Author Archives: Jeff Palermo

10.24.23
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7:30 LRN Newscast

At least seven people died in a major chain reaction crash that involved 158 vehicles on Interstate 55 in St. John the Baptist Parish yesterday. The interstate remains closed. Superfog conditions, a combination of fog and smoke from nearby wildfires produced low visibility when vehicles started slamming into each other.

BESE has approved an appeals process that could allow a student to graduate if he or she does not pass the LEAP graduation exit exam…
cut 2 (34) “…I’m Teiko Foxx”

The State Fire Marshal’s Office says one person died in a brush fire in the Alexandria area yesterday afternoon. Investigators believe the man was burning hay bales when the fire started and possibly died after getting overcome by the smoke. Rapides Parish is one of several parishes still under a burn ban and Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain has this message…
cut 15 (03) “…burn ban”

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin is preparing to oversee his final statewide election on November 18th. One of Ardoin’s biggest challenges was his inability to get legislative approval for new voting machines. He says it’s one of the reasons why he didn’t seek a second full-term in office…
cut 5 (10) “….evidence”
Ardoin says he also faced threats after the 2020 presidential election.

10.24.23
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6:45 LRN Sportscast

Saints receiver Chris Olave has faced criticism for not running fast enough on some of his routes, but he apparently can step on the accelerator when driving. Olave was booked by Kenner Police for reckless operation of a motor vehicle. The 23-year-old was reportedly driving 70 miles per hour in a 35-mile-per-hour speed zone.

After two weeks off, Louisiana Tech is back in action tonight as the Bulldogs host New Mexico State. The Aggies are 5-and-3, 3-and-1 in Conference USA, and coming off a three-touchdown victory over longtime rival UTEP. Tech Coach Sonny Cumbie is impressed with their dual-threat quarterback Diego Pavia…
Cut 16 (16) “…very powerful.”
Kick-off is at 6 PM.

It has taken LSU’s defense a while this season to get its footing, but they’ve played better since the second quarter of the Missouri game. Prior to the Mizzou contest, LSU brought in former defensive line coach Pete Jenkins. The 82-year-old is considered one of the best when it comes to teaching technique.

Defensive tackle Maason Smith was recruited by former head coach Ed Orgeron when he came from Terrebonne High School as the state’s top-ranked player in the Class of 2021. Orgeron learned how to coach D-linemen from Jenkins and Smith says there’s a comfortable level with Coach Pete…
Cut 19 (16) “…for us.”

It’s a tough day for Astros fans, but a great day for Rangers fans as Texas is heading to its third World Series after winning games six and seven in Houston to win the A-L-C-S. The N-L-C-S is also heading to a game seven and Aaron Nola suffered the loss in yesterday’s five-to-one Arizona win.

10.24.23
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6:30 LRN Newscast

I-55 remains closed in St. John the Baptist Parish after yesterday’s massive car and truck pile-up that resulted in seven deaths and more than 25 people injured. Authorities say “Superfog” conditions, a combination of fog and smoke from nearby wildfires, produced low visibility conditions. State Police says at least 158 vehicles were involved.

Outgoing Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin says stress as a result of the voting conspiracies his office was accused of following the 2020 presidential election is part of the reason why he didn’t seek re-election.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has approved an appeals process to give students unable to pass the LEAP test another option to graduate. Some politicians are saying the plan does not make the grade. BESE President Dr. Holly Boffy says appeals will be administered by local school systems.
Cut 7 (13) “…for employment.”
But Louisiana Senator John Kennedy says this policy benefits the school more than the student…
cut 10 (13) “…the school”
The House Education Committee has scheduled a meeting on Thursday to review the policy and if they and the Senate Education Committee approve it, then the policy goes into effect.

10.23.23
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16:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU is up to 15 in the latest AP Top 25 poll following a 62-to-nothing win over Army. Quarterback Jayden Daniels only played a half, but still put up big numbers as he threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns. He will be needed to have a big performance against Alabama on November 4th in Tuscaloosa and Coach Brian Kelly is glad Daniels is on his team…
Cut 15 (18) “…elite level”
Alabama is ranked 9th in the AP Poll and it was made official today. CBS will televise the game and it will be a 6:45 kickoff from Tuscaloosa.

Louisiana Tech will be in action tomorrow night as the the Bulldogs host New Mexico State. The Aggies are 5-and-3, 3-and-1 in Conference USA and coming off a three touchdown victory over longtime rival UTEP. Tech has not played in two weeks since losing at Middle Tennessee 31-23.

Because the Saints played last Thursday, they had yesterday off. Running back Alvin Kamara probably needed the weekend off after getting close to 30 touches in the seven point loss to Jacksonville. Coach Dennis Allen was asked why Kamara got the ball so much when Jamaal Williams and Kendre Miller were available…
cut 30 (20) “…bit more”
The Saints are in Indianapolis this Sunday. The Colts lost a wild game in Indy yesterday falling to the Browns 39-38. Atlanta leads the NFC South with a 4-and-3 record after beating the Buccaneers on a last a second field goal. New Orleans has a 3-and-4 record and they are in third place in the NFC South.

