The bitter legal fight between LSU and the SEC over the eligibility of two football players with recent NFL ties appears to be winding down, with LSU no longer facing the threat of expulsion from the conference. A vote on whether LSU should remain in the SEC is no longer on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting of the league’s presidents and chancellors. Tiger Rag Editor Glenn Guilbeau says the fact that SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey threatened to kick LSU out of the conference still doesn’t look good.

Cut 13 (12)  “…Greg Sankey.” 

This comes on the heels of today’s postponement of an initial hearing in federal court of the SEC’s lawsuit against LSU, which sought to prevent it from adding Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to the football roster. That essentially became moot when LSU filled the final two roster spots with injured players who are not expected to play this year.

There is a lot of purple and gold in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2027. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (40) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Classes at Northwestern State in Natchitoches will resume tomorrow. The campus was forced to close early today because of water issues in the city. But now, the school says water service has been restored to the campus.

This afternoon’s hearing in the SEC’s lawsuit against LSU has been postponed. This, after LSU filled its final two available football roster spots last night, seemingly ending its recruitment of two players who spent time in NFL training camps. Attorney Tony Clayton represents Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris and says it was them and not LSU who sued the NCAA and the SEC.

Cut 3 (11) “…and the law.”

The Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy is launching a massive effort to plug and clean up orphaned oil and gas well sites. Spokesman Patrick Courreges (KOO-rezh) says the department will use 30-million dollars in federal funding to clean up the sites in north Louisiana.

Cut 6 (07) “…per dollar spent.”

The department will use state funding to clean up orphaned well sites in south Louisiana.

There’s a lot of purple and gold in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2027. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (40) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Water issues are plaguing the City of Natchitoches – so much so that they have forced Northwestern State to close early for the day. Students are being asked to monitor the school’s social media channels for information on possible reopening.

This afternoon’s hearing in the SEC’s lawsuit against LSU has been postponed. The hearing was to have taken place in Birmingham; no new date has been scheduled. SEC presidents and chancellors are scheduled to vote tomorrow on whether to kick LSU out of the conference.

LSU, meanwhile, finalized its football roster last night without former NFL signees Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

The Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy is granted 30-million dollars from the federal government to plug and clean up orphaned oil and gas well sites in North Louisiana. Spokesman Patrick Courreges (KOO-rezh) says the Monroe and Shreveport districts contain more than 42-hundred of the state’s roughly 64-hundred orphaned wells.

Cut 8 (08) “…well heads behind.”

The department will use state money to clean up orphaned well sites in South Louisiana.

Former LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson is among the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2027. In 2010, Peterson won the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defender and the Thorpe Award as the top defensive back, becoming the first LSU player to win those two prestigious awards. Chairman Doug Ireland says Peterson played 13 seasons in the NFL and made the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons.

Cut 10 (09) “…Hall of Fame.”

Even though LSU has finalized its roster without Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, the SEC is moving forward with its lawsuit against the school. The suit claims that coach Lane Kiffin was involved in coordinating and encouraging the athletes’ lawsuit against the NCAA, but Attorney Tony Clayton says his clients made their own decisions, and he has never even met Kiffin.

Cut 5 (09) “…and the SEC.”

SEC presidents and chancellors are also scheduled to vote tomorrow on whether to kick LSU out of the conference over its efforts to roster the former NFL training camp participants. It would take a two-thirds majority for that to happen, and Senator John Kennedy says in the unlikely event that that happens, the federal government will come down hard on the SEC.

Cut 15 (10) “…a ham sandwich.” 

The Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy secures 30-million dollars to help with a massive effort to plug and clean up orphaned oil and gas well sites throughout North Louisiana. Spokesman Patrick Courreges (KOO-rezh) says it’s important to get these orphaned well sites plugged and cleaned so that they don’t cause any problems down the road.

Cut 7 (10) “…use of it.”

Two of LSU’s best football players during this century, running back Leonard Fournette and cornerback Patrick Peterson, highlight the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2027. Chairman Doug Ireland says Fournette earned All-American honors as a sophomore at LSU, rushing for nearly two-thousand yards, which is a school record.

