11:40 LRN Sportscast June 3rd

Junior lefthander Jared Poche starts on the hill this afternoon for the Fighting Tigers, who face Utah Valley to open the Baton Rouge Regional. Coach Paul Mainieri believes Poche’s postseason experience will serve him and the team well today….
cut 17 (22) “….good start”
Poche will face a Utah Valley line-up that has six batters who are hitting .300 or better.

Louisiana Tech will face Cal State Fullerton tonight in the Starkville Regional. The Bulldogs are ending a 29-year postseason drought, while the Titans are in the NCAA Baseball Tournament for a 25th straight season.

The Ragin Cajuns will face Princeton tonight in the opening round of the Lafayette Regional. The Cajuns have played really well at the Tigue this season as they have a 23-and-5 record at home. Princeton is 24-19 on the season and the Tigers are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011.

Tulane is the second-seed in the Oxford Regional and they’ll play Boston College at three PM at Swayze Field. The Green Wave won a regional in Oxford in 2004. They beat former Washington pitcher and two-time Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum in one of those contests. Today, the Greenies will face righthander Justin Dunn, who has a 1.35 ERA.

At a hearing today in the Will Smith case, off-duty New Orleans police officer Chrstopher Mcgaw testified that Cardell Hayes, the man accused of fatally shooting the former Saints player, said at the scene that he got out of his vehicle armed with a gun. Mcgaw also says Hayes told him that Smith said he had a gun too.

17:30 LRN Newscast June 2nd ***Legislative Report***

Pro-choice and pro-life advocates rallied in the Capitol City today. Halen Doughty has more…
voicer 2 (31) “…I’m Halen Doughty”

The state senate has given approval to legislation that would prohibit abortions in cases when it’s learned the fetus has a gentic abnormality. Baton Rouge Senator Dan Claitor says the proposed law violates a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion…
cut 30 (04) “…like it or not”
The House is expected to give the bill final approval.

There was spirited debate on the House floor over a bill that would require fourth through sixth graders in public schools to recite a passage of the Declaration of Independence every day. Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton objects to the legislation because Thomas Jefferson was a slave owner and wrote the document as did many of our Founding Fathers…
cut 25 (10) “…slaves”
Denham Springs Representative Valarie Hodges, says civil rights and women’s activists have quoted the Declaration in their campaigns for equality…
cut 24 (11) “…in their liberation”
The measure passed on a 70-23 vote and it heads to the Senate. But the upper chamber has only four days to act on the legislation before the session ends.

16:45 LRN Sportscast June 2nd

Junior left-hander Jared Poche will start on the mound tomorrow when the LSU Tigers begin play in the Baton Rouge Regional against Utah Valley….
cut 30 (08) “….what happens”
Poche is 7-4 on the year with a 3.61 ERA. Utah Valley brings a seven-game winning streak into the regional and they’ve won 11 of their last 13. Wolverines Head Coach Eric Madsen says his guys are playing sound baseball…
cut 18 (14) “…supposed to”
LSU first baseman Greg Deichmann says they are excited…
cut 28 (11) “…home game”

Freshman Nick Lee will be on the mound for the Cajuns when they take on Princeton tomorrow night at Tigue Moore Field. UL Lafayette relief pitcher Eric Carter says they have complete confidence Lee can get the job done…
cut 25 (14) “…tomorrow”
Lee is 7-1 with a 3.18 ERA.

Southeastern Louisiana will send sophomore right hander Mac Sceroler to hill when the Lions face Rice tomorrow night. Sceroler is a ten-game winner and boasts an ERA of 2.18.

Louisiana Tech head baseball coach Greg Goff says junior right-hander Phillip Diehl will start against Cal State Fullerton tomorrow and they’ll pitch Casey Sutton on Saturday. Diehl is 5-and-5 with a 4.70 ERA.

And tonight LSU faces Michigan in the opening round of the Women’s College World Series.

LRN PM Newscall June 2nd

A statewide poll shows Republican Donald Trump is ahead in the Presidential election without many undecided voters. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31)  “I’m Emelie Gunn”

================

Pro-choice and pro-life advocates rallied in the Capitol City today. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 2 (31)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

===================

Another arrest has been made in the fatal shooting that took the lives of two Southern students in April. Baton Rouge Police Cpl. L’Jean Mckneely says 25-year-old Brandon Henderson of Baton Rouge has been charged with two counts of second degree murder.

CUT 3 (08)  “the shooting”

22-year-old Ernest Felton was previously arrested for attempted second degree murder. But Mckneely says that charge could be upgraded, because they believe bullets from his gun fatally struck Lashuntae Benton and Annette January.

CUT 4 (07)  “still pending”

Mckneely says they just want to get closure for the families. He says more arrests could be made, as the investigation is ongoing.

CUT 5 (09)  “this shooting”

===============================================

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating the murder of two men found in a vehicle in Natalbany early this morning. Spokesperson Dawn Panepinto says they received a call around 4 a.m. regarding gunshots in the area. She says when police arrived, they located the men unresponsive.

CUT 6 (09) “right now”

Panepinto says the identity of the victims has not yet been released. She says right now, it’s believed the shooter is still on the loose.

