LRN AM Newscall November 20th

A national polling firm predicts the runoff elections in Louisiana. Michelle Southern takes a look.

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Thanksgiving feasts should be affordable, according to the Louisiana Farm Bureau. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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It’s been a year since Governor John Bel Edwards was elected into office. Emelie Gunn has more on what we can expect for the remainder of his term…

Cut 3 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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LSU scientists have found the first evidence of Deepwater Horizon oil in a land animal—the Seaside Sparrow. LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources Professor Phillip Stouffer says they believe the oil got into the birds’ system, because they are feeding off the marsh and the oil is trapped in the marsh…

cut 4  (09) “birds’ tissue” 11

Researchers also found that the direct exposure to the oil could be damaging the birds’ reproductive systems. LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources Associate Professor Sabrina Taylor says the study tells us the oil didn’t affect the offshore and the near shore ecosystems, but the marsh land where the sparrows live.

Cut 5  (11)  “spill is”

Taylor says the oil gets buried under sediments and can be released during storms. Stouffer says when we think of oil spills, there’s mainly concern about marine animals, but their research shows wildlife that lives strictly on land can be impacted….

Cut 6 (04) “they’re facing”

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A survey from a national polling firm on the 2016 runoffs in Louisiana predicts winners. Pollster Robert Cahaly with the Trafalgar Group says some national pollsters thought Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards victory last year meant Democrat Foster Campbell had a shot in the US Senate runoff. But he says there were unusual circumstances surrounding that election.

CUT 7 (10)  “the Democrat”

Republican John Kennedy leads Campbell in the Trafalgar poll 58 to 35-percent. Cahaly says Kennedy is unifying the GOP behind him.

Cut 8 (07) “red state”

Cahaly says the 3rd Congressional District race between Republicans Scott Angelle and Clay Higgins is a good illustration of the divide we’re seeing within the Republican Party nationally.

Cut 9 (08)  “Trump effect”

Cahaly says he’s got Higgins leading Angelle 49 to 42-percent. He says it remains to be seen whether or not Trump supporters are still energized about the election. He says either way, this will be a hard fought race between establishment Republicans and the Trump coalition.

Cut 10 (07)  “to Higgins”

The poll also found that Republican Mike Johnson has a strong lead over Democrat Marshall Jones in the 4th Congressional District race, which Cahaly says isn’t surprising in a red state.

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The Louisiana Farm Bureau finds the cost of a Thanksgiving meal will be below the national average this year, thanks to the hard work of Louisiana farmers and ranchers. Chair of the Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, Denise Canatella, says they found that families can still affordably provide a bountiful meal on Thanksgiving.

cut 11 (10) “in Louisiana”

Canatella says Louisiana shoppers can expect to pay less for Thanksgiving favorites like sweet potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie mix, and pie shells. She says the low prices are a testament to farmers’ hard work following the floods and drought they’ve dealt with this year.

cut 12 (09) “low price”

The average price for a Thanksgiving dinner in Louisiana  $49.79, which is slightly less than the national average. But Canatella says shoppers will pay a little more for turkey, milk, rolls, whip cream, and a veggie tray. She encourages people to look around to find the best deals.

Cut 13 (12) “for you”

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Governor John Bel Edwards was elected into office one year ago today. Political Analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the governor has had quite the year. He says he’s had some successes, including the approval of higher sales tax that prevented the state from bigger budget cuts.

cut 14 (09) “out alive”

Pinsonat says Edwards will likely be dealing with budget issues for the remainder of his years in office. He says despite budget problems, civil unrest from a police shooting and devastating flooding, the governor’s approval rating is high…

Cut 15 (10) “approval rating”

Pinsonat says Edwards faces some uncertainty with a new Republican presidency. He says it might be more difficult for a Democratic governor to get federal assistance…

Cut 16 (09)” the process”

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After a disappointing 16-10 loss to Florida, interim head coach Ed Orgeron’s chances of keeping the job on a permanent basis seem to be dwindling. The Tigers had plenty of chances to beat the Gators, but there were too many mistakes, including five trips into the red zone and coming away with just one touchdown. Safety John Battle says the coaches are not the blame for this loss….

