Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

04.07.15
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11:40 LRN Sportscast April 7

There has been a surprise turn in the Darren Sharper case. The former New Orleans Saints star was expected to plead guilty to drug and rape charges in state court today in New Orleans, but the judge decided to hold off the arraignment until the federal case was resolved. Some analysts say this could be a sign there’s been a “snag” in Sharper’s global plea deal which would reportedly send him to jail for 9 years to cover the similar charges in four states.

Former LSU star and Arizona Cardinals defensive back Patrick Peterson says he’s battling diabetes. Peterson made the comment to the Arizona Republic, but did not go into details about his illness. During the season, Cardinals Coach Bruce Arians said Peterson was suffering from a blood sugar deficiency and it was impacting his play on the field. Peterson says the team docs found it and got it all under wraps.

LSU Baseball Coach Paul Mainieri says Austin Bain will start on Sunday against Auburn after he threw 6.2 shutout innings last week and earned SEC Co-Freshman of the week honors. Senior catcher Kade Scivicque likes the qualities that Bain brings to the mound….
cut 17 (11) “….to play”
Bain will take Jake Godfrey’s spot in the weekend rotation. Godfrey will start tomorrow night. Tonight, the Tigers host UNO to begin a six-game homestand.

Plenty of other college baseball action tonight….Northwestern State is at Sam Houston State, Nicholls State visits Tulane, S-L-U hosts South Alabama. McNeese State is at ULM, the Ragin Cajuns host Houston and Arkansas Little Rock is at Louisiana Tech.

04.06.15
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LRN Sportscast 16:45 April 6

Former NFL star and Saints safety Darren Sharper entered a not guilty plea this afternoon in US District Court in New Orleans. Sharper faces federal charges that he drugged women to rape them. It’s expected Sharper will issue a guilty plea at a later date. He’ll also appear in state court tomorrow on similiar charges. Sharper has already pleaded guility or no contest on related charges in three other state and faces a nine-year prison sentence.

If you go on Craigslist, you’ll find someone is selling a 2009 Saints Super Bowl ring for 45-thousand dollars. It’s unclear who is selling the ring. The ad says “Don’t let this unique opportunity to own a piece of Saints history pass you by.

The Pelicans will host the Golden State Warriors tomorrow night. With six games left, New Orleans finds itself a half game back of Oklahoma City for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. O-K-C hosts San Antonio tomorrow.

LSU right-hander Austin Bain has been SEC co-freshman of the week as he shares the award with Vanderbilt pitcher Kyle Wright. Bain came out of the bullpen on Saturday pitched a career-high 6.2 shutout innings, allowing three hits, no runs and struck out a career-high nine. Bain’s performance helped the Tigers complete a sweep of Alabama and today Coach Paul Mainieri named Bain the starting pitcher for this Sunday’s game against Auburn. Bain says he won’t change his approach…
cut 30 (08) “…every other week”
And because of that sweep over Alabama, LSU is once again ranked as the number one team in the country by Perfect Game.

In the Southland Conference…Northwestern State’s Adam Oller has been named Pitcher of the Week. Oller tossed a complete game and tied a career-high with nine strikeouts in the Demons win over Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday.

And Nicholls second baseman Tanner Vandevere was named as the Southland Hitter of the Week as he had five hits, five RBI and five runs scored to help the Colonels put together a five-game winning streak.

04.06.15
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LRN PM Newscall

According to the United States Public Interest Research Group, federal data from 2014 indicates that over 1,800 bridges in Louisiana need repairs. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne officially kicked off his campaign for Governor today. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

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Governor Bobby Jindal made an appearance on NBC’s Meet The Press to talk about the religious freedom debate that’s created a national controversy. Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson has filed a religious freedom bill in Louisiana. Jindal says this issue is about business owners that don’t want to have to choose between their religious beliefs and being able to operate their businesses…

CUT 3 (09)  “those ceremonies”

Johnson’s proposed bill would permit private businesses to deny the same benefits to same-sex couples as other married couples based on a religious objection. Jindal says there used to be a bi-partisan consensus in the US about religious liberty…

CUT 4 (11)  “held beliefs”

The governor said that he has not read Johnson’s bill but supports the defense of religious liberty. Jindal says forcing businesses to participate in a same-sex wedding ceremony, when they have a religious objection, is a Constitutional issue…

CUT 5 (06)  “their religious beliefs”

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According to the United States Public Interest Research Group, federal data from 2014 indicates that over 1,800 bridges in Louisiana need repairs. The Federal Highway Administration lists 1,837 bridges in Louisiana as “structurally deficient”. Louisiana Department of Transportation spokesman Rodney Mallett says motorists should not be frightened by this designation…

