Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

12.31.17
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LRN AM Newscall January 1

The Bayou State will be experiencing freezing temperatures to ring in the new year. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The Citrus Bowl pits LSU against Notre Dame.  Jeff Palermo has a look at what it will take to get a Tiger win…

Cut 2 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Many are turning to additional sources of heat with the extended cold snap.  State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says there has been an increase in fire fatalities in the state in the last couple of weeks.  He says homes that don’t have a working smoke alarm are at the greatest risk…

Cut 3 (10) “smoke alarm.”

Another danger is the use of space heaters and other appliances to keep your home warm.  Browning says under no circumstances should a kitchen stove be used…

Cut 4  (11) “do that.” 

He says an important aspect to fire safety is an exit plan if you are caught in a house fire.  Browning says make sure your family knows what to do in an emergency, especially if your normal exits are blocked…

Cut 5  (10)  “your bed.”

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Unusually frigid temperatures will blanket the state this week. High temperatures will be in the 30s today and tomorrow. Donald Jones, with the National Weather Service, says it’ll also be a gusty start to the year making it feel even colder outside

Cut 6 (07)  “tuesday and wednesday”

Jones says those early week wind chills could be bone chilling…

Cut 7 (08)  “windchills.”

This time of year, temperatures are usually about 20 degrees higher. Jones Louisiana residents can expect below freezing temperatures every morning this week…

Cut 8 (06) “unusual.”

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Governor John Bel Edwards believes Louisiana can continue the progress it made during 2017 in the areas of employment and criminal justice reform. The state’s unemployment rate has declined seven straight months and at 4.7 percent it’s the lowest been since 2008. Edwards says there will be more employment opportunities in 2018…

Cut 9 (08)  “been announced”

DXC Technology plans to hire 300 people in New Orleans this year. Graphic Packaging in West Monroe will continue its expansion of a paperboard manufacturing facility, while the Sasol chemical complex will come on-line later this year in Calcasieu Parish.

A big accomplishment in 2017 for Governor Edwards was the approval of a criminal justice reform package aimed at lowering the state’s prison population by reducing sentences for non-violent, non-sexual offenders. Edwards, who was invited to the White House to discuss the issue in November, says foresees a push in Congress this year.

Cut 10 (05) “that effort”

A big challenge for the governor in 2017 is the looming fiscal cliff, triggered by the expiration of a temporary one cent sales tax, which will create a one billion dollar gap in the budget. Edwards says he wants a solution that doesn’t include renewing that temporary penny sales tax.

Cut 11 (06) “of taxation”

Edwards proposes replacing the penny sales tax by taxing services that are current not taxed like Cable TV and he also supports changes with income tax brackets.

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The 17th ranked LSU Tigers take on number 14 Notre Dame in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando today. Both teams are 9-3 with the Tigers riding a three-game winning streak.  Tiger Rag Associate Editor James Moran says LSU will face one of the best running games in college football, but Irish Quarterback Brandon Wimbush is inconsistent as a passer…

Cut 12 (13) “college football?”

Moran says that the LSU backfield will need to perform well against Notre Dame.  Derius Guice has missed several practices due to an ankle injury.  But with Guice expected at full health and Darrel Williams with nine touchdowns on the season, Moran says their chances are good against a team that allows 153 yards a game on the ground…

Cut 13 (11)  “Notre Dame.”

Winning the Citrus Bowl would give the Tigers a ten win season, the first since back to back ten win seasons in 2012 and 2013.  Moran says it would make the 2017 season a success…

Cut 14 (07) “sucessfull overall.”

The Vegas Line places the Tigers as a field goal favorite over Notre Dame.  Kickoff is at noon on ABC.

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The Saints lose to Tampa Bay 31-24 in the final seconds, but still win the NFC South and they’ll host Carolina for a playoff game this weekend. Head Coach Sean Payton wishes they finished the game better….

