LSU’s senior associate athletic director Sharon Lewis tells the USA Today she’s filing multiple lawsuits against her current employer over mistreatment for trying to stop sexual harassment. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (36) “ …I’m Jeff Palermo.” 

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The Louisiana GOP lost several thousand registered voters since the January 6^th US Capitol attack, a rare loss of membership for a party that’s seen major growth in the state over the last ten years. Matt Doyle spoke with LSU Poli Sci Professor Robert Hogan…

Cut 2 (30) …I’m Matt Doyle.”  

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LSU’s associate athletic director of football recruiting, Sharon Lewis, tells the USA Today she will file several lawsuits against the school, claiming she was mistreated for trying to stop sexual harassment. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says the allegations are explosive, including the details of an argument Lewis had with former football coach Les Miles

Cut 3 (09)  “…M-fing face.” (2x)  

Lewis says the argument was over Miles’s alleged desire to have blond women or light-skinned black women on the recruiting staff that he considered prettier.

Lewis says she continues to get mistreated by several LSU athletic officials who she claims tried to cover up sexual harassment allegations against Miles. Higgins says Lewis told the USA Today she’s also been denied pay raises and Executive Deputy Athletic Director Verge Ausberry allegedly said to her, “maybe it’s time to find a new job”…

Cut 4 (06) “..Verge Ausberry.” 

The Husch Blackwell report resulted in Ausberry and Miriam Segar receiving a multi-week suspension. But Higgins says Lewis’s detailed allegations in the USA Today report of how she’s been mistreated over the last several years could lead to further discipline…

Cut 5  (08)  “…incompentent B.”

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Based on research by the LSU Manship School Statehouse Bureau 7,800 Louisiana voters have left the Republican Party since the January 6^th mob attack on the US Capitol.

LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says this tracks with nationwide stats that show roughly 100,000 Republicans have unregistered from the party since then…

Cut 6 (12) “…registration”

To start the year Democrats lost more members, about 8,000 total, than Republicans, but unlike Republicans that is part of an ongoing trend in state party membership decline. Republicans have seen a 37 percent gain over the last decade while Democrats lost 12 percent. Third-party membership saw a 4,000 person increase in January and February.

Hogan says unregistering from a party doesn’t change much for a voter given Louisiana operates on a jungle primary system. The only thing you miss out on is voting in Presidential primaries.

Cut 7 (11) “..that way”

The bulk of the GOP’s losses came in January, where 5,503 members left the party. Similar drop-offs of party identification for the GOP were not seen in the opening months of 2017 or 2013.

Hogan says it’s an interesting phenomenon, but not one that will likely have any short-term electoral impacts on statewide Republican dominance.

Cut 8 (08) “..earlier”

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While the American Rescue Plan does not contain student loan forgiveness it does allow temporary relief of taxes on student loans that are forgiven through 2025. Student Loan Hero, Loan Expert Rebecca Safier (Sapphire) explains.

Cut 9 (12) “…forgiven amount.”

Before with student loan forgiveness for example a teacher, they were taxed on the amount forgiven on the loan. Safier says this also applies to forgiveness on an income-driven repayment plan.

Cut 10 (10) “….tax bill.” 

According to Lending Tree, approximately 600,000 borrowers in the state juggle an average balance of almost $34,000 in student loans with monthly payments averaging $246. If the proposed student loan forgiveness of $10,000 passes, 35-percent of borrowers in Louisiana would have their debt eliminated. Safier says since the pandemic student loan forgiveness has gained traction.

Cut 11 (04) “…and see”

Louisiana has the 18th highest student loan obligation in the nation with a cumulative of $21.7 billion in federal and private loans.

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The Red River United teacher’s union files a lawsuit against the Caddo Parish School Board alleging discrimination with the school system’s $1,000 bonus. Red River United Vice President Jordan Thomas says the bonus is for full-time employees who were present for 90-percent of the current school year, but it discriminates against teachers that took maternity leave and…

Cut 12 (09)   “…allow them.” 

Thomas says teachers have done everything that has been asked of them and announcing the bonus criteria now isn’t fair.

Cut 13 (10)“…to do.”

Thomas says every teacher who worked during the pandemic should be recognized regardless of their attendance and the system could have offered prorated bonuses based on attendance to do that.

Cut 14 (09) “…employees” 

Several attempts to reach the Caddo Parish School System for comment were unsuccessful.

