11:40 LRN Sportscast

With rain in the forecast for Baton Rouge tonight, the start of the LSU-Ole Miss series has been moved up from 6 to 4 PM. The Tigers likely need a sweep and finish 13-and-17 in the SEC to give them a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. But LSU has not swept an SEC series this season and they are 1-and-8 on the final game of the series. Gage Jump is scheduled to start on the mound tonight, then Luke Holman on Friday. Saturday’s starter is to be determined. Jump says it’s important for him and Holman to pitch well…
cut 16 (14) “…Saturday game”

Weather also impacting Louisiana Tech’s series at Liberty in Virginia. Tonight’s game is still set for 5 PM central time, but they will play a doubleheader tomorrow, starting at noon.

The 21st ranked Ragin Cajuns will try to lock down an outright Sun Belt Conference regular season championship tonight when they begina three game series against South Alabama. Kyle DeBarge enters the series as the team’s leader in batting average, home runs and RBIs. Coach Matt Deggs on DeBarge playing his final three games at Tigue Moore Field.
cut 20 (18) “…over that one”
First pitch is at 6 PM.

LSU football has a landed a commitment from a defensive tackle out of the transfer portal. Six-foot-three, 282-pound Jay’viar Suggs announced on social media he’s transferring to LSU after two seasons at Division Two Grand Valley State, where he had 42 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and eight sacks.

Oklahoma quarterback General Booty had transferred to ULM. Booty started for Tyler Junior College in 2021 where he recorded 25 touchdowns and 3,115 yards before transferring to Oklahoma where he played the past two seasons.

10:30 LRN Newscast

The U-S Supreme Court orders Louisiana to use the Congressional map that has two majority black districts. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Governor Landry is holding two town hall meetings today in the New Orleans area to promote his proposal that would allow parents of all income levels to use taxpayer dollars to pay for private education. He just concluded one meeting at Rummel High School in Metairie and will hold the second one at Mandeville this morning.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to two debates before the November fifth Presidential election, June 27th and September 10th. U-L-M political science professor Pearson Cross expects high viewership…
cut 12 (04) “….make a difference”
Polls show the race is extremely tight.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is in Europe for the next couple of the weeks. He’s at the Cannes Film Festival this week promoting the state’s film tax credit incentives. Then he heads to Italy and Spain to promote international tourism to Louisiana. Nungesser says a 300-thousand dollar grant from the U-S Commerce Department is helping to pay for the trip…
cut 9 (10) “…overseas there”
Chef Samantha Carroll will prepare Louisiana seafood dishes while in Madrid to bring a taste of Louisiana to an international audience.

9:30 LRN Newscast

A ruling from the U-S Supreme Court will result in a new Congressional map for Louisiana that will be used in this fall’s elections. It’s the map approved by lawmakers earlier this year that has two majority Black districts, not one. The sixth District becomes a majority-minority district and it will stretch from Baton Rouge to Shreveport, despite concerns its racial gerrymandering…
cut 15 (12) “….over”
That’s political analyst Bernie Pinsonat. The ruling could result in a Congressional race between Republican incumbent Garret Graves and Black Democrat Cleo Fields.

President Biden and former President Donald Trump have announced they will participate in two debates before the presidential election.
Cut 10 (05) “…taking place.”
That’s U-L-M Political Science Professor Pearson Cross.

A bill heading to the governor’s desk will ban the retail sale of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is used for food preparation, but there are some who consume it directly and overdoses of nitrous oxide are difficult to treat…
cut 6 (11) “….potentially very dangerous”
That’s the director of the Louisiana Poison Control Center, Doctor Mark Ryan.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is at the Canne Film Festival in France. He’s joined by representatives from Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge and Ranch Studios in St. Bernard Parish. Nungesser says they want to show the world what Louisiana brings to the table in the form of film tax incentives…
cut 8 (12) “….get out of those strikes”
After France, Nungesser will head to Italy and Spain to promote international tourism to Louisiana.

8:30 LRN Newscast

A Congressional map with two Black majority districts will be the map used for this fall’s federal election. That’s the result of a ruling from the U-S Supreme Court that blocks a previous ruling by a panel of three federal judges that said the map approved by lawmakers this year was illegal. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the state finally has closure
Cut 13 (10) “..be using”
The ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court means the current sixth Congressional district represented by Republican Garret Graves has a political boundary that favors a minority to win.

