Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

02.16.15
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11:40 LRN Sportscast Feb 16

In last night’s NBA All-Star game, former Louisiana Tech standout Paul Millsap played 16 minutes and scored five points and had six rebounds for the Eastern Conference All-Stars. The West ended up beating the East 163-158.

The LSU men’s basketball team leaves today for College Station, where the Tigers will play Texas A-and-M tomorrow night. The Tigers helped out their NCAA Tournament resume with a convincing 73-55 win over Tennessee on Saturday. Several of the bracketologist still have LSU in their field of 68.

LSU is still ranked number two in the country by Baseball America after sweeping Kansas this past weekend. The Tigers are up to number six in Perfect Game’s rankings and held steady in D-1 Baseball’s ranking as they are at number nine. LSU hosts Nicholls State on Wednesday. The Colonels started their season by taking two of three from Stony Brook.

Today begins the two-week window in the NFL for teams to place the franchise tag on a free-agent player on their roster. It’s not expected the Saints will use the franchise tag, even for running back Mark Ingram, who would make about 11-million dollars in 2015 if the Saints placed the franchise tag on him.

In college baseball….The Ragin Cajuns lost two of three to Texas San Antonio this past weekend. The Roadrunners won 11-5 yesterday, even though had just seven hits. That’s because U-L-L pitchers walked eight hiters. The Cajuns are at Northwestern State on Wednesday. The Demons lost three of four in an opening weekend series against Troy.

Tonight in college hoops….Northwestern State hosts Central Arkansas. The Demons have won five of their last six. McNeese State hosts Southeastern Louisiana. The Lions have won three in a row and Grambling hosts Prairie View A-and-M.

02.15.15
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AM LRN Newscall Feb 16

####Cuts 16 and 17 removed from earlier version of newscall, because of change in forecast.###

A new Facebook option allows users to designate a friend or family member to oversee their account upon their death. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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State health officials say the flu bug is starting to slow down. Scott Carwile has the story…

Cut 2 (29) “reporting”

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CC’s and Raising Cane’s, two prominent Louisiana-born businesses, made the 2014 Top 10 Excellent Fast-Food Chains list. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 3 (29) “reporting”

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A new Facebook option allows users to designate a friend or family member to oversee their account upon their death. Facebook’s Legacy Contact feature lets users choose someone to manage their account after they die. Jensen Moore, with LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication says she can’t believe it’s taken them this long to come up with this policy…

cut 4  (08)  “deal with it”

If you don’t want your Facebook page to continue on, you can opt for it to be deleted upon your death. Moore says this Legacy Contact feature can alleviate a lot potential conflict…

Cut 5  (08)  “last few years”

You can set your Legacy Contact in the Security Settings page on your Facebook account. Moore says you may want to go through your Facebook pics because those photos will become an eternal remembrance of you. Moore says there are limitations on what your Legacy Contact can do to your page after you die…

Cut 6 (08)  “delete the account”

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It appears the peak of the flu season is behind us, but health officials say we can’t let our guard down. Doctor Frank Welch, with the state department of health and hospitals, says during the height of the flu season, about eight out of every 100 doctor or hospital visit was for the flu, now that ratio is down to five out of every 100

CUT 7 (07)  “going on”

Welch says it’s still not too late to get a flu shot and also practice proper hygiene…

Cut 8  (09)  “someone else” 

Welch estimates over 500-thousand Louisiana residents were hit with the flu bug during this influenza season. He says the elderly have been hit especially hard by the flu….

