The first direct flight from New Orleans to London takes off tonight and is very affordable for a traveler.  Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

______________________________________

A former Marksville City Marshal has been found guilty of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter by an Avoyelles Parish jury. Emelie Gunn has more on his sentencing…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

______________________________________

Two weeks to go before the legislative session and we’re still waiting on Governor John Bel Edwards to announce his tax reform plans. Jeff Palermo reports…:

Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

______________________________________

Today the first direct flight from New Orleans to London takes off out of the Louis Armstrong Airport. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser will be aboard the British Airways flight and says this is an exciting day for all travelers in the state. He says now that this direct flight is available, it opens up the doors for international tourism to Louisiana.

Cut 4  (10) “in Louisiana”

Governor John Bel Edwards and other state officials will also be on the flight. Nungesser says the introduction of this direct fight allows for more business endeavors to come to the Bayou State.

Cut 5  (10)  “opportunity”

A ticket to London from New Orleans cost 900-dollars round trip. Nungesser says it’s easy getting international travelers to visit New Orleans, but the struggle will be attracting them to other locations around the state.

Cut 6 (10) “the best”

______________________________________

An Avoyelles Parish jury found former Marksville City Marshal, Derrick Stafford, guilty of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a 6-year-old boy and the injuring of his father. Stafford will be sentenced on March 31^st. Legal analyst Tim Meche says the judge will be under enormous pressure so Stafford is likely looking at close to 40 years in prison…

Cut 7 (10)  “consideration”

In 2015, Stafford and another marshal, Norris Greenhouse Jr., were accused of opening fire into Chris Few’s vehicle, killing the child and wounding Few. Meche says this is a classic case of a compromised verdict. He says the theory of manslaughter was not brought forward during the trial, only murder or self-defense.

Cut 8 (10) “of manslaughter”

Stafford took the stand Friday and said he fired into the vehicle because he believed the child’s father, Chris Few, would use the vehicle as a weapon. Greenhouse is scheduled to go to trial later in the year. Meche says Stafford’s conviction will heavily affect Greenhouse’s trial.

Cut 9 (09)  “any differently”

_________________________________________________________

With two weeks to go before the legislative session, Governor John Bel Edwards has yet to roll out his tax reform plans for the upcoming legislative session. LaPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford says many were surprised when they recently learned the governor is moving away from the idea of tweaking the individual income tax. He says the Administration is moving towards something completely different..:

Cut 10 (06) “sales instead”

The state of Ohio has a similar “gross receipts tax” which they say is imposed on the privilege of doing business in the state. Alford says the governor is likely moving in this direction because voters don’t want to see individual income taxes adjusted…:

Cut 11 (11) “losing battle”

Alford says the governor is also expected to give his stance on the state’s film tax credit program and increasing the gasoline tax. He says in the meantime Republicans are working on their mission for the session that begins April 10th, and they are staying the course that priorities need to be realigned.:

Cut 12 (10) “to address it”

_________________________________________________________

A report by Delta Waterfowl finds the number of duck hunters declining nationwide. Luke Laborde with the LSU School of Natural Resources says we’re seeing a similar trend in Louisiana. He says the number of duck hunters has been declining since the 1970s.

Cut 13 (09) “our fathers’ day”

Laborde says access and crowding are big issues driving people away from the sport. He says maneuvering public hunting lands is becoming more difficult because many require unpowered boats, and maintaining private hunting lands is expensive. He says they also have research to indicate youth are less interested in the great outdoors.

Cut 14 (11) “an iPad”

Laborde says LSU and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries are doing what they can to get more people interested in duck hunting. He says two years ago LDWF introduced a mentor hunting program that allows new hunters who have not completed the safety course to hunt, as long as they’re accompanied by someone who has. He says LSU has similar programs.

Cut 15 (11) “that opportunity”

______________________________________________

In Avoyelles Parish a 12-person jury found former Marksville City Marshal, Derrick Stafford, guilty of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a 6-year-old. Stafford and another officer, Norris Greenhouse Jr, were accused of opening fire into a vehicle with the child and his father, Chris Few, inside. Stafford took the stand yesterday and said he believed Few would use the vehicle as a weapon and would’ve never fired if he knew a child was inside. Stafford will be sentenced on March 31st.

Tomorrow Spike will air a new episode of its TV show ‘Bar Rescue’ featuring Big Mike’s in Denham Springs. Veteran bar consultant and host John Taffer stepped up to help after the bar was devastated by the August flood. Bar owner Mike O’Neal says they don’t know how long it would have taken to rebuild on their own.
Cut 3 (11) “unrecoverable”

US Republicans in the House have abruptly pulled President Donald Trump’s health care overhaul bill as they didn’t have the votes. US Senator Bill Cassidy says he has a plan to meet the county’s healthcare needs in a way that’s fiscally conservative and lowers premiums. Congressman Ralph Abraham says this bill was the first step to reform the United State’s healthcare system. He also says he is disappointed his fellow Republicans defeated these goals by sinking the measure.