President Biden and Donald Trump have agreed to two televised debates. The first will be June 27th and the second will occur on September 10th. ULM Political Science Professor Pearson Cross the debates are important for both candidates…
cut 11 (16) “….something to lose”

The abuse of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is no laughing matter, as a bill to ban public sale of the drug in Louisiana is headed to Governor Jeff Landry for his signature. Mel Bridges has more…
Cut 1 (43) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

Heavy rainfall will begin to fall in Louisiana later today. A flash flood watch has been issued from 1 PM this afternoon until 6 PM Friday for most of the state. There’s also the possibility of more severe weather.

7:30 LRN Newscast

A ruling from the U-S Supreme Court will result in a new Congressional map for Louisiana that will be used in this fall’s elections. It’s the map approved by lawmakers earlier this year that has two majority Black districts, not one. The sixth District becomes a majority-minority district and it will stretch from Baton Rouge to Shreveport, despite concerns its racial gerrymandering…
cut 15 (12) “….over”
That’s political analyst Bernie Pinsonat. The ruling could result in a Congressional race between Republican incumbent Garret Graves and Black Democrat Cleo Fields.

LSU baseball is fighting for its postseason lives….
cut 28 (06) “…a chance”
That’s Coach Jay Johnson. The Tigers begin a three game series against Ole Miss tonight. LSU needs to sweep to give them a shot at receiving a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

The Louisiana Legislature has sent a bill to the governor’s desk that bans the sale of nitrous oxide. Also known as laughing gas, it’s sold in metal canisters in convenience stores and smoke shops. It can be used to make homemade whipped cream, but director of the Louisiana’s Poison Control Center, Mark Ryan, says some use it for human consumption, which is dangerous…
cut 5 (15) “…including Amazon”

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to two debates before the November fifth Presidential election, June 27th and September 10th. U-L-M political science professor Pearson Cross expects high viewership…
cut 12 (04) “….make a difference”
Polls show the race is extremely tight.

6:45 LRN Sportscast

The Saints 2024 schedule is out and the first half of the schedule looks tough. New Orleans will host Carolina in the season opener. The Panthers had the worst record in the league last year but after Carolina its a trip to Dallas, host Philadelphia, visit Atlanta, a Monday night trip to Kansas City, host Tampa Bay and then Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos visit the Superdome on October 13th.

LSU football has a landed a commitment from a defensive tackle out of the transfer portal. Six-foot-three, 282-pound Jay’viar Suggs announced on social media he’s transferring to LSU after two seasons at Division Two Grand Valley State, where he had 42 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and eight sacks.

McNeese football will start its season a week early. The Cowboys road game at Tarleton State has been moved up to August 24th and will be televised on an ESPN channel.

Angel Reese had 12 points and eight rebounds in her WNBA debut as the Chicago Sky lost to the Dallas Wings 87 to 79.

LSU begins the final SEC series of the season tonight when the Tigers host Ole Miss. The Tigers are 10-and-17 and it’s believed they need 13 conference wins to have a legitimate shot at making the NCAA Tournament. Coach Jay Johnson also hopes the tournament selection committee looks at other aspects of their resume…
cut 17 (18) “….have a chance”

The 21st ranked Ragin Cajuns can win an outright Sun Belt regular season title tonight with a win over South Alabama. Coach Matt Deggs team is 38-and-15 on the season…
cut 19 (17) “…for a championship”
First pitch is at 6 PM.

6:30 LRN Newscast

The U-S Supreme Court has ordered Louisiana to use the Congressional map approved by state lawmakers earlier this year that has two majority-Black districts instead of one. The ruling means the Sixth Congressional District, currently represented by Republican Garret Graves now has a political boundary that favors a minority to win. But political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Graves will not go down without a fight…
cut 14 (10) “…certainly run”
National political analysts say this ruling could also shift control of the U-S House to Democrats if a Democrat ends up winning the seat.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser along with officials from Louisiana Economic Development and the Department of Tourism are In France this week to promote the Louisiana film industry at the Cannes International Film Festival.
Cut 7 (08) “…film in Louisiana.”
Nungesser says he wants to show the world what Louisiana brings to film producers in the form of tax incentives.

