Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

04.21.20
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4:45 LRN Sportscast April 21

Ragin Cajuns Athletics Director Bryan Maggard tells the Advocate that he hopes they can find a way to play 12 regular-season college football games with fans in the stands, even if that means pushing the start of the season to October and November.

LSU Football Coach Ed Orgeron held a zoom call with reporters today and he’s hopeful his team will be in camp in August…
cut 29 (29) “…get ready”
Orgeron says he’s ready to go and joked he’s been watching too much television.

There’s big news today involving the Independence Bowl…
cut 30 (17) “…Independence Bowl”
Radiance Technologies is an employee-owned small business owner based in Huntsville, Alabama. The company serves the Department of Defense, national intelligence community and other government agencies in the areas of cybersecurity, systems engineering, and integration.

The Saints have never drafted an LSU player in the first round. That could change this year as five former Tigers could be selected in the opening round. Coach Ed Orgeron says he would love to see it…
cut 28 (14) “…doing it here”
Some draft analysts have former LSU linebacker Patrick Queen going to the Saints with the 24th pick.

04.21.20
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LRN PM Newscall April 21

The Louisiana Department of Education is asking childcare providers impacted by the economic shutdown to apply for a piece of a 10 million dollar federal award. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

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The Pastor of Life Tabernacle Church who continues to hold large church services was arrested at the Central Police Department after he allegedly tried to run over a protestor Sunday. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington” 

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The Louisiana Department of Education will award nearly 10 million dollars to childcare providers who are hurting for cash during the coronavirus shutdown.

Assistant State Superintendent Jessica Baghian says only about 30 percent of childcare centers are still open, and even the ones still open are bleeding cash.

Cut 3 (08)  “…and it happens.”  

A report indicates child care providers have already experienced a 1.7 million dollar loss in revenue since the shutdown began.

Applicants must complete an assistance form by Thursday, and the money is expected to be disbursed in early May. Baghian says it’s a vital injection of funds.

Cut 4 (12)_ “…have to take.”

One-third of providers say they’ll have to close permanently if the state remains shutdown, and Baghian says we can’t afford to lose them.

Cut 5 (11)  “…of making payroll.”

The money comes courtesy of the congressionally passed CARES Act.

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Defiant Pastor Tony Spell was arrested today for allegedly backing a church bus into the direction of a protester on Sunday. Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran says Spell wanted to be arrested at his church this morning following a press conference, but he was handcuffed at the Central Police Department instead.

Cut 6 (11) “…to here”

Spell was booked in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for aggravated assault, improper backing, plus two outstanding bench warrants. He was released a short time later on bond. Spell’s attorney Joe Long says the pastor was only going to confront the protestor not run him over.

Cut 7 (12) “drove off”

When questioned if today’s arrest would deter Spell from holding large services as opposed to live stream, Corcoran wasn’t sure.

Cut 8 (09) “…President’s order”

Long says the Life Tabernacle Church plans to hold services tonight as usual. Police say the number of people attending the services has declined lately. Spell already faces six misdemeanor counts for violating the governor’s order regarding crowd sizes.

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Congressman Garret Graves is optimistic Congress will approve additional funding for a program designed to help small businesses maintain payroll.

The 350 billion dollar program ran out of cash just 13 days after it began dispersing money earlier this month, and Graves says now many businesses can’t access the funds.

Cut 9 (08) “trials.″

The program offers forgivable loans to companies with fewer than 500 employees who spend 75 percent of their loan allotment on payroll. Graves says it was highly popular.

Cut 10 (05) “…day.”

Qualifying businesses received a loan worth 2.5 times their average monthly payroll from 2019.

Graves says the program has bipartisan support but it’s being held up by politicians who want to tie it to pet projects.

Cut 11 (09) “…new trial”

Graves says if the program isn’t replenished by the end of the month then everyone in Congress should be thrown out.

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A survey of crawfish producers shows the decreased demand for their crop has pummeled the industry at a time when producers usually make their most money. LSU AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry says a dip in demand has resulted in lost income of about $500 per acre.

Cut 12 (07) “…farm gate value.”

The survey findings are being used to showcase the pandemic’s impact on the industry to the US Department of Agriculture and Louisiana congressional delegation.

The normal crawfish production season starts near the end of December and will go through the middle of June, but Guidry says some producers have already pulled the plug on their season or will end it by the first week of May because of prices falling below their breakeven point.

