Early voting starts tomorrow in the New Orleans mayoral election, and polls show Helena Moreno with a huge lead over the other two major candidates, Royce Duplessis and Oliver Thomas. UNO Political Science Professor Ed Chervenak says while Moreno is resonating with voters, Duplessis and Thomas are having a much more difficult time doing so.

Cut 4 (14) “…to the past.”

T-minus one day before the big showdown between LSU and Ole Miss. LSU’s offense looked much more comfortable last week against Southeastern Louisiana, scoring eight touchdowns. LSU coach Brian Kelly says look for the Tigers to play with some tempo tomorrow.

Cut 14 (13) “…the offense.”

A Tangipahoa Parish man has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms for killing a Loranger mother and her daughter in June of 2024. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The family of Southern University student Caleb Wilson has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against multiple chapters of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, including the Beta Sigma chapter on Southern’s campus. Wilson died this year in what police are calling a hazing ritual in which he was punched in the chest by members of the fraternity.

An Amite man will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing a 35-year-old woman and her four-year-old daughter. Daniel Callihan avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty to first-degree murder charges in the deaths of Callie Brunett and her daughter, Erin. District Attorney Scott Perrilloux says capital punishment cases are difficult to prosecute, so this is a positive result.

Cut 7 (09) “…great benefit.”

Early voting starts tomorrow in the New Orleans mayoral election, and polls show it could be a runaway for Helena Moreno. UNO Political Science Professor Ed Chervenak says the other two major candidates, Royce Duplessis and Oliver Thomas, are pulling out all the stops in portraying Moreno in a negative light.

Cut 5 (10) “…the city council.”

If you have a “baby on board,” take a few minutes to check on the installation of your child safety seat. Tomorrow is National Seat Check Saturday, and the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is setting up nine free safety seat inspection stations around the state from nine to noon. Bridget Gardner, the state director for the Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force, says the vast majority of parents fail to properly install child safety seats.

Cut 9 (10)  “…don’t get it right.”

Leaders for a Better Louisiana says six megaprojects are driving construction activity and will lead to an increase in population. CEO Adam Knapp says while there are other industrial construction projects underway, these six are by far the biggest projects going on in the state right now.

Cut 14 (09) “…those six sites.”

An Amite man pleads guilty to first-degree murder in the deaths of a 35-year-old woman and her four-year-old daughter. Daniel Callihan stabbed Callie Brunett 50 times in Loranger and took her girls to Hinds County, Mississippi. That’s where four-year-old Erin Brunett was found dead. District Attorney Scott Perrilloux says Callihan will serve two life sentences with no possibility of parole.

Cut 6 (06) “…important to us.”

Early voting starts Saturday in the New Orleans mayoral election. UNO Political Science Professor Ed Chervenak says Helena Moreno has such a big lead in the polls that the other two major candidates in the race, Royce Duplessis and Oliver Thomas, are just hoping to get the race to a runoff.

Cut 3 (09) “…percent plus one.”

Early voting ends October 4th, and the election is October 11th.

Louisiana is in the midst of another industrial construction boom, and that could lead to a population boom. Leaders for a Better Louisiana CEO Adam Knapp says this is reminiscent of the one that took place in Louisiana between 2012 and 2018.

Cut 15 (13) “…during that period.”

National Hunting and Fishing Day is tomorrow, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is holding a celebration at four locations where attendees can try their skills at the shooting ranges and fishing ponds, and they can partake in boating activities. LDWF spokesman Trey Iles says there are also exhibits highlighting their conservation efforts.

Cut 10 (10) “…they make.”

Louisiana continues to make progress towards its goal of having six out of every 10 working adults having a credential beyond a high school diploma. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is hosting National Hunting and Fishing Day tomorrow at four locations across the state. Andre Champagne has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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Louisiana is in the midst of another industrial construction boom — and Andrew Greenstein reports that could lead to a population boom.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The City of Shreveport is teaming up with rapper 50 Cent to revitalize the downtown area. 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, is looking to establish a new entertainment district in downtown Shreveport that would be financed with a two-percent sales tax collected inside the specific zone being revitalized. Mayor Tom Arceneaux says even businesses outside that specific zone will benefit, even though they won’t be eligible for any funding.