It’s Election Day in Louisiana. 37 parishes across the state have local and some big seats up for vote. On the ballot for the 3rd and 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Civil District Court in New Orleans are all female candidates. Secretary of State Tom Schedler says the polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Cut 10 (10) “code in”

New elected U.S. Representative Mike Johnson’s old seat in district 8 is one of the three open state representative seats.

A jury in Avoyelles Parish has found Derrick Stafford, a former Marksville City Marshal, guilty of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter in the shooting death of a 6-year-old autistic child and the injuring of the boy’s after. In 2015, Stafford and another marshal, Norris Greenhouse Jr., were accused of opening fire into Chris Few’s vehicle, killing the child and wounding Few. Stafford will be sentenced on March 31st and faces up to 40 years in prison.

East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore is not pleased with a few of the Governor’s proposals for criminal justice reform. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

 
Mark Colby, known as Chef, has been found guilty of second degree murder by a Caddo Parish jury in the shooting death of his girlfriend. Colby was accused of killing 58-year-old Angela Godley in September of 2014 in Shreveport. Godly was shot four times in the back and once in the front. Colby claimed he shot his girlfriend in self defense. It took the jury under an hour to find Colby guilty.

Today is election day in 37 Louisiana Parishes. Secretary of State Tom Schedler expects a low voter turnout of about 15 to 20 percent but still encourages everyone to hit the polls. But he says a couple competative races could increase the number of voters casting their ballots.
Cut 9 (08) “quite frankly”
New elected U.S. Representative Mike Johnson’s old seat in district 8 is one of the three open state representative seats.

An Avoyelles Parish jury found a former Marksville City Marshall guilty of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a 6-year-old boy and the injuring of his father. Derrick Stafford could face up to 40 years in prison and will be sentenced on March 31st. Stafford took the stand Friday and said he fired into the vehicle because he believed the child’s father, Chris Few, would use the vehicle as a weapon. Norris Greenhouse Jr, the other officer involved, is scheduled to go to trial later in the year.

It’s Election Day in 37 parishes across the Bayou State. Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging voters to exercise their right to vote. Schedler says most of the elections are local but several bigger seats on on the ballot. He says the severe weather this morning could affect turnout.
Cut 8 (09) “turn out”

The polls close at 8 p.m.

 
State Police say at least two people have died after a two vehicle wreck just west of Greensburg. Authorities says the crash occurred on LA 10 three miles out of the town. An exact number of deaths have not been released but troopers confirmed multiple fatalities.

Spike’s hit show Bar Rescue has rescued Big Mike’s in Denham Springs, not because they were failing but because they flooded. Michelle Southern has more…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

Tough loss for the LSU Tigers last night as they fall in a pitcher’s duel. Florida’s Alex Faedo outpitched the Tigers Alex Lange in a 1-0 victory for the Gators. Lange pitched eight innings, but gave up one run in the sixth inning. LSU had seven hits and left eight runners on base. Game two is today at 2 PM.

The 15th ranked Ragin Cajuns scored one run in the eighth inning and another in the ninth inning to get a six to five win over Troy. UL Lafayette pounded out 17 hits in the game. Handsome Monica’s RBI double drove in the winning run. Also in the Sun Belt, Little Rock beat ULM five to one.

Louisiana Tech lost its fifth straight as the Bulldogs were clobbered by Charlotte 13-7. The two teams will play a doubleheader at 1 one o’ clock today. Tulane topped Stetson seven to six. That’s four straight wins for the Green Wave. Lex Kaplan drove in the game winning run with a single.

McNeese improved to 7-0 in the Southland Conference with a 9-2 win over Nicholls at Joe Miller Ballpark. The Cowboys have won 14 in a row at home. The Colonels are now 13-9, five in two in league play.

Southeastern is also 5-2 in league play after losing to Houston Baptist eight to seven. SLU tied the game at seven, with a three-run seventh inning. But the Huskies won the game in the bottom of the ninth inning with an RBI single.

Northwestern State rallied from a three-run deficit to beat Texas A-and-M Corpus Christi 6-3. Nathan JOnes was the winning pitcher as he allowed just two earned runs in eight innings. Austin Townsend led the way offensively with two hits.

Elsewhere…Central ARkansas over UNO 6-5, Texas Southern topped Grambling six to five and Memphis defeated Southern nine to five,

The Pelicans began a three-game road trip with a 117-107 loss to Houston. The Pels face a must win on Sunday against Denver.

