Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

08.29.15
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LRN AM Newscall August 31

A group of men and women begin their first full day of training today to become a State Police Trooper. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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September is typically the busiest month for hurricanes. Scott Carwile chats with a forecaster to tell us what we can expect…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Scott Carwile”

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The LSU football team opens its season against McNeese State this Saturday. Jeff Palermo looks at why the Tigers are beginning the year against an FCS school, and not a big-name opponent…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A new Louisiana State Police cadet class starts their first full day of training today in Baton Rouge. Sgt. Nick Manale says over the next 16 weeks, they will cover everything from classroom instruction to hands on scenario based training. He says these individuals were carefully selected to ensure State Police has the right people.

cut 4  (10)  “new academy”

Manale says 80 cadets will participate in the intense training in hopes of graduating in December and wearing the “Gold Boot” badge. He says this is the third State Police cadet class since 2014, which is helping to boost their numbers after not having any new troopers for five years.

Cut 5  (10)  “of course”

Manale says even though they’ve added over 100 troopers since 2014, they are still hoping to have another cadet class soon, after this current one wraps up.

Cut 6 (12)  “application process”

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According to BankRate.com, Louisiana is the worst state for drivers. The website’s research and statistics analyst Chris Kahn says they ranked all 50 states according to the amount of fatal crashes, car thefts, commute times, gas prices, and insurance premiums….

CUT 7 (07)  “in Louisiana”

Kahn says the fatal crash rate is above the national average in the state but the one main factor that is always dragging Louisiana down is the absurdly high insurance premiums. He says the reason it’s so high could be because of a couple different things.

Cut 8  (12)  “really high” 

Kahn says one way to help get Louisiana from the bottom of the list is to chat with your insurance provider to find out about discounts.

Cut 9 (11) “insurance premiums”

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As we enter the month of September, it’s usually the busiest month of the year for the hurricane season. State Climatologist Barry Keim says sea surface temperatures tend to peak during this month.

Cut 10 (10) “recent times”

Keim says in September, we typically see an average of three to four named storms in the north-Atlantic and about two to three become hurricanes. He says we’ve had several September hurricanes that had devastating impacts.

cut 11 (10) “good shape”

But Keim says this year an El Nino is creating wind shear, which is hurting the formation of storms. He says although these conditions have been working against the storms, we’ve already had five named storms and 10 to 12 is the average number.

 Cut 12 (07) “them apart”

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As part of Louisiana Radio Network’s continuing Q-and-A with the men running for governor, we asked the four candidates about how transparent their administration will be once they are in office. Democrat John Bel Edwards says he’s the only candidate that voted for a bill that will bring new transparency to the records in the governor’s office…

Cut 13 (09)  “light of day”

Republican David Vitter plans to make more documents available to the public than what’s currently available and the US Senator says he’ll make himself available to the public with town hall meetings in every parish

Cut 14 (07) “relaxed way”

Republican Scott Angelle says his administration will be more transparent than any past administration. He says access to records is a critical part in building public’s trust with government

Cut 15  (08)  “Louisianians”

Republican Jay Dardenne also agrees that the records of the executive branch, including the office of the governor, need to be made open and available upon request

Cut 16  (11)  “as well”

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Game week has arrived for the Tigers as they kick-off the season against McNeese State this Saturday. In years past, LSU has opened the season against big name opponents, but senior associate athletics director Verge Ausberry says with Mississippi State and Auburn looming in Weeks two and three, they didn’t want to start the season with a Top 5 opponent

Cut 17 (05) “to win” 

Ausberry says it just happened to be LSU’s year to play a couple of early SEC matchups. But he says when that’s not the case, they like to open the season with a strong opponent…

Cut 18 (05) “big opponents”

08.29.15
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10:30 LRN Newscast August 29

Ten years ago today, the most destructive storm in US history made landfall in southeast Louisiana. Within hours, much of New Orleans was under several feet of water as man made levees gave way. This morning, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and other elected officials and dignatiries laid wreaths at a Hurricane Katrina memorial site.

Our Michelle Southern spoke with former governor Kathleen Blanco about her memories of Katrina…
voicer 4 (33) “…I’m Michelle Southern”

The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Erika has dissipated near Cuba. Its remants are expected to move into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on Sunday and no more advisories will be issued unless it regenerates.

LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron says he’s been successfully treated for prostate cancer. Cameron says he had a procedure and received news a couple of weeks ago that he was cancer free. The 54-year-old says he’s ready to roll for the regular season….
cut 30 (16) “…by Monday”
LSU’s first game is a week from today against McNeese State.

