4:45 LRN Sportscast

The seventh-ranked Lady Tigers look to get back in the win column tonight when they take on 17th-ranked Ole Miss in Oxford at 8 p.m. LSU looks to avenge last year’s loss to Ole Miss on senior night. Cory Diaz of the USA Today Network believes LSU will win the remainder of its regular-season games, and if the Tigers do win out, Diaz says it would likely set up a rematch with South Carolina in the SEC Tournament.

Cut 19 (07) “…of business here.”

The LSU baseball team defeated Nicholls 12-1 in eight innings yesterday to remain unbeaten. Sophomore infielder John Pearson hit a walk-off three-run homer, and junior third baseman Trent Caraway hit a grand slam in the win. Senior right-hander Zac Cowan picked up the win while freshman right-hander Raegan Ricken earned the save.

The UL-Lafayette men’s basketball team looks to avoid its third straight loss tonight as the Cajuns host Arkansas State at 7 p.m.

“The Fighting Tiger,” a documentary released on the SEC Network, highlights legendary gymnastics coach D-D Breaux and how she built LSU’s program from the ground up. The documentary shows how Breaux fought to keep the gymnastics program alive after several athletic directors threatened to cut the program. LSU gymnastics finally started to get the support it needed when Skip Bertman became athletic director in 2001. Breaux says Bertman supported her when no one else did on campus.

Cut 16 (13) “…just that anchor.”

The McNeese women’s basketball team goes for their 16th straight win tonight as the Cowgirls host Texas Rio Grande Valley at 6:30 p.m.

The Lady Techsters will look to win their 13th straight game tonight when they play Jacksonville State in Alabama at 6:30 p.m. Tech came in as a 13-seed in the latest projected field-of-64.

4:30 PM LRN Newscast

It’s still winter but for the next few days, it feels like late Spring. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says temperatures will plummet early Sunday when a cold front arrives. The coldest temperatures will come Tuesday morning.

Cut 11 (08) “…across the state.”

Keim says temperatures will rise again next Wednesday.

King cake season is over; seafood season is here. Samantha Carroll, the executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, says Lent is always a big time for the state’s seafood industry.

Cut 11 (10) “…and enjoying seafood.”

A new Senate poll could spell big problems for Bill Cassidy. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A Republican state representative has filed a trio of bills targeting carbon capture. The lead measure Pineville Representative Mike Johnson has filed is the Louisiana Landowners Protection Act, which would eliminate eminent domain for carbon capture projects. Johnson notes that eminent domain is an important tool for “public necessary purposes.”

Cut 6 (09) “…for that use.”

3:30 PM LRN Newscast

A Benton couple is facing charges for allegedly defrauding Medicaid and the SNAP program. The Attorney General’s office says Krystle Garcia and Cody Simmons defrauded the two programs for more than $126,000. The Louisiana Bureau of Investigations says Garcia underreported her income and failed to disclose that she was married to Simmons so she could qualify for the programs. She allegedly falsely told LDH that she lived with her children only. Investigators say Simmons participated in the fraud.

If you think your fellow Louisianan is a bad driver, statistics show you may be right. Using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the group Consumer Affairs ranks Louisiana as one of the worst states in the nation for fatal crashes. Spokesperson Dayna Edens says there are several contributing factors.

Cut 16 (08) “…under the influence.”

Louisianans will get a taste of both winter and spring over the next few days. Andre Champagne has the story.

Cut 2 (27) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

A new Senate poll shows a very competitive Senate primary. The poll commissioned by the John Fleming campaign and conducted by JMC Analytics and Polling shows Fleming leading Julia Letlow and Bill Cassidy in a three-way race. Pollster John Couvillon says Fleming’s key to success has been his ability to consolidate Blake Miguez’s support after he exited the race in favor of a run for the fifth congressional district house seat.

Cut 4 (07) “…support and has.”

2:30 PM LRN Newscast

A new Senate poll shows could spell big trouble for the incumbent. The poll commissioned by the John Fleming campaign and conducted by JMC Analytics and Polling shows Fleming leading Julia Letlow and Bill Cassidy in a three-way race and Pollster John Couvillon says Cassidy has failed to move the needle in recent polls.

Cut 5 (13) “…the June runoff.”

Pineville Representative Mike Johnson has filed the Louisiana Landowners Protection Act, which would eliminate eminent domain for carbon capture projects. Johnson says while he has no reason to believe any private companies are looking to take private property through eminent domain for carbon capture projects, he wants to prevent that from becoming an option to them.

Cut 8 (06) “…available to them.”

