LRN Sportscast 16:45 October 10

No word on who will start at quarterback for the Tigers against Florida tomorrow. It will either be Anthony Jennings or Brandon Harris. Harris did not perform well on the road last week, but Coach Les Miles is optimstic the former Parkway star will handle the environment better this time…
cut 17 (19) “….need to do”
A low scoring affair is expected with LSU’s troubles at the quarterback position and the Gators offense is also struggling.

In high school football action tonight…the number one ranked team in Class Two-A. the Many Tigers host Pickering. In One-A, top ranked Mangham is at Delhi. And in Four-A, number one ranked St. Thomas More is in New Iberia tonight to face the Westgate Tigers.

ULM football will get an early wake up call tomorrow morning as the Warhawks visit Kentucky, with kick-off set for 11 AM. The Warhawks are coming off a two touchdown loss to Arkansas State, while the Wildcats are 4-and-1 overall and off their best start since 2008.

Grambling State has won three in a row, its longest winning streak since 2011. They host Alcorn State tomorrow afternoon. It’s a matchup of first place teams in the SWAC. Also Southern is at Alabama A-and-M.

In the Southland…Southeastern Louisiana can improve to 3-and-0 in league play as it visits Lamar tomorrow night. The Lions have won 12 straight conference games. McNeese State has won 3 in a row overall and they are at Sam Houston State. Northwestern State will play its first home game since August 28th when they take on Incarnate Word tomorrow night. And Nicholls State looks to snap a 12-game losing streak that dates back to last year when they face Stephen F Austin. The Lumberjacks have lost 12 straight road games.

LRN Newscall PM October 10

The LSU Health Tumor Registry discovers the rate of colon cancer in Acadiana is among the highest in the United States. Michelle Southern has the story…

CUT 1 (31) “reporting”

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Gas prices keep dropping and we can expect that trend to continue. Michelle Southern reports.

CUT 2 (31) “reporting”

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An arrest has been made in the case of the woman in Houma who was found dead under a house just before 1am Friday. Chief Todd Duplantis says they learned 22-year-old Dashanta Brown and her boyfriend, 41-year-old Michael Tucker, had been involved in a huge fight at the victim’s residence…:

CUT 3 (04) “altercation”

Duplantis says Tucker was located in this home this morning and he was arrested for second degree murder. Brown’s cause of death has not yet been determined pending results of an autopsy. Duplantis says the altercation took place at the victim’s home…:

CUT 4 (09)  “under the house”

Duplantis says they are working to determine if the suspect moved his girlfriend to that location after he allegedly killed her…:

CUT 5 (08) “we’re not sure”

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A new leader has been chosen to oversee higher education in Louisiana. Joseph Rallo, who is a Texas Tech System administrator, has has been picked by the Board of Regents as the state’s next Higher Education Commissioner. Rallo says the challenges here in Louisiana are the same as you see nationally

CUT 6 (10)  “should be”

Rallo’s job as higher ed commissioner will be to oversee the implementation of policies enacted at colleges and universities statewide. He’ll also be a voice for Louisiana’s four-year institutions at the state legislature, something he’s confident he can handle

CUT 7 (12) “the legislature”

Rallo hopes to be on the job full-time by January. He says once in Baton Rouge he’ll look at the need for tuition hikes and state funding for the TOPS scholarship….

CUT 8 (12) “for it”

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Louisianians are enjoying super low prices at the pump these days and analysts say expect to pay even less as the year goes on. Friday the current statewide average for a gallon of regular gas is $3.09 down two pennies from the night before. Don Redman with the American Automobile Association says summer’s over and demand is down…:

CUT 9 (11)  “an $100 a barrel”

Redman says there’s potential we could see prices the lowest they’ve been since 2010 when the average price in October was $2.68 cents a gallon. Wall Street had what some say was their worst day of the year Thursday and Redman says the economy and fuel prices go hand and glove…:

CUT 10 (10)  “economy”

Redman says usually when gas prices tumble it’s a sign that there is something going on with the economy…:

CUT 11 (11) “and out of Asia

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The LSU Health tumor registry has found colon cancer rates in the Acadiana parishes are among the highest in the United States.  The study was led by Doctor Jordan Karlitz, who is also at the Tulane University of Medicine and he says their research focused on 18 parishes in the Acadiana area and colorectal cancer rates were significantly higher than both Louisiana and US rates….

