8:30 LRN Newscast February 4

The state’s vaccine rollout continues. Governor John Bel Edwards is expected to provide an update when he holds a COVID media briefing at 2:30 today. Tulane School of Medicine Professor Doctor Lisa Morici says once Johnson and Johnson and Astra Zeneca gets FDA approval, we’ll see a major uptick in the number of weekly vaccinations because the J-and-J vaccine is just one shot…
cut 12 (07) “….dose”

Peninsula Pacific is looking at building a new casino in Slidell, but the project would need voter approval from voters in St. Tammany. Parish President Mike Cooper says the Parish council will propose a resolution asking the state legislature to put the issue on an upcoming ballot…
cut 15 (07) “….the way”

The Louisiana Civil Rights Trail is now active and Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser explains how it became a reality.
Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

LSU has wrapped up a third straight Top 5 recruiting class after signing two more players on the first day of the February signing period. One of those signees is four-star St. James defensive end Savion Jones. But on the hardwood, LSU lost to 10th ranked Alabama 78-60.

7:30 LRN Newscast February 4

Lafayette attorney and Boys Scouts of America volunteer Barry Rozas denies the accusation of sexual abuse that’s been made against him following his arrest for first-degree rape. The complaint was one of 28 provided to the Evangeline Council of the Boy Scouts of America and turned over to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office in November.
Cut 4 (08)“…happen.”
The sheriff’s office says there are 28 possible instances of misconduct involving different victims between 1955 and 2012.

The Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines will soon look to join Pfizer and Moderna in obtaining FDA approval for use in the U-S. Tulane School of Medicine Professor Dr. Lisa Morici says each vaccine has its own efficacy but the best one for you is whichever one is available…
Cut 10 (09) “…as well.”

Peninsula Pacific, which owns the casino license the Diamond Jacks Casino in Bossier City that’s now closed, is looking to move that license to St. Tammany Parish, where they would build a 250-million dollar casino resort in Slidell. St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper says the project would need voter approval, but he likes the idea of a casino in Slidell…
cut 14 (10) “…amenities”

The Louisiana Office of Tourism has launched the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says it informs, inspires, and invites visitors and residents to explore Louisiana’s role in the civil rights movement. Nungesser says at Louisiana Civil Rights Trail-dot-com you can hear from Leona Tate, she was one of three black girls who were the first to attend an all-white school in New Orleans in 1960….
cut 9 (11) “….incredible”

6:45 LRN Sportscast February 4

For the second time this season, Alabama handed it to LSU on the basketball court as the tenth-ranked Crimson Tide trounced the Tigers 78-60 at Coleman Coliseum.

Tulane also lost last night, falling to Wichita State 75-67.

But the Pelicans cooled off the Suns with a 123 to 101 win in the Smoothie King Center. Zion Williamson had 28 points, Brandon Ingram had 23, and Lonzo Ball added 18 points.

There are six former LSU Tigers on the rosters of the two Super Bowl teams, which leads all other colleges. There are also two players who attended St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, Tampa Bay running back Leonard Fournette and Kansas City safety Tyrann Mathieu. The Honey Badger says St. Aug helped shape him into the person he is today
Cut 19 (21) “…work hard.”

LSU football signed two more players yesterday to secure a top five recruiting class. One of those players is St. James defensive end Savion Jones, the other is an offensive guard from Florida.

Louisiana Tech added one more player. A Junior college transfer offensive lineman from Mississippi by the name of Demarcus Gordon.

The Ragin Cajuns added 12 more players yesterday to their 2021 signing class as U-L Lafayette finished with a top-two recruiting class in the Sun Belt for a third-straight year. The class consists of two three-star running backs from Louisiana, Montrell Johnson from De La Salle and Kendrell Williams from Carencro. While Williams has a natural ability to run the ball, Coach Billy Napier says it’s Kendrell’s character that stood out the most…
cut 17 (14) “…..work ethic”

6:30 LRN Newscast February 4

Louisiana could see as many as four different vaccines available to the public this spring, so which one should you take? Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

The state health department reported 53 more COVID-19 deaths yesterday bringing the total for confirmed COVID deaths to 8,421. On a positive note, the number of COVID patients in the hospital has declined below 14-hundred to 1,386.

Peninsula Pacific is looking at moving its riverboat casino license for Diamond Jacks Casino in Bossier City that closed last May to Slidell. The company reportedly is interested in constructing a 250 million dollar casino resort. St. Tammany President Mike Cooper says several steps have to take place, including a vote to undo a 1996 referendum in which St. Tammany voters rejected casinos and video poker…
Cut 13 (11) “…gaming.”

