Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

10.27.20
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LRN PM Newscall October 27

Coastal parishes in southeast Louisiana are bracing for their first direct hit from a hurricane this year. Taylor Sharp has more….

Cut 1 (30) “  I’m Taylor Sharp”  

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LSU police have arrested a member of the cleaning crew at Tiger Stadium after he allegedly mugged a fan and then bragged about the attack. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (29) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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Tropical Storm Zeta is expected to make landfall near southeast Louisiana tomorrow as a category 1 hurricane. John Rahaim is the Director of Emergency Preparedness for St. Bernard Parish says they are bracing for winds up to 90 miles per hour tomorrow night…

Cut 3 (08)  “…hear it”  

Zeta is projected to be a fast moving storm which should help reduce the damage, however, when the storm finally passes through, Rahaim says that he expects a wide variety of damage to be present in the area.

Cut 4 (10)   “…storm”   

St. Bernard is not the only parish preparing for the storm, Lieutenant Brennan Matherne with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office says that Lafourche parish is expecting significant winds to be the biggest impact from this storm.

Cut 5 (07) “…issues”

Due to the expected high winds, Lt. Matherne advises residents to tie down any loose furniture around their home.

Cut 6 (07) “…debris”

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A hurricane warning is in effect from Morgan City to the Mississippi/Alabama border. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Zeta is expected to bring hurricane conditions to portions of the Northern Gulf of Mexico Wednesday.

Cut 7 (09) “…warm water”

Keim says most of the models are in agreement on Zeta’s path as the cone of uncertainty begins to narrow.

Cut 8 (12) “…Bay area”

Zeta is expected to make landfall Wednesday evening as a Category 1 storm

Keim says storm surge warnings are in place from Port Fourchon to the Pearl River, basically all of southeast Louisiana, between four and six feet.

Cut 9 (12) “lot of rain”

Rainfall amounts are predicted to be between two and five inches.

 

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Metairie native, Judge Amy Coney Barrett has been confirmed to the US Supreme Court, filling a vacancy left by the departed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Senator John Kennedy touted the nomination saying Barrett is a judge who understands judicial restraint.

Cut 10 (07) “impressed”

The vote was 52-48 strictly along party lines with only one Republican joining with Democrats in voting against her nomination.

Kennedy says Barrett has an impressive, and unimpeachable past having graduated from Dominican High, Rhodes College, and Notre Dame…

Cut 11 (10) “…hint.”

Senator Bill Cassidy echoed Kennedy’s sentiments, saying “Friends and relatives of Amy Coney Barrett in Metairie and across Louisiana are right to feel particularly proud at this moment.”

Kennedy celebrated Barrett’s personal and family life, saying she’s a person of good character.

Cut 12 (09) “ ..Christian” 

Democrats argue the nomination should never have gone forward, citing precedent set by Senate Republicans in the last year of the Obama Administration about nominations during an election year.

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Residents impacted by Hurricane Laura now have another month to register for FEMA disaster assistance. FEMA Spokesperson Melissa Wilkins says homeowners and renters can apply for aid which includes temporary housing, rental assistance and to repair or replace damage to property.

Cut 13 (10) “…November 27th”

Wilkins says there are three ways residents you can register for assistance…

Cut 14 (09) “… 800-number”

That phone number is 1-800-621-FEMA

Wilkins says FEMA assistance can cover a range of expenses from housing to medical care.

Cut 15 (12) “as possible” 

The deadline for those impacted by Hurricane Delta has been extended to December 15th.

10.27.20
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2:30 LRN Newscast October 27

Tropical Storm Zeta has moved over the southern Gulf of Mexico and is expected to regain hurricane strength later today. As of one o’clock this afternoon, Zeta was moving northwest at 14 miles per hour and will eventually turn towards the northeast and take aim at Louisiana’s southeastern coast.

Zeta is expected to made landfall near LaFourche Parish tomorrow night at 7 PM. Lt. Brennan Matherne with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s office says hurricane-force winds from Zeta is their biggest concern…
cut 5 (07) “…issues”
Zeta is projected to move through the region quickly, but St. Bernard Parish Emergency Preparedness Director John Rahaim says Zeta will cause some damage…
cut 4 (10) “…storm”
Entergy says they’ve mobilized a team of about 38-hundred workers to respond to the storm.

Residents impacted by Hurricane Laura now have another month to register for FEMA disaster assistance. FEMA Spokesperson Melissa Wilkins says homeowners and renters can apply for aid which includes temporary housing, rental assistance and to repair or replace damage to property.
Cut 13 (10) “…November 27th”
You can register by calling 1-800-621-FEMA or visit diaster-assistance-dot-gov.

