Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

03.11.25
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8:30 LRN Newscast

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says property insurance reforms in Louisiana are working. Temple says since the legislature passed his package of property insurance reform bills last year, rates are starting to trend in the right direction.

Cut 10 (09) “…overall reinsurance market.”

Temple says this year the state has approved seven rate decreases from residential insurers. That is more than what was approved between 2022 to 2024. Also, the Louisiana Department of Insurance has licensed ten new homeowners insurers since the 2024 legislative session.

Funeral Services for Former Louisiana First Lady Alice Foster will be at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Franklin tomorrow at noon. Alice Foster passed away last Thursday at the age of 84. She was married to former two-term Governor Mike Foster for 40 years. Governor Foster’s Press Secretary Marsanne Golsby…

Cut 21 (06) “…nerves of steel.”

One lucky crawfish will be treated like royalty as he will have his life spared this morning. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

The Ragin Cajuns have a new men’s basketball coach. New Orleans native Quannas White, who is currently the associate head coach at Houston, will take over the U-L Lafayette men’s basketball program. The Advocate’s Kevin Foote says White has strong local ties……

Cut 13 (09) “…at St. Aug…

03.11.25
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7:30 LRN Newscast

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says there are signs that the state’s property insurance market is improving. In the 2024 legislative session, lawmakers approved several property insurance reforms and Temple says since that time, the Department of Insurance has licensed ten new homeowners’ insurers. Temple believes more competition will help bring down rates. He says in the first two months of 2025, the state has approved seven rate decreases from residential insurers, all between four and 11 percent. He says that is more than the state approved for the calendar years of 2024, 2023 and 2022 combined. Temple says the reforms approved last year are also working faster than what Florida did…

Cut 11 (08) “…seeing the impact”

This year lawmakers are expected to look at auto insurance reform, in particular trying to lower rates for commercial auto insurance.

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser will pardon a crawfish today. This is the ninth year he has taken part in the ritual as part of an unofficial kickoff to crawfish season in Louisiana.

Cut 4 (12) “…here in Louisiana.”

The pardon will take place at Pat’s Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant in Henderson and the lucky crawfish that will be spared has been named Pat Huval, the former mayor Henderson who died in 2018.

New Orleans native Quannas White, the current associate head coach at the University of Houston, has been named the new head coach of the  U-L Lafayette men’s basketball team

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

03.11.25
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6:45 LRN Sportscast

The Saints are bringing back defensive end Chase Young. New Orleans has signed the 25-year-old pass rusher to a three-year, 51-million dollar contract. 33 million dollars is guaranteed. Young signed a one-year deal with New Orleans last offseason and appeared in all 17 games and had five and a half sacks. But he ranked sixth in pressures according to Next Gen Stats.

The Saints have lost cornerback Paulson Adebo, who signed a free agent contract with the New York Giants. Meanwhile, New Orleans has traded for former LSU standout Davon Godchaux, who will play nose tackle in the Saints 3-4 front.

And Saints Coach Kellen Moore talked about hiring Bo Davis away from LSU as New Orleans defensive line coach…

Cut 20 (21) “…for us”

The Ragin Cajuns have hired a new men’s basketball coach. New Orleans native Quannas White, who is currently an associate head coach at Houston will take on the job of trying to rebuild the U-L Lafayette men’s basketball program. Kevin Foote covers Ragin Cajuns athletics for the Advocate and says athletics director Bryan Maggard did well in this coaching search…

Cut 14 (10) “…great hire”

White will be officially introduced next Monday.

We saw some March Madness at the Southland Conference men’s basketball tournament last night. Jon Sanders three pointer with 17 seconds left gave Northwestern State a 66 to 63 win over Texas A-and-M Corpus Christi. The Demons advance to play McNeese tonight in the semifinals.

Nicholls also advanced to the semifinals with a 74 to 70 overtime win over Incarnate Word. The Colonels will play Lamar tonight.