Cut 15 (11) “right now”

The Saints struggled in this game. They only rushed for 92 yards, scored just two touchdowns on offense, despite getting three turnovers and they also had seven penalties. Payton says they need to be better in the playoffs…

Cut 16 (12) “you beat”

It’s the first Saints division title in six years. And they’ll play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at 3:40 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Payton says it’s exciting to be back in the playoffs…

Cut 17 (13) “at home”

 

12.30.17
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07:30 sportscast

Offense Coordinator Matt Canada tells reporters he hopes to be back next season with the LSU Tigers.…

Voicer 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo

 

The Saints can win the NFC South with a win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. Also, Quarterback Drew Brees can set an NFL single-season record for completion percentage. He’s currently at 71.9 and the record is 71.6 set last year by Minnesota’s Sam Bradford. Kick-off is at 3:25.

 

Disappointing loss for the Pelicans last night as they gave up 22 3-pointers to Dallas and the Mavericks dribbled past New Orleans 128-120. The 22 3s is a franchise record for the Mavs. New Orleans did not come ready to play as they fell behind by 26 points in the 1st half. New Orleans spoiled a monster game from DeMarcus Cousins who had 32 points and 20 rebounds. Tonight, the Knicks visit the Smoothie King Center.

 

The Ragin Cajuns jumped out to a double digit lead in the 1st half and went on to beat Little Rock 77-63. U-L Lafayette is now 11-3 and 1-0 in the Sun Belt. Byrce Washington had 15 points and 19 rebounds. ULM lost its Sun Belt opener, falling to Arkansas State 75-64, despite 22 points from Travis Munnings.

 

In other action tonight, Louisiana Tech is at Marshall. McNeese State hosts Northwestern State. Nicholls takes on Incarnate Word in Thibodaux. And UNO is at Houston Baptist.

 

12.29.17
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17:30 LRN Newscast December 29

Offense Coordinator Matt Canada tells reporters he hopes to be back next season with the LSU Tigers. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

St. James authorities have arrested a second person in the beating of two black teenagers at a Christmas Eve bonfire in Gramercy. 25-year-old Grady Gieger of Prairieville was charged with second-degree battery. Authorities expect a third arrest, but still don’t believe it was racially motivated.

Temperatures could fall into the teens in North Louisiana as we ring in the New Year, and the bottom half of the state won’t be spared either. Freddie Zeigler with the National Weather Service in Slidell says temps will drop well below freezing in South Louisiana next week..:
CUT 9 (10) “the lake”
He says bring any pets inside and wrap outdoor exposed pipes to protect them from freezing.

Slidell Police arrest a 67-year-old man who was allegedly acting as middle man to a Nigerian Prince as part of an email scam operation. Lt. Daniel Seuzeneau says they believe Michael Neu was acting alone, at least in southeast Louisiana…
cut 16 (07) “….have locally”
Authorities say Neu participated in hundreds of financial scams over the internet and phone and wired the money back to co-conspirators in Nigeria.

12.29.17
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16:45 LRN Sportscast December 29

LSU’s Matt Canada told reporters covering the Citrus Bowl he’d love to remain the offensive coordinator of the Tigers. Multiple media reports say Canada will leave the program following Monday’s game against Notre Dame, because of differences with Head Coach Ed Orgeron. Canada says the focus right now is beating the Fighting Irish…
cut 3 (05) “…get to 10 wins”
Canada says speculation about his future has not impacted the players.

On the defensive side of the football, the Tigers will need to figure out how to stop Notre Dame running back Josh Adams, who has rushed for 1,386 yards and nine touchdowns. Senior defensive end Christian LaCourture says they’ll need to gang tackle Adams…
cut 18 (16) “…bring em down”
Kick-off on Monday is at noon in Orlando.

The Saints wrap up the regular season on Sunday against Tampa Bay. New Orleans has already locked up a postseason berth, a win against the Buccaneers gives them a division crown and homefield advantage next week in the first round of the playoffs. Who would be the best matchup for the Black and Gold next weekend? Saints Sideline reporter Kristian Garic says it could be dangerous to face either Atlanta or Carolina for a third time this season. He says Seattle may be the Saints best bet…
Cut 16 (17) “up facing.”
Kickoff Sunday is at 3:25pm on FOX.

In basketball tonight…the Pelicans can improve to 19-16 on the season, if they beat Dallas at the Smoothie King Center. The Mavericks are 11 and 25.

In college hoops…Sun Belt play gets underway….the Cajuns are at Little Rock, while ULM visits Arkansas State. The Warhawks have been picked to finish last in the Sun Belt, while UL Lafayette is projected to finish fifth.

