There may be a lack of interest in seeing the Rams and the Pats in the Super Bowl throughout Louisiana, but some businesses are still throwing a party and watching the Saints play in the big game… from 2010. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (28) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

In West Monroe, they will be watching the game and rooting for hometown hero Andrew Whitworth, the veteran offensive tackle for the Rams who also starred at LSU. State Senator Mike Walsworth says Whitworth is a real leader for the West Monroe community…
cut 15 (06) “…kids”

A special World War Two exhibit opens today at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Musuem in Natchitoches that tells Louisiana’s contributions to the war effort. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

A lot of state government leaders are in the nation’s capital for Washington D-C Mardi Gras festivities. Ray Brandt from the Brandt Automotive Group is this year’s King and the celebration concludes Saturday night with a big party and indoor parade at the Hilton and it’s led by Congressman and Captain Steve Scalise…
cut 8 (08) “….tickets sold”

Louisiana movers and shakers have migrated north for this weekend’s Washington D.C. Mardi Gras. The celebration ends Sunday, and features the governor, congressmen, and a host of lobbyists and industry leaders. DC Mardi Gras King Ray Brandt says it’s a packed schedule.
cut 7 (09) “…too make”
Tensions have been high at the nation’s capital as Democrats and Republicans have not seen eye-to-eye on many issues, but Brandt says nearly everyone can agree that D-C Mardi Gras is a good time.

Those who know former West Monroe and LSU star Andrew Whitworth will have a good time watching the veteran offensive tackle play in the Super Bowl on Sunday for the first time in his 13-year NFL career. West Monroe Senator Mike Walsworth understands Saints fans are not not rooting for the Rams, but at least root for Whitworth…
cut 16 (06) “….did something wrong”

A new World War Two exhibit opens in Natchitoches today that highlights the struggles and triumphs of 280,000 Louisiana citizens who contributed to America’s victory over the Axis Powers through military service nearly eight decades ago. The display is produced by the World War Two Museum in New Orleans…
Cut 4 (11) “…there.”
That’s Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser who says The Pelican State Goes to War exhibit is a treasure that showcases the lives of Bayou State soldiers, and those on the Homefront who built the engines of war that toppled the Nazis and Japanese.

The WW2 Museum is sending an expeditionary force to Natchitoches to tell the story of Louisiana’s contributions to the Arsenal of Democracy. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

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A host of Louisiana’s most powerful politicians and lobbyists are in DC this week for this year’s Washington Mardi Gras. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

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There may be a lack of interest in seeing the Rams and the Pats in the Super Bowl throughout Louisiana, but some businesses are still throwing a party and watching the Saints play in the big game… from 2010.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (28) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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A new WW2 exhibit is opening in Natchitoches today that highlights the struggles and triumphs of 280,000 Louisiana citizens who contributed to the victory over the Axis Powers through military service nearly eight decades ago. The display is produced by the WW2 Museum in New Orleans, one of the finest museums on earth…

Cut 4 (11) “…there.”

That’s Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser who says The Pelican State Goes to War: Louisiana in World War II is a treasure that showcases the lives of Bayou State soldiers, and those on the Homefront who built the engines of war that toppled the Nazis and Japanese…

Cut 5 (08) “…survivors.”

The showcase will delve into the histories of Flying Tiger Commander Claire Chennault, civil rights leader and 761st Tank Battalion member Richard English, and others.

Nungesser hopes the success of the WW2 Museum’s northern expedition to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches will convince locals to take the trip south to see the rest of the institution’s wonders.

Cut 6 (11) “…to see.”

The exhibit will open with a reception from 5 to 8pm this evening, and a performance by the Victory Belles, a vocal trio that sings classics from the 40s.

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Louisiana movers and shakers are temporarily migrating north for the winter for this year’s Washington Mardi Gras. The celebration started Thursday and ends Sunday, and features the governor, congressmen, and a host of lobbyists and industry leaders. DC Mardi Gras King Ray Brandt says it’s a packed schedule.

Cut 7 (09) “…to make.”

The event is hosted by the Louisiana Congressional Delegation.

