6:30 LRN Newscast

Former President Donald Trump will visit New Orleans today for a big money campaign fundraiser. Mel Bridges has more.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

The former President agrees the Ten Commandments should be displayed in public classrooms. Louisiana passed a law to do so, but it faces legal challenges. Trump said on his social media network how can the nation go wrong by displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools. Opponents of the effort says it’s a violation of church-state separation.

High School students in Louisiana will no longer be required to take the ACT, even though ten out of 11 BESE members asked lawmakers to reject the legislation. BESE President Ronnie Morris worries it could be a missed opportunity for students who aren’t initially college-bound…
Cut 7 (10) “…light bulb moment.”
Proponents say this will allow the state’s test average to improve because it will be more reflective of education in Louisiana and college-bound students.

Shreveport Representative Michael Melerine would like to see a veto session after his bill to reform the state’s current collateral source rule was vetoed by the governor. Melerine says his House Bill 423 could have helped lower auto insurance premiums by awarding payouts that match the cost of a person’s medical bills following a car crash
Cut 13 (09) “…override it.”
A veto session would take place in the middle of July if lawmakers elected to hold a veto session.

4:45 LRN Sportscast

Louisiana Tech has announced a five-year contract extension for Bulldogs baseball coach Lane Burroughs that will keep the Meridian, Mississippi, native in the Diamond Dogs dugout through the 2029 season. Burroughs just completed his eighth season in Ruston and led Tech to a 45-19 record and an NCAA Regional appearance. The Bulldogs have been to the NCAA Tournament three times in his eight years at Tech.

The Ragin Cajuns Kyle DeBarge was named a first-team All-American by Baseball America. The shortstop set school records with 21 home runs and 179 total bases as he hit .355 on the season.

LSU’s Griffin Herring is a second-team selection, while the Tigers Tommy White and Luke Holman were third team selections. Cajuns pitcher LP Langevin was also a third team selection and so is Louisiana Tech’s Ethan Bates as a utility palyer.

It appears former LSU pitcher Cam Johnson has committed to Oklahoma. Johnson was ranked as the 11th best overall prospect in the nation before coming to LSU, but had an ERA of 12 in his lone season with the Tigers.

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction ceremony is Saturday night in Natchitoches. Two legendary figures in Louisiana sports are going into the Hall, Saints quarterback Drew Brees and LSU women’s basketball great Seimone Augustus.

The 2024 class also features great coaches. Tulane men’s basketball coach Perry Clark, former high school football coach Frank Monica and legendary Grambling Coach Wilbert Ellis, who won 701 games in 26 seasons as a head coach…
cut 14 (11) “…win games”
The Southwestern Athletic Conference has announced a contract extension for Commissioner Doctor Charles McClelland. McClelland became commissioner in 2018 and since then the league has increased its visibility through the broadcasting of conference football and basketball games on ESPN and HBCU-Go platforms.

LRN PM Newscall

After a delay in request for two missing Loranger girls, a lawmaker is calling for an overhaul of Louisiana’s AMBER Alert system. Mel Bridges has more.

Cut 1 (32)  “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

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As Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law is making national headlines it also faces litigation. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Baton Rouge Representative Dixon McMakin is calling for an overhaul of Louisiana’s AMBER Alert system after a delay in request for two missing Loranger girls. Baton Rouge Representative Dixon McMakin sent a letter to the governor saying the current system is tedious and overcomplicated.

Cut 3 (08) “…in Louisiana.”

Police records showed it took 3 hours to issue an alert after Erin and Jalie Brunett were reported missing last week. McMakin says part of the rework would make sure alert requests always go through to a real person.

Cut 4 (12) “…hour or two.”

In the letter, McMakin asked state police to work with legislators to improve the system and work internally to self-identify any part of the alert system that could use overhauling.

Cut 5 (10)  “…in place.”

Six-year-old Jalie was found alive in Mississippi but four-year-old Erin was killed by their kidnapper.

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Louisiana’s law requiring the Ten Commandments be posted in public classrooms is receiving national attention and groups like the ACLU say they plan to fight it in court. Author of the legislation, Haughton Representative Dodie Horton believes it will withstand the challenge.

Cut 6 (09) “…the test.”

Alanah Odoms with the ACLU of Louisiana says the law clearly violates the First Amendment and the law calls for a government-mandated version of the Ten Commandments.

Cut 7 (11) “…by this.”  

Horton expects the legal challenge will ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court and she along with the governor are confident with the current conservative majority of justices the law will be upheld. But in the meantime…

Cut 8 (09)  “…in schools.”

Public schools, including colleges and universities that receive state funding, are required to post the Ten Commandments in the classroom no later than January 1, 2025.

Horton believes once the case is settled that other states will follow Louisiana’s lead on the matter.

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Governor Landry has signed legislation giving the Louisiana Workforce Commission the responsibility of spearheading state workforce changes and solutions. LWC Secretary Susana Schowen (sh-ow as in ouch-en) says Senate Bill 293…

Cut 9 (12) “…employers.”

