Author Archives: LRN News

02.07.22
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LRN PM Newscall February 7

An attorney for former LSU associate athletic director Sharon Lewis says a male coach exposed himself to her in 2013. David Grubb has the story…

Cut 1 (36) “…I’m David Grubb.”

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If you’re hoping to get a break on prices at the pump anytime soon, analysts say they wouldn’t bet on it. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (32)…I’m Brooke Thorington.”  

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Saints running back Alvin Kamara faces a felony battery charge after he allegedly injured someone at a Las Vegas nightclub. Las Vegas Metropolitan police say the incident happened Saturday morning, but Kamara still played in yesterday’s Pro Bowl Game in Las Vegas. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says Kamara was not charged until after the game…

Cut 3 (06) “… a little bit.”

Kamara was released on a five-thousand-dollar bond and his first court appearance is this afternoon in Las Vegas. Detillier says the alleged crime occurred on Saturday, but it was over 24 hours later before he was taken into custody, so he’s waiting to hear more details on how this went down…

Cut 4 (10) “…those questions.”

After the Pro Bowl game where Kamara caught four passes, the running back was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on a charge of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm. Detillier says if Kamara is found guilty he’ll face discipline from the NFL…

Cut 5 (10) “…NFL Shield.”

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After confirming that a deer found in Tensas parish does indeed have Chronic Wasting Disease, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is imposing a feed and carcass export ban on deer in Tensas, Franklin, and Madison parishes. Both bans are currently in effect. Jim LaCour explains the need for the feed ban.

 Cut 6 (11) “…those animals gathering.” 

There are some exemptions, including backyard bird feeders and baiting for feral hogs. LaCour says people do have to be careful about the bait that they use…

Cut 7 (11) “…attractive to deer.” 

No deer carcasses within the three parishes can be removed from them at this time without meeting very stringent criteria. LaCour says this is vital to containing CWD…

Cut 8 (10) “…areas of Louisiana.”  

Chronic wasting disease is 100 percent fatal to deer. For more information contact the LDWF.

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Former LSU Associate Athletic Director Sharon Lewis alleges a male coach exposed himself to her in 2013. That’s according to her attorney Larry English, who appeared this morning on WRKF’s Talk Louisiana. English says the incident was documented when it occurred…

Cut 9 (05) “…nothing.”

English did not identify the coach but says he has since been hired back at LSU.

Lewis filed a 50-million dollar lawsuit against LSU last year claiming her superiors and co-workers retaliated against her and created a hostile work environment after reporting that former head football coach Les Miles allegedly sexually harassed female student workers. English says this allegation will also be part of the lawsuit against LSU

Cut 10 (08)  “…its documented.” 

Lewis was the associate athletic director of football recruiting and alumni relations until she was dismissed in January by Athletics Director Scott Woodward. Her attorneys say she was fired without cause.

English says this accusation of sexual misconduct against her client involving a male coach was not included in the initial lawsuit filed by Lewis, because of her mental health…

Cut  11 (09)   “….come to terms.”  

English says Lewis plans to discuss her case more when she testifies in front of the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children, who has held hearings on the previous cases of sexual misconduct involving former LSU football players. A meeting date has not been set.

Louisiana Radio Network has reached out to LSU for comment, but the school has not responded.

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Gas prices are creeping back up, and AAA Fuel Analyst Don Redman says even though demand is down,  a gallon of gas in Louisiana is up about $0.15 from last month at $3.18 a gallon.

Cut 12 (12) “…right now.  

Redman says another reason we’re seeing crude oil price on the rise are tensions in Europe with Russia and Ukraine.

Cut 13 (08) “…of crude.”

As for when motorists could see a break in prices, Redman says he doesn’t see that happening anytime soon with spring travel just around the corner and refineries cutting back on production as they transition to summer grade gasoline, which typically creates an artificial demand in prices.

Cut 14 (12)  “…and upgrade.” 

Redman says summer prices are usually $.50 higher than what you pay in January and if that holds true we could see prices of $3.50 to $3.60 a gallon in Louisiana.

Prices right now are comparable to the increase experienced in 2014.

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02.07.22
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1:30 LRN Newscast February 7

Saints running back Alvin Kamara faces a felony battery charge after he allegedly injured someone at a Las Vegas nightclub. After the Pro Bowl game where Kamara caught four passes, the running back was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on a charge of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm. Detillier says if Kamara is found guilty he’ll face discipline from the NFL….

Cut 5 (10) “…NFL Shield.”

