Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

12.08.25
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10:30 LRN Newscast

Operation Catahoula Crunch has New Orleans on edge. Jeanne Burns reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

LSU Health Shreveport’s School of Health Professionals and Sciences is launching a Doctor of Physical Therapy program in Lafayette. Department Chair, Dr. Daniel Flowers says interviews are happening soon.

Cut 9 (10)  “…three Mays later.”

After winning the American Conference, the Tulane Green Wave go word they will travel to Oxford, Mississippi, to face the sixth-seeded Ole Miss Rebels in the first round of the college football playoffs. This is not the first time they’ll play at Vaught Hemmingway Stadium this season – on September 20th, Ole Miss pounded Tulane, 45-10. Head Coach Jon Sumrall says things will be different four months later.

Cut 5 (06) “…a better game.”

The game will be played Saturday, December 20th; kickoff is at 2:30.

The biggest rodeo ever is coming to Louisiana as the Hondo Rodeo Fest will make its New Orleans debut at the Caesars Superdome April 10 to 12, 2026.  Co-Founder Blake Cody says the Hondo Rodeo Fest is a three-day premium rodeo competition with a one-million-dollar prize purse.

Cut 13 (07)  “…for the fans.”

The rodeo takes place during the day and at night big-name musical performers take the stage.

12.08.25
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6:45 LRN Sportscast

Tulane is in the College Football Playoffs and they will face a familiar opponent in the opening round when the Green Wave visits the Lane Kiffin-less Ole Miss Rebels on December 20th in Oxford.

The two teams met at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 20th, and the Rebels ran Tulane out of the stadium, winning 45-10. Green Wave Coach Jon Sumrall says things will be different four months later…

Cut 5 (06) “…a better game”

The winner of this game will play Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on January 1st.

LSU football is headed back to the Texas Bowl, where they’ll play the 21st ranked Houston Cougars. Houston is 9-3 and 6-3 in the Big 12. The Tigers beat Baylor in the Texas Bowl last year.

Louisiana Tech is in the Independence Bowl and will play future Sun Belt opponent Coastal Carolina on December 30th in Shreveport.

The Ragin Cajuns will play Delaware in Mobile on December 17th.

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The Saints avenged a bad loss to the Buccaneers six weeks ago, flipping the script and beating them in Tampa, 24-20, yesterday. Head Coach Kellen Moore says despite being eliminated from playoff contention a week ago, the team put forth a great effort to earn its third win of the season.

Cut 16 (17) “…with the win.”

Saints rookie Q-B Tyler Shough completed 13 of 20 passes for only 144 yards and had one of his passes picked off. However, he also rushed for 55 yards and scored two of the Saints’ three TDs; the other was scored by Devin Neal.

LSU men’s basketball suffered its first loss, losing to 19th-ranked Texas Tech 82-58. The fifth-ranked LSU Lady Tigers dribbled past the UNO Privateers 126 to 62. LSU is 10-and-0.

12.05.25
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4:45 LRN Sportscast

Tonight is the semifinals of the high school football playoffs and there are several big games in the Monroe area. Top-seeded Ruston, who is looking to get to the Superdome for the fourth consecutive season will host Zachary in a rematch of the 2023 Division one non-select state title game.

The other semifinal game in that bracket is Neville versus Ouachita Parish. The Tigers beat the Lions by one point in week eight of the season. Sterlington hosts St James in a rematch of last year’s Division three non-select state title game won by the Panthers.

At Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, Tulane hosts North Texas in the American Athletic Conference Championship game. The winner will get a spot in the 12-team college football playoff. Green Wave Coach Jon Sumrall is looking for a big game from his 22-year-old quarterback Jake Retzlaff…

Cut 17 (09) “…big deal”

Kick off is at 7 PM.

LSU has announced football season ticket costs will remain the same for 2026. The LSU Board of Supervisors approved a price increase for season tickets, but after the bad loss to Texas A&M, Governor Jeff Landry said the board should rethink that vote and they did.

Four months after being blind-sided by the resignation of its athletic director, ULM has its new man. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

St. Thomas More High School Quarterback Cole Bergeron has signed with Georgia Tech.

12.05.25
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3:30 LRN Newscast

A 13-year-old is facing a second-degree murder charge after allegedly fatally shooting a 21-year-old family member in Leesville. Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft says the shooting happened overnight (Friday morning) in the midst of a verbal argument…

Cut 09 (11) “..21-year-old”

The victim has been identified as Kavin Simmons Junior. The juvenile was taken into custody at the scene without incident.

