The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of 43-year-old Sgt. Shawn Anderson, who was killed in the line of duty Saturday night. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Casey Hicks says this is a devastating loss only 8 months after Deputy Brad Garafola was killed in an ambush on police.

Cut 7 (09) “for everyone”

Hicks says before last July, it had been 30 years since an East Baton Rouge deputy was killed in such a manner.

The murder trial of Derrick Stafford is underway in Avoyelles Parish, as the prosecution called their first witness today. Prosecutors are trying to portray Stafford as having a violent history before he allegedly shot a 6-year-old boy after a car chase in 2015. Aleathia Barbin testified the former Marksville police officer shocked her with a stun gun while she was handcuffed in the back of a patrol vehicle in 2011. The witness says the officer then spoke casually with her as he drove her to a hospital.

A bill to be taken up in the upcoming regular session seeks to end the cycle of midyear budget cuts by limiting the amount of money lawmakers could spend each year. Jonesboro Senator Jim Fannin’s proposal would limit the legislature to spending only 98-percent of the revenue forecast for that year, and he expects to encounter some opposition.

Cut 16 (10) “discussion about it”

Fannin says Governor John Bel Edwards supports the plan.

According to census data, 44-percent of children under 5 in New Orleans live in poverty. Demographer Greg Rigamer says living in extreme poverty makes it hard for these children to get ahead in life, and more can be done to address this daunting problem.

Cut 12 (05) “educational facilities”

Rigamer says improving education could help end childhood poverty.