Metairie native Amy Coney Barrett has been sworn in as the newest justice on the US Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed her on a 52-48 vote. Senator John Kennedy says Judge Barrett will be a fair justice and she’s a person of good character…
cut 12 (09) “….Christian”
Democrats have argued the confirmation of a new justice should have waited until after the election.

10.27.20
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11:40 LRN Sportscast October 27

Injured LSU quarterback Myles Brennan has returned to practice. Coach Ed Orgeron says there is a chance he could play Saturday against Auburn
cut 17 (17) 100 percent ready”
Brennan reportedly tore a stomach muscle in the loss to Missouri on October 10th and missed last Saturday’s win over South Carolina.

The Louisiana Sports Writers Association has named Finley as the offensive player of the week in Louisiana. Finley threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns in his collegiate debut. The defensive player of the year is the Cajuns Bralen Trahan, who had the interception that secured U-L Lafayette’s win over U-A-B, ending their 21-game home winning streak.

The Saints will bring a three-game winning streak into Sunday’s game versus the Chicago Bears, who lost last night to the Los Angeles Rams. New Orleans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins says the team has fought through adversity well this season…
cut 30 (18) “…weather the storm”
The Saints are listed as a four point favorite for Sunday’s game in Chicago.

In the latest high school football polls, Acadiana remains the number one ranked team in Class 5A, followed by Brother Martin, who defeated Rummel last week. West Monroe is ranked seventh and they’ll visit 10th ranked Byrd in a newly scheduled game. Bastrop, Eunice, and Logansport are newly ranked teams in the polls.

Tonight is Game Six of the World Series. The Dodgers can win their first title in 32 years, while Tampa Bay is trying to force a game seven.

10.27.20
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9:30 LRN Newscast

Governor John Bel Edwards has filed a lawsuit in state court in Baton Rouge to get a judge to block an effort by Republicans in the House of Representatives to overturn his COVID-19 public health emergency orders. The governor says a petition filed by the House is unconstitutional, but House Speaker Clay Schexnayder says Attorney General Jeff Landry is prepared to defend the petition in court…
cut 5 (05) “…themselves”

The parents of 31-year-old Trayford Pellerin have filed a federal lawsuit claiming Lafayette Police officers violated his constitutional rights when they fatally shot him to death on August 21st. Authorities say Pellerin had a knife, but family attorney Ronald Haley says…
cut 12 (09) “….answer yet”
Haley says video evidence also shows Pellerin is not threatening an officer. Police were in the area responding to a disturbance involving a man with a knife.

Louisiana had 11,000 more uninsured children in 2019 than it had in 2018, a 28 percent increase. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Zeta is expected to strengthen back into a hurricane today and its aiming to make landfall in southeast Louisiana as a Category One storm. 90-mile per hour winds are expected for portions Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes tomorrow night.

And FEMA is giving Hurricane Laura victims another 30 days to register for FEMA assistance.

10.27.20
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8:30 LRN Newscast october 27

Governor Edwards files a lawsuit defending his public health emergency orders against a legislative petition that seeks to terminate the emergency declaration. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “ I’m Matt Doyle”

A hurricane warning is up from Morgan City to the Mississippi-Alabama border as Tropical Storm Zeta is expected to make landfall in southeast Louisiana tomorrow night as a Category One storm. New Orleans and Slidell could see wind speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, while 80-mile per hour plus winds are expected for Port Fourchon and Buras.

It’s the last day of early voting and Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin expects another busy day with as many as 80 thousand voters expected to cast their ballot. At the end of this extended version of early voting Ardoin, predicts as many as 950-thousand Louisianans will have performed their civic duty.
Cut 8 (09) “…out to vote”
Early voting will conclude at 7 PM.