Brandt says after several days of wining and dining in DC, thousands of party-goers will descend on the Hilton Saturday night for the indoor parade, led by Captain Steve Scalise.

Cut 8 (08) “…tickets sold.

The event has been in action most years since the 40s.

The get-together comes just before a heated gubernatorial race is set to take shape in Louisiana that sees the only democratic governor in the south fighting to keep his seat in a ruby red state. Brandt hopes leaders will use the gathering to find bi-partisan solutions.

Cut 9 (09) “…them out.″

The Mystick Krewe of Louisianians runs the event.

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Until the conclusion of the NFC Championship, many throughout Louisiana had plans of watching the Black and Gold this Sunday compete in the Big Game.  However, some sports bars and restaurants are going to make sure those plans stay intact by throwing a watch party of Super Bowl 44, where the Saints became NFL Champions. Owner of Tracy’s in New Orleans, Jeffrey Carraras says it’ll be a party without this year’s big game.

Cut 10 (13) “…Super Bowl timeframe.”

Carraras says there will be plenty of activities for Who Dats that may not want to watch any football.

Cut 11 (08) “…next season starts.”

Meanwhile in Lafayette, Fast Eddie, host of the Big Morning Show on Big 102.1 says his station has taken over Smitty’s Wings on Congress Street to watch the encounter between the Saints and the Colts from 2010.  Eddie says they are going to treat it like it’s a live game.

Cut 12 (09) “…a lot of people.”

Fast Eddie says the party has gotten plenty of media attention, so they are predicting a packed house.  He adds if you’ve still got frustrations to take out because of the NFL’s handling of the NFC title game, this party has you covered.

Cut 13 (09) “…a good day.”

Even Governor Edwards has chimed in, saying he doesn’t know of anyone in the entire state interested in watching this year’s big game in Atlanta, adding he’ll likely find something on Netflix this Sunday.

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There are probably not many Saints fans watching the Super Bowl, and even fewer rooting for the Rams, but in North Louisiana that might not be the case as former West Monroe football standout Andrew Whitworth is competing in the big game.  Senator Mike Walsworth says he’s known Whitworth a very long time, and the general vibe of his old stomping grounds is that community is rooting for him this weekend.

Cut 14 (11) “…probably winding down.”

Walsworth says the Rams NFC Championship win at the Superdome is just the latest victory he’s scored in the venue dating back to winning championships in high school and college.

Cut 15 (08) “…think about it.”

Walsworth says it’s easy to not make Whitworth the target of vitriol because he’s given back plenty to the community, has his own foundation in the area, and most importantly, it wasn’t his fault the Saints are not in the Super Bowl.

Cut 16 (06) “…did something wrong.″

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The 19th ranked LSU Basketball team just completed its first undefeated January in nearly 40 years and now they’ll look to start February off on the right note when they host Arkansas on Saturday. The Tigers already brought down the Hogs earlier this season when they beat them in overtime in Fayetteville. Coach Will Wade on the rematch

 cut 17 (20)   “second half” 

The Tigers have won 10 in a row, Wade says his team has a good away about themselves

Cut 18 (20)  it’s fun” 

After losing four straight SEC games, Arkansas has won its last two. Wade says the Razorbacks are an up and coming team…

Cut 19 (20)   “…better at”

The Diocese of Baton Rouge released the names today of 37 clergy members who have been credibly accused of abuse involving children. Bishop Michael Duca says he’s heard some victims share their stories and there are no words to express the depth of their sadness and shame. He imagines today could be a difficult day for victims who never came forward

Cut 12 (12)   “…alone.”
A section of gypsum containment wall in St. James Parish holding back 720 million gallons of acidic and lightly radioactive wastewater is in danger of failing, potentially releasing contaminated water into the nearby Blind River, which feeds Lake Maurepas. The 139 acre, 30-40 foot deep lake of waste is the by-product of a Mosaic fertilizer plant. Department of Environmental Quality Spokesperson Greg Langley.