03.11.25
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6:30 LRN Newscast

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says property insurance reforms are working. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission is moving forward with plans to expand the black bear hunting season. Last December, the state had its first season in decades and the commission has approved a notice to raise the number of bear tags from 11 to 26 and allow bear hunting for a large portion of south Louisiana. Ten bears were legally killed by 11 residents last December.

The lease for the temporary housing facility in New Orleans’ Gentilly neighborhood that housed homeless people during the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras expires today, but it will remain open for now. Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness spokesperson, Mike Steele, says the peak population at the center was 183 and it’s now down to 78 and they’ve used this opportunity to help some find permanent housing…

Cut 9 (12)  “…to self-vacate.”

Lt. Governor Billy Nungessser and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board is holding its ninth annual pardoning of the crawfish at Pat’s Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant in Henderson today. Nungesser says the pardoned crawfish will not be boiled this crawfish season and will be given the name of restaurant’s founder and namesake…

Cut 5 (07) “….Wharf and Restaurant”

Nungesser says the pardoned crawfish’s family, on the other hand, won’t be as lucky. Nungesser says they will be boiled alive.

03.10.25
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4:45 LRN Sportscast

D-1 baseball has the Tigers still ranked number one after the Tigers completed a sweep of North Alabama to run their winning streak to eleven games. LSU won 11 to five yesterday as Josh Pearson hit a grand slam. Chase Shores was the winning pitcher, as he allowed two runs in five innings. Shores gave up nine hits, but Coach Jay Johnson says Shores was able to limit the damage…

Cut 19 (18) “…a way out”

The Saints have acquired former LSU star Davon Godchaux in a trade with the Patriots. New Orleans sent a seventh round pick to New England for the 30-year-old. Godhaux should help with the Saints’ run defense.

But the Saints are losing cornerback Paulson Adebo, who has signed a free agent deal with the New York Giants.

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One of the state’s winningest high school football coaches has passed away. Red Franklin won 365 games and 11 state championships during his 35 years as the head coach of the Haynesville Golden Tornado. His son, David Franklin, says his father started coaching at Haynesville in 1966, took a small school in Webster Parish, and made it a powerhouse…

Cut 17 (20) “…and parents”

Franklin retired in 2002 and he was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

The Ragin Cajuns have a new men’s basketball coach. 44-year-old Quannas White is a New Orleans native and has spent the last eight years as an assistant coach at Houston. He’ll be formally introduced next Monday.

03.10.25
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11:40 LRN Sportscast

LSU remains ranked number one in the D-1 baseball poll after sweeping North Alabama. The Tigers won their eleventh straight yesterday, an 11 to five win over the Lions. LSU scored six runs in the sixth inning highlighted by senior Josh Pearson’s first career grand slam…

Cut 20 (07) “…put a good swing on it”

LSU will host Xavier on Tuesday and then SEC play starts with a series against Missouri.

A former LSU standout has been traded to the Saints. Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux should help improve the Saints’ run defense. New Orleans has reportedly sent a seventh-round pick in 2026 to New England to acquire Godchaux. The 30-year-old from Plaquemine was a durable player in New England and has 250 tackles and 5.5 sacks during his NFL career.

And legendary high school football coach Red Franklin has passed away at the age of 89. Franklin guided Haynesville to 11 football state championships.

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The Ragin Cajuns have hired a New Orleans native as their new head men’s basketball coach. Quannas White has been an assistant at Houston for the last eight years and the associate head coach for the last two years. He’ll be formally introduced on Monday.

 

The LSU women’s basketball team has the next couple of weeks off and they can use it. Flau’Jae Johnson did not compete in the SEC Tournament because of a shin injury and Aneesah Morrow left Saturday night’s loss to Texas with an ankle injury. Mikaylah Williams had 11 points in the 56-49 defeat to the Longhorns and feels like she let her team down…

Cut 18 (10) “….of a leader”

LSU will learn of its seed in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night.

 

At the Southland Men’s basketball tournament in Lake Charles, Southeastern Louisiana was eliminated with a 71 to 67 loss to UIW yesterday. Tonight, Northwestern state hosts A-and-M Corpus Christi and Nicholls hosts UIW.