Cut 9 (10)  “worse”

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CC’s and Raising Cane’s, two prominent Louisiana-born businesses, made the 2014 Top 10 Excellent Fast-Food Chains list. The California based research firm Sandelman & Associates ranked Raising Cane’s number four and CC’s Coffee House number six in the Quick-Track Awards of Excellence for quick service chains. Celton Hayden is the President of CC’s…:

Cut 10 (10) “in everything we do”

The study asked customers during their most recent visit to quick service chains to rate overall satisfaction on a 5 point scale. Other categories included taste of food, quality of ingredients, variety of menu items and speed of service. Hayden says they know they have the best coffee and the best food, but keeping the brand’s promise is the most important thing…:

cut 11 (06) “than that”

Hayden says they train their employees to be real and passionate about the business. He also says operational excellence has always been their goal and in the 20 years they’ve been in business the bar has continually been set higher and higher…:

cut 12 (09)  “every day”

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The Bossier Sheriff’s Office is trying to figure out who is creating elaborate websites for schools purporting to be in the parish — but that actually don’t exist. Lt. Bill Davis says there are three websites with pictures of people, biographies of principals and teachers, enrollment information for schools listing Bossier City addresses..:

Cut 13 (07)  “exists”

Davis says they want to find out who is behind these fake school sites to be sure that nothing illegal is going on. He says they are working with the Louisiana Department of Education to see if the people behind the sites are trying to defraud the federal government or the state via grant dollars…:

Cut 14 (07) “to the school”

According to its website, Hudson Heights Laboratory Magnet High School is located on Sawgrass Parkway in Bossier City — but there is no such school. Davis says they also found fake websites for East Lockwood New Tech High School and Walker J Marshall Performing Arts Academy all saying they are in Bossier Parish…:

Cut 15  (08)  “a project”

02.14.15
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LRN Newscast 10:30 February 14

A federal judge his dismissed a lawsuit filed by a New Orleans area levee board that claimed dozens of oil and gas companies should pay damages for destroying Louisiana’s coast. Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown ruled that federal and state laws are not set up so that the levee authority could successfully file a suit against the energy industry.

Louisiana’s Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says the mid-year budget cuts handed down by Governor Bobby Jindal are just not fair. He says most of the larger cuts hit departments manged by elected officials…
CUT 11 (07) Q; “other agencies”
The Department of Ag received mid-year cuts equivalent to $2.6 million dollars, while the governor’s office had a ten-thousand dollar cut to its budget. The Jindal administration is defending the way the cuts were handed down.

Law enforcement in southeast Louisiana are looking for an inmate who was able to shed his shackles and run away from Washington Parish deputies early this morning. The escaped prisoner’s name is Kaunda Magee and he was last seen still wearing his handcuffs and a waist chain. He escaped as deputies were transporting him back to the jail after receiving treatment at a hospital for a shoulder injury.

In the fight of underaged use of alcohol and tobacco, the A-T-C is continuing the compliance checks of business to make sure there are no sales made to those aged below legal limits. Commissioner Troy Hebert says all businesses need to be smart about this…
CUT 14 (09) Q: ‘not worth it’
Hebert adds there are 16 and 17 year-old undercover operatives doing random checks throughout Mardi Gras.

02.14.15
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LRN Newscast 09:30 February 14

A federal judge tosses out a lawsuit filed by a levee board that attempted to get over 80 different oil, gas and pipeline companies to pay for damages done to the Louisiana coast. Governor Bobby Jindal opposed the lawsuit. One of his spokespersons called it a frivolous lawsuit by the Southeast Louisiana flood Protection Authority-East.

Open enrollment for purchasing health insurance through the Affordable Care Act ends tomorrow. Although premiums in the marketplace have risen since last year, Kara James, with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, says financial aid is available. She says nine out of ten Louisianians, who selected coverage, were eligible for assistance…
cut 22 (08) “those tax credits”
She says if you have yet to enroll, this would be a good day to take care of that.

The Washington Parish Sheriff’s office has offered a reward of 25-hundred dollars for anyone who can provide information that leads to the arrest of Kuanda Magee. He’s a Washington Parish jail inmate, who escaped around 2:30 this morning. He was in prison on an aggravated rape charge. Authorities are searching in and around Franklinton.

