If you thought Hurricane Helene was a doozy, that may be nothing compared to what’s bearing down on Florida. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm, just two weeks after Hurricane Francine hit southern Louisiana as a Category 2.  Will these storms impact the insurance landscape in Louisiana?  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson. ”

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If you thought Hurricane Helene was bad, that could be nothing compared to what’s approaching the Florida Peninsula. Hurricane Milton is now a Category Five hurricane – the highest level on the hurricane scale – packing maximum sustained winds of 160 miles an hour. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says whether it makes landfall as a Category Five storm remains to be seen.

Cut 3 (08) “…it makes landfall”

Keim says even if the storm weakens before it makes landfall later this week, the storm surge will still be very severe.

Cut 4 (13) “…it comes in.”

This is the second major hurricane to bear down on Florida in just a couple weeks, and Keim says we may not be done with major storms this year.

Cut 5 (09) “…much more likely.”

All this comes on the heels of Hurricane Helene, which left massive destruction in its wake, from the Big Bend area of Florida to North Carolina.

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Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm, just two weeks after Hurricane Francine hit southern Louisiana as a Category 2. This is the fourth hurricane to strike the Gulf Coast this season, and while the full extent of damage is still unknown, Insurance Information Institute spokesperson Mark Friedlander says that these storms rarely impact the insurance landscape alone.

Cut 6 (08) “…reinsurance cost.”

Insurance companies protect themselves through reinsurance, a practice where they purchase insurance for their policies.  The severity of a storm, rather than its frequency, is what drives insurance claims and premium adjustments. According to Friedlander, the storm’s loss activity in specific areas significantly impacts claims and rates.

Cut 7 (13) “…cost to all consumers.”

One way to mitigate insurance cost is a FORTIFIED roof with some insurance companies offering discounts.  Friedlander urges residents to get flood insurance and recommend getting quotes from the nation flood insurance program and from private flood insurers….

Cut 8 (12) “…year round storms.”

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Thanks to a new Louisiana law, 17-year-olds can now be tried as adults, down from 18. Governor Landry said the goal is to deter teens from committing crimes. Has it worked?

Cut 9 (09)  “…be the case.”

Richard Webster did a study on this for Veritae News, examining the arrests of 17-year-olds in three of the state’s biggest parishes – Orleans, Jefferson and East Baton Rouge. And he found that of the 203 arrested in those parishes since the law went into effect in April, 69-percent were arrested for non-violent crimes.

Cut 10 (06) “…the peace, et cetera.”

Webster says a relatively small percentage of crimes committed by 17-year-olds based on the study were violent in nature.

Cut 11 (11) “…not that serious.”

Webster notes that with teens being tried in adult court for non-violent crimes, that information is public, and that could prevent them from landing jobs or getting public assistance.

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In honor of National Manufacturing Month, Central Louisiana Technical Community College is holding several events aimed at highlighting manufacturing opportunities throughout the state. Vice Chancellor of Workforce and Grant Development Lindsay Green says one thing they’re doing is reaching out to young people to expose them to the world of manufacturing.

Cut 12 (17) “…the manufacturing space.”

Green says later this month, the school will be reaching out to the community as a whole to tout the manufacturing industry.

Cut 13 (12) “…open house feel.” 

Green says the manufacturing industry is very lucrative with several high-paying jobs.

Cut 14 (15) “…in Central Louisiana.”

The school is partnering with many local manufacturing companies as part of its outreach in raising awareness and recruiting future manufacturing professionals.

Following Hurricane Helene, election officials in North Carolina are turning to Louisiana for guidance on handling displaced voters. Louisiana Election Commissioner Sherri Wharton-Hadskey says North Carolina will have a special session next week to address emergency voting procedures, and it’s never an easy endeavor.

Cut 13 (08)  “…get it done.”

In 2020, Louisiana adapted its election processes after hurricanes Laura and Delta and introduced new protocols during the pandemic.

A Washington Parish School Board Member and candidate for Alderman in Franklinton was found dead in his car yesterday. Franklinton Police say they received a call about a “suspected death” yesterday and found the body of 67-year-old Frankie Crosby. Initially police said the department was investigating the death as a homicide but later announced there was no evidence that foul play was involved.

