06:45 Sportscast, January 11th, 2017

The LSU men’s basketball team is in College Station tonight to take on the Texas A&M Aggies. The Bayou Bengals are 1-and-2 in league play and they’ve played poorly on the defensive end. In LSU’s last three losses, they are allowing 100 points a game. Coach Johnny Jones says he needs to see more from his players on that end of the court…:
Cut 16 (17) “winning and losing”
LSU will face an Aggies team tonight that was predicted to finish third in the SEC, but they are off to an 0-3 start in league play. Tipoff in Reed Arena is 7:30.

Also in college hoops today, Tulane plays at South Florida. The Wave are 3-12 overall, and 0-3 AAC.

The LSU football team finished the 2016 season with the fewest touchdowns allowed. The Tigers final poll numbers were 13th in the AP Top 25 — the highest in that poll since 2011; and 14th in the coaches poll. LSU is the highest ranked 4th loss team since Tennessee finished No. 12 in 2007; and the highest ranked 8 win team since 1994.

Coach O lost a verbal pledge from Zadock Dinckelmann, a 2018 QB out of Texas. He was one of four commits in the 2018 class for LSU.

Monday night’s College Football Playoff championship game was the lowest rated of the three CFP contests – but that could have been because it was the longest. The game which saw Clemson walk away with the title following a 35-31 victory over Alabama, was 4 hours and 8 minutes; the longest title game since the BCS era in 1999.

This weekend, it’s the NFL divisional round playoffs. On Sunday, the Cowboys will host Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Dallas Owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday that former LSU Tiger and cornerback Morris Claiborne will be available. Claiborne missed the final nine regular season games with a groin injury.

 

06:30 Newscast, January 11th, 2017

Today marks one year in office for Governor John Bel Edwards. After such a tumultuous start, it begs the question as to what the coming year will hold. UL-Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross says like his first year, one of the governor’s biggest challenges in year two is the budget…:
CUT 7 (08) “new budget”
Cross says some of the governor’s goals, like raising more revenue for transportation needs, will face tough pushback from the legislature.

A study from LSU Health New Orleans finds a parent’s concern about neighborhood safety will result in less play time outside. Research Professor Dr. Melinda Sothern says they questioned parents in neighborhoods with high crime rates and didn’t let their kids out often
Cut 10 (08) “and diabetes”
Researchers recommend if parents have safety concerns about letting their kids play outside, take them to a park or playground.

A new political party has been established in the Bayou State, as the official paperwork has been submitted by the Louisiana Independent Party. Party Treasurer Bill Bryan says this is more of a movement than a political action. He says often times, people vote for a party, not a person, and party affiliations can make it difficult for people to have open, honest discussions about candidates…:
cut 4 (11) “civil discussions”
There are currently 56-thousand Independent voters registered in the party.

The Baker Police Department says a 16-year-old is in custody accused of shooting an 11-year-old in the hand. The suspect is charged with negligent injuring. The child was transported to the hospital and is in stable condition.

 

LRN AM NEWSCALL JAN 11, 2017

5th District Congressman Ralph Abraham has been selected to serve on the House Armed Services Committee. Halen Doughty has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

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Today marks the one-year anniversary of when the governor was sworn into office. Jeff Palermo looks at what year two of his administration might bring…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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A study from LSU Health New Orleans finds parent’s concern about neighborhood safety will limit a child’s outside play time. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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A new political party has been established in the Bayou State, as the official paperwork has been submitted by the Louisiana Independent Party. Party Treasurer Bill Bryan says this is more of a movement than a political action. He says often times, people vote for a party, not a person, and party affiliations can make it difficult for people to have open, honest discussions about candidates.

cut 4  (11) “civil discussions”

There are currently 56-thousand Independent voters registered in the party. Bryan says the current-two party system doesn’t serve the wide spectrum of views held by voters, as evidenced by the most recent election.

Cut 5  (09)  “for themselves”

Bryan says especially for social issues, it can be hard for voters to get accurate information to make an informed decision, because the information they’re receiving is partisan. He says one goal of the new party will be to publish the unbiased facts of these issues.

Cut 6 (10) “one or the other”

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Today marks one year in office for Governor John Bel Edwards, and what a year it’s been. After such a tumultuous start, it begs the question as to what the next year will hold. UL-Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross says like his first year, one of the governor’s biggest challenges in year two is the budget.

