Schools that are not happy with the LHSAA changing its playoff structure will have their day in court today. Pierson Luscy has more…

Cut 1 (33)  “….I’m Pierson Luscy.”

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Poverty Point in West Carroll Parish receives a one-point-eight million dollar federal grant. Jeff Palermo has details on how that money will be used…

Cut 2 (33)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

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New data from the federal government shows 407-thousand workers in Louisiana left their job during the first six months of this year, the highest number ever for the first half of a year. Pierson Luscy has more…

Cut 3 (34)  “…I’m Pierson Luscy”

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The LHSAA is facing a lawsuit from nine schools, six from Rapides Parish and three from the Monroe area, and their court date is today at 9 a.m. The schools seek a preliminary injunction of the current playoff format for football, basketball, baseball and softball. Attorney Brian Blackwell represents the schools and he says they are upset over being moved from non-select to select…

Cut 4 (07) “…structure itself.”

Last year, the LHSAA executive committee moved dozens of schools from non-select to select, because they had students at their school that were from outside of the attendance zone. It resulted in several public schools playing against private schools in the postseason. Blackwell says high school principals never got a vote on the matter…

Cut 5 (12) “…playoff structure”

The idea behind changing the playoff structure was to level the playing field and bring more competitiveness to postseason play. The number of brackets were also reduced which led to some 5A schools competing against 4A schools in the playoffs. Blackwell says that’s not fair…

Cut 6 (12) “…1,000.”

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Poverty Point World Heritage Site in West Carroll Parish is receiving a one-point-eight million dollar federal grant that will be used to fund a master plan that will include an upgraded museum, visitor center, and other amenities. Commissioner of Administration spokesperson Jacques Berry says this funding will enhance the visitors’ experience

Cut 7 (09) “…Poverty Point.”

Poverty Point is an archaeological site that features huge mounds and enormous concentric half-circles built by  American Indians 34 hundred years ago. Berry says there’s technology available that can make the visitor center invisible for visitors that walk up the mounds and take a look at their surroundings…

Cut 8 (11) “…1500 B.C.”

Berry says it will take a while to execute this plan, so that’s what the grant is paying for….

Cut 9 (11)  “…itself”

Berry says once the master plan is executed it will take state dollars to build the high tech visitor center and museum. Poverty Point attracts 100-thousand visitors a year. It’s one of 26 World Heritage sites in the U-S.

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A report by the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children shows 60 percent of kids statewide do not meet the kindergarten school readiness benchmark. LPIC Director Libbie Sonnier says the state has made progress in expanding early care and education, but the need is still great

Cut 10 (09) “…increasing access.”

Under current law, students in Louisiana are required to enroll in school by age 5 but under prior law it was by age 7.

Sonnier says early childhood education is critical because 90% of a child’s brain development is between birth and 5 years old. She says pre-K education helps develop social, emotional, and problem-solving skills. 

Cut 11 (12) “…symbol relationship.”

Louisiana spends less than half of one percent of state dollars on early care and education. 

It will take $86 million dollars for the state to make sure every at-risk child can access an early care and education program according to the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission. Sonnier says it will take a unified effort to make sure children and parents have the tools they need to succeed.

Cut 12 (12) “…and education.”

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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 407,000 Louisiana workers quit their jobs in the first six months of this year. A record 760,000 Louisianans left their job last year so the Bayou State is on pace to break that record. Economist Loren Scott says many Louisiana workers are leaving their job for better pay…

Cut 13 (12) “…higher wage rates.”

And according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, the state’s unemployment rate in July was 3.5 percent, the lowest ever for a July. Scott says with a relatively small group of people looking for work, businesses have to get creative….

Cut 14 (12) “…now do” 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics say an estimated 114-thousand workers were hired in June and 602-thousand have been hired for the year. Scott is putting together his latest economic forecast and he’s seeing wages going up….

Cut 15 (09) “…going on here.”

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It’s game week for Louisiana Tech as they play Florida International in Ruston on Saturday night in a week zero matchup. Last season’s leading rusher for the Bulldogs, Marquis Crosby, has been ruled for the game and Miami of Ohio transfer Tyre Shelton is questionable.  Second-year coach Sonny Cumbie knows he has more talent this season, but it’s other intangibles he’s not sure about.

Cut 16 (13) “…face that.”

