Tiger Rag.com broke the news Tuesday that LSU Title IXC whistleblower Sharon Lewis has been fired, months after filing suit against the university. Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 02(30)      “…Thorington.”

A shelter-in-place order has been lifted, after an explosion at Westlake Chemical in Calcasieu Parish. Officials say an empty Ethylene Dichloride tank exploded around 10:45, starting a fire. Six people were hurt in the blast, but all are expected to be OK. The fire is out and now an investigation into the cause can begin.

Liberal U-S Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is stepping down from the bench. And while the court will remain majority conservative, Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says the White House won’t to waste too much time appointing a successor. Now, there’s been some speculation that Democrats might want add more justices to stack the 6-3 conservative court in their favor. President Biden appointed a commission to look into it, and Ciolino says their report was not well received at the White House or Congress…:

CUT 14(09)      “…to happen.”

Mobile sports betting goes live Friday in Louisiana. That is outside the nine parishes who voted to reject it. State Gaming Control Board Chair Ronnie Johns says he expects this to be one of the busiest sports betting weekends of the year…:

CUT 07(10)      “…gonna go live.”

Hold on to your phones. Mobile sports wagering is set to go live in Louisiana this Friday. David Grubb has more.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m David Grubb.”

An explosion at a chemical plant in Lake Charles Wednesday morning injures six people. A spokesperson for the Westlake Chemical Plant says none of the injuries are life-threatening. The explosion created a large plume of black smoke and a shelter in place alert has been lifted.

Governor Edwards is proposing teacher pay raises of $1,500 and $750 for support staff. President of the Louisiana Association of Educators Dr. Tia Mills says, that those raises could increase if the Revenue Estimating Conference recognizes additional funds.

Cut 5 (06) “…educators.”

Tiger Rag.com reports Sharon Lewis who filed a 50-million dollar Title IX lawsuit against LSU last year is no longer employed by the school. In the lawsuit, Lewis says she was retaliated against for reporting sexual harassment allegations made against former coach Les Miles. Baton Rouge civil rights attorney Jill Craft says LSU will have to show her termination is not because of the lawsuit…

Cut 10 (12)  “…unlawful reason.” 

Governor John Bel Edwards’ proposed budget includes earmarks for raises for Louisiana’s teachers and support staff, in an effort to help retain educators. Even before the pandemic, Louisiana was experiencing a teacher shortage and the demands of COVID prompted even more to leave the profession. In the last legislative session, the Teacher Recruitment, Retention, and Recovery Task Force was formed, and President of the Louisiana Association of Educators, Dr. Tia Mills says the shortage is due to multiple factors.
Cut 4 (08) “…as such.”

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Mobile sports wagering is set to go live in Louisiana, outside of the nine parishes that voted it down, beginning this Friday, January 28.

Ronnie Johns, Chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, is proud of the fact that Louisiana has gotten a leg up on our neighbors to the east in the competition for sports betting revenues in the region.
Cut 8 (11) “…ahead of Mississippi.”

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Tiger Rag.com reports Sharon Lewis, who filed a 50-million dollar Title IX lawsuit against LSU last year, is no longer employed by the University. Lewis alleges in her lawsuit that she was retaliated against for reporting sexual harassment allegations made against former coach Les Miles. Tiger Rag Editor Adam Hunsucker got a statement from Lewis’ attorneys over her firing…

Cut 9 (11) “…some time.”

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Liberal U-S Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is stepping down from the bench. And while the court will remain majority conservative, Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino says naming Breyer’s replacement is time-sensitive for progressives and democrats.

Cut 12 (11) “…by the Senate.”

83-year old Breyer was appointed in 1994

When Governor Edwards revealed his proposed budget for the fiscal year that would begin in July funds are earmarked for teacher raises of $1,500 and for support staff $750. President of the Louisiana Association of Educators Dr. Tia Mills says it’s a step in the right direction.

Cut 3 (11) “…ultimate goal.”

Mobile sports wagering is set to go live in Louisiana, outside of the nine parishes that voted it down, beginning this Friday, January 28. Ronnie Johns, Chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, praised the collaborative efforts among agencies as the state prepares to go live.

 Cut 6 (13) “…ready to go.” 

First Lady Donna Edwards announces a new human trafficking public awareness campaign and resource center. Edwards says the campaign received input from human trafficking survivors and is entitled Stop Trafficking LA: Human Trafficking is Real.

Cut 7 (12) “…supporting victims.”

The awareness campaign will launch in April during the NCAA final four basketball tournament in New Orleans.

Sean Payton is no longer the head coach of the Saints. It’s strange to say after leading the Black and Gold for 15 seasons. Payton led the Saints to their only Super Bowl championship in the 2009 season, but he’ll never forget his first team that came out of nowhere in 2006 and went to the NFC Championship game…
cut 11 (12) “….that 06 team” (2x)
The 58-year-old Payton has yet to decide what he’ll do next.

After 16 years, Sean Payton steps away as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. David Grubb has more.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m David Grubb.”

