Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

09.10.18
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9:30 LRN Newscast

Today marks the statistical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season and there are three hurricanes forecasters are watching. State Climatologist Barry Keim says sea surface temps are just right in the storm breeding grounds…
Cut 7 (07) “…near September 10th.”
None of the hurricanes are an immediate threat to the Gulf of Mexico, but the National Hurricane Center is monitoring an area in the northwest Caribbean Sea that has a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression in the Gulf later this week.

An announcement from Senator John Kennedy on his intentions to run for governor next year may be coming soon. Kennedy says he’s spoken with consultant Fred Davis
Cut 4 (05) “…the race yet.”
Kennedy says he’s done some polling and 51-percent of respondents say they would vote for him, while 37-percent would vote for Governor John Bel Edwards. Attorney General Jeff Landry and US Representative Ralph Abraham are also considering a campaign.

31-year-old Kayla Coutee faces a charge of second-degree murder after Alexandria Police say she fatally shot her husband in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart on Saturday. Authorities say Coutee and the 30-year-old victim met there to exchange custody of the children. Three children were present and none of them were injured.

For the fifth straight season, the Saints lose their season opener as Tampa Bay came into the Mercedes Benz Superdome and shocked New Orleans 48-40. Bucs journeymen quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had a career passing day with 417 passing yards and four touchdowns, he also rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown. The Saints came into the game as a 9.5 point favorite. Coach Sean Payton agreed with everyone else, the defense played poorly…
Cut 19 (13) “ many positives”
The Saints have lost seven of their last eight openers.

09.10.18
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8:30 LRN Newscast September 10

The National Hurricane Center says there’s a medium chance a tropical depression will form in the Gulf of Mexico this week. But the system is expected to head to Texas. Meanwhile, there are three hurricanes in the Atlantic as today marks the statistical peak of the hurricane season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says we could see tropical cyclone development become suppressed later in the season, because of an El Nino weather pattern could emerge….
cut 9 (06) “…formation of the storms”

There are concerns about LSU’s offensive line heading into Saturday’s SEC opener against Auburn. For the second straight week, the Tigers had trouble protecting quarterback Joe Burrow, who was sacked twice and completed just 10 passes in a 31-0 win over Southeastern Louisiana. Head Coach Ed Orgeron…
Cut 13 (10) “…there are concerns”
Saturday’s game against Auburn will kick off at 2:30.

US Senator John Kennedy admits he’s met with a consultant as he continues to look at running for governor next year…
Cut 1 (29) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Ten people were injured when a floor collapsed during a funeral service at a church in Hammond over the weekend. Officials say termites weakened the floor and about dozen people fell into a four-foot-hole. Two people were taken to a hospital, while the rest suffered minor injuries.

Miss Louisiana Holli Conway finished second runner up in last night’s Miss America pageant.

09.10.18
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7:30 LRN Newscast September 10

Today marks the statistical peak of the hurricane season and there are three hurricanes churning in the Atlantic Ocean. State Climatologist Barry Keim…
cut 8 (10) “…kinds of storms”
None of the hurricanes are an immediate threat to the Gulf of Mexico. But there is an area of disturbed weather in the northwest Caribbean that forecasters say could develop into a tropical cyclone in the Gulf of Mexico later this week.

Will Senator John Kennedy run for governor? Well, Kennedy says he has a poll that shows he’ll be an easy winner, if he challenges Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards…
cut 5 (05) “…was at 37”
Kennedy is not saying when he’ll make a decision. Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry and U.S. Representative Ralph Abraham have also expressed interest in running against Edwards.

Kenner Mayor Ben Zahn reportedly sent out a memo that says the Jefferson Parish city will not purchase Nike products for its recreational facilities. Last week, Nike unveiled a marketing campaign featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began the wave of protests against racial inequality by kneeling during the National Anthem.

Saints fans are down today after a stunning 48-40 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. New Orleans was a 9.5 point favorite.

LSU won on Saturday as expected, but the offensive line played poorly. Senior offensive guard Garrett Brumfield admits they didn’t play to the best of their abilities….
cut 14 (11) “…with time”
The Tigers need to get better up front quickly as they visit seventh ranked Auburn this Saturday.

09.10.18
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6:45 LRN Sportscast September 10

For the fifth straight season, the Saints lose their season opener as Tampa Bay came into the Mercedes Benz Superdome and shocked New Orleans 48-40. Bucs journeymen quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had a career passing day with 417 passing yards and four touchdowns, he also rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown. The Saints came into the game as a 9.5 point favorite. Coach Sean Payton agreed with everyone else, the defense played poorly…
Cut 19 (13) “ many positives”
The Saints offense was in midseason form as Drew Brees threw for 439 yards and three touchcdown passes. Mike Thomas set a franchise record for most catches in a game, with 16 receptions for 180 yards and a score.

