10:30 LRN Newscast

The state Attorney General’s office announces the arrest of five Louisiana residents for Medicaid welfare fraud. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

The Caddo Parish D-A’s office says a former employee at the Caddo Parish Animal Shelter has admitted to encouraging a coworker to have a sex with a dog. 43-year-old Booker Thomas of Shreveport pleaded guilty to acting as principal in a crime against nature. Thomas was sentenced to three years in prison.

The third seeded LSU Tigers are headed to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after beating Yale 79-74. The Tigers had a shaky second half, but interim head coach Tony Benford says those things will happen…
cut 11 (10) “…good run”
LSU will now play Maryland in the second round. Early tip time from Jacksonville, 11:10 central time.

Presently, state law limits the total amount of bottles of wine that can be shipped to a home to 144 bottles that do not exceed 750 ml per bottle. But a proposed law to be debated in the upcoming session would remove the limit on how big a bottle you can have delivered, while keeping the total volume of booze the same. Senator Jack Donahue says says the current law impedes on those that collect wine as a hobby.
Cut 14 (07) “…large format bottles.”
Donahue’s bill will discussed by legislators next month.

6:45 LRN Sportscast

The third seeded LSU Tigers are on their way to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after beating Yale 79-74. The Tigers led by 16 points at halftime and withstood a good run from the Bulldogs in the second half. LSU also had a bad second half against Florida in the SEC Tournament, but interim head coach Tony Benford says concerns about the team’s second half woes are overstated…
cut 11 (10) “…good run”
LSU will play Maryland on Saturday in Jacksonville. The Terrapins beat Belmont 79-77 in a back and forth game. Maryland is 23-10 on the season and their top player is six-foot junior guard Anthony Cowan, who is averaging 16 points a game.

ULM beat Kent State 87-77 to reach the second round of the C-I-T tournament. Travis Munnings led the way with 28 points. The Warhawks second round opponent is to be determined.

The Saints have reportedly signed defensive back and returner Marcus Sherels, who has spent all eight of his seasons in the NFL with the Vikings. Sherels is the all-time leader in Vikings history for punt returns for touchdowns. He averaged 12 yards a punt return last season.

7th ranked LSU baseball begins a weekend series against 5th ranked Georgia tonight. Coach Paul Mainieri says tonight’s game against the 19-and-2 Bulldogs begins a difficult stretch for the Tigers…
paul 1 (10) “….few notches”
LSU will face a pitcher tonight, sophomore Emerson Hancocks, who has an ERA of 0.58 in five starts. After this series, the Tigers will host McNeese on Tuesday and then go back on the road next weekend to visit second ranked Mississippi State.

Also this weekend, the Ragin Cajuns host Appalachian State, ULM is at Texas State, Louisiana Tech visits Middle Tennessee, S-L-U hosts Abilene Christian, Incarnate Word is at McNeese, Lamar takes on Northwestern and Corpus Christi travels to Nicholls.

12:30 LRN Newscast March 21

Two people in a suspected stolen car died when it crashed into a New Orleans beauty shop last night which sparked a three-alarm fire. NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson says officers tried to stop the car, but the vehicle sped away…
cut 7 (09) “….traffic stop”
Ferguson says a few moments later the vehicle crashed into the beauty salon. Several other people were injured, including a woman in the building who was badly burned.

The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s office has charged 42-year-old Heather Hidalgo with first-degree murder of her 18-month daughter, who reportedly had a fatal range for an adult of methadone and other drugs in her system. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Casey Raborn Hicks…
cut 12 (08) “…pregnancy”

The Louisiana Oil and Gas Association is addressing the energy industry’s challenges and opportunities at its annual meeting in Lake Charles. Matt Doyle has the story.
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

A study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute finds that East Carroll is the unhealthiest parish in the nation. Morehouse Parish came in second. Cameron and Ascension Parish are the healthiest.

LSU leads Yale 45-29 at halftime in their first round NCAA Tournament game.

10:30 LRN Newscast March 21

According to research from staffing firm Robert Half, 72% of managers say work environments that include March Madness activities improve employee morale. New Orleans senior recruiting manager Carrie Lewis says when in moderation, there are definite potential benefits to group activities tied to the college basketball games…
Cut 4 (11) “…their favorite school.”
Many workers will take an extended lunch break today to watch LSU take on Yale in the NCAA Tournament. The game gets underway at 11:40.

Governor Edwards applauds LSU’s decision to give head football coach Ed Orgeron a two-year contract extension that includes a 14-percent raise to boost his salary to four million dollars a year…
cut 9 (09) “…..foundation”
Edwards made the comments on his monthly talk show.

A Baton Rouge mom has been charged with murder after authorities say she admitted to giving her toddler various drugs on a daily basis for months. East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s office spokesperson Casey Raborn Hicks says the toxicology report on 42-year-old Heather Hidalgo’s 18-month-old child had disturbing results…
cut 11 (11) “…system”
Hicks says Hidalgo said she was trying to comfort the child.