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After confirming that a deer found in Tensas parish does indeed have Chronic Wasting Disease, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is imposing a feed and carcass export ban on deer in Tensas, Franklin, and Madison parishes. No deer carcasses within the three parishes can be removed from them at this time without meeting very stringent criteria. LDWF spokesman Dr. Jim LaCour says this is vital to containing CWD…

Cut 8 (10) “…areas of Louisiana.”

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Former LSU Associate Athletic Director Sharon Lewis alleges a male coach exposed himself to her in 2013. That’s according to her attorney Larry English, who appeared this morning on WRKF’s Talk Louisiana. Lewis was the associate athletic director of football recruiting and alumni relations until she was dismissed in January by Athletics Director Scott Woodward. Her attorneys say she was fired without cause.

English says this accusation of sexual misconduct against her client involving a male coach was not included in the initial lawsuit filed by Lewis, because of her mental health…

Cut 11 (09)   “….come to terms.”

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Gas prices are creeping back up, and AAA Fuel Analyst Don Redman says even though demand is down,  a gallon of gas in Louisiana is up about $0.15 from last month at $3.18 a gallon. Redman says another reason we’re seeing crude oil price on the rise are tensions in Europe with Russia and Ukraine.

Cut 13 (08) “…of crude.”

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02.07.22
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11:40 LRN Sportscast February 7

Saints running back Alvin Kamara is facing a battery charge after he allegedly injured someone at a Las Vegas nightclub. Kamara was released on a five-thousand-dollar bond and his first court appearance is this afternoon in Las Vegas. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says the alleged crime occurred on Saturday, but Kamara wasn’t arrested until after Sunday’s Pro Bowl, so he’s waiting to hear more details on how this went down…

Cut 4 (10) “…those questions.”

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The struggles continue for the LSU men’s basketball team as the Fighting Tigers lost to Vanderbilt 75-66 on Saturday. The Tigers have lost six of their last seven heading into a game tomorrow night at Texas A-and-M. Wade was asked about the confidence of his team after the loss in Nashville…

Cut 18 (13) “…our now”

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The Pelicans knocked off the Houston Rockets last night 120-107 for their third straight win and pulled into 10th in the Western Conference standings. Brandon Ingram scored a game-high 33 points and dished out a career-high tying 12 assists for the second straight game. After a 1-12 start, New Orleans is 20-20 over its last 40 games. Coach Willie Green reflected on the journey so far…

Cut 29 (21) “…end of the season.”

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Tulane beat East Carolina for its seventh AAC win, a new school record, La Tech topped FIU to snap its two-game losing streak. UNO fell at Incarnate Words, ending the Privateers’ nine-game win streak, and the 15th-ranked LSU women return to the court tonight at Ole Miss.

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02.04.22
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5:30 LRN Newscast February 4

The House and Senate Governmental Affairs committee approves new Congressional district maps. They do not include a second majority-minority district. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

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State climatologist Barry Keim says we should get ready for a cold winter weekend.

Cut 4 (11) “…a hard freeze.”

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Detectives say 101 stolen catalytic converters were found in an East Baton Rouge couple’s chop shop. Baton Rouge Police Sergeant L’Jean McKneely says it’s almost impossible to prevent one from being stolen because they can be removed in a matter of minutes.

Cut 7 (11) “…leave the area.”

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Louisiana hasn’t hit the peak of crawfish season, but that doesn’t mean that mudbugs aren’t on the menu. Mark Shirley, LSU AgCenter and crawfish specialist, says the recent wave of cold temperatures may have slowed the growth of this year’s harvest, but it hasn’t stopped it.

Cut 9 (12) “…but they’re there.”

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02.04.22
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4:45 LRN Sportscast February 4

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has reported that the Saints are seeking to interview Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, possibly as soon as Saturday. Bienemy, a New Orleans native, has been with KC since 2013, and has overseen the team’s offense since 2018. The Chiefs have been to the postseason in eight of the last nine seasons, winning the Super Bowl two years ago.

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Mobile sports betting has been live in Louisiana for a week, and already the state has made history. Houston business owner “Mattress Mack” crossed state lines to place a bet of more than $4.5 million on the Caesars Sportsbook app for the Cincinnati Bengals to win Super Bowl 56. It is the single-largest mobile wager of all-time and the second-largest Super Bowl wager ever, trailing only a $4.9 million bet on the 2002 Super Bowl. The payout would top $7.7 million.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are back in action tonight, as they visit the Denver Nuggets. The Pels are 0-2 against Denver this season. Billy Hernangomez and Garrett Temple are out, Josh Hart is listed as questionable. New Orleans is 3-4 over its last seven games.

