One of the objectives of new LSU system president Dr. Wade Rousse is to make the university system more accessible to more students. One way he’s working to accomplish this is by creating a more connected system through its regional campuses.

Cut 3 (13) “…very, very happy.”

Those regional campuses also provide a good starting point for college students.

Louisiana Community and Technical College System President Richard Nelson has laid out a plan designed to meet Louisiana’s growing workforce needs. Nelson says one of the initiatives is to provide more transparency to prospective students on the types of jobs they can get with an associate’s degree by visiting their website…

Cut 29 (11) “…an hour.”

A week from Tuesday there will be a celebration of life ceremony for legendary LSU baseball coach and athletics director Skip Bertman that will be open to the public at the PMAC at 7 PM.  Former LSU star Ryan Theriot says Bertman’s influence on him went far beyond the baseball diamond, including his eight-year Major League career that included two World Series titles.

Cut 5 (11) “…that you’re running.”

For the first time in more than a decade the LHSAA will hold Cheer and Dance team state championships.  Louisiana High School Coaches Association Director Jessica Barber says they are giving cheer and dance teams a chance to compete on a championship stage…

Cut 6 (09) “…to do.”

The 2026 Louisiana High School Cheer and Dance Championships will take place November 30^th and December 1^st in Lake Charles.

In the last academic year, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System awarded nearly 53-thousand credentials to 41-thousand completers with nearly 20-thousand graduates entering high-demand occupations. LCTC President Richard Nelson, who has been on the job for the less than a year, says one of his priorities is to align programs with Louisiana’s workforce needs…

Cut 10 (12) “…they need.”

Ten years after median barriers trapped flood waters on I-12, contributing to the massive flooding in Livingston Parish, DOTD will soon begin work to retrofit those barriers. Brooke Goodrich with DOTD says the 6.4-million-dollar project will involve modifying sections of the existing concrete barrier system.

Cut 14 (12) “…a federal roadway.”

Denham Springs and Walker filed suit against the state for the faulty design of the median barriers and part of that settlement will pay for retrofitting the barriers.

Entergy Vice President of Business Operations Laura Beauchamp says Meta’s Richland Parish investment will be felt across the Bayou state….

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick”

It was a brutally hot weekend. The high temperature in Monroe and Shreveport yesterday got up to 102-degrees. Unfortunately the Climate Predication Center says rain chances will be below normal and temperatures will be above normal into next week.

LSU is holding a celebration of life for Skip Bertman a week from tomorrow at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. It starts at seven p-m; doors open at six. Dan Canevari, who served on Bertman’s coaching staff at LSU after playing for him at Miami when he was their pitching coach, says Bertman was much more than a coach; he was a mentor.

Cut 7 (10) “…a better worker.”

The public event will be preceded by a private ceremony for family and former players, coaches and staffers.

Louisiana Community and Technical College System President Richard Nelson lays out a plan designed to boost enrollment. Nelson says it includes providing students with strong advising, childcare, transportation and ways to reduce student debt.

Cut 9 (11)  “…all these gaps.”

State Police are investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting in Lake Charles from over the weekend. State Police say officers from the Lake Charles Police Department responded to a home late Saturday night and negotiated with a man barricaded inside. During negotiations, they say 28-year-old Khylin Stevens showed a gun, and that’s when an officer shot Stevens, who died at a hospital. No officers were hurt during the incident.

Entergy says Meta’s Richland Parish data center will help fund improvements to its power grid statewide.  It’s building 10 new power plants funded by Meta – six near the Richland Parish facility and four in St. Charles and Pointe Coupee parishes. V-P of Business Operations Laura Beauchamp says the project could actually save customers billions of dollars over the next 20 years.

Cut 12 (12) “…because of Meta.”

Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges president Richard Nelson has a plan to expand opportunities for students seeking an associate’s degree to meet Louisiana’s growing workforce needs. Jeanne Burns has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

LSU will host a Celebration of Life Ceremony for legendary Tigers baseball coach Skip Bertman August 25^th at 7 p.m. in the PMAC. The memorial is open to the public, and doors open at 6 p.m. Family, former players and coaching staff will hold a private service before the event.

Entergy VP of Business Operations Laura Beauchamp says Louisiana construction job opportunities are nearing their peak with massive projects across the state like Meta’s Richland Parish data center, which also includes 10 new power plants. She says nearly all of Entergy’s work is done by Louisiana contractors, and they’ve asked Meta to make that a priority as well.

Cut 13 (13)  “…local families.”

Ten years after median barriers trapped flood waters on I-12, stranding drivers for hours, DOTD will soon begin work to retrofit those barriers. Brooke Goodrich with DOTD says the 6.4-million-dollar project will involve modifying sections of the existing concrete barrier system.

Cut 14 (12) “…a federal roadway.”

There are concerns Meta’s AI data center will cause electricity bills to rise. To power the data center, Entergy is building 10 new power plants funded by Meta. Entergy Vice President of Business Operations Laura Beauchamp says the project could save customers billions of dollars over the next 20 years.

Cut 12 (12) “…because of Meta.”

Louisiana Community and Technical College System President Richard Nelson has laid out a plan designed to meet Louisiana’s growing workforce needs. Nelson says one of the initiatives is to provide more transparency to prospective students on the types of jobs they can get with an associate’s degree by visiting their website…

Cut 8 (11) “…an hour.”

