5:30 LRN Newscast/Legislative Report

After a debate that lasted about eight hours, the Louisiana House approved a Congressional map that eliminates one of the state’s majority Black districts.  The vote was 66-35.  Every Black member of the House spoke in opposition of the legislation, including Opelousas Representative Dustin Miller.

Cut 12 (10) “…mean we should.”

New Orleans Representative Candace Newell says they also have other tools, just like the grassroots effort that led to the voting down of the five constitutional amendments on the May 16th ballot.

Cut 13 (12)  “…it all up.”

Black lawmakers have opposed this map every step of the way, but they did not have the votes to stop it from going to the governor’s desk.

The Republican-led Legislature drew the new map, because the U.S. Supreme Court said race played too much of a factor in the current map, which resulted in two majority-minority districts. Democrats said race should still be a factor in the drawing of a new map, but House Governmental Affairs Chairman Beau Beaullieu said that would lead to more litigation…

Cut 10 (09) “…is too much?”

Democrats have said since Blacks make up a third of the Black voting population, Blacks should represent two of the state’s six Congressional districts for it to be a fair Congressional map. Beaullieu’s response…

Cut 14 (13) “…have to apply?”

It’s likely the Legislative Black Caucus or a voting rights group will file a lawsuit to prevent the map from going into effect after Landry signs the bill into law.

4:30 LRN Newscast

A significant portion of south Louisiana, from Baton Rouge to the Atchafalaya Basin, is now completely out of the drought. This, after the area has been deluged with almost a foot of rain this month. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says those in the area should continue to keep those umbrellas handy.

Cut 11 (13) “…tend to be.” 

Two U.S. Senators – one from each party – introduce the “Protect College Sports Act,” which would enact several key reforms to the rapidly changing landscape of college sports. Tiger Rag Magazine Executive Editor Todd Horne says it’s Congress’ way of admitting that the current college sports model is no longer governable.

Cut 3 (10) “…with federal protection.”

LSU has surpassed 600-million dollars in research activity, an 11-percent growth from the previous fiscal year. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Governor Landry posts on social media that the state has reached a deal with ExxonMobil to resolve coastal land disputes. In his post, Landry says as part of the deal, ExxonMobil will partner with the state to ensure that the state’s orphan wells along the coast are addressed. Details of the settlement are scant at this time.

LRN PM Newscall May 28

Two U.S. Senators, one from each party, team up on a bill to transform college sports regulation amid a rapidly changing landscape. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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LSU has surpassed 600-million dollars in research activity, an 11-percent growth from the previous fiscal year. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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A bipartisan U.S. Senate bill would bring new rules and regulations to college athletics. Texas Republican Ted Cruz and Washington Democrat Maria Cantwell have introduced the “Protect College Sports Act,” which would enact several key reforms to the rapidly changing landscape of college sports. Tiger Rag Magazine Executive Editor Todd Horne says this bill is Congress’ way of admitting that the current college sports model is no longer governable.

Cut 3 (10) “…with federal protection.”

Among the proposed reforms are a five-year eligibility clock, a one-time transfer allowed without having to sit out a year, the option to pool media rights to generate more TV revenue, and the “Lane Kiffin Rule,” which Horne says would prohibit a school from hiring a coach from another school or a coach leaving for another school in the middle of the season.

Cut 4 (09) “…the national championship.”

Horne says this bill could have a profound impact on LSU, because it’s already operating within the new era, including revenue sharing, roster costs, coach buyouts, corporate inventory, jersey patches and public-private partnerships.

Cut 5 (09) “…brands like LSU.”

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LSU’s flagship campus has surpassed 600-million dollars in annual research activity, an 11-percent growth over the previous year. Chancellor Jim Dalton says the research is happening across the board…

Cut 6 (11) “..growing greatly.”

Dalton says there’s exciting research underway on fighting back against invasive species, clinical trials involving cancer research and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center is on the forefront of the development of the GLP-1 Weight loss drug.

