12:30 LRN Newscast

Governor Landry wants the EPA to pick up the pace in cleaning up the Tangipahoa River following last month’s explosion at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland. In a video posted to social media, Landry said his commitment is to the people of Tangipahoa Parish, especially those who live near the site of the explosion and the river.

Cut 11 (10) “…before the fire.”

LSU suffers its first loss of the season, falling to Ole Miss, 24-19. Garrett Nussmeier had one of his worst games, throwing for only 197 yards with a touchdown and a costly interception. Coach Brian Kelly says the offense’s failure comes as a collective unit.

Cut 30 (13) “…the ball.”

Due to what they say were credible threats, officials in Alexandria cancel Peabody Magnet High School’s homecoming weekend. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

LRN AM Newscall September 29

You can count Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple among those who would support a change to how the National Hurricane Center rates the strength of hurricanes. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A southwest Louisiana man who raped and molested multiple children in the 1990s and then fled to the Midwest has been sentenced to life in prison. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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LSU football suffered its first loss of the season against Ole Miss by a score of 24 to 19 after yet another poor offensive showing. Andre Champagne has the story…

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

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You can count Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple among those who would support a change in how the National Hurricane Center rates the strength of hurricanes. Currently, the hurricane center rates hurricanes from Category One to Category Five based solely on wind speed. A consortium of experts from the University of South Florida is proposing a different system that would also consider rainfall and storm surge, which Temple says are often more dangerous than wind speed.

Cut 4 (06) “…actual wind speeds.”

Temple says the proposed new rating system would better assist governments in deciding when to issue evacuation orders.

Cut 5 (09) “…need to evacuate.”

Temple says the proposed new hurricane rating system would give very different ratings for notable storms in the past that had been given relatively lower ratings on the Saffir-Simpson Scale based on wind speed alone.

Cut 6 (09) “…these other variables.”

The proposed new scale would include an overall Category Six designation for the most severe storms – those with Category Five designations in two or more factors.

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A south Louisiana man, who went on the run for more than 20 years after raping and molesting several children in the 1990s, has been sentenced to three consecutive life sentences in prison. Calcasieu Parish District Attorney Stephen Dwight says Choy Van Leo fled southwest Louisiana in 2000 after he was indicted and it was not until last year that he was found working at a restaurant in small town of Spirit Lake, Iowa…

Cut 7 (05) “…he may be.”

The 61-year-old Van Leo was brought back to Louisiana, and he was convicted last month on three counts of aggravated rape and four counts of child molestation.  Dwight says the victims were between the ages of four and 12-years-old and the crimes happened from 1992 to 2000….

Cut 8 (07) “…faced their accuser.”

Dwight says the juvenile victims were either family members or friends of his family.

Van Leo owned a restaurant in Sulphur and owned an Asian restaurant in Spring Lake, Iowa. Dwight says he thought he got away with it…

Cut 9 (05)  “…anything like that.”

Van Leo was arrested in May of 2024.

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LSU Health Shreveport is awarded a 7.5-million-dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to launch a new research center. It’s the first NSF-funded center grant in the history of LSUHS. Dr. Oren Rom, the senior associate dean for basic and translational research, says the center will provide research opportunities for students at every level.

Cut 10 (12) “…and so on.”

Dr. Rom says as part of the research center, they will teach them the basic skills in biotechnology and molecular biology, specifically in the field of metabolic research to combat diseases like obesity, diabetes and liver disease.

Cut 11 (07) “…tackle those diseases.”

Rom says research into combatting those diseases is very important, especially in Louisiana.

Cut 12 (14) “…throughout the world.”

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LSU football suffered its first loss of the season to Ole Miss by a score of 24 -19. The Tigers were unable to move the ball during most of the evening, totaling just 254 total yards of offense. LSU was only 2 for 11 on third downs. Head coach Brian Kelly said the coaching staff has to do a better job of putting the players in position to convert.

Cut 13 (12)  “…some plays.”

