Improving Reading Scores, Growing Job Market, & the Schumer Shutdown

You're listening to American Ground Radio with Stephen Parr and Louis R. Avallone. This is the full show for October 1, 2025.

0:30 We discuss the recent arrests at LSU during the university’s presidential search committee meeting. Seven students, including members of the Students for a Democratic Society, were taken into custody after disrupting the proceedings, refusing to yield the microphone, and attempting to block police officers. We break down what really happened, examining the difference between free speech and disorderly conduct, the meaning of democracy versus mob rule, and how campus activism is being reported in the media.

9:50 Plus, we cover the Top 3 Things You Need to Know.

• The former director of the Orleans Parish 911 system has been sentenced to one year in jail for covering up a car wreck he was involved in while driving a city vehicle.
  
  
• A former contract worker at the Lafayette District Attorney's Office has been sentenced to 4 years in jail for participating in a bribery scheme.
• Several Students at LSU were arrested during a presidential search committee meeting for the next leader of the university.
  12:30 Get Performlyte from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20.

13:30 We dive into some surprising and encouraging news on the education front. According to new data from the Urban Institute, Louisiana’s fourth graders now rank second in the nation for reading proficiency—trailing only Mississippi. Even more impressive, the state has achieved this milestone with significantly lower per-student spending than states like Vermont and Connecticut.

23:00 We discuss a tragedy in New Orleans. A father was shot and killed while picking up his child from daycare in Mid-City—another example of how everyday life in the Crescent City can be shattered in an instant. We look into the circumstances of the killing and why Governor Jeff Landry is calling for the National Guard to step in.

26:50 We Dig Deep into where jobs and growth are headed in 2026 and 2027—and the results may surprise you. From LNG terminals in Lake Charles to the new Meta data center in Monroe, Louisiana’s economy is entering a period of strong expansion.

32:30 Get Prodovite from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20.

33:30 At the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, a shocking breach of protocol raised questions about Secret Service accountability. Reports reveal that one agent allegedly fell asleep on duty and later left his semi-automatic rifle unattended during a bathroom break—while assigned to protect some of the highest-profile world leaders.

36:00 Plus, we guess which nations have the most slavery.

40:45 We break down the Schumer shutdown, comparing today's standoff to the 2018 shutdown over immigration.Democrats are willing to close the government to keep the border open. House Republicans passed the necessary funding, while most Senate Democrats voted to stall, leaving federal workers and services in limbo.

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