CUT 6 (07)  “for repairs”

A “structurally deficient” designation doesn’t mean a bridge is unsafe. It means the bridge has at least one component that needs repair or replacement. Mallet admits that DOTD has prioritized interstate improvements in recent years, but that doesn’t mean bridges across the state have been neglected…

CUT 7 (10)  “replacement projects”

The state faces a $12 billion backlog in delayed road and bridge maintenance projects. Mallett says, with the current financial problems facing the state, it all comes down to money…

CUT 8 (09)  “address those”

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State police say one of their troopers was injured in a crash involving a drunk driver Sunday morning while investigating another DWI related accident in East Baton Rouge Parish. Trooper Dustin Dwight says the unidentified trooper had the first DWI suspect inside his vehicle parked on the side of I-12 and was finishing up the paperwork for that accident report…:

CUT 9 (06)  “back of him”

Dwight says both the trooper and the first DWI offender were inside the fully marked Tahoe when it was hit and suffered minor to moderate injuries. He says the vehicle which slammed into the back of the cop car was driven by 24-year-old Magen Hall of Zachary…:

cut 10 (09) “minor injuries”

Dwight says it’s a shame that the trooper was taking care of one drunk driving crash then he was hit by another drunk driver. He says they investigated several DWI crashes over the Easter weekend which is unacceptable…:

cut 11 (10)  “for Megen”

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Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne officially kicked off his campaign for Governor today. In his announcement, Dardenne said he’s traveled thousands of miles across Louisiana in his current job which is what he plans to do if he’s elected to be the next leader of the state…:

cut 12 (08)  “and Shreveport”

Dardenne says he’d work out of an existing state office in each location so it wouldn’t cost any more money. He says Louisiana is in horrible financial shape right now and he plans to go to work on budget matters from day one…:

cut 13 (09)  “to celebrate”

Dardenne says his office will work to create stability in the state’s budget and end the practice of using one-time money to pay for ongoing expenses. He says higher education will be a top priority and it will be funded as such. Dardenne says it’s okay that he doesn’t have the most cash to run his campaign…:

cut 14 (08) “the best idea”

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04.06.15
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11:40 Sportscast, April 6th, 2015

Former NFL star and Saints safety Darren Sharper is scheduled for arraignment this afternoon in federal court on drug and rape charges. It’s been reported that Sharper will get 20 years in Louisiana, but will serve just nine under a “global” plea deal. Legal analyst Chick Foret says many people aren’t happy about the leniency Sharper is getting for these very serious charges…
cut 11 (10) “been reduced”
Tomorrow Sharper will appear in state court for arraignment on aggravated rape charges.

The Pelicans are just a half-game back of Oklahoma City for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Thunder lost to Houston yesterday. New Orleans and O-K-C are in action tomorrow night, the Thunder host the Spurs, while the Pels host the Warriors.

The LSU baseball team gets back to work today after taking Easter Sunday off. The Tigers are coming off a sweep over Alabama to improve their SEC record to 8-and-4. LSU is a game and a half back of Texas A-and-M for first place in the SEC West.

Southeastern Louisiana is in first place by one game over McNeese State in the Southland. The Lions took two of three from Northwestern State, while the Cowboys swept UNO and they’ll visit ULM on Tuesday.

The Warhawks swept a doubleheader from UT Arlington on Saturday to improve to 5-and-7 in the Sun Belt. U-L Lafayette is 8-and-6 in the league after a five to one win over Georgia Southern yesterday.

New Orleans native Avery Johnson will reportedly become the next head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Johnson has been a head coach for Dallas and Brooklyn, but he’s never been a college coach before.

And tonight in the Final Four it’s Wisconsin versus Duke.

04.04.15
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LRN AM Newscall April 6

Lt Governor Jay Dardenne begins a statewide tour today to officially announce that he’s running for Governor. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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A contentious legislative session has another hot button item to discuss. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “reporting”

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Former New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper is scheduled for arraignment today in federal court and tomorrow in state court. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (31) “reporting”

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Lt Governor Jay Dardenne begins a statewide tour today to officially announce that he’s running for Governor. Dardenne will begin in Baton Rouge and Lafayette today, tomorrow he’ll visit Alexandria and Lake Charles. Wednesday it’s New Orleans then Thursday Monroe and Shreveport. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat believes Dardenne has a tough road ahead

cut 4  (08)  “in the middle”

