Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

06.24.26
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5:30 LRN Newscast

In St. Tammany, Randy Smith pleads guilty to attacking a critic of his at a Madisonville restaurant and he also resigns as sheriff….

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

U-S Senator Bill Cassidy says it got loud between him and President Donald Trump during a closed-door meeting with Republican Senators today. Cassidy says Trump asked why four GOP Senators voted to withdraw troops from Iran and Cassidy says he raised his voice and said you have not told the American people what’s going on.

 

LDWF agents in Avoyelles Parish rescued 86 people and 20 pets during last week’s historic flooding. Region commander for the area Captain John Volentine says along with trucks and vessels, agents used the department’s two amphibious vehicles to rescue people stranded by the floodwaters.

Cut 4 (12) “…parish like Avoyelles.”

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame will welcome a new class of 12 Louisiana sports icons. Former LSU and Atlanta Falcons center Todd McClure is one of the four Tigers to be honored. A Baton Rouge native, McClure says he’s honored to join such a special group.

Cut 6 (11) “…truly humbled.”

The other three Tigers set to be inducted are second baseman Warren Morris, center Sylvia Fowles and basketball coach John Brady.

06.24.26
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3:30 LRN Newscast

St. Tammany Sheriff Randy Smith pleaded guilty today to one count of second-degree battery for attacking a critic of his at a restaurant near Madisonville on May 29th. District Attorney Collin Sims says as part of the plea deal, Smith is no longer the sheriff…

Cut 9 (13) “…protecting the public”

Smith served as the sheriff of St. Tammany for nearly a decade and was serving in his third term.

Pastor Tony Spell of Central addressed the media today after he was arrested on a second-degree battery charge. Video shows Spell punching his neighbor’s 20-year-old son. Spell says the man threatened his family….

Cut 20 (05) “…when I’m gone”

The victim’s family says they’ve never threatened Spell’s family.

 

Planned Parenthood is re-establishing a clinic in New Orleans. They anticipate the facility will open in the Fall. Emily Wales, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, says the clinic will offer several services for women…

Cut 13 (08) “…well visits”

The Louisiana Right To Life is concerned that Planned Parenthood’s telehealth services may be violating Louisiana law if their medical providers are not licensed to practice medicine in Louisiana.

During last week’s historic rain event in Avoyelles Parish, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents rescued 86 people and 20 pets from flood waters. Captain John Volentine is a native of Avoyelles Parish and says the cleanup process began in earnest over the weekend…

Cut 5 (06) “…and the water”

Residents are asked to report storm damage to damage.la.gov.

06.24.26
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LRN PM Newscall June 24

Former LSU and Falcons center Todd McClure will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame this weekend. Kace Kieschnick has more…

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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In St. Tammany, Randy Smith pleads guilty to attacking a critic of his at a Madisonville restaurant and he also resigns as sheriff. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The massive flooding in Avoyelles Parish kept LDWF enforcement agents busy. They rescued 86 people and 20 pets from the raging floodwaters last week. Captain John Volentine, who’s the region commander for the affected area, says the rescue mission was unlike any ever undertaken in Avoyelles Parish.

Cut 3 (07) “…the 1927 flood.”

Captain Volentine says along with trucks and vessels, agents used the department’s two amphibious vehicles to rescue people stranded by the floodwaters.

Cut 4 (12) “…parish like Avoyelles.”

Volentine says the cleanup process has already been a tedious one and will become even more so as time goes by.

Cut 5 (06) “…and the water.”

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The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame will welcome a new class of 12 Louisiana sports icons. Former LSU and Atlanta Falcons center Todd McClure is one of the four Tigers to be honored. A Baton Rouge native, McClure says he’s honored to join such a special group.

Cut 6 (11) “…truly humbled.”

In 1995, McClure arrived at an LSU program coming off six straight losing seasons. He took over the starting center job midway through his freshman year and never looked back, earning two All-SEC and an All-American first-team selection. He says playing for the Tigers was a dream come true.

Cut 7 (12) “…anywhere else.”

McClure was taken by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. After an ACL injury his rookie season, McClure started 195 games over 14 years in Atlanta and was added to their Ring of Honor in 2022. He says Atlanta was a second home for him.

Cut 8 (11) “…see it now.”

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St. Tammany Sheriff Randy Smith pleaded guilty today to one count of second degree battery for attacking a critic of his at a restaurant near Madisonville on May 29th. District Attorney Collin Sims as part of the plea deal, Smith is no longer the sheriff…

Cut 9 (13)  “…protecting the public.”

Sims says the former sheriff can reduce the felony battery conviction to a misdemeanor if he completes an 18-month treatment program that will address his alcohol issues…

Cut 10 (08) “…that caused it.” 