During last year’s five-day Mardi Gras holiday, there were 13 deaths on statewide roads, with over half of those involving alcohol. State Police Spokesperson Melissa Matey…
CUT 4 (12) “those impaired driver”
State Police arrested a man from Montegut and charged him with vehicular homicide after he fatally struck a 28-year-old pedestrian on L-A 58 in Terrebonne Parish last night. Authorities 53-year-old Ernie Driskill submitted to a breath test and was found to be over the legal limit.

02.14.15
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LRN Newscast 08:30 Feb 14

A federal judge in New Orleans has thrown out a controversial lawsuit that sought millions of dollars from oil and gas companies to pay for damages done to Louisiana’s wetlands . The lawsuit was filed by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East and they are expected to appeal.

Two people were found dead yesterday in an apartment building in Alexandria’s garden district and police are treating it as a homicide. The identity of the victims have not been released, but we know it’s a male and female.

The Saint Martin Parish Sheriff’s office arrested a Baton Rouge attorney who is accussed of stealing several items from an elderly client. The U-S Marshals Task Force took 63-year-old Stephen Spring into custody and he faces a charge of theft over five-hundred dollars.

And the search is on for a Washington Parish jail inmate who escaped from custody early this morning. He’s 39-year-old Kaunda Lopaz Magee and he’s previously been charged with aggravated rape.

It’s an absolutely perfect day for Mardi Gras parades. But Gary Chatelain with the National Weather Service in Shreveport says some cold and wet weather is on the way and it will get to north Louisiana first….
cut 20 (09) “…tomorrow night”
High temperatures in the upper 60s tomorrow in south Lousiiana, but mid 50s for north Louisiana and there’s a chance we could see some icy conditions along the I-20 corridor on Monday.

It’s a big weekend for Louisiana’s restaurant industry as Valentine’s night is the second most popular Holiday to eat out. Louisiana Restaurant Association spokesperson Erica Burns says with Valentine’s on Saturday, they expect to have tables full throughout the Mardi Gras weekend…
cut 29 (11) “…of days”
Burns says most upscale restaurants have been booked for at least a couple of weeks.

02.14.15
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LRN Sportscast 07:30

The second ranked LSU baseball team started the season last night with a four to one win over Kansas. Catcher Kade Scivicque blasted a three-run homer and Jared Poche got the win on the mound as he allowed just two hits in six innings of shutout baseball.

In other action, Texas San Antonio topped U-L Lafayette eight to five. Chris Charpentier gave up five runs on five hits and suffered the loss. Indiana State outscored U-L-M 11 to 5. Losing pitcher Brandon Bell allowed eight runs in two innings.

Troy blanked Northwestern State six to nothing, Southeastern Louisiana rallied to beat Louisiana Tech five to four. Kade Granier pitched three scoreless innings in relief to get the win. Daniel Midyett homered for the Lions, while Taylor Love went deep for Tech. Tulane trounced Pepperdine nine to three, Central Arkansas crushed Grambling eight to two, and Stony Brook blanked Nicholls State six to nothing.

LSU announces Tony Ball as the Tigers new wide receivers coach. Ball spent the last nine years as an assistant at Georgia. He started as a running backs coach and spent the last five years coaching wide receivers, including first round pick A-J Green.

And Louisiana Tech announced the hiring of Karl Scott as its safeties coach. Scott served as Southeastern Louisiana’s defensive coordinator last season.

Peyton Manning has reportedly told the Broncos that he is “physically and mentally prepared to play in 2015 season. Now the question is, does Denver want the 38-year-old to play quarterback for them. He’s set to make 19-million dollars this season and that salary become fully guaranteed on March 9th, if he’s still on the Broncos roster.

In college hoops today…LSU is at Tennessee. Louisiana Tech goes after its 20th win of the season as they host Florida International. ULM goes after its sixth win in a row as they host Appalachian State. And Northwestern State is at McNeese State.