The Louisiana Budget Project says based on U-S Census data about 11-thousand children in this state lost their health insurance last year, the largest single-year drop in over a decade. L-B-P policy director Stacey Roussel says the uninsured rate for children is rising across the country as well as here in Louisiana…
Cut 15 (11) “..decrease”

10.27.20
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7:30 LRN Newscast October 27

Governor John Bel Edwards has filed a lawsuit defending his authority to issue and enforce public health restrictions against a legislative petition signed by Republicans in the state House of Representatives that claims to have stripped him of those powers. Edwards says the Louisiana Constitution does not allow for one chamber of the Legislature to terminate a public health emergency issued by the Governor.
Cut 4 (06) “unconstitutional”
The Governor also says state law requires the petition organizers to consult with state health officials before filing the petition, which Edwards says they did not do. House Speaker Clay Schexnayder says the governor’s restrictions are not solely about health, he says they are damaging the state’s economy and more than just one service area…
cut 7 (08) “…them away”

It’s the last day of early voting in Louisiana and despite record turnout and COVID mitigation efforts poll workers are getting rave reviews…
Cut 2 (28) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

According to the Louisiana Budget Project, the state saw a 28 percent increase in uninsured children from 2018 to 2019. Policy Director Stacey Roussel says 50,000 Louisiana children went into the pandemic without health insurance, and that number is expected to rise…
Cut 14 (08) “…hit”
2019’s number of 50,000 total uninsured kids was up 11,000 from 2018.

10.27.20
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6:45 LRN Sportscast October 27

LSU Quarterback Myles Brennan has returned to practice, but it’s unclear if he’ll play on Saturday against Auburn. Brennan missed the South Carolina win because of a reported torn stomach muscle. Coach Ed Orgeron says he will not play Brennan until he’s 100-percent healthy.

Orgeron also announced on Monday that starting left tackle Dare Rosenthal has been suspended indefinitely. He did not give a timeline on when Rosenthal will return. Coach O says Cam Wire will continue to start at left tackle and he’s impressed with the former East Ascension star
cut 18 (21) ” second-team left tackle”
Even though LSU is on the road Saturday, they are listed as a three-point favorite to beat Auburn.

In Sunday’s win over Carolina, the Saints held the Panthers to 37 yards rushing. Defensive Tackle Sheldon Rankins says they have a mindset to make every team one dimensional…
cut 30 (22) “….throw the ball”
New Orleans is at Chicago on Sunday. The Bears lost to the Los Angeles Rams last night 24-10 as Chicago failed to score a touchdown on offense.

In the high school football polls….Acadiana remains ranked number one in Class 5A. The Wrecking Rams have won 19 in a row. Ferriday is ranked number one in Two and they’ve won 18 straight, while Ouachita Christian is number one in One-A and O-C-S has a 16-game winning streak. Bastrop, Eunice and Logansport are newly ranked teams this week.

10.27.20
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6:30 LRN Newscast October 27

Governor John Bel Edwards has filed a lawsuit challenging a petition filed by the Republican-led House of Representatives that ends the restrictions put in place by the governor to control the spread of the coronavirus. Sixty-five Republicans signed the petition, but Edwards says he will not comply because he believes its unconstitutional…
cut 6 (11) “…told me”
Baton Rouge State Judge William Morvant will hear the case.

Today is the final day of early voting for the November third election. There have been long lines at polling locations but Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin says the average wait time to vote has been about 25 minutes…
cut 9 (10) “…over the state’
When early voting concludes at seven PM, the number of early votes could reach one-million.

The parents of 31-year old Trayford Pellerin, the black man who was shot by police August 21st, are suing Lafayette Police for damages related to his death. Also named in the suit is Lafayette Consolidated Government and 10 police officers. Family attorney Ronald Haley says they want justice and change.
Cut 11 (12) “their investigation”
The lawsuit argues that Pellerin never threatened anyone and it remains unclear whether he had a knife in his possession. Lafayette Police and Lafayette Consolidated government declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Metairie native Amy Coney Barrett has been sworn in as the newest justice on the US Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed her on a 52-48 vote.

Tropical Storm Zeta is moving over the Yucatan Peninsula but it’s expected to strengthen into a hurricane once it gets into the Gulf of Mexico and make landfall in southeast Louisiana tomorrow night as a Category One storm.

10.26.20
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Update LRN PM Newscall October 26 ###Edwards files lawsuit against petition###

The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season is not done with Louisiana as another storm is expected to make landfall in the Bayou State. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “  I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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Attorney General Jeff Landry says the signing of a legislative petition clearly states the Governor no longer has any authority to enforce his COVID public health emergency orders. Matt Doyle has the story.

cut 2 (29) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

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Hurricane Zeta is expected to enter the southern Gulf of Mexico tomorrow morning as a hurricane and then track across the gulf with a likely landfall in southeast Louisiana. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the official forecast track has Zeta as a Category one storm when it makes landfall Wednesday night

Cut 3 (10)  “…this landfall”  

It will be the fifth named storm to make landfall in Louisiana in 2020 and the eleventh for the United States. Keim says the previous record was nine, set in 1916. He says Zeta also ties a record for most named storms in a season with 27 which was set in 2005

Cut 4 (10)   “…170-year period”   

After Zeta passes over Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula it will move northwest, and then turn to the northeast because of an approaching cold front

Cut 5 (12) “…too long”

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Passage of Amendment Six on the November ballot would allow senior citizens with higher income levels to qualify for a property tax assessment freeze. Currently, if you are 65 or older and make less than $77-thousand annually your property taxes can be frozen for your homestead. Public Affairs Research Council President, Robert Travis Scott, says passage would increase the annual income limit.