Smith also pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace by public intoxication. Last month, the former sheriff attacked from behind Robert Couvillon, a blogger and social media personality. Couvillon suffered a concussion and dental injuries and was hospitalized.

Sims says the victim and the the investigating agency, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, are satisfied with this case’s resolution…

Cut 11 (12) “…held accountable.”

Smith served as the sheriff of St. Tammany for nearly a decade and was serving in his third term. Prior to his time as sheriff, Smith was the Slidell police chief from 2010 to 2016. He has spent 40 years in law enforcement.

Smith says it’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve the St. Tammany Parish community, but retiring at this time is in the best interest of the agency, his family and the public. Bret Ibert will take over as Interim Sheriff until a new Sheriff is elected.

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Planned Parenthood is coming back to Louisiana, with the first reopening happening this fall in New Orleans. Emily Wales, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, says her network took over Louisiana following the closure of the last clinic in the state last September.

Cut 12 (07) “…make that happen.” 

Wales says the New Orleans clinic will offer several services for women.

Cut 13 (08) “…and well visits.”

What the clinic will not provide, however, is abortion services, since those services are illegal in the state. But Wales says like all other clinics in states where the procedure is outlawed, they can facilitate travel to a Planned Parenthood in a state where the procedure is allowed.

Cut 14 (09) “…of the state.”

The Louisiana Right To Life is not happy that Planned Parenthood is returning to Louisiana to send women outside the state to have abortions. The pro-life group is also concerned that Planned Parenthood’s telehealth services may be violating Louisiana law if their medical providers are not licensed to practice medicine in Louisiana. The Louisiana Right to Life says state law also prohibits health care providers from prescribing the abortion pill for elective abortion.

06.24.26
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11:30 LRN Newscast

St. Tammany Sheriff Randy Smith pleaded guilty today to one count of second-degree battery for attacking a critic of his at a restaurant near Madisonville on May 29th. District Attorney Collin Sims says as part of the plea deal, Smith is no longer the sheriff…

Cut 9 (13) “…protecting the public”

Smith served as the sheriff of St. Tammany for nearly a decade and was serving in his third term. Prior to his time as sheriff, Smith was the Slidell police chief from 2010 to 2016. He has spent 40 years in law enforcement.

An East Baton Rouge Parish pastor bonded out of jail yesterday after he was arrested on a second-degree battery charge. Authorities say the Reverend Tony Spell of Central beat up his neighbor’s 20-year-old son. There’s video of the incident that shows Spell and the victim throwing punches at each other along the side of the road. Spell previously gained national attention for holding church services in the early days of the COVID pandemic.

 

Republican Senators and President Trump meet behind closed doors today to discuss the Iran peace deal and the SAVE America Act. The election security bill would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. The President is demanding that Congress approve this legislation, but Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy says the votes are not there in the Senate.

Cut 10 (11) “…affordable for Americans.”

Early voting for Saturday’s U.S. Senate primary runoffs closed over the weekend. Secretary of State Nancy Landry says despite lower turnouts for early voting in this election, voters seemed more comfortable with the new closed party primary system.

Cut 13 (14)  “…they go vote.”

06.24.26
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LRN 9:30 Newscast

Secretary of State Nancy Landry says her office received fewer questions about the new closed party primaries during early voting for Saturday’s U.S. Senate runoffs. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Kace Keischnick.”

Sources say St. Tammany Sheriff Randy Smith could resign as early as today. Smith is set to appear in court today as he faces a felony battery charge for allegedly attacking a vocal critic of his at a restaurant near Madisonville.

Tulane has announced it will transform the former Charity Hospital building into a national hub of bioscience discovery and medical advancements.

 

Starting August 1st, it will be against state law for retailers to add surcharges when you make purchases with your debit card. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell authored the legislation that created this law and she says gas stations are some of the biggest perpetrators…

Cut 8 (11) “….same as caseh”

Consumers who are hit with a debit card surcharge can call a hotline, and those businesses have 30 days to remedy the situation. Those which don’t would then face fines of 500 dollars for each violation.

An historic rain event in Avoyelles Parish last week is causing flooding issues in the towns of Washington, Palmetto and Port Barre. St. Landry Parish president Jesse Bellard says several homes are in jeopardy of flooding…

Cut 6 (11) “…in trouble”

Bellard is asking residents in the Lebeau area who live along Highway 171 from US 190 north to LA 10 to voluntarily evacuate due to flooding.

06.24.26
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6:45 LRN Sportscast

The NCAA Division One Cabinet approves the five-for-five rule. A college athlete would have a five-year window to complete five years of eligibility. No more red shirt seasons or waivers, and possibly more roster predictability for teams.

