Legendary LSU baseball coach and Athletic Director Skip Bertman died at the age of 88 early this morning. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (40) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Bertman’s impact on the LSU baseball program has lingered even after stepping down as head coach, with the team tacking on three national titles in the years since. A makeshift memorial is growing at the base of his statue outside Alex Box Stadium.

We’re now approaching the peak of hurricane season, although the current El Nino weather pattern will point to a below-average one. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are keeping an eye on a pair of disturbances in the Atlantic, but neither one is expected to impact us here.

Cut 11 (11) “…at this moment.”

Governor Landry is defending the massive Meta data center going up in Richland Parish amid concerns from area residents that their utility bills will skyrocket as a result of it. On WRKF’s Talk Louisiana, Landry says the data center is part of the biggest construction boom the state has ever seen, and he says these jobs are here to stay.

Cut 16 (12) “…coming to Louisiana”

A Louisiana institution has died. Skip Bertman, who single-handedly transformed the LSU baseball program into a national powerhouse, passed away this morning at the age of 88. College Baseball Hall of Famer Todd Walker says Bertman was the ultimate motivator and fondly remembers his pre-game talks in front of the whole team.

Cut 8 (11) “..play like champions.”

This could be the hottest weekend of the summer. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says an area of high pressure in the Gulf of Mexico will lead to high temperatures and high humidity levels, and that’s going to yield some outrageous heat indexes which are going to linger for days with no relief in sight.

Cut 10 (09) “…110 and 115.” 

Louisiana’s new N-I-L and athlete agents website is live. It provides information for athletes, families, schools and agents on the state’s new NIL and athlete agents laws. Attorney General Liz Murrill says Act 895 requires agents to register with the state.

Cut 12 (12) “…integrity and character.” 

The Louisiana Public Service Commission got an earful from several citizens this week concerned their energy bills will go up as a result of Meta’s 50-billion-dollar AI data center in Richland Parish. Governor Landry was a guest on WRKF’s Talk Louisiana and says Meta is paying for its own power use, and their investment will improve the electric grid’s resiliency.

Cut 15 (11) “…what it is.”

LSU legend Skip Bertman passed away early this morning at the age of 88. Bertman led LSU Baseball to five College World Series titles and 11 trips to Omaha and hired four national championship-winning coaches as Athletic Director. Former LSU pitcher Ben McDonald says Bertman transformed LSU into the greatest baseball program in the country.

Cut 3 (10) “…game of baseball.”

Bertman produced 41 players who reached Major League Baseball. One of them was Todd Walker, who ended up in the College Baseball Hall of Fame. Walker remembers he was a little intimidated by Bertman when he showed up on campus as a freshman after LSU won the 1991 national championship and never knew his relationship with Skip would grow immensely…

Cut 7 (15) “..just incredible”

This could be the hottest weekend of the summer. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says an area of high pressure in the Gulf of Mexico will drive up temperatures and humidity levels.

Cut 9 (08)  “…the next week.”

As for the tropics, Keim says forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are keeping an eye on a pair of disturbances in the Atlantic, but neither one is expected to impact us here.

Louisiana’s new NIL and Athlete Agents website is officially live on the Attorney General’s website. It provides information about Louisiana’s NIL and athlete agent laws, registration requirements, resources and more, all in one place. A-G Liz Murrill urges high school students to check it out…

Cut 14 (11) “….for everybody”

Visit A-G-Liz-Murrill-dot-com-slash-page-slash-athlete-agents.

Louisiana is mourning the death of Skip Bertman, LSU’s legendary baseball coach passed away this morning at the age of 88. One of Bertman’s best players, Ben McDonald, says Skip taught him a lot about baseball and life…
Cut 4 (13) “…best at”
Many consider Bertman the greatest college baseball coach of all time, winning five national championships in the 1990s.

The Ochsner Transplant Institute has surpassed an impressive milestone, more than ten-thousand organ transplants. The institute’s director, Doctor Ari Cohen says their work has extended the lives of thousands…
Cut 28 (13) “….supposed to live”

Restaurants – especially those which specialize in salads – are going the extra mile to ensure their produce is safe amid the cyclospora outbreak….
Cut 30 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A 15 member task force examining how Louisiana distributes billions of dollars to public schools held its first meeting yesterday. Governor Jeff Landry and legislative leaders want this group to come up with plans on how the state can increase teacher pay.

Legendary LSU baseball coach and Athletic Director Skip Bertman died at the age of 88 early this morning. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 1 (40) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

Elon Musk’s private jet landed at Lafayette Regional Airport fueling the rumors that Space X is planning to build a rocket-launching spaceport in coastal Vermilion Parish near Pecan Island. A helicopter was also seen flying over Pecan Island after Musk’s private jet touched down in Lafayette.