03.08.25
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07:30 LRN Sportscast

The number one ranked LSU baseball team hit six home runs on their way to a 13 to 2 run rule victory over North Alabama. Daniel Dickinson hit his fifth home run. Steven Milam hit his third home run. Luis Hernandez and Tanner Reaves each hit their first home runs. John and Josh Pearson also homered. Kade Anderson allowed one run over six innings and fanned eleven. Because of the potential for rain late in the day, today’s game will start at noon.

It was a wild game last night in Lafayette as 21st ranked Dallas Baptist scored three runs in the ninth to take a five to three lead, only to see the Ragin Cajuns strike back for three runs in the bottom of the ninth for a six to five win over the Patriots. Luke Yuhasz’s two run double was the game-winning hit.

Louisiana Tech led six to nothing heading into the ninth inning and had to hold on to a six to five win over South Alabama.

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Today is the start of spring practice for LSU and Kyle Williams is expected to be on the practice field as the Tigers new defensive line coach. According to the Advocate, Williams will make 700-thousand dollars this year, 775-thousand dollars next year and 850-thousand dollars in the final year of his three year contract.

The LSU women’s basketball team defeated Florida 101 to 87 in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament. The 101 points are the most by an LSU team in the SEC Tournament Aneesah Morrow had 36 points and 14 rebounds. LSU will play Texas in the semifinals.

At the girls high school basketball tournament, Fairview won its 16th state championship, Lafayette Christian its fifth in a row, Wossman won its fourth in a row, Simpson its first since 2001 and Lakeview won its first ever state championship by beating Arcadia 38 to 34.

03.07.25
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4:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU football begins spring practice tomorrow, and former LSU All-American defensive tackle Kyle Williams is expected to be coaching the defensive line. Williams will be LSU’s sixth different defensive line coach in the last six seasons. And his former teammate, Marlon Favorite, hopes Williams can bring stability…

Cut 14 (12) “…for awhile.”

This is Williams’ first job as a college coach. But he was a successful defensive coordinator at Ruston High after a 13 year career in the NFL with the Bills.

Number one ranked LSU baseball, who is 13-and-1 on the season, will host North Alabama for a three game series tonight. It’s the final non-conference weekend series for the Tigers. Kade Anderson starts on the hill for LSU. The Lions of North Alabama are just three and eight on the season.

The Ragin Cajuns host 21st ranked Dallas Baptist this weekend.

LSU women’s basketball plays its first game in the SEC Tournament tonight as the Lady Tigers will take on Florida. LSU is a projected two seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament and LSU radio color analyst Shaeeta Williams says the Tigers will likely need to win at least one game to remain a two-seed…

Cut 18 (13) “….three seed (3x)”

And LSU is resting FlauJae Johnson for the NCAA Tournament.

Louisiana Tech men’s basketball had a disappointing game last night losing to New Mexico State 67 to 55. Coach Talvin Hester says his team needs to show more fight…

Cut 16 (09) “…really fast”

The Bulldogs conclude the regular season tomorrow when they host U-TEP at 2 PM.

03.07.25
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LRN PM Newscall March 7

A Doyline couple is facing 72 counts of aggravated animal cruelty after finding a dozen dogs abandoned on a rural road and many more living in rough conditions at the husband and wife’s home.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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One suspect in the hazing-related death of a Southern University student has turned himself in, and others are expected to follow suit. 23-year-old Caleb McCray is charged with manslaughter and felony hazing. Andrew Greenstein has more.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A Doyline couple faces 72 counts of aggravated animal cruelty after deputies linked them to the abandonment of over 12 dogs on a rural road. 68-year-old Alan Crowley and 58-year-old Kimberly Crowley were arrested at their mobile home, where authorities found approximately 60 more dogs living in inhumane conditions. Some were confined in overcrowded cages without food or water. Sheriff Jason Parker says they were selling the dogs online without a license…

Cut 3 (12) “…as a breeder” 

The abandoned dogs were captured and taken to a veterinarian before being placed with a rescue group. Deputies ensured the remaining animals at Crowley’s home received food and water, with LaMa Rescue stepping in to assist. Parker says it’s a bad situation.

