4:45 LRN Sportscast

Baseball America and D1 Baseball both released their NCAA Tournament projections today and they both do not have LSU in the Field of 64. The Tigers resume nearly took a hit last night. LSU trailed Northwestern State five to two, but rallied to beat the Demons six to five. Coach Jay Johnson says he’s proud of his team….
cut 18 (14) “…have to win”
Winning this weekend’s series at Alabama will also be important.

Former LSU pitcher Paul Skenes is getting the call to the Big Leagues. Skenes will make his major league debut this Saturday for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Chicago Cubs. Skenes has made seven starts in Triple-A and has allowed just three earned runs. He was the number one pick in last year’s Major League Baseball draft.

LSU Football head coach, Brian Kelly said they’re not interested in buying players after the top two defensive tackles in the transfer portal committed to other schools. Kelly made the comments to WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge and also discussed the importance of recruiting players out of high school, retaining them and preparing them for the NFL. Tiger Rag Editor Todd Horne….
Cut 4 (07) “…the fall.”
Damonic Williams and Simeon Barrow were two players who visited LSU, but have committed to other schools, Oklahoma and Miami respectively.

It took 14 innings, but LSU softball beat Alabama in the SEC Tournament. Taylor Pleasants drove in the winning run. The Tigers will face top seeded Tennessee tomorrow.

At the high school baseball playoffs today…semifinal action…South Beauregard over Doyle six to one, Sterlington shutout Berwick ten to nothing, St. Charles Catholic blanked Menard one to nothing.

2:30 LRN Newscast

LSU football coach Brian Kelly told WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge that they are not in the market to buy players. Kelly’s comments are referring to LSU’s inability to sign defensive tackles out of the transfer portal. Tiger Rag Editor Todd Horne says word on the street is that TCU’s Damonic Williams reeled a very lucrative NIL deal when he committed to Oklahoma Oklahoma…
cut 5 (10) “….demanded seven figures’
Kelly says LSU’s collective offers generous opportunities but LSU also offers the opportunity to be developed.

University Medical Center in New Orleans is looking to hire 100 Nursing Techs this summer. Spokesperson Rachel Nichols says this is a strategic move from UMC and LCMC to build a stronger Healthcare workforce for nursing students.
Cut 6 (07) “…future of healthcare.”
The program helps take nursing students in their junior and senior year and help mentor them in to a nursing staff position. More information can be found at umcno.org.

A Lake Charles domestic and sexual violence shelter will reopen its doors Monday after a complete renovation from the 2020 hurricane season. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

A judge has sentenced an 11-year-old Iberia Parish girl to seven years in juvenile detention, 3.5 years are suspended, in connection with the murder of Kameran Bedsole last November. She was originally charged with murder, but those charges were dropped and ended up pleading guilty to obstruction of justice in April.

1:30 LRN Newscast

A bill to add exceptions for rape and incest to the state’s abortion ban when the victim is under the age of 17 fails in committee after emotional debate. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

A hospital in West Monroe is for sale. Steward Health Care system has filed for bankruptcy and they own Glenwood Regional Medical Center and so the plan to sell that hospital and several others. For over a year, Glenwood has struggled to keep supplies, maintain equipment and staff.

University Medical Center in New Orleans says it wants to recruit and employ 100 nursing technicians this summer in an effort to bolster the healthcare workforce. Spokesperson Rachel Nichols says the program takes nursing students in their junior and senior and help mentor them in to a nursing staff position
cut 7 (05) “…throughout Louisiana”
Phase one of the Nurturing the Future of Nursing begins May 20 and visit U-M-C-N-O-dot-org for more information.

The Oasis A Safe Haven, a domestic and sexual violence shelter, in Lake Charles will resume housing for survivors on Monday for the first time since Hurricane Laura hit the region in 2020. Director Kathy Manuel says since Laura, they’ve housed survivors in hotels or shelters, so they are glad this service has returned to Lake Charles…
cut 11 (12) “…a job”
The shelter was gutted after the storms and now it has new floors, walls, and a new security system.

12:30 LRN Newscast

Federal judges have ordered Louisiana lawmakers to try again and draw up a Congressional map that can be used for the 2024 federal elections. The three-judge panel gave lawmakers until June 3rd to approve a new map or they’ll draw one for them. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this would be the Legislature’s third try…
Cut 15 (05) “…Supreme Court.”
Secretary of State Nancy Landry has said they need to have a map in place by May 15th to adequately prepare for the November Congressional races.