The Saints will host the Houston Texans for preseason game number three tomorrow. The Texans feature one of the best players in the game, defensive end JJ Watt. Saints quarterback Drew Brees is not expected to play beyond the first half.

08.29.15
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09:30 LRN Newscast August 29

Ten years ago today Hurricane Katrina was causing devastation that led to the flooding of thousands of homes and businesses and killing over one-thousand people. But Kathleen Blanco, who was governor at the time, is proud of how the state has rebounded….
cut 27 (10) “…come alive again”
Many people in the New Orleans area are using the 10-year anniversary as a day of service, getting out doing something to improve their community.

It doesn’t look like we have to worry about Erika. The National Hurricane Center says its no longer a tropical storm as it has dissipated in the Caribbean. The remnant low-level circulation from Erika is expected to move towards the Florida Keys over the next day and a half.

Oil prices are showing signs of life. After a nine-percent increase on Wall Street on Thursday, the price of crude rose another six-percent to $45.22 a barrel.

Monroe-based Centurylink has plans to bring high-speed internet to 24-thousand rural households and businesses in Louisiana. Eric Gill has the story…
cut 2 (29) “…I’m Eric Gill”

LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron says he’s ready for the season after he was treated successfully for prostate cancer. Cameron says the worst is behind him….
cut 20 (09) “…clean bill of health’
The Tigers open the season next Saturday at McNeese State.

08.29.15
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08:30 LRN Newscast August 29

Most Louisianans are reflecting about what they were doing 10 years ago today as Hurricane Katrina made landfall near Buras at 6:10 in the morning and then again in St. Tammany Parish. Here’s how it sounded on the Louisiana Radio Network, former LRN anchor Don Grady…

cut 20 (18) “…St. Bernard”
By nine o’ clock in the morning on August 29th, 2005, there was six to eight feet of water in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward.

There is good news in the tropics today. The National Hurricane Center says Erika has dissipated as a tropical cyclone and all tropical storm watches and warnings in the Caribbean have been discontinued.

Visitation has resumed in Lake Charles for fallen state trooper Steven Vincent. A funeral mass will take place at noon at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church. Vincent, who was fatally shot by an impaired stranded motorist, will be laid to rest at Lacassine Cemetery in Lake Charles.

There’s a report of a shooting invovling a Calcaseiu Sheriff’s deputy. Sheriff Tony Mancuso tells KPLC-TV that one of his deputies shot a suspect in an altercation in Moss Bluff. The suspect, who was accussed of beating his girlfriend, was at last report undergoing surgery.

LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron says he’s received a clean bill of health after undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. Cameron says he’ll be ready for next Saturday’s opener against McNeese State…
cut 25 (05) “…this process”
Cameron says he did not undergo radiation, but had a procedure to remove the cancer.

08.29.15
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07:30 LRN Sportscast August 29

LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron says he’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but he’s fine and his health is good. Cameron says he’s already had it treated….
cut 30 (06) “…ready to go”
Cameron says his treatment did not include radiation and received word two weeks ago that he is cancer free.

The Saints will face the Houston Texans on Sunday in preseason game number three. Coach Sean Payton says quarterback Drew Brees will only play a handful of downs. The Texans will feature a couple of former LSU running backs in the their backfield, rookie Kenny Hilliard and Alfred Blue. Kickoff in the Mercedes Benz Superdome is at 3 PM.

The Green Bay Packers have signed former UL Lafayette wide receiver James Butler. Butler caught 87 passes and had four touchdowns in 51 college games. He worked out for Green Bay earlier this week and has been added to the team’s roster as the Packers need more wide receiver depth in the wake of Jordy Nelson’s season-ending injury.

Former LSU pitcher Aaron Nola improved to 5-and-1 on the season as he threw seven strong innings in the Phillies seven to one win over the Padres last night. Nola allowed just one run on two hits and struck out six. The right-hander from Baton Rouge has given only one run over his last two starts.

Another former LSU star, Kevin Gausman, also pitched last night, but the results were not as good. Gausman gave up four runs in 6.2 innings as his Orioles were defeated by Texas four to one.

UL Lafayette basketball coach Bob Marlin has signed a new five-year contract that will pay him 455-thousand dollars annually. Marlin also has a chance to make more money through bonuses.

