LRN Newscast 8:30 September 8

Former New Orleans Mayor Ran Nagin has until noon to report to a federal prison in Texarkanas. That’s where he’ll serve a ten-year sentence on charges of bribery, money laundering and tax evasion. Loyola University Criminal Justice Professor Robert English says the Bureau of Prisons decided to send Nagin to the Texas facility…
cut 5 (09) “…administratively possible”
The Texasarkana facility is closer to Nagin’s Dallas area home.

Supporters of gay marriage have filed an appeal against a ruling last week by a US District Judge that upheld the state’s ban on same-sex marriages. Tulane Constitutional law professor Keith Werhan anticipates a ruling from the US Supreme Court, before the federal appeals court makes a decision on the Louisiana case…
cut 12 (07) “…same sex marriage”

The California legislature approved a bill that would more than triple the funding for their film and TV tax credit program. What impact will this have on “Hollywood South”? Eric Gill reports…
cut 3 (34) “….reporting’

An inmate who escaped the Lafourche Parish jail last night is back in custody. Authorities say 26-year-old Jason Dempster fled prison for a few hours while serving a 90-day sentence for failure to pay child support.

LRN Newscast 07:30 September 8

One year from today candidates will officially be able to qualify for the 2015 Governor’s Race. So far, Republicans Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne and US Senator David Vitter have declared their candidacy. Other potential Republicans include State Treasurer John Kennedy and PCS member Scott Angelle. UL-Lafayette Political Science professor Pearson Cross says Vitter is a solid favorite, however…:
cut 7 (11) “….as more moderate”

California lawmakers have approved legislation tripling the state’s film and tax credit program. The legislation hopes to make California more competitive with rival states like Louisiana. But executive director of Louisiana Entertainment, Chris Stelly, says it’s more than just tax incentives that make “Hollywood South” attractive….
cut 15 (05) “…bottom line”

Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin begins serving his ten-year prison sentence today at the Texarkanas Federal Correctional Institution. Scott Carwile reports….
cut 1 (32) “….reporting”

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s office is seeking an inmate who escaped from their parish jail last night. Authorities say 26-year-old Jason Dempster was serving a 90-day sentence for failure to pay child support and the Assumption Parish sheriff’s office also says he failed to appear in court for traffic violations.

LRN Sportscast 06:45

The NFL season is off to a tough start for the Saints who lost in overtime 37 to 34 to NFC South Rival Atlanta. New Orleans gave up 568 total yards, the second most in franchise history, but still had a chance to win it. However a Marques Colston fumble in overtime, set up Matt Bryant’s game winning 52-yard field goal. Quarterback Drew Brees says it was another classic Saints-Falcons game…
cut 30 (18) “….short today”
Brees threw for 333 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Rookie wide receiver Brandin Cooks had a nice NFL debut as he caught 7 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. The Black and Gold are at Cleveland next Sunday.

LSU had no trouble beating Sam Houston State 56-0 on Saturday as several true freshmen got into the scoring act. Malachi Dupre, Darrel Williams, Brandon Harris and Leonard Fournette all scored their first touchdowns. Fournette struck the Heisman pose after his score, something head coach Les Miles didn’t like….
Cut 18 (16) “that run”
The Tigers host ULM this Saturday.

The Warhawks are off to a 2-and-0 start on the 2014 season after winning their Sun Belt opener over Idaho 38-31, Centarius Donald rushed for 111 yards and three touchdowns, including the game winning score in the final seconds.

Kenneth Dixon had a 99-yard touchdown run as Louisiana Tech thumped the Ragin Cajuns 48 to 20. McNeese State almost pulled off the biggest upset of the weekend, but came up short and lost to Nebraska 31-24.

LRN Newscast 6:30 Sept 8

A year from today, candidates seeking to become Louisiana’s next governor will have a chance to qualify for that race. Republicans, Lt Governor Jay Dardenne and US Senator David Vitter, are planning to run and so far the only announced democrat is state representative John Bel Edwards. UL Lafayette Political Science Professor Pearson Cross says if the Amite lawmaker gets a lot of support, it would put him in a runoff with Vitter…
cut 8 (10) “….decides to run”
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s name has also been mentioned as a candidate.

Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has until noon today to report to federal prison and begin serving a ten-year sentence on corruption charges. Loyola University Criminal Justice Professor Robert English….
cut 4 (08) “….at Texarkana”

Suppporters of gay marriage in Louisiana have filed an appeal with the US Fifth Circuit of Appeals regarding the ruling last week by federal judge Martin Feldman who upheld Louisiana’s ban on same sex marriages. But Tulane constitutional law professor Keith Werhan says the US Supreme Court will likely rule on this issue, before the federal appeals court in New Orleans has a chance……
cut 10 (10) “…term in October”
Werhan says when the nation’s high court makes a ruling, it will put to rest the argument over whether states have the right to define what constitutes a marriage.

LRN AM Newscall Sept 8

Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin begins serving his 10-year prison sentence today at the Texarkana Federal Correctional Institution. Scott Carwile reports…

CUT 1 (30) “reporting”

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One year from today candidates will officially be able to qualify for the 2015 Governor’s Race. Jeff Palermo sees where things stand now…:

Cut 2 (31) “reporting”

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The California Legislature approved a bill that would more than triple funding for California’s film and TV tax credit program. What impact will this have on “Hollywood South”? Eric Gill reports…

Cut 3 (35) “reporting”

______________________________________

Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin begins his prison sentence today. Nagin was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his conviction on bribery and money laundering charges. Loyola University Criminal Justice Professor and former Bureau of Prisons official, Robert English…

Cut 4  (08)  “at Texarkana”

He says Nagin will report to the Texarkana Federal Correctional Institution to serve his time. The judge in this case recommended Nagin serve his time at the Oakdale Federal Correctional Institution, but the final decision rests with the Bureau of Prisons. English says he is not surprised about the location change…

Cut 5  (09)  “administratively possible”

The BOP does this to make it easier for the family to come visit the inmate. The Texarkana facility is closer to Nagin’s current home in the Dallas suburb of Frisco. English says Nagin will be going to a minimum security facility and there’s virtually no difference between Texarkana and Oakdale…

Cut 6 (10)  “to the next”

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One year from today candidates will officially be able to qualify for the 2015 Governor’s Race. So far, Republicans Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne and US Senator David Vitter have declared candidacy. Other potentials Republicans include State Treasurer John Kennedy and PCS Commissioner Scott Angelle. UL-Lafayette Political Science professor Pearson Cross says Vitter is a solid favorite, however…:

CUT 7 (11) “as more moderate”

The only announced democrat so far is state representative John Bel Edwards. Cross says if the Amite lawmaker gets a lot of support, it would put him in the runoff with Vitter…:

CUT 8 (10)   “decides to run”

Cross says even though Edwards is not well known throughout the state, there are plenty of Louisianians who will pull the lever for the “D” no matter what…:

(Democratic New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu is a rumored candidate.)

CUT 9 (12) “statewide election”  

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Suppporters of gay marriage in Louisiana have filed an appeal with the US Fifth Circuit of Appeals regarding the ruling last week by federal judge Martin Feldman who upheld Louisiana’s ban on same sex marriages. But Tulane constitutional law professor Keith Werhan says the US Supreme Court will likely rule on this issue, before the federal appeals court in New Orleans has a chance…

cut 10 (10)  “term in october”

Werhan says the US Supreme Court is set to begin a new session in October and ruling on same sex marriages will likely come in 2015

cut 11 (08)  “ends in June” 

Werhan says when the nation’s high court makes a ruling, it will put to rest the argument over whether states have the right to define what constitutes a marriage…

cut 12 (07) “same sex marriage”

______________________________________

The California Legislature approved a bill that would more than triple the funding for California’s film and TV tax credit program. What impact will this have on “Hollywood South”? Executive Director of Louisiana Entertainment, Chris Stelly, doesn’t think it will have much impact…

Cut 13 (08)  “and nations”

The measure would boost funding for California’s film incentives to $330 million a year for five years. California Governor Jerry Brown is expected to sign that legislation into law. Stelly says California’s move speaks highly of what Louisiana has done over the last several years…

Cut 14 (07)  “within Louisiana”

