Mardi Gras is now just days away, and Carnival parades are ramping up in earnest this weekend. Sunday evening, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser will be aboard one of the floats in the Krewe of Bacchus parade – as will NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. Nungesser says Shaq will be on float in front of his – and that’s a good thing, because he says he cannot compete with the former LSU star.

Cut 6 (08) “…is for Louisiana.”

A Lake Charles man’s sexual battery conviction was thrown out and the judge declared a new trial after an incident during jury deliberations involving a Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s captain. Sheriff Stitch Guillory says this throws out the conviction of 42-year-old Joshua Boyd.

Cut 10 (10) “…uphold the conviction.”

A man is convicted in a murder-for-hire in Terrebonne Parish. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 3 (37) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

Tonight marks the final time ULM’s Keith Richard (REE-shard) will coach his team in Fant-Ewing Coliseum. Richard is retiring at the end of the season, following 15 years as a head coach at his alma mater. Richard also played at ULM, was a grad assistant and an assistant coach.