10.23.23
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LRN PM Newscall October 23

Louisiana Congressman Republican Mike Johnson will officially make his bid as U-S House Speaker before his party today. Teiko Foxx has more…

Cut 1 (30)  “…I’m Teiko Foxx” 

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There are reports of several fatalities after low visibility in southeast Louisiana this morning caused a massive traffic pile-up on I-55 in both directions. Brooke Thorington has more.

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

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U.S. Representative Mike Johnson from Benton will make his case before House Republicans today to be the next Speaker of the House. Eight other Republicans are also seeking the post. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says Johnson’s chances are as good as the other candidates

cut 3 (13) “the caucus.”

Johnson’s announcement comes after Louisiana’s Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan of Ohio failed short of the 217 votes needed as House Speaker.

He serves as vice chairman of the House Republican Conference. Hogan says having GOP leadership in the chamber should help Johnson’s chances.

Cut 4 (12) “…his party.”

Johnson is also a member of the House Judiciary Committee.

The House has been without a speaker since early October as Republicans can’t get on the same page to elect a replacement for Kevin McCarthy. Hogan says Johnson has been one of the more conservative members of Congress and that may help him out in his quest to be the next speaker.

Cut 5 (07) “ ..Republican caucus.”  

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A second person has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of Northwestern State football player Ronnie Caldwell. Natchitoches police spokesperson John Greely says a former teammate of Caldwell’s, 22-year-old Maurice Campbell of Memphis, has been booked on multiple charges

Cut 6 (09) “…dangerous substance”

Campbell was a defensive tackle for Northwestern State and appeared in four games this season. He’s no longer on the team.

Caldwell’s roommate has also been charged for having a firearm in the presence of a controlled substance.

No one has been charged with murder, but Greely says Campbell interfered with the investigation

Cut 7 (07) “…obstruct justice.” 

Greely says Natchitoches Police continue to vigorously investigate the homicide of Caldwell…

Cut 8 (08) “… currently have.”

Caldwell was laid to rest on Saturday in Austin, Texas. He was 21-years-old but his family says Caldwell had a life well lived.

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Two people are reportedly dead after a massive pile-up on Interstate 55 in Saint John the Baptist Parish. Reports say hundreds of vehicles are involved. The interstate in both directions is closed and first responders from multiple agencies are on-site. State Police Sergeant Kate Stegall says fog and smoke from nearby marsh fires led to very low visibility

Cut 9 (11) “…associated.” 

For a listing of road closures and rerouting instructions visit LA511-dot.org or follow LSP on social media.

Stegall says they are expecting the interstate will be closed for awhile.

Cut 10 (13) “…first responders.”

National Weather Service Tyler Stanfield says they were getting reports of visibility as low as one-eighth a mile when the chain reaction crash occurred. Stanfield says the fog and smoke from nearby wildfires made it extremely difficult to see…

Cut 11 (06) “…by smoke”

Stanfield says there are handful of marsh fires south of Lake Pontchartrain…

Cut 12 (07) “..driving conditions”  

Stanfield says winds were also low which allowed the Superfog to sock in. He says stronger winds are expected for tomorrow morning’s commute…

Cut 13 (10) “…tomorrow morning”

10.23.23
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12:30 LRN Newscast

Two people are reportedly dead as a result of multiple wrecks involving hundreds of vehicles on Interstate 55 in St John the Baptist Parish. The interstate is closed in both directions and first responders from multiple agencies are on-site….
cut 9 (11) “…associated”
That’s State Police Sergeant Kate Stegall who says low visibility from the fog and smoke from nearby marsh fires led to reduced visibility. For a listing of road closures visit LA511-dot.org or visit LSP’s social media channels.

Louisiana Congressman Mike Johnson is one of nine Republicans seeking to be next Speaker of the House. LSU Political Science Professor Robert Hogan says Johnson is one of the more conservative members and that may help him as he lobbies his colleagues.
Cut 5 (07) “ ..Republican caucus.”

For the next Louisiana Secretary of State, purchasing new voting machines will be a top priority. The Republican in the run-off Nancy Landry says the new machines should produce a paper back up…
cut 28 (08) “…are accurate”
The Secretary of State’s Office is where businesses also must register. The Democratic candidate in the November 18th run-off, Gwen Collins Greenup says she wants to put procedures in place to prevent business identity theft…
cut 13 (12) “….business name”

Today, Governor-elect Jeff Landry urged voters to vote for the three Republican candidates seeking a statewide office in the November 18th run-off. Meanwhile, the Louisiana Democratic Party has endorsed Collins-Greenup in the Secretary of State’s race.