Is a flat tax a good idea or a bad idea? Colleen Crain reports it depends on who you ask.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Big day for us here at the Louisiana Radio Network, as today marks our 50th anniversary. Our owner, Jim Engster, says no matter where in the state news is happening, LRN is there to cover it.

Cut 6 (11) “…and parts unknown.”

One main component of Governor Landry’s tax reform plan is a flat three-percent tax on incomes of over 12-thousand-500 dollars. Whether or not that’s a good idea depends on who you ask. Daniel Erspamer (ERS-pah-mer), the CEO of the Pelican Institute, says dropping income and corporate taxes will increase jobs and, in effect, population.

Cut 9 (11)  “…down over time.”

Jan (YAHN) Moller, the executive director of Invest in Louisiana, is among those opposed to the idea. He says Landry’s tax cuts would cost the state more than a billion dollars in lost tax revenue, and that would have a devastating effect.

Cut 7 (12) “…to budget cuts.”

Landry’s plan would make up that lost tax revenue by taxing services that are not currently being taxed. 

it’s a day of celebration for us at Louisiana Radio Network, as today marks our 50th anniversary. Our current owner, Jim Engster, points out that with us being based in Baton Rouge, we provide a very important service for radio stations that might not have the means to send staffers to cover the Capitol.

Cut 5 (14) “…away from us.”

LRN was one of a very small number of statewide radio networks when we started 50 years ago; today, there are 32 of them.

Big challenge for the Saints tonight as they face the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in their home stadium. Saints Quarterback Derek Carr says despite two straight losses in which the Saints failed to hold a late lead, the team is confident it can win close games…

Cut 14 (07) “…right now.”

Today is a day for celebration for us here at Louisiana Radio Network. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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One of the components of Governor Landry’s tax reform proposal is a flat income tax. Is that a good idea or a bad idea? Colleen Crain reports it depends on who you ask.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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North Carolina is still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, and with the Presidential election around the corner, the Tar Heel State is asking Louisiana for help.

Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Sean Richardosn.”

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Today is a day of celebration for us at Louisiana Radio Network, as today marks our 50th anniversary. LRN had its first broadcast on October 7th, 1974, and has been providing news and programming to radio stations across the state ever since. Jim Engster started in 1983 as an anchor and reporter; today, he’s the owner of the company. He says the network has grown tremendously over the last 50 years.

Cut 4 (16) “…one-half century.”

Engster says LRN, which is based in Baton Rouge, provides a very important service for radio stations that might not have the means to send staffers to cover the Capitol.

Cut 5 (14) “…away from us.”

Engster says no matter where in the state news is happening, LRN is there to cover it.

Cut 6 (11) “…and parts unknown.”

LRN was one of a very small number of statewide radio networks when we started 50 years ago; today, there are 32 of them.

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One main component of Governor Landry’s tax reform plan is a flat three-percent tax on incomes of over 12-thousand-500 dollars. Whether or not that’s a good idea depends on who you ask. Jan (YAHN) Moller, the executive director of Invest in Louisiana, is among those opposed to the idea. He says that would cost the state more than a billion dollars in lost tax revenue, and that would have a devastating effect.

Cut 7 (12) “…to budget cuts.”

Landry’s plan would make up that lost tax revenue by taxing services that are not currently being taxed. Moller says sales taxes in the state are already disproportionately high.

Cut 8 (12) “…in the country.”

On the other hand, Daniel Erspamer (ERS-pah-mer), the CEO of the Pelican Institute, says dropping income and corporate taxes will increase jobs and, in effect, population.

Cut 9 (11)  “…down over time.”

Erspamer says broadening the sales tax base will have great benefits, including eventually simplifying the sales tax system itself.

Cut 10 (12) “…time as well.”

As for the notion that the income tax cut would only benefit the wealthiest of Louisiana taxpayers, Erspamer notes that it will also benefit lower earners, with the lowest earners not paying any income tax at all.

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Following Hurricane Helene, election officials in North Carolina are turning to Louisiana for guidance on handling displaced voters, as Louisiana has extensive experience implementing emergency voting procedures after natural disasters. Louisiana Election Commissioner Sherri Wharton-Hadskey has been consulting with them on strategies and best practices, stresses the importance of acting quickly to meet voter needs in emergencies…

Cut 11 (06) “…anyone else.”

