More and more students are choosing to go to college at McNeese. Andrew Greenstein reports.
Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
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An international organization is urging you not to fool around on train tracks. Andre Champagne reports.
Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”
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Louisiana’s chronic absenteeism rate dropped two-percent for the 2024-25 school year after seeing it rise following the COVID pandemic. Jeff Palermo has the story.
Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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McNeese has stopped a 14-year decline in enrollment in a big way. University President Dr. Wade Rousse (“roose”) says more and more students are choosing to attend McNeese.
Cut 4 (12) “…in 22 years.”
Dr. Rousse says what he’s most proud of is the more than 13-percent increase in the size of this year’s freshman class. He says in the last 45 years, there’s been only one instance in which there’s been an increase as big.
Cut 5 (08) “…to this data.”
Rousse says he credits the increase in enrollment in part to a robust advertising and marketing campaign.
Cut 6 (11) “…a positive impact.”
While the March Madness run by the men’s basketball team certainly gave the school invaluable national exposure, Rousse says 78-percent of McNeese’s enrollment comes from the five-parish area that the school has traditionally focused on.
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An international organization is using this week to spread awareness of the dangers of trespassing on railroad tracks. Nan Arthur, the state coordinator for Operation Lifesaver, says it’s a huge problem in Louisiana.
Cut 7 (13) “…to the tracks.”
Arthur says in the last year, more than ten people have been killed by trains while trespassing on railroad tracks. She says railroad tracks are not the place to be goofing around.
Cut 8 (10) “…that’s illegal.”
As part of Think Train week, Arthur says Operation Lifesaver has special themes every day this week. Today’s theme is Operation Clear Track.
Cut 9 (12) “…just be warned.”
Arthur says especially if the trespasser is wearing noise-cancelling headphones, an oncoming train is not as loud as one may think.
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Louisiana has made strides in reducing the state’s chronic absenteeism rate among public school students. Chronic absenteeism rose following the COVID pandemic to a high of nearly 25-percent for the 2023-24 school year; but last year, the rate dropped two-percent. Misty Davis, the executive director of attendance strategies at the department of education, says a task force was formed to address absences.
Cut 10 (07) “…in school?”
Chronic absenteeism is defined as students who miss ten-percent or more of a school year. Davis says education leaders are concerned poor attendance by a large percentage of students will reserve some of the gains the state has made in testing. She says their plan in reducing chronic absenteeism is to focus on prevention and improving school culture, instead of punishment.
Cut 11 (10) “…needed.”
Davis says local school systems are also making it more of a priority to make sure students are not missing school days regularly.
Cut 12 (08) “…and packets.”
The pre-pandemic rate was about 18-percent.
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A woman is dead in what police in Bossier City are calling a murder-attempted suicide. Sergeant Shawn Poudrier (POO-dree-ur) says a family member called police Sunday afternoon saying that a man was going through a mental health crisis and had harmed his wife and was threatening to harm himself. Poudrier says police made contact with the man.
Cut 13 (07) “…to hurt himself.”
Poudrier says a SWAT team was brought in and forced its way into the apartment.
Cut 14 (06) “…of our officers.”
(The man shot two officers.) The officers’ injuries are not life-threatening; they were shot in their extremities. Poudrier says once SWAT officers entered, they found a disturbing scene.
Cut 15 (10) “…in another room.”
(SWAT officers found the woman dead and the man with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.) The man is hospitalized in critical condition. State Police is investigating the shootings of the two officers.
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LSU head coach Brian Kelly announced that quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has been dealing with a torso injury since fall camp. Kelly said that the injury was one that came from Nussmeier overworking himself during the offseason and he says that Nussmeier’s injury is one that the Tigers have to be careful with.
Cut 16 (21) “…the football.”
Offensive coordinator Joe Sloan received some criticism after the offense was only able to score one touchdown in the 20-10 win over Florida. Kelly made sure to let people know that Sloan is doing everything that the staff asks of him, especially with the defense’s ability to close out games.
Cut 17 (18) “…football team.”
LSU’s offensive line did not allow Florida to sack Garrett Nussmeier once in the 20 to 10 win. Even though the pass protection was effective, LSU’s offensive line struggled to open up holes for the running backs. Kelly says that the offensive line is still gelling and he believes the group will continue to improve as the season progresses.
Cut 18 (21) “…to do.”
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ULM is coming off a 73-0 loss to Alabama, and the Warhawks had its first bye week to improve as it travels to El Paso to face UTEP this week. Head coach Bryant Vincent says that he will find out a lot about his team with how they respond against the Miners.
Cut 19 (19) “…they began.”
Sophomore quarterback Aidan Armenta struggled against the Crimson Tide, only throwing for 28 yards and an interception in the blowout loss. Vincent says that Armenta’s confidence is growing with the more reps he gets and that the entire offense has to rally around its quarterback in order to be successful.
Cut 20 (16) “…doing their job (2x).”