Since the 2020 hurricane season a Lake Charles shelter for domestic and sexual violence victims hasn’t been able to house residents. But Executive director of Oasis A Safe Haven, Kathy Manuel, says that changes on Monday…
Cut 9 (09) “…the shelter.”
Manuel says survivors were either housed in hotels or placed in shelters elsewhere but now they will be able to house residents in Lake Charles.

University Medical Center in New Orleans is launching a summer program to hire 100 Nursing Techs. Sean Richardson has the story.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Sean Richardson”

11:40 LRN Sportscast

In a one-on-one interview with WAFB-TV sports director Jacques Doucet, football coach Brian Kelly says LSU is not in the market of buying players. Kelly’s comments come after the school missed out on signing two of the top defensive tackles in the transfer portal.

It’s believed Damonic Williams and Simeon Barrow received lucrative NIL deals in their decisions to commit to Oklahoma and Miami respectively.

Kelly says unfortunately there are some guys who are looking to be bought and they are not going to go out and buy players. The coach says there are very generous NIL opportunities through their collective, but they are interested in developing players for the NFL like they did with Jayden Daniels, Brian Thomas, and  Malik Nabers, who all went in the first round of the NFL draft this year.

Kelly also points out three LSU defensive lineman were drafted this year.

9:30 LRN Newscast

The Louisiana House has voted to hold a Constitutional Convention to make significant changes to the state’s constitution. The start date of the proposed convention has been pushed back from May 20th to August 1st. New Iberia Representative Beau Beaullieu explains why…
Cut 12 (07) “…be rushed.”
The measure heads to the Senate and the Senate is not entirely on board with having a convention this year.

A Senate-approved bill to require public school students to either turn off or stow away their cell phones during instructional time receives approval from the House Education Committee. Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell wants to eliminate what is sometimes a major distraction from the classroom…
Cut 4 (07) “…go learn”
The measure heads to the House floor. It’s already passed the Senate so it’s close to reaching the governor’s desk. If signed into law, it will go into effect for the next school year.

A bill to add exceptions for rape and incest to the state’s abortion ban when the victim is under the age of 17 fails in committee after emotional debate. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Baton Rouge porn star Stormy Daniels took to the witness stand yesterday in the hush money trial against former President Donald Trump. Prosecutors allege Trump paid Daniels 130-thousand dollars to keep quiet about a sexual encounter. Trump denies having sex with her. But Daniels said they did have sex after meeting at a celebrity golf tournament in 2006. Daniels kept quiet about the incident until Trump’s 2016 presidential bid and that’s when she says she negotiated a payment with Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen.

8:30 LRN Newscast

Governor Jeff Landry has signed a property insurance reform package into law, but there is skepticism over whether they’ll help bring down rates. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the bills will rebalance the regulatory and legal environment of the insurance market, which will spur more competition, driving rates down…
cut 28 (10) “…other states’ \
But opponents of the bills say the legislation will only allow insurance companies to improve their profit margin.

The Louisiana House has approved a bill that calls for a constitutional convention. It would begin on August 1st instead of May 20th as originally proposed, so there’s more time to discuss how the constitution will be reorganized. But Baton Rouge Representative Edmond Jordan is skeptical that this is just a refresh of the constitution…
cut 14 (12) “….not true”
The measure heads to the Senate.

A bill to provide exceptions for rape and incest to the state’s abortion ban failed to receive approval from a House committee. Greenwell Springs Republican, Representative Lauren Ventrella questioned Delisha Boyd on the enforcement of the bill, asking how you would know if someone was telling the truth that they were raped. Boyd responded by asking how would you know if a nine-year-old was raped?
Cut 11 (12) “…you know?”
The bill failed to advance along party lines in a seven to four-vote.

A bill that would require public school students to have their phones off or stowed away during instructional time is nearing final legislative passage. The House Education Committee approved this bill that’s received Senate approval. Shreveport Representative Michael Melerine did express concern about students not having a phone during an emergency…
cut 6 (11) “….active shooter situation”
But supporters of the legislation says adults will be the ones contacting police.

