Congresswoman Julia Letlow is cosponsoring a constitutional amendment banning the burning of the American flag. Colleen Crain has more.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

A Flood Watch has been issued for all of Southeast Louisiana through Saturday due to the threat of tropical rain.  That, as the National Hurricane Center monitors a tropical disturbance that models indicate could form a tropical depression or storm.  Regardless of development, experts say Louisiana should prepare for multiple days of rain. Latest forecasts show some areas of Southeast Louisiana could get see more than five inches of rain.

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The Pennington Biomedical Research Center has launched the Pennington Generation research study to study childhood obesity. Dr. Peter Katzmarzyk, an associate executive director for population and public health science at Pennington Biomedical, says the study is designed to examine the influence of lifestyle factors in Louisiana as they relate to childhood obesity.

Cut 10 (08) “…treat childhood obesity.”

If you hold a library card at the state library or at the library systems in Iberville, Livingston, Tangipahoa or Rapides parishes, you can now use your card to get into a museum! State Librarian Meg Placke (PLACK-ee) says a limited number of passes are available.

Cut 7 (12) “…World War Two Museum.”

After 21 years, Louisiana Tech is headed back to the Sun Belt. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Certain library cardholders can use their library cards to obtain free admission to state museums. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Congresswoman Julia Letlow is cosponsoring a constitutional amendment banning the burning of the American flag. Colleen Crain has more.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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Louisiana Tech has officially accepted the invitation to join the Sun Belt and will discuss the decision today at a 3 p-m press conference. KNOE-TV Sports Director Aaron Dietrich says it will be a big step towards saving money and selling tickets for both Louisiana Tech and ULM.

Cut 4 (09) “…fired up.”

Dietrich says Louisiana Tech has a history of turning its nose up to its in-state rivals.

Cut 5 (14) “…Sun Belt Conference.”

He says those officials have moved on and the old guard has aged out, so it seems fan bases are ready to bury the hatchet off the field. Both ULM and U-L Lafayette were major supporters for Tech’s addition to the Sun Belt.

The Bulldogs will owe Conference USA at least five-million dollars to leave the league. They can depart for the Sun Belt as soon as 2026 and were invited to join no later than July of 2027. Dietrich hopes things will move quickly.

Cut 6 (13) “…would generate?”

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If you hold a library card at the state library or at the library systems in Iberville, Livingston, Tangipahoa or Rapides parishes, you can now use your card to get into a museum! State Librarian Meg Placke (PLACK-ee) says a limited number of passes are available.

Cut 7 (12) “…World War Two Museum.”

Placke says this is an expansion of the State Library’s “Check Out Louisiana” program, which was originally developed to allow cardholders to obtain passes to state parks.

Cut 8 (08) “…with our museums.”

Placke says just like with the state parks, the goal is to get people to visit the state museums, and similar programs have been very successful in other states.

Cut 9 (09)  “…to our museums.”

Eligible cardholders can go to check out Louisiana dot org to reserve an electronic pass to any of the eligible museums.

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The Pennington Biomedical Research Center has launched the Pennington Generation research study to study childhood obesity. Dr. Peter Katzmarzyk, an associate executive director for population and public health science at Pennington Biomedical, says the study is designed to examine the influence of lifestyle factors in Louisiana as they relate to childhood obesity.

Cut 10 (08) “…treat childhood obesity.”

Dr. Katzmarzyk says Louisiana has several characteristics that may contribute to childhood obesity.

Cut 11 (06) “…related to food.”

Katzmarzyk says the study just got underway, with about 90 kids having participated so far. In all, he says about 15-hundred will participate in a period of about 10 to 20 years.

Cut 12 (08) “…of getting pregnant.”

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Congresswoman Julia Letlow announced last week she’d be co-sponsoring a constitutional amendment to ban the burning of the U.S. flag with Arkansas Republican Steve Womack. Letlow says this amendment is about protecting the flag and what it represents.

Cut 13 (11)  “…from desecration.”

The proposal follows calls from President Trump for flag burners to face a year of jail time. Letlow says there has been an increase in flag burning recently amidst nationwide “No Kings” and anti-ICE protests. She says she defends the right to peaceful protest.

Cut 14 (09) “…Americans are.”