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Next Sunday, Joe Burrow will try to become the first Heisman-trophy winning quarterback to win a Super Bowl since Jim Plunkett in 1983, and only the third ever, along with Hall of Famer Roger Staubach. If Burrow had his way as a kid, he never would have been under center…but now there’s no place he’d rather be or a position he’d rather play.

Cut 20 (17) “…lose with me.”

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In college basketball around the state this weekend, 25th ranked LSU is at Vandy Saturday, as the Tigers try to snap a two-game skid. Both UL’s men’s and women’s teams are taking on Arkansas State, with the women in the Cajun Dome, and the men on the road. Northwestern State visits McNeese in a Southland Conference showdown at 4 pm.

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Louisiana Tech looks to bounce back from a loss to Florida Atlantic by topping Florida International tomorrow night, and the UNO Privateers will go hunting for their 10th straight victory when they take on Incarnate Word.

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02.04.22
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1:30 LRN Newscast February 4

The House and Senate Governmental Affairs Committees approved new Congressional district maps similar to the current one, which means just one majority-minority district. Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt says based on the 2020 Census data she doesn’t believe a second majority-Black district can be drawn…

Cut 12 (11) “…District 2″

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The House Governmental Affairs Committee also approved a congressional map that does not create a second majority-minority district. The vote was 13-to-5 in favor of House Speaker Clay Schexnayder’s proposal which features one majority-minority district, but changes current existing lines to reflect population changes. New Orleans Representative Royce Duplessis voted against it…

Cut 14 (11) “…of choice.”

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Louisianans awoke to freezing temperatures this morning, with a major cold front moving through the state. State climatologist Barry Keim says the cold conditions are expected to stick around for at least another week, and we should get prepared for a harsh weekend.

Cut 4 (11) “…a hard freeze.”

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Louisiana hasn’t hit the peak of crawfish season, but that doesn’t mean that mudbugs aren’t on the menu. Mark Shirley, LSU AgCenter crawfish specialist, says the recent wave of cold temperatures may have slowed the growth of this year’s harvest, but it hasn’t stopped it.

Cut 9 (12) “…but they’re there.”

Shirley also says that with the rising cost of crawfish farming this is a great time to support the crawfish industry by buying a few pounds.

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02.04.22
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11:40 LRN Sportscast February 4

News on the Saints coaching search…Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy is on the team’s radar. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler says the team would like to interview Bienemy, possibly as soon as Saturday. Bienemy, a New Orleans native, has been with KC since 2013 and has run the team’s offense since 2018. The Chiefs have been to the postseason in eight of the last nine seasons, winning the Super Bowl two years ago.

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You can take Doug Pederson’s name off of the list of candidates. Pederson was announced as the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday. Pederson, who was a star quarterback at ULM and head coach of Calvary Baptist in Shreveport, takes over for Urban Meyer, who was fired 13 games into his first and only season in Jacksonville.

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Mobile sports betting has been live in Louisiana for a week, and already the state has made history. Houston business owner “Mattress Mack” crossed state lines to place a bet of more than $4.5 million on the Caesars Sportsbook app for the Cincinnati Bengals to win Super Bowl 56. It is the single-largest mobile wager of all time and the second-largest Super Bowl wager ever, trailing a $4.9 million bet on the 2002 Super Bowl. The payout would top $7.7 million.

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Former LSU and current Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth is in a unique position. Whitworth was drafted by Cincinnati in 2006. Next weekend though, he’ll be facing his old team in Super Bowl 56. Whitworth was with the Rams in 2018 when they lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 53, so the four-time Pro Bowler isn’t taking his second shot at a championship for granted.

Cut 17 (10) “…lot to us.”

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Across the field will be fellow LSU alum Joe Burrow. His Cincinnati Bengals weren’t even supposed to be here, but after knocking off the top two seeds in the AFC, they’ve shown they belong. With just over a week to go before the big game, Burrow isn’t letting the hype get to him.

Cut 18 (11) “…feels normal.”

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02.03.22
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5:30 LRN Newscast February 3

Areas along the I-20 corridor and north, should prepare for possible rough driving conditions, as a winter weather advisory is posted for the area through 9 tonight. Rain will likely turn to sleet or perhaps freezing rain as temperatures drop. National Weather Service forecaster Charlie Woodburn says be ready for slippery highways…:

CUT 05 (11) “…earlier today.”

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A psychiatric nurse practitioner has been arrested on human trafficking and narcotics charges after authorities learned he was providing drugs for sexual favors. Rapides Parish Sheriff’s office chief of staff Tommy Carnline says 40-year-old Mark Declouet (dih-CLOUT) Jr., of Alexandria, was taken into custody without incident…:

CUT 12 (09) “…sexual favors.”