He says the LSU AgCenter has been heavily involved in breeding programs for the best rice, sugarcane, and sweet potatoes. He says the LSU AgCenter is leading the regional research effort to fight back against invasive species that cause 120-billion dollars in damage to the US each year…

Cut 7 (13) “..them tick”

Dalton says LSU is also involved in cutting-edge clinical trials that help improve the care and outcomes of cancer patients. He says Pennington Biomedical researchers in Baton Rouge helped develop the GLP-1 weight loss drug currently on the market to fight obesity and diabetes…

Cut 8 (11) “…studying that”

Dalton says LSU’s research activity generates an estimated one-point-six billion dollars in economic impact.

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Some parts of Louisiana, particularly in the middle of the state, have been inundated with rain over the last several days. And State Climatologist Jay Grymes says that has put a significant dent in the drought situation in those areas.

Cut 9 (10)  “…is no drought.”

Go into North Louisiana, and Grymes says the news for them in terms of the drought isn’t as good.

Cut 10 (12) “…drought up there.”

This month, the Baton Rouge area has received nearly a foot of rain, and Grymes says there’s even more to come.

Cut 11 (13) “…tend to be.”

3:30 LRN Newscast

Different parts of the state tell very different stories when it comes to the drought. In central Louisiana, which has received almost a foot of rain this month, the drought has been completely washed away. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says go north, and it’s a completely different story.

Cut 10 (12) “…drought up there.”

LSU’s flagship campus’ research activity is up 11-percent, now surpassing 600-million dollars in annual research activity. Chancellor Jim Dalton says the LSU AgCenter is leading the regional research effort to fight back against invasive species that cause 120-billion dollars in damage to the U.S. each year.

Cut 7 (13) “..them tick”

Two U.S. Senators, one from each party, team up on a bill to transform college sports regulation amid a rapidly changing landscape. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Two Covington elementary school administrators are facing charges for allegedly failing to comply with the state’s mandatory reporting law. Lauryn Faciane and Tanya Barth are the principal and assistant principal, respectively, of E.E. Lyon Elementary. Because minors are involved, DCFS is not releasing specific details of the incident that the two allegedly failed to report.

2:30 LRN Newscast

Some parts of Louisiana, particularly in the middle of the state, have been inundated with rain over the last several days. And State Climatologist Jay Grymes says that has put a significant dent in the drought situation in those areas.

Cut 9 (10)  “…is no drought.”

Areas of north Louisiana, however, remain in severe drought.

A bipartisan U.S. Senate bill would enact key reforms to college sports. The “Protect College Sports Act” would, among other things, allow athletes to transfer just one time without having to sit out a year and prohibit coaches from moving from one school to another mid-season. Tiger Rag Executive Editor Todd Horne says this bill could have a profound impact on LSU.

Cut 5 (09) “…brands like LSU.”

LSU has surpassed 600-million dollars in research activity, an 11-percent growth from the previous fiscal year. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Love The Boot Week 2026 was a record-breaker. This year, more than 28-thousand volunteers throughout the state removed 566 tons of litter. There were more than 16-hundred events, during which the volunteers logged almost 78-thousand hours.

11:30 LRN Newscast

Louisiana will use more than one-billion dollars in federal money over the next five years to improve health care in rural areas through the Rural Tech Catalyst Fund. Louisiana Surgeon General Dr. Evelyn Griffin says this initiative will provide rural healthcare providers with tools and partnerships that can result in better care for the state’s 1.1-million rural residents.

Cut 13 (11)  “…care more efficiently.”

Pineville-based utility provider Cleco will provide the power for the 3.6-billion-dollar data center that will be built in the Rapides Parish town of Boyce. Cleco spokeswoman Jennifer Cahill says the company welcomes Applied Digital to central Louisiana, and it looks forward to meeting its needs.

Cut 10 (11) “…that we serve.”

