LSU has received a commitment from an NFL player. Former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright is expected to come to Baton Rouge if he clears waivers after being released by the Browns. Wright is one of the 16 football players granted a temporary restraining order by a Baton Rouge judge to return for a fifth season. An initial hearing in the case is scheduled for next week.

Will Wade is also hoping to welcome a former pro. 2025 Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis has a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled in Baton Rouge this afternoon as he tries to return to college basketball after signing two NBA G League contracts, though he never played a game. Tiger Rag editor Glenn Guilbeau says even LSU’s lawyers thought he might not make it to campus.

Cut 7 (09) “…gonna happen.”

The Saints are signing two-time All-Pro kicker Daniel Carlson. Carlson made 22 of 27 attempts with the Raiders last season and joins a kicker battle with Charlie Smyth and Tanner Brown.

LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt’s most reliable target this season could be a tight end. Junior Trey’Dez Green is a preseason All-American and first-team All-SEC selection, and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis says he has all of the physical and intangible attributes a coach could dream of.

Cut 17 (16) “…with him.”

The Saints are back at their training facility in Metairie after finishing their week in California with a brutal 34-0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Coach Kellen Moore says a performance like that, even in the preseason, is unacceptable…

Cut 19 (17) “…really frustrating.”

Very sad news out of north Louisiana as an eight-year-old Ruston girl has died after contracting a rare brain amoeba infection that she acquired from swimming in Lake Claiborne. Lillian Smart had been in the hospital since August 15^th. Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba that’s found in warm bodies of water and it can infect the brain if water rushes up the nose.

At this hour, University Medical Center New Orleans’ expanded cancer center officially opens. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Amazon Web Services will meet with residents from 4 to 8 pm tomorrow at the Shreveport Convention Center to discuss their plans to build three data centers in the Shreveport-Bossier area. Watchdog and local advocacy groups have raised concerns that residential and business utility bills will go up But AWS Vice President of Economic Development Roger Wehner says Amazon will cover the cost of the energy improvements needed…

`          Cut 14 (12) “…customers.”

LSU has received a commitment from an NFL player. Former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright is expected to come to Baton Rouge if he clears waivers after being released by the Browns. Wright is one of the 16 football players granted a temporary restraining order by a Baton Rouge judge to return for a fifth season.

Amazon Web Services will meet with residents tomorrow at the Shreveport Convention Center to discuss their plans to build three data centers in the Shreveport-Bossier Area. The project is expected to create more than 700 permanent jobs and AWS Vice President of Economic Development Roger Wehner says they plan to hire local folks to man these jobs…

Cut 15 (08) “….workforce development”

The open house will run from 4 to 8 PM.

The ribbon gets cut today on an expanded cancer center at University Medical Center New Orleans. Dr. Amelia Jernigan with UMC New Orleans says this expansion is possible thanks to federal funding that Congressman Troy Carter helped secure.

Cut 6 (10) “…to our community.”

Jernigan says the expansion will allow them to care for more patients.

College athletics continues to be at an interesting place as Dae’Quan Wright has been waived by the Cleveland Browns and according to his agents, Wright, who was an All-SEC tight end at Ole Miss last season, plans to enroll at LSU and play for Lane Kiffin and the Tigers. Wright is one of several athletes granted a fifth year of college eligibility by a Baton Rouge judge last week.

Twenty-three-year-old RJ Luis’s (Lewis) case for another year of eligibility goes before another Baton Rouge judge today as the former Big East Player of the Year wants to play for Will Wade and LSU. Tiger Rag Editor Glen Guilbeau says Luis has previously signed with NBA teams, but did not play in a regular season game…

Cut 9 (11) “…it’s ridiculous”

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has said athletes who sign with a professional team in America should not be allowed to return to college athletics.