12.29.17
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16:30 LRN Newscast December 29

A Slidell man has been arrested for his alleged role in a “Nigerian Prince’ email scam. Kelley Ray has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Kelley Ray.”

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission says law enforcement will be on the lookout for drunk drivers during the holiday weekend. According to the Highway Safety Research Group at LSU, 76 people were injured and five people died in crashes involving alcohol on Louisiana roads during the 2016 New Year’s Eve holiday weekend.

LSU’s Matt Canada told reporters covering the Citrus Bowl he’d love to remain the offensive coordinator of the Tigers. Multiple media reports indicate the relationship between Canada and head coach Ed Orgeron is not good. Coach O had previously said he hoped Canada would land a head coaching gig. Canada says if a school wants you to be the head coach, they’ll call..:
Cut 5 (10) “gig going”
He says the focus right now is beating the Fighting Irish on Monday.

Sunday night will be a big night for fireworks in Louisiana, since it’s New Year’s Eve. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says if you are not a licensed pyro technician, do not try to put on a display that rivals what trained professionals do…
cut 13 (08) “…..lot of problems”
Browning says make sure you have at least 300 feet of clear space before launching fireworks.

12.29.17
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15:30 LRN Newscast

Frigid cold weather will greet us for the start of the New Year. Chris Nuttall with the National Weather Service in Shreveport says North Louisiana will see temperatures fall into the teens…:
CUT 6 (11) “northern Louisiana”
Freddie Ziegler with the National Weather Service in Slidell says this extended cold snap will pull temperatures in south Louisiana well below normal too….
cut 10 (11) “…..of January”

Media reports indicate the relationship between LSU Coach Ed Orgeron and Offensive coordinator Matt Canada is frosty. Canada says he’d like to be the offensive coordinator in 2018, but the speculation is he will not be back.

An alleged middle man in a “Nigerian prince” email scam has been arrested in Slidell after an 18-month investigation. 67-year-old Michael Neu has been booked on 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering. Slidell police spokesman Daniel Seuzeneau says finding the kingpin of these types of operations is almost impossible, but they are glad they nabbed Neu…
cut 15 (08) “…anybody else”
Authorities say Neu participated in hundreds of financial scams over the internet and phone and wired the money back to co-conspirators in Nigeria.

Fireworks will be going off across the state on New Year’s Eve. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says always read the package before firing the explosives…
cut 12 (07) “….to light it”
Browning says even with damp conditions, make sure you have at least 300 feet of clear space before launching your fireworks.

12.29.17
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14:30 LRN Newscast December 29

LSU offensive coordinator Matt Canada met with the media at the Citrus Bowl, amid reports there’s an impending split between he and the Tigers following Monday’s contest versus Notre Dame. Canada says right now the focus is on the game, and the team is not impacted by the reports…:
CUT 4 (12) “that at all”
Canada was asked about his relationship with Head Coach Ed Orgeron and said both have the same goal to win.

Some really cold weather will impact the state when we ring in the New Year. North Louisiana will see low temperatures in the teens during the first part of next week and Chris Nuttall with the National Weather Service in Shreveport says the breezy conditions will make it feel even colder…
cut 7 (05) “….Tuesday”
There is a slight chance for winter precipitation in north Lousiaina Sunday morning, but no accumulation is expected.
Three people were killed, including a three-year-old boy in a house fire early this morning in New Orleans East. A 70-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman were also pronounced dead. The New Orleans Fire Department says it took 14 fire companies about 40 minutes to bring the blaze under control.

A Slidell man has been arrested for his part in a “Nigerian Prince’ email scam. Kelley Ray has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Kelley Ray.”

12.29.17
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11:40 LRN Sportscast December 29

Offensive coordinator Matt Canada says he’d love to be at LSU next season when asked by reporters during a media session in Orlando for the Citrus Bowl. Canada says he has not spoken to anyone about his future and the focus is on Monday’s game against Notre Dame. The 45-year-old says the speculation about his future has not impacted the players…
cut 4 (12) “…that at all”
Canada was asked about his relationship with Head Coach Ed Orgeron and he said they both have the same goal and that is to win.

A win on Sunday for the Saints and they clinch the NFC South. They have already locked up their first postseason appearance in four years. A win in Tampa Bay, means New Orleans will host a playoff game the next week. They could face either Atlanta, Carolina or Seattle in that first round playoff matchup.

