Another high school sports season is right around the corner and once again there is a need for referees. Jeff Palermo has more.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Tulane University receives $23 million from the Biden Cancer Moonshot initiative. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Morgan City grad Vernon Norwood is back in the United States after winning two medals in track at the Paris Olympics. Jeff Palermo has more.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.” 

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The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) released a survey highlighting ongoing inflationary pressures on Main Street businesses. The survey revealed that 25 percent of small business owners identified inflation as their most pressing problem, marking it as the top concern for nearly three years. Louisiana NFIB Director Leah Long

Cut 4 (12) “…small business owners have to play.”

Many business owners reported that rising prices are significantly impacting their operations, with increased costs for supplies, labor, and transportation. Additionally, 33 percent of owners have raised their average selling prices to cope with inflation, though Long says this has done little to ease the financial strain.

Cut 5 (10) “…always want to shop small.”

Long says some business owners are optimistic about the future, but many remain cautious, due to the uncertainty about how long inflation will persist.

Cut 6 (10) “…may or may not change.”

The survey underscores the continuing challenges faced by small businesses as they navigate a complex economic environment, with inflation adding pressure to an already difficult post-pandemic recovery.

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There are times when high school football games and other athletic events have to be moved to Thursday night due to a shortage of officials. Director of Officials for the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Lee Sanders says they consistently try to recruit and retain referees.

Cut 7 (09) “…speaking of.”

Sanders says officiating allows individuals to stay connected to a sport they love, earn a little money, and stay active.

Cut 8 (07) “…volleyball match.”

In football alone, Sanders says only 1,000 refs are officiating more than 20-thousand players in Louisiana. And of those officials, he says 60% of them are over the age of 50. Sanders says they want to recruit younger officials before the more senior ones hang up their whistles.

Cut 9 (11)  “…the sports.”

For information on how to become an official visit the Louisiana High School Officials Association visit their website at lhsoa.com.

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President Joe Biden announced an award of $23 million to Tulane University for the creation of an imaging system to give surgeons the ability to scan tumors during surgery to determine in just minutes if any cancer tissue has been left behind. The President says this will transform surgery as we know it.

Cut 10 (13) “…and families.”

First Lady Jill Biden says the loss of their Beau son to brain cancer in 2015 inspired the creation of the Biden Cancer Moonshot initiative. Launched in 2016, the program has created more than 95 programs, policies, and resources to accelerate cancer research.

Cut 11 (11) “…terrible loss.”

While visiting cancer projects across the globe President Biden says he would ask if researchers were sharing their findings. That’s part of the Moonshot initiative to create collaborative effort.

Cut 12 (10) “…for everybody.”

Tuesday’s visit to New Orleans was President Biden’s first public event planned since he exited his re-election campaign. His daughter Ashley is a 2003 graduate of Tulane.

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Morgan City’s Vernon Norwood is the owner of four Olympic medals after winning two more medals at the Paris Games for Team U-S-A. Norwood won a gold medal as part of the men’s 4×400-meter relay team and also claimed a silver medal in the mixed four-by-400 meter relay. Retired Morgan City Principal Tim Hymel (e-male) says Norwood was a natural when he ran track for the Tigers…

Cut 13 (12)  “…just kept developing.”

After high school, Norwood won four NCAA championships in two seasons at LSU winning both indoor and outdoor titles. Norwood had a troubled childhood in New Orleans, but left after Hurricane Katrina. Hymel says the move to Morgan City may have saved his life…

Cut 14 (10)  “…took off for him.”

Norwood also won a gold at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo in the four by 400 meter relay race. Hymel says it was amazing to see him win it again…

Cut 15 (10)  “…came to my eyes.”

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Saints defensive end Cam Jordan is entering his 14th season and at training camp this year’s he’s been lining up at times on the interior, with Carl Granderson and Chase Young on the outside. Jordan says he’s getting used to playing as an interior lineman…

Cut 16 (25) “…for me.” 

Coach Dennis Allen says he’s still waiting for someone to step up and secure the starting strong safety position, which is a battle between Jordan Howden and Johnathan Abram

Cut 17 (23) “…my job.”

