1:30 PM LRN Newscast

Prominent Louisiana televangelist, Reverend Jimmy Swaggart has died at age of 90 after suffering a cardiac arrest last month at his Baton Rouge home. Louisiana Radio Network President Jim Engster says Swaggart was a kind, Christian man.

Cut 3 (12) “…after his death.”

He leaves behind his wife, Frances, and son, Donnie, who continue his ministry through SonLife Broadcasting.

A federal judge has granted Serve Louisiana a preliminary injunction reinstating the AmeriCorps grant that had been abruptly canceled as part of a nationwide termination effort earlier this year at the direction of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).  Serve Louisiana Program Director Maggie Connaro (Connor-roe) says the ruling allows members to complete the 11-month service terms.

Cut 10 (09) “…end of the month.”

The board that investigates ethics violations by public officials has new rules to abide by. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Louisiana Department of Health is launching a campaign this Fourth of July week to help veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder. As part of the effort, the Office of the Surgeon General has released a TV public service announcement to reach veterans across the state. Surgeon General Dr. Ralph Abraham says PTSD is serious.

Cut 13 (11)  “…to help them.”

Dr. Abraham urges any veteran experiencing PTSD to call the Louisiana 988 Helpline and press 1 or text 838255

4:30 PM LRN Newscast

The Governor was busy signing bills today – many concerning the state’s insurance crisis. Governor Landry also signed a reworked medical transparency bill that he vetoed last year.

Cut 8 (08) “…amounts paid.”

Recent polls show that voters are largely unhappy with Governor Landry and the legislature. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says voters are particularly turned off by the bickering between Landry and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple, especially since they’re both from the same political party.

Cut 9 (07)  “…the insurance commissioner.”

The poll was conducted just prior to the start of this year’s legislative session.

Nine down, one to go. The search continues for the last remaining fugitive from the Orleans Parish jailbreak. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Triple-A says it expects more than 72-million people to head out of town for the Fourth of July holiday. Don Redman with Triple-A says you can expect heavy traffic – not just this week, but next week as well.

Cut 5 (12) “…on the roadway.”

3:30 PM LRN Newscast

There is a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of convicted murderer, Derrick Groves, the last remaining escapee from the May 16th Orleans Parish Jail break. Sheriff Susan Hutson says work is ongoing to harden and modernize the jail so that something like this does not happen again.

Cut 5 (10) “…the entire community.”

Louisiana has a new Seafood King. Karlos Knott was crowned this past weekend at the 18th Annual Louisiana Seafood Cookoff. His winning entry was a Roman-style pizza with butter poached Louisiana shrimp.

Cut 13 (12)  “…open-faced sandwiches.”

As King of Louisiana Seafood Knott will serve as a Louisiana ambassador for seafood for the next year, and he will represent Louisiana in the 21st annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans on August 2nd.

Governor Jeff Landry signed multiple bills into law today to combat Louisiana’s ongoing insurance crisis.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Recent polls show that voters are largely unhappy with Governor Landry and the legislature. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says discontent with Republican legislators is coming from within their own party.

Cut 11 (14) “…unhappy with Republicans.”

The poll was conducted just prior to the start of this year’s legislative session

2:30 PM LRN Newscast

Governor Landry was at his desk signing insurance related bills today. One of the bills addressed distracted driving. Landry says the bill is one of the biggest things that could be done to lower premiums.

Cut 7 (05) “…less lawsuits.”

Landry signed a reworked version of the medical transparency bill he vetoed last year.

Neither the governor nor the legislature did very well in a poll conducted just prior to the start of this year’s legislative session. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says it showed a low number of people felt the state was heading in the right direction.

Cut 10 (11) “…they just weren’t.”

With Friday’s capture of Antoine Massey, nine of the ten escaped inmates from the May 16th Orleans Parish Jail break have been recaptured and State Police Superintendent Colonel Robert Hodges says there is a 50-thousand-dollar reward for information leading to the capture of convicted murderer Derrick Groves who is still at large.

Cut 4 (10) “…for that reward.”

A new king of Louisiana seafood is crowned. Karlos Knott will represent Louisiana in the 21st annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans on August 2nd. He says seafood has been a big part of his life.

Cut 14 (11) “…was always seafood.”

He was crowned at the 18th Annual Seafood Cook-off this past weekend.

1:30 PM LRN Newscast

Governor Jeff Landry has been busy signing a number of bills addressing Louisiana’s insurance crisis. One of them, SB 61 forces insurance companies to tell customers if they are raising rates based on credit scores.

Cut 6 (05) “…know about it.”

He says all these bills are for the people of Louisiana and should drive down insurance rates.

Recent polls show that voters are largely unhappy with Governor Landry and the legislature. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says voters are particularly turned off by the bickering between Landry and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple, especially since they’re both from the same political party.

Cut 9 (07)  “…the insurance commissioner.”

The poll was conducted just prior to the start of this year’s legislative session.

Nine down, one to go. The search continues for the last remaining fugitive from the Orleans Parish jailbreak. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Louisiana has a new Seafood King. Karlos Knott was crowned this past weekend at the 18th Annual Louisiana Seafood Cookoff. His winning entry was a Roman-style pizza with butter poached Louisiana shrimp.

Cut 13 (12)  “…open-faced sandwiches.”

As King of Louisiana Seafood Knott will serve as a Louisiana ambassador for seafood for the next year, and he will represent Louisiana in the 21st annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans on August 2nd.

4:30 PM LRN Newscast

The Supreme Court postponed ruling on Louisiana’s congressional redistricting plan until next term.  The court will decide whether the state’s two majority-Black congressional districts violate the Voting Rights Act. Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says the issue will likely be reargued in October and the delay makes it unclear which way the court may be leaning. He says if a majority supports Justice Clarence Thomas’s viewpoint…

Cut 8 (12) “…congressional districts.”