Cut 8 (07) “that possibility”

Don’t tell Pelicans Coach Alvin Gentry the NBA franchise plays second fiddle to the Saints. A recent report said one reason for Anthony Davis’ trade demands is that the Saints are more of a priority for ownership.  Following Wednesday’s loss to Denver, Gentry stood up for owner Gayle Benson and her late husband, Tom, and what they’ve done for the basketball team…
Cut 6 (11) “…win games”

The loss of excitement in Sunday’s Super Bowl is not just contained to Louisiana.  A national poll shows compared to last year, the number of people intrigued with the big game is down quite significantly.  Pollster Ron Faucheux says the decline in the interest in the NFL has been going on for quite some time on a number of different measurements and says he believes this year’s drop is tied to the NFC Championship mishap.

Cut 4 (05) “…a part in that.″
Half of those polled have zero interest in the game, which is up from 45% last year.

The Diocese of Baton Rouge released the names today of 37 clergy members who have been credibly accused of abuse involving children. Bishop Michael Duca says hopes this will help the abuse victims whose lives were violated and a chance for the diocese to re-establish trust

Cut 11 (10) “the victims”

Baton Rouge is the third diocese to reveal the names of clergy who have been credibly accused of abuse. New Orleans and Houma are the other two.

A section of gypsum containment wall in St. James Parish holding back 720 million gallons of acidic and lightly radioactive wastewater is in danger of failing, potentially releasing contaminated water into the nearby Blind River, which feeds Lake Maurepas.  Department of Environmental Quality Spokesperson Greg Langley.

Cut 10 (08) “…right now”.

The loss of excitement in Sunday’s Super Bowl is not just contained to Louisiana.  A national poll shows compared to last year, the number of people intrigued with the big game is down quite significantly.  Pollster Ron Faucheux says last year, 21% of those polled had a high interest in the game, but this year is a different story.

Cut 3 (08) “…year to another.”

A 16-year-old Houma boy is dead after 74-year-old Lawrence Legnon allegedly ran a stop sign yesterday afternoon on LA 311. Authorities do not know if either of the drivers were intoxicated, and charges have yet to be filed. State Police Trooper Jesse LaGrange says drivers need to exercise caution when approaching stop signs, particularly at dusk or night times.

Cut 15 (09) “…safety.”

The 16-year-old has been identified as Benjamin Chabert.

A survey finds that excitement over this Sunday’s Big Game has dipped.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

A federal judge has denied a request to have the NFC Championship game replayed, a request stemming from a lawsuit filed by a group of New Orleans Saints fans who sued the NFL after the no-call that sent the Rams to the Super Bowl. The suit stemmed from thoughts that an obscure NFL rule could be invoked to replay the game if the contest had been deemed “unfair”.

A section of gypsum containment wall in St. James Parish holding back 720 million gallons of acidic and lightly radioactive wastewater is in danger of failing, potentially releasing contaminated water into the nearby Blind River, which feeds Lake Maurepas. The initial discovery was made by a farmer who grew sugar cane adjacent to the acidic pool of wastewater. A few weeks ago he noted the wall had been creeping outward, and Department of Environmental Quality Spokesperson Greg Langley says further review confirmed that.

Cut 9 (11) “the base″

The 139 acre, 30-40 foot deep lake of waste is the by-product of a Mosaic fertilizer plant.

The Diocese of Baton Rouge released the names today of 37 clergy members who have been credibly accused of abuse involving children. Bishop Michael Duca says the list is not a final piece when it comes to child abuse…

Cut 13 (10) “…from abuse.”

Baton Rouge is the third diocese to reveal the names of those clergy.

The Diocese of Baton Rouge released the names today of 37 clergy members who have been credibly accused of abuse involving children. Bishop Michael Duca says he’s heard some victims share their stories and there are no words to express the depth of their sadness and shame. He imagines today could be a difficult day for victims who never came forward

Cut 12 (12)   “…alone.”

Baton Rouge is the third diocese to reveal the names of clergy who have been credibly accused of abuse. New Orleans and Houma are the other two.

A 16-year-old Houma boy is dead after 74-year-old Lawrence Legnon allegedly ran a stop sign yesterday afternoon on LA 311. Authorities says they do not know if either of the drivers were intoxicated, and charges have yet to be filed in the incident. State Police Trooper Jesse LaGrange says they do not know why Legnon ran the stop sign shortly before the wreck.

Cut 14 (11) “…vehicle.”