35-year-old Will Wade won his 100th game of his coaching career last night as LSU defeated Memphis 71-61 in the FedEx Forum. The Tigers are 9-3 on the season and they’ll begin conference play next Wednesday against 16th ranked Kentucky at the PMAC.

Conference play started last night for Louisiana Tech and they lost by one point to Western Kentucky 69-68. The Bulldogs shot just 39-percent from the field.

Tulane topped Temp to begin play in the American Conference as Melvin Frazier scored 25 points in an 85-76.

In the Southland Conference….Southeastern Louisiana had an impresive win over Stephen F Austin 73-62. Marlain Veal had a big game with 27 points and 10 rebounds.

Nicholls State crushed Northwestern State 87 to 46. The 41 point win is the largest ever for the Colonels in a Southland Conference contest. The Demons turned it over 26 times.

McNeese and UNO were also winners last night and Grambling lost to Seattle 93-63.

In the NBA, the Pelicans host the Dallas Mavericks.

12.29.17
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10:30 LRN Newscast December 29

LSU’s Matt Canada told reporters covering the Citrus Bowl he’d love to remain the offensive coordinator of the Tigers. Multiple media reports say Canada will leave the program following Monday’s game against Notre Dame, because of differences with Head Coach Ed Orgeron. Canada says the focus right now is beating the Fighting Irish…
cut 3 (05) “…get to 10 wins”
Canada says speculation about his future has not impacted the players.

One of the biggest stories for 2017 was the shooting of Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise, who nearly died after a gunman struck him and three others while preparing for a charity baseball game on June 14th. After months of grueling rehab, Scalise returned to the House Floor on September 28th…
cut 12 (10) “….applause–laughter”
Scalise hopes to play in the Congressional baseball game next year.

Some really cold weather will impact the state when we ring in the New Year. The northern half of the state will see low temperatures in the teens during the first part of next week and Chris Nuttall with the National Weather Service in Shreveport says the breezy conditions will make it feel even colder…
cut 7 (05) “….Tuesday”
There is a slight chance for winter precipitation in north Lousiaina on Sunday morning, but no accumulation is expected.

Well if you can brave the cold temperatures on Sunday, the Office of State Parks is encouraging residents to take a walk on one of their hiking trails. There are three state parks that will have specific activities on Monday, Bouge Chitto, Fontainebleau and Lake D’ Arbonne. But State Parks spokesperson Sharon Broussard says you can attend any one of their 21 state parks…
cut 9 (10) “…day hike”

12.28.17
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16:45 LRN Sportcast December 28

About a year ago, LSU football coach Ed Orgeron proclaimed Matt Canada as the best offensive coordinator in the country. But it appears Canada’s time as LSU’s play caller will last just one season as multiple reports indicate he’ll leave after Monday’s bowl game against Notre Dame. Canada got off to a rough start at LSU, only scoring seven points in a blow out loss against Mississippi State. The Tigers were also upset by Troy. Glen Guilbeau, with USA Today Network, says Orgeron wasn’t a fan of Canada’s offense that featured pre snap shifts and motion…
Cut 7 (09) “for the split.”
Canada has two more years remaining on his contract and LSU will owe him about three million dollars if the school buys out his contract. Tight ends coach Steve Ensminger has been rumored to replace Canada.

Saints running back Alvin Kamara wore red cleats for the victory over Atlanta. And Kamara posted a photo today on social media that says he was fined for his holiday-themed cleats and joked he might start a Go Fund Me Page.

In college basketball tonight, the LSU Tigers final non-conference game of the year is a road contest against Memphis. Both teams have three losses on the season and the Tigers are looking to have a three-game winning streak when they start SEC play next week against Kentucky.

Conference play starts tonight for Louisiana Tech, Tulane and the Southland Conference. The Bulldogs are at Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers are best shooting team in Conference USA. The Green Wave are at Temple. Tulane brings a 9-3 record into league action, while Temple is 7-and-4.

In the Southland tonight, Northwestern State is at Nicholls State. Both schools enter league play with losing records. McNeese hosts Incarnate Word, UNO takes on Abilene Christian and Southeastern Louisiana is at Stephen F Austin.