Louisiana is losing film industry jobs at an alarming rate. A new report from Giggster says since 2024 Louisiana had the highest percentage of decline in film industry jobs.  IATSE (eye-AT-zee) Local 478 Business Agent Simonette Berry says we’re not just competing against California and Georgia anymore.

Cut 14 (09) “…60-percent incentive.”

At one time, Louisiana offered one of the best film tax incentives the world.

Amid the cyclospora outbreak, restaurants – especially those which specialize in salads – are going the extra mile to reassure diners that their produce is safe. Scott Henderson, CEO of Lafayette-based Salad Station, says whereas the lettuce responsible for the outbreak was imported from Mexico, his company’s lettuce is not imported from any foreign country.

Cut 10 (08) “…is always domestic.”

Another Louisiana sports icon has left us. Legendary LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman passed away early this morning at the age of 88. Bertman took an LSU baseball program with very little fan interest and made it a dynasty as the Tigers won five national championships in the 1990s. Tiger Rag Editor Glen Guilbeau wrote Bertman’s biography, Everything Matters in Baseball…

Cut 5 (08) “…in Louisiana”

Bertman also served as LSU’s athletics director from 2001 to 2008.

LSU cornerback DJ Pickett has said he’s not changing his number, he’s wearing number five, despite Heisman Trophy quarterback Jayden Daniel’s disapproval. Koki Riley of the Advocate spoke with Pickett’s dad and the family appreciates Lane Kiffin sticking by them and honoring LSU’s promise he would wear number five, but there’s also disappointment.

Cut 9 (08)  “…the first place.”

The cyclospora (SIGH-kloh-SPOR-uh) outbreak has resulted in some people avoiding lettuce. That’s not good for Scott Henderson’s business, who is the CEO of the Lafayette-based Salad Station. Henderson says the company has been in close contact with all of its suppliers throughout the entire ordeal.

Cut 11 (09) “…tracing it back.”

Henderson says the lettuce responsible for the outbreak was imported from Mexico and the Salad Station gets its lettuce from the U-S producers.

A new report from Giggster says Louisiana had its highest percentage of a decline in film industry jobs since 2024, at more than 32-percent.  IATSE (eye-AT-zee) Local 478 Business Agent Simonette Berry says to remain competitive in the film arena, Louisiana needs to do what it can to keep pace with the film tax credits that other states and other countries are offering

Cut 15 (09) “…years in advance.”

LSU legend Skip Bertman passed away early this morning at the age of 88. Bertman led LSU Baseball to five College World Series titles and 11 trips to Omaha and hired four national championship-winning coaches as Athletic Director. Former LSU pitcher Ben McDonald says Bertman transformed LSU into the greatest baseball program in the country.

Cut 3 (10) “…game of baseball.”

Bertman was a master tactician, marketer and motivator. He revolutionized LSU athletics fundraising and changed every part of LSU baseball for the better. Most importantly, he cared deeply about his players. Tiger Rag Editor and author of Bertman’s biography Glenn Guilbeau says ex-LSU outfielder Rich Cordani confirmed just that.

Cut 6 (10) “…were his sons.”

The Ochsner Transplant Institute has performed ten thousand transplants since 1970. Institute Director Dr. Ari Cohen says the program has grown exponentially in recent years, striving to stay on the cutting edge with robotic-assisted kidney transplants and pediatric heart and living-donor lung transplants. He says there are still over 100-thousand people across the country and two-thousand Louisianians waiting for a life-saving transplant.

Cut 5 (11) “…alive and well.”

Like many restaurant owners, the co-founder and CEO of Lafayette-based Salad Station, Scott Henderson, is reassuring diners that all the produce they serve is cyclospora-free. He says despite heightened communication with customers, sales have been down since the outbreak started, and he’s afraid of another consequence.

Cut 12 (07) “…impacts on health.”

Sad news as the legendary architect of LSU baseball—Stanley “Skip” Bertman has died.  Bertman passed away early this morning at the Baton Rouge General with his daughters by his side. Beloved by his players and fans, the legendary Bertman won five national championships and seven Southeastern Conference titles during his 18 years leading the Tigers.  Skip Bertman was 88 years old.

The Ochsner Transplant Institute performed its ten-thousandth organ transplant, a first for Louisiana.  Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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LSU cornerback D.J. Pickett does not have any intention of changing his number-five jersey despite backlash from former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.The Advocate’s Koki Riley spoke with Pickett’s father who says LSU promised he could have the number… as the number five has become a standard for Pickett and his ten siblings since his oldest brother Jaylen wore it at Eastern Michigan.

Cut 8 (12) “…point of pride.”

Louisiana is losing film industry jobs at an alarming rate. Citing numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a new report from Giggster says Louisiana had the highest percentage of decline in film industry jobs since 2024 at more than 32-percent.IATSE (eye-AT-zee) Local 478 Business Agent Simonette Berry says Louisiana is in danger of losing a good chunk of what it had worked hard to build.

Cut 13 (13)  “…infrastructure already here.”