The legislation hopes to make California more competitive in the TV and film industry with rival states like Louisiana. Stelly says Louisiana has built a great infrastructure for television and film production over the past 10 years. He says it’s more than just tax incentives that make “Hollywood South” attractive to the industry…

Cut 15  (05)   “bottom line”

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One of the bigger upsets this past weekend in college football happened in Lafayette as Louisiana Tech trounced the Ragin Cajuns 48-20. The Bulldogs had 533 total yards and they were led by quarterback Cody Sokol, who threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns. Sokul says it was a great performance in a rivalry game

Cut 16  (10)   “our guys”

Tech running back Kenneth Dixon also had a big game as he rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Dixon started the scoring with a 99-yard touchdown run and Sokol says that run allowed them to seize the momentum…

Cut 17  (09)   “of confidence”

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LSU had no trouble beating Sam Houston State 56-0 on Saturday as several true freshmen got into the scoring act. Malachi Dupre, Darrel Williams, Brandon Harris and Leonard Fournette also scored their first touchdowns of their LSU career. Fournette struck the Heisman pose after his score, something head coach Les Miles didn’t like….

Cut 18 (16)  “that run”

It was solid performance from starting quarterback Anthony Jennings, who threw for 188 yards and three touchdowns, all of them went to his favorite target Travin Dural. Here’s Jennings after the game…

cut 19 (11)  “balls off”

The lopsided score allowed for backup Brandon Harris to get plenty of playing time. Harris threw for 62 yards and a touchdown, and also rushed for 53 yards. Jennings says the team has confidence in both quarterbacks to do the job…

Cut 20 (14) ” great chance to win”

16:45 LRN Sportscast Sept 5

LSU fans will walk into a newly expanded stadium on Saturday as the Fighting Tigers host Sam Houston State at 6:30. Capacity inside Death Valley is now over 102-thousand and Sports Information Director Michael Bonette says they’ve also done things to improve the fan experience inside the stadium…
cut 28 (08) “…people away”
Bonnette says they will also use contraflow on Nicholson Road heading south to help alleviate traffic congestion after the game.

Tulane University will play its first football game on Saturday in its brand new campus stadium. The Greenies will host Georgia Tech. In Hammond, Southeastern Louisiana will host Southern Utah at 7 P-M. Sun Belt play begins for ULM as the Warhawks will host Idaho at six P-M. The Vandals were one-and-11 in 2013 and it’s unclear who they will start at quarterback.

Louisiana Tech and U-L Lafayette will resume their rivalry in football on Saturday when the two teams meet in Cajun Field. It’s first time they’ve played since 2004 and U-L-L Coach Mark Hudspeth wants a win over their in-state foe….
cut 30 (19) “…these guys”
Kick-off is at six P-M.

And the Saints will begin the 2014 season on Sunday against their most heated rival, the Atlanta Falcons. The Saints beat the Falcons twice last season. The Black and Gold defense sacked Atlanta Quarterback Matt Ryan eight times in the two games. New Orleans outside linebacker Junior Galette hopes they can duplicate that success….
cut 11 (05) “…sky’s the limit”

11:40 Sportscast Sept 5

With LSU’s first home football game tomorrow, the school is trying to get the word out that there will be 23-hundred more parking spots available for LSU fans this year. Sports Information Director Michael Bonnette….
cut 7 (06) “….more parking”
And once fans get inside Death Valley. Bonnette says the stadium has been enhanced with new HD video and LED message boards, which should provide for a better fan experience.

A big crowd is expected for the match-up between the Ragin Cajuns and Louisiana Tech. U-L Lafayette Coach Mark Hudspeth…
cut 30 (14) “…Louisiana”
Kick-off is at six o’ clock.

ULM has its first Sun Belt Conference game of the season as they welcome the Idaho Vandals to Malone Stadium. McNeese is at Nebraska and Nicholls visits Arkansas.

LRN Sportscast 16:45 September 3rd

Saints Coach Sean Payton announced the team has re-signed kicker Shayne Graham and veteran wide receiver Robert Meachem. Both players were released on Saturday. In other Saints news…outside linebacker Junior Galette has signed a four-year contract extension that’s worth 41-million dollars. Galette will reportedly receive 23-million dollars in guarantee money. He started 16 games last season and recoreded a career-high 12 sacks.