LSU’s Flagship has surpassed 600 million in annual research activity, an 11-percent growth over the previous year. Chancellor Jim Dalton says the research is happening across the board.

Cut 6 (11) “..growing greatly.”

It’s a spectacular sight to see – the largest flotilla of tall ships is arriving into the port of New Orleans as part of America’s 250th birthday. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (25) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

LRN AM Newscall May 28

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, may we suggest checking out some tall ships in New Orleans as part of America’s 250th birthday? Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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A new series of studies led by an LSU professor shows that the impact of infertility can follow those who experience it to their workplaces. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Cleco is supplying power for the three-point-six-billion-dollar data center that will be built near Alexandria, and the power company says it will result in a stronger power grid for all of its customers without raising rates. Jeff Palermo has more.

Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, you can perhaps head to the New Orleans riverfront and check out the tall ships in celebration of America’s 250th birthday. Mark Romig with the Sail250 host committee says the largest-ever flotilla of tall ships arrives at the Port of New Orleans this morning.

Cut 4 (07) “…they’re referred to.”

Romig says the boats represent not only the U.S., but also several other countries from around the world.

Cut 5 (14) “…U.S. Coast Guard.”

The boats will be docked in various locations throughout the riverfront all weekend long, and Romig says the best thing is it won’t cost you a dime to climb on board.

Cut 6 (07) “…run through Sunday.”

New Orleans is the first of five ports where these tall ships will visit. From there, the tall ships will sail along the Atlantic Coast and will stop in Norfolk, Virginia, and Baltimore before arriving in New York City on the 4th of July. The Sail250 tour makes its final stop in Boston July 11th.

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A new series of studies led by a professor at LSU shows that the impact of infertility follows those who experience it to their jobs. Michael Johnson with LSU’s E.J. Ourso College of Business, says those who experience infertility can question their overall worth and view of themselves, and that can spill into the workplace.

Cut 7 (12) “…their infertility struggles.”

Johnson says that can lead to counterproductive work behaviors.

Cut 8 (11) “…things like that.”

Johnson says there are things that companies can do to help employees whose infertility may be affecting them in the workplace.

Cut 9 (10)  “…out with it.”

Johnson notes that this is not an issue exclusive to women; men can struggle with infertility issues as well. The study is published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior.

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Pineville-based utility provider Cleco will provide the power for the 3.6-billion-dollar data center that will be built in the Rapides Parish town of Boyce. Cleco spokeswoman Jennifer Cahill says the company welcomes Applied Digital to central Louisiana, and it looks forward to meeting its needs.

Cut 10 (11) “…that we serve.”

The massive data center is expected to provide 200 permanent jobs once it begins initial operations in mid-2027.

Data Centers use an enormous amount of energy, but Cahill says that will not result in higher bills for Cleco customers.

Cut 11 (08) “…the data center.”

Cahill says Cleco’s planned investments in grid reliability and new generation infrastructure will benefit all customers.

Cut 12 (10) “…broader customer base.”

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Louisiana will use more than one-billion dollars in federal money over the next five years to improve health care in rural areas through the Rural Tech Catalyst Fund. Louisiana Surgeon General Dr. Evelyn Griffin says rural healthcare providers are doing great work with limited resources, but this initiative will provide them with tools and partnerships that can result in better care for the state’s 1.1-million rural residents.

Cut 13 (11)  “…care more efficiently.”

Governor Jeff Landry says one of the major focuses of the Rural Tech Catalyst Fund is expanding workforce capacity.

Cut 14 (14) “…to stay there.”

Landry says the program will also support startup growth and private investment and strengthen health care technology infrastructure. L-D-H Secretary Bruce Greenstein (green-steen) says they are calling on entrepreneurs, investors, universities and technology companies to get involved.

Cut 15 (13) “…rural health care.”

Greenstein says more than 100 companies have already expressed interest in the program. The companies that apply will be evaluated by both L-D-H and the state’s economic development agency.

