08:30 LRN Newscast November 25

Today is Small Business Saturday and a National Federation of Independent Business survey found 82-percent of respondents plan to shop and eat at a small independently owned business. NFIB State Director Dawn Starns says Small Business Saturday is gaining in popularity…
cut 10 (08) “…previous year”

In Thibodaux, police have arrested a man who fatally shot a woman and then attempted to burn the victim’s body. Authorities took 41-year-old Kai Williams into custody without incident. Houma-today-dot-com identifies the victim as 75-year-old, Grace Owens, who is a neighbor. Williams has been charged with second-degree murder. A motive has not been determined. Thibodaux Police Chief Bryan Zeringue says it’s an unfortunate tragedy.

The 44th Bayou Classic is today at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, as Grambling State takes on Southern. Media Director for the Bayou Classic Angela Young says the Bayou Classic Parade kicks off at 9 a.m. and culminates at Fan Fest in Champion’s Square.
Cut 7 (11) Superdome”
The winner of today’s game advances to the SWAC Championship game.

It’s the regular season finale for the LSU Tigers as they host Texas A-and-M. Twenty seniors, including quarterback Danny Etling, will play their final game in Tiger Stadium. Etling is 15-and-6 as LSU’s starting quarterback.

ULM, UL-Lafayette and Louisiana Tech all have home football games today and Nicholls hosts its first ever FCS playoff game as they face South Dakota.

07:30 LRN Sportscast November 25

In the high school football playoffs last night….three number one seeds were beaten. In Division One, Catholic High had just 105 yards of offense but still beat top-seeded Evangel 14-6. The Bears blocked a punt for a touchdown and also had a pick-6. Catholic will play John Curtis in the Division One State title game. In Division Four, Lafayette Christian kicked a game winning field goal to beat top-seeded Vermilion Catholic 30-28. L-C-A will play Ascension Catholic in the Division 4 title game. And in Three-A, Richwood stunned top-seeded Sterlington 15-14. The eighth seeded Rams will visit 5th seeded Kaplan in the semifinals.

Tonight it’s the regular season LSU Tigers as they host Texas A-and-M. There are reports Aggies Head Coach Kevin Sumlin will get fired after this contest. Last year, LSU Derrius Guice rushed for a school-record 285 yards against A-and-M. Kick-off is at 6:30.

The Saints will not have their top two cornerbacks in Sunday’s game against the Rams. Marshon Lattimore and Ken Crawley will not play because of injuries. But Los Angeles will not have its leading receiver Robert Woods, who is out with a shoulder injury.

Several Louisiana football teams have to win today in order to extend their season. ULM hosts Arkansas State as the Warhawks must pull off the upset in order to be eligible for a bowl. Louisiana Tech is home to take UTSA and if the Bulldogs don’t win their season is over. Nicholls is facing South Dakota in the opening round of the FCS playoffs. South Dakota is averaging over 500 yards of offense. And in the Mercedes Benz Superdome, it’s the Bayou Classic as the winner between Southern and Grambling State advances to the SWAC Championship game.

In the NBA…the Pelicans started fast and easily defeated the Phoenix Suns 115 to 91. Anthony Davis had 23 points and DeMarcus Cousins had a double-double 19 points and 10 rebounds. Tonight the Pels are at Golden State.

16:45 LRN Sportscast November 24

The 19th ranked LSU Tigers look to end the 2017 regular season on a good note when they host Texas A-and-M. The Bayou Bengals have won five of their last six since the upset loss to Troy. Meanwhile, the Aggies have won two straight and they are looking for their first win against LSU since joining the SEC.

A win Saturday for the Ragin Cajuns and they’ll be bowl eligible for a sixth time in seven years under head coach Mark Hudspeth. U-L will host Georgia Southern in the home finale on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles have just one win, but Hudspeth says they have a lot of team speed…
Cut 19 (23) many possessions”
Kick-off is at 4 PM.

The winner of Saturday’s Bayou Classic between Grambling and Southern will represent the West Division in the SWAC Championship game. Both teams have been the class of the SWAC the last few years and Tigers Coach Broderick Fobbs gives his reasons why…
cut 30 (20) “…two steps ahead”
Kick-off on Saturday is at 4 PM.

The Pelicans are in Phoenix tonight where they’ll take on the Suns, who are 7-and-12 on the year. New Orleans won three of four over Phoenix and tomorrow night, the Pels are at Golden State. The Warriors are resting Kevin Durant and Draymond Green in tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls.

13:30 LRN Newscast November 24

Shoppers are looking for those Black Friday Deals today. Personal finance website Wallethub says the average discount among retail chains is 37-percent. Analyst Jill Gonzalez says two retailers are very aggressive with discounts…
cut 12 (10) “…as JC Penney”

Johnny Anderson, the former chairman for the Southern Board of Supervisors is once again dealing with harassment allegations. The latest allegations resulted in him resigning from his job in the governor’s office as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Programming and Planning. Anderson faced similiar allegations in 2007. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this isn’t a good look for Governor Edwards…
cut 4 (06) “…he had”
Anderson told the Advocate he’s innocent.