A study out of Vanderbilt University, says money spent on college football coaches is of greater value to universities than CEO are to the corporations they work for. Vandy business and law professor, Randall Thomas, says when it comes to coach pay versus CEO pay, it’s much easier to justify a coach’s salary….
cut 30 (12) “…much murkier”
LSU’s Les Miles is paid four-point-three million dollars and he’s the seventh highest paid coach in the country.

The 12th ranked Fighting Tigers of LSU open up their home schedule on Saturday against Sam Houston State. The Bearkats play in a lower tier of college football than LSU, but they’ve been a dominate FCS program. Coach Les Miles says there’s a lot of talent on the Sam Houston State team….
cut 18 (18) “…very very quickly”
The Bearkats have played two games this season and so far they’re averaging 614 yards and 43 points a game.

The Ragin Cajuns scored 45 points last Saturday against Southern. This Saturday they’ll face in-state rival Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs are coming off a 48 to 16 loss to fourth ranked Oklahoma. But Tech Coach Skip Holtz was pleased with how quarterback Cody Sokol performed in the second-half.

LRN Sportscast 4:45 Sept 2

LSU is ranked 12th in this week’s Associated Press and Coaches Top 25 poll, which came out today. The Tigers rallied to beat Wisconsin on Saturday night. Senior linebacker DJ Welter says Saturday’s win was a good learning experience as they get ready for their next opponent, Sam Houston State….
cut 18 (14) “…..on track”
Coach Les Miles said today that wide receiver Malachi Dupre, who missed the Wisconsin game because of an injury, is back at practice. and Miles says the four players who were suspended for the season opener have also returned to the team.

A statue to honor Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson was unveiled today on the steps leading into the Mercedes Benz Superdome. The statue has Benson holding the Lombardi Trophy above his head.

The Saints are back at practice tomorrow as they will get ready for Sunday’s season opener at Atlanta. Still no word on who will be kicking field goals for the Black and Gold. Veteran Shayne Graham and rookie Derek Dimke were with the kickers for the Saints during training camp, but both were cut last Saturday.

There are reports former SEC Defensive Player of the Year Michael Sam will be added the Dallas Cowboys practice squad. Sam, who is the NFL’s first openly gay player to be drafted, was cut by the Rams over the weekend and has been looking for a team since then.

LRN sportscast 11:40 Sept 2

LSU running back Kenny Hilliard was one of the offensive stars in the Tigers come from behind win over Wisconsin on Saturday night. Hilliard rushed for 110 yards and one touchdown and the senior from Patterson says if he continues to take care of his body, he’ll have more games like that…
cut 17 (10) “…for his team”
Wisconsin Head Coach Gary Andersen says his star running back Melvin Gordon had a hip flexor and that’s why he saw limited carries against LSU.

There’s a chance some Saints fans in New Orleans will not be able to watch Sunday’s season opener against the Falcons. That’s because the Fox Affiliate in New Orleans is currently dark on DirectTV. The two sides are in negoitations for the channel to return to Direct TV, but for right now agreement has been reached.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s college football schedule, there’s an interesting in-state match-up. Louisiana Tech will travel to down to Lafayette to play the Ragin Cajuns. Expect to see freshman Gabe Fuselier to see more playing time after catching a couple of passes in UL Lafayette’ win over Southern. Meanwhile, Bulldogs head coach Skip Holtz wants to see better play from his defense after they allowed Oklahoma to jump out to a 31-to-nothing lead last Saturday. The Sooners went on to win 48-16.

Southeastern Louisiana remains ranked number three in the latest FCS polls. The Lions opened the season on Saturday with an easy 44 to 3 win over Jacksonville. The Lions are back in action this Saturday as they host Southern Utah in a match-up of two teams who were in the FCS playoffs last season.

McNeese State is ranked sixth and seventh in the FCS polls. The Cowboys will kick-off their season on Saturday at nationally ranked Nebraska.

The first Louisiana Sports Writers Association high school football polls are out. Acadiana is ranked number one in 5A.