Calvary Baptist football coach John Bachman Senior has taken a leave of absence. Bachman has led the Cavaliers to two straight championships. A reason for his leave of absence was not given by the school, but principal Rhonda Honea told the Shreveport Times that it was voluntary and shouldn’t last long.

08.28.15
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LRN Newscast 17:30 August 28

Former President George W Bush touted education successes in New Orleans as he visited the Crescent City for the ten year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Bush says because of the proliferation of charter schools, test scores and graduation rates are up in the Big Easy…
cut 4 (07) “…school reform”
Bush delivered the speech at Warren Easton High School. He also spoke there on the first anniversary of Katrina.

Monroe-based Centurylink announces plans to bring high-speed internet to more than 24-thousand rural households and businesses in Louisiana. Centurylink Senior vice-president John Jones says they have accepted money from the Federal Communications Commission to get this work done…
cut 12 (08) “exisiting markets”
He says construction on the project is set to begin early next year.

The latest forecast track of Erika shows the tropical storm could move into the western Gulf of Mexico early next week. State Climatologist Barry Keim…
cut 10 (09) “…very,very carefully”
Erika is expected to move across Cuba on Saturday and weaken into a depression.

Funeral services are Saturday for Senior State Trooper Steven Vincent, who died from a gunshot wound. Governor Bobby Jindal is expected to be in attendance for the funeral Mass at a church in Lake Charles.

The man who is accussed of fatally shooting a police officer in Sunset this week was taken to the hospital today, but authorities believe Harrison Riley Junior was faking a medical condition. St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says Riley was unresponsive inside his cell this morning, but was fine when checked by doctors at a local hospital.

08.28.15
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LRN Sportscast 16:45 August 28

Saturday marks the ten-year annivesary of Hurricane Katrina. It was the first season for Les Miles as the head coach of the LSU Tigers. Miles was proud with how his team responded by voluntering at the PMAC, which was used as a temporary medical facility. He says many of the players also opened up their campus apartments to evacuees…
cut 30 (11) “…great time”
LSU went 11-and-2 that season, beating Miami in the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl.

In 2005, LSU had Jamarcus Russell at the helm. This year, Brandon Harris and Anthony Jennings are expected to get snaps. LSU is not the only SEC school that has a quarterback battle still unsettled. Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina have not seen a clear cut starter emerge.

The USA Today is reporting that the Sun Belt Conference is looking at either adding Coastal Carolina or Eastern Kentucky and a vote could happen very soon. The Sun Belt has been interested in adding a 12th football playing member, so they can have a conference championship game. Coastal Carolina and Eastern Kentucky are currently FCS schools.

McNeese State will wear a special camouflage jersey for its home opener against Incarnate Word on September 12th. The camo jerseys have a white base, with camouflage shoulders and numbers.

Nicholls State has reportedly added former Alabama running back Altee Tenpenny to its roster. The Arkansas native was rated as a four-star prospect coming out of high school in 2013. He played two seasons at Alabama and rushed for 218 yards on 48 carries. Tenpenny also spent time at UNLV, but was kicked off the team for an unspecified rules violation.

High School football jamborees are taking place across the state tonight as we are one week away from the regular season opener.

08.28.15
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LRN PM Newscall August 28

For the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, former President George W. Bush visited New Orleans and gave a speech praising the recovery of its public schools…

CUT 1 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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Monroe-based Centrylink has plans to bring high-speed internet to 24-thousand rural households and businesses in Louisiana.  Eric Gill has the story…

CUT 2 (29)  “I’m Eric Gill”

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Former President George W. Bush spoke at Warren Easton High School today to emphasize how far public education in New Orleans has come since Hurricane Katrina. In his speech, Bush said nine in 10 public school students in New Orleans now attend a charter school and praised the good work done by these charter schools…

CUT 3 (11)  “almost doubled”

Bush said he and wife Laura visited New Orleans to salute the leaders of the city who have helped it and its schools progress since the tragic storm. After Katrina, Bush says educational entrepreneurs came together to help reform the school system…

CUT 4 (07)  “school reform”

In closing his speech, Bush spoke of the spirit in Warren Easton High and other schools in the New Orleans area that had to rebuild and reform. He acknowledged the New Orleans spirit was stronger than any Hurricane Katrina or storm like it…

CUT 5 (07) “of this city”

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The Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office seized nearly 200 pounds of cocaine–the largest in the parish’s history–after receiving an anonymous tip about several suspicious packages. Commander Eric Becnel says there is an ongoing investigation with the United States Homeland Security New Orleans office because the wrapping of the cocaine is consistent with drug trafficking…