Events for the 44th annual Bayou Classic are underway in New Orleans. Emelie Gunn has more….
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

LSU closes out its regular season tomorrow against Texas A-and-M. It will be senior day as 20 seniors will play their final game in Tiger Stadium. Defensive lineman Christian LaCouture is one of them…
cut 15 (10) “….on A-and-M”

LRN PM Newscall November 24

Events for the 44th annual Bayou Classic are underway in New Orleans. Emelie Gunn has more….

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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Now that Black Friday is about done, attention turns to smaller locally owned businesses.  Kelley Ray has a look at Small Business Saturday…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Kelley Ray.”

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An aide to Governor Edwards has resigned as a result of sexual harassment allegations. The news of Johnny Anderson’s resignation occurred when many are focused on a four-day holiday. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says political action committees will remind voters when Edwards runs for re-election in two years…

Cut 3 (10) “for an ad”

Anderson was the Deputy Chief of Staff for Programming and Planning.  He told the Advocate he’s innocent, but doesn’t want to be a distraction as he attempts to clear his name. Anderson was also accused of harassment in 2007 when he served as chair of the Southern Board of Supervisors. Pinsonat says having this happen to Anderson again is not a good look for Edwards…

Cut 4  (06) ” he had” 

Edwards spoke about the recent rash of sexual harassment allegations in the world of entertainment and politics during his “Ask the Governor” show on Wednesday. But never mentioned Anderson’s resignation, which became public later that day. Pinsonat says Edwards says should have talked about Anderson on his radio show…

Cut 5  (09)  he didnt’”

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The 44th Bayou Classic is tomorrow in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, as Grambling State takes on Southern. Media Director for the Bayou Classic Angela Young says the game kicks off at 4 p.m. but today, the Hyatt Regency hosts a BizTech Challenge and then it’s the famous Battle of the Bands at 6 p.m.

Cut 6 (10)  “Sheryl Underwood”

Randy Jackson will also be a judge. Young says the Bayou Classic Parade kicks off Saturday at 9 a.m. and culminates at Fan Fest in Champion’s Square.

Cut 7 (11)     Superdome” 

Young says the theme for this year’s events is “We are One” and the Bayou Classic is a family friendly event bringing those under the umbrella of HBCUs together. She says it’s estimated that the events will have a huge economic impact on the Crescent City.

Cut 8 (10) “same thing”

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The National Federation of Independent Businesses expect 82 percent of those surveyed will participate in Small Business Saturday tomorrow.  The special shopping day was created in a joint partnership by American Express and the NFIB.  NFIB State Director Dawn Starns says shopping small businesses is a great way to keep your dollars in your community…

Cut 9 (08)  “corporate headquarters.”

Surveys show that 61-percent of consumers are aware of Small Business Saturday and 82-percent of those plan to shop and eat at a small independently owned business.  Starns says the momentum has been picking up…

Starns says when you patronize local smaller business, you aren’t just shopping with a business owner, you are shopping with people you know and trust…

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There are some great sales for shoppers to grab today, but there are some items that aren’t a deal. Personal finance website Wallethub says the average discount among retail chains is 37-percent.  Analyst Jill Gonzalez says two retailers are very aggressive with discounts this year…

Cut 12 (10) “as JcPenney.”

Online shopping has become a very large part of Christmas shopping with Amazon leading the way.  However Gonzalez says you have to be aware of current prices to make sure you’re getting the best deal…

Cut 13 (11)  “week ago.”

Gonzalez says 33 percent of those surveyed plan on spending at least 500-dollars on holiday shopping, even though Black Friday has lost some of its luster…

Cut 14 (07) “day anymore.”

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12:30 LRN Newscast November 24

The 44th Bayou Classic is tomorrow in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, as Grambling State takes on Southern. Media Director for the Bayou Classic Angela Young says there are some great events today like the BizTech Challenge at the Hyatt Regency and then the famous Battle of the Bands tonight in the Dome
cut 6 (10) “….Sheryl Underwood”
The winner of the football game will play in the SWAC Championship.

Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday and a National Federation of Independent Business survey found 82-percent of respondents plan to shop and eat at a small independently owned business. NFIB State Director Dawn Starns says Small Business Saturday is gaining in popularity…
cut 10 (08) “…previous year”
An estimated 93-thousand jobs are a result of small businesses in Louisiana.
Sexual harassment allegations have made their way into the governor’s office as Deputy Chief of Staff for Programming and Planning, Johnny Anderson, has resigned because he’s accused of sexual harassment. The governor’s office says they were made aware of the allegations on Tuesday, but political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Edwards neglected to say anything on his call-in radio show on Wednesday…
cut 5 (09) “…he didn’t”
Pinsonat expects political action committees will remind voters about this incident when Edwards runs for re-election in two years.