LWC now has the power to align certain agencies and create a single point of contact in every region of the state to develop solutions to workforce needs. Schowen says these changes can only result in good things.

Cut 10 (12) “…workers are.”

Under the bill, LWC will also empower the Department of Education to expand access to high school and university internships and apprenticeships. Schowen says this bill is an important first step to fixing several issues in the state, not just economic ones.

Cut 11 (08) ” …get better.”

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The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame will induct its 2024 class on Saturday night. Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees and LSU women’s basketball star Seimone Augustus are the headliners. Augustus was special even as a youngster as her games at Capitol High School drew big crowds…

Cut 12 (10) “…amazing people.” 

Brees is not the only former Q-B in the Class of 2024. Former McNeese star Kerry Joseph will also be enshrined on Saturday night. The New Iberia native led the Cowboys to the 1995 Division One-Double-A semifinals and turned into an M-V-P performer in the Canadian Football League

Cut 13 (10) “…before me.” 

The 2024 class also features great coaches. Tulane men’s basketball coach Perry Clark, former high school football coach Frank Monica and legendary Grambling Coach Wilbert Ellis, who won 701 games in 26 seasons as a head coach…

Cut  14 (11) “…win games.” 

11:40 LRN Sportscast

Seimone Augusuts and Drew Brees along with seven former athletes and coaches will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches on Saturday night. Hall of Fame Foundation President Ronnie Rantz says Brees’ induction is a no-brainer…
cut 18 (14) “…legend”
Augustus led LSU to three straight Final Fours and won four WNBA Championships. She says winning her first goal medal with the U-S Women’s Basketball team in 2008 was a huge accomplishment she shared with her father…
cut 29 (20) “…going to do”

State legislators passed a bill re-establishing a black bear season in Louisiana. Mel Bridges has the details.
Cut 16 (33) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

In coaching news….Gerry Glasco has left as the head coach of U-L Lafayette softball and he’s now leading Texas Tech. Former Pelicans guard J-J Redick is the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

In college football…Oklahoma has given Brent Venables a new six-year contract. The LSU Tigers will host the Sooners in the regular season finale.

11:30 LRN Newscast

Louisiana’s law requiring the Ten Commandments be posted in public classrooms is receiving national attention and groups like the ACLU say they plan to fight it in court. Author of the legislation, Haughton Representative Dodie Horton believes it will withstand the challenge.
Cut 6 (09) “…the test.”
The ACLU of Louisiana says the law is in violation of the separation of church and state.

Governor Landry has signed legislation re-establishing a black bear hunting season in Louisiana. The law sets the licensing fees and how the revenue will be spent. LDWF Large Carnivore Program Manager John Hanks says the legislation also establishes other rules…
cut 14 (07) “….bait in bears”
A black bear hunting season will take place in December and it will only be allowed in a handful of parishes in northeast Louisiana.

After a delay in getting the word out about two missing Loranger girls, a lawmaker is calling for an overhaul of Louisiana’s AMBER Alert system. Mel Bridges has more.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

The two people involved in the abduction of four-year-old Erin Brunett and six-year-old sister have been indicted by a grand jury in Tangipahoa Parish. Dnaiel Callihan and Victoria Cox are officially facing first-degree murder charges for the death of Erin and her mother. D-A Scott Perrilloux wants to talk with the family before pursuing the death penalty.

10:30 LRN Newscast

Daniel Callihan and Victoria Cox have both been formally charged with first degree murder in the brutal deaths of Callie Burnett of Loranger and the abduction of her fourth-year-old daughter Erin, would was found dead in Mississippi. Authorities say Burnett’s six-year-old daughter was also kidnapped, but she survived the ordeal. 21st Judicial District Attorney Scott Perrilloux says this case has left Tangipahoa Parish in shock…
cut 19 (10) “….a decision”
Callihan and Cox are both in jail in Mississippi and they are facing charges there as well.

Four people have been arrested in the murder of 38-year-old Ashley Beauclair of Marksville. Her body was found in a wooded area north of Marksville in October. Tim Ryan with the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office says they are glad to arrest the individuals involved in Beauclair’s death and the dumping of her body…
cut 11 (06) “…we’re doing”
Ryan would not discuss possible motives in this murder.

Governor Jeff Landry has signed House Bill 684, which re-establishes a black bear hunting season in Louisiana. LDWF Large Carnivore Program Manager John Hanks says the measure establishes how the money will be spent from black bear hunting license application fees and the black bear hunting license itself…
Cut 13 (11) “…species.”
The season will take place in December in a handful of parishes in northeast Louisiana.

On Saturday, nine sports figures will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, including former Saints quarterback Drew Brees and LSU legend Seimone Augustus. Hall of Fame Foundation President Ronnie Rantz says Augustus is regarded as the greatest women’s basketball player ever from Louisiana.
Cut 7 (13) “…she’s the greatest.”

