6:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU moves back to a four-three defense this season under defensive coordinator Bo Pelini. Linebacker Jabril Cox on what you can expect
Cut 17 (15) “…to offenses”
Meanwhile, LSU is making plans to host about 25-thousand fans in Tiger Stadium on September 26th for the season opener against Mississippi State. Athletics Director Scott Woodward admits that spread mitigation efforts will have an impact on fans’ game-day experience, but they will make it as positive as possible.
Cut 12 (12) “…normal as possible.”
The school says 72-percent of LSU’s 71-thousand season ticket holders have opted out.

Ragin Cajuns Coach Billy Napier says nine players will not be available for Saturday’s game at Georgia State because of COVID-19. None of the nine players have been identified. Napier did say that starting cornerback A-J Washington will not be available.

ULM has announced that capacity for Saturday’s home opener against Texas State will be at 25-percent. Also, no tailgating will be allowed and no pregame Warhawk Walk through Pecan Grove.

Louisiana Tech has announced that its game against BYU on October 2nd will be televised by ESPN Two.

An agreement has been reached that allows high school football teams to play their games in Jefferson Parish. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is not allowing contact sports in the city because of COVID-19.

A vigil was held last night for Denham Springs football player Remy Hidalgo who collapsed at practice on Tuesday from an apparent stroke. Remy has been transported to the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans.

6:30 LRN Newscast

A federal judge has ruled the state should give more people the option of using absentee mail ballots for the November third presidential election. The ruling goes against the election plan endorsed by Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin and the state legislature. Governor Edwards applauds the decision. He says Ardoin’s election plan made no considerations for those with co-morbid conditions, and…
cut 9 (09) “….positive”
U-S District Judge Shelly Dick says the state should revert back to the rules it had in place for the summer elections, which allowed a voter to seek an absentee ballot if they were at risk of severe illness. Ardoin says his office is reviewing the judge’s ruling.

The National Hurricane Center is giving a low-pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico a 90-percent chance of developing into a tropical depression in the next 48 hours. The low is expected to meander in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico for the next day or so.

Calcasieu Parish School Superintendent Karl Bruchhaus tells the Senate Education Committee that 74 of their 76 school campuses and office complexes sustained damage from Hurricane Laura. 15 of the buildings had substantial damage when roofs came off. The estimated total damage is about 300-million dollars. Bruchhaus says they hope to resume online learning on September 28th, but internet connectivity is limited…
cut 6 (12) “….schools with internet”
The district plans to open schools as they become ready, with 5-to-7 opening next week.

Meanwhile, at the Sacred Heart Graveyard in Cameron Parish, 150 caskets floated away from their tombs. Cameron Police Jury Vice President Scott Trahan says after having similar incidents in recent storms it’s time the parish starts filling caskets with concrete…
Cut 15 (11) “…go anywhere”

4:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU athletics director Scott Woodward is pleased with how the football program is handling the coronavirus. A day earlier, Coach Ed Orgeron said most of the team has had COVID-19, but Woodward says the players are receiving world-class medical attention that includes a strong contact tracing system
Cut 6 (09) “…doing it”
Woodward says the vast majority of the cases have occurred socially and not in the weight room or at practice. Woodward also says Orgeron was too forthright and transparent when he said most of the team has had COVID-19.

No media availability with Saints Coach Sean Payton and players today as the team has an extra day to prepare for Monday night’s matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. There’s a good chance wide receiver Michael Thomas will not play because of a high ankle sprain and one report says he could miss several weeks.

LSU Football Coach Ed Orgeron says starting defensive lineman Neil Farrell has returned to the team after announcing in August he would not play because of the coronavirus. Farrell’s grandmother was hospitalized with COVID-19, but tweeted last week that his grandmother is getting better every day and he missed football. Orgeron says it remains to be seen if Farrell will play in the season opener
Cut 16 (09) “…what happens”

The 19th ranked Cajuns made a statement last week beating Iowa State on ESPN. This Saturday’s game at Georgia State will be on ESPN 2 and Coach Billy Napier says playing another 11 AM game on national TV is great for the program…
cut 20 (14) “…out there”

LRN PM Newscall September 16

LSU’s Athletics Director Scott Woodward has no concerns over the football program’s coronavirus protocols after Coach Ed Orgeron said most of the players had the virus. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

____________________________

A national survey shows year over year restaurant sales are down 35 percent and the industry is expected to lose 240 billion dollars in revenue. Matt Doyle has the story.

cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

_____________________________

The Cajun Navy is assisting in the response to Hurricane Sally, which made landfall this morning as a slow-moving Category 2 storm near the Florida-Alabama line. Baldwin County in Alabama is reporting major to catastrophic flooding. United Cajun Navy founder Todd Terrell says their focus is floodwater rescues.

Cut 3 (06)  “…surge coming up.”  

The group of Louisiana-based volunteers often respond to natural disasters.  Terrell says it appears many of the residents were blindsided by the intensity of the storm and did not evacuate.

