AGR - Louisiana Edition

American Ground Radio
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Join Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr on American Ground Radio - Louisiana Edition as they delve deep into the heartbeat of Louisiana, serving up a gumbo of local and statewide news, and political opinion to boot. Whether you're in NOLA or Natchitoches, Minden or Moss Bluff, grab a seat and savor not just the spicy Louisiana politics, but also the company of friends and family that make this place we call home. 

  1. 1d ago

    Louisiana Brothers Charged With Funding Hamas, BRCC Record Enrollment, Carroll High Suspended

    You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for October 1, 2026. We open with a case hitting close to home: two St. Tammany Parish brothers accused of helping finance Hamas through PayPal, Western Union, and online fundraising. We walk through the alleged "bread" code language, the undercover operation out of New York, and why we say knowingly funding terrorists is not political speech. In the Top 3 Things You Need to Know, we cover the arrests of Omar and Abdel Adhami on wire fraud and material support charges, Baton Rouge Community College's record enrollment and its largest freshman class ever, and the Carroll High School football team and coaches suspended for the rest of the season after a postgame brawl with Assumption High School fans. After the break, we talk about the death of an 18-year-old student at Benjamin Franklin High School in Los Angeles after a classroom fight. We ask why so many young people struggle to control their emotions, and what parents can teach their kids about walking away.  In Digging Deep, we head to the village of Elizabeth, Louisiana, where police chief candidate Zachary LaCaze dropped out over a Hatch Act problem with his Fort Polk job. That leaves Chris Paul, who was recently arrested on two second-degree rape charges, as the only candidate left. We cover why the state can't remove him without a conviction and what the Board of Aldermen is considering. Then we turn to California's governor's race and Steve Hilton's attack on Xavier Becerra over the hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied migrant children who went missing. In Say What, we get into Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's blunt speech to officers at Quantico, why we think the Department of War name fits, and why we say the military is about merit, not social experiments. We also look at Gavin Newsom's executive order requiring state employees to say "artificial intelligence" after Trump pushed "superintelligence." Then we play a game of which countries have the largest navies. The U.S. comes in third behind China and Russia, and Great Britain lands at a stunning 33rd. We wrap up with the British-Iranian man arrested in connection with the attempted attack on a British airbase, and why we say governments should follow the evidence wherever it leads. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776.

  2. 2d ago

    Louisiana Fights Back: Three States Take On New York, California, and Massachusetts Over Abortion Pills

    You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for September 30, 2026.  We open with a heavy story out of Shreveport, where a 13-year-old boy died shielding his 2-year-old sister during a shooting at a basketball court. We talk about a culture that doesn't know what to do with anger, rejection, and disrespect, and about what honor, responsibility, and restraint really look like. Our message to anyone who needs it: your feelings are temporary, but the consequences are not. In the Top 3 Things You Need to Know, we start with the U.S. Navy's decision to have three Louisiana shipyards build 30 medium unmanned surface vessels. Next is the court challenge to the newly approved Amazon data center in Shreveport. Then we cover the arrest of Melville Mayor Coretta Robertson, which the St. Landry Parish sheriff now says should never have happened. From there, we make the case for why it's a great time to be in Louisiana, from the big industrial investments around the state to Louisiana Tech's most academically prepared freshman class ever. In Digging Deep, we look at Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas suing New York, California, and Massachusetts over abortion shield laws. We cover the case filed directly with the U.S. Supreme Court, the separate suit against a network of providers, and why we see it as a question of state sovereignty. In Say What, we dig into Jameis Winston's viral remarks, which turn out to be straight from Philippians and James. Then we turn to our own prediction that Democrats will impeach President Trump again if they win the House, and we react to Congressman Ro Khanna's explanation on Meet the Press. We also cover the Senate vote that sank a bill banning stock trading by members of Congress, because it was paired with a photo ID requirement for federal elections. And we play a game of presidential impeachment trivia that goes all the way back to Thomas Jefferson. We wrap up by asking whether the thwarted attack on the flydubai flight and the arrests near a British air base used by U.S. forces might be connected, and what Iran's role in terrorism could mean here.  Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776.

