation holds a public meeting at the Lake Charles Civic Center today from 4:00 to 7:00 PM to discuss a new $2 billion dollar Calcasieu River I-10 bridge that will partially be funded with tolls. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallet says residents can view computer-generated visuals of the project
Cut 7 (09) “…the meeting.”
DOTD officials will be on hand and a lot of questions will be asked about making it a toll bridge.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says once again Louisiana will have a float in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California on New Year’s Day. This year’s theme, Celebrating a World of Music, the Universal Language. Nungesser this year’s float will feature a larger than life Mardi Gras jester…
cut 11 (10) “….major prize”
Last New Year’s Day, the Louisiana float won the Showmanship Award for most outstanding display of sportsmanship and entertainment.

The LSU AgCenter has develop a bait that kill wild hogs. Earlier this month the bait received a patent. The bait has the consistency of gummy bears, it’s about the size of a golf ball and it tastes fishy. Glen Gentry with the LSU Ag Center says within three hours of consuming the bait, the hogs become sleepy and die
cut 6 (09) “…the fDA:”

Officials say there have been 600 wildfires in Louisiana this month. Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain downed trees from recent hurricanes are helping to fuel many of the fires in southwest Louisiana. He says downed trees from a hurricane are generally cracked and within about two to three weeks, it’s unusable.
Cut 14 (12) “…another point.”

7:30 LRN Newscast

State officials are urging Louisiana residents not to light a flame outside and that means no grilling or Labor day barbecues because of the extremely dry conditions. Crews from seven different states are working to put out multiple wildfires. Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says the state needs a good three to four inches of rain.

LSU scientists have received a patent for a bait that’s designed to limit the spread of wild hogs. Pierson Luscy has more.
Cut 1 (27) “….I’m Pierson Luscy.”

A public meeting will take place from 4 to 7 PM today at the Lake Charles Civic Center to talk about a new I-10 Calcasieu River bridge that will cost two-billion dollars. Tolls will be used to pay for construction which has many locals upset. Department of Transportation spokesperson Rodney Mallett says the state is also putting up a significant amount of resources…
cut 8 (10) “…they are”
The Joint Transportation Committee will meet next month to vote on whether the project should go through as proposed.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says the state will once again have a float in the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, California. Nungesser says the float will have a Mardi Gras theme and you can help decorate it…
cut 12 (11) “…..our float”

6:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU is looking forward to getting another chance at Florida State. The Tigers played poorly for three quarters last season in the loss to the Seminoles, before LSU Quarterback Jaydn Daniels led LSU on a furious fourth quarter comeback. Daniels says he’s watched that game a lot and realizes they left out of plays on the field. He’s ready for what F-S-U will bring this year…
cut 17 (23) “…after you”

The Saints signed 16 players to their practice squad and that includes linebacker Jaylon Smith and wide receivers Jontre Kirklin and Shaq Davis.

Louisiana Tech got the win against Florida International in week zero, but now Coach Sonny Cumbie and the Bulldogs have turned their attention to a trip to Dallas to play SMU on Saturday.
Cut 19 (20) “…the football.”
SMU’s Quarterback is Preston Stone. He was a four-star recruit out of Dallas. Only played in three games in 2021, and made one start last season against Tulsa and was 11 of 17 for 219 yards and one touchdown.

There is a college football game tonight in Thibodaux as Nicholls hosts Sacramento State. The Hornets are ranked in the top ten in the FCS after going 12-and-1 last season. Nicholls is looking to bounce back from a 3-and-8 campaign last year. Kick-off is at 6 PM.

6:30 LRN Newscast

Governor John Bel Edwards says more than 50-thousand acres have been burned by wildfires that have plagued the state. Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says downed trees from recent hurricanes are providing a lot of the fuel. He says there was a federal program to assist homeowners in removing downed trees. The average cost was 400 to 500 dollars…
cut 13 (12) “….go do it”

Scientists with the LSU AgCenter and LSU Department of Chemistry have received a patent for a bait to kill off feral hogs. The bait has the consistency of gummy bears, about the size of a golf ball and it tastes fishy. LSU AgCenter animal specialist Glen Gentry says this is a milestone for them…
Cut 4 (08) “…pigs completely.”
There are an estimated one million feral hogs in the state that produce 91 million dollars in damages every year.