For athletes that just completed their fourth season of eligibility, they will not receive an additional year. Athletes who still have eligibility can use the previous eligibility rules or the new age-based model. The new rule applies to high school students who have just graduated and are entering college.

The Pelicans did not make a blockbuster trade that would have given them a Top 10 pick in the first round of last night’s NBA draft. Such a deal would have required New Orleans to trade either Trey Murphy or Herb Tyler.

Former Ponchatoula High star Allen Graves was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the 19th overall pick. The six-foot-eight forward averaged 11 points and six rebounds in his freshman season at Santa Clara.

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WAFB-TV is reporting former NFL and LSU running back Richard Murphy was involved in a two-vehicle crash in downtown Baton Rouge earlier this month that resulted in the deaths of a 94-year-old man and his 69-year-old daughter-in-law. Murphy was reportedly driving erratically and at a high rate of speed, and ran a red light at the time of the crash. Murphy was injured but no charges have been filed as of yet. The Rayville native played for LSU from 2007 to 2010.

Construction officially began in New Orleans on the Raising Cane’s 9th Ward Stadium at LCMC Health Field. The stadium will feature a turf field, and 37-hundred seats. Stacy Martin says it will serve as the home field for George Washington Carver High…

Cut 16 (14) “…excited about it.”

Construction is scheduled to be completed before the 2027 football season

06.23.26
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4:30 LRN Newscast

The race for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate is coming down to the wire.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Last week we told you about the Australian who lives in Franklinton, who is now facing federal charges for voting in two federal elections as a non-U-S Citizen. Denise Migliore tells the Advocate Newspaper that she didn’t know she was breaking the law and considers herself a citizen because she has lived in the U-S for decades. Migliore also believes state and local election officials should have told her she could not register to vote.

 

A new state law will allow Licensed rehabbers to take in injured or orphaned Louisiana white-tailed deer. Last year on two occasions, LDWF agents seized deer from those caring for them and killed them. Humane Society of Louisiana Director Jeff Dorson says these incidents will not be repeated thanks to this new law…

Cut 4 (12) “…neurological disorders.”

The law goes into effect August 1st.

Louisiana officials are urging those impacted by Tropical Storm Arthur to report damages and losses to damage-dot-la-dot-gov. Governor Jeff Landry says the data collected on the website will help the state appeal for federal disaster assistance.

Cut 12 (09) “…methodic way.”

The individual assistance threshold is the one Landry says he is targeting, and the declaration will provide aid to secure temporary housing and basic home repair for flood victims.

06.23.26
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3:30 LRN Newscast

Saturday is the party primary runoffs in the U-S Senate Race. There are polls that show Julia Letlow in the lead in the Senate Republican Primary,  but there are also polls showing John Fleming in the lead. Political analyst Ron Faucheux says the Republican runoff has the ability to break all norms in national Republican contests this year…

Cut 10 (11) “….in the lead”

Animal advocates are hailing the signing of a bill aimed at protecting Louisiana white-tailed deer. Humane Society of Louisiana Director Jeff Dorson says House Bill 1248 was spawned by a pair of high-profile incidents, in which LDWF agents seized deer from those caring for them and killed them.

Cut 3 (09) “…by good Samaritans.”

The law that will go into effect on August 1st will allow licensed rehabbers to care for an injured or orphaned white-tail deer for up to six months.

 

The massive rainfall in Avoyelles Parish is one step closer to officially being a record-breaker. A rain gauge near Cottonport measured 29 inches of rain during the downpours caused by Tropical Storm Arthur. State climatologist Jay Grymes says officials just need to make sure the rain was collected properly.

Cut 7 (09) “…multiple times.”

Grymes and a team from the National Weather Service will be in Avoyelles Parish tomorrow to determine if the 29-inch rain event is accurate.

Louisiana residents who had damage from the remnants of Tropical  Storm Arthur are urged to report their losses to damage-dot-la-dot-gov.   The website has a survey for flood victims to provide photos and descriptions of the damage to their homes. Governor Jeff Landry says these pictures can also be used to make FEMA claims if federal assistance becomes available

Cut 13 (11) “…la-dot-gov website”

A threshold needs to be reached before a federal disaster declaration can be declared, which would open the up the possibility for federal assistance for storm victims.

06.23.26
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LRN PM Newscall June 23

One rain gauge in Avoyelles Parish measured 29 inches of rain in 12 hours during Tropical Storm Arthur. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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The race for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate is coming down to the wire. Andrew Greenstein reports. 

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Animal advocates are hailing the signing of a bill aimed at protecting Louisiana white-tailed deer. Humane Society of Louisiana Director Jeff Dorson says House Bill 1248 was spawned by a pair of high-profile incidents, in which LDWF agents seized deer from those caring for them and killed them.

