4:30 LRN Newscast

LSU Police are looking for whoever stole dozens of gymnastics championship rings. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Facebook parent company Meta is planning to build a five-billion-dollar artificial data center near Monroe in Richland Parish. The facility would employ as many as 500 people with an average salary of 82-thousand dollars. Campbell says northeast Louisiana is one of the poorest areas in the country…

Cut 7 (12) “…about it.”

While Congressman Garret Graves was considered for Transportation Secretary, the role went to Sean Duffy. Graves criticized the Biden administration’s energy policies, particularly the lack of new energy production areas, which he claims disproportionately impacts Louisiana. He anticipates that Trump will open areas like the Gulf of Mexico for production.

Cut 10 (11) “…begin future production.”

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill by Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy to rename the U.S. Postal Service facility in Rayville, as the “Luke Letlow Post Office Building.” Cassidy says the legislation honors Luke Letlow, a Louisiana native, elected in 2020 to represent the state’s 5th Congressional District, who died of COVID-19 complications five days before taking office.

Cut 12 (11) “…fellow Americans.”

3:30 LRN Newscast

Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is planning to build a five-billion dollar artificial data center near Holly Ridge in Richland Parish. This could result in as many as 500 well-paying jobs. For the project to become a reality, the Public Service Commission will have to approve three natural gas power plants, which would provide power to the facility. P-S-C Member Foster Campbell says he’ll do what he can to make sure the project becomes a reality, because northeast Louisiana needs the jobs.

Cut 8 (08) “…in poverty.”

The Louisiana Workforce Commission says the state added 77-hundred jobs in October. L-W-C Economist Emily DiPalma says construction, private education and health services and manufacturing showed the largest gains over the month and Dipalma expects those industries to keep adding jobs…

Cut 15  (06) “….ten year outlook”

The Houma market added 500 jobs over the last month, 300 additional jobs for Lafayette and Shreveport, but Monroe lost 200 jobs.

Baton Rouge Congressman Garrett Graves has only about six weeks left in office. But he has an idea of what the Trump administration will do once President-elect Donald Trump takes office…

Cut 10 (11) “…future production”

Graves says he’s talked with Trump’s transition team about joining the administration, but nothing was finalized.

LSU Police are looking for whoever stole approximately 40 championship rings from legendary gymnastics coach D-D Breaux’s on campus office. Breaux retired as coach in 2020 and still works for the university in an ambassador role. Breaux is praying they turn up…

Cut 3 (09) “…of this case.”

Breaux says whoever stole the rings was apparently only after the rings, because nothing else was taken.

2:30 LRN Newscast

About 40 championship rings have been stolen from legendary LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux’s office, and university police are actively searching for them. Breaux says the rings that were stolen dated as far back as the 1980s.

Cut 5 (09) “…in that case.”

Breaux retired as coach in 2020 and still works for the university in an ambassador role.

While Congressman Garret Graves was considered for Transportation Secretary, the role went to Sean Duffy. Graves expressed support for Duffy and their collaboration. He highlighted President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet selections as a sign of significant change.

Cut 9 (09)  “…us from Mexico.”

Graves conveyed optimism about Trump’s leadership and his dedication to Louisiana’s interests.

Facebook parent Meta is planning to build a 5-billion dollar artificial intelligence center near Monroe. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

Luke Letlow will be immortalized with a post office in Rayville bearing his name. Letlow died of COVID at the end of 2020, just five days before he was to be sworn into the House of Representatives. Senator Bill Cassidy says Letlow’s story shows the impact COVID had on our state…

Cut 13 (11)  “…with that I yield.”

LRN PM Newscall November 20

LSU Police are looking for whoever stole dozens of gymnastics championship rings. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

______________________________________

Facebook parent Meta is planning to build a 5-billion dollar artificial intelligence center near Monroe. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

LSU Police are looking for whoever stole approximately 40 championship rings from legendary gymnastics coach D-D Breaux’s. Breaux retired as coach in 2020 and still works for the university in an ambassador role. She says she normally keeps her door locked when she leaves for the day; but one day earlier this month, she didn’t. She says she first realized that something was amiss when a news article she kept on top of the case of rings was moved.

Cut 3 (09) “…of this case.”

Breaux says whoever stole the rings was apparently only after the rings and nothing else.

Cut 4 (14) “…took my rings.”

Breaux says the rings that were stolen dated as far back as the 1980s and were for individual events. She says she still has the team championship rings she won.

Cut 5 (09) “…in that case.”

