Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

11.30.18
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4:45 LRN Sportscast November 30

All good things must come to an end and the Saints 10-game winning streak ended last night with a 13-10 loss to Dallas. New Orleans was held to 176 total yards of offense as Quarterback Drew Brees was under duress for much of the game
Cut 3 (12) “we are doing”
Brees threw for just 39 yards in the first half and ended up with 127 yards passing.

The Saints also no longer own the top record in the NFC. That belongs to the one-loss Los Angeles Rams who are in Detroit this Sunday.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said today he was very disappointed by the postgame scuffle that occurred following LSU’s seven overtime loss to Texas A-and-M on Saturday, but he’ll leave it up to the two schools to hand down any discipline. On Sunday, the Tigers will find out their bowl destination. There’s a good chance it will be the Fiesta Bowl.

Can Nicholls keep its season going? They will face Eastern Washington tomorrow in the second round of the F-C-S playoffs. The Colonels have won five in a row and they’ve been jumping on their opponents right off the bat. Coach Tim Rebowe says strong starts have been a focus this year, but against this kind of opponent, they’ll need to keep their foot on the pedal…
cut 17 (15) “….slugfest”
Kick-off is at 4 Pm on Saturday.

At 11 A-M, the Ragin Cajuns face Appalachian State in the inaugural Sun Belt Championship game. The Mountaineers beat UL Lafayette by 10 points earlier this season.

In the high school football playoffs…top seeded Karr hosts Neville in Four-A tonight. These two schools have won 16 state championships between them. The Cougars are two-time defending champs.

11.30.18
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LRN PM Newscall November 30

A Louisiana school that produced viral videos showing its students receiving acceptance letters to prestigious universities is now accused of falsifying transcripts. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Americans for Prosperity launches an anti-gas tax campaign on Saturday with ads on social media and gas station video screens…

Cut 2 (30) “Im Matt Doyle”  

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All good things must come to an end and the Saints 10-game winning streak ended last night with a 13-10 loss to Dallas. New Orleans was held to 176 total yards of offense as Quarterback Drew Brees was under duress for much of the game

Cut 3 (12) “we are doing”

Brees threw for just 39 yards in the first half and ended up with 127 yards passing. New Orleans couldn’t get its run game going as Alvin Kamara was held to 36 yards rushing, while Mark Ingram had just 27 yards on the ground. Coach Sean Payton says not enough success on first down, led to a long night…

Cut 4 (10) “in this game″

The officials missed an obvious targeting penalty when Dallas linebacker Jaylon Smith made helmet-to-helmet contact on Alvin Kamara. Instead of punting, the Saints should have received a first down on a critical drive in the fourth quarter. Payton was asked about the hit in the postgame

Cut 5 (11)  “…do enough” 

The Saints record falls to 10-2 and they slip to second in the NFC.

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A federal judge has ordered $34.8 million in restitution from the owner of Explo Systems, a military contractor hired to demilitarize artillery charges at Camp Minden in Webster Parish, in a case stemming from a huge munitions blast in 2012 due to illegal dumping of the materials.  US Attorney David Joseph says it was a difficult case to clean up.

Cut 6 (12) “…at Camp Minden.”

Explo Systems, who went bankrupt in 2013 had an $8.7 million contract for the job.  In addition to the restitution, David Alan Smith, owner of the company was sentenced to just shy of five years in prison, with four others in the company receiving sentences of between 2 to 5 years behind bars.  Joseph says he’s happy with the outcome.

Cut 7 (07) “…was done here.”

Joseph says the state has already been reimbursed for the cost it incurred from the case, so the restitution would be going toward the military.

Cut 8 (03) “…is currently due.”

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A Koch brother’s backed conservative advocacy group will begin airing anti-gas tax ads on social media and at gas station video screens across the state this weekend ahead of next year’s legislative session that may include a push to raise the tax to pay for road projects. Americans for Prosperity State Director John Kay says it’s no time for another tax.

Cut 9 (10) “you can”

Last year. infrastructure advocates attempted to pass a 17 cent gas tax that would have raised half a billion dollars a year to pay for infrastructure. Kay says that kind of price hike on an everyday item would hurt.

Cut 10 (07)   “…Louisiana”

Those advocates say they’re considering a six-cent gas tax increase next legislative session, with two cent hikes every other year after that.

Louisianans pay 38.4 cents per gallon in gas taxes total, 20 of which is state gas tax, one of the lowest totals in the nation. Kay says that’s something to be lauded, and that makes up for the state’s higher than normal sales tax rate.

Cut 11 (08) “…bad thing”

Pennsylvania leads the nation in state gas tax rates at 58.7 cents a gallon.