Cut 13 (11) “…of market outlet.”

Guidry says producers who hired foreign labor to bring in the catch are still on the hook to pay those workers for a guaranteed amount of a full season’s work due to contractual obligations.

Cut 14 (07) “…pay for that.”

A total of 67 producers responded to the survey, representing more than 10% of the acres in the state.

04.21.20
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11:40 LRN Sportscast

Big news for the Independence Bowl as they have reached an agreement with Radiance Technologies who will serve as the title sponsor for the football game for the next five years. Radiance Technologies is a contractor that provides cybersecurity, systems engineering and integration to the Department of Defense, national intelligence community and other government agencies.

Saints Coach Sean Payton has donated his plasma so that it can be used to treat hospital patients who are trying to fight off COVID-19. Payton tested positive for the coronavirus on March 19th and suffered from a low-grade fever, body aches, and chills. He never had respiratory symptoms. Some doctors are using convalescent plasma to treat coronavirus patients because their antibodies in the plasma can help fight off the virus.

ESPN reports the NFL tested its virtual draft on Monday and there was a minor hiccup at the start, but everything went smoothly after a two-and-a-half minute delay.

LSU men’s basketball coach Will Wade said on the LSU Sports Radio Network they are only one more big body away from being an elite team next season. The Tigers have signed seven new players, including five-star shooting guard Cam Thomas and UCLA transfer Shareef O’ Neal, the son of former LSU great Shaquille O’ Neal. Wade says starting forwards Trendon Watford and Darius Days have put their names in the draft, but can return. Wade says they have a pretty good idea of what they will do.

Tim Floyd told ESPN Radio in Baton Rouge the Chicago Bulls were interested in hiring him as their head coach after Michael Jordan and Company just completed a record 72-win regular season and the franchise’s fourth NBA championship. Floyd eventually became the Bulls head coach after Chicago completed its second three-peat.

In a memorandum to baseball operations employees around the game, commissioner Rob Manfred said he fully anticipates baseball will return this summer, but difficult to say when they’ll resume the season.

04.21.20
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9:30 LRN Newscast April 21

Many Louisiana residents are anxious to see if the governor will begin to re-open parts of the economy on May 1st. His current stay at home order expires April 30th. Governor Edwards says he will use certain benchmarks, one being that Louisiana has the capacity to test 140-to-150-thousand people a month…
cut 12 (10) :…in place”
Edwards says there also needs to be a two-week window where there is a downward trajectory in the numbers of people with COVID-19 symptoms.

The state department of education has found all 69 school districts are offering continuous education, even though schools are closed. D-O-E spokesperson Sydni Dunn…
cut 8 (12) “…other online platforms”
Dunn says their survey found about 32-percent of school systems are connecting with students every day, but 28-percent of students do not have access to a computer.

Louisiana’s COVID-19 death toll has reached 1,328 and that includes the head warden and medical director at the Raymond Laborde Correctional Center in Avoyelles Parish. Corrections officials say Sandy McCain served as head warden for the past four years and battled COVID-19 for nearly a month. The center’s medical director Doctor Casey McVea also passed away.

In northwest Louisiana, 3-D printing is helping to increase the number of COVID-19 tests…
cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

04.21.20
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8:30 LRN Newscast April 21

House Republican Caucus Chairman Blake Miguez has asked the governor to reopen the state’s economy on a parish-by-parish basis, starting on May 1st. Miguez says a long-term statewide shutdown is not sustainable…
cut 13 (09) “….detrimental”
But Governor Edwards says a re-opening of the economy will occur once the state meets certain thresholds that the White House has laid out. He says Louisiana needs to have a two-week window where there is a downward trajectory in the numbers of people with COVID-19 symptoms, which includes known cases and hospitalizations…
cut 11 (09) “…stay at home”
The governor’s current stay at home order lasts until April 30th.

LSU Health Shreveport is using a 3D printer to produce nasal swabs for its COVID-19 testing lab. Molecular and cellular physiology professor Doctor Steven Alexander says the goal is to produce about a thousand swabs a day…
cut 5 (06) “….324 day”
Doctor Alexander says once they produce enough for their own lab, they plan to share with other hospitals in their area.