After going 3-9 last season, Cumbie signed 19 players out of the transfer portal. He likes the experience he has with the starting group…

Cut 17 (15) “..tempering that”

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The Ragin Cajuns are less than two weeks away from their season opener against Northwestern State on September 2nd. Coach Michael Desormeaux likes the progress they’ve made…

Cut 18 (22) “…win games.”

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With most of the starters watching from the sidelines, the Saints improved to 2-0 in the preseason with a 22-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Veteran quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 169 yards, rookie running back Kendre Miller had a seven-yard touchdown run, and defensive end Niko Lalos was the star on defense with three sacks. Coach Dennis Allen is pleased they got the win but didn’t like the 14 penalties

Cut 19 (20) “…cleaned up”

Former first-round pick Payton Turner had one of the biggest plays of the night as he sacked Chargers quarterback Easton Stick, who also coughed up the football. The turnover resulted in New Orleans only touchdown. Allen says the third-year player is finally showing off what he can do…

Cut 20 (19) “…plays today.”

Louisiana Pollster John Couvillon has done another survey on the race to get the Republican Presidential nomination and former president Donald Trump continues to do well. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

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We’ll see high temperatures get above 105-degrees in some parts of the state this weekend. LRN meteorologist John Wetherbee reports the sun will continue to bake the Bayou State…

Cut 2 (28)  “…this weekend”  

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The Edwards administration is using $20 million left over from the Road Home program for the proposed New Orleans to Baton Rouge passenger rail line. Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne says the federal government agreed to this move because the train could help evacuate residents out of New Orleans when a hurricane is approaching

Cut 3 (11) “…beneficial purpose.”

The $20 million will be used towards the state’s match for a federal grant that can help pay for the project. Dardenne says the funding picture for this ambitious project will become more clear in the fall…

Cut 4 (11) “…a reality.”

Dardenne says they planned to give the 20-million dollars back to the feds…

Cut 5 (07) “…a decision.”

Dardenne says they had until June 30th to decide how to spend the money left over from the Road Home Program, which was used to help people rebuild their homes after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

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Despite four separate federal indictments against Donald Trump, the former president continues to receive strong support from Republicans in his bid to return to the White House. Louisiana pollster John Couvillon…

Cut 6 (11) “…ganging up on him” 

Couvillon surveyed 11-hundred likely Republican voters nationwide and 52-percent said they would vote for Trump in the Presidential Primary.

While Trump’s support is holding steady, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has lost ground. He says DeSantis’ favorability rating fell from 65-percent in July to 61-percent in August as some voters are turned off by his lack of charisma…

Cut 7 (05) “…the polls” 

Couvillon says based on his poll results entrepreneur and investment manager Vivek Ramaswamy (vi-Vake RAH-muh-SWAH-mee) is seeing his support grow. In July only three percent of Republican voters said they supported the 38-year-old and now it’s up to five percent….

Cut 8 (08) “…more scrutiny”

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The heat will be turned up a notch this weekend as temperatures will push well above 100-degrees. State Climatologist Barry Keim says central and north Louisiana will be baking Saturday and Sunday…

Cut 9 (08)  “…heat index values”

And we will not see much of a cool down when we begin a new work week on Monday. Keim says next week south Louisiana could catch a little bit of a break from a tropical wave that has a chance of developing as it moves across the Gulf of Mexico.

Cut 10 (12)  “…triple digits.”

The National Hurricane Center is now giving an area of disturbed weather over the southeastern Bahamas a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression as it approaches Texas by the middle of next week. Keim says the system is getting support from the extremely warm Gulf waters, but it will also battle wind shear…

Cut 11 (07)  “…very much.” 

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The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry reports over 24-hundred acres have been damaged from over 100 wildfires since the middle of last week. Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says hot and dry conditions and plenty of dead wood is providing the kindling

Cut 12 (11) “…quickly”

Strain says when the fire spreads to the top of trees then it becomes it a real concern, because then it begins to move faster.

Cut 13 (10) “…to fight it”

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The State Fire Marshal is investigating a fatal house and brush fire that resulted in the discovery of a body in Franklinton on Thursday. Spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says investigators believe the blaze may have started outside of the home

Cut  14 (12)  “…were discovered.”

The brush fire around the home located off of H.C. Rushing Road prevented firefighters from accessing the house fire for several hours.

The victim is believed to be the 72-year-old homeowner who had mobility challenges. Official identification is pending.  Rodrigue says the investigation into the death of the individual and what may have caused the fire continues.

Cut 15 (08) “…this instance.”

A statewide burn ban remains in effect.