1:30 LRN Newscast March 8

About 100 students are holding a sit-in outside of LSU’s Football Operations Building calling on LSU officials to fire athletic administrators Verge Ausberry and Miriam Segar based on findings released last week in the Husch Blackwell report. The students are part of a group called Tigers Against Sexual Assault.
Cut 12 (12) “ …responsible.”
LSU has only suspended Ausberry for 30 days and Segar for 21-days without pay.

Co-Chair of Meetings Mean Business Fred Dixon believes we’ll see a big increase in in-person meetings and conventions during the second half of this year. Dixon says healthcare professionals, teachers and attorneys are required to receive annual training and online classes are not always preferred…
cut 7 (09) “….New Orleans”

Police are seeking a 1st Degree Murder charge against a man they say murdered and robbed a 29-year-old New Orleanian at a meetup to sell a 2,800 dollar dirt bike. Matt Doyle has the story….
cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

The state health department says nearly 415-thousand people in Louisiana have completed their two-dose series vaccinations. There are 618 vaccine providers providing shots this week. L-D-H also reporting 515 new coronavirus cases and ten new deaths.

12:30 PM LRN News

A New Orleans man was allegedly murdered in Harvey Sunday after meeting someone through an online marketplace to sell a dirt bike. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto says they’re seeking a 1st-degree murder charge against Jalen Harvey in the killing of 29-year-old Joseph Vindel. Lopinto says meeting strangers online can be dangerous, but while the victim could’ve chosen a safer location like a police station parking lot or outside of a grocery…

Cut 10 (11) “…outside.” 

The attorney for former LSU football coach Les Miles calls Kansas’s decision to place Miles on administrative leave unfair. K-U made this move after reports that Miles acted inappropriately with female student workers while at LSU. Legal analyst Tim Meche wonders if K-U officials will use this opportunity to fire Miles

Cut 5  (07)  “…his buyout.” 

Miles would reportedly be owed eight million dollars if he’s fired without cause.

Funds are now available to help tenants and landlords who’ve experienced financial hardship from the pandemic. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 1 (31) “…Brooke Thorington.”

1130 AM LRN News

A 29-year-old New Orleans man was allegedly murdered in Jefferson Parish after meeting someone through an online marketplace to sell his dirt bike. JP Sheriff Joe Lopinto says they arrested Jalen Harvey after discovering messages between him and the victim, Joseph Vindel…

Cut 9, 9 seconds, itself

Vindel’s dirt bike was discovered outside of Harvey’s apartment.

The attorney for former LSU football coach Les Miles calls Kansas’s decision to place Miles on administrative leave unfair. K-U made this move after reports that Miles acted inappropriately with female student workers while at LSU. Legal analyst Tim Meche says Miles’ attorney is upset because a Husch Blackwell investigation never spoke with Miles or other key witnesses.

Cut 3 (11)  “…right now.”  

The pandemic has crippled the convention industry which is responsible for almost five-thousand jobs in Louisiana. Co-Chair of Meetings Mean Business Fred Dixon says the industry has been trained on how to re-open safely once the pandemic passes and most convention attendees say they’ll be there.

Cut 6 (11) “…the future.”

Many Louisianans are now faced with trying to get their home insurance companies to cover damage sustained from last month’s winter storms. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says the event caused all kinds of damage to rooves, trees, plumbing, and even personal injuries. If your house took any damage like that it can’t hurt to file a claim with your insurer because you can’t be penalized…

Cut 13 (06) “…claim.”

10:30 LRN Newscast

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is encouraging residents to file a claim if they sustained damage from last month’s winter storms. Slips and falls, roof damage and burst pipes are some of the circumstances that should be covered by your homeowners’ insurance. Donelon says one estimate says last month’s winter storms will cost the industry 18-billion dollars…
Cut 15 (07)“….weather.”

Funds are now available to help tenants and landlords who have experienced financial hardship from the pandemic.  Executive Director of Louisiana Housing Corporation Keith Cunningham says priority is given to households where at least one member has been unemployed for more than 90 days due to COVID…

Cut 6 (10) “…considered.”