Cut 3 (09) “…by good Samaritans.”

So Greenwell Springs Representative Lauren Ventrella, who’s an animal advocate, drafted the bill that sailed through the legislature without a single dissenting vote. Dorson says it gives licensed rehabbers the green light to care for white-tailed deer who need help.

Cut 4 (12) “…neurological disorders.”

Dorson says there are certain procedures licensed rehabbers will need to adhere to when taking in one of these deer.

Cut 5 (08) “…Wildlife and Fisheries.”

The new law takes effect August 1st.

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A rain gauge between Cottonport and Plaucheville measured 29 inches of rain during the downpours caused by Tropical Storm Arthur. State climatologist Jay Grymes is meeting with the National Weather Service in Avoyelles Parish to check and verify the rain gauges in the area. Grymes says if it’s made official, the total would be a new state record.

Cut 6 (08) “…the record.”

Grymes says he expects the measurement to be validated. There have been numerous gauges in the area reporting 20 or more inches of rain across the same time period. He says officials just need to make sure the rain was collected properly.

Cut 7 (09) “…multiple times.”

Grymes says the massive rain was possible due to numerous thunderstorms forming over the same area. The rainfall will likely be deemed a thousand-year event, and Grymes says it’s similar to the 2016 thunderstorms that caused flooding in south Louisiana with the same designation.

Cut 8 (10) “…a thousand years.”

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Just four days to go until the runoff elections. Ron Faucheux with Lunchtime Politics says polls in the Republican U.S. Senate race between Julia Letlow and John Fleming indicate that it’s anyone’s contest.

Cut 9 (10)  “…the Republican primary.”

Faucheux says the Republican runoff has the ability to break all norms in national Republican contests this year.

Cut 10 (11) “…in the lead.” 

Faucheux says Letlow has only one path to secure the Republican nomination.

Cut 11 (14) “…done that yet.”

Faucheux says with a low turnout expected, the Republican race will come down to whether Letlow or Fleming does a better job in getting the vote out.

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Louisiana officials are urging those impacted by Tropical Storm Arthur to report damages and losses to damage-dot-la-dot-gov. Governor Jeff Landry says the data collected on the website will help the state appeal for federal disaster assistance.

Cut 12 (09) “…methodic way.” 

The website has a survey for flood victims to provide photos and descriptions of the damage to their homes. The survey is not for reporting damages to businesses, and multiple reports should not be submitted for the same residence. Landry says these pictures can also be used to make FEMA claims if assistance is received.

Cut 13 (11) “…la-dot-gov website”

Some residents experienced issues with the website Sunday. Landry says those problems have been fixed and the survey is ready to receive more reports.

Cut 14 (09) “..those issues.”

There are two types of federal declarations, each with a different threshold: public assistance and individual assistance. The individual assistance threshold is the one Landry says he is targeting, and the declaration will provide aid to secure temporary housing and basic home repair for flood victims.

06.23.26
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2:30 LRN Newscast

Just four days to go until the runoff elections. Ron Faucheux with Lunchtime Politics says polls in the Republican U.S. Senate race between Julia Letlow and John Fleming indicate that it’s anyone’s contest.

Cut 9 (10)  “…the Republican primary.”

A new law signed by Governor Landry allows licensed rehabbers to have the opportunity to care for injured white-tailed deer. Humane Society of Louisiana Director Jeff Dorson says there are certain procedures licensed rehabbers will need to adhere to when taking in one of these deer…

Cut 5 (08) “….Wildlife and Fisheries”

There were two recent incidents in Louisiana where L-D-W-F agents investigated a report of a person nursing a deer, but because it’s illegal to do so, the agents removed the deer from the home and killed the deer.

 

The 29 inches of rain recorded during a 12-hour period at a rain gauge in Avoyelles Parish near the town of Cottonport is likely a state record. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says the massive rain was possible due to numerous thunderstorms forming over the same area. Grymes says it’s similar to the 2016 thunderstorms that caused flooding in south Louisiana with the same designation.

Cut 8 (10) “…a thousand years.”

Grymes will meet up with the National Weather Service tomorrow in Avoyelles Parish to make sure the 29-inch rainfall event is accurate.

Meanwhile, Governor Landry continues to urge storm victims to report their damages to the damage-dot-la-dot-gov website. The state will use the information collected to make the case for a federal disaster declaration. Governor Landry says the website had some issues on Sunday, but they have since been resolved…

Cut 14 (09) “…those issues”

There are two types of federal declarations, each with a different threshold: public assistance and individual assistance. The individual assistance threshold is the one Landry says he is targeting, and the declaration will provide aid to secure temporary housing and basic home repair for flood victims.