In 2020, Louisiana adapted its election processes after Hurricanes Laura and Delta and introduced new protocols during the pandemic. Hadskey says Louisiana learned that speed was key…

Cut 12 (08) “…emergency circumstance.”

North Carolina lawmakers, aiming to ensure a safe and secure election on November 5, are seeking to implement similar procedures.  Hadskey says North Carolina will have a special session next week that will address new legislation for emergency voting procedures, and it’s never an easy endeavor…

Cut 13 (08)  “…get it done.”

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Big challenge for the Saints tonight as they face the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in their home stadium. K-C is 4-and-0 and the Saints have lost their last two, failing to hold on to late leads. New Orleans Quarterback Derek Carr says the team is confident they can win close games…

Cut 14 (07) “…right now.”

Winning at Arrowhead Stadium is not easy for visitors. Carr is one and eight lifetime playing against the Chiefs in Kansas City…

Cut 15 (10) “…huge challenge.”

Kick off is at 7:15

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The Ragin Cajuns won for the first time in Hattiesburg since 1993 as U-L Lafayette upended Southern Miss 23-13 on Saturday. The win snapped U-S-M’s 11-game home winning streak in the series. Coach Michael Desormeaux says his team was highly motivated to return to Lafayette with a win…

Cut 16 (11)   “…do that.”

The Cajuns defense was the story in this game as they held Southern Miss to 17 total yards in the final 30 minutes and pitched a shutout. Sophomore linebacker Cameron Whitfield had a school-record tying four sacks and forced a fumble. Desormeaux says the pressure on USM quarterback Tate Rodemaker was the key…

Cut 17 (29) “…by them.”

The Cajuns are back home this Saturday night against App State.

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ULM is 4-and-1 for the first time since 1993 after they shocked James Madison on Saturday night, pulling off a stunning 21 to 19 victory over the Dukes. J-M-U nearly had 400 yards of offense, but the Warhawks had a defensive touchdown, a long TD run by freshman Ahmad Hardy and Jake Godfrey caught a touchdown pass. Coach Bryant Vincent…

Cut 18 (10)  “…saw tonight.”

ULM is also now 2-and-0 in the Sun Belt and one of the biggest surprises in all of college football. Vincent says Warhawk nation will come together again next Saturday night to host Southern Miss for homecoming…

Cut 19 (21) “….all come together.”  

The Louisiana State Police now has 55 new troopers, having graduated from Cadet Class 104 during a ceremony in Baton Rouge. Captain Nick Manale (ma-NAAL-ee) says they completed their 24-week training and are ready to go on patrol.

Cut 7 (09) “…Louisiana state trooper.”

Manale says if you’re interested in becoming a Louisiana state trooper, there will be additional training classes coming up.

Governor Landry has come out and said while he does not oppose passenger rail service connecting Baton Rouge and New Orleans, he’d rather see money go towards widening I-10 between the two cities. John Spain, a member of the Southern Rail Commission, says, why not both?

Cut 9 (10)  “…can have both.”

Spain says polls show solid interest in a passenger rail line between the two cities.

The fall Angola Rodeo is back each Sunday in October, offering the best in prison rodeo excitement.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Faith House is relaunching the Purple Light Project to honor Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The campaign encourages community members to replace their porch lights with purple bulbs.  Prevention and Development Director Kristen Boutte (BOO-tay) says it symbolizes peace, courage, survival, and solidarity with survivors.

Cut 12 (05) “…October for sure.”

Boutte says for a donation of $10 or more, Faith House will provide a complimentary purple bulb.

Passenger rail between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, or widen I-10 between the two cities? A southern rail commissioner asks, why not both? Governor Landry says while he does not oppose the rail project, he’d rather see money go towards widening I-10. Commissioner John Spain says passenger rail would ease congestion along that route.

Cut 10 (11) “…of that congestion”

Landry has questioned whether a Baton Rouge-New Orleans train corridor would get used. Spain says polls show that it would.

The Louisiana State Police now has 55 more officers, after they graduated from Cadet Class 104 this morning. They completed their 24-week training that began in late April. Captain Nick Manale (ma-NAAL-ee) says if you’re interested in becoming a Louisiana state trooper, there will be additional training classes coming up.

Cut 8 (06) “…later in 2025.”