Big news from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. Mobile sports wagering will go live in Louisiana on Friday at 8 AM, except in the nine parishes that voted against it. Online sports gambling is expected to generate millions of dollars in tax revenues for the state and it becomes a reality before the NFC and AFC championship games.

The Edwards administration is proposing to use 550-million dollars to replenish the Unemployment Trust Fund that was depleted as a result of the pandemic and four major disasters. Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Cates says the trust fund must be maintained at 750-million dollars or a tax increase on businesses who pay into the fund goes into effect automatically, plus the fund needs money in case there’s another disaster…
cut 6 (14) “…wipe out the trust fund”

Governor John Bel Edwards and First Lady Donna Edwards have launched a new campaign to stop human trafficking. Donna Edwards says the awareness campaign will launch in April during the NCAA men’s Final Four Basketball Tournament…
cut 8 (11) “….no to traffkikcing”
Resources to help identify and report cases of human trafficking are available at stop-trafficking-la-dot-com.

Sean Payton officially stepped down as head coach of the New Orleans Saints Tuesday afternoon after 16 years on the sidelines. The decision of whether or not to move on is something Payton says he had been contemplating for a while.

Cut 10 (12) “…season goes.”

First Lady Donna Edwards announces a new human trafficking prevention public awareness campaign will kick off at the final four in New Orleans. Dr. Dana Hunter, executive director of the Louisiana Office of Human Trafficking Prevention says HumanTrafficking.la.gov. is the first web-based human trafficking prevention resource center.

Cut 9 (07)  “…for victims.”

Both the website and campaign received input from human trafficking survivors.

Governor Edwards proposes setting aside a half-billion in surplus money to build a new Mississippi River Bridge at Baton Rouge. Kevin Gallagher reports state lawmakers hashed it out Tuesday…:

Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.” 

Tiger Rag Magazine reports Sharon Lewis, LSU’s associate athletic director of football recruiting and alumni relations, is no longer employed at LSU. She filed a 50-million dollar lawsuit against the university in April alleging a hostile work environment and claiming co-workers retaliated against her after reporting female student workers were sexually harassed by former LSU coach Les Miles.

It’s a sad day for Who Dat Nation as the Saints winningest coach Sean Payton is no longer leading the Black and Gold. Payton has announced he’s stepping away even though there are still three years left on his contract. Payton says he’ll miss the Saints fans and the energy they brought on game days…
cut 12 (05) “…is unbelieveable”
Payton says he could coach again one day, but right now he wants to do something else and could find a job as a TV analyst.

Governor John Bel Edwards has proposed spending 550-million dollars in surplus money on replenishing the Unemployment Trust Fund. The fund once had over a billion dollars in it, but when the pandemic came it was drained to pay over 700-thousand Louisianians who filed for unemployment. L-W-C Secretary Ava Cates says the fund needs to have at least 750-million dollars in it and if it doesn’t…
cut 5 (09) “….weekly benefits”

First Lady Donna Edwards and the Governor’s Office on Human Trafficking Prevention launch their awareness campaign and website. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Three Lake Charles residents were killed in a car crash in Costa Rica. News reports from the Central American country say 58-year-old Roland Terrell and his wife Terri, along with 50-year-old Racheal Abadie died when their vehicle was hit by another one as they were trying to make a U-Turn. The Terrell’s owned Terrell and Associates in Lake Charles.

Sean Payton is no longer the head coach of the Saints. It’s strange to say after leading the Black and Gold for 15 seasons. Payton led the Saints to their only Super Bowl championship in the 2009 season, but he’ll never forget his first team that came out of nowhere in 2006 and went to the NFC Championship game…
cut 11 (12) “….that 06 team” (2x)
The 58-year-old Payton has yet to decide what he’ll do next.

Governor John Bel Edwards and First Lady Donna Edwards have launched a new campaign to stop human trafficking. Donna Edwards says the awareness campaign will launch in April during the NCAA men’s Final Four Basketball Tournament…
cut 8 (11) “….no to traffkikcing”
Resources to help identify and report cases of human trafficking are available at stop-trafficking-la-dot-com.

State lawmakers on the Joint Budget Committee met Tuesday to discuss Governor Edwards’ proposal for spending surplus dollars on a new Mississippi River Bridge at Baton Rouge. Part of the governor’s plan is to set aside a half-billion dollars for the project, but Senate Finance Chairman Bodi White feels pressure to spend that money on more immediate needs…:
Cut 13 (06) “…in excess.”
Meanwhile, House Speaker Clay Schexnayder released a statement expressing support for 500-million being set aside to build a new I-10 Mississippi River Bridge.

Governor Edwards is also proposing using over half a billion dollars in surplus money to help replenish the state’s Unemployment Trust Fund that was drained to pay unemployment claims during the first few months of the pandemic. Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Cates says the fund protects workers and businesses.
Cut 4 (12) “…entitled to.”
So far there’s been no push back by lawmakers to use 550-million dollars to replenish the unemployment trust fund.