Cut 4 (10) “…penny for it.”

Mayor Arceneaux says while the onus in making this plan work would fall primarily on investors, everyone will benefit in the end.

Cut 5 (10) “…into the fund”

Arceneaux says there are certain requirements to be eligible for the funding.

Cut 6 (05) “…ten new jobs.”

Construction is expected to begin either late this year or early next year.

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The state is moving closer to its goal of having an educational attainment rate of 60-percent. The Board of Regents says it’s currently 52.5 percent, more than a full percentage point higher than last year. The education attainment rate is the proportion of people between the ages of 25 and 64 that have a credential beyond a high school diploma. Dr. Tristan Denley says a college degree or certificate from a tech school is essential in today’s economy.

Cut 7 (10) “…want to get.”

Denley is the deputy commissioner for Academic Affairs and Innovation at the Board of Regents. Louisiana has set a goal of 60-percent educational attainment rate by 2030. He says this year, 80-thousand graduates earned credentials, which is a new record for the state. Denley says these graduates will on average have significantly higher salaries than peers with only a high school diploma.

Cut 8 (11) “…their communities.”

Denley says a variety of programs and initiatives are working to push Louisiana’s education attainment rate to that 60-percent mark. He says it starts with improving overall student success and expanding education and training for adults.

Cut 9 (09)  “…higher education.”

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National Hunting and Fishing Day is tomorrow, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is holding a celebration at four locations where attendees can try their skills at the shooting ranges, fishing ponds and boating activities. LDWF spokesman Trey Iles says there are also exhibits highlighting their conservation efforts.

Cut 10 (10) “…they make.”

Iles says they will have National Hunting and Fishing Day celebrations at the Waddill Wildlife Refuge in Baton Rouge, Woodworth Shooting Range in Woodworth, the Tom Merrill Recreation Area at Bodcau Wildlife Management Area in Haughton, and Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Monroe.

Iles says that young anglers attending the Baton Rouge event can enter a free fishing contest.

Cut 11 (07) “…keep there.”

Iles says the event will also offer many other opportunities for hunters and fishermen to enjoy outdoors.

Cut 12 (06) “…shooting too.”

For more information on National Hunting and Fishing Day Activities, go to LDWF’s Facebook page.

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Louisiana is in the midst of another industrial construction boom, and that could lead to a population boom. Leaders for a Better Louisiana says six megaprojects are driving construction activity and will lead to an increase in population. CEO Adam Knapp says between now and 2030, there will consistently be about ten-thousand people working on the projects that include the Meta Data Center in Richland Parish and the Hyundai steel plant in Ascension Parish.

Cut 13 (10)  “…these six sites.”

Knapp says while there are other industrial construction projects underway, these six projects are by far the biggest projects going on in the state at this time.

Cut 14 (09) “…those six sites.”

Knapp says this industrial construction boom is reminiscent of the one that took place in Louisiana between 2012 and 2018.

Cut 15 (13) “…during that period.”

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Tomorrow is homecoming for ULM, which opens Sun Belt play against an Arkansas State team that the Warhawks have not beaten in 15 years. Head Coach Bryant Vincent is calling for all fans to show up and make a difference.

Cut 16 (22) “…become one.”

ULM sophomore quarterback Aidan Armenta is starting to get more comfortable with the offense through each start. Armenta had one of his best games last week in win over UTEP, throwing for 136 yards and two touchdowns. Vincent says it’s evident Armenta is getting more confident.

Cut 17 (19)  “…this league.”

