An Opelousas man was arrested after fleeing a Youngsville mental health facility on foot, stealing a school bus and causing a four-vehicle crash in Lafayette on Sunday night. He then stole a truck from a bystander who stopped to help. Lafayette PD Senior Corporal Ashley Wood says 26-year-old Marion Baker was arrested after he crashed that truck in Rayne.

Cut 3 (10) “…collision with four vehicles.”

Lafayette P-D reports several individuals received moderate injuries as a result of the crash.

52 men and women began their journey to become State Troopers today. The 24-week academy is said to be challenging as cadets receive training in areas involving defensive and de-escalation tactics, detection of impaired driving, fair and impartial policing, use of force and civil rights, criminal, and traffic law. Cadets look forward to graduating at the end of May.

Reading scores are up among the state’s youngest learners. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) report says Louisiana’s teacher workforce is significantly less diverse than its population. Teach for America Executive Director Ge’ron Tatum says to address this, strategies include recruiting from historically Black colleges and offering financial support to prospective teachers.

Cut 11 (15) “…entering the profession.”

A former Bossier City Deputy Chief of Police and pastor of Embrace Me Ministries has been arrested for an alleged child sex crime. The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office says the arrest of 57, year old Richard Broom McGee came after they were contacted by the DA’s office. They say it was a secret indictment, and they don’t know which agency conducted the investigation. McGee was taken to the Caddo Correctional Center around noon and charged with carnal knowledge of a juvenile. He is held on a $150,000 bond.

State troopers don’t know why the driver of a Silverado, Logan Schmalz of Franklinton, crossed the centerline on LA 25 in Washington Parish, where a head on crash that took the lives of 3 people including a 3-year-old and 11-year-old, but Trooper Marc Gremillion says State Police has this message.

Cut 13 (07)  “…or speed.”

Louisiana’s teacher workforce is significantly less diverse than its population of college-educated adults, according to a National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) report. Teach for America Executive Director Ge’ron Tatum says Louisiana teachers earn 5-thousayd-dollars less than the Southern regional average and 15-thousdand dollars below the national average, deterring people of color from entering or staying in the profession. Tatum stresses that representation matters, as research shows teachers of color significantly benefit student outcomes.

Cut 10 (11) “…leads to great results.”

Last year’s Louisiana kindergarteners improved their reading scores by more than 20 points as first graders. Deputy superintendent at the State Department of Education Dr. Jenna Chiasson (CHASS-on) says several factors contributed. She says better reading scores at the early levels set kids up for success later in their education and, in effect, later in life.

Cut 8 (06) “…improvement.”

Three people are dead, including two children, as a result of a head-on collision between an SUV and a pickup truck on L-A 25 in Washington Parish. State Police Trooper Marc Gremillion says the adult who was killed has been identified as 42-year-old Tequilla Santee. Gremillion says the two children who died were 11 and three years old…

Cut 12 (10) “…deceased on the scene.”

Several people sustained moderate injuries in a four-vehicle crash in Lafayette caused by an Opelousas man who stole a school bus after fleeing a Youngsville mental health facility Sunday. Lafayette PD Senior Corporal Ashley Wood says after the crash, 26-year-old Marion Baker fled the scene in a truck he stole from someone who had stopped to help. He was arrested after crashing the bystander’s truck in Rayne. Baker is currently being held without bail in Lafayette Parish Jail.

Cut 5 (09) “…as well as theft.”

A National Council on Teacher Quality report says Louisiana teachers are less diverse than its population. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Students in kindergarten through third grade are improving their reading scores, thanks to a new focus on phonics-based literacy instruction. Dr. Jenna Chiasson (CHASS-on), the deputy superintendent at the State Department of Education, says several factors are contributing to the rise in reading proficiency among those children.

Cut 7 (12) “…Science of Reading.”

Dr. Chiasson says tutoring has also helped improve reading scores, with kids getting individualized instruction.

Reading scores are up among the state’s youngest learners. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles says its system is back up after a statewide outage this morning. OMV field offices can once again process transactions. If you had an appointment this morning at your local OMV, you are asked to reschedule at express-lane-dot-org.

Louisiana’s teacher workforce is significantly less diverse than its population of college-educated adults, according to a National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) report. Teach for America Executive Director Ge’ron Tatum says some of this is due to limited pathways and elimination of teacher prep programs.

Cut 9 (07)  “…teacher pay is inadequate,”

Louisiana teachers earn 5-thousand-dollars less than the Southern regional average and 15-thousdand dollars below the national average, deterring people of color from entering or staying in the profession.

An Opelousas man faces numerous charges after he allegedly stole a school bus and crashed into several vehicles on Pinhook Road in Lafayette last night. Lafayette Police Senior Corporal Ashley Wood says following the collision, which resulted in moderate injuries for several people, 26-year-old Marion Baker stoke a truck from a bystander who stopped to help…

Cut 4 (11) “….by law enforcement”

Wood says Baker’s crime spree started after he fled from a mental health facility in Youngsville.