A reward of 35-hundred dollars is being offered for anyone  that provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who fatally shot a black bear in Concordia Parish last weekend.

Cut 13 (08) “…offering a thousand”

That’s LDWF Sergeant Cole Cupip who says the fatally shot black bear was found in the Richard V Yancy Wildlife Management Area.

 

Louisiana’s largest ever marsh creation project is completed. Don Molino reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Don Molino.”

The nation’s number one high school prospect in the Class of 2026 has signed with LSU. Lamar Brown from University High School in Baton Rouge turned in his paperwork on the final day of the early signing period. Brown is expected to play on the defensive line. Yesterday LSU officially signed the nation’s highest rated defensive tackle, Richard Anderson, from Edna Karr High School.

12.05.25
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1:30 LRN Newscast

This week the ribbon was cut on the state’s largest marsh creation project. It’s taken three years to re-create 27-hundred acres of marsh near Shell Beach in Lake Borne….

Cut 4 (06) “…three times over”

That’s executive director of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Michael Hare, who says this project can help limit storm surge into he greater New Orleans area and it should bring more ducks to the area.

Netflix has announced a deal to buy Warner Brothers and HBO. Host of the Tech Gumbo podcast, Haggai Davis, says this 72-billion dollar acquisition will likely result in a price hike for Netflix subscribers…

Cut 8 (10) “…dollars a month”

The deal still needs regulatory approval, and the Trump administration reportedly looks at this acquisition with heavy skepticism.

 

A 13-year-old accused of killing a 21-year-old family member during a verbal dispute in Leesville is in a juvenile detention facility in Alexandria. Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft says it will be up to district attorney Terry Lambright to determine if the 13-year-old will be charged as an adult…

Cut 11 (09) “…of the subject”

The victim has been identified as 21-year-old Kavin Simmons.

A reward of 35-hundred dollars is being offered for anyone  that provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who fatally shot a black bear in Concordia Parish last weekend.

Cut 13 (08) “…offering a thousand”

That’s LDWF Sergeant Cole Cupip who says the fatally shot black bear was found in the Richard V Yancy Wildlife Management Area.

12.05.25
by

11:30 LRN Newscast

A 13-year-old is facing a second-degree murder charge after allegedly fatally shooting a 21-year-old family member in Leesville. Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft says the shooting happened overnight (Friday morning) in the midst of a verbal argument…

Cut 09 (11) “..21-year-old”

The victim has been identified as Kavin Simmons Junior. The juvenile was taken into custody at the scene without incident.

Netflix has announced that it has purchased Warner Brothers. Haggai Davis, the host of the radio show TechGumbo, says with that purchase, Netflix is also acquiring HBO and the streaming service HBO Max.

Cut 6 (09) “…’Stranger Things’ shows.”

Davis says Netflix subscribers can expect a price hike after the acquisition is completed in the second half of next year.

Four months after being blind-sided by the resignation of its athletic director, ULM has its new man. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

LSU could lose defensive coordinator Blake Baker. Baker is reportedly poised to be the next head coach at Tulane. Former LSU and La Tech assistant Joe Sloan will reportedly be the new offensive coordinator at Kentucky.

12.05.25
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11:40 LRN Sportscast

Number-21 Tulane hosts number-24 North Texas tonight in the American Conference Championship game, with the winner likely gaining an invitation to the College Football Playoff. The Mean Green come into the matchup with the top offense in the nation, averaging over 46 points a game. Green Wave Head coach Jon Sumrall has confidence his defense can slow them down…

Cut 16 (06) “…end for sure.”

Two huge matchups in New Orleans highlight tonight’s semifinal action on the select side of the high school football playoffs. Top-seeded Edna Karr, ranked eighth in the country by MaxPreps, will host fourth-seeded Catholic. The Cougars beat the Bears in the semis by two points last year, and the LHSAA Network’s Spencer Verrett expects another close game.

Cut 13 (10)  “…in this one”

There are big games in Monroe tonight on the non-select side as Ruston hosts Zachary, Ouachita Parish is at Neville and St. James visits Sterlington.

 

The fifth ranked LSU women’s basketball team fell behind 17 to 3 at Duke last night but stormed back and ended up winning comfortably 93 to 77. The Lady Tigers had six players score in double figures led by Senior Flau’jae Johnson who had 18 points, five rebounds and three assists. Jada Richard from Opelousas had six points on the night…

Cut 22 (10) “…do whatever we want”

LSU is at UNO on Sunday afternoon.

In recruiting news…Four-star edge rusher Trenton Henderson has signed with LSU. Auburn and Florida State made a strong push to sign Henderson, who is ranked as the seventh best player in Florida according to 24-7 sports.