9:30 LRN Newscast

Four people have been arrested in connection with the death of 38-year-old Ashley Beauclair of Marksville. Tim Ryan with the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office says Beauclair’s body was found in October in a wooded area north of Marksville. Ryan says a thorough investigation led to three arrests on Tuesday…
Cut 10 (10) “…Marksville, Louisiana.”
Ryan says they also arrested Morgan Heims of Missouri and charged her with criminal conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

Governor Landry has signed legislation re-establishing a black bear hunting season in Louisiana. The law sets the licensing fees and how the revenue will be spent. LDWF Large Carnivore Program Manager John Hanks says the legislation also establishes other rules…
cut 14 (07) “….bait in bears”
A black bear hunting season will take place in December and it will only be allowed in a handful of parishes in northeast Louisiana.

The Louisiana National Guard says it has completed its mission in Texas in support of Operation Lone Star. Three rotations of about 50 Louisiana National Guard soldiers spent 90 straight days helping to reduce illegal border crossings along segments of the Texas border.

This weekend, several Louisiana sports legends including Drew Brees and Seimone Augustus will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches. Jeff Palermo has more.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

8:30 LRN Newscast

A Tangipahoa Parish grand jury has charged Danel Callihan and Victoria Cox with first-degree murder in the deaths of Callie Brunett and her four-year-old daughter Erin. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The National Hurricane Center is watching for another system to develop in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Forecasters are giving a tropical disturbance a a 50-percent chance of forming this weekend. It could be another Tropical Storm Alberto, which made landfall in Mexico, but caused coastal flooding in Louisiana.

Seimone Augusuts and Drew Brees along with seven former athletes and coaches will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches on Saturday night. Hall of Fame Foundation President Ronnie Rantz says Brees’ induction is a no-brainer…
cut 8 (14) “…legend”

Governor Jeff Landry has signed into law a measure that re-establishes a black bear hunting season in Louisiana. That season will take place in December in a handful of parishes in northeast Louisiana. Only ten tags will be handed out and a lottery to obtain one of those tags has yet to be established…
cut 15 (07) “…work in progress
That’s LDWF Large Carnivore Program Manager John Hanks.

7:30 LRN Newscast

A Tangipahoa Parish grand jury has formally indicted Daniel Callihan and Victoria Cox on first-degree murder charges in the brutal murder of Callie Burnett and her four-year-old daughter Erin, who was found dead in Mississippi last week. Callihan and Cox could face the death penalty, but district attorney Scott Perrilloux says a decision to pursue capital punishment has not been made…
cut 5 (09) “….a decision”
Callihan has said he should die for what he did.

Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says the P-S-C will conduct a service quality investigation on SWEPCO, because of frequent outages from storms…
Cut 28 (11) “…service better.”
Campbell says SWEPCO Customers are also receiving a credit that will amount to 21-dollars a month for the next three months because of an accounting error made by SWEPCO.

State legislators passed a bill re-establishing a black bear season in Louisiana. Mel Bridges has the details.
Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s 2024 Class will be inducted tomorrow night and the headliners are Drew Brees and Seimone Augustus. Hall of Fame Foundation President Ronnie Rantz says a jockey with over four-thousand victories is also going in…
cut 9 (12) “…these days”

6:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU has received a commitment from four-star offensive lineman Carius Curne. He’s ranked as the top player in Arkansas. ON-3 dot-com has Curne ranked as the fifth best interior offensive lineman in the country.

The Saints have signed a defensive back from New Orleans. Roderic Teamer played at Tulane and Brother Martin. He has appeared in 40 games in the NFL, making 11 starts with 103 tackles and an interception. Teamer went undrafted in 2019, but spent the last three seasons with the Raiders.

Gerry Glasco has left as the head softball coach at U-L Lafayette to be the new head coach at Texas Tech. Host of the Locked-on Sun Belt Podcast Dave Schultz says Glasco’s departure could also spur some players from the team to follow him to Lubbock…
cut 30 (12) “…to be seen”
Glasco won 302 games in seven seasons in Lafayette and last year’s team hosted a Regional.

Governor Jeff Landry has signed into law a measure that re-establishes a black bear hunting season in Louisiana. That season will take place in December in a handful of parishes in northeast Louisiana. Only ten tags will be handed out and a lottery to obtain one of those tags has yet to be established…
cut 15 (07) “…work in progress
That’s LDWF Large Carnivore Program Manager John Hanks.

It’s induction ceremony weekend at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches. Headlining the 2024 class are Drew Brees and Seimone Augustus. Also going into the Hall, are MMA icon Daniel Cormeir, former Grambling baseball coach Wilbert Ellis, former high school football coach Frank Monica and former McNeese quarterback Kerry Joseph. Also going in is jockey Ray Sibille, who has over four-thousand career victories. Hall of Fame Foundation President Ronnie Rantz…
cut 9 (12) “….these days”
Louisiana Public Broadcasting will be streaming the event on Saturday night.