New Orleans will look to even up its record at 1-1 when they host Cleveland on Sunday. The Browns tied the Steelers 21-21.

We learned two things during LSU’s 31-0 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday. The Tigers offensive line needs to improve and quarterback Joe Burrow will not slide to avoid contact…

cut 16 (04) “….will slide”
Coach Ed Orgeron says he would like to see Burrow slide, because there are only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. 12th ranked LSU faces a big challenge this Saturday as they will visit 7th ranked Auburn.

ULM is 2-0 on the season thanks to a great defensive effort on Saturday in Hattiesburg that resulted in a 21-20 win over Southern Miss. The Warhawk defense produced five sacks and four turnovers. Coach Matt Viator says it feels good..
Cut 17 (12) “weapons”
Former Neville star Donald Louis had a big game with three tackles for a loss.

09.10.18
by

6:30 LRN Newscast

Today marks the statistical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season and there are three hurricanes forecasters are watching. State Climatologist Barry Keim says sea surface temps are just right in the storm breeding grounds…
Cut 7 (07) “…near September 10th.”
None of the hurricanes are an immediate threat to the Gulf of Mexico, but the National Hurricane Center is monitoring an area in the northwest Caribbean Sea that has a 30-percent chance of developing into a tropical cyclone in the Gulf over the next five days.

The chances seem to be increasing Senator John Kennedy will run for governor next year. The Republican admits he’s spoken with a consultant and conducted an internal poll in a potential race against Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards. Kennedy says he disagrees with the direction Edwards is taking the state…
cut 6 (04) “….of government is”

Miss Louisiana Holli Conway of Monroe finished as a second runner up at last night’s Miss America Pageant. Nia Franklin won the pageant that for the first time didn’t include a swimsuit competition. Conway won the talent competition for a vocal performance.

A new report shows Southeastern Louisiana students graduate with less than debt than any other university in the state. S-E-L-U president John Crain says they have a program that ensures a student’s tuition will not go up…
cut 12 (10) “…attendance fees”
Grambling State students graduated with the most debt according to the report.

09.09.18
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LRN AM Newscall September 10

US Senator John Kennedy admits he’s met with a consultant as he continues to look at running for governor next year. Kevin Barnhart has more…

Cut 1 (29)  “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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The National Hurricane Center is monitoring three named storms  and that should come as no surprise as today marks the statistical peak of the Atlantic Hurricane season.  Kevin Barnhart talks with State Climatologist Barry Keim with more…

Cut 2 (31) ”I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

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Southeastern may not have fared so well against LSU on the football field, but according to a report, at least their students graduate with a lot less debt than their friends in Purple and Gold. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

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An announcement from Senator John Kennedy on his intentions to run for governor next year may be coming soon.  According to senior campaign staffers, Kennedy has met with advisors and gave the OK for media consultant Fred Davis, who has worked with the governor in the past, to begin work on the 2019 cycle.  When asked, Kennedy didn’t deny that talks have happened.

Cut 4 (05) “…the race yet.”

Kennedy says he will make a decision soon, saying he’s already polled the race.

Cut 5 (05) “…was at 37.”

Kennedy says he disagrees with the direction Governor John Bel Edwards is taking the state.

Cut 6 (04) “…of government is.”

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Today marks the statistical peak and the midpoint of the Atlantic hurricane season and there are three named storms forecasters are watching.  State Climatologist Barry Keim says this is directly linked to the sea surface temps in the storm breeding grounds in the Atlantic basin.

Cut 7 (07) “…near September 10th.”

Keim says the higher temps feed into the storms and that is why right now we are seeing lots of activity, including Hurricane Florence, which could hit North Carolina later this week.

Cut 8 (10)  “…kinds of storms.”

Keim says predictions indicate the El Nino development may play a role in the back end of the season being quieter than the already relatively tame front end of this season.

Cut 9 (06)  “…formation of the storms.”

___________________________

Southeastern Louisiana University students graduate with less debt than any other university in Louisiana, that according to a report from LendEDU. The Lions didn’t just top the state, they pulled in at 46th lowest debt load in the nation. The average Louisiana student’s debt clocks in at 26,800 dollars, but SELU President John Crain says his university’s average is thousands of dollars lower.

Cut 10 (08)   “…in state.“

College tuition costs have more than doubled on average over the last three decades, burdening current students with far more debt than past generations. Crain says he’s glad SELU can help curb costs, despite  constant state budget cuts

Cut 11 (12) “…gone up.” 

To combat rising tuition costs, Southeastern has adopted programs that shave costs elsewhere, and incentivize timely graduations. The school has one of the nation’s only book rental programs that saves students hundreds of dollars a semester, and a guarantee that if you graduate on time, you won’t be hit with rising tuition costs.

Cut 12 (10) “…attendance fees.”