In the 1989 landmark case Texas versus Johnson, the Supreme Court ruled flag burning is a form of symbolic speech protected under the First Amendment. Letlow says…

Cut 15 (13) “…is just wrong.”

A proposed amendment must be approved by two-thirds of both the House and Senate and then ratified by three-fourths of the states.

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LSU will kick off the season at Clemson, which means a high-stakes matchup between top quarterbacks Garrett Nussmeier and Kade Klubnik. Tiger linebacker Whit Weeks says he lives for this kind of big-time game, and he has confidence in Nussmeier.

Cut 16 (18) “…good team.”

After passing for over four-thousand yards and 29 touchdowns in his first season as a starter, Nussmeier is ready to make a jump in year two. He says he needs to throw fewer than the 12 interceptions he threw last year.

Cut 17 (16)  “…need to.”

Head coach Brian Kelly confirmed Weeks and fellow linebacker Harold Perkins would both be ready to return from injury by the start of camp. Perkins will be returning to outside linebacker, where he was First-Team All-SEC and a Freshman All-American in 2022. Weeks says they grew close rehabbing together.

Cut 18 (14) “…for him too.”

The National Hurricane Center says there is a medium chance for a tropical depression to form near Louisiana’s southeast coast later this week. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says its ability to organize into a named storm will depend on how long the center of the storm stays over water before making landfall along the northern Gulf coast. He says they are not expecting this system to develop into a hurricane.

Cut 5 (05) “…wind or surge”

The EPA has approved two State Implementation Plans that will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions. The first addresses emissions at Cabot Corporation’s Ville Platte carbon black plant. State Department of Environmental Quality administrator Jason Meyers says their submitted plan proves the area will reach attainment with EPA standards, leaving one non-attainment area in Louisiana in St. Bernard Parish. Meyers says work has been underway there as well.

Cut 7 (09) “…submit it to EPA.”

The roadways are not your place to train for the next NASCAR race – chill out and slow down! That’s the stern message from the The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. Greg Fischer with the LHSC says that doesn’t mean driving at a snail’s pace, either.

Cut 10 (07) “…the speed limits.”

In 2023, speed was a factor in 30-percent of all deadly crashes in Louisiana.

Harold Perkins is looking forward to a bounce-back season for LSU this year. He suffered a season-ending ACL injury against UCLA in week four last year. After a true freshman All-American season in 2022, Perkins has struggled with position changes and now injury. Head coach Brian Kelly says Perkins could have gone to the NFL Draft.

Cut 13 (12)  “…to do so.”

Kelly confirmed Perkins would be ready for the start of camp back at his old position of outside linebacker.

The National Hurricane Center is watching the Gulf for the possible development of a tropical depression near Louisiana’s southeastern coast later this week. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says regardless of development, significant rainfall totals are expected, with widespread rainfall across south Louisiana on Thursday and Friday…

Cut 4 (07) “…watch on it.”

Southeast Louisiana is under a flood watch from tomorrow afternoon through late Friday night.

The EPA approves two State Implementation Plans aimed at reducing sulfur dioxide emissions. State Department of Environmental Quality administrator Jason Meyers says it’s a necessary first step when an EPA standard changes.

Cut 8 (14) “…outside the state.”

As part of a month-long national campaign, the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is reminding drivers that speeding has deadly consequences. Greg Fischer with the LHSC says in 2023, speeding was a factor in almost 29-percent of all fatal crashes nationwide.

Cut 9 (11)  “…speeding is involved.”

And not just on interstates. In 2023, 83-percent of them in Louisiana happened on non-Interstate roadways.

LSU is expecting the return of some key contributors on both sides of the ball from injury. Linebacker Whit Weeks suffered a broken fibula and dislocated ankle in the Tigers’ New Year’s Eve bowl game versus Baylor. At SEC Media Days yesterday, he said he’d be good to go for camp.

Cut 12 (13) “…really good.”

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is participating in a month-long national campaign aimed at reminding drivers that speeding has deadly consequences. Greg Fischer with the LHSC says the biggest point that they want to drive home through this campaign is that a car is not a toy – it is to be operated safely and responsibly.

Cut 11 (08) “…can’t prepare for.”