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The Saints are desperately looking to get into the win column after losing the first three games of the season. In their 44-13 blowout loss to Seattle, New Orleans was charged with 11 penalties for 77 yards, including several false starts. Quarterback Spencer Rattler says the team has to get better with limiting the penalties so that the offense can operate smoother.

Cut 18 (19) “…the game.”

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Fourth-ranked LSU hits the road to Oxford for its first SEC road game of the season tomorrow afternoon against number-13 Ole Miss. LSU senior cornerback Mansoor Delane (MAHN-soor duh-LANE) says he embraces the villain role.

Cut 19 (16) “…to prove.”

Ole Miss is expected to start senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss against LSU over the injured Austin Simmons. Delane says it doesn’t matter who’s at quarterback for the Rebels, but rather how LSU’s defense executes.

Cut 20 (16) “…to do.”

911 service is back to normal throughout the state. It was down for about three hours earlier today due to a cut fiber optic line. During the outage, police departments, fire departments and ambulance companies were advising people in their respective areas of alternate numbers to call. But again, 911 service is back to normal.

State Representative Mike Bayham says he had the honor of a lifetime as he had the opportunity to shake hands and speak with Pope Leo the 14th. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

While the trend is getting better, Louisiana’s truancy rate is still unacceptably high at over 40-percent. Louisiana defines truancy as five or more unexcused absences in a semester. Steven Procopio, the president of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, says the Louisiana Department of Education and BESE are working on a strategy to boost student attendance.

Cut 10 (11) “…a little bit.”

Construction at the new Buc-ee’s in Ruston is finally underway. Equipment moved in last Friday, and construction workers started turning dirt on Monday. Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says when it opens in early 2027, it will create hundreds of jobs, and they’re all good-paying jobs.

Cut 7 (05) “…more than that.”

On top of that, Buc-ee’s will offer health benefits and a 401-K.

Breaking news coming into the Louisiana Radio Network newsroom – 911 phone lines are down throughout the state. It’s unclear what’s causing the 911 outage at this time. Individual police departments, fire departments and ambulance companies are putting out advisories on alternative ways to reach them in the event of an emergency. You can also be proactive – go online right now and take down the number of your local police department, fire department or ambulance company’s dispatch center.

Saint Bernard Parish State Representative Mike Bayham recently met Pope Leo the 14th at the Vatican. Along with a copy of a state resolution congratulating him on becoming the first American to be elected head of the Catholic church, Bayham gifted Pope Leo a glass oyster shell, a symbol of St Bernard’s rich commercial fishing heritage.

Cut 4 (09) “…this is unique.”

Louisiana’s truancy rate – defined as five or more unexcused absences in a single semester – stands at more than 40-percent. Steven Procopio, the president of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, says while that’s down from 2018’s peak, it’s still unacceptably high. When considering the national standard of chronic absenteeism, Procopio says Louisiana actually doesn’t rank too badly nationally.

Cut 11 (06) “…about 22.5-percent.”

After months of delays, construction at the new Buc-ee’s in Ruston is finally underway. Equipment moved in last Friday, and construction workers started turning dirt on Monday. Mayor Ronny Walker says the delays will prevent the massive road trip staple from opening in 2026.

Cut 6 (08) “…fine with us.”

Mayor Walker says when the new Buc-ee’s does open, it will create hundreds of jobs with starting hourly wages of 18 to 20 dollars an hour.

While the trend is getting better, Louisiana’s truancy rate is still unacceptably high at over 40-percent. Louisiana defines truancy as five or more unexcused absences in a semester. Steven Procopio, the president of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, says the Louisiana Department of Education and BESE are working on a strategy to boost student attendance.

Cut 10 (11) “…a little bit.”

They’ve finally started turning dirt on the new Buc-ee’s in Ruston. The start of construction of the highly-anticipated road trip staple was delayed for months, but it is now underway. The delays will push the opening back to early 2027, but when it does open, it will create hundreds of good-paying jobs. Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says the quality of the jobs go far beyond the 18 to 20 dollar an hour starting wage.