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There are concerns about LSU’s offensive line heading into Saturday’s SEC opener against Auburn. For the second straight week, the Tigers had trouble protecting quarterback Joe Burrow, who was sacked twice and completed just 10 passes in a 31-0 win over Southeastern Louisiana. Head Coach Ed Orgeron says they got a lot of work to do…

Cut 13 (10) “…there are concerns”

Senior offensive guard Garrett Brumfield admits they didn’t play to the best of their abilities on Saturday

Cut 14 (11) “…with time”

Because of constant pressure from the Lions defense, Burrow ran the football eight times. Orgeron says with just two scholarship quarterbacks, it’s critical they keep Burrow healthy. And Orgeron says Burrow can do more to avoid injury

Cut 15 (11) “two quarterbacks”

But Burrow says he doesn’t like to slide…

Cut 16 (04) “   will slide” 

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ULM is 2-0 on the season thanks to a great defensive effort on Saturday in Hattiesburg that resulted in a 21-20 win over Southern Miss. The Warhawk defense produced five sacks and four turnovers. Coach Matt Viator says it feels good..

Cut 17 (12)  “weapons” 

Former Neville star Donald Louis had a big game with three tackles for a loss.. Viator says Louis made a bunch of plays…

Cut 18 (20) “…for us” 

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For the fifth straight season, the Saints lose their season opener as Tampa Bay came into the Mercedes Benz Superdome and shocked New Orleans 48-40. Bucs journeymen quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had a career passing day with 417 passing yards and four touchdowns, he also rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown. The Saints came into the game as a 9.5 point favorite. Coach Sean Payton agreed with everyone else, the defense played poorly…

Cut 19 (13) “  many positives” 

The Saints have now l0st seven of their last eight openers. After bringing back much of the roster from last year’s NFC South championship team. The hope was for New Orleans to get off to a fast start by playing the first two weeks of the season at home against two of the worst teams from last year. Payton says they will need to do some self scouting this week…

Cut 20 (20) “ disappointing loss” 

09.07.18
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16:45 LRN Sportscast September 7

LSU and Southeastern Louisiana will meet on the football field for the first time since 1949 when the two schools face off in Tiger Stadium at 6 PM on Saturday. Both teams are led by Louisiana natives, Ed Orgeron for LSU and S-L-U’s Frank Scelfo is from Abbeville and has known Orgeron since high school…
Cut 16 (20) “ this week”
LSU is coming off a victory over Miami, while the Lions lost last week to ULM. But Southeastern Quarterback Chason Virgil threw for 358 yards. Orgeron says he’s impressed with the Fresno State transfer.
Cut 7 (10) “…well coached.”

Saturday will be a big day of intrastate matchups. Louisiana Tech will host Southern University. During the game, the Bulldogs will celebrate the first 50 years of football at Joe Aillet Stadium. In Natchitoches, Northwestern State takes on Grambling. The Tigers won this game last year 23-10. And Nicholls looks to beat an FCS school for a second straight week as they visit Tulane.

On Sunday, the Saints host Tampa Bay in the season opener. The Bucs will start Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback as Jameis Winston is suspended for the first three games for violating the league’s conduct policy. New Orleans defensive end Cam Jordan says Fitzpatrick usually played well in the beginning of the season when he was in Buffalo…
cut 20 (19) “…be great”
Kick-off Sunday is at noon.

09.07.18
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LRN PM Newscall September 7

A report says Louisiana saw 47 women die from causes related to their pregnancies between 2011 and 2016. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

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Louisiana Senator John Kennedy says he’s ready to vote for Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the US Supreme Court.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo.”  

_______________________________________________

 

The Louisiana Department of Health reports 47 women died from pregnancy-related causes in a six-year span starting in 2011, one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the nation. L-D-H Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee says it’s a startling problem, specifically within one population.

Cut 3 (10) “…up call” 

The report followed women up to 42 days after the end of their pregnancy.

There’s been national attention paid to the notable increase in deaths, but there’s still debate as to exactly why the numbers are skyrocketing. Gee says there are steps that can be taken to reduce the totals.

Cut 4 (10) “…need it.”

But Gee says those numbers do reflect the previous administration, and they’re hoping for better results from the Medicaid expansion that substantially increased insurance coverage levels statewide.

Cut 5 (10)  “…after pregnancy .” 

The alarming numbers have led to the creation of the Reducing Maternal Morbidity Act and the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative.

 

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The LSU Tigers will welcome Southeastern Louisiana into Tiger Stadium tomorrow night for the first meeting between the schools on the football field since 1949. LSU Coach Ed Orgeron knows that this is the game of their life for some players on the S-L-U football team…

Cut 6 (10) “…lights out.”

LSU is coming off a victory over Miamia, while the Lions lost last week to ULM. But Southeastern Quarterback Chason Virgil threw for 358 yards. Orgeron says he’s impressed with the Fresno State transfer

Cut 7 (10) “…well coached.”