Fischer says in 2023, speeding was a factor in almost 29-percent of all fatal crashes nationwide.

The EPA has approved two State Implementation Plans that will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions. The first addresses emissions at Cabot Corporation’s Ville Platte carbon black plant. State Department of Environmental Quality administrator Jason Meyers says the plant is redesigning and reconstructing a large portion of the plant to bring Evangeline Parish into compliance with EPA standards.

Cut 6 (08) “…90-plus percent.”

A named storm in the Gulf of Mexico by Thursday is a possibility. Jeff Palermo reports regardless of development, heavy rainfall is expected in Louisiana.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

LSU is getting some player back from injury this season including Wide Receiver Chris Hilton who missed the first seven games of last season due to injury and totaled only nine receptions for 243 yards and three touchdowns. Hilton has always been a big play threat, and quarterback Garrett Nussmeier says he’s improved as he’s gotten healthier.

Cut 14 (11) “…season last year.”

The National Hurricane Center says there is a medium chance for a tropical depression to form near Louisiana’s southeast coast later this week. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says regardless of development, significant rainfall totals are expected…

Cut 3 (09) “…south Louisiana.”

The rainfall will reach coastal parishes of southeast Louisiana on Wednesday.

The EPA has approved two State Implementation Plans that will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions. The first addresses emissions at Cabot Corporation’s Ville Platte carbon black plant. State Department of Environmental Quality administrator Jason Meyers says their submitted plan proves the area will reach attainment with EPA standards, leaving one non-attainment area in Louisiana in St. Bernard Parish. Meyers says work has been underway there as well.

Cut 7 (09) “…submit it to EPA.”

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission has a stern message for all you kamikaze drivers out there. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Some key LSU contributors are expected back from injury including Linebacker Whit Weeks who suffered a broken fibula and dislocated ankle in the Tigers’ New Year’s Eve bowl game versus Baylor. His linebacking partner, Harold Perkins, suffered a season-ending ACL injury against UCLA in week four. After a true freshman All-American season in 2022, Perkins struggled with position changes and then injury. Head coach Brian Kelly says Perkins will be ready for the start of camp back at his old position of outside linebacker.

Cut 13 (12)  “…to do so.”

The National Hurricane Center says there is a medium chance for a tropical depression to form near Louisiana’s southeast coast later this week. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says its ability to organize into a named storm will depend on how long the center of the storm stays over water before making landfall along the northern Gulf coast. He says they are not expecting this system to develop into a hurricane.

Cut 5 (05) “…wind or surge”

The EPA approves two State Implementation Plans aimed at reducing sulfur dioxide emissions. One plan is called an “infrastructure SIP.” State Department of Environmental Quality administrator Jason Meyers says it’s a necessary first step when an EPA standard changes.

Cut 8 (14) “…outside the state.”

The roadways are not your place to train for the next NASCAR race – chill out and slow down! That’s the stern message from the The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. Greg Fischer with the LHSC says that doesn’t mean driving at a snail’s pace, either.

Cut 10 (07) “…the speed limits.”

In 2023, speed was a factor in 30-percent of all deadly crashes in Louisiana.

LSU is expecting the return of some key contributors on both sides of the ball from injury. Linebacker Whit Weeks suffered a broken fibula and dislocated ankle in the Tigers’ New Year’s Eve bowl game versus Baylor. At SEC Media Days yesterday, he said he’ll be good to go for camp.

Cut 12 (13) “…really good.”

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission has a stern message for all you kamikaze drivers out there – chill out and slow down! Greg Fischer with the LHSC says in 2023, speeding was a factor in almost 29-percent of all fatal crashes nationwide.

Cut 9 (11)  “…speeding is involved.”

The EPA has approved two State Implementation Plans that will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions. The first addresses emissions at Cabot Corporation’s Ville Platte carbon black plant. State Department of Environmental Quality administrator Jason Meyers says the plant is redesigning and reconstructing a large portion of the plant to bring Evangeline Parish into compliance with EPA standards.

Cut 6 (08) “…90-plus percent.”

A named storm in the Gulf of Mexico by Thursday is a possibility. Jeff Palermo reports regardless of development, heavy rainfall is expected in Louisiana.

Cut 1 (32 “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”