CUT 7 (10) “suspects”

Panepinto says Natalbany isn’t a place that usually sees a lot of crime. She urges anyone with information on the double murder to come forward and there is a possibility of a cash reward.

CUT 8 (09) “it’s anonymous”

===================================================

A Southern Media and Opinion Research poll finds in the Presidential race, Republican Donald Trump is ahead with not many voters undecided. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says in a poll of 500 likely voters, Trump draws in 53-percent of the vote compared to Democrat Hillary Clinton’s 39-percent. He says Trump will probably will Louisiana but both candidates have a pretty high unfavorable rating…

CUT 9 (09) “are 52”

Pinsonat says he’s never seen an election where both candidates had an unfavorable rating over 50-percent, but the chances are Trump is going to win in Louisiana. He says white democrats favor Trump over Clinton, 48-percent to 43-percent.

cut 10 (10)  “Louisiana”

The poll shows only 14-percent of those surveyed were undecided. Pinsonat says Governor John Bel Edwards will likely benefit from Clinton not being popular in Louisiana.

Cut 11 (10) “break”

===================================================

Pro-choice advocates protested outside the Governor’s Mansion, while pro-life supporters rallied on the steps of the Capitol today. Executive Director for the New Orleans Abortion Fund, Amy Irvin, says they are concerned about the anti-abortion legislation signed into law by the governor. She says these laws could cost the state money, as they may be unconstitutional.

cut 12 (12) “attention to”

Louisiana recently passed legislation tripling its waiting period for women to get an abortion, and a common second trimester abortion procedure will be soon be banned. There are other pieces of legislation moving through the process that could impact funding for abortion clinics in the state. Irvin says this kind of legislation will hurt women’s access to healthcare in Louisiana.

Cut 13 (09)  “four clinics”

But not everyone is upset about the legislation coming out of this session. Legislative Director for the Louisiana Right to Life, Deanna Wallace says they showed up at the Capitol to show their support for Governor John Bel Edwards and the pro-life bills that he’s signed.

cut 14 (09)  “their mothers”

Wallace says they’re glad that being pro-life in the state isn’t a right or left issue- it’s a human rights issue. She says these laws will not affect women’s ability to get quality healthcare in Louisiana.

cut 15 (12) “and men”

===================================================

11:40 LRN Sportscast June 2nd

LSU, Rice, Southeastern Louisiana and Utah Valley all get an opportunity to practice at Alex Box Stadium today ahead of the start of tomorrow’s regional. SLU pitcher Kyle Cedotal says they’re looking forward to a home field advantage on Friday night against Rice….
cut 20 (15) “….at LSU”
Utah Valley is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance. Wolverines Head Coach Eric Madsen hopes his team can adjust quickly to the south Louisiana heat and the big crowd that’s expected in the Box for the regional opener…
cut 17 (07) “…for em”
Utah Valley and LSU will meet at 2 PM on Friday.

UL Lafayette Coach Tony Robichaux says freshman Nick Lee will pitch tomorrow night in Princeton in the Cajuns first game in the regional. Gunner Leger will start on Saturday. Senior second baseman Stefan Trosclair is looking forward to playing in front of the home fans this weekend….

cut 30 (11) “…for us”
UL Lafayette’s game agaisnt Princeton is set to start at 7 PM on Friday.

The Women’s College World Series gets underway today and LSU will take on Michigan at 8:30. The Wolverines eliminated the Tigers from the WCWS last year when they beat the Bayou Bengals six to three.

The LHSAA has announced high school principals will vote next Wednesday on four different playoff proposals for football and other sports. This past January, member principals voted to expand the current public-private school split to basketball, baseball and softball.

10:30 LRN Newscast

The number of substance-exposed babies born in Louisiana has tripled since 2008, according to the Department of Children and Family Services. Halen Doughty reports it’s led to a greater demand for foster families…
voicer 1 (31) “…I’m Halen Doughty”

Baton Rouge Police have charged a 25-year-old man with second-degree murder in the shooting deaths of two Southern University students back in April. Authorities say Brandon Christopher Henderson admitting to firing the first shots that initiated the exchange of gunfire that killed Lashuntae Benton and Annette January.

Legislation that would allow domestic violence victims to carry a concealed weapon with an expedited permit receives final legislative passage. Denham Springs Representative Valarie Hodges says many concealed carry classes have a wait list, and it can take several weeks to get into the class and then get the permit. She says women could be attacked or murdered during this time…
cut 12 (09) “…have time”

The U.S. Senate election is five months away and Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy has a large lead in a Southern Media and Opinion Research poll of 500 likely voters. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says Kennedy drew 32-percent of the votes followed by GOP Congressman Charles Boustany with 10-percent. Pinsonat says the poll shows Kennedy’s favorable rating is at 62-percent:
CUT 7 (08) “John Kennedy”

16:45 LRN Sportscast June 1st

LSU is getting ready to open the Baton Rouge Regional by facing Utah Valley out of the Western Athletic Conference. Freshman right fielder Antoine Duplantis admits they don’t much about the Wolverines, but the coaching staff is providing a scouting report…
cut 17 (14) “….really hard”
Coach Paul Mainieri has yet to announce who will start on the mound on Friday, or who will catch, either Michael Papierski or Jordan Romero.