Louisiana weather continues to prove its unpredictability this week. Even though it’s still winter, it will feel like late spring in the next few days. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says the state could see record-high temps from now through Saturday.

Cut 9 (13)  “…in the 70s.”

“The Fighting Tiger,” a documentary released on the SEC Network, highlights legendary gymnastics coach D-D Breaux and how she built LSU’s program from the ground up and fought to keep it alive after several athletic directors threatened to cut the program. She once wrote a letter to then LSU Athletic Director Joe Dean, requesting better resources. Breaux says she will never forget the assistant athletic director’s response.

Cut 15 (13) “…you’re walking out.”

LSU gymnastics finally got support when Skip Bertman became athletic director in 2001.

1:30 PM LRN Newscast

A bill aimed at protecting property owners from eminent domain property seizure for carbon capture projects has been filed. Pineville Representative Mike Johnson filed the Louisiana Landowners Protection Act.

Cut 7 (11) “…projects are that.”

He says he has no reason to believe that any private companies are currently looking to take private property.

It may be February, but it feels like late Spring and LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says the state could see record-high temps from now through Saturday, but he says temperatures across Louisiana will plummet early Sunday when a cold front arrives.

Cut 10 (13) “…in the 60s.”

Keim says temperatures will rise again next Wednesday.

A new Senate poll could spell big problems for Incumbent Bill Cassidy. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The I-10 merge just past the Mississippi River coming into Baton Rouge is infamous across the country but it may be getting better.  The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development are in the process of permanently closing the Washington Street exit which they say will create a safer merger for eastbound traffic. Work is expected to be wrapped up Sunday, and the ramp will be fully removed.

LRN PM Newscall February 19

A new Senate poll could spell big problems for Bill Cassidy. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

____________________________________________

Louisianans will get a taste of both winter and spring over the next few days. Andre Champagne has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

____________________________________________

A new Senate poll shows a very competitive Senate primary and could spell big trouble for the incumbent. The poll commissioned by the John Fleming campaign and conducted by JMC Analytics and Polling shows Fleming leading Julia Letlow and Bill Cassidy in a three-way race. Among 645 likely Republican voters, it shows Fleming with 26-percent support, Letlow with 25-percent and Cassidy with 22-percent. Pollster John Couvillon says in head-to-head matchups, Fleming leads both.

Cut 3 (11) “…margin of error.”

Couvillon says Fleming’s key to success has been being able to consolidate Blake Miguez’s support after he exited the race in favor of a run in the fifth congressional district.

Cut 4 (07) “…support and has.”

Couvillon says Cassidy has failed to move the needle in recent polls, and that’s going to spell big trouble for him as the campaign moves forward.

Cut 5 (13) “…the June runoff.”

_____________________________________________________

A Republican state representative has filed a trio of bills targeting carbon capture. The lead measure Pineville Representative Mike Johnson has filed is the Louisiana Landowners Protection Act, which would eliminate eminent domain for carbon capture projects. Johnson notes that eminent domain is an important tool for “public necessary purposes.”

Cut 6 (09) “…for that use.”

Johnson says the no private business should ever force any private landowner into court in an effort to take his or her property for something that is not in the greater public’s interest.

Cut 7 (11) “…projects are that.”

Johnson says while he has no reason to believe any private companies are looking to take private property through eminent domain for carbon capture projects, he wants to prevent that from becoming an option to them.

Cut 8 (06) “…available to them.”

Industry leaders say if Johnson’s bill passes, the oil and gas industry may look to neighboring states like Texas, putting a dent in Louisiana’s economy.

________________________________________________

Louisiana weather continues to prove its unpredictability this week. Even though it’s still winter, it will feel like late spring in the next few days. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says the state could see record-high temps from now through Saturday.

Cut 9 (13)  “…in the 70s.”

Keim says temperatures across Louisiana will plummet early Sunday when a cold front arrives.

Cut 10 (13) “…in the 60s.”

Keim says chilly conditions are expected to be the worst next Tuesday morning.

Cut 11 (08) “…across the state.”

Keim says temperatures will rise again next Wednesday.

 

12:30 LRN Newscast

A new Senate poll shows a tight race and could spell big trouble for the incumbent. The poll commissioned by the John Fleming campaign and conducted by JMC Analytics and Polling shows Fleming with a slight lead over Julia Letlow and Bill Cassidy – 26 to 25 to 22-percent, respectively. Pollster John Couvillon says in head-to-head matchups, Fleming leads both.

Cut 3 (11) “…margin of error.”