Amazon Web Services hosts an open house tomorrow at the Shreveport Convention Center to answer the community’s questions about the three data centers they are building in Shreveport-Bossier. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

An 8-year-old Ruston girl passed away from a rare brain-eating amoeba believed to have been contracted while swimming in Lake Claiborne. After being hospitalized since August 15, Lillian Smart died on Saturday, a day after her birthday. More than two dozen Ruston businesses donated portions of sales to support the Smart family.

Merck and Moderna are developing an mRNA vaccine that helps reduce the risk of melanoma returning. Dr. Katherine Chang, an assistant professor of ear, nose and throat surgery at LSU Health Shreveport, says clinical trials of the new vaccine have been very successful.

Cut 11 (11) “…the long term.”

The biopharmaceutical companies plan on filing for approval from regulators within months.

LSU men’s basketball commit RJ Luis (Lewis) has a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for 1:30 this afternoon that could decide his basketball future. The 23-year-old was the Big East Player of the Year at St. John’s two seasons ago but is now looking to return to college basketball after signing two brief NBA deals. Luis never played a pro game, but Tiger Rag editor Glenn Guilbeau says LSU knew his chances of making it to campus were slim.

Cut 7 (09) “…gonna happen.”

University Medical Center New Orleans officially opens phase one of its expanded cancer center, with the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 this morning. Dr. Amelia Jernigan with UMC New Orleans says the additional space will allow cancer patients to be able to be seen quickly for frontline care and will help support the needs of oncology patients regionally.

Cut 5 (15) “…systemic therapy.”

A new mRNA vaccine that’s patient specific, based on an individual’s genetic profile is being developed to reduce the risk of repeat melanoma. Dr. Katherine Chang with LSU Health Shreveport, says the vaccine by Merk and Moderna has seen success in clinical trials and they plan to file for approval of the vaccine within months.  Dr. Chang says this vaccine could be a game-changer, especially in states like Louisiana.

Cut 12 (10) “…a death sentence.”

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LSU basketball commit RJ Luis has a preliminary injunction hearing this afternoon to decide his basketball future. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

LSU is at the center of history as former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright is set to become the first football player to participate in an NFL training camp but return to play in college. Wright has been released by the Browns and if he clears waivers, is expected to end up on LSU’s campus. A Baton Rouge judge has given Wright and several other players a fifth year of eligibility.

University Medical Center New Orleans’ expanded cancer center officially opens at 11 this morning. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

An 8-year-old Ruston area girl has died after contracting a rare, brain-eating amoeba infection during a recent swim at Lake Claiborne.  Lillian Smart died Saturday from severe brain injuries caused by Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic amoeba that leads to primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Little Lillian died just a day after her birthday.

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Amazon Web Services will hold an open house tomorrow at the Shreveport Convention Center to discuss the three data centers they are building in the Shreveport-Bossier area. There are concerns about how much water and electricity the facilities will use. AWS Vice President of Economic Development Roger Wehner says the data centers will use water for cooling only when temperatures climb above 85 degrees — which he says is expected to happen less than 13 percent of the year.

Cut 13 (11)  “…load on the grid.”

A new mRNA vaccine to reduce the risk of melanoma returning is showing great promise. Dr. Katherine Chang, an assistant professor of ear, nose and throat surgery at LSU Health Shreveport, says each vaccine is patient specific, based on their genetic profile, taken in combination with the immunotherapy drug Keytruda and she says clinical trials have been quite successful.

Cut 11 (11) “…the long term.”

Amazon Web Services hosts an open house at the Shreveport Convention Center tomorrow to answer community questions about the three data centers they are building in Shreveport-Bossier. Here’s Jeff Palermo.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A 37-year-old school coach and bus driver in Rapides Parish is facing charges of human trafficking of children for sexual purposes and purchase of commercial sexual activity.  Authorities say Esaw Owens, III was arrested Friday following an undercover chat operation.
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University Medical Center New Orleans officially opens phase one of its expanded cancer center, with the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 this morning. Dr. Amelia Jernigan says the additional space will allow cancer patients to be able to be seen quickly for frontline care.