02.13.15
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LRN Newscast 17:30 Feb 13

Statewide elected officials claim the mid-year budget cuts to their departments proposed by Governor Bobby Jindal are unfair….
cut 2 (31) “….reporting”

A Shreveport police officer has been arrested after he allegedly sexually assaulted a female in his office. The victim was at the police station so she can discuss with detectives about harassing phone calls she received. The officer arrested has been identified as 44-year-old James Greene, who has been on the force for 15 years.
The state’s Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner, Troy Hebert, finds its troublesome that there’s been a 13-percent non-compliance rate among businesses in the last couple of weeks when it comes to selling alcohol and tobacco to minors…
cut 12 (11) “….underage”
Hebert says they are using undercover operatives at this time of the year to prevent the selling of alcohol to minors during the Mardi Gras season.

Law enforcement are patrolling throughout the Mardi Gras holiday to discourage impaired driving and help reduce the number of crashes on Louisiana roadways. State Police spokeswoman, Melissa Matey, says if you’re going to partake in Carnival revelry, do it responsibly…:
CUT 5 (06) “Mardi Gras Festivities”
She says Thursday there were six fatal crashes between Lake Charles and New Orleans.

02.13.15
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LRN Sportscast 16:45 Feb 13

The 2015 college baseball season gets underway today. Second ranked LSU begins a three-game series against Kansas tonight. Coach Paul Mainieri will start two freshmen pitchers this weekend…
cut 27 (14) “…season progresses”
Sophomore Jared Poche will start on the hill tonight for the Tigers.

Southeastern Louisiana is coming off an NCAA Regional appearance as they open the 2015 campaign by hosting Louisiana Tech tonight. Coach Matt Riser says he wants to take the Lions program to another level this season…
cut 20 (16) ‘….more damage”
First pitch in Hammond tonight is at 6 PM.

LSU announces Tony Ball as the Tigers new wide receivers coach. Ball has spent the last nine years as an assistant at Georgia. He started as a running backs coach for the Bulldogs and spent the last five years coaching wide receivers, including first pick A-J Green.

And Louisiana Tech has made it official by announcing the hiring of Karl Scott as its safeties coach. Scott served as Southeastern Louisiana’s defensive coordinator last season.

Tomorrow in college basketball…LSU looks to boost its NCAA Tournament resume by visiting Tennessee. The Tigers and Volunteers are both six and five in league play.

Louisiana Tech goes after its 20th win of the season as it hosts Florida International. The Bulldogs are in first place by a half game over Western Kentucky.

ULM is a half game up over Georgia Southern for first place in the Sun Belt. The Warhawks will host Appalachian State and then its three straight road games.

And in the Southland…Northwestern State is at McNeese State.

02.13.15
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PM LRN Newscall for February 13

Law enforcement are patrolling throughout the Mardi Gras season to discourage impaired driving and help reduce the number of crashes on Louisiana roadways. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 1 (29) “reporting”

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Statewide elected officials are claiming the mid-year budget cuts to their departments proposed by Governor Bobby Jindal are unfair. Eric Gill has more…

CUT 2 (31) “reporting”

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Law enforcement are on patrol throughout the Mardi Gras season to discourage impaired driving and help reduce the number of crashes on Louisiana roadways. State Police spokeswoman, Melissa Matey, says Thursday there were six fatal crashes between Lake Charles and New Orleans. She says these crashes were preventable if people had made smart decisions before getting behind the wheel…

CUT 3 (12)  “across the state”

During last year’s five-day Mardi Gras holiday, there were 599 crashes which resulted in 13 deaths statewide. Over half of those deaths involved alcohol. Matey says you can expect to see law enforcement out in force through Fat Tuesday…

CUT 4 (12)  “those impaired drivers”

Matey says expect to see various checkpoints and saturation patrols all across Louisiana. She says if you partake in Mardi Gras revelry, do it responsibly…

CUT 5 (06)  “Mardi Gras festivities”