Declouet apparently worked at health care providers in Lafayette and Alexandria.

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A Morehouse Parish school teacher is arrested for striking a student. Deputies say 61-year-old Helen Anderson allegedly hit a student at Delta Elementary school in Mer Rouge. She’s charged with Cruelty to a Juvenile.

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Police in New Orleans report yet another motorist has been shot and killed while driving on Interstate 10. NOPD says the un-named male victim was discovered inside his car, which crashed into a guardrail near Louisa Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshots. A number of people have been shot while on the city’s superhighway in recent months.

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The cost for a barrel of oil could rise to nearly $100 later this year, but Baton Rouge economist Loren Scott says the first place most Americans will feel the impact of higher oil prices is at the gas pump. With the state average for regular gas at more than $3.13, that could be a major hit, even if it doesn’t last long.

Cut 10 (13)  “…pump go up.”

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02.03.22
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LRN 4:45 Sportscast February 3

Louisiana Tech football signed five players on Wednesday..defensive back Devontae Mozee, offensive linemen Elijah Bowser and Joe Ta’ase, running back DeAnthony Gatson, and tight end John Locke. Gatson is the most high-profile signee. The three-star recruit had previously committed to USC. New Bulldogs coach Sonny Cumbie credits the hard work of his assistant coaches in recruiting Gatson…

Cut 20 (20) “…are important.”

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Some other first-year coaches made their marks as well. Grambling State’s Hue Jackson welcomed the largest recruiting class in program history, announcing the commitments of 36 players. Southern’s Eric Dooley added 27 new Jaguars on his first signing day on the Bluff, and UL’s Mike Desormeaux added five signees on Wednesday, bringing his first class to 13 players.

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What’s old is new again in Lake Charles, as McNeese football returns to its traditional 7 p.m. kickoff time for all home games after two seasons of noon starts. The Cowboys released their 11-game schedule Thursday, which includes six games at The Hole. McNeese opens their season September 3 on the road at FCS National Runner-Up Montana State. The Cowboys’ home opener is slated for September 17 against Alcorn State. McNeese went 4-7 last season under Frank Wilson, who is now with LSU. Gary Goff takes the reigns this year after going 22-3 as head coach at Valdosta State.

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One day after revealing his team’s new name, Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder is facing new allegations of misconduct. Six former Washington employees met with the House Oversight Committee and made several disturbing claims, including one that stated Snyder instructed a team employee to produce a video that featured nude images of cheerleaders that had been recorded without their knowledge.

The NFL fined Snyder and Washington $10 million after its own investigation concluded that the club’s workplace culture was toxic and fell far short of the NFL’s values, per a statement by the league’s special counsel

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02.03.22
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11:40 LRN Sportscast February 3

Brian Kelly’s first National Signing Day at LSU is in the books, and the Tigers produced some mixed results. Kelly lost out on a number of high-profile in-state recruits, including Louisiana’s number one player in safety Jacoby Mathews out of Ponchatoula, along with Westgate tight end Danny Lewis, and Lake Charles running back TreVonte’ Citizen. But the Tigers did land their top target in linebacker Harold Perkins. Perkins is ranked as one of the top 20 players in the country and his high school coach, Greg Rogers, says LSU is getting a great one.

Cut 17 (12) “…that’s for sure.”

The Tigers finished with the 12th-ranked recruiting class in the nation according to 247 sports. LSU finished fourth in the SEC, behind Texas A&M, Alabama, and Georgia, who grabbed the top 3 spots.

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New Grambling State head coach Hue Jackson has made his impression felt as he announced the signing of 36 players Wednesday, the most in Grambling football history.

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The NBA trade deadline is just a week away, and speculation continues as to whether the New Orleans Pelicans will be buyers or sellers. Indications are that the Pels will be looking to bolster their roster for a push to make the play-in tournament and reach the postseason for the first time since the 2017-18 season. New Orleans trails Portland by 1.5 games for the tenth spot in the Western Conference. Next up for the Pels, the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.

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After dropping five of its last six games on the hardwood, projections for LSU’s postseason destiny are all over the place. The Tigers could land anywhere from as high as a three seed, according to CBS Sports, or as low as a sixth seed as forecasted by ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi. LSU is back in action Saturday when they visit Vanderbilt.

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In other college basketball news…sixth-ranked Houston defeated Tulane 73-62 last night. La Tech is at F-A-U, ULM visits Arkansas State, the Cajuns are at Little Rock. McNeese hosts Southeastern Louisiana.

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Interviews continue for the Saints head coaching job, with current special teams coach Darren Rizzi expected to meet with team officials today