Cut 4 (15) “…goats, lanb”

Parker says the dogs are in the process of getting check and then hopefully adopted by loving families…

Cut 5 (09) “…new homes.”

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Baton Rouge Police gave an update on the death of Southern University student Caleb Wilson. Chief Thomas Morse says the 20-year-old student and Human Jukebox member died of repeated punches to the chest while pledging to the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, and one suspect is under arrest.

Cut 6 (10) “…hazing and manslaughter.”

Morse says criminal charges are forthcoming against several additional fraternity members. Southern University President Dennis Shields says the Baton Rouge campus chapter of Omega Psi Phi is ordered to cease all activities, and other fraternities on campus are also affected.

Cut 7 (10) “…the academic year.”

Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards implored the school – and the city – to do better.

Cut 8 (09) “…make better decisions.”

McCray’s attorney, Dr. Phillip Robinson, says he has not seen evidence strong enough to support the charges against his client.

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The good news – it’s crawfish season. The bad news – it’s crawfish theft season. And crawfish harvesters are working diligently to prevent thieves from making off with their hauls. Paul Zaunbrecher, a crawfish farmer in Acadia Parish, says the best way to stop crawfish theft is not to leave their sacks unattended.

Cut 9 (09)  “…they’re put down.”

Zaunbrecher says another way to accomplish this is to use some strategy in the order of how they catch their crawfish.

Cut 10 (14) “…behind the truck.”

Some sophisticated crawfish thieves will steal the crawfish from the traps during overnight hours. Zaunbrecher says drastic situations call for drastic measures.

Cut 11 (07) “…running the trap.”

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LSU football has hired a familiar name to be their new defensive line coach. Former All-American defensive tackle for the Tigers Kyle Williams will replace Bo Davis, who left last week to be a part of the new coaching staff with the Saints. Williams college teammate, Marlon Favorite, is excited about the hire…

Cut 12 (07) “…Kyle Williams..easy.”

Williams was an all-American in 2005 and played on the Tigers 2003 national championship team. He went on to play 13 seasons with the Buffalo Bills in the NFL. Williams was Ruston High’s defensive coordinator from 2020 to 2024 and Favorite believes Williams can coach on the college level…

Cut 13 (10)  “…right technique.”

Williams will be LSU’s sixth different defensive line coach in the last six seasons. Favorite hopes Williams can bring stability…

Cut 14 (12) “…for awhile.”

LSU begins spring football on Saturday.

03.07.25
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11:40 LRN Sportscast

Former star LSU defensive tackle Klye Williams has reportedly been hired as the Tigers new defensive line coach. Williams was an all-American player for the Tigers in 2005, played on the 03 national championship team and went on to play 13 seasons with the Buffalo Bills in the NFL. Williams was Ruston High’s defensive coordinator from 2020 to 2024 and his former teammate at LSU, Marlon Favorite, says Williams can certainly coach on the college level…

Cut 13 (10) “…right technique”

Spring football beings tomorrow for the Tigers and Williams is expected to be on the practice field and overseeing defensive line drills.

Dennis Skains is leaving Cecilia after leading the Bulldogs to a state championship last December. Skains is taking an assistant head coaching job at East Ascension.

 

LSU’s most experienced pitcher will not pitch this weekend in the series against North Alabama. Gavin Guidry continues to nurse a mid-body injury and Coach Jay Johnson hopes Guidry can be ready for SEC play which starts next week.

Cut 20 (16) “….have all pitches”

First pitch against North Alabama is at 6:30.

Louisiana Tech will host South Alabama for a weekend series starting at 4 PM. The Ragin Cajuns will host 21st ranked Dallas Baptist. U-L Lafayette is 6-and-7 on the year. ULM will attempt to snap a four-game losing streak when the Warhawks host UT Arlington.

McNeese is at Houston Christian. Both teams are 3-and-0 in league play and Northwestern State hosts U-I-W.