A Republican state representative has filed a trio of bills targeting carbon capture. The lead measure by Pineville Representative Mike Johnson would eliminate eminent domain for carbon capture projects. Johnson notes that eminent domain is an important tool for “public necessary purposes.”

Cut 6 (09) “…for that use.”

Louisianans will get a taste of both winter and spring over the next few days. Andre Champagne has the story.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

President Trump approves Governor Landry’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration for North Louisiana, as it works to recover from Winter Storm Fern. The declaration covers nine parishes, and it makes them eligible for debris removal assistance and emergency protective measures. Local governments have 30 days to apply for public assistance.

11:40 LRN Sportscast

The seventh-ranked Lady Tigers look to get back in the win column tonight when they take on 17th-ranked Ole Miss in Oxford at 8 p.m. LSU looks to avenge last year’s loss to Ole Miss on senior night, and Cory Diaz of the USA Today Network could see it coming down to the wire.

Cut 18 (14)  “…Oxford Thursday night.”

Last night, the Louisiana Tech men’s basketball team defeated Jacksonville State, 77-71 to improve to 15-11 on the year. Junior DJ Dudley led the Bulldogs in scoring with 22 points. Sophomore guard AJ Bates had one of the best games in his career last night after scoring 13 points and dishing out 15 assists.

The LSU baseball team remained undefeated after defeating Nicholls 12-1 in 8 innings yesterday. Junior third baseman Trent Caraway hit a grand slam in the first inning, and senior right-hander Zac Cowan was credited with the win.

“The Fighting Tiger,” a documentary released on the SEC Network, highlights legendary gymnastics coach D-D Breaux and how she built LSU’s program from the ground up. The documentary shows how Breaux fought to keep the gymnastics program alive after several athletic directors threatened to cut the program. One of the most dramatic moments in the film comes when Breaux wrote a letter to LSU Athletic Director Joe Dean, requesting better resources to work with. Breaux says she will never forget the assistant athletic director’s response.

Cut 15 (13) “…you’re walking out.”

McNeese State baseball defeated Louisiana Tech, 8-3, last night to improve to 2-2. The Cowboys will host Kansas this weekend and Tech will be in Tennessee to play Memphis and Ohio State.

11:30 LRN Newscast

A former mayor of New Orleans is remembering a civil rights giant who died this week. Dr. Norman C. Francis passed away yesterday at the age of 94. Former Mayor Mitch Landrieu says right from the outset of his nearly half-century tenure as president of Xavier University, his actions were transformative in the fight for civil rights in the South in the 1960s.

Cut 9 (07)  “…invited them in.”

A new documentary on the SEC Network spotlights legendary LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux and how she built the program from the ground up. Breaux says the athletics department was not always on her side, but it finally gave her the support she needed when Skip Bertman took over the department in 2001.

Cut 16 (13) “…just that anchor.”

A 16-year-old is facing an attempted second-degree murder charge for allegedly shooting a 14-year-old along a Lake Charles Mardi Gras parade route Tuesday night. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Now that Mardi Gras is over, what do you do with all those beads that you collected this year? Whatever you do, don’t throw them away! Lafayette is among the communities offering bead recycling programs. In Lafayette, you can drop your beads off at a collection box. They’re then cleaned, sanitized and packaged for resale.

10:30 LRN Newscast

Of the four challengers House Speaker Mike Johnson drew in his Fourth District re-election bid, two are Democrats. Conrad Cable is a farmer from, appropriately, Farmerville; while Matt Gromlich (GROM-lick) is a long-time teacher from Greenwood. Despite their differing backgrounds, much of their messaging is the same. Cable says this country is on fire, and Johnson is largely to blame.

Cut 6 (13) “…of the way.”

Gromlich accuses Johnson of prioritizing Republican donors and special interests and ignoring the people of the Fourth District who he represents.

Cut 7 (12) “…he leaves again.”

Whoever wins the nomination will have an uphill climb in November – the district is rated as one of the most heavily Republican districts in the country.

Chaos at a Mardi Gras parade in Lake Charles on Fat Tuesday, as a 16-year-old is arrested for allegedly shooting and wounding another teen, and another 12 were arrested for disorderly conduct. Sheriff Stitch Guillory says holding parades on the night of Fat Tuesday may no longer be a good idea.

Cut 13 (12)  “…to look at ”

“The Fighting Tiger,” a documentary released on the SEC Network, highlights legendary LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux and how she built the program from the ground up. It spotlights Breaux’s passion for gymnastics, which dates all the way back to when she received a balance beam for Christmas as a kid.

Cut 14 (14) “…I’ve ever had.”