Cut 4 (09)“ …could survive it.” 

Terrell estimates they’ve got about 25 to 30 boats ready to respond, but the closure of bridges in the area is complicating the entry process for others wanting to help.

Cut 5 (08)  “…to have, unfortunately.”

_________________

LSU athletics director Scott Woodward is pleased with how the football program is handling the coronavirus. A day earlier, Coach Ed Orgeron said most of the team has had COVID-19, but Woodward says the players are receiving world-class medical attention that includes a strong contact tracing system

Cut 6 (09) “…doing it”

Woodward says the vast majority of the cases have occurred socially and not in the weight room or at practice.

Cut 7 (11) “socially.”

Woodward also says Orgeron was too forthright and transparent when he said most of the team has had COVID-19. During a Zoom press conference of his own, the L-S-U A-D was asked why not give an exact number on how many players tested positive. Woodward says he will not discuss a player’s medical history and there are no issues with the protocols in place

Cut 8 (08) “…doing things.”

________________________

Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris says the move to Phase Three is a big help, but they still anticipate 25 to 50 percent of all state restaurants will close permanently due to COVID.

Harris says a national survey shows 58 percent of US adults know a local restaurant that’s closed its doors for good due to the pandemic. He says revenue losses are significant.

Cut 9 (10) “…revenue”

The state’s move to Phase Three allowed restaurants to increase indoor dining capacity to 75 percent, but Harris notes it now bans those businesses from serving alcohol after 10 PM.

Harris says alongside the large amounts of lost revenue…

Cut 10 (10) “…safe”

Harris says staffing is still an issue for most restaurants, although recent reductions in unemployment benefits could force more people back to work.

Cut 11 (07) “…revenue.”

_______________________

Three horses in south Louisiana have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis.  Ag Commissioner says when a horse is infected with the mosquito-transmitted illness, it’s typically bad news for the horse.

Cut 12 (09) “…West Nile Virus.”

Common signs in horses can include fever, loss of appetite, weakness, loss of coordination, and circling.  The disease can also infect humans.

Strain says it is important for horses to be vaccinated against the virus.

Cut 13 (11) “…every six months.”

Humans do not get vaccinated for EEE, but instead are encouraged to avoid mosquitos with bug spray and long sleeves.

Strain recommends taking additional protective measures, including draining standing water.

Cut 14 (10) “…mosquito-infested areas.” 

11:40 LRN Sportscast

LSU Athletics Director Scott Woodward has no concerns over the coronavirus protocols that are in place for the football program. Woodward addressed the issue a day after Coach Ed Orgeron said a majority of his players have tested positive for the virus. Woodward says the school will not provide an exact number on how many players have had the virus, but he’s comfortable with the protocols in place…
cut 8 (08) “…doing things”
Woodward says the vast majority of the cases have occurred socially and not in the weight room or at practice.

The NFL Network is reporting that Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas could miss several weeks with a high ankle sprain. The report from Tom Pelissero says Thomas is tough and will try to play as soon as he can. New Orleans visits the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night and then the following week they have a Sunday night home game against the Packers.

LSU Coach Ed Orgeron knows who his starting linebackers will be when they line-up against Mississippi State on September 26th in the season. Damone Clark, Jabril Cox, and Micah Baskerville. Coach O says Baskerville looks comfortable in Bo Pelini’s defense…
cut 17 (14) ‘…helped Micah”

ULM has announced that capacity for Saturday’s home opener against Texas State will be at 25-percent. Also, no tailgating will be allowed and no pregame Warhawk Walk through Pecan Grove.

The Big 10 has announced they will play football in the fall, starting with the weekend of October 24th. Each school will reportedly play an eight-game schedule in eight weeks so the Big 10 title game can be played on December 19th.

9:30 LRN Newscast September 16

The Louisiana Economic Outlook report shows the state will lose 105-thousand jobs in 2020 as a result of COVID-19 impacts on the economy. LSU Economist Loren Scott says it will take until 2022, before the state recovers 90-percent of the jobs that are lost. Scott says the recovery will be slow, because oil prices will only rise to 49 dollars a barrel by 2022…
cut 8 (10) “….2023”

Bar owners are suffering as most of them are not allowed to re-open based on Louisiana’s coronavirus pandemic restrictions. Lane Clark owns the Junkyard Bar in Monroe and says it’s not fair…
cut 6 (04) “….drinking”
Clark tried to open his bar yesterday and A-T-C officials arrived 25 minutes later and revoked his license.

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System launches a program designed to help those who are unemployed due to the pandemic. LCTCS President Monty Sullivan says the Reboot Your Career program aims to train no less than 5000 individuals by June 30th.
Cut 13 (07) “…of their families.”
Training will be for in-demand jobs such as industrial technology, healthcare, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, and information technology. For more information go to the L-C-T-C-S website.

