11:30 LRN Newscast

If you didn’t cast a ballot in early voting in the U.S. Senate runoffs, you have one more chance tomorrow. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

ULM political science professor Pearson Cross says Julia Letlow appears to be well on her way to securing the GOP nomination, but it appears she may have counted her chickens before they hatched.

Cut 13 (07)  “…race of it.”

As for the Democrats, Cross is not expecting Gary Crockett to be a factor against Jamie Davis.

Sam Houston Jones State Park in Calcasieu Parish will be undergoing a major restoration after sustaining significant damage from Hurricane Laura and other storms. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says the project will cover more than 800 acres of forest habitat over the course of six years.

Cut 6 (12) “…help that park.”

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame 2026 induction ceremony is tomorrow night in Natchitoches. Former LSU second baseman Warren Morris is one of the inductees. Morris, of course, blasted the iconic walk-off homer to win the 1996 College World Series. He says he spent most of the season injured in the dugout supporting his teammates.

Cut 9 (07)  “…that championship.”

The ceremony will be broadcast live on Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

10:30 LRN Newscast

Saturday is election day as the U-S Senate Republican and Democratic party runoffs are the main item on the ballot. Julia Letlow is touting President Trump’s endorsement of her as the reason why Republicans and No Party voters should vote for her. Letlow’s opponent, John Fleming, says Letlow is not the true Conservative in the race and cites her previous support of DEI policies.

In the Democratic primary, its Tensas Parish farmer Jamie Davis versus New Orleans businessman Gary Crockett. ULM Political Science Professor Pearson Cross…

Cut 15 (08) “…the final election”

The final election will be the general election in November.

 

There are also local tax measures on the ballot in most parishes. Secretary of State Nancy Landry says unfortunately turnout is expected to be low….

Cut 29 (04) “…20-percent”

Polls are open tomorrow from 7 AM to 8 PM.

The Calvary Baptist Lady Cavaliers are officially high school softball national champions. Kace Kieschnick has that story…

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

 

If you are flying out of Monroe Regional Airport today, you are being asked to arrive two and a half hours early because TSA is experiencing problems with its x-ray machine.

And in Bossier City, funeral services take place today honoring the life of Colonel Greg Watson. He was one of eight who died when a B-52 bomber crashed at a California air base during a routine test mission.

9:30 LRN Newscast

Tomorrow is your last chance to make your voices heard in the U.S. Senate runoffs. On the Republican side, Julia Letlow and John Fleming are the last two standing for the nomination. Whereas Fleming was the first candidate to launch a challenge against Bill Cassidy, Letlow was the last to enter the race after getting President Trump’s endorsement. ULM political science professor Pearson Cross says while that endorsement cleared out the field of challengers, that may actually end up working against Letlow.

Cut 14 (10) “…the establishment candidate.”

On the Democratic side, Jamie Davis and Gary Crockett are squaring off to decide that party’s nomination.

Secretary of State Nancy Landry says depending on where you live, you may find some other items on your ballot to vote on.

Cut 6 (08) “…party primary items.”

Governor Landry signs an executive order that he says will ensure that residents and local businesses are not paying for the massive amount of energy needed to power A-I data centers. Landry says the order will require data center companies to follow a new set of guidelines in order to qualify for tax breaks.

Cut 10 (09) “…on the ratepayer.”

Tomorrow, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame inducts its Class of 2026. Among the inductees is former UL-Lafayette catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who became a two-time All-Star in 12 seasons in Major League Baseball and says he owes it all to Cajuns coach Tony Robichaux.

Cut 17 (18) “…that includes him.”

8:30 LRN Newscast

Tomorrow is the US Senate primary runoff. On the Republican side, recent polls show a tight race between John Fleming and Julia Letlow. ULM political science professor Pearson Cross says Letlow was expected to win this primary after incumbent Bill Cassidy finished in third place in the primary…

Cut 13 (07)  “…race of it.”

Remember this is a closed party primary, if you are a registered Republican voter, you vote in the Republican Primary and if you are a registered Democratic voter, you vote in the Democratic Primary. Secretary of State Nancy Landry has the rules for registered no party voters.

Cut 5 (13) “…May and June.”