Faith House is relaunching the Purple Light Project to honor Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The campaign encourages community members to replace their porch lights with purple bulbs.  Prevention and Development Director Kristen Boutte (BOO-tay) says it symbolizes peace, courage, survival, and solidarity with survivors.

Cut 12 (05) “…October for sure.”

Boutte says for a donation of $10 or more, Faith House will provide a complimentary purple bulb. Donations can be made online at Faith-House-Acadiana-dot-com

The mayor of Pineville is staying in office for two more weeks. Rich Dupree’s resignation was originally scheduled to take effect today. But in order to avoid a special election, he’s delaying it to October 18th due to a new law establishing closed primaries which is moving the 2026 election by a couple weeks. Dupree announced his resignation amid allegations of an improper relationship with a staffer.

Governor Landry has come out and said while he does not oppose passenger rail service connecting Baton Rouge and New Orleans, he’d rather see money go towards widening I-10 between the two cities. John Spain, a member of the Southern Rail Commission, says, why not both?

Cut 9 (10)  “…can have both.”

Spain says polls show solid interest in a passenger rail line between the two cities.

The fall Angola Rodeo is back each Sunday in October, offering the best in prison rodeo excitement.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

55 State Police cadets graduate from Cadet Class 104 this morning during a ceremony in Baton Rouge. Captain Nick Manale (ma-NAAL-ee) says they completed their 24-week training and are ready to go on patrol.

Cut 7 (09) “…Louisiana state trooper.”

Manale says if you’re interested in becoming a Louisiana state trooper, there will be additional training classes coming up.

Cut 8 (06) “…later in 2025.”

More information is available on the Louisiana State Police’s website at lsp-dot-org.

The Louisiana State Police now has 55 more officers. They graduated from Cadet Class 104 this morning during a ceremony outside Istrouma (is-TROO-ma) Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. Captain Nick Manale (ma-NAAL-ee) says they completed their 24-week training that began in late April.

Cut 6 (14) “…physical training regimen.”

The Angola Prison Rodeo is back every Sunday this month, featuring adrenaline-pumping events like Convict Poker, Wild Cow Milking, and the renowned Guts-n-Glory. Warden Tim Hooper says visitors can enjoy delicious Southern cuisine and shop a variety of handmade crafts.

Cut 3 (11) “…come out a purchase.”

Tickets are available for 20 dollars each.

Not getting enough sleep? You’re not alone. Sean Richardson reports about 40-percent of Louisiana residents get less than seven hours of sleep per night.

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

The dockworkers’ strike is over – at least for the time being. Hundreds of dock workers at the Port of New Orleans and Port of Greater Baton Rouge are back on the job today as the International Longshoremen’s Association has suspended its strike until January 15th.

Twenty Louisiana State Police officers are in North Carolina helping with relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. This is a ten-day deployment; and Captain Nick Manale (mah-NAAL-ee) says if further relief efforts are needed beyond that, State Police may consider sending more troopers there.

Cut 6 (11) “…continue that deployment.”

Troopers are handing out supplies at distribution sites, staffing medical and evacuation shelters and manning roadblocks for impassible and dangerous roads.

Nearly 40-percent of Louisiana residents report getting less than seven hours of sleep per night. Dr. Phillip Conner attributes this to the state’s prevalent industries where residents work long, irregular hours in energy, oil fields, offshore rigs, or casinos, leading to “shift worker syndrome,”

Cut 7 (10) “…ongoing struggle.”

The organization that bills itself as Louisiana’s business roundtable calls Governor Landry’s tax reform plan ambitious, but one with many benefits. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

The mayor of Pineville is staying in office for two more weeks. Rich Dupree’s resignation was originally scheduled to take effect today. But in order to avoid a special election, he’s delaying it to October 18th due to a new law establishing closed primaries which is moving the 2026 election by a couple weeks.

Troopers from the Louisiana State Police are helping with relief efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Just about 40-percent of Louisiana residents report getting less than seven hours of sleep per night lack of sleep poses a risk to physical and mental health. Sean Richardson has the story.

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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The organization that bills itself as Louisiana’s business roundtable calls Governor Landry’s tax reform plan ambitious, but one with many benefits. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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Twenty Louisiana State Police officers are in North Carolina helping with relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Cut 4 (09) “…and dangerous roads.”

State Police Captain Nick Manale (mah-NAAL-ee) says the level of devastation that the troopers are seeing is mind-boggling, even for those coming from a state accustomed to devastating hurricanes.