CUT 7 (08)  “new budget”

Cross says some of the governor’s goals, like raising more revenue for transportation needs, will face tough pushback from the legislature. But he says not every item on the governor’s agenda will be an uphill battle.

Cut 8 (10) “at that”

Cross says perhaps the biggest difficulty with the governor’s job is never knowing what’s on the horizon. He says Edwards certainly wouldn’t have guessed a year ago that the first year of his term would hold two historic floods and a police ambush.

Cut 9 (11)  “anything can happen”

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A study from LSU Health New Orleans finds a parent’s concern about neighborhood safety will result in less play time outside. Research Professor Dr. Melinda Sothern says they questioned parents in neighborhoods with high crime rates along with graffiti and blighted neighborhoods and found they restricted their children’s outdoor play, which means less physical activity for those children…

Cut 10 (08) “and diabetes”

Sothern says the most intriguing finding was what parents thought of their own communities and if they trusted their neighbors.

cut 11 (10) “play outdoors”

Sothern urges parents to talk with policy makers to ensure making neighborhood safety is a priority. She also tells moms and dads to put in the effort to play outside with their kids or take them to a safe area on the weekends so they can do outdoor activities.

cut 12 (09) “health”

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5th District Congressman Ralph Abraham will have a chance to set military policy for the United States as he’s been appointed to the House Armed Services Committee. Abraham says his top priority will be looking out for the men and women who serve our country.

Cut 13 (08) “a family”

Abraham says it’s critically important for a member of Louisiana’s delegation to sit on the committee because the Bayou State is home to Barksdale Air Force Base, Fort Polk, and the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in New Orleans. He expects Louisiana’s military bases to be vital in the ongoing fight against domestic and international tourism.

cut 14 (12) “those bases also”

Abraham says President-elect Donald Trump has indicated that has great respect and gratitude for military men and women. He expects that to be evident in the policies laid out under the new administration.

Cut 15 (10) “to continue”

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The LSU men’s basketball team is in College Station tonight to take on the Texas A&M Aggies. The Bayou Bengals are 1-and-2 in league play and they’ve played poorly on the defensive end. In LSU’s last three losses, they are allowing 100 points a game. Coach Johnny Jones says he needs to see more from his players on that end of the court….

Cut 16 (17) “winning and losing”

In recent games, teams have had a lot of success from beyond the three point stripe against LSU. They allowed 16 three-pointers in losses to wake Forest and Vanderbilt and Mississippi State hit 11 three-pointers against the Tigers on Saturday. LSU freshman guard Skylar Mays they are making it too easy for opposing shooters…

Cut 17 (10)   “grinding at it”

LSU will face an Aggies team tonight that was predicted to finish third in the SEC, but they are off to an 0-3 start in league play. But Jones says A&M is one of the better shooting teams in the conference…

Cut 18 (20) “they play”

18:30 Newscast Jan 10

Students who attend poorly performing schools can begin applying for vouchers today. President of the Louisiana Federation for Children, Ann Duplesis says about 10-thousand families apply every year, and students from all over the state can apply.

Cut 4 (06) “be educated”

Duplesis says students already enrolled in the program do not need to reapply.

WWE’s WrestleMania is returning to New Orleans next year. Governor John Bel Edwards says when the event came to the Big Easy in 2014, over 75-thousand fans came from around the world, bringing an economic impact of $142 million.

Cut 10 (09) “billion dollars”

Edwards says this is the quickest the event has ever returned to a previous host city.

Small business optimism skyrocketed last month, according to the National Federation for Independent Business. State Director Dawn Starns says it’s because business owners are anticipating better economic conditions under the new administration.

Cut 7 (09) “increase then”

The NFIB says small business optimism is at its highest level since 2004.

150-thousand Louisiana residents have signed up for health coverage through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Christen Young with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services says financial assistance is a key driver, as 82-percent of Louisiana consumers have qualified for tax credits.

Cut 12 (08) “a year”

Young says most people can find a plan for less than $75 per month.

17:30 Newscast Jan 10

WWE’s Wrestlemania will return to New Orleans in April of 2018. Michelle Southern has more on the big announcement…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu is looking into new permanent security measures for Bourbon Street. The proposed $30 million plan would include blocking off the road to vehicles during most hours, setting up a command center to monitor a network of cameras, and taking measures to allow police to respond to emergencies with force more quickly.