Cut 9 (11)  “…Billy Cannon.”

The SEC amends its federal lawsuit against LSU, seeking the authority to expel the school from the conference. Attorney General Liz Murrill and LSU’s entire board of supervisors were added as defendants in the lawsuit alongside Athletic Director Verge Ausberry, president Wade Rousse and football coach Lane Kiffin. Murrill filed an amicus brief supporting the return of the players formerly on NFL rosters in the preliminary injunction hearing last week but says she has no idea what claim they could be making against her or her office.

Cut 11 (13) “…sure why.”

When forecasters say this hurricane season would be quieter than normal, they weren’t kidding! We’re coming up on the middle of September, and we haven’t had one Atlantic hurricane yet. The record for the latest in the year without a hurricane is September 11th, accomplished in 2002 and 2013, and we will break that record.

The Louisiana sports world is mourning the death of NFL and college football analyst Mike Detillier, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer Sunday. Today would have been his 66th birthday. Detillier hosted the popular second guess show with Bobby Hebert on WWL radio on Monday nights during the football season for two decades. Hebert says he can’t believe Mike D is gone.

Cut 8 (11) “…on sobbing.”

In his four months remaining on Capitol Hill, Senator Bill Cassidy is continuing to urge Congress to address the solvency of Social Security. In an appearance on NewsNation, Cassidy accused his colleagues in the Senate of sitting on this issue and not taking it seriously.

Cut 5 (10) “…not be considered.”

The Southeastern Conference is threatening to boot LSU out of the league for attempting to roster players who were on NFL rosters last month. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

An Abbeville man is cited for allegedly running charter fishing trips in Grand Isle without a license. LDWF says it got a tip about 59-year-old Glenn Leboeuf, who it says was chartering trips without a charter boat license or insurance.

The Louisiana sports world is continuing to mourn the death of legendary football analyst Mike Detillier, who died of pancreatic cancer Sunday. Detillier’s M-and-D draft report was staple for any football fan as it was 200 pages, filled with in-depth profiles of the players. His co-host on LRN affiliate WWL, Bobby Hebert, says you’d better pack a lunch if you were going to talk football with Detillier.

Cut 7 (11) “…draft guru.”

In his four months remaining on Capitol Hill, Senator Bill Cassidy is continuing to urge Congress to address the solvency of Social Security, whether it’s his plan or someone else’s. On NewsNation, Cassidy said the first step in solving the issue is actually being allowed to put the proposals before Congress.

Cut 4 (09) “…put them forward.”

Could LSU actually be booted from the SEC? That’s what the conference’s presidents and chancellors will be voting on Thursday. It comes as the SEC amended its lawsuit against LSU and others to seek the authority to do so. LSU Athletic Director Verge Ausberry, who’s also a defendant in the suit, told Guaranty Media that the program has no intention of breaking SEC rules.

Cut 10 (09) “…have to do it” 

This comes as the sports world in Louisiana is mourning the death of longtime sports radio host Mike Detillier, who passed away on Sunday from a brief bout with pancreatic cancer. Today would have been his 66th birthday. His longtime radio partner on WWL, former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert, says Detillier was well respected for his football opinion and more importantly he was very kind.

Cut 6 (07) “…is a jerk.”

A routine trip to the grocery store for two elderly women in Acadia Parish turns into a harrowing experience. The 69 and 68-year-olds were loading their groceries into their vehicle in the parking lot of the Piggly Wiggly store in the town of Rayne, when a man forced his way into the vehicle and drove off with the groceries and the ladies’ belongings inside. Police located the stolen vehicle and tried pulling it over, but the driver, 47-year-old Michael Dupuis Jr., refused to stop. Dupuis led law enforcement on a pursuit, which ended when the vehicle became disabled near Breaux Bridge. Dupuis tried running off but didn’t get very far. He’s now in the Acadia Parish Jail on 100-thousand dollars bond.

Bill Cassidy has less than four months remaining in the U.S. Senate, and he’s using that time to push his plan to ensure Social Security remains solvent. He outlined his plan in an appearance on NewsNation.

