11:40 LRN Sportscast Friday April 1

The 14th ranked LSU baseball team begins a three-game series in Auburn tonight. The Tigers are 2-and-4 in league play and tied for fifth in the SEC West. Starting shortstop Kramer Robertson says they are trying to remain loose…
cut 18 (12) “…good results”
No word on who will start at third base for LSU. Greg Deichmann had made two errors in his past five starts at the hot corner.

Southeastern Louisiana is red hot. The Lions have won 14 straight as they open a three-game series against Nicholls tonight. Northwestern is at McNeese. Both teams have winning records in league play.

In the SWAC, Grambling leads the west division with a 7-2 record. The Tigers are at Arkansas Pine Bluff, who trails G-S-U by one game for first place.

The Saints will reportedly meet with running back Tim Hightower soon and discuss a return to the Black and Gold. The 29-year-old played in eight games for New Orleans last season and rushed for 375 yards and four touchdowns, including a 122-yard rushing performance against Jacksonville.

The short-handed Pelicans defeated Denver 101-95 last night. New Orleans was led by Luke Babbitt, who had 22 points and 10 rebounds. Toney Douglas had 20 points and 10 assists. There’s seven games left in the regular season and the Pelis have the sixth worst record in the NBA.

Mark Whitehead, a basketball official from Denham Springs, will be a refree at the Final four in Houston. Whitehead has worked as a college official since 1996 and this will be his fifth Final Four assignment. He worked the 2012 title game played in New Orleans when Kentucky beat Kansas.

In other college hoops news…former LSU assistant Butch Pierre has been named an assistant at North Carolina State.

16:30 LRN Newscast March 31

The Senate Labor Committee has approved a bill to increase the state’s minimum wage to $8.50 by 2018. Halen Doughty has more…
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Halen Doughty”

Before lawmakers went home for the weekend, the State House approved a measure that would allow hunters to also wear blaze pink, instead of the traditional orange. The bill is by Bogalusa Representative Malinda White…
cut 5 (09) “,…that here
The measure heads to the Senate for more discussion.

Even though Republican US Senator David Vitter is leaving office at the end of this year, he’s still holding town hall meetings across the state getting feedback from voters. In Ascension parish this morning, Vitter said he’s hearing primarily about jobs and highway improvements…:
Cut 13 (09) “is important”
The senator still maintains that he intends to leave politics once his term ends.

We’ll find out soon if Louisiana native MacKenzie Bourg will advance to the Top 3 on the final season of American Idol. Voting results from last week will be announced tonight and the contestant with the lowest total will be eliminated. MacKenzie’s dad, Rudy Bourg, says his 23-year-old son is already a winner…:
CUT 6 (08) “last second shot”
Tonight’s show will feature footage taken at Bourg’s homecoming parade last Saturday in Lafayette.

11:40 LRN Sportscast March 31

Southeastern Louisiana won its 14th straight game last night as they defeated Alcorn State 21-0. The Lions scored in every inning they batted. Northwestern State won a rain-shortened contest over ULM 6-2. Daniel Garner hit his 1st homer to help the Demons win their third straight. And Nicholls edged South Alabama five to four. A throwing error by the Jaguars allowed the winning run to score.

The LSU baseball team leaves today for Auburn. Coach Paul Mainieri says Alex Lange will pitch in game one.

The so-called LSU Miles clause has reportedly been removed from the restructured contracts of assistant coaches Ed Orgeron and Jeff Grimes. According to the Baton Rouge Advocate, the clause allows LSU to terminate a contract six months after Miles’ employment with the school ends. This clause was one of the things that upset former LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis.

LSU safety Jalen Mills tells CBS Sports that an NFL team has asked him whether he we would use a gun or knife to kill someone. Mills is expected to be a second or third round pick in the draft. He did not reveal which team asked him this question.

The voice of the Tigers for the last three-plus decades officially retires today. Jim Hawthorne, who was on the mic for all six of LSU national championships in basketball, two national titles in football and three Final Four appearances in basketball, leaves the LSU campus today for retirement. Hawthorne’s last game was an ugly loss by the basketball team in the SEC Tournament…
cut 18 (12) “…so be it”
Hawthorne’s first big event during his retirement is a three-week vacation to Australia with his wife.