Today students at failing schools can begin applying for the Louisiana Scholarship Program, which pays for low-income students to attend a private school. President of the Louisiana Federation for Children, Ann Duplessis, says 65-hundred students currently receive taxpayer funded vouchers.

Cut 3 (11) “in the future”

123 schools in 31 school districts around the state participate in the voucher program.

Small business optimism skyrocketed last month, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. NFIB state director Dawn Starns says optimism has been on the rise since the November election, and Louisiana businesses are feeling the positive outlook.

Cut 6 (10) “new jobs”

16:45 LRN Sportscast January 10th

The final college football rankings are out and LSU finished 13th in the AP Top 25 and 14th in the coaches poll. The Tigers ended the year fifth in the country in scoring defense, allowing just under 16 points a game and no team gave up fewer touchdowns as LSU allowed 22. But LSU’s pass offense ranked 101st in the country.

Louisiana Tech’s Trent Taylor led all FBS players in receiving yards with 1,803, while fellow Bulldog Carlos Henderson was fifth with 1,535 yards.

This weekend, it’s the NFL divisional round playoffs. On Sunday, the Cowboys will host Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Dallas Owner Jerry Jones said today that former LSU Tiger and cornerback Morris Claiborne will be available. Claiborne missed the final nine regular season games with a groin injury.

The Pelicans are off tonight, getting a chance to enjoy a night in New York. New Orleans faces the Nets in Brooklyn on Thursday. Last night, the Pels beat the New York Knicks 110-96. Anthony Davis had 40 points and 18 rebounds. The victory ended a three-game losing streak and the Birds find themselves one game back of Portland for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

New Orleans will host Wrestlemania in 2018; the quickest the WWE event returns to a host city ever. That’s according to Governor John Bel Edwards who says when Wrestlemania last came to The Big Easy in 2014, over 75,000 fans came from around the world – and it produced an economic impact of $142 million dollars for the city…:
CUT 10 (10) “1 billion dollars”

16:30 Newscast Jan 10

An LSU student has died after being hit by a train in Tuscaloosa. Authorities say 20-year-old Katie Keough was struck by a train on railroad track behind a dorm at the University of Alabama around 11:30 last night. Keough was reportedly crossing the tracks on foot as the train approached, and witnesses performed CPR until EMS arrived at the scene.

A survey from the National Federation of Independent Business finds small business optimism has skyrocketed in December. Emelie Gunn has more…

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The federal government announces more than 150-thousand Louisianans are insured through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. Counselor to the Secretary at Health and Human Services, Avida Aron-Dine, says lawmakers have made claims the ACA is in a death spiral, but the facts show that’s not the case.

Cut 13 (11) “claims dead”

The report finds there are over 23-thousand new Louisiana consumers in the Marketplace.

WWE’s WrestleMania is returning to New Orleans in 2018. Governor John Bel Edwards was on hand for the announcement and says it’s just another huge occasion to celebrate the City of New Orleans’ 300th birthday.

Cut 9 (11) “exciting time”

Professional wrestling’s biggest event will be held in the Big Easy on Sunday, April 8th of next year.

15:30 LRN Newscast January 10th

A National Federation of Independent Business survey finds small business optimism is at its highest level since 2004. N-F-IB state director, Dawn Starns, says when small business owners feel good about the economy, they are more likely to increase business activity…
cut 8 (10) “…business owners”
Starns says small business optimism has been rising since the November election.

WWE’s wrestlemania will return to New Orleans in April 2018. The Big Easy hosted professional wrestling’s biggest event in 2014 and WWE’s Chief Brand officer, Stephanie McMahon, detailed the pitch made to bring it back to the Superdome…
cut 11 (11) “…Krewe of Muses”
The federal government says 150-thousand Louisiana residents have signed up for health coverage through the Marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act. Christen Young, with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services says one key driver of affordability in the marketplace is financial assistance and 82-percent of Louisiana consumers signed up so far, have qualified for tax credits…
cut 12 (08) “a year”
Young says most people can find a plan for less than $75 per month.