Cut 8 (07) “…in North Louisiana.”

State Representative Mike Bayham says he had the honor of a lifetime as he had the opportunity to shake hands and speak with Pope Leo the 14th. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

We’re almost into October; and knock on wood – Louisiana is so far in no danger of any tropical activity. The same, however, cannot be said for the Southeast Atlantic Coast. The National Hurricane Center is keeping an eye on a disturbance that could become Tropical Storm Imelda, and it could come at least within close proximity to Florida’s east coast.

While the state is making progress on truancy, it still has quite a ways to go. The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana says statewide, the truancy rate – that is, five or more unexcused absences in a semester – is more than 40 percent. PAR President Steven Procopio says the truancy rate varies by parish, and it varies greatly within each region and demographic.

Cut 9 (08)  “…an immediate connection.”

Republican State Representative Mike Bayham from Saint Bernard Parish had the thrill of a lifetime as he met Pope Leo the 14th at the Vatican. Bayham says he gave the first American-born pontiff a copy of a state resolution congratulating him on becoming the head of the Catholic church…

Cut 3 (08) “…he appreciated it.”

Construction at the new Buc-ee’s in Ruston is finally underway. Equipment moved in last Friday, and construction workers started turning dirt on Monday. Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says when it opens in early 2027, it will create hundreds of jobs, and they’re all good-paying jobs.

Cut 7 (05) “…more than that.”

On top of that, Buc-ee’s will offer health benefits and a 401-K. Construction is also underway at the Buc-ee’s in Lafayette, which begs the question – which one will open first?

A new area code comes to North Louisiana today, as new numbers will be given the area code 457. Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says the commission made the move, because North Louisiana simply ran out of telephone numbers.

Cut 11 (04) “…to do something.”

Also, throughout North Louisiana, you are now required to dial all ten numbers, including the area code, for all calls, local and long distance.

Cleanup continues more than a month after the massive chemical explosion at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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It’s a new take on an old classic – the return of the Rice Bowl. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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Ole Miss head football coach Lake Kiffin calls LSU linebacker Whit Weeks an awesome kid. Jeff Palermo reports he’d better – Weeks could end up being his son-in-law.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Cleanup continues in Tangipahoa Parish more than a month after the explosion at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland that spewed oil and other toxic substances into the Tangipahoa River. Adam Adams, a federal on-scene coordinator with the EPA, says the EPA has set up a website to keep the public updated on the cleanup progress.

Cut 4 (12) “…waste we’ve recovered.”

Crews have contained the waste so that it does not get into the community; and so far, they have recovered more than five and a half million gallons of waste from the Tangipahoa River and affected ponds, and Adams says that represents more than half of the overall waste to be recovered. Adams says you can definitely see the progress in the ponds.

Cut 5 (08) “…products on there.”

Adams says yesterday, they started SCAT – Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Techniques. He says that’s the final step in the cleanup of the river.

Cut 6 (13) “…a soft flush?”

To visit the site, go to response.epa.gov, click on the region containing Louisiana, and the Smitty’s Supply Fire is the first incident on the list. Scroll down slightly to the image containing a huge link for the hub site.

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A new take on a longtime college football rivalry game, as the Rice Bowl is making a comeback this year. The first edition is being held this Saturday between ULM and Arkansas State. Brice Jones with ULM says the resurrection of the game was the brainchild of the school’s new president, Dr. Carrie Castille.

Cut 7 (11) “…the same conference.”

Jones notes that Arkansas is the largest rice-producing state in the country, and Louisiana is not far behind at number-three. He says the two schools are using the occasion of the Rice Bowl not only athletically, but also academically.

Cut 8 (12) “…with our industry.”

Jones says the Rice Bowl is a great way to promote the rice industry in the two states.

Cut 9 (10)  “…in our backyard.”

Jones says it’s fitting that the game will be played the last Saturday of September, which happens to be National Rice Month.

