9:30 LRN Newscast March 29

The House Criminal Justice Committee advances a bill establishing penalties for minors in possession of small amounts of marijuana. Kevin Gallagher has more…:

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.” 

A Shreveport man who killed a postal worker pleas guilty to second-degree murder. 34-year-old Michael Gentry will be sentenced to 40 years in federal prison as part of the plea agreement. Gentry killed 52-year-old Antonio Williams in June of 2019 while he was delivering mail. Gentry also faces state charges.

The state marks a milestone with less than 100 hospitalized with COVID however LSU Infectious Disease expert Dr. Catherine O’Neal says we need to be better prepared for the next surge and only 53-percent of Louisianans are vaccinated. O’Neal says there are no significant long-term side effects from the vaccine and it’s still the best form of preventing severe COVID.

Cut 5 (08) “…protection.”

After Baton Rouge TV station WBRZ reported three State Civil Service employees received significant pay raises in a span of a few years the leader of the division appeared before Senate Finance to answer questions. Byron Decoteau, who received a $20,000 pay increase within a month says the pay raises were given under the optional pay rule.

Cut 13 (10) “…your employees “

One Civil Service employee’s pay increased 100-percent in a six-year period