It’s the first full day of spring and state climatologist Barry Keim says the long-term forecast calls for a wetter and warmer spring for the Gulf South. State Climatologist Barry Keim says that prediction means good and bad news….
cut 15 (10) “….and other cattle”
But rain chances will be very low through the weekend as this run of nice weather continues.

8:30 LRN Newscast March 21

LSU basketball faces Yale at 11:40 today in the NCAA Tournament. Governor Edwards agrees with the decision to suspend Will Wade after the coach was reportedly caught on an FBI wiretap discussing improper payments to a recruit…
cut 8 (11) “…questions”
But Edwards says he does not echo a statement from former Board of Regents Chairman Richard Lipsey, who said that both LSU President F. King Alexander and Atheltics Director Joe Alleva should be fired.

New Orleans police say two people were killed when a vehicle smashed into a beauty salon last night in the Broadmoor neighborhood setting off a three-alarm fire. Authorities say the two people that died were in the vehicle. A woman rescued from the building suffered serious burns. Authorities say they believe the vehicle was stolen and accelerated after officers tried to stop the car.

Research from staffing firm Robert Half indicates March Madness activities can be beneficial in the workplace. Jeff Palermo has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Today is the first full day of spring. So what can we expect from the weather for the next few months? State Climatologist Barry Keim… .
Cut 13 (06) “…conditions for Louisiana.”
Keim says we’re currently in a weak El Nino which has the tendency to produce thunderstorm activity off the Texas coast near Houston and thunderstorms usually drift over Louisiana.

6:45 LRN Sportscast

Third seeded LSU looks to avoid the upset as it faces 14th seeded Yale at 11:40 this morning in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Twenty-one 14 seeds have defeated three seeds since 1985. Tigers interim head coach Tony Benford says the Bulldogs have their attention…
Cut 16 (20) “the same”
The Bulldogs shoot 50-percent from the field, which is the sixth best mark in Division One Basketball.

Grambling and UNO were both knocked out of the College Insider-dot-com tournament. A lay up failed to go down at the buzzer for the Tigers and they lost to Texas Rio Grande Valley 74-73. While Texas Southern topped UNO in overtime 95-89. ULM hosts Kent State tonight at Fant-Ewing.

A lot of drama in last night’s LSU baseball game between the Tigers and Nicholls Colonels. Nicholls first baseman Adam Tarver hit a home run off Todd Peterson in the ninth inning to give the Colonels a four to three lead. It was Tarver’s second home run of the game, but a two-out RBI double by Chris Reid tied the game. Daniel Cabrera had an RBI double in the 10th as the Tigers won their fifth straight game 5 to 4 in 10 innings.

Tulane topped the Ragin Cajuns seven to three. Green Wave right fielder Hudson Haskin homered and drove in four runs. Southeastern Louisiana downed Alcorn State 13 to 3. Preston Faulkner, Kyle Schimpf and Evan Pace homered for the Lions and South Alabama downed UNO 22-7.

NBA…the Orlando Magic made the Pelicans disappear as New Orleans lost 119 to 96. Elfrid Payton’s streak of five straight triple-doubles ended as he only had seven points, two assists and three rebounds.

16:45 LRN Sportscast

The LSU Board of Supervisors athletic committee has approved a two-year contract extension for Coach Ed Orgeron and the Louisiana native is getting a 14-percent raise, which means he’ll make four-million dollars a year. Athletic Director Joe Alleva says Orgeron can earn even more money…
cut 13 (12) “…500,000 dollars”
On his monthly call-in show, Governor Edwards called Orgeron’s four-million dollar salary a bargain. He also said he’s not prepared to comment on former Board of Regents Chairman Richard Lispey’s demand that Alleva and LSU President F King Alexander should be fired over the handling of the Will Wade situation.

Tonight in baseball…Nicholls is at seventh ranked LSU. The Ragin Cajuns visit Tulane and the Pelicans are at the Orlando Magic.

The LSU men’s basketball team had a brief workout today at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville. That’s where the Tigers will face Yale tomorrow at 11:40 in a first round matchup of the NCAA Tournament. Interim head coach Tony Benford likes the look of his team after the early exit in the SEC Tournament…
cut 20 (16) “…tomorrow”
Guard Skylar Mays says even though the Tigers didn’t win a game in the SEC Tournament, they remain confident heading into the Big Dance…
cut 18 (13) “…we play”
LSU is at 7.5 point favorite.

3:30 LRN Newscast March 20

The LSU Board of Supervisors approves a two-year contract extension that contains a 500-thousand dollar raise for head football coach Ed Orgeron. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The Associated Press reports Governor Edwards will ask lawmakers in the upcoming session to increase funding for higher education by 19-million dollars. About a third of that money would be for TOPS and the governor’s plan also calls for three-million dollars to help pay for resources for students who take classes online, such as electronic textbooks.

A state parks official says a sign in front of a popular state owned plantation that said slaves were well taken-care of and happy has been taken down. It’s unclear how long the sign was posted at the Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville. Southern University Political Science Professor Albert Samuels says unfortunately plantations tend to downplay slavery, and instead play up the pageantry of the property owners.
Cut 4 (13) “…the focus″
About 850 people were enslaved there before the Civil War.