 

LSU could lose defensive coordinator Blake Baker. Baker is reportedly poised to be the next head coach at Tulane. Former LSU and La Tech assistant Joe Sloan will reportedly be the new offensive coordinator at Kentucky.

12.05.25
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10:30 LRN Newscast

The massive Lake Borgne Marsh Creation Project in St. Bernard Parish is finished. Michael Hare, the executive director of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, says the five-year construction project restored 31-hundred acres of marsh along the lake’s south shore.

Cut 3 (11) “…New Orleans area.”

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System has named a new president. Revenue Secretary Richard Nelson will take the helm at the beginning of the year. He says with all the economic development projects happening in the state, it’s now more important than ever to have people trained to do the jobs associated with them. That’s where the LCTC schools come in.

Cut 8 (11) “…to do that.”

 

Two huge matchups in New Orleans highlight tonight’s semifinal action on the select side of the high school football playoffs. Catholic is at Edna Karr and John Curtis faces St. Augustine. The LHSAA Network’s Spencer Verrett says the Patriots are playing their best football of the season right now…

Cut 14 (11) “…fun to watch.”

There are big games in Monroe tonight on the non-select side as Ruston hosts Zachary, Ouachita Parish is at Neville and St. James visits Sterlington.

Speaking of Monroe, SJ Touhy is the new athletics director at ULM. This is Touhy’s first A-D job. He comes to Monroe after serving as Deputy Athletic Director of Development at Oral Roberts. Touhy says he chose ULM because it has a strong foundation to build on….

Cut 12 (07) :,,,build and grow”

Touhy says the key to winning in Monroe is winning the margins, He says they have to be better at small decisions about how the state is stewarding its money.

12.05.25
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6:45 LRN Sportscast

For the first time this season, the fifth-ranked LSU women’s basketball team did not score 100 points, but the Lady Tigers still improved to 9-0 after beating Duke 93-77. Flau’jae Johnson had 18 points as LSU shot 60 percent from the field.

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker is reportedly set to become the next head coach at Tulane. Former LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan has reportedly been hired as the new O-C at Kentucky. And Billy Napier is headed back to the Sun Belt as he is expected to be named as the new head coach at James Madison.

ULM introduced 32-year-old S-J Touhy as its new athletics director.

Cut 10 (09) “…eligibility rules anymore.”

 

Two huge matchups in New Orleans highlight tonight’s semifinal action on the select side of the high school football playoffs. Catholic is at Edna Karr and John Curtis faces St. Augustine. The LHSAA Network’s Spencer Verrett says the Patriots are playing their best football of the season right now…

Cut 14 (11) “…fun to watch.”

Today is the final day of the early signing period. LSU has already signed the top offensive lineman in the state, Brysten Martinez from East Ascension High School. Texas pushed hard for Martinez, but Martinez says LSU hiring Lane Kiffin sealed the deal for him…

Cut 18 (09) “…with LSU already.”

Veteran linebacker DeMario Davis is the Saints candidate for the Walter Payton Man of the Year.

12.04.25
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11:40 LRN Sportscast

On3.com ranks LSU’s 2026 recruiting class as the tenth best in the country. The Tigers have 16 commitments and ten players have officially signed including Lafayette Christian Academy wide receiver Brayden Allen…

Cut 17 (11) “…over here”

As of now, LSU does not have a quarterback in its high school recruiting class. They were trying to flip one of the top prep quarterbacks in the country. But Landon Duckworth from Alabama will sign with South Carolina this afternoon.

ULM signed 20 players yesterday, many of them are junior college players, including Christian Johnson a quarterback from Hutchinson Community College.

McNeese’s recruiting class is ranked as the best in the Southland Conference, it includes a three-star quarterback from Texas,  Brady Barrier.

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Tomorrow it’s the semifinals of the high school football playoffs. Sixteen teams will advance to next week’s state championship games in the Superdome. There is a rematch tomorrow night of a state title game from year ago as St. James will visit Sterlington. The Panthers beat the Wildcats by a touchdown last year in the Division 3 non-select state title game. The LHSAA Network’s Spencer Verrett expects another close game…

Cut 14 (09) “…a crazy matchup”

Crazy game for the LSU men’s basketball team last night as they nearly blew a double digit lead on the road versus Boston College, but rallied at the end to tie it at regulation and the Tigers won it in overtime 78-69. LSU did not miss a shot in overtime, three for three from the field, one for one from three point territory and ten for ten from the free throw line.  LSU is 8-0.