10:30 LRN Newscast March 31

Starting tomorrow, the state sales tax goes up from four to five cents. LSU marketing professor Dan Rice says this increase will likely not change consumer’s purchasing habits…
cut 8 (10) “…quite frankly”
The state tax on cigarettes and alcohol also goes up tomorrow.

A bill is heading to the House floor that calls for legislative approval to waive work requirements for food stamp recipients. The governor’s attorney, Matthew Block, says they want to make sure there’s enough job training and job placement services, before re-instating the work requirements…
cut 16 (13) “….SNAP benefits”
The state recently estimated 31-thousand able bodies adults would lose their benefits, if they they were required to find work.

At this hour, the Senate Labor committee debates a bill that would raise the mininum wage to 8-dollars an hour next year and then $8.50 in 2018. Halen Doughty has more…
voicer 1 (30) “…I’m Halen Doughty”

Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal entered a plea of not guilty to charges he violated federal civil rights laws. Prosecutors accuse Ackal of ordering the beatings of at least three pre-trial inmates in 2011. Nine of Ackal’s former deputies have already pleaded guilty in the case.

LRN Sportscast 16:45 March 30

The LSU Baseball team is mired in a tough stretch as they’ve lost three of their last four. Tulane beat the Tigers seven to one last night as LSU committed three errors and losing pitcher Cole McKay walked four in two-thirds of an inning. LSU is at Auburn this weekend.

Southeastern Louisiana’s winning streak is at 13 games after pounding Southern 18-2 in seven innings.

Louisiana Tech has won 23 straight over Grambling after beating the Tigers 10-2 last night. UL Lafayette scored three runs in the ninth to beat Nicholls 5-4 and Northwestern State was an easy winner over ULM 11-2.

Louisiana native and Kentucky Debry-winning jockey Calvin Borel is retiring from horse racing after 33 years. The 49-year-old has over five-thousand victories, including three Kentucky Derby wins in four years. In 2009, he rode 50-1 long shot Mine That Bird to an improbable win at Churchill Downs.

The Saints have reportedly resctured the contract of running back Mark Ingram which gives them three-point-six million dollars in salary cap space. Ingram is set to make three-million dollars, but he’ll receive most of that in the form of a signing bonus now. Cam Jordan and Thomas Morstead also had their contracts restructured this week.

Former LSU wide receiver Brandon LaFell will reportedly sign with the Cincinnati Bengals. LaFell was released by the Patriots earlier this month after he caught 111 passes and scored seven touchdowns in two seasons in New England.

UL Lafayette’s football game at Georgia Southern has been moved to Thursday, November 10th and it will be televised by ESPN U. That means the Cajuns will have two midweek games in 2016, Wednesday October 22nd at Texas State and the Thursday night Georgia southern contest.

Spring practice has resumed for the LSU Tigers. Coach Les Miles is refreshed after spending five days in Cuba. The coach said he spent his time handing out soccer balls to school children and learning more about a culture that he heared a lot about from a longtime friend.

LRN PM Newscall March 30

A bill heading to the House floor would extend the waiting period for an abortion from 24 to 72 hours. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (31)  “I’m Halen Doughty”

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The Department of Corrections is investigating whether incarcerated rapper C-Murder recorded a new single while in Angola. Michelle Southern reports…:

CUT 2 (26)  “I’m Michelle Southern”

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A bill has passed out of the House Health and Welfare Committee that would extend the waiting period for an abortion from 24 to 72 hours. The only exception is if the women has to travel more than 150 miles to the nearest abortion clinic. Cindy Collins with the Louisiana Abortion Recovery Alliance says the current law does not give women enough time to reflect on their options.

CUT 3 (12)  “enough time”

The bill now heads to the House floor for further consideration. No one spoke out in opposition, but pro- choice groups are concerned about another legal hurdle that could be facing women who are seeking an abortion. Haughton Representative Dodie Horton says extending this longer waiting period is necessary to allow women to make the right decision.

CUT 4 (04)  “can do”

Five other states have similar waiting periods. Monroe Representative Katrina Jackson says this decision will emotionally affect a woman for the rest of her life.

