LRN 4:45 Sportscast March 9

March Madness is in full effect as we build towards Selection Sunday. Louisiana Tech, the third seed in Conference USA after posting a 12-6 league record, faces seventh-seeded Marshall tonight in its opener. The Bulldogs are chasing their first NCAA bid since 1991 when they were members of the now-defunct American South.

It isn’t the Bayou Classic, but Grambling and Southern will play each other in the quarterfinals of the SWAC tournament on Thursday. Grambling won both regular-season meetings with the Jaguars.

And Northwestern State faces McNeese in the opening round of the Southland tourney, with the winner facing UNO on Thursday.

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LSU opens play in the SEC tournament Thursday afternoon against the winner of tonight’s matchup between Missouri and Mississippi. The Tigers arrived in Tampa today, and Coach Will Wade says his team will be working hard prepping for either opponent. LSU lost by 4 to Ole Miss and beat Mizzou by 20 in their only meetings this year.

Cut 21 (16) “…both teams.”

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LSU’s initial response to the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations regarding the men’s basketball program didn’t shed much light on the situation. A statement released by the athletic department reads as follows…

“Per NCAA rules and procedures, LSU is unable to comment on any aspect of the ongoing case. We will continue to cooperate fully with the IARP as we work together toward a resolution.”

The Tigers have been caught in the NCAA’s crosshairs since a federal investigation into corruption in college basketball produced voice recordings of head coach Will Wade discussing alleged payments made to then-recruit Javonte Smart in 2017.

LSU could face stiff penalties if there are major violations contained in the NOA.

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Tigers women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey has been named Coach of the Year by The Athletic after spearheading the largest turnaround by a first-year coach in SEC history. LSU, now 25-4 on the year, and ranked ninth in the latest AP poll, will likely host first and second-round games of the NCAA tournament. The Tigers have already recorded the most wins in a season since 2007-08 when they went to the Final Four under Van Chancellor.

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On the diamond, Northwestern State is at UL-Monroe, Tulane visits Southern Miss, Louisiana Tech welcomes Southeastern, and LSU hosts McNeese.

5:30 LRN Newscast March 9

The average price for a gallon of gas in Louisiana finally exceeds $4 and sets a new record high of $4.04. Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Despite pleas from Louisiana’s Congressional delegation, there is no further Louisiana disaster recovery funding in a government funding bill that the U-S House is set to approve today. Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says it’s disappointing.

Cut 3 (12) “…other countries.”

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Two years after Louisiana’s first reported case, COVID is here to stay in one form or another, says State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter. But he believes as the science advances and more people are vaccinated, it can become less disruptive, more treatable, and most importantly, more preventable.

Cut 11 (10) “…die from COVID.”

Overall there have been more than 1.2 million reported cases of COVID-19 in Louisiana, including 16,832 deaths due to the virus.

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With gas prices at all-time highs, many are calling for an increase in oil production. Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Mike Moncla says the U-S would need oil from both Mexico and Canada in order to become energy independent as a continent. But he says President Biden would need to make it happen.

Cut 12 (10) “…using now.”

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4:30 LRN Newscast March 9

Despite pleas from Louisiana’s Congressional delegation, there is no further Louisiana disaster recovery money in the government funding bill that the U.S. House is set to approve today. Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says it’s disappointing…:

CUT 03(12)      “…other countries.”

Louisiana has already received 600-million federal dollars for the hurricanes that hit in 2020 and 2021. It’s estimated that as much as $300-million more may be needed.

An outage left approximately 10-thousand in New Orleans without power this morning, and Entergy says a bird was the cause. The animal apparently caused a massive short circuit at a power neighborhood power substation. Power was restored by early afternoon. The bird? Didn’t make it.

 

Today marks two years since Louisiana reported its first positive COVID case. March 9, 2020 was the start of the pandemic here. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says there have been tremendous challenges and losses over the past 24 months….:

CUT 09(11)      “…people nationwide.”