For more information visit LA State Rent-dot com

Visit LAStateRent.com for more information.

The state’s cattle industry took a beating from last month’s historic winter storms. LSU AgCenter regional livestock specialist Jason Holmes estimates many cattle farmers lost at least a couple head, mostly calves, due to the stress of the event and the frigid temperatures. He says it came at a rough time…

Cut 8 (07) “…the ground”

Baton Rouge newborn Lexa Dennis is the youngest ever to receive Zolgensma (zol·gens·ma.), the most expensive gene-drug therapy in the world at $2.1 million. Pediatric Neurologist Dr. Charlotte Hollman says Lexa has Spinal Muscular Atrophy,  a debilitating and often fatal disease and she was given the life-saving medication at just four days old at Woman’s Hospital.

Cut 10 (06) “…opportunity.”

She went home 11 days later.

9:30 LRN Newscast March 8

Funds are now available to help tenants and landlords who’ve experienced financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 1 (31) “…Brooke Thorington.”

Lousiana Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy voted no against the COVID-19 relief bill that passed the Senate and could be signed by the President this week. The measure will provide 14-hundred dollar checks to taxpayers, but Cassidy and Kennedy disagree with the spending in the measure that they say does not have anything to do with the pandemic.

Thousands of Louisianans suffered damage during last month’s winter storms, so will your homeowner’s insurance cover it? Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says if you sustained any damage from the storms do not hesitate to at least file a claim with your insurer.
Cut 13 (06) “…claim.”
Donelon says roof damage, busted pipes and slipping on the ice and falling are circumstances that could be covered by your insurance.

A baby at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge becomes the youngest person to receive a two-million-dollar gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy. Lexa James was four-days old when she received Zolgensma in an effort to prevent S-M-A symptoms. Lexa’s mother, Andrea, says until there’s a cure for SMA…
cut 12 (09) “..born”

8:30 LRN Newscast March 8

Louisiana has launched a 161-million dollar COVID-19 rental assistance program. Federal coronavirus relief dollars are funding the program that Louisiana Housing Corporation Executive Director Keith Cunningham says will provide much needed relief to both landlords and renters…
cut 5 (09) “…April”
The program also provides eligible tenants up to three months for future rental assistance. For more information go to la-state-rent-dot-com.

The state’s cattle and poultry industries took a beating from last month’s historic winter storms. LSU AgCenter regional livestock specialist Jason Holmes says thousands of chickens were lost when several poultry facilities collapsed due to snow and ice buildup.
Cut 7 (11) “…work through.”

A baby born at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge has received a two-million-dollar gene therapy drug called Zolgensma that will halt symptoms brought on by Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Lexa Adams received the drug four days after she was born. Her two-year-old brother also has S-M-A. And their mother Andrea James says…
cut 11 (10) “…to do”
SMA is the most common cause of death in the first year of life and the drug was approved for use in the United States in 2019.

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says if your property sustained damage as a result of last month’s winter storms, you should file a claim to see if it’s covered…
cut 14 (07) “….another”
Donelon says your insurance provider may cover a slip and fall on ice, roof damage and damage from busted pipes.

7:30 LRN Newscast

Both of Louisiana’s U-S Senators voted against the one-point-nine trillion-dollar COVID relief bill that was approved by the Senate over the weekend. Bill Cassidy says the legislation wastes billions on pet projects. John Kennedy says the so-called coronavirus bill is an orgy of pork. The Louisiana Democratic Party says the legislation helps families, small businesses, schools, and farmers.