11:30 LRN Newscast November 24

Sasol says it is no longer economical to construct a 15-billion dollar gas-to-liquids plant in the Lake Charles area, because of the low price of oil and volatile marketplace. The project was announced in 2012 when the price of oil was well above 90-dollars a barrel. Sasol still plans on finishing its 11-billion dollar ethane cracker complex, which is about 80-percent done.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses expect 82 percent of those surveyed will participate in Small Business Saturday tomorrow. The special shopping day was created in a joint partnership by American Express and the NFIB. NFIB State Director Dawn Starns says shopping small businesses is a great way to keep your dollars in your community…
Cut 9 (08) “corporate headquarters.”
BlackFriday.com surveyed Louisiana residents to see what shopping trends they are most interested in this holiday season…
voicer 1 (30) “….I’m Emelie Gunn”

For many this weekend, they’ll be busy putting up the outside Christmas decorations. For some it’s a big chore, but Doctor Michelle Moore with LSU Health New Orleans says studies show it can actually help improve your mood…
cut 30 (09) “…house happen”

11:40 LRN Sportscast November 24

Head coaching rumors have dominated the headlines the last three times LSU and Texas A-and-M have met. This time it involves A&M as it’s expected Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin will be fired after the game. Sumlin says his team has to block that type of noise out…
cut 16 (16) “…right now”
Last night in the SEC, Ole Miss beat 16th ranked Mississippi State 31-28. The Rebels finish the year with a 6-and-6 record, while the Bulldogs fall to 8-and-4. There are reports that Mississippi State will do everything they can to make sure Dan Mullen remains the head coach of the Bulldogs.

Grambling and Southern fans are making their way down to New Orleans for the Bayou Classic. The winner tomorrow will play in the SWAC title game.

The high school football playoffs resume tonight with 56 teams still fighting for a chance to play in the Dome…In Class Five-A, top-seeded West Monroe hosts Barbe. In Four-A. seventh seeded Neville is at undefeated Lakeshore. Over in Three-A, top seeded Sterlington will take on Richwood. In Two-A, Many is at Northeast and in One-A, Oak Grove hosts Basile

It’s semi-final action on the select side…in Division Four…Lafayette Christian is at Vermilion Catholic, while St. Mary’s visits Ascension Catholic.

ULM, UL Lafayette and Louisiana Tech all play at home tomorrow. The Warhawks take on Arkansas State, who is trying to win a Sun Belt Champiosnhip. The Cajuns will host a one-win Georgia Southern team, while Louisiana Tech takes on UTSA. The Bulldogs need to win to be eligible for a bowl game.

The Pelicans are in Phoenix tonight to face the 7-and-12 Suns. On Saturday, they visit the World Champion Golden State Warriors.

09:30 LRN Newscast November 24

Sasol says it is no longer economical to build a 15-billion dollar gas-to-liquids plant in the Lake Charles area, because of the low price of oil and volatile marketplace. The project was announced in 2012 when the price of oil was well above 90-dollars a barrel. Sasol still plans on finishing its 11-billion dollar ethane cracker complex, which is about 80-percent done.

For many this weekend, they’ll busy putting up the outside Christmas decorations. For some it’s a big chore, but Doctor Michelle Moore with LSU Health New Orleans says studies show it can actually help improve your mood…
cut 10 (09) “…house happen”
Moore says the outside decorations can also help bring neighbors together and bring back happy childhood memories.

It’s the biggest shopping day of the year, but unfortunately there will be some who will take advantage of the craziness by stealing recently purchased gifts. Lt. Brennan Matherne, with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s office, says it’s important to remain vigilant of your surroundings and to do that minimize distractions…
cut 13 (09) “…your vehicle”

Some will choose to just shop online. Carson Yarbrough with Black-Friday-dot-com says there’s a certain holiday perk that most Louisiana consumers will definitiely take advantage….
cut 5 (10) “…advantage of”
Yarbrough says the top-desired products for Louisiana shoppers on Black Friday is clothing, followed by tablets, laptops, computers and T-Vs.

08:30 LRN Newscast November 24

It’s the biggest shopping day of the year as many stores are offering deep discounts. Internet sales are also expected to be big today and Lt. Brennan Matherne with the LaFourche Parish Sheriff’s office says when shopping on the internet, make sure the site is secured….
cut 14 (11) “…online purchases”

A survey from BlackFriday.com finds 68-percent of Louisiana shoppers will check Amazon before looking or buying somewhere, which is higher than the national percentage of 55-percent. And retail analyst Carson Yarbrough says Bayou State buyers are not big on jewelry this year…
cut 4 (10) “…house gadgets”
Yarbrough says free shipping is also the most popular holiday perk.

Almost half of U-S adults are considered to have high blood pressure as a result of updated guidelines that have been approved on what constitutes hypertension. Tulane epidemiology professor Doctor Paul Whelton led a team that redefined the blood pressure guidelines and says it’s his hope that adults will talk with their doctor about the new guidelines, to see if lifestyle changes or medication is needed…
cut 8 (08) “…adult population”

Some say putting up outside Christmas decorations is a pain, but pyschologist, Doctor Michelle Moore with LSU Health New Orleans, says their are studies that show the hanging of outside lights can help bring back happy childhood memories. She says outside decorations can also help bring neighbors together…
cut 11 (06) “…the holiday”