Cut 17 (18) “A-and-M”

LSU came into this season with championship aspirations, instead they are 6-4 heading into the regular season finale. The Tigers lost by a combined 21 points in the four losses. Quarterback Danny Etling says they’ve learned every play matters in major college football…

Cut 18 (13) “ right attitude”

Orgeron says beating Florida would have been a great win for the program, but now they have to focus on the regular season finale against Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night…

Cut 19 (10)   “come Thursday”

 

11:40 LRN Sportscast November 18th

For the second straight game, the Saints had a kick blocked and it played a huge role in a second consecutive defeat for the Black and Gold. Coach Sean Payton on the special teams miscue in the 23-20 defeat to the Panthers…
cut 30 (08) “….it’s disappointing”
The Saints are now a disappointing 4-6 and a long shot to make the playoffs.

LSU is a 13.5 point favorite to beat Florida on Saturday, even though the Gators have one of the best defenses in the SEC. Tigers center Ethan Pocic says Florida is excellent at swarming towards the football…
cut 18 (17) “….limit that”
Kick-off on Saturday is at noon.

Good news for duck hunters, surveys find there are over twice as many ducks in Louisiana as there were at this time last year. State waterfowl study leader Larry Reynolds says they really aren’t sure why there are so many more ducks, but they have some theories….
cut 27 (10) “…migrants down”
Duck hunting season opens in the east zone tomorrow morning.

In college basketball tonight, LSU hosts North Florida. The Tigers are 2-0 and shooting 53-percent from the field. U-N-F is 1-and-2 on the year.

The Pelicans host Portland tonight. Anthony Davis is expected to play after missing the last game with a quad injury. Tonight also marks guard Jrue Holiday’s first action on the court this season.

10:30 LRN Newscast November 18th

The Restore Louisiana Taskforce is meeting today to discuss how the state will distribute the first round of federal disaster aid for flood victims. Congress approved 438 million dollars worth of assistance. The governor’s deputy chief of staff, Julie Baxter Payer, says they are recommending a program that has three different ways the money will be dispersed….
cut 10 (09) “….for reimbursement”
Payer says about 307-million dollars of this first round of money will go to low to moderate income families first.

A strong cold front will move through Louisiana today. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Saturday will be one of the coldest days we’ve experienced in a while…
cut 14 (10) “…quite sometime”
There is a chance for rain today as the front moves through.

Good news for duck hunters, there are twice as many waterfowl in Louisiana as there were last year at this time, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Don Molino has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

For the second straight game, the Saints had a kick blocked and it played a huge role in a second consecutive defeat for the Black and Gold. Coach Sean Payton on the special team miscue in the 23-20 defeat to the Panthers…
cut 30 (08) “….it’s disappointing”

09:30 LRN Newscast November 18th

GOP leaders in Washington are planning for the next Congress now that they know a Republican will be in the White House. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Metairie says a strong border security bill is a priority, because the U.S. lacks strong enforcement of the border…
cut 5 (10) “…national security
Scalise says improving the national economy is also a priority.

Duck hunting season opens statewide tomorrow morning as the east zone, joins the West and Coastal zones, which opened last weekend. State waterfowl study leader Larry Reynolds says their surveys indicate there are over twice as many ducks than last November, so it should be a good weekend for some hunters…
cut 8 (10) “…few areas”
The Restore Louisiana Task Force meets at this hour to decide how they’ll allocate 438-million dollars in federal flood aid that was approved by Congress in September. The governor’s deputy chief of staff, Julie Baxter Payer, says the state wants to first provide relief for those, who are most at risk of losing their home due to a lack of immediate resources…
cut 11 (11) “…and disabled”
Payer says they still anticipate Congress will approve another round of federal aid before the end of the year to help all flood victims

Also at this hour, the joint legislative budget committee meets where they’ll vote on Governor John Bel Edwards plan to eliminate a budget deficit that’s over 300-million dollars. The governor’s proposal includes an 18-million cut to higher education.