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One Louisiana Senator files a bill forcing minors to have parental permission to receive gender-based medical or mental health care. Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Recordings from LSU reveal a man asked for $100,000 on behalf of an alleged sexual harassment victim of former running back Derrius Guice. Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 2 (42) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Willis-Knighton Health System is seeking COVID-positive participants for a clinical trial testing the effectiveness of Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody treatment. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.”  

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Houma Senator Michael Fesi files legislation requiring parental consent for a minor seeking gender therapy which includes psychotherapy along with surgical and nonsurgical procedures for gender identity. Fesi says it should be required like every other medical procedure for minors.

Cut 4 (11)“…consent.”

President of Louisiana Trans Advocates President Dylan Waguespack says this sets a dangerous precedent, especially for transgender and gender non-confirming minors without affirming parents or ones experiencing homelessness.

Cut 5 (10)“…they need.”

Fesi says several constituents have come to him concerned about their children having the ability to change their gender without parental consent.

Cut 6 (11) “…on TV.”

Waguespack says the suicide attempt rate among trans youth is fifty percent and possibly denying them care, especially by a lawmaker without a background in medicine or mental health could increase suicide attempts.

Cut 7 (08)  “…an increase.”

Waguespack is asking Senator Fesi to withdraw the bill and meet with the young people he is targeting.

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The Advocate reports recordings from LSU reveal a man asked for payment on behalf of an alleged victim of sexual harassment by former Tiger running back Derrius Guice in exchange for not going to the media.

Advocate reporter Andrea Gallo says Cleavon Williams asked for payment of $100-thousand in lieu of LSU not suspending Guice ahead of the 2018 Citrus Bowl.

Cut 8 (06) “…involved.”

The woman, 74-year-old Gloria Scott, says Guice harassed her in 2017 while she was working at the Superdome. Scott says coach Ed Orgeron called her about the incident after she reported it. Orgeron says he does not recall contacting Scott.

Williams identified himself as a New Orleans AAU basketball coach to LSU Athletic Administrators Verge Ausberry and Miriam Segar. Segar questioned his role in the alleged incident.

Cut 9 (13) “…sure.”

Segar told Williams it seemed like blackmail, which Williams denied.

Also released is a recording of voicemails left by Scott. Gallo says payment in sexual misconduct cases is not unusual, an undisclosed amount was paid to the victim in the alleged Les Miles misconduct, but payment is usually requested by an attorney.

Cut 10 (08) “…for money.”

Gloria Scott asked LSU Police to investigate the matter, but they said it was out of their jurisdiction because it was not on campus nor an LSU event.

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Over two million total doses of COVID vaccine have been administered in Louisiana with over 800,000 people having completed their series and over 1.2 million having initiated their series.

State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says we’re close to the point where anyone who wants a vaccine can make an appointment to get one for the next day.

Cut 11 (08) “…for people.”

The New Orleans region leads the state in vaccination series completion at 22 percent of the population. The Lake Charles and central Louisiana regions are lowest in the state at 12 and 13 percent respectively. Some Lake Charles providers argue the number is misleading because the population is lower than it appears on census data due to recent hurricanes.

Just over 18 percent of Louisianans have completed their vaccine series, and Kanter says those folks have a near-perfect but not guaranteed level of protection. That’s why we need herd immunity.

Cut 12 (10) “…lower.”

Herd immunity is thought to be 70 percent. 126 “breakthrough” cases of fully vaccinated people getting COVID in Louisiana have been recorded.

With the mass vaccination campaign in full swing Kanter says they’re launching a COVID vaccine hotline to help residents get connected with local providers.

Cut 13 (02) “…this week”

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Willis-Knighton is one of 120 sites nationwide that will participate in a clinical trial for Regeneron’s COVID monoclonal antibody treatment.  Children’s Health Services Director Dr. Joseph Bocchini says they need COVID-positive participants and know early results have been extremely promising for people with comorbidities.

Cut 14 (08) “…percent.”

Other early results show Regeneron reducing the duration of symptoms for those with comorbidities by four days.

The objective is to enroll enough people to study the effects of Regeneron on pregnant women and children, but Bocchini says with COVID numbers declining it will be a challenge.

Cut 15 (08)“…desire.”

Those interested in participating should call 318-455-9730 or go to www.wkhs.com/clinical-trial.

Estimates show at our current rate of vaccination we could hit herd immunity by late summer, but Bocchini says even after that there will still be a need for COVID treatments.

Cut 16 (10) “…cases.”

Those participating in the 29 day study will receive a single dose of Regeneron at the WK COVID Research Infusion Center in Shreveport. Participants will be monitored at home and tested by healthcare workers.