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The shooting Thursday night during a parade in New Orleans which left two dead appears to be the responsibility of a 19-year-old man. NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison said they believe there was some sort of altercation that took place between two males while the Muses Krewe was rolling down St. Charles…:

CUT 6 (08)  “at the intersection”

Harssion says the suspect is identified as 19-year-old John Hicks and he’s charged with two counts of second degree murder and illegal carrying of a firearm on the parade route. Harrison says there were cops on the scene at the intersection where the shooting took place…:

CUT 7 (06)  “in this incident”

One of the victims of the shooting died during surgery and the other succumbed to his injuries Friday morning. Harrison says this situation is frustrating, but NOPD remains committed to keeping revelers safe during Mardi Gras…:

CUT 8 (10)  “great work”

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Statewide elected officials claim the mid-year budget cuts proposed by Governor Bobby Jindal are unfair. Departments managed by statewide elected officials are receiving much larger cuts than than almost all other state departments. Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne says these cuts are clearly disproportionate…

CUT 9 (11)  “state government”

Dardenne says offices controlled by statewide elected officials, excluding the governor, represent less than one percent of the budget. However those agencies represent 16-percent of the budget cuts. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says these cuts aren’t fair across the board…

cut 10 (10)  “340 thousand dollars”

The Department of Ag received mid-year cuts equivalent to $2.6 million dollars and the Tourism Department took a $3.6 million hit, while the governor’s office had a $10,000 cut to its budget. Jindal spokesman Mike Reed says the governor’s office reduction is in line with other offices. Strain says it’s obvious statewide elected officials are taking the brunt of the cuts…

cut 11 (07) “other agencies”

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The Louisiana Office of Alcohol Tobacco Control says they’ve conducted over 600 alcohol and tobacco compliance checks across the state since February 2nd. ATC Commissioner Troy Hebert says of the businesses checked, 83 sold alcohol and/or tobacco to underage operatives which is about a 13% non-compliance rate…:

cut 12 (11)  “underage”

Hebert says agents will continue to work throughout the Mardi Gras weekend to make sure illegal sales of alcohol and tobacco do not dampen the Carnival season…:

cut 13 (11)  “that did that”

Hebert says the majority of their undercover operatives are 16 and 17 years old and with the legal age to purchase alcohol being 21 there is no excuse for these irresponsible sales…:

cut 14 (09)  “not worth it”

02.13.15
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11:40 LRN sportscast February 13

Multiple reports say the LSU Tigers have hired a new wide receivers coach. His name is Tony Ball and he was Georgia’s receivers coach and has been an assistant for the Bulldogs since 2009. Also, former LSU defensive line coach Brick Haley has been hired for the same role at Texas.

Rita Benson Leblanc, the granddaughter of Tom Benson, has been removed from two NFL committees. Leblanc served as the chair of the Employee Benefits Committee and was a member of the International committee. It’s a sign the NFL strongly supports Tom Benson’s efforts to leave the Saints in the control of his wife, Gayle.

Louisiana Tech is in first place in Conference USA following its 65-54 win over Florida Atlantic. The Bulldogs have won 25 straight home games. ULM defended its home floor last night and remain in first place in the Sun Belt. The Warhawks defeated in-state rival U-L Lafayette 67-55.

It’s opening day in college baseball. Second ranked LSU begins the season against Kansas. A team that won 35 games a season ago and reached the NCAA Tournament. Coach Paul Mainieri says the Jayhawks have won five of the last six games played two teams…
cut 18 (11) “….Texas”
First pitch is at seven o’ clock.

A new era of college baseball begins tonight for Louisiana Tech as the Bulldogs first-year coach, Greg Goff, takes his team to Hammond for a three-game series against Southeastern Louisiana.

In women’s basketball last night…LSU lost to number one ranked South Carolina 86-62. The Lady Techster rallied from a 19-point deficit to beat Florida Atlantic 73-68. Whitney Frazier had 20 points to lead the way. U-L Lafayette beat U-L-M 68-65 in double O-T.