Kenner Police is looking for 31-year-old Elder Paz-Perez. Commander of Criminal Investigations Michael Cunningham says Paz-Perez is one of three people accused of raping a 10-year-old girl after she locked herself in the bathroom in an effort to protect herself…
cut 12 (09) “…track him down”
Raul and Wilmer Paz-Perez have already been arrested for their roles in the alleged assault.

8:30 LRN Newscast

An LSU economist predicts it will take at least two years to recover 90 percent of the jobs lost due to COVID-19. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

The LSU AgCenter estimates Hurricane Laura caused 525-million dollars in damage to Louisiana farmers and one-point-one billion dollars to the Louisiana timber industry. In comparison, agricultural losses from hurricanes Rita and Katrina totaled one-point-five billion dollars.

The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control revoked the license of a Monroe bar after the establishment opened in defiance of the state’s Phase 3 COVID order. The owner of the Junkyard Bar, Lane Clark, says he opened his doors at 3 PM and 25 minutes later A-T-C officials arrived…
cut 5 (10) “…came in”
Clark says he had to open his doors or else he’ll have to shut down for good.

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System launches a program that will train those who have lost their job during the pandemic. L-C-T-C-S President Monty Sullivan says money from the federal CARES Act will help pay for the training and they hope to train at least five-thousand individuals by June 30th for a high wage job that’s in demand…
cut 15 (11) “….in Louisiana’s people”
For more information on the Reboot Your Career program go to the l-c-t-c-s website.

7:30 LRN Newscast September 16

A bar in Monroe attempts to open against the Governor’s order that has most bars closed in the state and is shut down 25 minutes into service. Matt Doyle spoke with the owner of the Junkyard Bar…
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Hurricane Sally made landfall as a Category Two storm over Gulf Shores, Alabama this morning. The National Hurricane Center is currently monitoring three hurricanes across the Atlantic Basin. There’s also a medium chance of a tropical wave developing over the southern Gulf of Mexico.

The Louisiana Economic Outlook estimates the state will lose 105-thousand jobs as a result of the COVID-19 impacts on the economy. According to the report, it’s the worst downturn the state has experienced since the early 1980s. The New Orleans area has been hit the hardest, losing 37-thousand jobs. The Lake Charles region is the second worst-hit region with seven-thousand jobs lost. But LSU Economist Loren Scott says the region will see higher than expected growth because of Hurricane Laura recovery…
cut 9 (08) “…everything”

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System has started a short-term training program to help workers who are unemployed because of COVID-19. L-C-T-C-S President Monty Sullivan says the training programs will be aimed at no more than 12 weeks in length…
cut 14 (07) “…go to work”
More information can be found at L-C-T-C-S-dot-edu.

6:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU Football Coach Ed Orgeron said during a zoom press conference that most of the team’s players have tested positive for the coronavirus. We know of an initial outbreak when the team reported to campus in June for workouts and Orgeron says the team had several players in quarantine a couple of weeks ago…
Cut 29 (07) “…adjusted very well”
LSU’s first game is a week from Saturday against Mississippi State and Orgeron says he’s told players who have not been infected to be careful, so they are eligible to play.

After starting three games at left tackle last season, former Ferriday star Dare Rosenthal is ready to be the full-time starter on the o-line. Orgeron says he saw Rosenthal really gain confidence last December…
cut 18 (27) “….draft pick”

The NFL Network reports Saints All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas could miss several weeks with a high ankle sprain and last year’s NFL Offensive Player of the Year is a candidate to go on I-R. But ESPN’s Mike Triplett says Thomas is not convinced he’ll miss Monday’s game against the Raiders.

After a historic win on the road at Iowa State, the 19th ranked Ragin Cajuns begin Sun Belt Play this Saturday at Georgia State. After going 2-and-10 in 2018, the Panthers were 7-and-6 last season. U-L Lafayette Coach Billy Napier says G-S-U Coach Shawn Elliot is building a good program…
cut 19 (25) “…coming back”
The Cajuns are 17-point favorites.

6:30 LRN Newscast September 16

The Louisiana Economic Outlook estimates by 2022 Louisiana will have recovered only 90 percent of the 105-thousand jobs lost during the coronavirus pandemic. LSU Economist Dr. Loren Scott says the recovery will be more of a Nike Swoosh than a V…
Cut 7 (07) “…back up”
The forecast calls for the state to recover 72-thousand jobs in 2021 and another 21-thousand in 2022.

The Kenner Police Department says they’ve arrested two men and they are searching for a third for allegedly raping a child under the age of 13 who had locked herself in the bathroom. Michael Cunningham with Kenner P-D…
cut 10 (11) “…sexually assaulted her”
Brothers Raul and Wilmer Paz-Perez, both 35 have been arrested, while 31-year-old Elder Paz-Perez is wanted.

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System launches the Reboot Your Career program designed to help those who may be unemployed due to the pandemic get training for a high-wage, high-demand gig. Kevin Barnhart has more
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.”