The state has launched the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says the trail consists of 15 site markers, commemorating the Civil Rights movement in Louisiana.
Cut 8 (11) “…there.”
The website is LouisianaCivilRightsTrail.com.

4:45 LRN Sportscast February 3

The LSU men’s basketball team will face the tenth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide on the road in Tuscaloosa tonight. The Tigers lost by 30 points to Bama a few weeks back as they gave up 105 points and allowed Alabama to hit an SEC-record 23 three-pointers. Tigers Coach Will Wade says they need to be better on transition defense.
Cut 16 (16) “…adjustments.”
LSU enters the game with a 6-and-3 SEC record, tied for second place with Florida. Alabama is 9-and-0. Tip-off is at 6 PM.

At 8:30 the Pelicans will host Phoenix as New Orleans tries to end a five-game homestand with a winning record. They won the first two games of the homestand and they’ve lost the last two.

LSU has officially introduced its new defensive football coaches. Daronte Jones, Blake Baker, and Andre Carter were hired as defensive coordinator, linebackers coach, and defensive line coach respectively. Head Coach Ed Orgeron says a big reason why these guys got the job was their ability to relate to the players.
Cut 18 (12) “…in that area.”
Oregon says the Tigers plan to run a four-three defense as he believes their personnel is more suited for a four-three.

Today, LSU received a signed national letter of intent from four-star defensive end Saivion Jones out of St. James. He’s rated as the tenth best weakside defensive end according to 24-7 sports.

Saints Coach Sean Payton said today he expects an announcement in a week or two from Drew Brees on whether he’ll retire.

LRN PM Newscall February 3

Senator Bill Cassidy recounted the story of how he got COVID, calling it a warning that transmission in tight spaces is still possible even if everyone is masked up. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (31) “ …I’m Matt Doyle.”  

_______________________________________

The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office has made one arrest as a result of an investigation that the Boy Scouts asked the law enforcement agency to conduct. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (31) …I’m Jeff Palermo”  

_____________________________

The LSU Ag Center says the state is looking at a record sugar cane harvest this year. Sugar cane specialist Kenneth Gravois says sugar was planted on 496-thousand acres in 2020 and the harvest which started in September produced about 83-hundred pounds per acre…

Cut 3 (09)  “…for Louisiana”

Gravois says even a rough hurricane season could not slow down a record-breaking sugar cane harvest…

Cut 4 (11) “…that’s great” 

Gravois expects over 500-thousand acres of sugar cane planted in 2021 as more sugar cane will be planted in the northern and western parts of the cane-growing region. He says the 2021 crop is already off to a great start thanks to a mild winter..

Cut 5  (08) “…are good.” 

___________________________________________________

The two bodies recovered from the wreckage of a plane that went down near Hackberry Tuesday are believed to be that of flight instructor Rock Palermo and his student Don Clements. Palermo, an attorney, was also the pilot for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Tony Mancuso was visibly emotional about the loss of Palermo.

Cut 6 (09) “…office”

 

The plane, a single-engine Cessna 182 four-seater, crashed on a small island between Hackberry and Big Lake, near Pete Seay Circle just before six o’clock Tuesday night.  Calcasieu Parish District Attorney Stephen Dwight says Palermo was well respected in the community.

Cut 7 (12) “…missed.”

Mancuso expressed condolences to the families of both crash victims. He also personally thanked Palermo’s family for sharing him with the department over the years.

Cut 8 (11) “…amazing.”

The investigation is being handled by the FAA and the NTSB.

_____________________

The CDC is now mandating that all public transit systems require riders to mask up.

Senator Bill Cassidy says this is a requirement most transit systems already have, and there’s a real question as to whether the CDC has the power to levy penalties against systems that refuse.

Cut 9 (07) “… enforce.”

Cassidy says masking up while on public transit is a good plan and data shows the virus spreads much easier in confined indoor spaces.

Cut 10 (11) “…them to”

Cassidy recounted his own experience getting COVID. He says he picked it up from an aide who was driving him from New Orleans to Baton Rouge despite both him and the aide being masked…

Cut 11 (08) “…mask.”

_______________________________________________

State Police say a three-year-old child who was not properly restrained was killed in a wreck last night involving an 18-wheeler in Calcasieu Parish. Trooper Derek Senegal says the child was a passenger in a vehicle driven by 41-year-old Blaine Keith Lecompte. Senegal says they suspect Lecompte was impaired

Cut 12 (10) “vehicular homicide” 

Senegal says toxicology samples were obtained from Lecompte to see if he was impaired when the crash occurred on Interstate 10 near Vinton.

