AM Newscall Nov 25

The holiday shopping season begins with record-high inflation. How will that affect your holiday shopping? Kevin Gallagher has that.

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It’s Small Business Saturday this weekend and retailers are hopeful to exceed last year’s profits even with a few hurdles. Brooke Thorington explains.

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With tomorrow being the final LSU football game of the season, speculation will begin to really ramp up on who the next coach will be. Jeff Palermo has more…

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We have entered the second Holiday shopping season while in the COVID pandemic, and with record-high inflation. How will that affect your holiday shopping? LSU Marketing Professor Dan Rice says store shelves could look a bit sparse, with supply chain issues. He feels online shopping will be huge again this year but says, even so, it pays to get started now.

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Merchants started their Holiday shopping deals earlier than normal this year, with some advertising Black Friday specials as early as Halloween. Rice says inflation has driven the cost of everything up, so expect the dollars spent to increase accordingly for merchants.

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Rice says holiday shoppers looking for great deals can still find them, but it may take a little research to find them.

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Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday and State director of the National Federation of Independent Business, Dawn McVea says this year it’s more important than ever to shop locally. Last year $19.8 billion was spent at small retailers and they hope to exceed that this year.

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Small Business Saturday is an initiative that began in 2010 by American Express to encourage shoppers to support independent retailers the day after Black Friday.

Supply chain issues are not only impacting large retailers but small ones as well. McVea says about half of their members report they are feeling the effects of shipping delays.

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McVea says everyone is experiencing disruptions whether it be slow to get to the shelves or not getting what they need in a timely fashion.

With COVID cases decreasing, along with government restrictions and mandates being lifted, McVea says small retailers were hopeful things would return to pre-pandemic levels.

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If you prefer to shop online McVea encourages you to seek out small retailers as many added online shopping to their business during the pandemic.

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The Bayou Classic is back in New Orleans and Dottie Belletto, CEO of N-O-C-C-I, the management company of the event, says they are thrilled to be in the newly renovated Ceasars Superdome. She says besides the game between Southern University and Grambling State there’s plenty to do like…

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The parade will be followed by Fanfest with bands performing on Champion Square before kickoff which is free to the public.

But before the parade Saturday morning there will be a Black Chamber Business Showcase at the Hyatt Friday along with a return of the Battle of the Bands tonight. After a two-year absence, Belletto says to expect one heck of a show.

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And besides the game which kicks off at 4 pm, Belletto says you’ll definitely want to be in your seats for the halftime show.

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And the Crescent City All-Stars Band which is composed of 174 student musicians will perform the National Anthem.

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Speculation is really ramping up on who will be LSU’s next football coach with the college football regular season-ending tomorrow. ESPN college football senior writer Chris Low believes LSU athletic director Scott Woodward’s first choice is Texas A-and-M head coach Jimbo Fisher…

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Woodward hired Fisher at Texas A-and-M when he was the A-D for the Aggies. Fisher has emphatically said he has no interest in leaving College Station. Low says Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Reiley is also still in play and would be the splash hire that Woodward is looking for….

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Woodward is 55-9 at Oklahoma and has led the Sooners to three college football playoff appearances. Baylor Coach Dave Aranda’s name has also come up. But Woodward believes the former LSU defensive coordinator might be a better candidate for Washington or USC.

Florida is reportedly very interested in U-L Lafayette’s Billy Napier and Napier’s name has also been connected to LSU’s opening. Napier says he has not made a decision on his future and the rumors of him leaving come with the territory of having a winning program

Cut 15 (12)  “…tail off.”