Overall there have been more than 1.2 million reported cases of COVID-19 in Louisiana. The statewide death toll related to the virus is just over 16,800.

Here’s another side effect of the huge run-up in gasoline prices; a developing shortage of delivery and ride share drivers. A number of drivers for Uber, Lyft, Door Dash and others report they simply don’t make enough money to pay for car insurance, wear & tear on their ride AND $50 to fill up the gas tank.

3:30 LRN Newscast March 9

Gas and diesel fuel prices are now at all-time highs, and many are now calling for an increase in domestic oil production, but experts says it’s not as simple as flipping a switch. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports there are just over 600 crude oil and natural gas rigs operating. Louisiana Oil & Gas Association head Mike Moncla says getting dormant rigs working again – after they’ve been shut down -requires a large investment…:

CUT 13(12)      “…invest in it.”

Moncla says the President could take action to hasten domestic production, but so far he has not.

Meanwhile the statewide average price of regular gas is at $4.04-a-gallon; leaving many trying to budget for sky high fuel and everything else they need. Louisiana AAA fuel analyst Don Redman says there are thing you can do to improve your vehicle’s mileage…:

CUT 08(06)      “…properly inflated.”

 

Senator John Kennedy met today with White House Supreme Court nominee Katanji Brown Jackson. The two spent several minutes in one-on-one conversation. In a brief written statement, Kennedy says he is “thankful for the opportunity to meet with Judge Jackson” and that he looks forward to hearing more from at her Senate confirmation hearing.

Some anniversaries are celebrated, others are commemorated. David Grubb has more as the state marks two years since the arrival of COVID…:

CUT 02(31)      “…David Grubb.”

Former State Police head Kevin Reeves has agreed to testify to a panel of lawmakers looking into the roadside death of Ronald Greene in 2019 – when Reeves was in charge. His testimony could be as early as next week.

LRN PM Newscall March 9

The average price for a gallon of gas in Louisiana finally exceeds $4 and sets a new record high of $4.04. Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Some anniversaries are celebrated, others are commemorated. David Grubb has more as the state marks two years since the arrival of COVID.

Cut 2 (31)…I’m David Grubb.”  

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Despite pleas from Louisiana’s Congressional delegation, there is no further Louisiana disaster recovery funding in a government funding bill that the U-S House is set to approve today. Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says it’s disappointing

Cut 3 (12) “…other countries.”

Louisiana has already received 600-million dollars in community block grant funding for the hurricanes that hit in 2020 and 2021, but Governor John Bel Edwards says the need is much greater, especially in southwest Louisiana. Congressman Graves concurs…:

Cut 4 (11) “..it’s not”

Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins informed the House and Senate Appropriations committee that there’s at least a 300-million shortfall in federal funding for housing needs. Senator Bill Cassidy says many of his colleagues believe Lousiana does not need additional federal assistance…

Cut 5 (09) “…surplus.” (2x)

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Louisiana set a new record at the pump today with the statewide average of $4.04 for a gallon of regular gas. AAA Fuel Analyst Don Redman says he’s afraid this is just the beginning when it comes to breaking records for prices at the pump.

 Cut 6 (10) “…to climb.” 

It was just last week when Redman said motorists should budget for gas prices to exceed $4.00 a gallon. He says it’s also too soon to predict how the ban on Russian oil will impact prices.

Cut 7 (09) “…for sure.” 

In the meantime, though Redman recommends trying to minimize errands to save gas and check your tire pressure, so your vehicle is more fuel-efficient.

 Cut 8 (06) “…properly inflated.” 

Also, remove any dead weight from your vehicle, like golf clubs or anything else that’s adding weight to your car.

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Today marks two years since Louisiana reported its first positive COVID case. March 9, 2020 was the start of the pandemic here. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says there have been tremendous challenges and losses over the past 24 months.

Cut 9 (11) “…people nationwide.”

Kanter says it’s important to keep those sacrifices in mind as we move past the worst of this.  He’s also been in awe of the resilience of medical professionals and the amazing work they’ve done to save lives and combat the virus.