CUT 12 (10) “white males”

Karltiz says colorectal cancer rates are high in French speaking homes in Acadiana and those families with a Cajun heritage, which raises the possibility of a genetic predisposition. But he says more research is needed…

CUT 13 (11) “colon cancer”

Karlitz says another possible explanation could be contained within the environment….

cut 14 (08) “this region”

11:40 LRN Sportscast

LSU leaves for Florida today where they’ll face the Gators tomorrow night in Gainesville. The Tigers would like to get their running game going. The Tigers averaged less than four yards a carry in last week’s loss to Auburn.

It looks like the Saints running game will get a boost when they return to the field a week from Sunday to face the Detoit Lions. Running back Mark Ingram appeared on N-F-L AM today and said his plan to play next week. Ingram has been sidelined with a fractured bone in his hand. In two games this season, Ingram is averaging six yards a carry.

High School football last night…the top ranked team in Three-A, University High defeated sixth ranked Parkview Baptist 28-7. Also last night…Kinder easily beat Lake Arthur 55-14, Neville had no trouble defeating Franklin Parish 51-7, Parkway pounded Captain Shreve 49-14, and Byrd over Airline 31-13.

McNeese State and Southeastern Louisiana look to remain in the Top Ten in the Sports Network FCS poll with victories this Saturday. The fifth ranked Cowboys are at Sam Houston State, while the Lions visit Lamar. The Cardinals are 4-and-2 on the season.

Nicholls State seeks its first win of the season tomorrow when they visit Stephen F Austin. The Lumberjacks, who are 3-and-2, have scored 35 or more points in their last four games. Colonels interim head coach Steve Axman says Stephen F Austin presents problems for his struggling defense…
cut 19 (18) “….defensive standpoint”
Also in the Southland….Northwestern State hosts Incarnate Word.

Over the in the SWAC….Grambling’s hosts Alcorn State in a battle between the best team in the league’s west division and the leader in the SWAC east division.

16:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU Coach Les Miles likes how team is preparing for Saturday’s game in the Swamp against Florida. Miles says the attitude has been good and likes how his team has been executing well in practice…
cut 30 (11) “…improvement on the defensive side”
Miles says a starting quarterback will likely not be named until Saturday. Meanwhile, Florida has announced Jeff Driskel will start at Q-B for the Gators. Driskel has been struggling….in six games this year, he’s completed only 55-percent of his passes and he’s been intercepted six times. Florida’s other QB, Treon Harris, has been suspended as he’s accussed of sexual assault.

There’s some big Thursday night football games tonight. In Baton Rouge….the top ranked team in Three-A University High hosts crosstown rival Parkview Baptist. That game will be on Fox Sports New Orleans. In Shreveport, undefeated Byrd hosts its big rival, Airline at seven o’ clock. In Four-A…second ranked Neville is at Franklin Parish.

Fourth ranked McNeese State puts its three-game winning streak on the line this Saturday when they visit Sam Houston State. Cowboys Coach Matt Viator says the Bearkats are a good team, even though they have three losses on the season….
cut 18 (20) “….types of things”
The Southland Television Network will provide coverage of this game, with kick-off set at 3 PM.

Grambling State introduced its men’s and women’s basketball coaches today. Nadine Domond is the women’s coach. She had a standout prep career in Connecticut and at the University of Iowa. Shawn Walker will lead the men’s team. He has previous head coaching experience at Elizabeth City State University.

11:40 LRN Sportscast

LSU Football Coach Les Miles says he will likely not name a starter for Saturday’s game against Florida until that day. Miles says you can also expect Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris to both see some playing time as the Tigers look for their first win the SEC this season.