10.23.23
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11:40 LRN Sportscast

LSU’s first-ever matchup against Army in Tiger Stadium was a one-sided affair as the Bayou Bengals blanked the Black Knights 62-0. Army’s starting quarterback and one of its top receivers did not play because of injuries, but Coach Brian Kelly still sees his defense making progress…
Cut 14 (19) “…for us”
LSU running back Trey Holly has been named SEC Freshman of the Week. The former Union Parish star made his Tigers debut last Saturday and had a 67-yard touchdown run. It’s the fourth straight game LSU has rushed for more than 200 yards in a game.

LSU has received a commitment from a cornerback out of Mississippi. P-G Woodland from Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg is rated as a three-star recruit.

Northwestern State safety Ronnie Caldwell was laid to rest on Saturday. He was fatally shot during the middle of the night on October 12th at his apartment complex. Two people have been arrested in connection with his case, but no one has been charged with murder. Natchitoches Police spokesperson John Greely says detectives continue to vigorously investigate this homicide…
cut 8 (08) “….currently have”
One of the people arrested was a member of the Northwestern State football team. Defensive tackle Maurice Campbell of Memphis was charged with obstruction of justice.

Tonight it’s Game Seven of the American League Championship Series. The Road team has won every game so far, so can the Astros break the trend. Later this afternoon, the Phillies can return to the World Series if they beat the Diamondbacks. Aaron Nola gets the start on the mound for Philly in the Game Six of the NLCS.

10.23.23
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9:30 LRN Newscast

The runoff for Secretary of State is a contest between two women, Republican Nancy Landry and Democrat Gwen Collins-Greenup. Landry currently serves as First Assistant Secretary of State and knows how to organize and run a statewide election…
Cut 10 (11) “…election”
Collins-Greenup is a Baton Rouge attorney and accountant. She previously worked as the clerk of court in East Feliciana Parish. The Democrat says her first priority will be purchasing new voting machines and she will also work on increasing voter participation…
Cut 12 (08) ” most elections”

Louisiana Congressman Mike Johnson is one of nine Republicans seeking to be the next Speaker of the House. Johnson is the vice chairman of the Republican Conference.

Data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the Bayou State continues to set records for low unemployment.
Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Teiko Foxx.”

A fatal shooting in Monroe on Saturday night claimed the life of a 14-year-old. Monroe Police say it occurred in the 31-hundred block of Renwick Street. Authorities have not released any other information.

Alexandria P-D arrested a 15 and 20-year-old for waiving guns around in a parking lot on Enterprise Road. Cops say it appears they were making a video.

10.23.23
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8:30 LRN Newscast

There are nine Republicans running for U-S House Speaker, including Louisiana’s Mike Johnson. Johnson and the eight other candidates will make their case before House Republicans behind closed doors tonight and a vote on the floor could happen tomorrow.

For the next Louisiana Secretary of State, purchasing new voting machines will be a top priority. The Republican in the run-off Nancy Landry says the new machines should produce a paper back up…
cut 11 (08) “…are accurate”
The Secretary of State’s Office is where businesses also must register. The Democratic candidate in the November 18th run-off, Gwen Collins Greenup says she wants to put procedures in place to prevent business identity theft…
cut 13 (12) “….business name”

According to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, the number of people unemployed in September is just under 68-thousand which is a record low since they started keeping track of that sort of thing. U-L Lafayette Economist Gary Wagner says the state has added nearly 280-thousand jobs since the worst of the pandemic….
cut 5 (10) “…thousand range”

For working families with small children, child care and early childhood education is very important. The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children has a survey they would like these families to complete. Institute Director Doctor Libbie Sonnier says the poll explores a variety of family issues…
cut 8 (09) “…and more”
You can fill out the survey at policy-institute-la-dot-org.

10.23.23
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7:30 LRN Newscast

The runoff for Secretary of State is a contest between two women, Republican Nancy Landry and Democrat Gwen Collins-Greenup. Landry currently serves as First Assistant Secretary of State and knows how to organize and run a statewide election…
Cut 10 (11) “…election”
Collins-Greenup is a Baton Rouge attorney and accountant. She previously worked as the clerk of court in East Feliciana Parish. The Democrat says her first priority will be purchasing new voting machines and she will also work on increasing voter participation…
Cut 12 (08) ” most elections”

Louisiana Congressman Mike Johnson is one of nine Republicans seeking to be the next Speaker of the House. Johnson is the vice chairman of the Republican Conference.

The number of people looking for work, but unable to find a job reached an all-time low in September, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nearly 68-thousand people were considered unemployed. The state’s unemployment rate held steady at three-point-three percent, tying a record low. University of Louisiana at Lafayette Economist Gary Wagner says hiring has escalated over the last year…
Cut 4 (11) “…economic report.”

The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children wants to hear from parents with small children about their experience with child care and early childhood education. Institute director Doctor Libbie Sonnier says the survey can be found on their website and they will take answers through November first…
cut 9 (09) “….in Louisiana”
The poll can be found at policy-institute-la-dot-org.