7:30 LRN Newscast

On a 75-27 vote, the Louisiana House approves legislation that calls for a constitutional convention so lawmakers and delegates chosen by the governor can make several changes to the state constitution. The bill was amended to change the start date from May 20th to August 1st and New Iberia Representative Beau Beaullieu says there will be convention committee hearings in June and July…
cut 13 (10) “….have protected”
The measure heads to the Senate.

Legislation to add exceptions for rape and incest to the state’s near total abortion ban failed to get out of a House committee. It’s a personal issue for bill author and New Orleans Democratic Representative Delisha Boyd. Boyd says her mother was raped in her teens and turned to drugs to cope with the trauma and died before she was 30.
Cut 8 (07) “…these children.”
But opponents of Boyd’s bill say pregnancies should be carried to term no matter what led to the conception of that child.

A bill closing in on final legislative passage says public schools would no longer allow children to have access to their phone during instructional time. It would have to be either turned off or stowed away. House Education approved the measure on a ten to one vote. The lone no vote came from Gray Representative Beryl Amedee…
cut 5 (13) “….we have an avenue”
Supporters say phones have become a big distraction in the classroom.

A three-judge federal panel that rejected the Congressional map approved by lawmakers earlier this year have ordered the Legislature to come up with a new map by June 3rd or the courts will draw the map. But Secretary of State Nancy Landry says it needs a new map by May 15th in order to run a proper federal election in November. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the federal court system has put the state in a tough position…
cut 16 (06) “….more and more bizarre”

6:45 LRN Sportscast

A huge come from behind win for the LSU baseball team last night as the Tigers rallied back from a three-run deficit to beat Northwestern State six to five. LSU was down 5 to 2 in the fifth inning and Coach Jay Johnson told his team they had to win this game. Jared Jones slugged a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth and Gavin Guidry pitched four shutout innings out of the pen. Johnson says it was a great victory…
cut 19 (14) “…good baseball game tonight”
LSU now heads to Alabama for a three-game series starting on Friday. The Demons return to Natchitoches to host UNO.

The 22nd ranked U-L Lafayette baseball team shutout Jackson State five to nothing. J-T Etheridge and four relievers combined on a three-hit shutout. Trey LaFleur and Jose Torres each drove in two runs.

McNeese run-ruled Southern 14 to four. Conner Westenburg drove in three runs for the Pokes. Houston scored in the bottom of the ninth to beat Nicholls five to four.

LSU football coach Brian Kelly told WAFB-TV’s Jacques Doucet that LSU is not in the market of buying players. That was Kelly’s response in failing to land their top two defensive tackle targets in the transfer portal. Kelly says some guys are looking to be bought. B-K also says they have plenty of N-I-L opportunities and LSU has a reputation of developing NFL players.

LSU women’s basketball will play Grambling State in December at the Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City. It will give Lady Tigers star Mikalya Williams a chance to play at home.

U-L Lafayette softball oach Gerry Glasco and La Tech softball coach Josh Taylor were named coaches of the year in their respective conferences. Cajuns outfielder Mihyia Davis was named Sun Belt Player of the year.

At the Southland softball tournament….Alexa Poche hit a walk off homer as the Colonels defeated Houston Christian five to four. Nicholls takes on Southeastern Louisiana this afternoon.

6:30 LRN Newscast May 9

The full House has approved legislation enabling the state to hold a Constitutional Convention. An amendment was added to the measure that pushes the start date of the convention back from May 20th to August 1st. New Iberia Representative Beau Beaullieu says this was done to alleviate concerns that the state was rushing into a convention
Cut 12 (07) “…be rushed.”
The measure still needs the Senate to approve and they are not as excited about the need for a constitutional convention as the House.

Federal judges have ordered Louisiana lawmakers to try again and draw up a Congressional map that can be used for the 2024 federal elections. The three-judge panel gave lawmakers until June 3rd to approve a new map or they’ll draw one for them. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says this would be the Legislature’s third try…
Cut 15 (05) “…Supreme Court.”
Secretary of State Nancy Landry has said they need to have a map in place by May 15th to adequately prepare for the November Congressional races.

Public school students may not be allowed to have their phone with them during instructional time. Sean Richardson reports on a bill nearing final legislative passage…
Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”