CUT 6 (05) “in our parish”

After a field test and examination, the drugs were determined to be pure cocaine. Becnel says the sheriff’s office estimates the street value of the cocaine to be 18 million dollars. No arrests have been made as of yet. But he says the seizure has helped prevent the possibility of property and violent crimes that would have been fueled by the drugs…

CUT 7 (04)  “their habit”

Becnel says the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office is grateful to have a relationship and the support of the community. He says this relationship allows the public to notify authorities when there is suspicious activity in the parish…

CUT 8 (05)  “wound up”

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Tropical Storm Erika continues to drop heavy rains as it moves through the Caribbean. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the current projected path of Erika has it making landfall in South Florida sometime Monday. He says the good news is that very little strengthening is forecast…

CUT 9 (06)  “by that”

He says Erika is not expected to reach hurricane strength. Keim says some bad news regarding Erika is the cone of uncertainty now includes the Gulf of Mexico…

cut 10 (09)  “very, very carefully”

Keim says Erika is disorganized which is giving forecasters problems in predicting how strong it will get and where it will move. He says the unpredictability of Erika warrants our attention…

Cut 11 (09)  “the peninsula”

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Monroe-based Centurylink announces plans to bring high-speed internet to more than 24-thousand rural households and businesses in Louisiana. Centurylink Senior vice-president John Jones says they have accepted money from the Federal Communications Commission to get this work done…

cut 12 (08)  “exisiting markets”

Jones says the company accepted about 500-million dollars a year for six years from the FCC to develop high-speed Internet service to one-point-two million Centurylink customers nationwide

cut 13 (10)  “little time”

Jones says they’ll spend the next few months mapping out a plan to bring high-speed internet to rural areas and construction is expected to begin early next year….

cut 14 (09)  “get too”

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08.28.15
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11:40 LRN Sportscast August 28

Ten years ago, sports was put on hold in Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina was bearing down on our state. Les Miles was preparing to lead LSU on the football field for the first time, but the season opener against North Texas was postponed. After the storm blew threw, the PMAC was used as a hospital to treat evacuees. Coach Les Miles says many of his players donated their time there….
cut 17 (10) “…and commitment”
LSU will practice today and tomorrow. They’ll take Sunday off and then Monday is the start of game week.

The Saints will practice tonight at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium. It will be open to the public. It’s New Orleans final practice before their third preseason game, which is Sunday afternoon at home against the Houston Texans. The battle for placekicker remains a tight battle. Coach Sean Payton sees it as a dead heat between Dustin Hopkins and Zach Hocker.

It’s being reported that another year has been added to UL-Lafayette football Coach Mark Hudspeth’s contract. If approved by the UL System Board of Supervisors, the amended deal will keep Hudspeth under contract with the school through the 2020 season. Hud is set to make one-million dollars this year and he’ll reportedly be paid one-point-two million in 2020.

08.27.15
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LRN Sportscast 16:45 August 27

Saints Coach Sean Payton was back with his team today after spending yesterday helping his daughter get settled in at college. She’s attending Pepperdine University in California. Payton says he had a lump in his throat when he left her.

As far as the team goes, Payton is glad cornerback Delvin Breaux is on the roster. The head coach says Breaux’s initial workout with the team was so impressive, he didn’t want him leaving the building with out a deal. The New Orleans native has looked good during camp, especially in one-on-one drills.

The Saints practice tomorrow night at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium and its open to the public.

For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit has picked the LSU Tigers to win the Southeastern Conference. Herbie has the Bayou Bengals beating Tennessee in the SEC championship game and advancing to the college football playoff. Herbstreit believes Ohio State will repeat as national champs.

Another year has reportedly been added to Ragin Cajuns Coach Mark Hudspeth’s contract. If the contract amendment is approved by the UL System Board of Supervisors, Hudspeth will be under contract with the school through the end of 2020. Coach Hud is set to make one-million dollars this year and he’ll reportedly be paid one-point-two million in 2020.

A week from tonight, the Southland Conference football season gets underway with Northwestern State hosting Southeastern Louisiana. The Demons still have not named a starting quarterback. There are four players battling for that opportunity. Coach Jay Thomas says its possible that he’ll play all four.

LSU basketball freshman phenom Ben Simmons has been named to the Blue Ribbon preseason All-American team. During the Tigers’ recent tour of Australia, Simmons averaged 20 points, nine rebounds and shot 52-percent from the field.