The value of each ring stolen is believed to be more than three-thousand dollars. So far, university police have no suspects.

______________________________________

Facebook parent company Meta is planning to build a five-billion-dollar artificial intelligence data center near Monroe in Richland Parish. Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says this would be huge…

Cut 6 (06) “…comes true.”

The facility would employ as many as 500 people with an average salary of 82-thousand dollars. Campbell says northeast Louisiana is one of the poorest areas in the country…

Cut 7 (12) “…about it.”

Campbell sits on the Public Service Commission. The P-S-C will have to approve the construction of three new natural gas power plants that would supply power to the A-I facility. Campbell says he’ll do what he can to make sure the project becomes a reality, because northeast Louisiana needs the jobs.

Cut 8 (08) “…in poverty.”

______________________________________

While Congressman Garret Graves was considered for Transportation Secretary, the role went to Sean Duffy. Graves expressed support for Duffy and their collaboration. He highlighted Trump’s cabinet selections as a sign of significant change, emphasizing the administration’s focus on inflation, infrastructure, energy, and stressed addressing illegal immigration.

Cut 9 (09)  “…us from Mexico.”

Graves criticized the Biden administration’s energy policies, particularly the lack of new energy production areas, which he claims disproportionately impacts Louisiana. He anticipates that Trump will open areas like the Gulf of Mexico for production.

Cut 10 (11) “…begin future production.”

Graves conveyed optimism about Trump’s leadership and his dedication to Louisiana’s interests, particularly in energy policy and economic growth.

Cut 11 (09) “…gonna make change.”

______________________________________

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill by Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy to rename the U.S. Postal Service facility in Rayville, as the “Luke Letlow Post Office Building.” Cassidy says the legislation honors Luke Letlow, a Louisiana native, elected in 2020 to represent the state’s 5th Congressional District, who died of COVID-19 complications five days before taking office.

Cut 12 (11) “…fellow Americans.”

Cassidy praised Letlow’s dedication to improving lives in Louisiana, and Letlow’s story shows the impact  COVID had on our state…

Cut 13 (11)  “…with that I yield.”

1:30 LRN Newscast

LSU Police are looking for whoever stole approximately 40 championship rings from legendary gymnastics coach D-D Breaux’s. Breaux retired as coach in 2020 and still works for the university in an ambassador role. Breaux says whoever stole the rings was apparently only after the rings and nothing else.

Cut 4 (14) “…took my rings.”

Facebook parent company Meta is planning to build a five-billion-dollar artificial data center near Monroe in Richland Parish. Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says this would be huge…

Cut 6 (06) “…comes true.”

While Congressman Garret Graves was considered for Transportation Secretary, the role went to Sean Duffy.  Graves conveyed optimism about Trump’s leadership and his dedication to Louisiana’s interests, particularly in energy policy and economic growth.

Cut 11 (09) “…gonna make change.”

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill by Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy to rename the U.S. Postal Service facility in Rayville, as the “Luke Letlow Post Office Building.” Cassidy says the legislation honors Luke Letlow, a Louisiana native, elected in 2020 to represent the state’s 5th Congressional District, who died of COVID-19 complications five days before taking office.

Cut 12 (11) “…fellow Americans.”

12:30 LRN Newscast

Facebook parent company Meta is planning to build a five-billion-dollar artificial intelligence data center near Monroe in Richland Parish. The facility would employ as many as 500 people with an average salary of 82-thousand dollars. Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says northeast Louisiana is one of the poorest areas in the country…

Cut 7 (12) “…about it.”

Congressman Garret Graves says President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet selections are a sign of significant change, particularly in energy policy. Graves anticipates that Trump will open areas like the Gulf of Mexico for production.

Cut 10 (11) “…begin future production.”

LSU Police are looking for whoever stole approximately 40 championship rings from legendary gymnastics coach D-D Breaux’s offic. Breaux retired as coach in 2020 and still works for the university in an ambassador role. She says she normally keeps her door locked when she leaves for the day; but one day earlier this month, she didn’t. She says she first realized that something was amiss when a news article she kept on top of the case of rings was moved.

Cut 3 (09) “…of this case.” 

The value of each ring stolen is believed to be more than three-thousand dollars. So far, police have no suspects.

And now, a look at today’s commodities.

11:30 LRN Newscast

Time is running out on the special session on tax reform. The biggest sticking point involves sales taxes, with House members now considering just adding 19 services to the sales tax base instead of the 41 originally proposed by Governor Landry. LaPolitics publisher Jeremy Alford says it looks like lawmakers are making some headway.