Polls are open from 7 AM to 8 PM.

 

Governor Jeff Landry signs an executive order he says will protect ratepayers from higher electricity bills as a result of the increased demand in power to operate four data centers that are under construction in Louisiana.  Landry says data centers cannot pass along the costs to residents and local businesses and that’s what his executive order ensures.

Cut 12 (10) “…the East Coast.”

Calvary Baptist has been crowned as national champions in high school softball by Max-preps-dot-com. The Lady Cavaliers were ranked number one earlier in the season, but lost to West Monroe right before the end of the regular season. Cavs head coach Tiffany Frazier Wood says the team that replaced them as number one lost in the playoffs…

Cut 8 (11) “…their final poll”

Calvary has won six straight state titles and will for a state record seventh straight title next year.

7:30 LRN Newscast

Tomorrow is the day when we will find out who will advance to the general election for U.S. Senate. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Secretary of State Nancy Landry says for many voters, the U-S Senate primary runoff is not the only item on the ballot…

Cut 6 (08) “…party primary items”

Polls are open from 7 AM to 8 PM.

 

Governor Jeff Landry signs an executive order that he says will ensure that residents and local businesses are not paying for the massive amount of energy needed to power A-I data centers. Landry says the order will require data center companies to follow a new set of guidelines in order to qualify for tax breaks.

Cut 10 (09) “…on the ratepayer.”

Data Center companies will be required to submit evidence to the Louisiana Department of Economic Development that they are able to pay for their own electricity needs.

Calvary Baptist has been declared as the national champions in high school softball by Max-Preps-dot-com. The Lady Cavaliers just won their sixth straight state championship…

Cut 9 (11) “…number one spot”

6:45 LRN Sportscast

The 2026 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame class will be inducted this weekend. The class includes former LSU Tigers John Brady, Slyvia Fowles, Todd McClure and Warren Morris. Also going in…former Ragin Cajuns catcher Jonathan Lucroy and former NFL stars Joe Horn and Pat Williams.

Williams is a Monroe native and former Wossman High star. He played 14 seasons in the NFL as a nose tackle, earning three Pro Bowl selections as one of the league’s top run stuffers. Williams signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent and says he learned from Hall of Famers like Bruce Smith.

Cut 18 (10) “…be great too.”

The induction ceremony will be held in Natchitoches and televised statewide on LPB on Saturday night.

Calvary Baptist has been declared as the national champions in high school softball by Max-Preps-dot-com. The Lady Cavaliers just won their sixth straight state championship…

Cut 9 (11) “…number one spot”

That’s head coach Tiffany Frazier Wood who is saying goodbye to Georgia signee Kynzee Anderson and Abby Sims. But Wood will have another strong team next year as they will try to win a seventh straight state championship, which would be a state record.

According to Sports Illustrated, twin softball players Madison and Mackenzie Pickens are transferring to LSU. Madison hit .457 with 11 home runs and 74 RBIs for Louisville last season. While Mackenzie hit .271 with 11 homers and 43 RBIs for the Ole Miss Rebels. They are from Flowery Branch, Georgia.

6:30 LRN Newscast

Governor Jeff Landry has signed an executive order that he says will help ensure data centers do not result in higher electricity bills for Louisiana residents and businesses. There are four data center campuses under construction in Louisiana, and Landry says more artificial intelligence centers could be on the way, but not at the expense of the ratepayer.

Cut 11 (10) “…meet those demands.”

Landry says data centers will have to follow the Louisiana Ratepayer and Community Protection Initiative to receive tax breaks from the state.

Saturday is election day as the U-S Senate Republican and Democratic party runoffs are the main item on the ballot. Plus there are local tax measures on the ballot in most parishes. Secretary of State Nancy Landry says unfortunately turnout is expected to be low….

Cut 4 (06) “…for Saturday”

Polls are open tomorrow from 7 AM to 8 PM.

 

Huge honor for the Calvary Baptist softball team as the Lady Cavaliers have been recognized as the best team in the country by Maxpreps-dot-com. Coach Tiffany Frazier Wood’s team is the first from Louisiana to be declared national champs…

Cut 7 (11) “…it’s been exciting”

Calvary just won its sixth straight title as they went 37-and-1 on the season.