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Holiday traditions and events around the Bayou State are becoming quite the draw for visitors.  Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says as the state continues to promote staycations in Louisiana, it’s a great time to take the family around the state to take in some of the great celebrations.

Cut 12 (11)   “…parade on Saturday.”

Nungesser says Louisiana is more often becoming the place where families congregate for the holiday festivities.

Cut 13 (11) “…all over Louisiana.”

Nungesser highlights the Nachitoches Chrismas Festival, which is in its 92nd year in 2018, as the one of the state’s staple Christmas celebrations.

Cut 14 (11) “…lights and celebration.”

Other events this weekend include Christmas in the Park in Bogalusa, Winter Fete in Alexandria, there’s a Christmas Parade in Jeanerette on Sunday and there’s the always popular Celebration in the Oaks in New Orleans.

11.30.18
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2:30 LRN Newscast

Americans for Prosperity launches an anti-gas tax campaign on Saturday with ads on social media and gas station video screens…
Cut 2 (30) “Im Matt Doyle”

Shreveport Police are looking for one or more people who fired gunshots at a five-year-old boy and a man and a woman who arrived at a location to sell a puppy. Authorities say the child was shot once, while the adults were shot multiple times. The gunshot wounds to the three individuals are not considered life threatening. A motive for the shooting has not been established. The puppy was not hit by gunfire.

It was a really frustrating night for the Black and Gold as the Saints were held to 176 yards of total offense in a 13-10 loss to Dallas. Quarterback Drew Brees threw for just 39 yards in the first half and ended up with 127 yards passing. Coach Sean Payton says not enough success on first down, led to a long night…
cut 4 (10) “…in this game”
The loss ends the Saints 10-game winning streak and they drop to second place in the NFC as the Rams now own the best record in the league.

With no Saints or LSU game this weekend, it’s an excellent opportunity for Louisiana residents to check out one of the many weekend holiday festivals that are planned. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says these festivals are helping to attract out of state visitors, especially those who have loved ones in the Bayou State….
cut 13 (11) “…over Louisiana”
The Natchitoches Christmas Festival begins tomorrow, there’s also winter fete in Alexandria and Christmas in the Park in Bogalusa.

11.30.18
by

11:40 LRN Sportscast

It was a really frustrating night for the Black and Gold as the Saints were held to 176 yards of total offense in a 13-10 loss to Dallas. Quarterback Drew Brees threw for just 39 yards in the first half and ended up with 127 yards passing. Alvin Kamara was held to 36 yards rushing, while Mark Ingram had just 27 yards on the ground. Coach Sean Payton says not enough success on first down, led to a long night…
cut 4 (10) “…in this game”
The loss ends the Saints 10-game winning streak and they drop to second place in the NFC Standings as the Rams now own the best record in the league.

The Ragin Cajuns and Southern are gearing up to play conference championship games on Saturday. UL Lafayette is at Appalachian State, while the Jaugars will face Alcorn State.

The Colonels take a five-game winning streak to Eastern Washington on Saturday for a second round F-C-S playoff game against The Eagles from the Big Sky Conference. Nicholls Coach Tim Rebowe says he’s bringing a confident team to the Pacific Northwest…
cut 18 (17) “…arrogance'”
Kick-off is at 4 PM.

Tonight it’s the semi-finals of the high school playoffs on the non-select side. In Class One-A…top-seeded Oak Grove hosts West St. John, while third seeded Kentwood makes the long trip to Haynesville. In Two-A, top seeded Many hosts defending champion Welsh and second-seeded Amite hosts Ferriday. You can watch that game on Cox Sports Television.

11.30.18
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9:30 LRN Newscast November 30

Donald Trump’s approval rating in Louisiana took a big jump this year, thanks to swelling support from his base…
Voicer 3 (31) “…Matt Doyle”

Congress has approved legislation that extends the National Flood Insurance Program for another week. It was set to expire today. Louisiana’s senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy are pushing for a six-month extension, so they can come back in the next Congress and approve a long-term deal for the program that billions of dollars in debt.

Good news for the estimated 25-thousand motorists who use the Sunshine Bridge in St. James Parish, as two-lanes will re-open tomorrow. The bridge was closed last month for repairs after a crane barge hit the structure. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says this comes after crews have been working around the clock on repairs…
Cut 7 (06) “…main cords replaced.”
Mallett says the bridge will not fully re-open until January.

Louisiana is under the threat of severe weather today, especially for those north of Interstate 20. National Weather Service Shreveport Meteorologist Brandi Richardson says an upper-level trough will push rain into the area during the daylight hours.
Cut 13 (12) “…north of there.”

And don’t forget tomorrow is the last day to early vote in the December 8th runoff election that features the Secretary of State’s race.