Lawmakers approved the Coastal Protection Restoration Authority’s $1.98 billion Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Plan. Coastal Resource Administrator Greg Grandy says it’s funded by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement and he says the projects will restore coastal ecosystems and help protect against storm surge…

Cut 5 (11) “…in Louisiana.”

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was in Louisiana to witness the signing of the state’s Make America Healthy Again bill. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Suspended LSU running back Trey Holly’s July 7 court date was cancelled due to a broken air conditioning system in the courtroom. Holly faces charges of illegal use of a weapon and criminal damage to property stemming from a Union Parish shooting in February of last year. His attorney, Mike Small, says Holly hopes to go to trial as soon as possible to prove his innocence and the Judge is considering every option to make the trial happen…

Cut 13 (14)  “…Lincoln Parish.”

He’s doubtful the trial would be rescheduled before the fall.

3:30 PM LRN Newscast

LSU running back Trey Holly is facing another delay after his July 7 court date was cancelled due to a broken air conditioning system in the courtroom. Holly faces charges of illegal use of a weapon and criminal damage to property stemming from a Union Parish shooting in February of last year. His attorney, Mike Small, says it was determined the AC system could not be repaired and needs to be replaced…

Cut 12 (11) “…unbearable situation .”

Small was doubtful the trial would be rescheduled before the fall. He says Holly, who has been steadfast in his innocence and awaiting trial, was understandably upset by the unforeseen delay

The Supreme Court postponed ruling on Louisiana’s congressional redistricting plan until next term.  The move means the congressional map will remain unchanged for now. The Supreme Court hearing stems from a lawsuit from 12 “non-African-American voters” who alleged reconfigured majority-Black districts were racial gerrymandering, a stance Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says Justice Clarence Thomas agreed with.

Cut 7 (13) “…States constitution.”

The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s Fiscal Year 2026 Plan has been approved, and it’s the largest in program history. Kace Kieschnick reports

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was in Louisiana as Governor Landry signed Louisiana’s Make America Healthy Again bill. During the bill signing ceremony at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Kennedy noted that in the last six decades, juvenile diabetes has skyrocketed, due in large part to the foods that kids eat.

Cut 10 (12) “…pre-diabetic or diabetic.”

Among other things, it bans artificial colors and additives in meals served in schools.

2:30 PM LRN Newscast

The Supreme Court postponed ruling on Louisiana’s congressional redistricting plan until next term.  The court will decide whether the state’s two majority-Black congressional districts violate the Voting Rights Act. Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino says it’s strange a matter like this would be prolonged.

Cut 6 (14) “…expedited basis.”

The move means the congressional map will remain unchanged for now.

Lawmakers unanimously approved the largest Coastal Protection Restoration Authority Investment for the 2026 Annual Plan. Coastal Resource Administrator Greg Grandy says it is entirely funded by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement and each project results in numerous jobs across multiple sectors…

Cut 4 (09) “…labor income.”

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was in Louisiana to witness the signing of the state’s Make America Healthy Again bill. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

With increased outdoor activity Mosquito protection is on the minds of Louisianans and this week, the Louisiana Department of Health confirmed Louisiana’s first 2025 human case of the mosquito-transmitted West Nile virus. The infected person from Livingston Parish was hospitalized due to complications from the infection. The infection can cause mild symptoms to severe illness.

1:30 PM Newscast

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was in town and looked on with approval as Governor Landry signed Louisiana’s Make America Healthy Again bill into law

Cut 9 (10)  “…do just that.”

Among the things the bill, written by Covington Senator Patrick McMath, does is ban artificial colors and additives in meals served in schools.

The US Supreme Court declined to rule on Louisiana’s Congressional Map that created a 2nd majority black district with the Sixth district cutting diagonally across the state from Shreveport to parts of Baton Rouge. In 2022, a Federal Judge ordered the redraw. Map has been controversial, and the Highest U. S. Court will hear arguments again. They did not give a reason for declining to rule.

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the state has the deepest insurance crisis in state history, and he supports calling lawmakers back for a special session. Temple says some key legislation signed by Governor Landry which go into effect down the road includes consumer-transparency bills like HB 345, which calls for a 60‑day notice before cancellation, and SB 136, which calls for rate transparency — alongside tort-reform measures targeting frivolous lawsuits.

Cut 8 (05) “…that can help.”

The Louisiana Legislature unanimously approved the Coastal Protection Restoration Authority’s $1.98 billion Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Plan. Coastal Resource Administrator Greg Grandy says the investment supports the implementation of 146 active restoration projects and the maintenance of 163 past projects…

Cut 3 (09) “…of Louisiana.”

4:30 PM LRN Newscast

Attorney General Liz Murrill is calling for an investigation of the Caddo Parish Commission saying their proclamation welcoming Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders to Shreveport last weekend without mention of the resolution on any meeting agenda is a violation of the Open Meetings Act. Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says there is merit to Murrill’s claims but it’s important to note that this is different from a mayoral proclamation.

Cut 5 (08) “…public meetings law.”

A St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputy is receiving a lot of social media attention following a photo of a traffic stop. The driver who was traveling to a funeral was going 20 miles over the speed limit and the photo shared over 2500 times shows Deputy Dustin Byers tying that driver’s tie for him.

Cut 8 (09) “…a traffic stop.”

Lieutenant Carli Messina with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office says Deputy Byers did issue the driver a citation.

Festivities get underway today in Natchitoches for the 2025 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Jeff Palermo has the story

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The 18th Annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off kicks off Saturday at The Harbor Center in Slidell. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says the winner will travel the globe and be an ambassador for the state.

Cut 11 (09) “…hospitality industry.”

Tickets are available at Louisiana-Seafood-dot-com.