Former LSU and Falcons center Todd McClure will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame this weekend. Kace Kieschnick has more…
Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”
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In St. Tammany, Randy Smith pleads guilty to attacking a critic of his at a Madisonville restaurant and he also resigns as sheriff. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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The massive flooding in Avoyelles Parish kept LDWF enforcement agents busy. They rescued 86 people and 20 pets from the raging floodwaters last week. Captain John Volentine, who’s the region commander for the affected area, says the rescue mission was unlike any ever undertaken in Avoyelles Parish.
Cut 3 (07) “…the 1927 flood.”
Captain Volentine says along with trucks and vessels, agents used the department’s two amphibious vehicles to rescue people stranded by the floodwaters.
Cut 4 (12) “…parish like Avoyelles.”
Volentine says the cleanup process has already been a tedious one and will become even more so as time goes by.
Cut 5 (06) “…and the water.”
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The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame will welcome a new class of 12 Louisiana sports icons. Former LSU and Atlanta Falcons center Todd McClure is one of the four Tigers to be honored. A Baton Rouge native, McClure says he’s honored to join such a special group.
Cut 6 (11) “…truly humbled.”
In 1995, McClure arrived at an LSU program coming off six straight losing seasons. He took over the starting center job midway through his freshman year and never looked back, earning two All-SEC and an All-American first-team selection. He says playing for the Tigers was a dream come true.
Cut 7 (12) “…anywhere else.”
McClure was taken by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. After an ACL injury his rookie season, McClure started 195 games over 14 years in Atlanta and was added to their Ring of Honor in 2022. He says Atlanta was a second home for him.
Cut 8 (11) “…see it now.”
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St. Tammany Sheriff Randy Smith pleaded guilty today to one count of second degree battery for attacking a critic of his at a restaurant near Madisonville on May 29th. District Attorney Collin Sims as part of the plea deal, Smith is no longer the sheriff…
Cut 9 (13) “…protecting the public.”
Sims says the former sheriff can reduce the felony battery conviction to a misdemeanor if he completes an 18-month treatment program that will address his alcohol issues…
Cut 10 (08) “…that caused it.”
Smith also pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace by public intoxication. Last month, the former sheriff attacked from behind Robert Couvillon, a blogger and social media personality. Couvillon suffered a concussion and dental injuries and was hospitalized.
Sims says the victim and the the investigating agency, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, are satisfied with this case’s resolution…
Cut 11 (12) “…held accountable.”
Smith served as the sheriff of St. Tammany for nearly a decade and was serving in his third term. Prior to his time as sheriff, Smith was the Slidell police chief from 2010 to 2016. He has spent 40 years in law enforcement.
Smith says it’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve the St. Tammany Parish community, but retiring at this time is in the best interest of the agency, his family and the public. Bret Ibert will take over as Interim Sheriff until a new Sheriff is elected.
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Planned Parenthood is coming back to Louisiana, with the first reopening happening this fall in New Orleans. Emily Wales, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, says her network took over Louisiana following the closure of the last clinic in the state last September.
Cut 12 (07) “…make that happen.”
Wales says the New Orleans clinic will offer several services for women.
Cut 13 (08) “…and well visits.”
What the clinic will not provide, however, is abortion services, since those services are illegal in the state. But Wales says like all other clinics in states where the procedure is outlawed, they can facilitate travel to a Planned Parenthood in a state where the procedure is allowed.
Cut 14 (09) “…of the state.”
The Louisiana Right To Life is not happy that Planned Parenthood is returning to Louisiana to send women outside the state to have abortions. The pro-life group is also concerned that Planned Parenthood’s telehealth services may be violating Louisiana law if their medical providers are not licensed to practice medicine in Louisiana. The Louisiana Right to Life says state law also prohibits health care providers from prescribing the abortion pill for elective abortion.