LRN AM Newscall December 9

Impeachment proceedings continue this morning in House Judiciary where members will review articles of impeachment drawn up over the weekend…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

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Work on widening and improving portions of I-12 is scheduled to begin before the end of the year. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

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The LSU Board of Supervisors is concerned a new ACT policy may be discriminating against students from lower income households. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (30) “ I’m Matt Doyle.”

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The House Judiciary Committee meets again this morning to review articles of impeachment drafted this weekend by Democrats. Impeachment proceedings are beginning to move quickly, and Judiciary Committee member and Benton Congressman Mike Johnson says we could see a resolution soon.

Cut 4 (08) “…week”

The articles are being drawn up in response to the President’s alleged effort to pressure Ukraine into investigating political rivals using Congressionally appropriated military aid.

Johnson says Republicans are being kept out of the loop on what to expect today, so no one is really sure how Democrats will approach crafting the articles.

Cut 5 (04) “…develops”

New Orleans Democratic Congressman Cedric Richmond also sits on the committee.

Johnson, a Republican, says the new sense of urgency from Democrats leading the impeachment charge is thanks to a political clock that is starting to rapidly tick down…

Cut 6 (07) “…comming up”

Several Democratic primary contenders are either Senators or Representatives, and a protracted impeachment process could pull them off the campaign trail.

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Work to widen and improve I-12 between US 190 and LA 59 begins in the upcoming weeks. The first phase is being handled by James Construction Group and is estimated to cost $55 million.  DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says the project has been in the works for a while.

Cut 7 (10) “…potential rear ends.”

A second phase will cost about $38 million.  Wilson says while funding for the initial two phases is coming from both St. Tammany Parish and the state, much of the funding is federal grant money.

Cut 8 (12) “…competitive and successful.”

DOTD is also preparing for the third phase of improvements between LA 1077 and LA 21.

Wilson says the DOTD is asking motorists to be patient as they are traveling through the upcoming construction zones.

Cut 9 (07) “…pinch in traffic.”
Wilson anticipates construction to take about two years for all phases to be completed.

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LSU is in the college football playoff for the first time ever. The Tigers are the number one seed and they’ll play Oklahoma in a national semifinal game in Atlanta on December 28. LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says getting into the playoff is an accomplishment, but it’s not the final destination

Cut 10 (10) “takes us”

The winner between the Tigers and Sooners, will face the winner between Ohio State and Clemson. The national championship game will be played January 13th in New Orleans.

The LSU-Oklahoma game is matchup of two of the top five highest-scoring offenses in the country. And both teams are led by quarterbacks who transferred from another school, Jalen Hurts for Oklahoma and Joe Burrow for LSU. Orgeron says they wouldn’t be here without Burrow…

Cut 11 (09) “without him”

This is Oklahoma’s fourth appearance in the playoff, but they have yet to win a game. Sooners coach Lincoln Riley says the experience will help, but it will not determine who wins in Atlanta…

Cut  12 (12) “…to that” 

The number one seed has yet to win the C-F-P in five years.

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Members of the LSU Board of Supervisors express concern that a new ACT policy allowing students to retake specific sections of the test is economically discriminatory.

Board member Remy Starns says many kids from poor families don’t have the luxury of constantly retaking the vital college admissions test.

Cut 13 (10) “…once.”

Starns notes 15 percent of students take the test four or more times already.

Students are already allowed to retake the full test as many times as they want, but Starns says allowing test takers to focus in on just one section when for a specific test day creates an unlevel playing field.

Cut 14 (09) “nature.” 

The company that distributes the ACT says their studies show allowing multiple retakes does not advantage kids from higher-income families.

Starns says the test system is already biased towards well off kids, because at this time because while 70 percent of students take the test more than once…

Cut 15 (10) “…some do”

VP for enrollment management Joe Aviles notes as other states allow the policy, Lousiana may be forced to join them to allow their students to remain competitive.
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The Saints no longer control the opportunity to have the number one seed in the N-F-C playoffs after losing a wild 48-46 contest to the San Francisco 49ers in the Superdome. This game had six lead changes. Coach Sean Payton ‘s team falls to 10-and-3 on the season

Cut 16  (13)  …needed to” 

The Saints took a one-point lead with 53 seconds left when Drew Brees connected with Tre’Quan Smith on an 18-yard touchdown pass. But the 49ers won it on a 30-yard field goal by Robbie Gould. George Kittle’s 39-yard reception on fourth and two was the big play. Payton on how they tried to defend it…

Cut 17  (17) you in the end ” 

Payton’s postgame press conference lasted three minutes and this is how it ended…

cut 18  (13)     that way”  

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Louisiana Tech is heading to a bowl game for a sixth consecutive season and they will not have to travel far. The Bulldogs will face Miami in the Walk On’s Independence Bowl on December 26th at Independence Stadium in Shreveport. Tech Coach Skip Holtz is glad they’ll be home for Christmas

cut 19 (20)  26th ”  

Miami’s head coach is Manny Diaz, who was a former defensive coordinator under Holtz at La Tech. And the Hurricanes defensive coordinator is Blake Baker, who spent four seasons in Ruston under Holtz. So the Bulldogs have an idea on what they’ll face…

cut 20 (18) “the ball”