Students in kindergarten through third grade are improving their reading scores, thanks to a new focus on phonics-based literacy instruction. Assistant State Superintendent Dr. Jenna Chiasson (CHASS-on) says those students improved their reading proficiency by more than two percentage points.

Cut 6 (09) “…level in literacy.”

Chiasson credits tutoring and a method of teaching called the Science of Reading.

An Opelousas man was arrested after fleeing a Youngsville mental health facility on foot, stealing a school bus and causing a four-vehicle crash in Lafayette on Sunday night. Lafayette PD Senior Corporal Ashley Wood reported that 26-year-old Marion Baker, who was being transported to a mental health facility.

Cut 3 (10) “…collision with four vehicles.”

Wood says after fleeing the bus Baker stole and truck and was eventually arrested in Rayne.

Alexandria Senior High’s first appearance in the Cesars Superdome did not go well as the Trojans lost to Edna Karr 53 to 8 in the division one select state championship game. It was the first loss of the season for ASH. Coach Thomas Bachman…

Cut 13 (09) “…proud of them”

Ruston was seeking back-to-back state championships, but ran into a buzzsaw on Saturday afternoon as the Central Wildcats walloped the Bearcats 42 to nothing. Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh took responsibility for his team’s performance.

Cut 15 (19) “…out to be.”

That was Ruston’s third straight state title game appearance.

Crawfish farmers and fishermen are expecting the 2025 crawfish season to be night and day from last year.  LSU AgCenter Crawfish Agent Todd Fontenot says conditions have been favorable for farmers.

Cut 7 (12) “…normal like conditions.”

Fontenot reassures crawfish enthusiasts that the upcoming season is on track to recover.

The Louisiana Department of Health detects the first possible human case of Bird Flu. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says the symptoms of bird flu are not unlike those for human flu.

Cut 11 (13) “…headaches, fatigue.”

But Sokol cautions that in order for it to be bird flu, the person must have come into contact with an infected animal such as a bird or a cow.

Senator John Kennedy wants to give teachers who spend their own money on school supplies a bigger tax break. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 1 (27) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

If you need to go to the Office of Motor Vehicles, your best bet is to do it another day. The OMV says its systems are down; and as such, it is unable to process driver’s license, vehicle registration or reinstatement transactions. Currently, no estimate on when those systems will be back up and running.

A man is shot and injured outside the Superdome Friday night following the Prep Classic. The suspected shooter is under arrest. At this time, it’s unclear what led to the shooting.

Late last week, the Louisiana Department of Health detected the first possible human case of the highly pathogenic strain of Bird Flu. The state says the person lives in southwest Louisiana and is hospitalized. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says while public risk is low, the risk is there.

Cut 10 (09) “…from infected cows.”

To boost NIL efforts at LSU, head football coach Brian Kelly announced the one-million dollar match challenge. Kelly says he and his wife will match up to one million dollars in new money donated through NIL for football. Tiger Rag magazine editor Glenn Guilbeau says one thing that may have motivated Kelly to put up his own money is better job security.

Cut 18 (13)   “…from getting fired.”

The 2024 Prep Classic saw three teams from the Acadiana area win state championships. Jeanne (ZHAHN) Burns has more…

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Jeanne Burns.”

One week after dominating U-L Lafayette in the Sun Belt championship game, Marshall has pulled out of the Independence Bowl. With scores of players opting out or entering the transfer portal, the Thundering Herd did not have enough players to take the field against Army. Louisiana Tech, with a record of 5-and-7, is stepping in to take on the American Athletic Conference champion Black Knights.

Senator John Kennedy introduces a bill that would double the maximum that teachers can deduct from their taxable income for spending their own money on school supplies.

Cut 4 (17) “…to 600 dollars.”

Kennedy says he introduced the bill mainly to get a head start on it. He’ill reintroduce it when the 119th Congress convenes next month.

Late last week, the Louisiana Department of Health detected the first possible human case of the highly pathogenic strain of Bird Flu. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says while symptoms of bird flu are similar to those of regular flu, the person must have come into contact with an infected animal such as a bird or a cow.

Cut 12 (10) “…not bird flu.”

The state says the person lives in southwest Louisiana and is hospitalized. 

Two blowouts punctuated the Prep Classic at the Superdome. In the Division One Select Championship, Edna Karr out of New Orleans beat Alexandria Senior High, 53-8. Alexandria coach Thomas Bachman says that one loss does not take away from the team’s accomplishments all season long.

Cut 13 (09)  “…proud of them.”

Later, in the Division One Non-Select title game, Central, out of Baton Rouge, annihilated Ruston, 42-0. Central coach David Simoneaux said his team proved a lot of people wrong.

Cut 16 (20) “…close-knit group.”

Cecilia, Sterlington, South Plaquemines, Archbishop Shaw, Catholic New Iberia and Vermilion Catholic also won state championships.