The state department of education has conducted a survey that has found all 69 school districts are offering some level of continuous education. But state department of education spokesperson Sydni Dunn says they also found 28-percent of students do not have access to a computer and one out of four students are also not getting feedback on the work they are doing…
cut 9 (12) “…on both”

04.21.20
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7:30 LRN Newscast

Chairman of Louisiana’s House delegation Blake Miguez is encouraging Governor John Bel Edwards to reopen businesses on May 1st under the guidelines provided by the White House…
Cut 10 (10) “owners”
But Edwards says the state has yet to meet the thresholds under White House guidelines that would allow him to re-open businesses after the current stay at home order expires April 30th.

But the Governor is revising his order so that starting on Monday surgical procedures can resume to treat an emergency or time-sensitive medical condition. A surgery can also take place to avoid an underlying health condition from getting worse. But State Health Officer Doctor Jimmy Guidry says not every procedure will be deemed necessary…
cut 14 (10) “…decision”

The state Department of Education releases a survey that finds all 69 public school districts are offering some level of distance education while campuses are closed. But D-O-E spokesperson Sydni Dunn says…
Cut 7 (08) “…in the future.”
The study found that many students and teachers do not have the right technology to maximize learning, 28-percent of students do not have access to a computer.

LSU Health Shreveport is using a three-d printer to produce nasal swabs for COVID-19 test. Molecular and cellular physiology professor Dr. Steven Alexander hopes the extra swab availability will lead to testing of individuals who are not showing any symptoms
Cut 4 (09)_ “…with the COVID-19.”
Alexander hopes they’ll be able to produce a thousand nasal swabs a day by the end of the week.

04.21.20
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6:45 LRN Sportscast

Saints Coach Sean Payton has donated his plasma so that it can be used to treat hospital patients who are trying to fight off COVID-19. Payton tested positive for the coronavirus on March 19th and suffered from a low-grade fever, body aches, and chills. He never had respiratory symptoms. Some doctors are using convalescent plasma to treat coronavirus patients because their antibodies in the plasma can help fight off the virus.

Former Saints tight end Mark Campbell tells WWL radio that he spent 17 days battling COVID-19. He says his condition did not improve until he took a drug that is commonly used to treat malaria.

ESPN reports The N-F-L tested out its virtual draft on Monday and there was a hiccup early, resulted in a two-and-a-half-minute delay for the Bengals to make the first pick. But Broncos president of football operations John Elway says after that delay, the rest of the draft went smooth.

LSU men’s basketball coach Will Wade said on the LSU Sports Radio Network that they are only more big body away from being an elite team next season. The Tigers have signed seven new players, including five-star shooting guard Cam Thomas and UCLA transfer Shareef O’ Neal, the son of former LSU great Shaquille O’ Neal. Wade says starting forwards Trendon Watford and Darius Days have put their names in the draft, but can return. Wade says they have a pretty good idea of what they will do.

Former Riverside standout Jared Bulter has decided to put his name into the NBA draft pool. The six-foot-three, All-Big 12 guard averaged 16 points a game last season for Baylor.

Tim Floyd told ESPN Baton Rouge the Chicago Bulls were interested in hiring him as their head coach after Michael Jordan and Company justed completed a 72-win regular season and the franchise’s fourth NBA championship. Floyd eventually became the Bulls head coach after Chicago completed its second three-peat. But Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman were gone by then.

04.21.20
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6:30 LRN Newscast April 21

Louisiana will allow elective medical procedures to resume next Monday. State Health Officer Doctor Jimmy Guidry says this order covers surgeries that could keep medical conditions from getting worse…
cut 16 (11) “…corona”
Guidry says the state is reviewing what this order will mean for abortions.

The state department of education has found that all 69 school district is offering continuous education, even though schools are closed. D-O-E spokesperson Sydni Dunn…
cut 8 (12) “…other online platforms”
Dunn says their survey found about 32-percent of school systems are connecting with students every day, but 28-percent of students do not have access to a computer.

The Louisiana House GOP Leader and Governor disagree on just how the state should begin to reopen in May. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

04.20.20
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4:45 LRN Sportscast April 20

The N-F-L draft gets underway Thursday and the Saints have the 24th pick in the first round. Many mock drafts have New Orleans selecting Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray. Mike Triplett covers the Black and Gold for ESPN and says Murray and LSU’s Patrick Queen would bring more athleticism to that position…
cut 18 (24) “….the draft”

New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas says they would like to sign former LSU Tiger Jamal Adams to a long term deal, but until that happens they’ll listen to trade offers. The All-Pro safety has two years left on his deal.