Funeral services have been announced for legendary LSU baseball coach and athletic director Skip Bertman. There will be a celebration of Life Ceremony on August 25^th at 7 PM at the PMAC that will be open to the public. Dan Canevari, who served on Bertman’s coaching staff at LSU, says Bertman was an incredible influence on so many people

Cut 6 (08) “…I’ve ever known.”

The Saints lost their preseason opener to Jacksonville on Saturday 24-20, but 27-year-old Zach Wilson made a case that he should be the backup quarterback to Tyler Shough. The former number overall two pick, who is entering his sixth season, threw for 145 yards and a touchdown…

Cut 19 (13) “…happens, happens.”

Entergy Vice President of Business Operations Laura Beauchamp says Meta’s Richland Parish investment will be felt across the Bayou state.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

The Louisiana Department of Health says eleven people have now died as a result of heat related illness. That’s up from the eight deaths they reported last week.

LSU is planning to hold a celebration of life ceremony for Skip Bertman, a week from Tuesday at 7 PM at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The public is invited to attend.  The former LSU head baseball coach and athletic director passed away Friday at the age of 88. Ryan Theriot, who won a College World Series title while playing for Bertman in 2000, says the hard work that Bertman did in building the LSU baseball program rubbed off on the entire Baton Rouge community.

Cut 4 (09) “…baseball for us.”

The Louisiana Department of Transportation will soon begin work retrofitting the median barriers on I-12 in East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes. DOTD spokesperson Brooke Goodrich says the barriers will be modified to allow water to flow through them, which was an issue in the Great Flood of 2016…

Cut 15 (10) “….sections of those”

Remembrances continue to pour in for legendary LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman, who passed away Friday morning at the age of 88. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A 17-year-old from Belle Chasse died over the weekend after falling while walking down the stairs inside the abandoned Plaza Tower in downtown New Orleans. New Orleans Police say a group of teens that were intoxicated gained entry into the long abandoned and falling apart Plaza Tower and one of them fell to their death.

Construction continues on Meta’s 50-billion dollar AI data center in Richland Parish, aiming to be fulling operational by 2030. Entergy Vice President of Business Operations Laura Beauchamp says the tech giant’s investment is already paying off locally….

Cut 11 (13) “…in Monroe”

ULM’s construction management enrollment has increased 37-percent.

The state Department of transportation has announced that work will soon begin to retrofit the I-12 median barriers in East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes. It’s to allow water to flow over the interstate. The median contributed to the flooding in Livingston during the Great Flood of 2016. DOTD spokesperson Brooke Goodrich says the work will not be done during daytime hours…

Cut 16 (13) “…of the day”

This could be the hottest weekend of the summer in Louisiana. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says an area of high pressure in the Gulf of Mexico will drive up temperatures and humidity levels.

Cut 9 (08)  “…the next week.”

Louisiana’s new N-I-L and athlete agents website is live. It provides information for athletes, families, schools and agents on the state’s new NIL and athlete agents laws. Attorney General Liz Murrill says Act 895 requires agents to register with the state.

Cut 12 (12) “…integrity and character.”

Agents in existing representation agreements were required to register by August 1.

———————

Legendary LSU baseball coach and Athletic Director Skip Bertman is being remember after he passed away early yesterday morning. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (40) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Guilbeau says Bertman had the Midas touch as Athletic Director from 2001 to 2008, revolutionizing LSU athletics fundraising and ticket sales.

LSU legend Skip Bertman passed away early this morning at the age of 88. Bertman led LSU Baseball to five College World Series titles and 11 trips to Omaha and hired four national championship-winning coaches as Athletic Director. Former LSU pitcher Ben McDonald says Bertman transformed LSU into the greatest baseball program in the country.

Cut 3 (10) “…game of baseball.”

Louisiana’s new N-I-L and athlete agents website is live. Attorney General Liz Murrill says the new law extended existing athlete agent oversight to N-I-L agents and gave student-athletes the power to sue agents for damages, attorney fees and other compensation.

Cut 13 (08) …interests at heart.”

———————–

The Louisiana Public Service Commission heard from several citizens this week concerned their energy bills will go up as a result of Meta’s 50-billion dollar AI data center in Richland Parish. Governor Jeff Landry was a guest on WRKF’s Talk Louisiana and says Meta is paying for its own power use, and pointed out that the data center is part of the biggest construction boom the state has ever seen, and says the jobs they’re creating are here to stay…

Cut 16 (12) “…coming to Louisiana”

Louisiana could be facing its hottest weekend of the summer right now.  LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says an area of high pressure is driving up humidity and the temperatures, leading to outrageous heat indices which will linger for days.

Cut 10 (09) “…110 and 115.”

Legendary LSU baseball coach and Athletic Director Skip Bertman is being remember after he passed away early yesterday morning. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (40) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Guilbeau says Bertman had the Midas touch as Athletic Director from 2001 to 2008, revolutionizing LSU athletics fundraising and ticket sales.

———————-

Louisiana’s new N-I-L and athlete agents website is live. It provides information for athletes, families, schools and agents on the state’s new NIL and athlete agents laws. Attorney General Liz Murrill says Act 895 requires agents to register with the state.

Cut 12 (12) “…integrity and character.”

Agents in existing representation agreements were required to register by August 1.

This could be the hottest weekend of the summer in Louisiana. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says an area of high pressure in the Gulf of Mexico will drive up temperatures and humidity levels.

Cut 9 (08)  “…the next week.”