Ragin Cajuns Coach Tony Robichaux says seven-game winnner Nick Lee will pitch in their first game of the Lafayette Regional when they take on Princeton. Sophomore left-hander Gunner Leger will pitch in game two versus either Arizona or Sam Houston State.

Louisiana Tech is on its way to Mississippi where they are the three-seed in the Starkville Regional. The Bulldogs will face the second-seed in the regional, Cal State Fullerton, at 6:30 on Friday at Dudy Noble Field. Louisiana Tech has been scoring a bunch of runs lately, reaching double figures in the run column in five of their last eight games. Bulldogs catcher Brent Diaz hopes the bats stay hot in Starkville…
cut 20 (07) “…the time”
Tulane is in the Oxford Regional, where they’ll face Boston College on Friday afternoon at Swayze Field on the Ole Miss campus. The Green Wave didn’t swing the bats well last week in the American Athletic Tournament and the Greenies hope that doesn’t carry over to this weekend.

CBS announces that will televise an SEC football game on Saturday night November 5th. The likely choice will be LSU versus Alabama in Tiger Stadium.

The NFL Pro Bowl game is moving to Orlando and the league is going to the AFC versus the NFC.

16:30 LRN Newscast June 1

A blind man from Metairie has sued McDonald’s after he was refused service when he walked up to the drive-thru window. New Orleans attorney Roberto Costales says it was late at night, so his client couldn’t go in the restaurant to eat and he can’t drive. Costales says McDonald’s is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act…
cut 15 (10) “…shift job”
McDonalds is not commenting on the lawsuit.

About 375-thousand Louisiana residents are now eligible for Medicaid coverage as enrollment began today. Governor Edwards spoke at an event in New Orleans to celebrate Louisiana’s expanded Medicaid program…
cut 10 (12) “…manage health”
For more information go to healthy.la.gov.
The state senate has approved a 26-billion dollar spending plan for next fiscal year. It does not fully fund the TOPS scholarship program and it cuts funding to hospitals that provide care for the poor. Governor John Bel Edwards is asking legislators to restore that funding by raising revenue in a special session that begins next week.

A measure to allow patients direct access to a physical therapist without first receiving a doctor’s approval heads to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. Emelie Gunn has more…
voicer 1 (31) “…I’m Emelie Gunn”

14:30 LRN Newscast June 1st

The full Senate has approved the state’s 26-billion dollar spending plan for the next fiscal year. It does not fully fund the TOPS scholarship program and it also cuts state funding for safety-net hospitals that provide care for the poor. Governor Edwards will push legislators to restore the cuts in a special session that begins next week.

A blind man from Metairie is suing McDonald’s after he was refused service when he walked up to a drive-thrue window. Michelle Southern has the story,…
voicer 2 (30) “….I’m Michelle Southern”

Patients would have direct access to a physical therapist without needing a doctor’s referral under legislation heading to the governor’s desk. Opponents said during the debate that physical therapists don’t have the training of a doctor and could miss diagnose a life threatening health problem. But Amanda Brewer with the Louisiana Physical Therapy Association says there’s been extensive research showing direct access to a physical therapist isn’t dangerous…
cut 8 (09) “….the patient”

Open enrollment is underway for a new expanded Medicaid program that officials say will be able to provide health coverage for an estimated 375-thousand Louisiana workers. Governor John Bel Edwards says it’s also a cost-effective way to insure more people…
cut 11 (08) “…million dollars”
Information on enrollment can be found at healthy-dot-la-dot-gov.

11:40 LRN Sportscast June 1st

LSU is getting ready to open the Baton Rouge Regional by facing Utah Valley out of the Western Athletic Conference. Freshman right fielder Antoine Duplantis admits they don’t much about the Wolverines, but the coaching staff is providing a scouting report…
cut 17 (14) “….really hard”
Coach Paul Mainieri has yet to announce who will start on the mound on Friday, or who will catch, either Michael Papierski or Jordan Romero.

Tulane hopes their bats can get hot in the Oxford Regional. The Green Wave only scored five runs in two losses to Houston at the American Athletic Conference tournament in Florida. For the season, the Greenies are averaging nearly six runs a game. The Green Wave will face Boston College at 3 PM on Friday.

It will be Louisiana Tech versus Cal State Fullerton on Friday afternoon to begin the Starkville Regional. Tech has won 40 games this year, while the Titans are 35-and 16. Bulldogs catcher Brent Diaz says they are well aware of the Titans abilities…
cut 19 (14) “…to play ball”
Louisiana Tech has been scoring a bunch of runs lately, reaching double figures in the run column in five of their last eight games.

CBS has revealed a portion of its 2016 football TV schedule. The network plans to air two SEC games on November fifth, including one at 7 PM, which means LSU-and-Alabama in Tiger Stadium has a good shot at being a primetime game. CBS will also have a daytime doubleheader on November 12th, which is the same weekend LSU plays at Arkansas.