  3. 3d ago

    A Judge, a $765,000 House, and a Threat to Jail Reporters Under a Law That No Longer Exists

    You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for September 29, 2026.  We start with the Protect College Sports Act, which passed the Senate 77 to 22 with both Louisiana senators, John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy, voting yes. We explain what the bill does on NIL compensation, transfers, eligibility, and agents, and why its path through the House is uncertain with the clock running on this Congress. Then we get into Senator Kennedy's failed amendment to cap annual ticket price increases at 4 percent. We side with Senator Cassidy that Washington shouldn't be setting prices, but we also ask why students and families are being priced out of Tiger Stadium. In our Top 3, Louisiana State Police say as many as seven laws may have been broken when Orleans Parish Democrats conspired to indict Attorney General Liz Murrill, an indictment the state Supreme Court threw out. The mayor of Melville is arrested after failing to appear in court in a civil case. The man attacked by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff in a Madisonville restaurant sues for damages. In Digging Deep, we look at the story out of New Orleans involving Judge Kimya Holmes, her ex-fiancé, and a $765,000 house. The ex-fiancé owed more than $712,000 in a COVID fraud case. We cover how WWL's reporting put the transfer in front of a federal judge, and how Holmes's camp then tried to go after the journalists using a law the legislature had already repealed. Next is Barron's Law, introduced by Texas Congressman Brandon Gill in memory of an eight-year-old killed in a tractor-trailer crash. It would require CDL applicants to be legally authorized to work in the U.S. and to pass an English proficiency assessment. We explain why this is about reading road signs and understanding a police officer, not about accents. On Say What, former NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom has a message for the WNBA on defining a woman, and we talk about why the messenger gets attacked instead of the question being answered. We also follow up on the inspector general's findings on Afghan asylum vetting under the Biden administration. We play a round of AP test trivia, and we find out which states lead the nation in participation and what that means for red states. Finally, we ask why Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed calls tougher fentanyl penalties draconian while pushing supervised consumption sites. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776.

  4. 4d ago

    The Murrill Investigation, the GATOR Task Force, and the Caddo DA Race

    You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for September 28, 2026.  We open with Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who was indicted on 16 felony counts by an Orleans Parish grand jury over letters she wrote to New Orleans officials in a fight over the Orleans Parish clerk of court consolidation. All 16 counts were later dismissed, and now the Louisiana Supreme Court has appointed St. Tammany and Washington Parish District Attorney Colin Sims to investigate how the indictment happened in the first place. We walk through the whole story and ask whether a grand jury was used as a political pressure valve. In the Top 3 Things You Need to Know, we cover two LSU fraternities, Delta Kappa Epsilon and Phi Gamma Delta, suspended amid hazing investigations, and the difference between leadership and abuse. We also cover the GATOR task force, which has already led to 65 arrests of violent criminals across North Louisiana, and the announced retirement of Louisiana Tech President Jim Henderson at the end of the year. Next, we take a moment to talk about hope. The St. Tammany Parish coroner says the parish is on pace for a record number of suicides this year, and that most are spontaneous decisions made in the worst few minutes of a crisis. If you or someone you know needs help, you can call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In Digging Deep, we look at the Caddo Parish District Attorney's race between incumbent James Stewart and State Senator Alan Seabaugh, sparked by the escape of Travion Jackson and the five years he spent in jail awaiting trial. We debate who deserves the blame for jail overcrowding and trial delays, from the DA to the sheriff to the legislature. Then we turn to Pope Leo's message to Europe about its Christian heritage and his call for young people to start families and defend life from conception to death, and we ask whether he goes far enough. In Say What, we play a clip of David Brooks admitting that the mainstream media has lost its distance from the Democratic Party, and we discuss what it means when journalists stop acting as watchdogs. We also react to President Obama's claim that government is less corrupt than ever, set against a Gallup survey showing that 89 percent of Americans believe corruption is widespread. Then we play a game about affordability, guessing which states have the highest and lowest average rents and where the affordability crisis actually is. We close by returning to the terror plot at RAF Fairford in England, asking why five suspects were released on bail and why their names haven't been made public. Listen wherever you get your podcasts and visit our website at AmericanGroundRadio.com.