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had one of his worst games in the purple and gold, throwing for only 197 yards with a touchdown and costly interception. Although Nussmeier struggled for most of the night, Kelly says the offense’s failure comes as a collective unit.

Cut 14 (13) “…the ball.”

The Tigers rushed for 57 yards against one of the worst rush defenses in the nation. LSU handed the ball off to running backs only two times in the first half. Kelly blamed a lack of plays…

Cut 15 (12) “…first half.”

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The Ragin Cajuns ended a two-game losing streak with an unbelievable double overtime 54-51 victory over Marshall to begin Sun Belt play. U-L Lafayette was down by 17 points in the third quarter, but Coach Michael Desormeaux says his team didn’t blink…

Cut 16 (17) “…this group.”

The Cajuns were coming off a blown off loss to Missouri and three point defeat Eastern Michigan. The victory gives U-L Lafayette a 2-3 record heading into its first by weekend. Desormeaux says he’s proud of how his team responded to a two-game losing streak…

Cut 17 (18)  “…to win.”

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Louisiana Tech improved to 4-and-1 and 2-and-0 in Conference USA play with another dominating defensive performance on Saturday night in El Paso as the Bulldogs defeated UTEP 30-11. Tech intercepted five passes; two were returned for a touchdown. Unfortunately, Kolbe Fields suffered what appeared to be a serious injury on one of the interceptions. Coach Sonny Cumbie says they may have to move on without Fields…

Cut 18 (18) “…football team.”

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ULM fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter but rallied to beat Arkansas State for a 28-16 win and their first win over the Red Wolves since 2009. Warhawks Coach Bryant Vincent says the defense played great as they did not allow an offensive touchdown and sacked A-S-U quarterback Jaylen Raynor multiple times…

Cut 19 (18) “…pretty good.”

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The Saints kept it close; but once again, they just couldn’t get over the hump as they fell to the Buffalo Bills, 31-19. The loss drops the Saints to 0-and-4 on the season and left quarterback Spencer Rattler still searching for his first NFL win as a starting quarterback. After the game, Head Coach Kellen Moore said the Saints will keep improving and will get into the win column soon.

Cut 20 (19) “…of these games.”

The Saints appeared to take a 22-21 lead six minutes into the 4th quarter on a 17-yard pass to Brandin Cooks, but the touchdown was overturned after replay showed the ball hitting the turf. The Saints settled for a field goal, and the Bills scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive to seal the win.

 

5:30 LRN Newscast

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; election day is October 11th.

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.”

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

Cut 9 (10)  “…don’t get it right.”

LSU’s defense will have its hands full against Ole Miss Saturday. Last time the Tigers played the Rebels in Oxford, LSU’s defense surrendered a program-worst 707 yards. ESPN analyst and former LSU defensive tackle Booger McFarland says he has a lot more confidence in this 2025 squad.

Cut 13 (13)  “…the field.”

4:30 LRN Newscast

An Amite man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after pleading guilty to killing a 35-year-old woman and her four-year-old daughter. Daniel Callihan’s attorney, Kerry Cuccia, says his client is a different person than he was 15 months ago.

Cut 8 (13) “…the time.”

Early voting starts Saturday 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.”

Early voting runs through October 4th; Election Day is October 11th.

Saturday 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 an improperly installed seat or an improperly buckled child is as dangerous as a lack of a child safety seat altogether.

Cut 10 (14) “…room for injury.”

Big day for LSU Saturday as they face Ole Miss in Oxford. ESPN analyst and former LSU defensive tackle Booger McFarland says the Tigers must be able to run the ball efficiently in order to open up other parts of the offense.

Cut 12 (09) “…130 yards.”

3:30 LRN Newscast

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.

1:30 LRN Newscast

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.”

11:30 LRN Newscast

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.”

LRN AM Newscall September 26

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.”

 

5:30 LRN Newscast

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.

2:30 LRN Newscast

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.