And the application period started today for low income parents who wish to receive a taxpayer funded voucher so their children at a poorly performing school can attend a private school. President of the Louisiana Federation for Children, Ann Duplessis, says 65-hundred students are currently in the scholarship program…
cut 3 (11) “…in the future”

LRN PM Newscall January 10th

Small business optimism has skyrocketed in December, according to a survey from the National Federation of Independent Businesses. Emelie Gunn has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

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WWE’s Wrestlemania will return to New Orleans in April of 2018. Michelle Southern has more on the big announcement…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Today is the start of the application period for the Louisiana Scholarship Program, which pays for low-income students at a poorly graded public school to attend a private school. President of the Louisiana Federation for Children, Ann Duplessis, says 65-hundred students currently receive taxpayer funded vouchers.

Cut 3 (11) “in the future”

Duplessis says students already enrolled in the program do not need to reapply. She says every year, about 10-thousand families apply and students from all over Louisiana can apply.

cut 4  (06) “be educated”

One hundred twenty-three schools in 31 school districts around the state participate in the voucher program. And Duplessis says test scores have demonstrated voucher students are making academic strides.

Cut 5  (09)  “last year”

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A survey from the National Federation of Independent Business finds small business optimism increased substantially in December. NFIB state director Dawn Starns says optimism has been skyrocketing since the November election and the positive outlook is felt here in Louisiana too.

Cut 6 (10) “new jobs”

The NFIB says small business optimism is at its highest level since 2004. Starns says it’s because business owners are anticipating better economic conditions with Donald Trump in office and a Republican controlled Congress.

CUT 7 (09)  “increase then” 

Starns says when small businesses are feeling good about the economy, they are more likely to increase business activity.

Cut 8 (10) “business owners”

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WWE’s Wrestlemania will return to New Orleans in 2018. Governor John Bel Edwards was on hand for the announcement that the Big Easy will host professional wrestling’s biggest event on Sunday, April 8th of next year. He says it’s just another huge occasion to laud the 300th year of the founding of New Orleans…:

Cut 9 (11)  “exciting time”

Wrestlemania last came to New Orleans in 2014, and Edwards says over 75,000 fans came from around the world – which had an economic impact of $142 million dollars for the city…:

Cut 10 (09) “1 billion dollars”

Edwards says this is the quickest that Wrestlemania has returned to a previous host city ever. Stephanie McMahon, WWE’s Chief Brand Officer, was also on hand this morning for the announcement. She says the pitch to the organization was incredible; and in addition to the passion behind it — featured some of New Orleans’ most soulful attributes…:

cut 11 (11) “Krewe of Muses”

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The federal government says 150-thousand Louisiana residents have signed up for health coverage through the Marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act. Christen Young, with the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services says one key driver of affordability in the marketplace is financial assistance and 82-percent of Louisiana consumers signed up so far, have qualified for tax credits.

cut 12 (08) “a year” 

Young says most people can find a plan for less than $75 per month. Senior Counselor to the Secretary at Health and Human Services, Avida Aron-Dine, says lawmakers have made claims that the Affordable Care Act is in a death spiral. But she says the facts show that’s absolutely not the case.

Cut 13 (11) “claims dead”

The report finds there are over 23-thousand new Louisiana consumers in the Marketplace, despite talk of repealing and replacing Obamacare. Aron-Dine says the data shows the Marketplace is poised for continued success, without policy interference. And she also expects we will not seek see huge spikes in premiums going forward.

cut 14 (10) “reinsurance program”

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14:30 LRN Newscast January 10th

A federal report finds that 150-thousand Louisiana residents have signed up for health insurance through the Marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act. Senior Counselor to the Secretary at Health and Human Services, Avida Aron-Dine says that’s a strong number, considering the talk of repealing Obamacare. She expects the A-C-A will only get better and we will not see a huge spike in premiums going forward…
cut 14 (10) “…reinsurance program”

According to the national federation of independent businesses, optimism of small business owners is at its highest level since 2004….
cut 7 (09) “….increase then”
That’s Dawn Starns, state director of N-F-I-B and she says that strong sense of optimism can be felt in Louisiana too.

The Grant Parish Sheriff’s office has arrested a 31-year-old man after he allegedly beat up his grandparents with a baseball bat. Derrick Henderson of Georgetown has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and home invasion. The elderly victims received severe injuries.

WWE’s Wrestlemania will return to New Orleans in April of 2018. Michelle Southern has more on the big announcement…:
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Michelle Southern”