LRN AM Newscall October 2

The Louisiana Civil Rights Museum will open its doors to the public in New Orleans at the Ernest Morial Convention Center on Sunday. Teiko Foxx has more

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Teiko Foxx”

_______________________________________________

Now that it’s October, that means only two official months left of hurricane season. So far it’s been quiet for Louisiana. Jeanne Burns has more…

Cut 2 (29)  “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

______________________________________________

Amendment 3 on the October 14th ballot would increase the percentage of state surplus dollars to pay off state retirement debt of $17-billion. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 3 (30) …I’m Brooke Thorington.”

______________________________________________

The LSU AgCenter and the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture have received a nearly $800,000 grant to bring drone education to high school students. Louisiana 4-H STEM Coordinator Brian Gautreau says the training will provide students with knowledge about how drones and other agriculture technologies.

Cut 4 (08) “…are needed.”

Students are also prepared to take the Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 certification which will allow them to fly drones commercially. Gautreau says he’s working with farmers to get students hands-on field experience on agricultural sites.

Cut 5 (11) “…other drones.”

The grant will also fund the Agriculture Career Exploration with Drones camp which is a year-long course for 4-H students across the state. Students will receive the Trust Advance certification which is needed for recreational flight in the state. Gautreau says the course will introduce youth to careers using drones and teach them to program drones.

Cut 6 (12) “…agricultural careers.”

_________________________________________________

More than 30 years in the making, the Louisiana Civil Rights Museum will officially open to the public inside the Ernest Morial Convention Center in New Orleans on Sunday. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says the museum is part of a continued effort to educate visitors about Louisiana’s place in the Civil Rights Movement and the real-life activists like Leona Tate…

Cut 7 (13) “…on forever.”

The five thousand-square-foot exhibit includes information about lunch counter sit-ins, Southern University students marching to the Capitol in 1960, swim-ins leading to the desegregation of public pools, and more. Nungessor says the museum serves as a way to learn about the past.

Cut 8 (11) “…incredible museum.” 

The two-million-dollar exhibit will be the first in the state dedicated to memorializing events and honoring Louisiana heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. Nungesser says the ‘dream cube’ will give the public the ‘wow factor’.

Cut 9 (09)  “…were there.”

_________________________________________________

Even with officially two months left in hurricane season, State Climatologist Barry Keim says if we can get through the next few weeks without a named storm in the Gulf, it’s highly likely Louisiana will be unscathed this season. Statistically, the latest storm on record to threaten the Bayou State was Halloween 28 years ago.

Cut 10 (07) “…in general.”

So far, this Atlantic Hurricane Season there have been 18 named storms; six were hurricanes and three were major hurricanes. The average is 14 named storms.

And now that we’ve reached the next to last month of hurricane season, Keim says on average one named storm forms in the North Atlantic Basin in October…

Cut 11 (10) “…of October.”

Zeta made landfall as late as October 28, 2020, and in 1985 Hurricane Juan showed up late to the party and was still hanging around the Louisiana coast on Halloween day.

Keim says even with a few late-season named storms in our history we’re not out of the woods just yet…

Cut 12 (08) “…major hurricane.” 

For the last 175 years, Keim says a hurricane has never made landfall in Louisiana during the month of November. Hurricane Season ends November 30th.

_________________________________________________

Passage of Amendment 3 on the October 14th ballot would require lawmakers to use 25 percent of any state surplus to pay state retirement debt. President of the Public Affairs and Research Council Steven Procopio says this would increase the current minimum of ten percent to 25 percent.

Cut 13 (08) “…around 2029,”

Procopio says when there is a state surplus of dollars, it’s a matter of do voters want to a portion towards paying off retirement debt…

Cut 14 (10) “…and roads.”

The four major retirement systems (Teachers, State Employees, School Employees, and State Police, have a combined $17 billion gap between how much they need to pay in benefits and their investment assets.

____________________________________________________________

The Saints failed to find the end zone in a disappointing 26-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a battle of first-place teams in the NFC South. Despite the return of running back Alvin Kamara, New Orleans only had 197 yards of total offense. Coach Dennis Allen says it was an unacceptable performance…

Cut 15 (15) “…very good”

Despite a banged-up shoulder, Saints quarterback Derek Carr threw for just 127 yards. Allen was asked about Carr’s performance…

Cut 16 (14) “…we had”

_____________________________________________________________

ULM lost an absolute heartbreaker on Saturday night as Appalachian State kicked a 54-yard field with no time left to beat the Warhawks 41-40. ULM failed to score on third and goal earlier in the quarter and couldn’t run out the clock late in the fourth quarter. Coach Terry Bowden is sick to his stomach over his loss…

Cut 17 (14) “…a long time”

ULM hosts South Alabama this Saturday.

___________________________________________________________

The LSU Tigers defense gave an all-time bad performance on Saturday night in Oxford as the Rebels outscored the Bayou Bengals 55 to 49. LSU gave up a school record 706 yards and Coach Brian Kelly says everyone should be mad….

Cut 18 (11) “…acceptable”

LSU’s defense has been a source of frustration all season and on Saturday night they made some personnel changes. Cornerbacks Ashton Stamps and Laterrance Welch saw their most playing time of the year, linebacker Omar Speights returned to the starting line-up. They used a number of defensive linemen. But the scheme, the personnel, and the tackling were flat-out bad. Kelly says they will continue to coach this unit up…

Cut 19 (12) “…ever week” 

The loss drops LSU’s record to 3-2 overall, 2-1 in the SEC. Getting into the college football playoff is a pipe dream, even repeating as the SEC West champs is a long shot. Kelly says it’s very disappointing, but they can’t give up…

Cut 20 (20) “..get better”