The US House pulled the GOP’s healthcare reform bill, known as the American Healthcare Act. US Senator Bill Cassidy released a statement saying this is not over. Cassidy says his plan is to fulfill President Trump’s pledge to meet America’s healthcare needs in a fiscally conservative way that lowers premiums. Congressman Ralph Abraham says no bill is perfect, but this legislation was the first step to reform our healthcare system. Abraham is disappointed members of his own party defeated these goals by sinking the bill.

District Attorneys across Louisiana are concerned with some of the governor’s proposals to reduce the state’s incarceration rate. That’s according to East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore, who says one recommendation would take power away from the DA’s and give to judges in hopes of keeping people on probation and out of jail. He says there aren’t enough probation officers to supervise these offenders.
Cut 12 (07) “right back”

A 24-year-old Jena woman has been arrested after allegedly running over her boyfriend with a truck then punching an EMT. Cpl. Wade Bourgeois with the Alexandria Police Department says when the ambulance arrived, Alana Joy jumped in the back and punched an EMT in the eye. He says it was clear Joy had a lot to drink.
Cut 7 (10) “investigation”
Joy faces multiple charges including aggravated second degree battery.

The 32nd annual World Championship Crawfish Etoufee Cook-Off takes place in Eunice on Sunday. Director of the Eunice Chamber of Commerce Francine Hughes says celebrity and professional judges will decide the winners in each category. She says the event is great for the whole family.
Cut 15 (10) “of fun”

East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore is concerned about some of the Governor’s proposals to reduce Louisiana’s incarceration rate. Moore doesn’t believe DA’s are over prosecuting, but that other things are leading to an increased crime rate.

Cut 11 (08) “drive crimes”
The task force that put out the recommendations says the ideas would reduce prison populations.

Tomorrow is Election Day in 37 parishes across Louisiana, and Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging voters to get out and cast their ballots. Schedler says the majority of the elections are local but there are several bigger seats up for vote. He says severe weather tomorrow morning could affect voter turnout.

Cut 8 (09) “turn out”
Newly elected U.S. Representative Mike Johnson’s old seat in district 8 is one of the three open state representative seats.

Big Mike’s in Denham Springs will be featured on Bar Rescue after host John Taffer helped reopen the restaurant after the August flood. Owner Mike O’Neal says the show updated their equipment, expanded the facility, and even put in a second bar.

Cut 4 (11) “they did”
The episode airs Sunday night at 9 on Spike.

The 32nd annual World Championship Crawfish Etoufee Cook-Off takes place Sunday in Eunice. Teams will compete to see who can make the best smothered crawfish in amateur, professional and club categories. Director of the Eunice Chamber of Commerce Francine Hughes says a huge festival takes place surrounding the contest.

Cut 14 (09) “cooking booths”
A cook-off dance will begin the celebrations tomorrow night.

East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore is not happy with some of the Governor’s proposals for criminal justice reform. Halen Doughty has more…

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Jury deliberation in the Derrick Stafford murder trial is expected to begin tonight or tomorrow. The defense rested earlier after calling its most important witness, Stafford himself, who is accused of fatally shooting a 6-year-old boy after a 2015 car chase. The former Marksville police officer became emotional, saying he received more than 400 hours of police training to stop a threat, not to kill.

A 24-year-old Jena woman is behind bars after police say she ran over her boyfriend with a truck. Cpl. Wade Bourgeois with the Alexandria Police Department says when the ambulance came to assist the victim, things got even worse.

Cut 6 (11) “the eye”

Alana Joy is charged with aggravated second degree battery, battery of an emergency service worker, and DWI.

Big Mike’s in Denham Springs will be featured on Sunday’s episode of Bar Rescue, after the Spike TV series helped the flooded bar reopen. Owner Mike O’Neal says they wanted to be a beacon of hope for the community that’s trying to rebuild after the August flood.

Cut 5 (11) “still is today”

The episode airs Sunday at 9 p.m. on Spike.

US Republicans in the House have abruptly pulled President Donald Trump’s health care overhaul bill as they didn’t have the votes. Louisiana US senator Bill Cassidy quickly tweeted in response with a reminder about his proposal to repeal and replace Obamacare as another option. Cassidy’s calls the “Patient Freedom Act” a comprehensive replacement plan for the Affordable Care Act.

Spike’s hit show Bar Rescue has rescued Big Mike’s in Denham Springs, not because they were failing but because they flooded. Michelle Southern has more…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

 
District Attorneys in Louisiana aren’t pleased with some of Governor Edwards’ proposals to reduce the state’s incarceration rate. East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore says one proposal would condense the habitual offender law. He says that all applies to people who commit multiple violent crimes during their life.
Cut 13 (13) “violent offense”

Saturday is election day in Louisiana for 37 parishes. Secretary of State Tom Schedler is encouraging everyone to go vote because this is typically a low turnout election. On the ballot are all female candidates the 3rd and 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Civil District Court in New Orleans. Schedler says the polls open at 7 a.m.
Cut 10 (10) “code in”