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The Ragin Cajuns will face Cincinnati tomorrow night in the opening round of the Starkville Regional. Coach Matt Deggs calls the Bearcats a dynamic baseball team.

Cut 16 (20) “…very well coached.”

Deggs says his team’s do not die attitude has carried them this far and he expects it to continue this weekend.

Cut 17 (18) “…a long time.”

U-L Lafayette played seven games in six days at the Sun Belt Tournament. Deggs is optimistic his team will rebound from the heavy workload.

Cut 18 (17) “…hope we do.”

First pitch tomorrow night is at 6 p-m.

 

5:30 LRN Newscast/Legislative Report

The ability for two-term governors to make another run for the state’s top job after sitting out four years is now in the hands of the voters. Chalmette Representative Michael Bayham’s constitutional amendment limiting governors to two lifetime terms will be on the November 3rd ballot. Bayham says prior history has shown that nothing good results when governors keep coming back time and time again.

Cut 3 (09) “…to federal prison.”

Some Democrats expressed concern that Bayham was specifically targeting John Bel Edwards, who would otherwise be eligible to run for re-election next year – although this amendment would also apply to Republican Bobby Jindal. Edwards and Jindal are the only two living former Louisiana governors. Bayham says neither one expressed any concern to him about the amendment.

Cut 5 (07) “…or Governor Edwards.”

Governor Landry signed a bill that expands a program that provides grant dollars for homeowners to pay for fortified roofs on their homes. Landry says this is important legislation because fortified roofs can limit storm damage.

Cut 9 (14)  “…the benefit.”

The measure signed into law by the governor expands the fortified roof program by additional 50-million dollars.

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says they will be distributing more grants this summer and a lottery to receive a grant of up to ten-thousand dollars will begin next week…

Cut 10 (13) “…to homeowners.” 

The Fortified Roof Program has been around since 2023; and since then, 49-hundred homeowners have used it to install fortified roofs.

4:30 LRN Newscast

Governor Jeff Landry signs legislation that adds 50-million dollars to the Fortified Roof Program. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A Hammond police officer finds himself on the other side of the law. The unidentified officer was arrested on allegations involving cockfighting activities, with charges ranging from misusing state computer systems to retaliating against a witness. The officer has been placed on administrative leave.

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, you can perhaps head to the New Orleans riverfront and check out the tall ships in celebration of America’s 250th birthday. Mark Romig with the Sail250 host committee says the largest-ever flotilla of tall ships arrives at the Port of New Orleans tomorrow morning.

Cut 23 (07) “…they’re referred to.”

The boats will be docked in various locations along the riverfront and will be open for free tours throughout the weekend.

At the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Florida, LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin was asked his thoughts on his highly anticipated return to Oxford when the Tigers play Ole Miss on September 19th. Lane did not take the bait.

Cut 8 (09) “…at it”

2:30 LRN Newscast

Governor Landry signs legislation that adds 50-million dollars to the Fortified Roof Program. Jeff Palermo has more.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

An 11-year-old boy is killed in a head-on crash in West Carroll Parish. State Police say Bracen Hagood of Pioneer was riding in the front seat of a Toyota pickup truck and was unrestrained at the time of the crash – both factors they say could have contributed to his fatal injuries. State police remind you that by law, whenever possible, kids under 13 are required to ride in the backseat.

The ability for two-term governors to make another run for the state’s top job after sitting out four years is now in the hands of the voters. Chalmette Representative Michael Bayham’s constitutional amendment limiting governors to two lifetime terms has passed both houses by the requisite two-thirds majority and will be on the November 3rd ballot. Bayham says prior history has shown that nothing good results when governors keep coming back time and time again.

Cut 3 (09) “…to federal prison.”

LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin spoke at the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Florida. While he had a lot to talk about, reporters wanted to focus on his decision to leave Ole Miss for LSU. Kiffin says he enjoyed his time with the Rebels, but LSU was an opportunity for him to do something new.

Cut 7 (11) “..new challenge.”