11.30.18
by

8:30 LRN Newscast November 30

All good things must come to an end and the Saints 10-game winning streak ended last night with a 13-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. New Orleans was held to 176 total yards of offense as Quarterback Drew Brees was under duress for much of the game…
cut 3 (12) “…what we were doing”
The Saints record falls to 10-2 and they now have the second best record in the NFC.

A new statewide poll shows President Donald Trump’s approval rating in Louisiana has increased by seven-percent over the last year and now a clear majority of voters support him. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says 2018 featured big issues important to white conservative voters which dominate the state’s electorate….
cut 10 (10) “…55% popular”
On the flip side, 86-percent of black voters gave Trump a negative rating.

A more active hurricane season than predicted comes to an end today with 15 named storms, two of the them developed into major hurricanes that caused wide spread damage in the Carolinas and Florida, plus killing dozens. Forecasters were anticipating a near normal season, which means a dozen named storms, but Colorado State Hurricane Forecast Researcher Doctor Phil Klotzbach says vertical wind shear never really developed in the eastern and central tropical Atlantic…
cut 6 (10) “…a hurricane”

There’s the potential for severe weather today, especially for the northern third of the state. Brandi Richardson with the National Weather Service in Shreveport says an upper level trough is making its way towards Louisiana and there’s a cold front behind this weather system…
cut 14 (07) “…force those thunderstorms”
There’s also slight chance for severe weather in southeast Louisiana.

11.30.18
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7:30 LRN Newscast November 30

A new statewide poll shows President Donald Trump’s approval rating in Louisiana has increased from 48-percent to 55-percent over the last year. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says over a quarter of the voters surveyed say Mr Trump is doing an excellent job…
cut 11 (07) “…percent”
Pinsonat says Senator John Kennedy’s overall positive job rating is 61-percent, while Governor Edwards approval rating fell from 65 to 60-percent.

The state department of transportation plans to open two lanes of traffic on the Sunshine Bridge in St. James Parish tomorrow. The structure has been closed for seven weeks after it was hit by a crane barge. Department of Transportation spokesperson Rodney Mallett says a main weight-supporting beam known as a chord has been replaced, which allows for two lanes of traffic, each going one way…
cut 8 (05) “…of feet”
25-thousand vehicles once used the bridge on a daily basis.

Today marks the end of a hurricane season that researchers under-predicted when it comes to the number of storms produced.
Cut 1 (32) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Louisiana is under the threat of severe weather today, especially for those north of Interstate 20. National Weather Service Shreveport Meteorologist Brandi Richardson says an upper-level trough will push rain into the area during the daylight hours.
Cut 13 (12) “…north of there.”

11.30.18
by

6:30 LRN Newscast November 30

Today marks the final day fo the 2018 hurricane season, a season that was more active than predicted. Colorado State hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach says their final prediction before the season started called for 14 named storms and six hurricanes…
cut 4 (10) “…actually has three”
The 2018 season will be remembered for two destructive storms, Hurricane Florence and Michael, each causing over a billion dollars worth of damage.

There’s a chance for severe weather today in Louisiana, especially for the northern third of the state. Brandi Richardson, with the National Weather Service, says southeast Louisiana could also see some severe storms…
cut 15 (08) “…prepare for it”
Richardson says the main threat of severe storms will occur later in the afternoon and tonight possibly into the overnight hours.

Disappointing night in the Big D for the Black and Gold as the Saints 10-game win streak ended last night with a 13-10 defeat to the Cowboys. New Orleans explosive offense was held to 176 yards, the fewest yards produced in the game for New Orleans since 2001. And the Saints no longer own the top seed in the NFC.

After being closed to repair damages sustained from a collision with a crane last month, the Sunshine Bridge in St. James Parish will be partially reopening to traffic tomorrow, but it comes with some restrictions. Kevin Barnhart has the story…
voicer 2 (21) “…Kevin Barnhart”

11.30.18
by

LRN AM Newscall November 30 ###Correction to text of Cut 13###

Today marks the end of a hurricane season that now researchers are now saying they initially under-predicted.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (32) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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After being closed to repair damages sustained from a collision with a crane last month, the Sunshine Bridge in St. James Parish will be partially reopening to traffic tomorrow, but it comes with some restrictions.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (21) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

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Donald Trump’s approval rating in Louisiana took a big jump this year, thanks to swelling support from his base…

Cut 3 (30) “…Matt Doyle”

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Today marks the final day of the 2018 hurricane season, a season that was initially forecasted to be below average.  Even though Louisiana was spared of the impact of any major weather event, other coastal areas in the US were not so lucky.  Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach, lead author of the forecast says they under-predicted the slightly above average season.