Recent polls have shown Dardenne a distant third in the race behind the leading Republican David Vitter then the Democratic candidate John Bel Edwards. Pinsonat says not only is Dardenne a moderate conservative, the fact that he supports Common Core might also be a problem for his campaign

Cut 5  (09)  “dislike Common Core”

Pinsonat says Vitter is a very powerful Senator and has a strong ability to raise plenty of cash while Dardenne’s war chest is lacking. He says in order for Dardenne to have a fighting chance at making the runoff, something major would have to happen with Vitter…:

Cut 6 (09)  “in the runoff”

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What is expected to be a very difficult legislative session begins a week today as state lawmakers will try to come up with a fiscal plan to avoid large budget cuts to health care and higher education. Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner Troy Hebert has been appointed as Governor Jindal’s legislative liaison. Hebert is optimistic a workable solution can be had…

CUT 7 (11)  “in the past”

Heading into the session, there are numerous bills seeking to raise revenue as a way to close the budget deficit, but the Jindal administration has said if lawmakers raise taxes in one area, they have to be lowered somewhere else, so it’s revenue neutral. Hebert believes that’s what the public wants too

Cut 8  (07)  “anymore either” 

Hebert is familiar with the legislature as he’s served in the House and the Senate prior to becoming A-T-C Commissioner. He says while the state’s budget problems are difficult, he believes every crisis is an opportunity….

Cut 9 (11)  “solution”

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Former New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper is scheduled for arraignment today in federal court and tomorrow in state court. The 39-year-old is accused of drugging and raping women in four states and struck a “global” plea deal to resolve all of the charges where he’s been indicted. Legal analyst Chick Foret says the end results of both hearings this week will be guilty pleas…:

Cut 10 (12) “serve his time”

It’s been reported that Sharper will get 20 years in Louisiana, but will serve just nine under the multi state deal. Foret feels it will be far more complicated than that. But he says either way many people aren’t happy about the leniency Sharper is getting for these very serious charges…:

cut 11 (10) “been reduced”

Foret believes Sharper will definitely serve nine new years in jail, but once all the details in the case are hammered out this week we’ll know a lot more…:

cut 12 (10)  “complicated plea bargain”

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The religious freedom debate which made national headlines in Indiana and Arkansas is coming to Louisiana. Bossier City Representative Mike Johnson has filed a bill that would prevent state government from penalizing a business or person for decisions made based on their religious views about marriage. Jeremy Alford of la-politics-dot-com, says with the state facing a huge budge deficit, will some legislators be willing to debate this issue…

Cut 13 (09)  “hallways”

Gays rights organization, Equality Louisiana, has already come out in opposition to Johnson’s measure, because they believe it will lead to the discrimination of gays, lesbians and transgender individuals. Alford says this bill has a chance to bring national attention to Louisiana…

Cut 14 (10) “violently”

Common Core and the budget are expected to dominate the legislative session that begins Monday. Alford says some veteran lawmakers might not be willing to debate this bill, with some big issues already on the table

Cut 15  (10)  “through the system”

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04.03.15
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09:30 LRN newscast April 3rd

The state department of education announces nearly 23-thousand recent public high school graduates enrolled in college in 2014, which is an all-time high for the state. Eric Gill has more…
cut 1 (30) “…reporting”

Two workers are said to be in fair condition after they suffered burns from a fire that erupted at a chemical plant in Ascension Parish. The incident happened at Renewable Energy group last night, but the fire was contained by 7:30. Officials says the blaze may have started as a result of a broken hydraulic pump.

New Orleans Senator JP Morrell has a package of bills that seek to reform the state’s film tax credit program. Morrell says two of his goals are to lower the fiscal cost to the state and rid the program of the fraudulent behavior that’s been reported on….
cut 11 (12) “…is truthful”
Morrell says the legislation is not designed to chase the movie and TV industry out of Louisiana.

It’s a big weekend for the candy industry. Elmer’s chocolates in Ponchatoula has been making their famous Heavenly Hash bar since the turn of the century and company president Rob Nelson says they’ve had success because the Gulf South loves its easter candy…
cut 9 (08) “…family’s tradition”

04.03.15
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08:30 LRN Newscast April 3rd

The state department of education says nearly 23-thousand recent public high school graduates enrolled in college in 2014, a six-percent increase from the prior year. Education Superintendent John White says the numbers are positive, but not surprising as they’ve raised expectations through more challenging standards…
cut 5 (10) “…for our kids”
He says this year’s gains are fueled by an increase in low-income and minority students attending college.