The expectation is for Cincinnati to take Joe Burrow with the first pick in Thursday night’s NFL draft. Former NFL great Peyton Manning told ESPN he recently spoke to Burrow and Manning warned Burrow his rookie season could be a rough one, but the future Hall of Famer said he learned a lot while taking those lumps. Manning’s Colts went from 3-and-13 in his rookie season to 13-and-3 the next year.

LSU men’s basketball reportedly receives a commitment from seven-foot center Josh Gray from Connecticut. If he signs, he’ll join an eight-man recruiting class that already features three members that are six-foot-eight or taller. Gray is listed as a three-star prospect who averaged 10 points, nine rebounds, and two blocked shots a game.

The Ragin Cajuns have reportedly received a verbal pledge from six-foot-six guard Devin Butts from Macon, Georgia. He played in six games last season for Mississippi State. He’ll have to sit out next season, unless the NCAA changes its rules to allow for immediate eligibility. A vote on that is expected soon. Butts averaged 28 points a game at Stratford Academy as a senior.

04.20.20
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LRN PM Newscall April 20

Crude oil traded in negative territory today. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

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A survey of Louisiana small businesses finds nearly 60-percent of them are at the risk of closing over the next five months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington” 

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For the first time ever, West Texas Intermediate oil futures traded in the negative today.  Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Gifford Briggs says the energy industry is on the verge of collapse…

Cut 3 (08)  “…and it happens.”  

Briggs says the industry is facing a crisis, with many Louisiana wells planning to shut in 100% of their production due to storage constraints as companies are being told they can’t take delivery in May.

Cut 4 (12)_ “…have to take.”

Briggs believes the biggest element to stabilizing the industry is to get the economy rolling again and says there are relief efforts such as broad-scale royalty relief in the Gulf of Mexico.

Cut 5 (11)  “…of making payroll.”

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Ten years ago today the BP Oil Spill killed 11 rig workers and coated much of the state’s coastline in tar.

Congressman Garrett Graves was the head of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority at the time. He says his first thoughts upon seeing the news were about the lives lost, and the work that had been undone.

Cut 6 (10) “…made”

The Deepwater Horizon well sat about 41 miles off the Louisiana coast drilling in the Macondo Prospect.

The cleanup job was immense, but Graves remembers it was expedited by a one of its kind agreement cut with BP to get projects off the ground in record time…

Cut 7 (10) “down payment”

Along with its financial penalties, BP also plead guilty to 11 counts of manslaughter and felony lying to Congress.

Louisiana received just over eight billion dollars in settlement funds to help restore the coast and billions more in economic damages as a result.

Cut 8 (09) “…states”

The spill pumped 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf.

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The US Supreme Court rules all felony trials must be decided by a unanimous jury verdict, a decision likely to result in dozens of retrials in Louisiana.

In 2018, Louisiana passed a constitutional amendment ending its practice of allowing non-unanimous verdicts, but Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says the amendment was not retroactive…

Cut 9 (08) “trials.″

After the amendment passed Oregon remained the only state not to require unanimous jury verdicts.

There are likely hundreds of people incarcerated in Louisiana due to non-unanimous verdicts whose cases are decided and whose appeals are done. Ciolino says for them…

Cut 10 (05) “…day.”

The decision will likely result in some high-profile retrials. Ciolino says one of those will likely be for Ronald Glasser who was convicted of murdering NFL running back Joe McKnight in 2016.

Cut 11 (09) “…new trial”

The 6-3 ruling came as a result of an appeal by Evangelisto Ramos, who was found guilty of killing a woman in New Orleans in 2014 on a 10-2 vote that he appealed on constitutional grounds.

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A Main Street America survey shows nearly 60-percent of small businesses in the state are in danger of closing permanently due to COVID-19 in the next six months. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is a co-chairman of the Resilient Louisiana Commission which will make recommendations on how to reopen the state’s economy…

Cut 12 (11) “…shops, etc”

Nungesser says while the Mayor of New Orleans has extended its stay at home order to May 16th, but he’s optimistic the rest of the state can reopen businesses sooner and that even Mayor Cantrell might reconsider the extension.

Cut 13 (09) “…make it”

Nungesser encourages Louisianans to have a staycation when they can venture out again and to visit a part of the state they’ve never been to and support the local economy.

Cut 14 (08) “…local restaurant.”