08:30 LRN Newscast November 18th

The Restore Louisiana Taskforce meets this morning where it’s expected they’ll approve a plan on how the state will distribute the 438-million dollars in federal flood aid that was approved by Congress in September. The governor’s deputy chief of staff, Julie Baxter, says they anticipate Congress will approve another round of federal aid next month…
cut 12 (10) “….the recovery”
Payer says this first round of federal cash will likely be available to low and moderate income flood victims.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Metairie says GOP leaders in Congress are looking at passing a bill early next year that removes provisions from Obamacare that he says are raising health care costs…
cut 4 (11) “…their doctors”
Scalise says another priority for the new Congress is a strong border security bill.

Duck hunters will love this news. State waterfowl study leader Larry Reynolds says their surveys have found three million ducks are in the state, which is almost two million more than last November. But Reynolds is not sure how long we’ll see this large duck count….
cut 9 (09) “…the season”
Duck hunting season will be open statewide, starting tomorrow morning.

There’s a chance for rain today as a strong cold front swings through the state. But State Climatologist Barry Keim says not everyone will see rain drops…
cut 15 (08) “…that regard”
It will be a chilly Saturday. Highs in the low 60s with a good breeze from the north.

07:30 LRN Newscast November 18th

GOP leaders in Congress are optimistic about having a Republican in the White House again. Halen Doughty has more…
CUT 1 (27) “I’m Halen Doughty”

For the second straight game, the Saints had a kick blocked and it played a huge role in a second consecutive defeat for the Black and Gold. Coach Sean Payton on the special team miscue in the 23-20 defeat to the Panthers…
cut 30 (08) “….it’s disappointing”
Carolina turned that blocked field goal into seven points right before halftime.

Good news for duck hunters, surveys find there are over twice as many ducks in Louisiana as there were at this time last year. State waterfowl study leader Larry Reynolds says they really aren’t sure why there are so many more ducks, but they have some theories….
cut 7 (10) “…migrants down”
Duck hunting season opens in the east zone tomorrow morning.

Get ready for a change in the weather. State climatologist Barry Keim says a significant cold front is sweeping over the state today, which will usher in much colder air. He says tomorrow is expected to be cool and breezy, with temperatures dropping even more by the end of the weekend…
cut 13 (07) “…and Monday”
There’s a chance for a shower or thunderstorm today.

06:45 LRN Sportscast

The Saints had 371 total yards to Carolina’s 223, but the Black and Gold still lost to the Panthers 23-20 last night. New Orleans Quarterback Drew Brees had two turnovers in the first half that resulted in 10 points for the defending NFC champs…
cut 30 (12) “…result”
The blocked field goal right before halftime resulted in seven more points for the Panthers. New Orleans is now 4-6 on the year.

Southeastern Louisiana completed its regular season with a 44-42 win over Nicholls State. S-L-U’s Julius Maracalin had three rushing touchdowns. The Lions, who are 7-4 on the season, still have a chance for an F-C-S playoff berth. The Colonels finished the year with a 5-6 record.

LSU will honor 19 seniors before tomorrow’s game against the Florida Gators. One of those seniors is defensive back Tre’ Davious White. The Shreveport native likes how the team has come together since Head Coach Ed Orgeron took over….
cut 17 (12) ” next to none”
A key to an LSU win on Saturday will be the running game for the Tigers. Florida is the second best in the SEC at defending run. Kick-off is at high noon.

Also this weekend, the Cajuns visit Georgia, ULM is at Appalachian State, Grambling visits Texas Southern,Northwestern State is at Stephen F Austin, McNeese hosts Lamar and Southern hosts Mississippi Valley State.

In the high school football playoffs last night…West Monroe advanced to the quarterfinals in Class Five-A with a win over Ouachita Parish. In one-a, Oak Grove and Kentwood moved on to the quarters.