LSU’s starting quarterback Joe Burrow threw for just 140 yards against the Hurricanes. Orgeron says they want to throw the ball more on Saturday…

Cut 8 (10) “…points.”

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After four days of hearings, Lousiaina Senator John Kennedy says will confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh as the newest member of the US Supreme Court. Kennedy, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, says a vote will occur later this month

Cut 9 (09) “…smart.”

Kennedy believes Kavanaugh will issue opinions based on what the law says and not what it should be…

Cut 10 (06) “…or think clearly”

Kennedy has also been impressed with Kavanaugh’s temperament, as the hearings have been interrupted over 200 times by protesters. Democrats are upset the White House has yet to release documents from Kavanaugh’s time as a top White House aide to President George W Bush. But Kennedy says committee chairman and Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley already released 450-thousand pages of documents about Judge Kavanaugh

Cut 11 (12) “…put together.”

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LSU has adopted and begun enforcing a new policy that bars on campus organizations from distributing hard liquor at their gatherings and events. The policy has also been adopted by 6,100 fraternities across the nation in a push to curb alcohol abuse. LSU Dean of Students Mari Fuentes-Martin says they considered the proposal in spring, and got everyone on board to start the year.

Cut 12 (10)   “information” 

Non liquor based alcoholic beverages will still be permitted.

The hard alcohol ban at fraternities was put into place as a result of the suspected  hazing death of Maxwell Gruver last September, where authorities say the Phi Delta Theta pledge was pressured into chugging 190 proof booze as part of his fraternity initiation. Fuentes-Martin says it will take a lot of effort to undo the boozing cultures in frats, where even mentorship interactions involve liquor

Cut 13 (09) “are happening”

The Dean says she’s received some pushback from groups who are afraid the policy will cut back on game day fun, but on a whole she says most on campus organizations understand the need for alcohol and hazing reforms.

Cut 14 (08) “…to happen”

The North-American Interfraternity Conference national policy is now in effect at organizations on over 800 campuses.

09.07.18
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11:40 LRN Sportscast September 7

The Saints go into Sunday’s season opener against Tampa Bay with just two running backs, Alvin Kamara and recently signed Mike Gillislee. Mark Ingram begins serving his four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy against performance enhancing drugs. Kamara on what he expects from the Bucs….
cut 19 (13) “….good game”
A Saints victory over Tampa Bay would put the Black and Gold up a full game over Atlanta after one week. The Falcons lost to the Eagles 18-12 last night. And ratings for the game show that the TV audience was bigger in New Orleans than Atlanta.

The LSU Board of Supervisors meets today and they’ll discuss putting up a statue outside of Alex Box Stadium of legendary baseball coach Skip Bertman. Bertman led the Tigers to five national championships and if it gets approval, construction would begin in November.

Southeastern Louisiana is not expected to keep it close tomorrow night when they face 11th ranked LSU. Lions Coach Chris Scelfo says the key to a good showing in Tiger Stadium is to practice well and then play the game like you practice
Cut 18 (20) “…goes on”
The L-S-U—S-L-U game is one of four intrastate matchups this weekend.

Also tomorrow, Louisiana Tech hosts Southern, Grambling State is at Northwestern State and Tulane will try to avoid the upset when they face Nicholls State.

Also on the schedule for tomorrow, McNeese is at Houston Baptist and ULM travels to Southern Miss.

In the SEC, 24th ranked South Carolina hosts third ranked Georgia. After beating Northwestern State last week, Texas A-and-M faces a much bigger challenge as they host second ranked Clemson.

09.07.18
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10:30 LRN Newscast September 7

A new study ranks Louisiana number one for bullying in schools. Kevin Barnhart has more…
voicer 3 (33) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

A 21-year-old Lafayette man who police say was behind the wheel when he struck East Baton Rouge Councilman Buddy Amoroso as he was riding his bike in West Feliciana Parish this summer has been indicted on reckless operation and not the more serious charge of negligent homicide. A police report says Nicholas Alexander was traveling below the posted speed limit.

If you buy guns, ammo or certain hunting supplies today through Sunday you will not have to pay local sales taxes. This weekend used to be known as the Second Amendment Sales Tax weekend, but the legislature did away with sales tax holidays in the last special session. However for this particular holiday, local sales taxes remain exempted, so Local Sales Tax Board Executive Director Roger Bergeron says every parish charges their own sales tax rate, but you will not have to pay it when you purchase guns, ammo or hunting supplies…
cut 9 (07) “…different locations”

A big weekend of football is on tap so that means tailgating or gathering at a person’s home to watch the game. Retail market analyst Eric Ronstrauch says females are getting more involved in gameday parties and it’s leading to a more diverse selection of foods….
cut 6 (10) “….within their home”