Its Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony weekend. One of the inductees is former LSU men’s basketball coach John Brady who led the Tigers to the Final Four in 2006. Brady says that was a special team…

Cut 16 (14) “…number one overall seed”

The 2026 Class also features Slyvia Fowles, Todd McClure, Warren Morris, Jonathan Lucroy and former NFL defensive lineman Pat Williams.

LRN AM Newscall June 26

If you didn’t cast a ballot in early voting in the U.S. Senate runoffs, you have one more chance tomorrow. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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The Calvary Baptist Lady Cavaliers are officially high school softball national champions. Kace Kieschnick reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

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Tomorrow is the day when we will find out who will be advancing to the general election for U.S. Senate. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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If you haven’t voted in the U.S. Senate runoffs, tomorrow is your last chance to do so. Overall turnout in early and absentee voting was just under 165-thousand, and Secretary of State Nancy Landry expects the turnout tomorrow to be low as well.

Cut 4 (06) “…percent for Saturday.”

If you’re a no-party voter and you cast either a Republican or Democratic ballot last month, that’s the ballot you will cast this time around, unless you registered with the opposite party before the deadline. Landry says no-party voters who either cast a no-party ballot or didn’t cast a ballot at all will still have the option.

Cut 5 (13) “…May and June.”

Landry says depending on where you live, you may find some other items on your ballot to vote on.

Cut 6 (10) “…party primary items.”

You can view your sample ballot on GeauxVote-dot-com or on the GeauxVote app.

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The Calvary Baptist softball team was named this year’s national champion by MaxPreps-dot-com. The Lady Cavaliers went 37-and-1 this season and earned their sixth straight state title. They become the first Louisiana high school team to be named national champions by MaxPreps. Coach Tiffany Frazier Wood says the feeling is hard to describe.

Cut 7 (11) “…it’s been exciting.”

Calvary finished in the top five in MaxPreps’ final ranking last year and spent most of this season in the top spot. The Lady Cavaliers dropped out of first after their lone loss of the season. Wood says the team that replaced them as number-one lost in their playoffs.

Cut 8 (11) “…their final poll.”

Wood and her team waited 51 days for the official announcement as schools across the country wrapped up their playoffs.

This Calvary team was led by seniors Kynzee Anderson and Abby Sims, who have been with the program since seventh grade and were a part of all six state championships. Wood says the program wouldn’t be what it is today without the teas that laid the foundation.

Cut 9 (11)  “…number-one spot.”

___________________________________________________

Governor Jeff Landry signs an executive order that he says will ensure that residents and local businesses are not paying for the massive amount of energy needed to power A-I data centers. Landry says the order will require data center companies to follow a new set of guidelines in order to qualify for tax breaks.

Cut 10 (09) “…on the ratepayer.”

Data Center companies will be required to submit evidence to the Louisiana Department of Economic Development that they are able to pay for their own electricity needs.

There are four data center campuses under construction in Louisiana, and Landry says more artificial intelligence centers could be on the way, but not at the expense of the ratepayer.

Cut 11 (10) “…meet those demands.”

The governor signed the Louisiana Ratepayer and Community Protection Initiative a week after an Advocate newspaper report that said Entergy was planning to purchase a power plant in Texas to help power the Meta data center in Richland Parish. The acquisition would cost the average Entergy residential ratepayer eight dollars a month.

Landry says data centers can do business in Louisiana, but they cannot pass along costs to customers and that’s what his executive order ensures.

Cut 12 (10) “…the East Coast.”

Entergy says its plan to purchase the Texas power plant was part of its supply plan before Meta was a potential customer. Entergy Louisiana also says it’s committed to delivering an estimated 2.8-billion dollars in customer savings over the next two decades.

___________________________________________________

By the end of the day tomorrow, we will know exactly who will advance to the general election for U.S. Senate. On the Republican side, a runoff that had all the makings for a runaway is now anything but. Recent polls show John Fleming either closing the gap or catching Julia Letlow. ULM political science professor Pearson Cross says he feels that Letlow may have counted her chickens before they hatched.

Cut 13 (07)  “…race of it.”