New Orleans Senator JP Morrell has filed a series of bills that attempts to make the state’s film tax credit program more financially sustainable. His package of bills also attempt to help college grads gain entry into the movie and TV industry…
cut 12 (11) “…native industry”
Morrell’s legislation will be heard in the legislative session that begins April 13th.

The National Weather Service says there’s a slight chance we could severe weather in the Alexandria, Natchez and Monroe areas today. A cold front will push across the state this afternoon and into tonight.

In his first public comments in quite awhile, Saints Quarterback Drew Brees said that the Jimmy Graham trade shocked all of us. Brees also said he never paid attention to the trade rumors involving him and he hopes to retire as a Saint.

Ponchatoula-based Elmer’s Chocolates are a must-have for many Louisiana Easter Baskets this Sunday. Michelle Southern reports…
cut 2 (27) “…reporting”

04.03.15
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07:30 LRN Newscast April 3rd

Legislation to reform the state’s film tax credit program has been filed for the upcoming session. The program has made Louisiana a major player in the motion picture industry, but the department of economic development says it costs $4.48 for every dollar of state revenue it creates. New Orleans Senator JP Morrell says one of the goals with his legislation is to make the tax credit more predictable…
cut 10 (09) “…unsustainable”
The state senator says he also has three different bills that attempt to control fradulent behavior.

A deputy with the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s office had to use lethal force yesterday. Lt. Tommy Carnline says deputies responded to a disturbance at a home in Pineville, where they encountered a man who was upset and then after an hour he suddenly left the room and came back with a gun pointed at deputies…
cut 14 (07) “…the scene”
The deceased man has not been publicly identified.

The state department of education reports that the number of public school graduates entering college rose six-percent in 2014. Superintendent of Education John White says the results show that Louisiana is taking the right steps forward and that includes the implementation of Common Core….
cut 6 (08) “….political whims”

A must-have for many Louisiana Easter baskets this Sunday is a candy manufactured in Ponchatoula. Elmer’s chocolates have been around over 160 years and President Rob Nelson says the Easter Sunday tradition is highlighted by their top sellers — Heavenly Hash and Gold Brick…
cut 7 (08) “…turn of the century”
The company started in the Big Easy in 1855 as a pastry business but eventually became Elmer Candy Corporation.

04.03.15
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06:45 LRN Sportscast April 3rd

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees has made his first public comments since New Orleans traded tight end Jimmy Graham to Seattle. Brees appeared on WWL Radio yesterday and said the trade shocked everyone…
cut 30 (17) “…different team”
There were trade rumors involving Brees during this offseason, but the veteran QB says he didn’t pay attention to them.

The Saints have reportedly re-signed wide receiver Joe Morgan. Morgan was released by the team in December. He has caught 14 passes in his career and averages 34 yards a catch.

Also, the Jahri Evans contract extension that he signed earlier this week helps provide a reported four-point-six million dollars in salary cap space.

LSU baseball was involved in another crazy game last night, but the Tigers prevailed eight to five in 16 innings. Conner Hale had the big hit that gave LSU the lead for good…
cut 20 (20) “…two run lead again’
Most of LSU’s bullpen had a rough night as they gave up three leads, starting in the ninth inning. But freshman Doug Norman threw scoreless innings to get the win. Game two is this afternoon at 3 PM.

Northwestern State has moved into first place in the Southland Conference as the Demons topped Southeastern Louisiana three to one. Adam Oller improved to 5-and-1 with his third complete game of the year.

McNeese State knocked off UNO 7-3 and Nicholls State defeated Incarnate Word four to one.

04.03.15
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06:30 LRN Newscast April 3rd

The Louisiana Department of Education announces that 22,972 recent public high school graduates enrolled in college in 2014, an all-time high for the state. That’s a six-percent increase from 2013. Education Superintendent John White says the numbers in this report are very exciting…
cut 4 (08) “….several years”
He says this year’s gains are fueld by an increase in low-income and minority students attending college.

The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s office is investigating a fatal shooting involving one of their deputies. Lt. Tommy Carnline says they responded to reports of a distrubance at a home in Pineville. Carnline says a subject inside did not listen to orders to drop a weapon, which is when he was shot and killed. He says the deputy involved has been placed on administrative leave…
cut 15 (09) “….choice that we’re given”
The deceased man’s name has not been released.

New Orleans Senator JP Morrell files a package of bills that seeks to reform the state’s film tax credit program. Scott Carwile has the story…
cut 3 (31) “….reporting”

State Police say a fire at a plant in Ascension Parish injured two people. The blaze was extinguised around 8 P-M. Authorities say a broken hydraulic pump seal is the likely cause of the fire.