Cut 4 (13) “…patients with cancer.”

A new mRNA vaccine to reduce the risk of melanoma returning is showing great promise. Dr. Katherine Chang, an assistant professor of ear, nose and throat surgery at LSU Health Shreveport, says the vaccine being developed by Merck and Moderna works by removing the melanoma tumor, testing it for genetic mutations and creating the vaccine specific to the patient’s genetic profile – and combining the vaccine with immunotherapy drug Keytruda.

Cut 10 (09) “…it from coming back.”

May and June were very wet months in Louisiana. August – not so much. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Bit of a scary sight at the UL Lafayette baseball park yesterday as a fire at M.L “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park sent huge plumes of smoke into the sky.  We’re told one of the advertising billboards next to the scoreboard caught fire and the flames were quickly put out. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Louisiana lawmakers heard from frustrated foster parents upset they are receiving less money from the state to provide care for kids in state custody.  Starting July first, DCFS raised the foster care board rate payments from 600 to 900 dollars a month but stopped reimbursing families for incidental expenses. Danielle Eley from Franklin Parish says it was packaged as a raise for foster parents, but in reality that’s not the case.

Cut 9 (06)  “…go up.”

LSU fifth-year senior offensive guard Bo Bordelon has earned his starting spot the old-fashioned way. The Raceland native spent four years as a backup but has stood out as the likely week one starter during spring and fall practices. He says he just put his head down and worked.

Cut 12 (14) “…100-percent.”

Louisiana lawmakers heard from frustrated foster parents upset over a new policy change that gives them less money to provide care for kids in state custody.   Starting July first, DCFS raised the foster care board rate payments from 600 to 900 dollars a month but stopped reimbursing families for incidental expenses. Danielle Eley cares for three children and she says the reimbursements help pay for a lot of incidental expenses.

Cut 10 (11) “…theater.”

Eley testified before the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children. Covington Senator Patrick McMath is a member of that panel and based on the testimony urged DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris to bring back the reimbursements.

Cut 11 (09) “…this fiscal year.”

Harris agreed and reimbursements will return for the remainder of this fiscal year, which will end on June 30th, 2027.

—–

After a really wet May and June, Louisiana’s seeing quite the opposite so far this month. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says the unusually dry August is due in part to El Nino, and a lot of high pressure in the Gulf of Mexico.

Cut 4 (12) “…Gulf into Louisiana.”

A more than two million dollar grant from the Louisiana Department of Health means good news for ULM…as it’s expending its health science offerings.  Dr. Wendy Bailes, the dean of the ULM College of Health Sciences, says one of three initiatives of the grant is to increase nursing school enrollment.

Cut 7 (08) “…students per year.”

The other two initiatives are adding a Diagnostic Medical Sonography concentration to the Bachelor of Science in Radiological Technology program, and establishing a Nurse Residency Hub serving rural hospitals in northeast Louisiana.

Foster parents went before state lawmakers to say a recent policy change has made it more difficult to care for children in state custody. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A magnitude 3.4 earthquake struck north of Coushatta around 3 yesterday afternoon.  According to the US Geological Survey, it was the third biggest since a magnitude 4.9 earthquake in the same area on March 5, which was the largest ever recorded in Louisiana.

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What a difference a couple months make in Louisiana.  While we saw quite a bit of rain in May and June, August has been a different story so far.  LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says this month has been almost completely devoid of rain throughout the state.

Cut 3 (09) “…way, way behind.”

ULM is expanding its health science offerings, thanks to a grant of more than two-million dollars from the Louisiana Department of Health through the Rural Transformation Project. Dr. Wendy Bailes, the dean of the ULM College of Health Sciences, says the grant will allow the school to provide well-educated medical professionals to rural hospitals.

Cut 6 (09) “…becomes very expensive.”