Whereas Fleming was the first candidate to launch a challenge against Bill Cassidy, Letlow was the last to enter the GOP race after getting President Trump’s endorsement. Cross says while that endorsement cleared out the field of challengers, that may actually end up working against Letlow.

Cut 14 (10) “…the establishment candidate.”

Cross says while the race between Fleming and Letlow appears to be coming down to the wire, the same cannot be said for Jamie Davis and Gary Crockett as they vie for the Democratic nomination.

Cut 15 (08) “…the final election.”

___________________________________________________

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame inducts its 2026 class tomorrow night. Former LSU basketball coach John Brady led LSU to four NCAA tournament appearances and two SEC regular season titles. In 2006, he became the third Tigers coach to lead a team to the Final Four. He says that team was a special group.

Cut 16 (14) “…one overall seed.”

Former UL-Lafayette catcher Jonathan Lucroy set records with 184 RBI, 54 doubles and 414 total bases. He hit 35 home runs with a .356 batting average and was a two-time All-Sun Belt selection. Lucroy was a two-time MLB All-Star in 12 seasons in the majors and says he owes it all to Cajuns coach Tony Robichaux.

Cut 17 (18) “…that includes him.”

Monroe native and former Wossman High star Pat Williams played 14 seasons in the NFL. The nose tackle was one of the league’s top run stoppers, earning three Pro Bowl selections. He signed with the Bills as an undrafted free agent and says he learned from Hall of Famers like Bruce Smith.

Cut 18 (10) “…be great too.”

The induction ceremony will be held in Natchitoches and televised statewide on LPB.

 

5:30 LRN Newscast

Saturday is the day when we will find out who will be advancing to the general election for U.S. Senate. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

U-S Senator Bill Cassidy has switched his position on Iran after meeting with Vice President J-D Vance. In a post on X, Cassidy thanked Vance and Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, for addressing his concerns. Cassidy then voted against a resolution urging an end to the war, after voting for a similar resolution the day before.

 

East Baton Rouge Parish Pastor Tony Spell faces a second-degree battery charge after video shows him punching his neighbor’s 20-year-old son. Spell claims the 20-year-old threatened to rape and kill his family and Spell’s attorney alleges the Central Police Department is working with the neighbors against the Reverend. Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran denies the allegation…

Cut 14 (11) “…out here”

The criminal charge against Spell was filed by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.

The massive rainfall in Avoyelles Parish one week ago is one step closer to being an official state record. A volunteer observer measured 29.06 inches of rain within a 12-hour period three miles southeast of Cottonport. Jonathan Brazzell (“Brazil”) with the National Weather Service is among a team of meteorologists who have verified that reading.

Cut 10 (10) “…will become official.”

4:45 LRN Sportscast

Brother Martin five-star receiver Easton Royal took his final official visit to Texas this past weekend after trips to LSU and Florida. TigerBait-dot-com’s Preston Guy says Lane Kiffin will have to open up the LSU pocketbook if he wants to flip the nation’s top receiver.

Cut 17 (17) “…high school players.”

He believes LSU is starting to approach Texas’s NIL offer, and a flip is likely if the Tigers can remain competitive.

The SEC released the home and away schedule for LSU men’s basketball. The Tigers have home and away games against Auburn, Arkansas and Texas A&M. Will Wade’s squad will host Florida, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Vanderbilt take road trips to Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Calvary Baptist was named the 2026 national high school champions by MaxPreps-dot-com. The Lady Cavaliers earned their sixth state title in a row with a 37-and-1 record this season.

The Shrine on Airline will undergo a 30-million-dollar transformation into a venue hosting high school football, soccer, concerts and more. Construction is scheduled to be completed June of next year.

Former Ragin’ Cajuns utility player Miki Watts is transferring to ULM. She appeared in 24 games this season, hitting .325 with 10 RBIS in only 40 at-bats. She’ll join a Warhawk team that went 38-and-20 this season and finished first in the Sun Belt with a 19-and-5 conference record.

The U.S. Men’s National Team will play its final World Cup group stage game tonight against Turkey. The U.S. has already clinched first in the group and will likely play Bosnia-Herzegovina in the round of 32. Manager Mauricio Pochettino likely won’t risk playing four starters with yellow cards. Kickoff in LA is scheduled for 9 p.m.