ULM is at Kentucky on Saturday. The Warhawks go into this game with five starters out because of injuries. Coach Todd Berry says the injury list the last couple of seasons has been disheartening, but that’s part of the game…
cut 17 (19) “….move on”
The Wildcats are a three touchdown favorite to beat the Warhawks in Lexington.

Something will give this Saturday as fifth ranked McNeese State visits Sam Houston State. The Bearkats have won 10 straight home games, while the Cowboys have won five consecutive Southland away games. Cowboys Coach Matt Viator says he can’t explain their recent success on the road…
cut 19 (11) “…with you”
Kickoff for this is one is at 3 o’ clock and it’s the Southland TV Network game of the week.

Northwestern State will play its first home game in 43 days when they host Incarnate Word for homecoming on Saturday night in Turpin Stadium. The Demons have played four straight road games and they enter Saturday’s contest with 2-and-3 record. Incarnate Word is 1-and-5.

Grambling State plays its first home game of the season on Saturday as the Tigers take on Alcorn State. Grambling leads the West division of the SWAC, while Alcorn leads the Eastern Division.

07:30 LRN Newscast Oct 9

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System launches a 6 year plan designed to meet the state’s growing workforce demand. President Monty Sullivan says the goal is to double the number of graduates to 40,000 a year….
Cut 10 (09) “for this economy”
Officials say tens of thousands of workers will be needed to fill the number of jobs that are expected to be created over the next five to ten years.

Muninicipalities and businesses from Winnsboro to Natchez are pleased to hear Midla has decided to replace an aging pipeline with a new one, which will allow the area to continue to have accessibility to natural gas. Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland says it’s a huge relief…
cut 8 (07) “….in our area”
If the pipeline wasn’t replaced, communities in the area would have to turn to propane, which would be more costly.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse says one in 25 teens report abusing excessive amounts of over-the-counter cold medicine containing D-X-M. Amanda Larkins, with the Louisiana Attorney General’s office says a new law went into effect this year that bans minors from purchasing products containing DXM…
cut 14 (08) “…in the forefront”
Larkins says the hope is that laws like this will reduce the number of teens who use cough medicine to get high.

A fun-filled weekend gets underway today in Sabine Parish as the Zwolle Tamale Fiesta gets underway. It’s an annual celebration of Zwolle’s rich Spanish and Native American heritage. Vendor Mike Lyddy says there’s plenty of entertainment, arts and crafts, parades and children’s activities. But the star of the show is the tamale…
cut 5 (05) “….just all kinds”

06:45 LRN Sportscast Oct 9

LSU football Coach Les Miles says he may not name a starting quarterback until Saturday. Miles says its likely Brandon Harris and Anthony Jennings will get playing time on Saturday night against Florida.

ULM gets another opportunity at an SEC team this Saturday. The Warhawks are at Kentucky for an 11 AM kickoff. ULM’s last game against an SEC school was last month and they were shuout by LSU. The Warhawks offense has struggled for most of the season and Coach Todd Berry says the team is committed to getting the offense going…
cut 16 (19) “…than later”
The Warhawks are averaging just 18 points a game.

Saints Coach Sean Payton told CBS Radio there’s a chance running back Mark Ingram will return to the field for the Black and Gold’s next game on October 19th against Detroit. Ingram is recovering from a fractured hand, which needed surgery.

The second half of the high school football season kicks off tonight with some marquee match-ups. In Baton Rouge….the top ranked team in three-a University High hosts crosstown rival Parkview Baptist. In Shreveport, undefeated Byrd hosts its big rival, Airline at seven o’ clock. In Four-A…second ranked Neville is at Franklin Parish.

Last night in NBA preseason action….the Pelicans lost to the Washington Wizards 94-89. Ryan Anderon, who is coming back from a serious neck, scored 14 points on four of 13 shooting. Former LSU Tiger Garrett Temple is trying to make the Wizards team, but didn’t score in seven minutes of action.

And the Lady Techsters are picked to finish seventh in Conference USA this season.

