The Louisiana Supreme Court has ordered Lafayette Judge Michelle Odinet off the bench without pay while she’s investigated for racial slurs on a video that went viral and has garnered national headlines. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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Saturday is the last day to use priority mail so your packages will arrive on time for Christmas. Brooke Thorington has some tips.
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The Louisiana Supreme Court has ordered Lafayette City Court Judge Michelle Odinet off the bench without pay while she’s investigated for making racial slurs on a video that went viral and has garnered national headlines. Legal Analyst Franz Borghardt says such a suspension by the Supreme Court is rare.
Cut 3 (14) “…inappropriate racial slurs.”
Borghardt says he expects the suspension could drag out for some time while she’s investigated since the judge does have the right to defend herself. In her defense, Odinet stated earlier she was on a sedative and didn’t remember making such statements when watching surveillance footage of an alleged burglary outside of her home.
Cut 4 (11) “…making racial slurs.”
Borghardt says it’s not an ideal situation whatsoever. You don’t want a jurist overseeing proceedings when they could have perceived biased against a person or community.
Judge Ronnie Cox has been appointed to replace Odinet while she’s on leave.
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After only having three-thousand fans at the New Orleans Bowl last year, bowl officials are hoping for over 30-thousand fans to attend Saturday night’s game between U-L Lafayette and Marshall. Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation President Jay Cicero says to expect a lot of Ragin Cajun fans in the Big Easy this weekend…
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Cicero says they expect five to ten thousand from Marshall to also attend the game. He says they are expecting a competitive game between the Thundering Herd and a nationally ranked Ragin Cajuns team….
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This is the Cajuns first appearance in the New Orleans Bowl since 2016 and the sixth all-time in the 21-year history of the bowl game. Cicero says the New Orleans Bowl has become a staple during the bowl season and brings tourists to the city…
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Saturday is the last day to mail a package via Priority Mail if you want it to arrive by Christmas. USPS spokesperson David Walton says another way to avoid being a Grinch is to make sure you use a sturdy box to mail your gifts. As much as you may want to recycle boxes when it comes to packages, they might not make the journey safely.
Walton also advises that you print clearly your to and from labels for your packages instead of using cursive or messy handwriting so your packages will arrive at their intended destination.
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And while you think guessing a zip code is better than not having one, Walton says making a guess will most likely keep your packages from getting under the tree on time.
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Walton recommends a visit to USPS.com and searching for the correct zip code, and like with your suitcase when you travel, it’s also a good idea to put an address label on the inside of your package in case the outer one is damaged.
You can also use the click it and ship it feature to find out how much it will cost to ship your gifts.
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COVID is responsible for moving Saints Head Coach Sean Payton from the sidelines for a second time. Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen will be making the calls for Sunday’s game against defending Super Bowl Champions Tampa Bay. Allen says they got the word Friday morning that Payton tested positive for COVID.
In March of 2020, Payton tested positive for COVID, and once again adjustments are being made on the field in his absence this year, as COVID makes its way through professional locker rooms.
Allen says Payton has communicated with staff how things should operate on Sunday and so far, coaching wise it’s only Payton out for Sunday, but they are ready to make more adjustments if needed.
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Allen says it’s never ideal being forced to make coaching adjustments, but having head football coach experience he’s prepared and looking forward to being in charge and says the remaining staff is prepping accordingly.
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Kickoff in Tampa Sunday is 7:20 PM.