LRN PM Newscall July 21

The Southwestern Athletic Conference has decided to postpone its fall sports season to the spring. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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It’s been ten months since the Hard Rock Hotel collapse and the bodies of two workers might finally be recovered from the rubble within a matter of days.   Kevin Barnhart has the story.

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Qualifying for the November ballot begins at 8 AM tomorrow and as of now, Republican Senator Bill Cassidy does not face a major Democratic challenger. Outgoing State Democratic Party Director Stephen Handwerk says there’s time for a prominent Democrat to get in the race.

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Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins’ name has come up as a possible challenger.

Handwerk says the party will consider endorsements once qualifying ends Friday afternoon and they know who is running.

Cut 4 (03)_ “yet”

Antoine Pierce, a Baton Rouge progressive activist, and New Orleans teacher Peter Wenstrup are the two announced Democrats so far.

Handwerk says there’s a lot of energy in the party right now. He noted more Democrats voted in the recent Presidential Primary than Republicans.

Cut 5 (08)  “…MIA”

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The Southwestern Athletic Conference has made the decision to move its fall sports, including football, to the spring. Grambling President Rick Gallot says the decision protects the health of their student-athletes

Cut 6 (10) “…deadly virus”

The SWAC is planning to have a seven-game football schedule that would include six conference games and one non-conference contest. Preseason camp would begin in January. But Gallot says the virus will dictate if football can be played

Cut 7 (09) “vaccine”

Southern University Athletics Director Roman Banks says by the time 2021 gets here, he hopes scientists are closer to a vaccine and there are fewer COVID-19 cases

Cut 8 (12) “…responsible”

Banks says the league is still deciding what the schedule will look like, but they know they’ll play Grambling and once a date is set, they’ll talk with Bayou Classic and New Orleans officials

Cut 9 (07) “…site.”

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New Orleans Fire Chief Tim McConnell says one of the bodies that has been trapped in the Hard Rock Hotel collapse site is likely to be recovered by the end of the week and the other by the middle of next week. McConnell says the rubble is very delicate and potentially dangerous to recovery workers.

Cut 10 (13) “…that could change.”

It’s been ten months since the construction site partially collapsed, killing three. McConnell says the length of the recovery has tested the patience of recovery workers.

Cut 11 (10) “…for a living.”

Rescue workers had thought that it was going to be possible to recover the two bodies last week, but more hurdles got in the way that could have an impact on the current timeline too… weather.

Cut 12 (09) “…with bad weather.” 

Starting tomorrow, the area will be deemed a no-fly zone to keep drones away.

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The National Hurricane Center has upgraded the chance of development for a tropical wave currently over western Cuba and making its way into the Gulf.

State Climatologist Barry Keim says there’s a medium chance the disturbance will develop into a tropical depression over the next five days.

Cut 13 (06) “…Mexico.” 

The system is set to enter the southeastern Gulf of Mexico later today, move into the central Gulf tomorrow, and the northwestern Gulf Thursday and Friday.

Keim says sea surface temperatures in the Gulf are prime for development.

Cut 14 (09) “…problem.”

That being said Keim does not expect the system to get to hurricane strength. At most he anticipates a depression or tropical storm…

Cut 15 (06) “     …wrong”