A bill banning the general sale of nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas, is headed to the Governor’s desk after being unanimously passed by the Louisiana Legislature. Doctor Mark Ryan, director of Louisiana’s Poison Control Center, says the seemingly harmless drug poses a big threat.
Cut 4 (14) “…times a day.”
Nitrous oxide is available to the general public for usages such as making homemade whipped cream.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have announced they will hold two campaign debates ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
Cut 10 (05) “…taking place.”
That’s U-L-M Political Science Professor Pearson Cross, referencing how the announcement went against Biden’s previous statement that he would not attend any presidential debates.

LRN AM Newscall May 16

The abuse of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is no laughing matter, as a bill to ban public sale of the drug in Louisiana is headed to Governor Jeff Landry for his signature. Mel Bridges has more…

Cut 1 (43) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

_______________________________________________

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser is in France this week at the Canne International Film Festival to promote Louisiana film production to an international market. Sean Richardson has the story.

Cut 2 (32)  “…I’m Sean Richardson.” 

____________________________________________

The U-S Supreme Court orders Louisiana to use the Congressional map that has two majority black districts. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.” 

___________________________________________

A bill banning general sale of nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas, is headed to the Governor’s desk after being unanimously passed by the Louisiana Legislature. Doctor Mark Ryan, longtime director of Louisiana’s Poison Control center, says the seemingly harmless drug poses a big threat.

Cut 4 (14) “…times a day.”

Nitrous oxide is available to the general public for usages such as making homemade whipped cream. But Dr. Ryan says it is that availability, combined with the drug’s high abuse potential, that makes it so dangerous.

Cut 5 (15) “…including Amazon.” 

Because of the way the drug affects the body, Dr. Ryan says there is no easy and quick cure for an overdose of nitrous oxide. In fact, he notes that nitrous oxide overdoses are particularly scary to treat.

Cut 6 (11) “…potentially very dangerous.”

If Governor Jeff Landry signs this bill, Louisiana would become the first state to completely ban public sale of nitrous oxide with exemptions for industries reliant on the drug, such as dentistry.

___________________________________________________________

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser along with officials from Louisiana Economic Development and the Department of Tourism are In France this week to promote the Louisiana film industry at the Cannes International Film Festival.

Cut 7 (08) “…film in Louisiana.”

Representatives from Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge and The Ranch Studios in St. Bernard Parish are with the Louisiana delegation. Nungesser says he wants to show the world what Louisiana brings to the table in the form of tax incentives.

Cut 8 (12) “…get out of those strikes” 

But the trip isn’t just about film and it doesn’t just stop in France.  Nungesser will also head to Milan, Italy and then Madrid, Spain to promote Louisiana tourism and the film industry.

Cut 9 (10)  “…overseas here.”

Chef Samantha Carroll will prepare Louisiana seafood dishes while in Madrid to bring a taste of Louisiana to an international audience.

_________________________________________________________________

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have announced they will hold two campaign debates ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Cut 10 (05) “…taking place.”

That’s U-L-M Political Science Professor Pearson Cross, referencing how the announcement went against Biden’s previous statement that he would not attend any presidential debates. Cross believes these debates could be opportunities for both candidates to impress voters and dispel rumors before the election.

Cut 11 (16) “…something to lose.”

The two debates are set for June 27th on C-N-N and September 10th on A-B-C. The first debate is before either Biden or Trump could formally accept any nomination from their respective parties. In spite of how unusually early the debates are, Cross is encouraging voters to tune in.

Cut 12 (04) “…make a difference.” 

The presidential elections will be held Tuesday, November 5th, with Biden expected to be the Democratic nominee and Trump expected to be the Republican nominee.

______________________________________________

The Congressional map with two Black majority districts will be the map used for this fall’s federal election. That’s the result of a ruling from the U-S Supreme Court that blocks a previous ruling by a panel of three federal judges that said the map approved by lawmakers this year was illegal. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the state finally has closure

Cut 13 (10)  “..be using”

The ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court  means the current sixth Congressional district occupied by Republican Garret Graves has a political boundary that favors a minority to win. But Pinsonat says Graves will not go down without a fight

Cut 14 (10)  “..certainly run.”

Black Democrat Cleo Fields, a state senator from Baton Rouge, plans to challenge Graves, if he runs for re-lection in the sixth district.

The order from the Supreme Court came on the day Secretary of State Nancy Landry said she needed a finalized map to adequately prepare for the fall election.

Pinsonat says the map that will be used stretches the Sixth Congressional District from Baton Rouge to Shreveport, despite concerns this is racial gerrymandering

Cut 15 (12)  “…over.”