Cut 4 (10) “actually has 3.″

While the season only saw two major hurricanes, Klotzbach says both brought devastation to the areas they made landfall with Hurricane Florence having a death toll of 53 and Hurricane Michael with 43 and counting.

Cut 5 (07) “…of Florida respectively.”

Klotzbach says regardless of the forecast, it’s important for coastal residents to always be prepared during hurricane season.

Cut 6 (05) “…saw this year.”

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Good news for the thousands of motorists who use the Sunshine Bridge in St. James Parish. The bridge was closed last month for repairs after a barge hit the structure, but after testing and inspections, it will be partially reopened tomorrow. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says this comes after crews have been working around the clock on repairs.

Cut 7 (06) “…main cords replaced.”

Mallett insists the bridge is safe, but there will be some restrictions for drivers.

Cut 8 (05) “…of 11 feet.”

Mallett says with only one lane in each direction opening, drivers can still expect some delays.

Cut 9 (05) “…a lot of people.”

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President Donald Trump’s approval is up to a clear majority of voters in Louisiana in a new poll from Bernie Pinsonat. Pinsonat says 2018 has featured a few big signature wins for causes close to white heart for white conservative voters that dominate the state’s electorate.

Cut 10 (10)   “…55% popular.”

Trump sports a 70 percent approval rating in total from white voters in Louisiana.

The poll also surveyed voter’s opinions on Senator John Kennedy and Governor Edwards. While Trump’s overall approval rating was lower than both of theirs, the percentage of voters who give him the best possible rating beats out the two Bayou State heavyweights.

Cut 11 (07) “…percent.”

Kennedy had the next highest excellent rating at 24 percent.

As popular as the President is with Louisiana white voters, he’s even less popular with black voters who make up nearly a third of the population. Those voters almost universally dislike Trump, with 86 percent disapproving of his job, Pinsonat says politically that may not matter…

Cut 12 (07)   “his corner.”

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Louisiana is under the threat of severe weather, especially for those north of Interstate 20.  National Weather Service Shreveport Meteorologist Brandi Richardson says an upper-level trough will push rain into the area during the daylight hours.

Cut 13 (12) “…north of there.” 

Richardson says the weather pattern will also bring a cold front into the area.

Cut 14 (07) “…force those thunderstorms.”

Richardson says when it comes to severe weather in for those south of I-20, it’s important for residents to be prepared as well.

Cut 15 (08) “…prepare for it.”

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Nichols is looking to keep their dream season alive, fresh off a 49-30 win over San Diego in the first round of the FCS playoffs. Up next they’ll take on Eastern Washington on Saturday up in Cheney Washington. The Eagles are averaging 60 points in their last three games and only lost 2 all years. Colonel’s Coach Tim Rebowe says they’re not to be underestimated.

Cut 16 (16) “…and them”

Eastern Washington QB Eric Barriere scored six total touchdowns in the Eagles last game, a 74-23 win over Portland State.

But Nichols has been impressive themselves, averaging 27 points scored in the first halves of their last three games while only letting in 10 total points from opponents over that same period. Rebow says strong starts have been a focus this year, but against this kind of opponent, they’ll need to keep their foot on the pedal…

Cut 17 (15) “slugfest”

Rebow says his team isn’t intimidated by their deep run in the FCS playoffs, and are looking forward to cracking the elite eight with a running game that’s trampled opponents this year.

Cut 18 (17)   arrogance“

11.29.18
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15:30 LRN Newscast November 29

Tangipahoa Sheriff Daniel Edwards says the infant whose remains were found in a garbage truck yesterday was likely a stillborn. Edwards says detectives are still trying to find the boy’s mother to make sure she’s ok…
cut 14 (11) “…infections”
Edwards says the baby weighed about three pounds and it was not in the thrash very long. He says the coroner confirms the child was a stillborn, the mother would likely not face any charges.

The son of south Louisiana serial killer Derrick Todd Lee faces a negligent homicide charge in the shooting death of a 16-year-old East Feliciana High School student. East Feliciana Sheriff Jeff Travis says investigators reported in the warrant that Lee was remorseful for killing his friend…
Cut 7 (06) “…he was.” (2x)
Investigators say 19-year-old Dedrick Lee was playing with a gun when it went off in a home in Clinton.

Senator John Kennedy leads Governor John Bel Edwards in a poll that looks ahead to a potential 2019 run-off election for governor…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The Edwards re-election campaign will likely attack Kennedy for running for governor, only a couple of years into his first term in the Senate. But ULM Political science professor Joshua Stockley says…
cut 5 (09) “…position”
A decision from Kennedy is expected Monday.