CUT 5 (10)  “time period”

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The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of murdering his wife and dumping her body in the spillway canal near Palmetto. Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says 52-year-old Sam Clark, Jr. admitted to police he shot 28-year-old Kimberly Perkins Clark twice in the head on the spillway levee bridge. Guidroz says the couple had a very abusive relationship…

CUT 6 (05) “pretty rough”

Guidroz says detectives had plenty of physical evidence to tie Clark to the murder of his wife before he confessed. He says the couple was driving over the bridge in Sam Clark’s truck before she was killed.

CUT 7 (10) “the water”

Clark is charged with second degree murder.  Guidroz says they believe Kimberly Clark was dead for about 12 to 15 hours before her body was found.

CUT 8 (10) “called us”

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Louisiana could get hit with two to four inches of rain today as a severe weather system moves into the state. Forecaster with the National Weather Service in Shreveport Patrick Omundson advises people to be on the lookout for severe weather threats.

CUT 9 (09) “winds too”

Omundson also cautions people to watch out for lightening today. He says much of the state will get around two inches of rain, but isolated areas could get more.

cut 10 (04)  “as well”

Much of north Louisiana is under a flash flood watch. Omundson says the flash flooding risk is greater, because of all the backwater left from the recent flooding.

Cut 11 (11) “significant flooding”

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A measure to create protection for public school students who are parents or expectant mothers has been passed out of the Senate Education Committee. New Orleans Senator Wesley Bishop says the Louisiana Expectant and Parenting Students Act will help both mothers and fathers receive a diploma.

cut 12 (09) “young people”

The bill now heads to the full Senate for more debate. Metairie Rep. Stephanie Hilferty is a co-author of the legislation. She says statistically only 40 percent of teen mothers finish high school and 30 percent of female students that drop out say the reason was due to pregnancy.

Cut 13 (10)  “child’s birth”

Hilferty says as much support a mother can get from the state while in the high school environment will reap substantial rewards. She says teen pregnancy has a generational effect if we don’t help these parents return to high school after their maternity leave.

cut 14 (10)  “older parents”

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The Senate advances legislation that would make Louisiana in federal compliance with the Real ID Act. The bill’s author, Baton Rouge Senator Yvonne Colomb, says this is a measure that was passed by Congress…:

cut 15 (09) “Homeland Security” 

The proposal passed 31-7 and heads to the House. A similar bill received legislative approval last year, but it was vetoed by former Governor Bobby Jindal. Colomb says her bill this year includes language that would give citizens the option…:

cut 16 (04) “to get one”

(Governor John Bel Edwards says he will sign the bill if it passes.)

11:40 LRN Sportscast March 30

The Saints continue to work at trying to provide themselves some salary cap relief by restructuring contracts. Running back Mark Ingram is reportedly the latest player to have his contract re-structured. Ingram had a majority of a three-million dollar base salary converted to a signing bonus freeing up about 1.5 million in cap space. Defensive end Cam Jordan and punter Thomas Morstead also reportedly had their contracts reworked this week.

LSU Coach Paul Mainieri called it the worst game of the year as the Tulane trounced the Tigers seven to one last night. LSU committed three errors and starting pitcher Cole McKay walked four in two-thirds of an inning and suffered the loss.

Southeastern won its 13th straight last night as they blasted Southern 18 to 2 in seven innings. UL Lafayette scored three runs in the ninth to beat Nicholls 5-4. The Cajuns benefited from an error by Colonels center fielder Quade Smith.

Louisiana Tech has now won 23 straight baseball games over Grambling. The Bulldogs defeated the Tigers 10 to 2 last night. Chandler Hall drove in three runs for the Bulldogs. Tech’s game tonight against McNeese has been postponed because of inclement weather in Ruston.

Also last night…Northwestern State clobbered ULM 11-2. Fourth-year head coach Lane Burroughs calls it the best all-around game they’ve played.

Northwestern State’s Janelle Perez has been named the Southland Conference Women’s basketball student-athlete of the year. Perez has a 3.7 GPA in health and exercise science and is set to graduate in May. Perez averaged 15 points, four assists and four rebounds a game. She also ranks third nationally in free-throw percentage.

In other basketball news…Nicholls State is seeking a new head coach. JP Piper was fired after winning just 11 games.