  5. 5d ago

    Why Wasn't This Already the Policy? Caddo's Jail Escape Fixes

    You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avalone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for September 25, 2026.  We kick off on Dolly Day by celebrating Dolly Parton's talent and generosity. State Representative Mike Baham is set to announce legislation creating a Louisiana specialty license plate in her honor, with $25 from each plate supporting her Imagination Library and getting free books to kids. We talk about why early reading matters, and about how Dolly never forgot where she came from. In the Top 3 Things You Need to Know, protesters gather in Alexandria over a planned immigration detention center at England Air Park, and New Orleans police report a 98% murder clearance rate this year. A Louisiana parish also works to avoid a state takeover as it faces a $1.65 million bond payment and service cuts. Next, we dig into Louisiana's finances, with a $1.4 billion rainy day fund nearing its cap, a $577 million surplus, and what it could mean for future tax cuts and Governor Landry's reelection bid. In Digging Deep, Caddo Sheriff Henry Whitehorn Sr. announces new inmate transport policies after murder suspect Travion Jackson's escape, and we ask why these common-sense rules weren't already in place. We then look at President Trump's emergency request to the Supreme Court to resume third-country deportations, and why the politics are tricky heading into the midterms. In Say What, we react to Mayor Zohran Mamdani's threats to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu and Netanyahu's response at the United Nations. Next, we react to Barack Obama's claim that government is less corrupt than ever, and to a Gallup survey showing 89% of Americans see widespread corruption. We play a game about which states have the highest and lowest average rents, and we wrap up by wondering whether the gold eagle President Trump gave Xi Jinping was a gift or a little trolling. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776.

  6. Sep 25

    New Poll Shows Tight Letlow-Davis Senate Race — Should You Believe It?

    You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for September 24, 2026.  We start off digging into a new Senate poll from Heart Research Associates showing Republican Julia Letlow at 48% and Democrat Jamie Davis at 44% in Louisiana's race — a poll we push back on hard, walking through Louisiana's recent statewide voting history to argue the numbers don't add up. From there we hit our Top 3 Things You Need to Know: Governor Jeff Landry declaring a state of emergency over diesel prices and allowing dyed off-road diesel on state highways to help farmers.  Southern University narrowing its presidential search to six candidates. And a Caddo Parish nonprofit director arrested for embezzling grant money meant for underprivileged kids. We then talk about a new Louisiana law requiring foster children to be given real luggage instead of garbage bags when they're moved between homes, and why we think it's a meaningful, dignity-driven piece of legislation. We dig deep into the push to bring the U.S. Space Force Academy to Louisiana, making the case for the state's aerospace corridor from Lafayette to New Orleans and Stennis. We shift into a discussion on Christianity's role in America's founding, prompted by controversy over claims questioning Jesus's resurrection and a non-binary Episcopal priest's comments on gender and divinity. In our Say What segment, we take aim at Senator Bernie Sanders's call for a U.S.-China AI treaty to stop "oligarchs," pointing out the irony of asking two world leaders to make that call. We riff on real-life "oligarchs" like cable and utility companies with their endless hold times, play a quick game guessing the most and least visited U.S. states, and close out laughing at a Michigan politician's claim that college football fans are to blame for the state's housing costs. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776.