Cut 5 (07) “…in our state.”

The troopers are in North Carolina for a ten-day deployment; and Captain Manale says if further relief efforts are needed beyond that, State Police may consider sending more troopers there.

Cut 6 (11) “…continue that deployment.”

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Nearly 40-percent of Louisiana residents report getting less than seven hours of sleep per night. Dr. Phillip Conner, whose Sleep Disorder Center of Louisiana recently opened a new location in Lafayette, attributes this to the state’s prevalent industries where residents work long, irregular hours in energy, oil fields, offshore rigs, or casinos, leading to “shift worker syndrome,”

Cut 7 (10) “…ongoing struggle.”

In addition to shift work, Connor says conditions like sleep apnea—linked to obesity, smoking, and pollution—are common and can cause serious health issues, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.

Cut 8 (10) “…drivers for it.”

Conner urges those experiencing chronic fatigue or poor performance in daily tasks to evaluate their sleep patterns.  Connor emphasized a big indicator is how you’re feeling in the morning…

Cut 9 (13)  “…not where it should be.”

The Sleep Disorder Center collaborates with the Veterans Administration and accepts various insurance plans, aiming to be a full-service provider.

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The Committee of 100 for Economic Development says Governor Landry’s tax reform plan would boost investment and economic growth at a time when Louisiana could really use both. CEO Adam Knapp says the committee studied this issue back in 2015, and many of the things that Landry is proposing are the same things the committee proposed back then. Among them is simplifying the business tax code to lower taxes while removing loopholes.

Cut 10 (12) “…the tax code.”

Knapp says lower income taxes and corporate taxes will spur economic development and will boost population.

Cut 11 (15) “…higher population growth.”

But Knapp says any changes cannot come at the expense of the state’s education system.

Cut 12 (11) “…for the economy.”

Knapp acknowledges that this is an ambitious plan set forth by the governor, with more than a dozen moving parts. Some parts of the tax plan would require voter approval should they be passed by the legislature.

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Louisiana delegates, including members of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL), the Office of Cultural Development, and Senator Jeremy Stine, will attend the 19th Francophone Summit in Paris today and tomorrow. Hosted by the International Organization of the Francophonie (frank-o-phony).  CODOFIL Business and International Specialist Jonathan Oliver says the summit promotes the French language and international cooperation in culture, education, commerce, and politics.

Cut 13 (10)  “…a world stage.”

The summit’s theme, “Create, Innovate, and Do Business in French,” aligns with Louisiana’s efforts to highlight its French heritage and promote economic and tourism opportunities. Olive says the delegation re-signed the France-Louisiana Cooperation Accords for 2025-2030, originally established in 1968, to support French immersion programs in Louisiana schools.

Cut 14 (09) “…the French language.”

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser emphasized the value of OIF membership in promoting Louisiana’s culture globally. Oliver views these initiatives as key to preparing future generations for a globalized world.

Cut 15 (08) “…their professional career.”

Louisiana has been an observing member of the OIF since 2018.

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The Ragin Cajuns leave for Hattiesburg today for their Sun Belt opener tomorrow night against Southern Miss. U-L Lafayette is 3-and-1, but Coach Michael Desormeaux says a new season begins on Saturday night…

Cut 16 (14)   “…as well.”

This is the 55th meeting between the two schools on the football field. The Golden Eagles are 1-and-3, while the Cajuns are coming off an impressive win over Wake Forest. Desormeaux says in order to win the Sun Belt championship, they have to take care of business on Saturday

Cut 17 (15) “…probably out.”

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The Saints are back at practice getting ready for Monday night’s game against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. K-C is 4-and-0, while the Saints are 2-and-2. Coach Dennis Allen’s team had the opportunity to be undefeated, but failed to hold on to late leads the last two weeks…

Cut 18 (20)  “…done that yet.”

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ULM will welcome undefeated James Madison into Malone Stadium on Saturday night. The Dukes are 4-and-0 and lead the Sun Belt in points allowed per game, giving up just 18 points a contest. Warhawks Coach Bryant Vincent says J-M-U presents a tough challenge for ULM’s offense…

Cut 19 (15) “….we do.”  

Vincent is hoping for a big crowd on Saturday night…

Cut 20 (21) “…this town”