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The LSU baseball team is now 17-11 overall and 1-8 in SEC play after being swept by Vanderbilt this past weekend.  The Tigers still have a long season ahead of them and coach Paul Mainieri says his team needs to figure out how to win close games.

Cut 17 (16) “…have to do.”

The Tigers received news Monday that junior pitcher Jaden Hill will be out for the season due to a tear in his right elbow, an injury he sustained in Friday’s game against Vanderbilt

While the Tigers have not had a lot of success so far, Mainieri hopes his team will continue to play hard.

Cut  18 (18)  “…this weekend.”

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The Ragin Cajuns baseball team swept ULM this past weekend after winning the opening conference series against Coastal Carolina and now sit at 6-1 in the Sun Belt Conference. Right fielder Carson Roccaforte says he believes the team is hitting its stride.

Cut 19 (09) “…together for us.” 

Tonight the Cajuns host Nicholls at Russo Park. Earlier this season, U-L Lafayette beat the Colonels nine to eight in Thibodaux. Nicholls nearly came back to win the game as they scored four runs in the eighth as the Cajuns committed four errors on the night. Sophomore outfielder Tyler Robertson on what it will take to win their sixth straight game…

Cut 20 (12) “…in the game.” 

Approximately 98-thousand Louisianans received ineligible unemployment benefits last year totaling $405 million according to a Legislative Auditors report. Brooke Thorington explains

Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Of the 834,000 Louisianans who’ve completed their vaccine series, only 126 have tested positive for COVID-19 so far. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) …I’m Matt Doyle.”  

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A Legislative Auditor’s report finds that approximately 98-thousand individuals received $405 million in unemployment benefits and it appears they were not eligible in Louisiana from the end of March until the end of 2020. Auditor Chris Magee says they found the error by using the program Wage Data.

Cut 3 (12)  “…benefits.”  

$247 weekly is the maximum one can earn, anymore they are not eligible.

Magee says the Louisiana Workforce Commission reports benefit filings were unprecedented and rose more than two-hundred thousand percent from pre-pandemic levels which led to the oversite.

Cut 4 (11) “…improper payments.” 

Magee says another factor for the oversight is the 2020 legislative instrument that gave employers an additional 45 days to report wages.

Magee says once the LWC determines if the error is administrative or fraud, they will enter into repayment agreements with those individuals. And if they don’t make repayments…

Cut 5  (09)  “…federal taxes.”

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Legislation is filed that would ban K-12 schools from teaching “Divisive Concepts” one of which being that the United States or the State of Louisiana is institutionally or systemically racist. House Education Chairman Ray Garofalo says the bill would ensure a traditional classroom environment that deters discrimination.

Cut 6 (07) “…origin”

Other “Divisive Concepts” include teaching that an individual’s race or sex makes them inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, or that the concepts of meritocracy or capitalism are racist or sexist, along with other topics.

The bill has received pushback from those who advocate teaching that the US, through slavery, was founded on racism and has maintained a legacy of systemic racism. Garofalo disagrees.

Cut 7 (11) “…case.”

The legislation would also apply to trainings provided to teachers and school staff.

Garofalo says the legislation should not be controversial.

Cut 8 (05) “…acheivement.”

Garofalo says the jury is still out on whether this legislation would impact higher education.

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126 Louisianans have tested positive for COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated, good for only .02 percent of all Louisianans who are fully vaccinated.

State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says for those few people who got the bug, they didn’t get it bad…

Cut 9 (10) “…facilities.”

Full vaccination is two weeks after you complete your vaccine series. 834,000 Louisianans have completed their vaccine series.

Kanter says no vaccine is 100 percent effective 100 percent of the time, but…

Cut 10 (11) “….cases.” 

A recent CDC “real world” study showed Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 90 percent effective two weeks after their second doses.

Kanter says this is just further proof of the incredible effectiveness of vaccines, and a message that should be shared with those still on the fence…

Cut 11 (12) “…as well”

1.3 million Louisianans have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.

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In a poll of 781 Louisiana adults, roughly half of the state’s residents approve of Louisiana’s response to the pandemic. LSU Public Policy Research Lab Director Mike Henderson says the 2021 Louisiana survey shows a divide among party lines.

Cut 12 (11)   “…handled it.” 

Part of the state’s response to the pandemic was handling of the fall and spring elections. He says 75-percent of the respondents supported the extra days for early voting

Cut 13 (08)“…main in vote”

Henderson mail-in voting is a controversial topic and the divide is once again  along party lines

Cut 14 (06) “…in Louisiana.”