The loss of excitement in Sunday’s Super Bowl is not just contained to Louisiana.  A national poll shows compared to last year, the number of people intrigued with the big game is down quite significantly. Half of those polled have zero interest in the game, which is up from 45% last year. Pollster Ron Faucheux says ultimately, this could be a concern to the league if it becomes a concern to advertisers.

Cut 5 (05) “…audience is there.”

Don’t tell Pelicans Coach Alvin Gentry the NBA franchise plays second fiddle to the Saints. A recent report said one reason for Anthony Davis’ trade demands is that the Saints are more of a priority for ownership. Gentry points to the world-class practice facility the Bensons built for the team. He says it really upsets him that people would think the Pelicans are treated like second class citizens…

Cut 7 (08) “…but supportive”

Gentry made the remarks following Wednesday’s loss to Denver.

The Diocese of Baton Rouge released the names today of 37 clergy members who have been credibly accused of abuse involving children. Bishop Michael Duca says hopes this will help the abuse victims whose lives were violated and a chance for the diocese to re-establish trust

Cut 11 (10) “the victims”
A wastewater containment wall in St. James Parish is in danger of failing, and could potentially release  into the Blind River….

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

Don’t tell Pelicans  Coach Alvin Gentry the NBA franchise plays second fiddle to the Saints. A recent report said one reason for Anthony Davis’ trade demands is that the Saints are more of a priority for ownership.  Following Wednesday’s loss to Denver, Gentry stood up for owner Gayle Benson and her late husband, Tom, and what they’ve done for the basketball team…
Cut 6 (11) “…win games”

The loss of excitement in Sunday’s Super Bowl is not just contained to Louisiana.  A national poll shows compared to last year, the number of people intrigued with the big game is down quite significantly.  Pollster Ron Faucheux says the decline in the interest in the NFL has been going on for quite some time on a number of different measurements and says he believes this year’s drop is tied to the NFC Championship mishap.

Cut 4 (05) “…a part in that.″
Half of those polled have zero interest in the game, which is up from 45% last year.

The Baton Rouge Archdiocese has released a list of priests who they feel have been linked to credible allegations of abuse. The 39 names are available on their website, along with the location they served at.

A section of gypsum containment wall in Convent holding back 720 million gallons of acidic and lightly radioactive wastewater is in danger of failing, potentially releasing contaminated water into the nearby Blind River, which feeds Lake Mauraspas. The 139 acre, 30-40 foot deep lake of waste is the by-product of a Mosaic fertilizer plant. Department of Environmental Quality Spokesperson Greg Langley.

Cut 8, 7 seconds, that possibility

The Mississippi River is also visible from the wastewater lake in St. James Parish. The initial discovery was made by a farmer who grew sugar cane adjacent to the acidic pool of wastewater. A few weeks ago he noted the wall had been creeping outward.

It’s not just who-dats who’ve lost interest in the Rams-Pats Super Bowl showdown, excitement over this Sunday’s Big Game has dipped.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

The loss of excitement for Sunday’s Super Bowl is not just contained to the state of Louisiana. A recent national poll shows compared to last year, the number of people intrigued with the big game is down significantly. Pollster Ron Faucheux says last year, 21% of those polled had a high interest in the game, but this year is a different story.
Cut 3 (08) “…year to another.”
And Faucheux says the poll shows that 50-percent of those surveyed have no interest at all, which is up from 45-percent from the year before.

Pelicans Head Coach Alvin Gentry went on a rant last night following his team’s loss to Denver. He’s upset over a report that said one reason for Anthony Davis’ trade demands is that the Saints are more of a priority for ownership. Gentry says that couldn’t be farther from the truth…
cut 7 (07) “…supportive”
Gentry says the Pelicans practice facility is one of the best in the NBA.

A Tulane study raises concerns that scientists are underestimating the rate of sea level rise in low lying coastal zones. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

There are reports LSU and football coach Ed Orgeron are working on a contract extension, but it make take a few weeks to get finalized. The LSU Board of Supervisors’ next meeting is in March and they would have to approve a new deal. Tiger Rag Editor James Moran…
cut 14 (05) “…resistance this”