______________________________________________

LSU baseball’s series against the Ole Miss Rebels this weekend will most likely decide whether or not LSU makes it to the postseason tournament and gets a shot at defending their national title. LSU pitcher Gage Jump says that a key factor in this weekend’s series will be the type of play he and LSU pitcher Luke Holman can produce tonight and Friday night as the Tigers are just 1 and 8 in the final games of SEC series this season.

Cut 16 (14) “….that Sunday game.” 

LSU enters the series with a 10-and-17 SEC record. It’s believed the Tigers need 13 conference wins in order to get into the NCAA Tournament. Tigers coach Jay Johnson hopes the NCAA Tournament selection committee looks at other aspects of their resume…

Cut 17 (18) “…have a chance.”

Jump will get the start on the mound tonight as he looks to get the Tigers off to a good start in the series.

Cut 18 (17)  “… at a time.”

First pitch between the Tigers and Rebels will be on tonight at 6 pm and broadcast on the SEC Network.

______________________________________________

The twenty first ranked UL-Lafayette baseball team is now only one win away from taking the SunBelt regular season title outright. The Ragin Cajuns are 21 and 6 in SunBelt play and their next closest competition is Southern Miss who are 18 and 9. After winning a share of the title when the Cajuns beat Southern Miss earlier this season, UL-Lafayette Head Coach Matt Deggs says that the Ragin Cajuns job is not finished whenever his team wins the title, but that UL-Lafayette has many goals still in place this season.

Cut 19 (17) “… for a championship.” 

The Cajuns have been led this season by the play of Junior Shortstop Kyle Debarge who is expected to be a high draft pick in this season’s draft. DeBarge has 73 hits, 63 RBIs, and 19 home runs this season and has averaged .339 over his career with the Cajuns. Deggs says that the former Barbe high school standout will be missed and leaves as a legendary figure in UL-Lafayette baseball.

Cut 20 (18) “….over that one.”

First pitch between the Cajuns and Jaguars will be at 6 pm tonight.

5:30 LRN Newscast

The Congressional map with two Black majority districts will be the map used for this fall’s federal election. That’s the result of a ruling from the U-S Supreme Court that blocks a previous ruling by a panel of three federal judges that said the map approved by lawmakers this year was illegal. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the state finally has closure…
cut 13 (10) “…will be using”

The ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court means the current sixth Congressional district occupied by Republican Garret Graves has a political boundary that favors a minority to win. But Pinsonat says Graves will not go down without a fight…
cut 14 (10) “…certainly”

Black Democrat Cleo Fields, a state senator from Baton Rouge, plans to challenge Graves, if he runs for re-lection in the sixth district.

The abuse of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is no laughing matter, as a bill to ban public sale of the drug in Louisiana is headed to Governor Jeff Landry for his signature. Mel Bridges has more…
Cut 1 (43) “…I’m Mel Bridges.”

Two bills that sought to restrict the release of government records through public records request are likely dead for the legislative session. That’s according to Senate President Cameron Henry, who told NOLA-dot-com the bills don’t have the support of the Senate.

16:30 LRN Newscast

A national survey of small businesses finds optimism increased slightly in April, but the small business optimism index remains below the 50-year average. Joe Gallinaro has more…
cut 2 (28) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro”

Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry gave today as the deadline to have an approved Congressional map so her office can prepare for the fall Congressional elections. But federal judges have rejected two different maps approved by state lawmakers and Louisiana’s Attorney General Liz Murrill is seeking direction from the U-S Supreme Court.

Christopher McCoy of Bunkie has pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide in the death of Lauren Vaughn. She was a 22 year-old nursing student from Alexandria. The incident happened on Good Friday in 2023. Bridget Vaughn, Lauren’s mother, says McCoy was sentenced to six years in prison.
Cut 3 (12) “…grieving process”
State Police says McCoy’s blood alcohol level was .15 at the time of the fatal crash. Lauren Vaughn was a passenger in his vehicle when it ran off the road.

Crawfish farmers got some good news last week. The USDA is changing its rules so crawfish producers can take advantage of federal disaster grants. LSU Ag Center economist Kurt Guidry says those dollars can be used to help reseed their ponds for next year.
Cut 11 (10) ” …tend to seed.”
Guidry says despite the efforts to reseed, production is expected to be down again next year.