Cut 10 (11)  “…we need to.”

COVID is here to stay in one form or another, says Kanter. But he believes as the science advances and more people are vaccinated, it can become less disruptive, more treatable, and most importantly, more preventable.

Cut 11 (10)  “…die from COVID.”  

Overall there have been more than 1.2 million reported cases of COVID-19 in Louisiana, including 16,832 deaths due to the virus.

__________________________________________

With gas prices at all-time highs, many are calling for an increase in oil production. Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Mike Moncla says the U-S would need oil from both Mexico and Canada in order to become energy independent as a continent. But he says President Biden would need to make it happen.

Cut 12 (10) “…using now.”  

The U-S Energy Information Administration reports there are just over 600 crude oil and natural gas rigs operating. The highest it’s been since March 2020. Moncla says getting dormant rigs working again requires a large investment

Cut 13 (12) “…invest in it.”

Moncla says new wells are coming on, but staffing the rig is also a challenge…

Cut 14 (08)  “…right now”  

2:30 LRN Newscast March 9

Despite pleas from Louisiana’s Congressional delegation, there is no further Louisiana disaster recovery funding in a government funding bill that the U-S House is set to approve today. Louisiana has already received 600-million dollars in community block grant funding for the hurricanes that hit in 2020 and 2021, but Governor John Bel Edwards says the need is much greater, especially in southwest Louisiana. Congressman Garret Graves concurs…:

CUT 04(11)      “…it’s not OK. It’s not.”

Louisiana set a new record at the pump today with the statewide average of $4.04 for a gallon of regular gas. AAA Fuel Analyst Don Redman says he’s afraid this is just the beginning when it comes to breaking records for prices at the pump…:

CUT 06(10)      “…continue to climb.”

 

With gas prices at all-time highs, many are calling for an increase in oil production. Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Mike Moncla says the U-S would need oil from both Mexico and Canada in order to become energy independent as a continent. But he says President Biden would need to make it happen…:

CUT 12(10)      “…that we’re using now.”

He says new rigs are coming online, but staffing them remains a challenge.

The Louisiana case of COVID 19 was reported 2 years ago today. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says the last 24 months have been hard on everyone; especially families who lost loved ones. Kanter credit the resilience of medical professionals and the amazing work they’ve done to save lives and combat the virus…:

CUT 10(11)      “…we need to.”

Overall there have been more than 1.2-million reported cases of COVID-19 in Louisiana, including over 16,800 deaths related to the virus.

1:30 LRN Newscast March 9

The average price for a gallon of gas in Louisiana finally exceeds $4 and sets a new record high. Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins informed the House and Senate Appropriations committee that there’s at least a 300-million shortfall in federal funding for housing needs. Senator Bill Cassidy says many of his colleagues believe Louisiana doesn’t need additional assistance…

Cut 5 (09) “…surplus.” (2x)

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Today marks two years since Louisiana reported its first positive COVID case. COVID is here to stay in one form or another, says State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter. He does believe that as the science advances and more people are vaccinated, it can become less disruptive, more treatable, and most importantly, more preventable.

Cut 11 (10) “…die from COVID.”

Overall there have been more than 1.2 million reported cases of COVID-19 in Louisiana, including 16,813 deaths due to the virus.

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The LSU men’s basketball program could soon be hit with NCAA penalties for recruiting violations stemming from a 2017 federal corruption investigation where Coach Will Wade was allegedly caught on an FBI wiretap discussing payments for then-recruit Javonte Smart. In 2019, LSU suspended Wade for its postseason run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Wade returned as head coach for the 2019-2020 season, but his contract was amended, allowing for him to be terminated, with cause, if LSU was even being investigated for major violations.

12:30 LRN Newscast March 8

Louisiana set a new record at the pump today with the statewide average of $4.04 for a gallon for regular gas. It was just last week when AAA Fuel Analyst Don Redman said motorists should budget for gas prices to exceed $4.00 a gallon and today, he says it’s too soon to predict how the ban on Russian oil will impact prices.