Louisiana cattle and poultry producers are still recovering from last month’s winter storms…
cut 2 (29) “….I’m Matt Doyle”

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is encouraging residents to file a claim if they sustained damage as a result of last month’s winter storms. Slips and falls, roof damage and burst pipes are some of the circumstances that should be covered by your homeowners’ insurance. Donelon says one estimate says last month’s winter storms will cost the insurance industry 18-billion dollars…
cut 15 (07) “….weather”

Baton Rouge newborn Lexa Dennis is the youngest ever to receive Zolgensma (zol·gens·ma.), the most expensive gene-drug therapy in the world at $2.1 million. Pediatric Neurologist Dr. Charlotte Hollman says Lexa has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a debilitating and often fatal disease, was given the life-saving medication at just four days old at Woman’s Hospital.
Cut 10 (06) “…opportunity.”
Lexa receiver a Zolgensma dose last month in the hopes that this will prevent her from every showing symptoms of SMA.

6:30 LRN Newscast March 8

The state launches a new program to provide financial assistance to both tenants and landlords experiencing financial hardship from the pandemic. Executive Director of the Louisiana Housing Corporation Keith Cunningham says $161 million has been allocated for 57 parishes.
Cut 4 (09)“…COVID.”
Louisiana’s seven largest parishes will administer their own programs and you can find out more by visiting LA-State-Rent-dot-com.

This week, the LSU Ag Center is expected to come out with an estimate on the economic damage to the state’s agriculture industry from last month’s winter storms. LSU Ag Center regional livestock specialist Jason Holmes says for poultry and cattle producers the damage to their infrastructure is extensive…
cut 9 (12) “….right here”

For the first time in their lives, many Louisians are filing winter storm damage home insurance claims. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

10:30 LRN Newscast Mar 6

Two high-ranking LSU athletic officials have been suspended as a result of a nearly 150-report that looked at how the school failed to properly handle sexual assault complaints. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) …I’m Jeff Palermo.”  

And former head football coach Les Miles has been placed on administrative leave at the University of Kansas after the Husch Blackwell report revealed inappropriate behavior with female student workers at LSU. Former LSU AD Joe Alleva reportedly wanted to fire Miles after the investigation.

Voters in the 5th and 2nd congressional districts head to the polls today for the first day of early voting in the primary. In the heavily Democratic second district, there have been no outside polls of the race that seems to be a contest between New Orleans lawmakers Karen Carter Peterson and Troy Carter, and Baton Rouge activist Gary Chambers. Political analyst Clancy DuBos says internal campaign polling shows there’s still a lot of undecideds left…

Cut 8 (11) “…window.”

A mass vaccination event is underway at the Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City, for those who are eligible, bring a photo ID and insurance card.  LSU Health Shreveport Professor of Infectious Disease Johnny Vanchiere says the event ends at 4 pm.

Cut 13 (08)“…community”

9:30 LRN Newscast March 6

LSU suspends two high-ranking athletic officials without pay after a report on how the school mishandled allegations of sexual and domestic assault. Deputy Athletic Director Verge Ausberry received a 30-day suspension, while senior associate A-D Miriam Segar received 21 days. The report gives 18 recommendations on improving LSU’s Title 9 practices and interim president Thomas Galligan says the school plans to act on all recommendations and that includes beefing up the Title 9 Office…

Cut 11 (08) “…any longer”

It was also revealed Friday in the Husch Blackwell report that former head football coach Les Miles was instructed not to have any one-on-one contact with female students after an investigation reported he had inappropriate behavior with female student workers. The University of Kansas, where Les Miles is the current head football coach has placed Miles on administrative leave while they review the report.

Early voting in the New Orleans, River Parishes, and north Baton Rouge-based 2nd Congressional District begins today. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says there’s two clear frontrunners in New Orleans Democratic lawmakers Karen Carter Peterson and Troy Carter, but there’s a strong third candidate in Baton Rouge activist Gary Chambers…

Cut 7 (08) “…here”

Voting in the 5th Congressional District special election also begins today.

Phase Three restrictions on live music still make it difficult for venues to feasibly bring back entertainment. Country music artist David St. Romain says the new normal for him and other musicians have been to play online and says even when venues can open to full capacity he will continue to play online.

Cut 5  (11)  “…facilities.”