Cut 3 (10) “…on Social Security.”

It seems that some in the SEC have just about had it with LSU. We just got word not too long ago that SEC presidents and chancellors will meet Thursday to vote on whether to expel LSU from the SEC. Apparently, comments that Lane Kiffin made at halftime of LSU’s blowout win over Clemson ruffled some feathers – when leading 31-3, Kiffin told an ESPN sideline reporter the score would have been even more lopsided had former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris been playing. It will take a two-thirds majority to boot LSU from the SEC. 

Today is 9-8-8 day — a day when mental health providers spread the word about Louisiana 9-8-8, a number you can call or text 24 hours a day to receive free, confidential mental health counseling. VIA Link social worker Sherrard Crespo says the 9-8-8 helpline saves lives.

Cut 10 (10) “…to save people.”

The group Louisiana Progress wants Hyundai to make promises to give locals first dibs on the thousands of new jobs the new Hyundai Steel plant will create once construction is completed. Angelle Bradford is a campaign strategist for the organization.

Cut 9 (12)  “…prioritized for hiring.”

Hundreds of new jobs are also coming to the Acadiana region with the 25.5-million-dollar expansion of Coastal Machine and Supply. CEO Kody Guidry says the expansion will lead to a total of about 240 new job opportunities, on top of retaining 58 current positions – in fact, the “help wanted” sign is out already.

Cut 5 (11) “…of this year.”

WWL Radio on-air sports personality and NFL draft expert Mike Detillier has passed away after a brief bout with cancer. Jeff Palermo reports the people who loved him are coming to grips with his sudden death.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

An arrest is made in connection with the carjacking of two elderly women in an Acadia Parish parking lot. Police in Rayne say 47-year-old Michael Dupuis Jr. forced his way into the vehicle as the women were loading groceries in the vehicle.

The group Louisiana Progress is urging Hyundai Steel to live up to its word as construction of its 5.8-billion-dollar steel mill in Ascension Parish draws nearer. The company has said it plans on using electricity to manufacture the steel instead of burning coal, reducing carbon emissions by 70-percent. Angelle Bradford with Louisiana Progress wants Hyundai to stick to that.

Cut 7 (09) “…natural gas power.”

Today is 9-8-8 day — a day when mental health providers spread the word about Louisiana 9-8-8, a number you can call or text 24 hours a day to receive free, confidential counseling for any problem, big or small.  Suicide is the third leading cause of death for Louisianians ages 10 to 34. VIA LINK, one of the nonprofits that answers 9-8-8 calls in Louisiana, is now receiving more than five-thousand calls a month. But Social Worker Sherrard Crespo says they’re seeing a decline in the highest-risk crisis calls.

Cut 11 (04) “…is going down.”

The Louisiana sports world is mourning the passing of legendary pro and college football analyst Mike Detillier of WWL Radio. Detillier was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer less than two weeks ago and had planned to tell listeners today, on what would have been his 66th birthday. Yesterday on “The Second Guess,” his co-host, former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert, talked about when he got his first indication that Detillier was experiencing health issues.

Cut 14 (18) “…it actually was.”

Former DeRidder Mayor Misty Roberts was released from jail yesterday. It comes as Roberts completed her 90-day jail sentence for having sex with a then-16-year-old boy at a house party. Roberts was fined five-thousand dollars and given two five-year suspended sentences.

As the start of construction of the Hyundai Steel plant in Ascension Parish draws nearer, the group Louisiana Progress is raising concerns about the plant. Angelle Bradford with Louisiana Progress says one big issue is the people living near the site – not only those choosing to stay in their homes who now have this steel mill close by, but also for those being forced to move.

Cut 8 (13) “…the potential displacement.”

In honor of 9-8-8 Day, there will be a rally on the steps of the State Capitol to raise awareness about the Louisiana 9-8-8 helpline. Sherrard Crespo is a social worker for VIA LINK, one of the nonprofits that answers 9-8-8 calls in Louisiana.

Cut 12 (06) “…there to listen.”

While 9-8-8 is a national number, local crisis workers answer the calls.