LRN AM Newscall September 15

Louisiana is making strides in reducing the absenteeism rate of public-school students. Joe Gallinaro has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

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Commercial property owners who have Louisiana Citizens have an opportunity to lower their insurance costs. Jeff Palermo has the story

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Lane Kiffin and the Tigers face off against Ole Miss in a top ten return for the former Rebels coach this weekend. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Louisiana is making strides in improving the absenteeism rate of public-school students. Executive director of attendance strategy for the Department of Education, Misty Davis, says last year the state launched a campaign to increase attendance, and it called for schools to take proactive measures to reduce the absenteeism and truancy rate…

Cut 4 (10) “…attendance issues.”

Davis says it’s not about punishing students who keep missing school, they’ve found it to be more beneficial if you reward students for good attendance

Cut 5 (08) “…good attendance.”

Davis says the Power of Presence campaign they launched last year calls for schools to encourage students to participate in extracurricular activities, because that will motivate students to attend school.

According to the state department of Education, nearly 22-percent of public-school students were counted as chronically absent during the last school year. Davis says that’s’ down from 28-percent in 2021, but it is still four percentage points higher than it was before the COVID pandemic….

Cut 6 (09) “…the past.”

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A Minden man faces a second-degree murder charge for allegedly killing his uncle in a domestic dispute. Webster Parish Sheriff Jason Parker says 21-year-old Luther David Hair was arrested for the shooting of his 58-year-old uncle, Daniel Hair, at a home in the 34-hundred block of Dorcheat Road.

Cut 7 (12) “…in the head.”

Parker says Daniel Hair went to the home to ask his sister, the shooter’s mother, for a ride to Walmart. When she was not ready, a verbal dispute began and escalated quickly.

Cut 8 (13) “…at the time.”

Parker says he believes the shooting was uncalled for.

Cut 9 (10)  “…in my opinion.”

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Commercial property owners who have Louisiana Citizens Insurance will have a chance to get coverage from a private insurer. Governor Jeff Landry says all commercial policies are slated to move from the state-backed insurer of last resort to the private market…

Cut 10 (10) “…Louisiana Citizens.”

The private insurance provider is Property Insurance Company of America, which is based in Mississippi and in December of 2024 they were licensed as an admitted insurer in Louisiana.

The Louisiana Department of Insurance says there are 51-hundred commercial policies in Louisiana. Landry says nearly all of them will be offered quotes from PICA.

Cut 11 (11) “…PICA.”

Landry says the potential savings for Louisiana Citizens commercial policyholders is significant…

Cut 12 (10) “…40 percent reduction.”

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says this should help homeowners who have Citizens Insurance. Temple says moving commercial policies out of Citizens will lower the insurer of last resort’s exposure and reinsurance costs, improving its financial condition and helping to put downward pressure on premiums for Citizens policyholders.

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LSU coach Lane Kiffin makes his long-awaited return to Ole Miss as the seventh-ranked Tigers and eighth-ranked Rebels face off on Saturday. Both fan bases have circled the Magnolia Bowl since Kiffin left Oxford for LSU as Ole Miss prepared for the playoffs. He says he knows a lot of hate is coming his way.

Cut 13 (10)  “…any touchdowns.” 

“College GameDay” will be on campus as Kiffin and the Tigers return to the center of the college football world, but Kiffin wants to keep his focus on the field. He says the team has experience blocking out the noise after the Clemson game.

Cut 14 (11) “…on game day.”

More than 30 staff members and players have switched schools since last year’s matchup between Ole Miss and LSU. Kiffin says the coaching staffs are very familiar with one another, but Ole Miss coach Pete Golding will have more intel on him than he does on his former defensive coordinator.

Cut 15 (08) “…play against.”

LSU and Ole Miss kick off in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at 6:30 on Saturday.

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The Saints came up short in their 31-30 overtime loss to the Lions, but there were a lot of positives to take away on both sides of the ball. Seven different players recorded 30-plus scrimmage yards, and four different players found the end zone. Head coach Kellen Moore says the offense is versatile.

Cut 16 (14) “…take this.”

New Orleans has another tough matchup this weekend as they prepare to head to Baltimore. Moore says work to develop the team does not stop once the season kicks off.

Cut 17 (17) “…improve.”

The Saints gave up 156 rushing yards to Jahmyr Gibbs and will face Derrick Henry this Sunday. Moore says a player of Gibbs’ caliber is expected to break off a few big plays but the defense needs to be more consistent against the run.

Cut 18 (15) “…direction there.”

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After losing to LSU 45-14 on Saturday, Louisiana Tech has another big road challenge against Baylor this weekend. The Bulldogs may be without quarterback Blake Baker, who fractured his hand in the loss to the Tigers. Coach Sonny Cumbie says whoever is at quarterback needs to make smart decisions on early downs against the Bears’ defense.

Cut 19 (15) “…overcome those.”

The Bulldogs held the Tigers to just ten points in the first half and returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown. The defense ranks second in the nation in tackles for loss, twelfth in sacks and ninth in takeaways. Cumbie says they aren’t afraid of anybody.

Cut 20 (14) “…the sacks.”