  7. Sep 24

    Louisiana's Biggest Problem Is a Good One: Too Many Jobs, Not Enough Workers

    You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for September 23, 2026. We open with the difference between good problems and bad problems, and Louisiana's shortage of skilled tradespeople is a good one. With the $5.8 billion Hyundai Steel project in Ascension Parish and Meta's $50 billion-plus data center in Richland Parish, companies are poaching community college instructors, and the state's technical college system says it needs to double its enrollment. We talk about why we think businesses can do much of the training themselves, from Ben Franklin's apprenticeship to today's on-the-job training, and whether the system's request for another $100 million from the state is the answer.  In the Top 3, a man who escaped custody in Shreveport during a hospital transfer is captured in Marshall, Texas, and the sheriff admits it was a mistake to assign him just one guard. Louisiana's Rainy Day Fund hits a record $1.4 billion, which we call another good problem to have. And a New Orleans doctor is indicted for allegedly billing nearly $6 million in false Medicare and Medicaid claims and using the money to pay for a yacht captain. Next, we take on Shreveport's proposed 4% to 8% raises for about 400 city employees and ask whether across-the-board raises hurt morale and reward mediocrity. In Digging Deep, we look at Mitch Landrieu eyeing a run for the White House, his Politico interview, his shots at the Democratic Socialists of America, and why we think he's misjudging the power of the DSA in his own party.  We also react to John Oliver's claim that Luigi Mangione can't be completely condemned for killing UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson, and his push for universal health care like Canada's. In Say What, Secretary of State Marco Rubio tells the U.N. that America will always put its national interest first. We look at how President Trump's press access compares to President Biden's, play a guessing game on the Heritage Foundation's 2026 Education Freedom Report Card, and question a Marist poll showing James Talarico beating Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776.

  8. Sep 23

    LSU Drops to 202 in U.S. News Rankings, LSU Shreveport Sets Graduation Record

    You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for September 22, 2026.  We open with a hard look at LSU's tumble to 202 in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, a drop of 33 spots. We dig into what changed in the methodology, including the new weight on graduate indebtedness, and how LSU stacks up against SEC and other state flagships like Florida, Texas, and Vanderbilt. We also ask what a university's real value is beyond what happens in Tiger Stadium on Saturday night. In the Top 3 Things You Need to Know, we cover a Louisiana mayor's divorce filings, an emergency protective order, and the resignation of his chief of staff, along with the mayor's denial. We also cover the new board of directors at the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans after the city's takeover of the agency, and a $4.5 million state grant shared by the Natchitoches Parish Port and the Central Louisiana Regional Port. Next, we look at a little-known corner of the Louisiana Civil Code, the law that says adult children can be obligated to support parents who are in need. We talk about what that means for families caring for aging mothers and fathers, and where the limits are. In Digging Deep, we celebrate a record 1,600 graduates at LSU Shreveport's end-of-summer ceremony, the school's 11th enrollment or graduation record since 2024. We talk about why schools that focus on the workforce needs of their region, like nursing, education, business, and computer degrees, are succeeding, and what LSU Shreveport Chancellor Robert Smith says about growing new programs. Then we get into a spirited debate over President Trump's directive to rename artificial intelligence "super intelligence," or SI, in government documents. Is it smart branding that showcases American technological leadership, or just changing the meaning of words? In Say What, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius tells Fox News' Bret Baier that Europe woke up to its own defense responsibilities, and we look at what that says about NATO spending. From there, we look at Gavin Newsom saying he won't run if Kamala Harris does, and at what a new Politico/UC Berkeley poll suggests about Democratic enthusiasm for each of them. We then play a game with the Heritage Foundation's 2026 Election Integrity Scorecard, guessing which states rank highest and lowest. We wrap up with thousands of Iranian Americans and supporters of the opposition protesting political executions in Iran outside the U.N. General Assembly in New York, and we talk about why the future of Iran should be decided by the Iranian people. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776.

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About

Join Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr on American Ground Radio - Louisiana Edition as they delve deep into the heartbeat of Louisiana, serving up a gumbo of local and statewide news, and political opinion to boot. Whether you're in NOLA or Natchitoches, Minden or Moss Bluff, grab a seat and savor not just the spicy Louisiana politics, but also the company of friends and family that make this place we call home. 

Information

  • Creator
    American Ground Radio
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    563
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright American Ground Radio
  • Show Website
    AGR - Louisiana Edition

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