Cut 7 (09) “…for sure.” 

The previous record of $4.01 a gallon was in 2008.

Today marks two years since Louisiana reported its first positive COVID case. March 9, 2020, was the start of the pandemic here. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says there have been tremendous challenges and losses over the past 24 months.

Cut 9 (11) “…people nationwide.”

Today the state reports 266 are in Louisiana hospitals with COVID and 19 additional fatalities.

Despite pleas from Louisiana’s Congressional delegation, there is no funding in a government funding bill that the U-S House is set to approve today. Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says it’s disappointing

Cut 3 (12) “…other countries.”

Louisiana has already received 600-million dollars in community block grant funding for the hurricanes that hit in 2020 and 2021, but Governor John Bel Edwards says the need is much greater.

The LSU men’s basketball program could soon be hit with NCAA penalties for recruiting violations. Multiple media outlets report LSU has received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA. Glen Guilbeau with outkick-dot-com…

Cut 13 (10) “…kind of penalty.”

11:30 LRN Newscast March 9

The average price for a gallon of gas in Louisiana finally exceeds $4 and sets a new record high of $4.04. Brooke Thorington has more
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Two years ago today, Louisiana confirmed its first positive COVID case. Since then there have been one-point-two million cases and nearly 17-thousand people in Louisiana have died from the virus. State health officer Doctor Joe Kanter says over the last two years, we have all made sacrifices large and small.

The former leader of State Police, Kevin Reeves, will testify before a House committee investigating the 2019 fatal arrest of Ronald Greene and the alleged L-S-P cover-up. Reeves was in charge when Greene died after he was beaten and tased following a police chase that ended in Union Parish. New Orleans Representative Jason Hughes…
cut 12 (12) “…his death”
The committee plans to meet again on Tuesday.

Multiple media outlets are reporting the LSU men’s basketball program has received Notice of Allegations. The exact allegations are unknown, but Coach Will Wade was allegedly caught on tape discussing improper benefits for a recruit. Glen Guilbeau of outkick-dot-com says these possible violations could cost Wade his job…
cut 14 (11) “…level one or level two”
A resolution could still be months away.

11:40 LRN Sportscast March 9

The LSU men’s basketball program could soon be hit with NCAA penalties for recruiting violations. Glen Guilbeau with outkick-dot-com says the clock is likely winding down on Wade’s time in Baton Rouge, despite his on-court success. Especially if athletic director Scott Woodward can mitigate the program’s punishment by cutting Wade loose.

Cut 15 (12) “…their penalties”

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Louisiana Tech begins play in the Conference USA Tournament tonight after finishing the regular season with a 12-and-6 league record. Bulldogs coach Eric Konkol on what it will take to make a long run in the league tourney.

Cut 16 (17) “…I’ve had.”

The Bulldogs will match up with Marshall today at 6 PM.

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After a four-game win streak, the New Orleans Pelicans have lost two in a row. Last night, the Pels took it on the gullet, falling to the Memphis Grizzlies 111-132. The Pelicans were without Brandon Ingram, but he likely wouldn’t have made a difference against the Grizzlies buzz saw. CJ McCollum led New Orleans with 32 points and 11 assists. Memphis had three players score at least 20 points, including MVP-candidate Ja Morant, who had 24 to go along with eight boards and eight assists.

The Pels are back on the court tonight at home against the Orlando Magic to start a critical, four-game homestand.

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LSU’s Kim Mulkey has been named as a finalist for Naismith Coach of the Year after leading the greatest turnaround by a first-year coach in SEC history. The Tigers have improved by leaps and bounds in Mulkey’s first season in Baton Rouge, taking their record from 9-13 to 25-5 so far this season, more than doubling their winning percentage, and giving LSU its best regular season since 2007-08 when the Tigers finished 31-6, making it all the way to the Final Four.

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They’ll try to play some college baseball today if the weather cooperates. One matchup has been postponed, as UL and UNO have moved their game from tonight in New Orleans to March 30.

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