The Pelicans are looking for healthy bodies. Jrue Holiday and Alonze Gee are the latest New Orleans players who will miss the rest of the season because of injuries. The Pels are at San Antonio tomorrow night.

10:30 LRN Newscast March 30

The Storm Prediction Center is calling for an enhanced risk for severe weather across north Louisiana today. State Climatologist Barry Keim hopes this is not a repeat of the devasting flooding that occurred three weeks ago…
cut 6 (11) “….heavy rainfall”
A flash flood watch is in effect until seven PM for much of north Louisiana.

A House committee approves legislation that would require women seeking an abortion to wait at least 72 hours before the procedure can be done after their initital meeting with the doctor. Current law calls for a 24-hour waiting period. Deanna Wallace with Louisiana Right to Life supports this measure…
cut 8 (10) “….that child”
The bill heads to the House floor for more discussion.

A new poll paid for by Rebuild Louisiana, which is a group that supports Governor John Bel Edwards, finds strong support among voters for some of the governor’s core initatives in this legislative session. That includes an increase to the state’s minimum wage. But ULM Political science professor Joshua Stockley says the republican-controlled legislature has a different stance…
cut 14 (09) “….to doing”
So far, lawmakers have yet to discuss raising the mininum wage to above eight dollars an hour in this session.

In two days, a higher state tax on alcohol goes into effect. Executive director of the Beer Industry League of Louisiana, John Williams, says unfortunately someone will have to absorb these costs, either consumers or alcohol retailers…
cut 11 (05) “….obviously”
The new state tax is expected to provide the state with an additional five million dollars in revenues through June 30th.

16:45 LRN Sportscast March 29

The LSU baseball team hosts Tulane tonight as the Tigers will look to get the bats going. Coach Paul Mainieri’s team scored just five runs in a series against Texas A-and-M, despite racking up more hits than the Aggies over the course of the three games…
cut 30 (14) “….score points”
First pitch is at 6:30.

Runs have not been a problem for Southeastern Louisiana. The Lions seek their 13th straight win tonight when they host Southern. S-L-U has scored four or more runs in all but one game during this school record winning streak.

Also tonight…Nicholls State will host in-state foe UL Lafayette at six Pm in a game that can be seen on Cox Sports Television. And Lincoln Parish rivals, Grambling and Louisiana Tech face off in Ruston.

More injury woes for the Pelicans. The team has announced that Jrue Holiday has a fractured orbital bone and he’ll miss the rest of the season. He suffered the injury in the final minute of last night’s win over New York. And Ryan Anderson has been diagnosed with a sports hernia and he’ll need a second opinion next week. New Orleans has been officially eliminated from playoff contention.

The season is over for the Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs lost to East Tennessee State 88-83 in the first round of the Vegas 16 Tournament.

Mike Dunleavy Senior was introduced today as the 24th head coach in Tulane men’s basketball history. The former NBA Coach has never coached on the college level.

Nicholls has fired men’s basketball coach JP Piper after winning just 11 games this past season. Piper took over the Colonels in 2004 and Nicholls had an 82-118 record in conference play during that time.

16:30 LRN Newscast March 29

State transportation secretary Shawn Wilson estimates flooding caused 20-million dollars worth of damage to the state’s road and bridges. Wilson says some of the roads damaged were already in the need of repairs and make up a 13-billion dollar backlog the state currently faces…
cut 15 (08) “…high water event”
Wilson says a combination of state and federal dollars will be needed to fix these roads.

The Louisiana Public Service Commission has approved the sale of the utility company Cleco to a foreign investment group. But the Alliance for Affordable Energy is not happy about the transaction. Casey DeMoss says the sale puts customers at risk for having their rates increased in the future…
cut 13 (05) “….financial risks”
But Cleco says customers will share in 136-million dollars in rate credits under the new owners.

On April 1st the price on a pack of cigarettes will increase 22 cents to $1.08. Emelie Gunn has more on the impacts…:
CUT 1 (27) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

A 60-year-old man was run over in drag racing accident at a racetrack in Caddo Parish during a test run. Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Cindy Chadwick says the deceased is identified as Steven Smith, and the man behind the wheel of the vehicle was 55-year-old Stuart Smith – both of Atlanta, Texas…:
CUT 7 (05) “they’re brothers”
No charges are filed in the case.