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As it stands now, LSU’s starting receivers are Kyren Lacy, Chris Hilton, and CJ Daniels. Daniels is a graduate transfer from Liberty. He caught 55 passes for 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Flames and has confidence he can make the jump from Conference USA to the SEC…

Cut 18 (15)  “…I have that.”

After a disastrous 2023 season, LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker has not only brought in a new defense for the Tigers to run, he’s also changed the energy. Sophomore Linebacker Whit Weeks says there’s never a dull moment with Baker leading the defense…

Cut 19 (15) “…fun again.”

Weeks says the defensive calls are simple and effective, becuase it allows them to play without thinking too much…

Cut 20 (20) “…a lot better.”

Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain estimates it will take years for the crawfish industry to recover from a historic drought last season. Mel Bridges has the details.

Cut 1 (29) …I’m Mel Bridges.”

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After receiving $172 million for rural areas to have broadband, another grant of $1.36 billion will complete the project. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (33)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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While crops like corn and rice are seeing a good harvest this year, Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain estimates it will take years for the state crawfish industry to bounce back from last year’s historic drought. Strain says the effects of the drought won’t be fixed in a day…

Cut 3 (06) “…years.”

About 100 thousand acres of crawfish farms in Louisiana were lost to the drought, slamming the 700 million dollar state crawfish industry. Strain says while the Agriculture and Forestry Commission plans for almost any disaster a farmer could face, they were blindsided by last year’s drought.

Cut 4 (10) “…dry up the ponds.”

Strain says the state Agriculture and Forestry Commission is working with the federal Department of Agriculture to provide relief for eligible farmers. Still, he says, it will likely take years to rebuild the crawfish industry after a drought that so many were unprepared for.

Cut 5 (12)  “…such a drought.”

Last season, crawfish prices reached as high as $14 per pound due to the drought.

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The state is preparing to roll out GUMBO 2.0 ensuring every community, no matter how small, has high-speed internet. Director of the State Office of Broadband Development Veneeth Iyengar says $1.36 billion of federal funds is dedicated to the project.

Cut 6 (11) “…economic development”

Iyengar says about 88% of GUMBO 1.0 projects have been completed or are under construction. 140,000 locations will benefit from the second round of funding.

Iyengar stresses how transformative high-speed internet access will be for those remaining communities that weren’t part of the initial rollout of $172 million through the American Rescue Plan Act. For example, revenue increases for small businesses that can process credit cards.

Cut 7 (11) “…people internet.”

In lessons learned from the first rollout, Iyengar says instead of providers defining project of areas of the state to receive broadband, for GUMBO 2.0 his office is setting those parameters, and they are taking extra steps to vet those providers.

Cut 8 (08)  “…remaining locations.”

Iyengar says the broadband initiative is a high priority for Governor Jeff Landry.

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Over 1200 farmers in Louisiana who experienced documented discrimination in federal farm lending programs prior to January 2021 will receive a combined 77 million dollars in financial assistance from the USDA. New Orleans Congressman Troy Carter says the money is going to some of Louisiana’s Black farmers.

Cut 9 (08) “…end-all be-all.”

Over 43 thousand farmers nationally who faced things like discriminatory denial of loans or lack of appropriate assistance in farm lending programs will receive a combined 2.2 billion dollars under the USDA program. Carter says most of Louisiana’s money will go to…

Cut 10 (10) “…no remedy.”

Carter says Black and other under-served farmers in Louisiana face persistent injustices. He says while this loan won’t fix the systemic issues affecting farmers of color, it will help them ease lost income, enhance their operations, or even start farming.

Cut 11 (08) ” …some of the repair.”

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A man who allegedly shot into a crowd of a thousand people in Many (Manny) has been arrested after an overnight manhunt. Detective Wade Seegers with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Department says police caught 21-year-old Julius Winfield IV walking along a road in Natchitoches Parish earlier today.

Cut 12 (10) “…finally.”

A motive for the shooting has not yet been determined. Seegers says the shooting happened at a trail ride, or an exhibition for horses and four-wheelers, near Many (Manny) on July 13.

Cut 13 (10) “…life threatening, so.” 

Winfield faces charges including attempted first-degree murder and terrorizing in connection to the shooting in July. Seegers says police spotted Winfield in his car yesterday near Pleasant Hill…

Cut  14 (12) “…we got him.”

Winfield has been booked into the Sabine Parish Detention Center.