06:30 LRN Newscast Oct 9

The Louisiana Community Technical and College System is launching an ambitious six-year plan where the goals are to double the number of gradudates and quadruple the number of students they send to four-year universities. L-C-T-C-S President Monty Sullivan says they’ll use the resources they have and spend them in a more targeted fashion to meet the state’s growing workforce needs…
cut 12 (07) “….people of Louisiana”
Officials say tens of thousands of workers will be needed to fill the number of jobs that are expected to be created over the next five to ten years.

LSU reports its freshman class this fall has the highest average ACT score and highest average grade point average in the university’s history. The school also says this is the most diverse student body they’ve ever had. President and Chancellor F King Alexander says LSU is doing a good job appealing to more students with more diverse backgrounds.

The Louisiana Attorney General’s office is encouraging parents of teenagers to be on the lookout for over-the-counter medicine abuse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that one in 25 teens use excessive amounts of over-the-counter cough medicine containing DXM to get high. Amanda Larkins, with the A-G’s office says parents need to be pro-active…
cut 15 (11) “….goes missing”
A law was passed this year in Louisiana that bans the sale of D-X-M to minors.

The National Hurricane Center says this is the weakest hurricane season we’ve seen since 1983. There’s only been five named storms.

LRN Sportscast 16:45 October 8

LSU Coach Les Miles said today a decision on who will start at quarterback this Saturday against Florida will be made later in the week. Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris are competing in practice against each other for that opportunity. Football analyst Mike Detillier says a bigger problem on this unranked Tigers football team is the defensive line…
cut 20 (15) “…defensive linemen”
The good news for LSU this week is that the Gators do NOT have prolific offense. Florida’s offense ranks 11th in the SEC in total offense and 12th in points per game. But they do have SEC wins over Tennessee and Kentucky.

ULM is at Kentucky this Saturday. The Warhawks are coming off a 28-14 loss to Arkansas State. ULM didn’t score until the fourth quarter in that game as they rushed for only 72 yards and they were 4-for-16 on third downs. Coach Todd Berry he knows what the problems are and they are trying to correct them.

Former Texas Tech defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt has reportedly Mark Hudspeth’s staff at UL Lafayette as a defensive consultant. Wallerstedt served as Hudspeth’s defensive coordinator at North Alabama. And was Texas Tech’s defensive coordinator earlier this season, but resigned after three games. The Cajuns have had trouble on the defensive side of the football, allowing 35 points and 458 yards per game this season.

In the NBA…the Pelicans will play the Washington Wizards in a preseason game that will take place at Veteran Memorial Arena in Jacksonville. Last time out, the Pels lost to Atlanta 93-87.

And in women’s basketball…the Lady Techsters have been picked to finish seventh in Conference USA this season by the league’s head coaches.

11:40 LRN Sportscast Oct 8

LSU Coach Les Miles did not name a starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against Florida when he appeared this morning on the SEC teleconference. Football analyst Mike Detillier says even though the Tigers haven’t settled on a starting Q-B for this Saturday, the Florida game is winnable, but it doesn’t get any easier after that…
cut 19 (16) “…moments”
Detillier says the play of the offensive and defensive lines have been the biggest disappointments this season.

Playing two quarterbacks regularly has benefited McNeese State this season. The Cowboys are 3-and-1 heading into Saturday’s matchup with Sam Houston State. The Pokes also lead the Southland in scoring offense as they are averaging nearly 45 points a game.

Louisiana Tech has been picked to win the Conference USA regular season title this year, based on a poll of the league’s coaches. The Bulldogs return four starters from last year’s team that earned a share of the league title, three of those players….Kenneth Smith, Alex Hamilton and Raheem Appleby…have received preseason all-conference honors. coach Michael White says Appleby is once again healthy after missing most of C-USA action last season due to an ankle injury
cut 17 (17) “….out of em”
As far as the Lady Techsters go, they’ve been picked to finish seventh in the 14-team league.

NBA….the Pelicans face the Washington Wizards tonight in Jacksonville, Florida. A big position battle during training camp is at small forward. In the first two games, Darius Miller has been the starter at small forward.