A public meeting will be held today from 4-7 PM at the Lake Charles Civic Center to discuss a new Calcasieu River I-10 bridge that would be partially paid for by tolls. Teiko Foxx has more…
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Teiko Foxx.”

LRN AM Newscall August 31

LSU scientists have received a patent for a bait that’s designed to limit the spread of wild hogs, but the solution might not get rid of them all. Pierson Luscy has more.

Cut 1 (27)  “….I’m Pierson Luscy.”

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A public meeting will be held today from 4-7 PM at the Lake Charles Civic Center to discuss a new Calcasieu River I-10 bridge that would be partially paid for by tolls. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx.”

_______________________________________________

Next year, Louisiana will celebrate Mardi Gras a month early and promote tourism to the Bayou State at the annual Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, California. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 3 (31) …I’m Teiko Foxx.”

________________________________________________

Scientists with the LSU AgCenter and LSU Department of Chemistry have received a patent for a bait to kill off feral hogs. The bait has the consistency of gummy bears, it’s about the size of a golf ball and it tastes fishy. LSU AgCenter animal specialist Glen Gentry says this is a milestone for them…

Cut 4 (08) “…pigs completely.”

There are an estimated one million feral hogs in the state that produce 91 million dollars in damages every year. Gentry says they are still looking at ways to deliver the bait…

Cut 5 (07) “…field trials.”

Gentry says the bait uses sodium nitrate, which is lethal to feral swine. He says within three hours of consuming the bait, hogs become sleepy and die

Cut 6 (09) “…the FDA.”

________________________________________________

The Louisiana Department of Transportation holds a public meeting at the Lake Charles Civic Center today from 4:00 to 7:00 PM to discuss the $2 billion dollar expansion of the Calcasieu River Interstate 10 bridge including its tolls and aesthetics. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallet says residents can view computer-generated visuals and multimedia presentations on the project

Cut 7 (09) “…the meeting.”

Toll rates range from 25 cents for local motorists with tags to $12.50 for a large truck with a tag. Mallet says toll charges were set at 2023 dollars and will be adjusted over time based on the consumer price index. He says preliminary rates were minimized because funding will be combined with a variety of funding sources.

Cut 8 (10) “…they are.”

Mallett says in September members of the House and Senate Transportation Committee will vote in favor or against the Calcasieu Bridge Partners proposal for a cost of $2 billion dollars and tolls…

Cut 9 (12)  “…transportation committee.”

A panel question and answer session will be held from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.

____________________________________________

For the third year in a row, Louisiana will have a float in the 2024 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California to promote tourism. This year’s parade theme is “Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language.” Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says in a world of different cultures, the theme of music unites us all.

Cut 10 (11) “…of Louisiana.”

The float will feature a larger-than-life Mardi Gras jester, fleur de lis, second-line inspired umbrellas, and lots of purple, green, and gold. Nungesser hopes this will be another award-winning float that exposes all that the Bayou State has to offer.

Cut 11 (10) “…major prize.”

In 2022, Louisiana’s float won the Wrigley Legacy Award for the most outstanding display of floral presentation, float design, and entertainment. Last year’s float won the Showmanship Award for the most outstanding display of showmanship and entertainment.

Nungesser says volunteers are welcome to join this amazing opportunity.

Cut 12 (11) “…our float.”

Louisiana’s participation has reached an estimated four billion viewers and generated $39 million in media advertising value. To volunteer, visit explorelouisiana.com/2024-rose-parade.

__________________________________________

Hurricanes Laura and Delta left an excessive amount of downed trees in southwest Louisiana and those trees are only adding fuel to the wildfires. Ag and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain says there was a federal program to assist landowners in removing downed trees. The average cost is $400 to $500 an acre.

Cut 13 (12) “…go do it.”