Cut 13 (09)“.18-wheeler”

The driver of the 18-wheeler was properly restrained and uninjured. Lecompte and another juvenile passenger in his Jeep were properly restrained and sustained minor to moderate injuries. But Lecompte faces numerous charges

Cut 14 (08) “..careless operation” 

9:30 LRN Newscast February 3

Louisiana’s Health Secretary discussed the state’s COVID-19 rollout during a Congressional hearing…
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The state health department is taking back 15,600 COVID-19 vaccine doses that were headed to nursing homes, instead, they will use those doses at pharmacies and other providers. 56 Walmart locations around the state will begin administering vaccines on February 11th.

Louisiana Senators John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy still have not received a meeting with President Joe Biden to discuss his energy policy. The president has issued executive orders that cancel the Keystone Pipeline and prevent any new lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico. Cassidy says these orders are job killers at a time when the country can’t afford to lose jobs…
cut 5 (12) “….pipeline”

Based on figures released by LSU, the state saw a 20-percent decline in the number of motorcycle fatalities in 2020. Motorcycle Awareness Campaign spokesperson Scotty Drake says the pandemic led to fewer cars and trucks on the road last year, but there might have been more motorcyclists…
cut 8 (09) “…safer”

8:30 LRN Newscast February 3

The Biden administration has announced a 5% increase in the number of vaccine doses to be distributed to states, which is a 22% increase since Biden took office. Louisiana Health Secretary Dr. Courtney Philips testified before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and says Louisiana is prepared.
Cut 13 (06) “…allocation.”
The C-D-C says Louisiana can expect to receive 70-thousand more doses next week after the increase.

Louisiana U-S Senators John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy support legislation that authorizes the continued construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. President Biden issued an executive order that revokes the pipeline’s presidential permit. Cassidy says canceling the pipeline eliminates 11-thousand jobs and it doesn’t help the environment…
cut 6 (12) “…oil”

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is investigating a largescale oyster die-off in Plaquemines Parish waters. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

The three men from Acadiana involved in the murder-for-hire plot that resulted in the murders of two women in Montegut last month are facing additional charges. In addition to first-degree murder, jail records indicate Beaux Cormier, Andrew Eskine and Dalvin Wilson are each facing one count of criminal conspiracy to commit murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder. Cormier is also facing a solicitation for murder hire charge.

7:30 LRN Newscast February 3

Louisiana ranks 14th in the country according to the CDC for the percentage of COVID vaccines administered. Louisiana Health Secretary Doctor Courtney Phillips told a Congressional committee the ranking would be higher, but they are holding second doses back so recipients can receive the maximum protection from the virus…
cut 14 (10) “…deserve it”
Starting tomorrow, 56 Walmart stores around the state will start administering doses.

Biologists are trying to determine why millions of pounds of oysters died in the Plaquemines Parish area. L-D-W-F’s Oyster Program Manager Caroline Bourque (Caro-leena Bork) says die-offs are more common in the summer…
cut 11 (11) “…summer”
This is just the latest blow for oyster producers who saw losses in 2019 as a result of fresh water that flowed into their production areas because of a high Mississippi River.

Republicans file long-shot legislation to overturn President Biden’s executive orders restricting oil and gas leasing and ending the Keystone Pipeline. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

According to the latest numbers from the Louisiana Workforce Commission, the state added 37-hundred jobs from November to December. One-point-nine million people were employed in December, but that’s down 83-thousand jobs from December 2019. The unemployment rate in December was just below seven percent.

6:45 LRN Sportscast February 3

New LSU defensive coordinator Daronte Jones says the Tigers will still run a four-three defense as they have the personnel to run a four-man front instead of a three. Jones says his ultimate goal is to put the players in the best position to succeed…
cut 20 (11) “…play fast”
Jones says he wants LSU’s defense to play as violent as possible.

The Saints are reportedly hiring former Seattle defensive coordinator Kris Richard as their defensive backs coach. Richard was the Seahawks D-Bs coach when the Legion of Boom formed in Seattle and helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl twice. Richard most recently served as the Cowboys defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach.

The LSU men’s basketball team visits 10th ranked Alabama tonight and they will not have the services of Darius Days, their fourth-leading scorer and leading rebounder. The six-foot-seven junior from Florida is out with a sprained ankle. Coach Will Wade says six-foot-ten sophomore forward Shareef O’ Neal is one player who could get extra minutes…
cut 17 (10) “….win” (2x)
O’ Neal is averaging three points and five rebounds a game. Tip time is at 6 PM.

The Pelicans conclude a five-game homestand tonight by hosting the Phoenix Suns at 8:30. New Orleans started the homestand by beating Washington and Milwaukee, but since then they’ve dropped games to Houston and Sacramento. The Suns arrive in New Orleans on a three-game winning streak. They are led by former Hornet Chris Paul, who is averaging 17 points and nine assists a game.