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A new area code comes to North Louisiana today, as new numbers will be given the area code 457. Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says no existing phone numbers will change.

Cut 10 (08) “…into the area.”

Campbell says the Public Service Commission made the move, because North Louisiana simply ran out of telephone numbers.

Cut 11 (04) “…to do something.”

Part of the introduction of the new area code involves a requirement to dial ten numbers to make all calls, including local calls. For a while, there was a getting-used-to period. But Campbell says that expired one month ago; so if you omit the area code, you’ll get nowhere.

Cut 12 (02) “…dial the 318.”

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Northwestern State is recognized by U.S. News and World Report as being one of the best public schools among regional universities in the South. Chief Marketing Officer Cole Young says it’s a testament to how the school is committed to student success.

Cut 13 (08)  “…in the workforce.”

Young says Northwestern has long made a commitment to individual student attention – something that large universities may not be equipped to do as easily.

Cut 14 (05) “…to student ratio.”

Young says the quality of students that Northwestern is bringing in has greatly improved in recent years.

Cut 15 (11) “…at this point.”

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LSU’s offense will face a very familiar face when it travels to Oxford on Saturday. Ole Miss senior safety Sage Ryan started his career at LSU, but he transferred to the Rebels in the offseason after a disappointing 2024 season with the Tigers. Head coach Lane Kiffin says Ryan brings valuable experience to the secondary.

Cut 16 (11) “…our team.”

It’s been nothing short of an eventful week for the Kiffin family. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin’s daughter, Landry Kiffin, launched her relationship with LSU junior linebacker Whit Weeks on Instagram earlier this week. Kiffin says that he is happy for his daughter and says that Weeks comes from a great family.

Cut 17 (14)  “…the family.”

Head coach Brian Kelly told the media that running back Caden Durham’s status for Saturday’s game against Ole Miss is still up in the air after suffering an ankle injury against Southeastern. Kelly says the staff will continue to monitor how Durham practices before upgrading or downgrading his status.

Cut 18 (14) “…during practice.”

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UL-Lafayette’s football team has dug itself into a deep hole after starting the season 1-3 before entering conference play. The Cajuns will look to get back on track against Marshall this weekend in what will be a very different rematch of the 2024 Sun Belt Championship. Head coach Michael Desormeaux (DEZ-er-moe) says that his team has to continue working on fixing its issues.

Cut 19 (14) “…to work.”

The Cajuns have had some of the worst injury luck in all of college football this season. U-L’s offense will be without offensive linemen George Jackson and J’Marion Gooch for the rest of the season, which could hurt the offense’s production. Desormeaux says there is a possibility to get a key player back from injury this week.

Cut 20 (13) “…thin there.”

Pope Leo the 14th appoints a new archbishop of the New Orleans diocese. He has tapped James Checchio (CHETCH-ee-oh), the bishop of Metuchen (meh-TOOTCH-in), New Jersey, to succeed Gregory Aymond when he retires on November 12th. Checchio noted the abundance of Catholic schools in New Orleans.

Cut 4 (10) “…blessing that’ll be.”

Aymond noted that Checchio had previously served as the chaplain of the Philadelphia Eagles, but he expressed confidence that he could switch his allegiance to the Saints.

Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois has started her statewide Driving Louisiana Opportunity Tour. The tour, in which Bourgeois will meet directly with business leaders, is one of the four initiatives Governor Landry announced last week aimed at strengthening the business climate in the state. 

Cut 6 (03) “…an action tour.”

Landry said the tour will help connect businesses to one another through the new SourceLouisiana-dot-com website.

Governor Landry proclaims today as Hurricane Rita Remembrance Day. Jeff Palermo reports it’s a day southwest Louisiana will never forget…

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Nick Saban’s old house in Baton Rouge can be yours if the price is right! The house that Saban sold in 2005 for 2.7 million dollars is back on the market for just under five-million dollars. It’s just under 65-hundred square feet, has six bedrooms and seven bathrooms.