There’s devastating flooding in the Midwest, but Danielle Manning with the National Weather Service says they are not expecting any significant flooding in the lower Mississippi River Valley as a result of flooding upstream. But she says it’s still important to keep an eye on river levels…
cut 8 (08) “…effect the river”

LRN PM Newscall March 20

Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville has removed an exhibit sign describing the slaves who lived there as “happy”. Matt Doyle talked to a Southern University professor about the controversy…

Cut 1 (29) “I’m Matt Doyle”

____________________________

The LSU Board of Supervisors approves a two-year contract extension that contains a 500-thousand dollar raise for head football coach Ed Orgeron. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

_____________________________________________

The Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville is under fire for an exhibit sign that described the slaves who powered the plantation as “happy.” A state parks official says the sign has been removed and admits it was in poor taste. Southern University Political Science Professor Albert Samuels says he’s not surprised by the sign

Cut 3 (10) “…was”

The sign also mentioned that the shacks lived in by slaves were “prettily built”, had a “natural musical instinct”, and that they were “well taken care of”.

Samuels says southern historic venues tend to downplay the terror of slavery, and instead play up the pageantry of those who built their wealth and power on the backs of those chained on their property.

Cut 4 (13) “…the focus″

About 850 people were enslaved at Rosedown, and the site has become the most visited historic location in Louisiana, hosting 28,251 visitors last fiscal year.

The Professor says after the confederacy fell, a coordinated propaganda campaign was established to rehabilitate the Rebel’s image, which is why flippant accounts of slavery like the one at Rosedown are so common at southern landmarks.

Cut 5 (11)  “the war.”

The controversial quotes were pulled from the book “Rosedown” by Sarah Bowman.

____________________

Flooding in the Midwest has many concerned about how those draining flood waters could impact the already very high Mississippi River levels. National Weather Service Slidell meteorologist Danielle Manning says those flood waters from the Missouri River basin shouldn’t be a threat.

Cut 6 (10) “…come down significantly.”

Manning says that water does have to pass through the Mississippi River on the way to the Gulf of Mexico, but what kind of impact will it have?

Cut 7 (09) “…start rising again.”

Manning says it’s always a good idea to keep up with what’s going on with rainfall forecasts with river levels this high.

Cut 8 (08) “…effect the river.”

_____________________

St. Martin Parish sheriff deputies arrest a Broussard mother after she allegedly left her two children, ages 1 and 5, unattended in an unlocked, running vehicle at a truck stop casino for about an hour and a half while she played video poker inside.  Major Ginny Higgins says thankfully the kids were not harmed….

Cut 9 (07) “…were in there.”

37-year-old Tara Jackson is facing two counts of child desertion.

Although the weather was favorable yesterday, Higgins says sometimes there is a misconception that temps need to be in the 80s or 90s for something to happen to someone in a vehicle.

Cut 10 (09)“…in a vehicle.”

The Good Samaritan law states that someone can bust open a window in an effort to save a child or animal trapped in a car, but Higgins says the person who spotted the children did the right thing by not taking that action because the doors were unlocked.

Cut 11 (08)   “…save their lives.”

___________________________

The LSU Board of Supervisors has approved an extension and pay raise for football coach Ed Orgeron. Athletics Director Joe Alleva appeared at today’s meeting and said Orgeron is deserving of a 500-thousand dollar raise…

Cut 12 (10) “…extremely well.”

Orgeron’s new contract runs through 2023 and his annual salary is four million dollars, the ninth highest in the SEC. Alleva says Orgeron can earn even more money…

Cut 13 (12) “…500,000 dollars”

Oreron led the Tigers to 10-3 season last year and a win over U-C-F in the Fiesta Bowl. LSU is expected to be a preseason Top 10 team heading into 2019.

Cut 14 (10) “…three years ago”

2:30 LRN Newscast March 20

Rosedown Plantation in St. Francisville has removed an exhibit sign describing the slaves who lived there as “happy”. Matt Doyle talked to a Southern University professor about the controversy…
Voicer 1 (29) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Four employees at the Louisiana Special Education Center in Alexandria who were under a police investigation are back at work. The state department of education says they were notified by the Rapides parish District Attorney’s office that allegations of serious infractions involving residents were unfounded.

The LSU Board of Supervisors has approved an extension and pay raise for football coach Ed Orgeron. Athletics Director Joe Alleva appeared at today’s meeting and said Orgeron is deserving of a 500-thousand dollar raise…
Cut 12 (10) “…extremely well.”
Orgeron’s new contract runs through 2023 and his annual salary is four million dollars, the ninth highest in the SEC.

The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s office says 37-year-old Tara Jackson of Broussard left her two small children in an unlocked vehicle for about an hour and half while she gambled at a video poker truck stop in St. Martinville. Major Ginny Higgins says the children are okay, but something bad could happened in the kids, even if it’s not terribly hot outside…
cut 10 (09) “…in a vehicle”
Jackson has been charged with two counts of child desertion.