Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser criticized New Orleans leadership following a deadly New Year’s Day attack on Bourbon Street, labeling the response as lacking.
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As a legal challenge continues in court, today is the first day that schools will have an opportunity to implement Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law. Andrew Greenstein reports Attorney General Liz Murrill issued guidance Friday afternoon.
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New Orleans finds itself home to two of the most disappointing franchises in professional sports in the Saints and Pelicans. Nola.com columnist Jeff Duncan expects owner Gayle Benson to make some major changes. Kace Kieschnick (KEESH-nick) has more
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Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser criticized New Orleans leadership following a deadly New Year’s Day attack on Bourbon Street, labeling the response as lacking. Nungesser expressed frustration with the absence of bollards at key entrances.
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Nungesser was filled with sadness and anger when he heard the news of trying to get back to Louisiana from the Parade of Roses in California.
Nungesser reaffirmed Louisiana’s resilience, encouraging unity and vigilance. He also announced plans to enhance security measures in New Orleans’ most popular areas.
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Amid an ongoing legal challenge, today is the first day that kids throughout Louisiana will start seeing the Ten Commandments posted in classrooms. Except for the five districts named in the lawsuit, all public school classrooms are now required to post the Ten Commandments. Attorney General Liz Murrill issued guidance late last Friday afternoon, saying among other things that there are four posters to choose from.
The posters should be between 11-by-14 inches and 18-by-24 inches in size, placed within close proximity to other educational posters and away from a teacher’s desk or podium. Murrill said the posters themselves place the Ten Commandments in an educational context, including tying them in with the House of Representatives and the Supreme Court.
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Murrill concedes that posting the Ten Commandments by itself without any educational context violates the First Amendment as previously interpreted by the Supreme Court.
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Murrill said it’s not in her office’s jurisdiction to prosecute school districts that fail to put up the posters in schools, saying that would be BESE’s job. Furthermore, she says if individual teachers refuse to display the posters, their school boards could pursue disciplinary action against them.
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Federal authorities say the New Year’s Day attack on Bourbon Street could have claimed more lives if officers did not kill the suspect after he crashed into construction equipment. Joshua Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the A-T-F New Orleans field office, says Shamsud-Din Jabbar possessed a transmitter with radio receivers designed to ignite two bombs that he placed on Bourbon Street
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Jabbar died in a gun fight with New Orleans Police officers after his vehicle crashed.
Authorities still believe Jabbar acted alone. The FBI says they learned the 42-year-old from Houston visited New Orleans twice in the months leading up to his attack. FBI Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Mytrhil says during his October visit, he recorded reconnaissance video of Bourbon Street with smart glasses…
Mytrhil says they also know that Jabbar travel traveled to Canada and Egypt in 2023. He says they want to talk with anyone that may have encountered Mythril…
The FBI also does not know why he planned this attack for New Orleans.
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Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson has some tough decisions ahead of her as the leader of two of the worst teams in professional sports. Nola.com columnist Jeff Duncan says Benson is a proud New Orleanian, and she’s as frustrated as anyone.
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The Saints have made significant roster and coaching changes following the departure of Sean Payton but find themselves again in limbo with a top 10 draft pick and in search of a new Head Coach. Fans think it might be time for a new general manager, but Duncan says he’d be shocked if GM Mickey Loomis got the boot.
The Pelicans are on pace for less than 15 wins in a year meant to be their leap into contention after trading for former All-Star Dejounte Murray. Injuries have yet again derailed their season as trade rumors swirl amidst contract disputes. Duncan says whether it’s a star player or Head Coach Willie Green.
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It was the story of the 2024 New Orleans Saints – they couldn’t hold a late lead. That was the case in Tampa yesterday as the Saints coughed up a fourth quarter lead and lost to the Buccaneers, 27-19, to finish their dismal season with a record of 5-and-12. The Saints led 19-13 going into the fourth quarter, but a 32-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Jalen McMillan put the Bucs up for good. An 11-yard touchdown run by Bucky Irving with a 1:51 left gave the Buccaneers a late cushion. After the game, Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi said he was disappointed with the outcome but not the effort.
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The aforementioned last play of the season saw Mike Evans catch a pass for nine yards to put him over one-thousand for the season, his record-tying 11st straight season with one-thousand receiving yards that kicked in a three-million-dollar bonus. Rizzi was wearing a sweatshirt that read “NOLA,” with a heart replacing the O in memory of those killed in the New Year’s Day terrorist attack on Bourbon Street. Rizzi said he wanted to win it for them and for the whole grieving city.
Spencer Rattler completed 26 out of 42 passes for 240 yards and one touchdown. He was also sacked twice. After the game, Rattler said he’s disappointed that he couldn’t lead the Saints to a win in the season finale.
With the season now over for the Saints, they can look ahead to the NFL draft, where they will be picking ninth. In the short term, the front office will be starting the interview process for a new head coach. Rizzi said he expects to get an interview for the permanent position.
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It was a disappointing start to SEC play for the LSU men’s basketball team as they dropped their conference opener at home to Vanderbilt 80 to 72. But Vanderbilt is fourth in the country in steals per game and they forced 15 turnovers and LSU allowed the Commodores to beat them on the glass. Coach Matt McMahon
LSU is one of six teams in the SEC not ranked in the AP Top 25 and they were playing another non-ranked team at home. So this loss stings for the Tigers, who will play next four out of five on the road. McMahon says they have to move past this loss…
LSU is at Missouri on Tuesday night. Mizzou also started SEC play with a loss as they fell to 2nd ranked Auburn on the road to 84 to 68.