06:30 LRN Newscast November 18th

The Restore Louisiana Taskforce meets today to discuss how the state will distribute the first round of federal disaster aid for flood victims. Congress approved 438 million dollars worth of assistance. The governor’s deputy chief of staff, Julie Baxter Payer, says they are recommending a program that has three different ways the money will be dispersed….
cut 10 (09) “….for reimbursement”
Payer says this round of money will likely go to low to moderate income families first.

A strong cold front will move through Louisiana today. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Saturday will be one of the coldest days we’ve experienced in a while…
cut 14 (10) “…quite sometime”
There is a chance for rain today as the front moves through.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Metairie says the Republican controlled Congress and White House are ready to move forward with an agenda that seeks to improve the economy. Scalise says G-O-P leaders want to get the oil and gas industry going and that means removing regulations so the U.S. can become more energy independent…
cut 6 (09) “….in America”
Oil is trading at around 45-dollars a barrel.

The Saints are now 4-and-6 on the season after losing to Carolina 23-20 last night. Once again a blocked kick played a huge role in this one. The Panthers blocked a field goal before halftime, which resulted in seven points for the defending N-F-C champs.

16:45 LRN Sportscast November 17th

Tonight the Saints visit the Carolina Panthers in an NFC South matchup. These two teams met last month in the Superdome and New Orleans won 41-38. Quarterback Drew Brees says the Panthers have a good defense, even though he threw for 465 yards and four touchdowns versus Carolina this season
cut 19 (19) “…the past”
Saints cornerback Delvin Breaux will reportedly not play tonight. Breaux has missed much of the season because of a broken fibula.

In college football tonight…Southeastern Louisiana is at Nicholls State for the 26th playing of the River Bell Classic. The Lions ahve won five of their last six games, while the Colonels can claim their first winning season since 2007 with a win tonight. Kick-off is at 6 PM.

The Florida Gators will arrive in Baton Rouge tomorrow for Saturday’s SEC match-up with LSU. A win for the Gators and they clinch the SEC East. Meanwhile, a victory for the Tigers moves them one step closer to a potential Sugar Bowl appearance.

Former LSU Coach Les Miles made some news today. Dennis Dodd of C-B-S sports-dot-com published a story featuring Miles, who says he wants to coach at a Power 5 school ynext year. There are multiple sources that say Miles is a candidate at Baylor. The 63-year-old also told Dodd that he will change his philosphy on offense.

In college basketball tonight…Tulane takes on Oklahoma, the Cajuns host Panhandle State for their home opener which will take place inside Blackham Coliseum and ULM begins a four-game road trip at Colorado.

Last night in college hoops….Louisiana Tech beat Alabama State as Erik McCree and Jacobi Boykins each scored 18 points.

16:30 LRN Newscast November 17th

The Baton Rouge Police Department arrests a woman for allegedly attempting to kill her 8 year old son by slitting his throat. Cpl L’Jean McKneely says the suspect, 40-year-old Gloria Ross, grabbed a kitchen knife as her kids were getting ready for school, and approached the young victim…:
Cut 12 (07) “to his throat”
McKneely says the woman told cops that Jesus told her to kill her son.

President-elect Donald Trump ran on a platform of immigration reform, often mentioning mass deportations, and Governor John Bel Edwards said on his monthly call-in radio show that state and federal laws could come into play. He says they’ll have to wait and see what politics come out of the Trump Administration…:
CUT 10 (09) “obviously”
Mr. Trump is slated to be sworn into office on January 20th.

Public colleges in Louisiana will have to absorb an 18-million dollar cut in state funding for this fiscal year. It’s part of Governor John Bel Edwards plan to reduce a 315-million dollar deficit. The governor is also proposing to delay 152 million dollars in payments to health care providers who care for Medicaid patients.

Duck Dynasty announces after 130 episodes, the show is coming to an end this April. Halen Doughty has more…
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”