Cut 23 (11) “…initially brought up.”

Alford says if the House can’t agree on a sales tax plan, the entire tax reform plan could be in jeopardy.

While Congressman Garret Graves was considered for Transportation Secretary, the role went to Sean Duffy. Graves expressed support for Duffy and their collaboration. He highlighted Trump’s cabinet selections as a sign of significant change.

Cut 9 (09)  “…us from Mexico.”

Researchers at Tulane University are working on a nasal vaccine aimed at curbing the spread of whooping cough. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Luke Letlow will be immortalized with a post office in Rayville bearing his name. Letlow was elected to represent Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District in 2020 but died of COVID just five days before he was to be sworn in. The designation passed the Senate last night and now awaits a signature from President Biden to make it official.

10:30 LRN Newscast

Facebook parent company Meta is planning to build a five-billion-dollar artificial intelligence data center near Monroe in Richland Parish. Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says this would be huge…

Cut 6 (06) “…comes true.”

The facility would employ as many as 500 people with an average salary of 82-thousand dollars.

Tulane University researchers are working on a nasal vaccine aimed at reducing the spread of whooping cough. Lead study author Lisa Morici (mo-REE-see) says while current vaccines are effective at preventing whooping cough, they fail to clear the bacteria from the upper respiratory tract, allowing even vaccinated people to spread the disease. The vaccine she and her team are working on aims to address this.

Cut 15 (10) “…from the animals.”

Morici’s study is published in the journal npj Vaccines.

Louisiana Workforce Commission showed sustained growth, with seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs reaching 1.9 million in October 2024. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

We now know the names of the two young men shot and killed during a second line parade in New Orleans on Sunday. They were 21-year-old Rasean Carter and 19-year-old Malachi Jackson. They were killed in the second of two separate shootings at the Nine Times second line. New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick says the two shootings were unrelated.

9:30 LRN Newscast

In the special session on tax reform, lawmakers have a long way to go, and a short time to get there. Part of Governor Landry’s plan involved ending tax breaks on certain sectors, like the state’s film industry. The film industry has vehemently pushed back on that, and LaPolitics publisher Jeremy Alford says that seems to have struck a chord with those in the State Senate.

Cut 12 (07) “…in the industry.”

The special session must end by six p-m Monday.

Senator Bill Cassidy will serve as chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee during the 119th Congress. Cassidy addressed Health Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose controversial views on public health topics like fluoride in drinking water have sparked significant debate.

Cut 5 (13) “…it is safe.” 

Tulane University researchers are working on a vaccine aimed at reducing the spread of whooping cough. Lead study author Lisa Morici (mo-REE-see) says this is a nasal vaccine.

Cut 14 (14) “…a needle delivery.”

Morici says the new vaccine combines the traditional pertussis antigens with an innovative adjuvant that boosts the body’s immune response, specifically in the respiratory tract. Morici’s study is published in the journal npj Vaccines.

A massive AI data center could be coming to North Louisiana. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and others, is planning the five-billion-dollar project in Richland Parish near Monroe, and it would create as many as 500 jobs with an average salary of 82-thousand dollars. If approved, the data center could be up and running in about three years.

8:30 LRN Newscast

The tax reform special session continues today, but not much activity is expected in public view. That’s because the Louisiana Senate is gearing up to vote on several tax bills tomorrow and that includes proposal to lower the state’s income tax to a flat three percent. The income tax cut would mean an estimated one-point-three billion dollar loss in state revenues. Lapolitics dot com publisher Jeremy Alford says lawmakers need to make up that loss with increased sales taxes or else a tax reform plan will not pass…

Cut 11 (050 “…to carry forward”

The special session must end by 6 PM Monday.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission says the state added 77-hundred jobs in the month of October. L-W-C economist Emily Dipalma says 44-percent of those new jobs are in the construction sector…

Cut 8  (12) “…in that sector”

President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Robert F Kennedy as the next Secretary for Health and Human Services. Kennedy is a known a vaccine skeptic. In the next Congress, Bill Cassidy will serve as chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.  Cassidy, who is a  doctor, is expected to play a critical role in shaping healthcare reforms, addressing workforce challenges, and overseeing educational initiatives. His leadership could influence debates on contentious issues such as vaccine mandates.

Cut 6 (13) “…on anything else.”

President-elect Trump has taped WWE co-founder Linda McMahon has the next Secretary of Education. There was a push for Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley to get this job.