Cut 6 (08) “…or less”

Scott says Amendment 6 should be attractive for senior voters whose income falls in between the current levels.

Cut 7 (12) “…very popular”

Opponents however feel the change in income levels would force local governments to be more dependent on sales tax revenue which is more volatile.

Cut 8 (06) “…we stop”

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Attorney General Jeff Landry says the Governor’s public health emergency has been terminated for seven days and he now has no authority to enforce COVID restrictions.

After the House signed a petition Friday overturning the order many businesses began operating without restrictions. Landry says if the state penalizes you or tries to shut you down for doing that…

Cut 9 (12) “did”

According to the petition’s supporters, the Governor is allowed to issue another public health declaration Friday that would re-implement Phase Three.

Landry says businesses no longer have to abide by the Governor’s public health restrictions, but they can maintain policies such as a mask mandate…

Cut 10 (09) “want to”

Governor Edwards announced Monday afternoon he is filing a lawsuit challenging the petition from state lawmakers and he says Phase Three restrictions are still in place. Landry says he’s ready to defend the petition in court

Cut 11 (08) “…case.”

The petition was signed by 65 House GOP lawmakers at the end of the special session amidst frustrations that legislative attempts to limit or eliminate the Governor’s public health authority had failed. Many say their constituents feel the ongoing restrictions are hurting businesses and hampering the state’s recovery, but Edwards says that just doesn’t make any sense…

Cut 12 (10) “ ..states” 

Edwards says if his order is overturned…

Cut 13 (13) “…testing”

The Governor adds that it would also block GOHSEP from providing additional nurses and doctors to medical facilities in areas that see a surge in cases, and stops the National Guard from processing and transporting pandemic supplies like PPE and testing kits around the state.

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A bizarre killing spree with a knife took in LaPlace on Sunday that resulted in the deaths of two individuals and serious injuries to the suspect’s sister. St John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Trege says 23- year old Oscar Urisa attacked and killed his 31-year old girlfriend and her 15-year old sister, and also stabbed his 17-year old sister and 15-year old brother with a machete.

Cut 14 (11) “… his sister”

Trege says the horrific attacks began at a residence on Fairway Drive when Urias’s girlfriend, Elizabeth Tornbene followed the suspect into his bedroom, then Urias immerged wearing a mask and yielding two knives into the living room.

Cut 15 (06) “killing people” 

The suspect was apprehended after allegedly stabbing and killing the 15-year old sister of his girlfriend in a garage on North Sugar Ridge.

Trege says Urias’s 17-year old sister was also injured in the attack and this is the most vicious crime he’s ever investigated.

Cut 16 (12) “…my 32-years” 

Urias is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.

10.26.20
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4:45 LRN Sportscast October 26

It was an impressive debut for freshman quarterback TJ Finley as he threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a score in a 52-24 win over South Carolina on Saturday. Finley says he was well prepared heading into his first collegiate start…
cut 18 (25) ” very quick”
LSU Head Coach Ed Orgeron said today that Myles Brennan will practice today, but he will not play against Auburn unless he’s 100-percent.

Former LSU star Odell Beckham Junior is done for the season as the Browns receiver has a torn ACL.

The Saints won their 15th straight game in the month of October as they held off Carolina 27-24 to improve to 4-2 yesterday. Quarterback Drew Brees was efficient as he threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a rushing touchdown. Brees’ second TD pass came at the end of the first half to give New Orleans a 21-17 halftime lead
Cut 15 (08) “..the game”
The Saints were 12 of 14 on third down, however, New Orleans defense had trouble slowing down Carolina’s passing game. But Marcus Davenport had a key sack on the Panthers’ final drive that led to a 65-yard field goal try that came up short.

New Orleans remains in second place in the NFC South. That’s because Tampa Bay beat Oakland 45 to 20 to improve to 5-2. Also, Tom Brady moved past Brees for the most NFL touchdown passes in history. Brady had four TD passes on the day.