And while you might think, why wasn’t the timber immediately harvested and sold after the storms? Strain says downed trees from a hurricane are generally cracked and within about two to three weeks, it’s unusable.

Cut 14 (12) “…another point.”

Strain says these wildfires are unprecedented and once the threat is over, he, along with the governor and other participating agencies plan to review what was done correctly and how they can be more proactive in the future.

Cut 15  (11) “…fire departments.”

Firefighters have been battling the the largest wildfire in the state, the Tiger Island Fire in Beauregard Parish since August 22nd.

________________________________________________

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is pumped up for Sunday night’s top-ten matchup against Florida State. Daniels enters the season as a Heisman candidate and he’s put in the work to be the best….

Cut 16 (16) “…1% better.”

LSU and Florida State met in New Orleans last year and Florida State came away with the win 24-23, and Daniels says what the challenge will be facing them this season after much of the Seminoles defense saw Daniels last year.

Cut 17 (23) “…after you.”

Coach Brian Kelly has implored Daniels to push the ball down the field with his arm. Daniels plans to do that, but if he can move the chains with his legs, he’ll do that too…

Cut 18 (20) “…do that.”

__________________________________________________________________

Louisiana Tech got the win against Florida International in week zero, but now Coach Sonny Cumbie and the Bulldogs have turned their attention to a trip to Dallas to play SMU on Saturday.

Cut 19 (20) “…the football.”

Tech rushed for less than three yards a carry last week. Cumbie says after missing last week, Tyre Shelton is practicing this week and he’s moving around well. The coach says Keldric Moody, Jacob Fields, Keith Willis Junior, and freshman Dyson Fields from Ruston High are all getting reps at practice…

Cut 20 (11) “on offense.”

5:30 LRN Newscast Aug 30

Governor Edwards, along with State Ag Commissioner Mike Strain and State Fire Marshall Dan Wallis, says the wildfires are still a threat despite the recent rains. And while the statewide burn ban doesn’t include cooking outdoors, Edwards asked residents to refrain…

Cut 6 (09) “…for that.”

Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves introduced a bill to stop unsafe illegally produced shrimp from reaching U.S. consumers and flooding the market. Graves says this bill helps level the playing field for local shrimpers. He says shrimping is part of the state’s culture and is much healthier than imported shrimp.

Cut 5 (11) “…our economy.” 

The legislation also builds on Graves’s previous efforts to give the USDA the authority to purchase domestic shrimp to supply schools, food banks, and disaster relief programs.

The wildfires in Beauregard Parish have prompted Merryville Police to alert residents to be on the lookout for wild animals that may have retreated inside the town limits. So far this month there have been 600 wildfires in the state, and more are expected.

A German company submitted the winning bid to develop plans to produce wind electricity off of Louisiana’s coast. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

4:30 LRN Newscast Aug 30

Despite recent rains, Governor John Bel Edwards says the state is still under red flag conditions with the drought. Edwards says he fears that the excessive wildfires in Louisiana could become the new norm. As he does during hurricane season, Edwards encourages residents to be prepared…

Cut 8 (12) “…and so forth.”

Edwards, along with the State Fire Marshal urged residents to abide by the burn ban and to forgo grilling outdoors during the extreme conditions as a precaution. Edwards says with tailgating season also beginning, higher education institutions have been asked to prohibit on-campus grilling. So far an estimated 60,000 acres and two people have been wildfire casualties fueled in part by the triple-digit temperatures and one of the worst droughts on record.

Louisiana Congressman Garret Graves has introduced bipartisan legislation to stop unsafe illegally produced shrimp from reaching U.S. consumers and flooding the market. He says the bill helps level the playing field and that foreign-raised shrimp producers must play by the rules.

Cut 4 (11) “…about marketing.”

R-W-E Offshore U-S Gulf has won a bid to develop wind energy in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico about 44 miles from Lake Charles. Two areas designated for wind energy development off the coast of Galveston, Texas did not receive a single bid. Helen Rose Patterson, with the National Wildlife Federation, says Louisiana has shown a greater interest in wind energy from the Gulf than Texas…

Cut 10 (12) “…for the region”