The LSU baseball team is looking for better starting pitching this weekend. They have just one quality start on the year and that was by Zack Hess last Friday. He pitches again tonight against Toledo. On Sunday freshman right-hander AJ Labas will make his first start against Southeastern Louisiana. Labas hasn’t pitched yet after having back surgery in December…
cut 18 (19) “…more flexible”
Tonight’s game against Toledo will begin at 7 PM.

Other games of note…The Ragin Cajuns face Mississippi State in Houston. Louisiana Tech takes on 9th ranked Texas A-and-M in Frisco. McNeese is at home against Texas San Antonio. Tulane faces Cal State Fullerton.

The LSU men’s basketball team will complete the regular season on Saturday when they host Mississppi State. A win for the Tigers and they’ll be seeded anywhere from 9th to 12th in next week’s SEC Tournament. If LSU is seeded 10th or higher they will avoid playing on the first day of the tournament, which is Wednesday. A loss to the Bulldogs and LSU will be seeded 12th.

ULM is seeking a first round bye in the Sun Belt Tournament and to help that cause they need to beat Arkansas State on Saturday.

UL Lafayette has already secured the top seed by winning the Sun Belt. They will try to complete an undefeated season in the Cajundome when they face Arkansas-Little Rock.

Nicholls State and Southeastern Louisiana will battle for the top seed in the Southland Tournament. The two teams meet at 5 PM in Hammond. The Colonels already have clinched a share of the league title, but they lost to the Lions earlier this season.

Grambling State can win a SWAC title on Saturday when they visit Alabama State. The Tigers snapped a two-game losing streak with an 84-74 win in overtime over Alabama A-and-M.

A new report shows 75-percent of the state’s young adults are unable to join the military because of a number of factors. Retired Admiral David Callahan.
Cut 3 (:14) “another 3rd.”
Callahan says this is a national security issue and the best way to address this problem is to properly fund early child care and education.

The search continues for 26-year-old Akeam Daniels, who is accused of fatally shooting the boyfriend of his daughter’s mother. Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal says it was a crime of passion…
Cut 6 (11) “month old.”
That prompted an AMBER alert, but the two month-old was found safe in the suspect’s abandoned car.

The House has begun discussions on a key piece of legislation that’s needed in order to raise revenue to close a one billion dollar budget deficit. If the legislature can not pass any tax bills to replace expiring sales taxes, significant cuts will occur to next fiscal year’s budget. House Speaker Taylor Barras is optimistic…
cut 15 (04) “…work to do”

Authorities are investigating the finding of a severed head in Cameron Parish. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”.

The House is in session this morning for a critical day of votes on tax bills that would help close a looming one billion dollar budget deficit…
cut 14 (10) “….the Senate”
That’s House Speaker Taylor Barras who expressed some optimism last night that tax negoitiations were progressing.

Police are on the lookout for a man involved in the murder of a 29-year-old man in New Iberia. Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal says they are seeking 26-year-old Akeam Daniels. Daniels is described as a black male, five-foot-ten-inches-tall, weighing 155-pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Ackal says it was a crime of passion…
Cut 6 (11) “month old.”
That prompted an AMBER alert, but the two year-old was found safe in the suspect’s abandoned car.

There is a Louisiana connection with today’s funeral for evangelist Billy Graham. Michael Farrar has the story.
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Michael Farrar.”

If you are heading through Lake Charles this weekend, be aware that a four-month construction project to repair joints on the I-10 Lake Charles bridge will begin and the inside eastbound lane will be closed. State Transportation spokesperson Rodney Mallett…
cut 9 (10) “…that bridge”
The construction zone will be from Opelousas Street to the Calcasieu River Bridge.

LSU baseball will play three different teams at Alex Box Stadium this weekend, starting tonight when they host Toledo out of the Mid-American Conference. Tomorrow, the Tigers play Sacred Heart and Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday. LSU’s starting middle infielders Hal Hughes and Brandt Broussard are two of the Tigers hottest hitters and Coach Paul Mainieri is not surprised

Cut 16 (23) “…at bats”

First pitch tonight is at 7 PM.

The Pelicans Anthony Davis is the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Month. A-D averaged 35 points and 13 rebounds in February. New Orleans takes a seven-game winning streak into Dallas on Sunday.

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The Ragin Cajuns won their school-record 26^th game as they defeated Arkansas State 85-74. UL Lafayette also moved to 14-0 at home. Frank Bartley surpassed 1,000 points for his career by scoring 18 points, and Bryce Washington added 15 for the Sun Belt champs.

ULM helped its chances at securing a first-round bye in the Sun Belt Tournament by beating Little Rock 48-44. Travis Munnings had 22 points as the Warhawks improved to 9-8 in the Sun Belt. ULM is in a three-way tie for fourth place.

10^th ranked Cincinnati clobbered Tulane 78-49, Grambling remains in first place in the SWAC after beating Alabama A-and-M 84-74 in overtime. Ivy Smith junior had a career-high 32 points. Smith had four three-pointers and nine rebounds. Grambling leads Texas Southern by one game in the conference standings. T-S-U topped Southern 90-88.

Governor John Bel Edwards issued a statement saying he was in disbelief after a sales tax bill was soundly defeated. The legislation is a critical piece towards addressing a looming one billion dollar budget deficit. Edwards says some lawmakers are unwilling to negotiate
Cut 14 (10) “move forward”
The House is set to meet again this afternoon, but time is running out as the special session must end Wednesday.

A state Department of Children and Family Services report finds there has been a 77-percent increase in the amount of juvenile human trafficking victims aged 12 or less over the past year. Author of the report Walter Fahr says part of the increase has to do with better identification methods…
Cut 9 (07) “reporting this.”
72 of the human trafficking victims identified in 2017 are 12 and younger, an astounding 260-percent increase over 2016.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement agents are offering a 55-hundred-dollar reward for information about who killed two black bears in St. Mary Parish in the Atchafalaya Basin. It is believed they were killed between February 2nd and 4th. LDWF spokesman Adam Einck says both bears were discovered in a fairly remote area…
Cut 3 (09) “from there.”
Einck says they believe they are looking for the same suspect in both killings.

A massive manhunt has been ongoing in south Natchitoches Parish for Rapides Prison escapee Brandon Clark. Authorities say the 39-year-old white male stole a 2018 Ford F-250 and led State Police and Rapides deputies on pursuit into Natchitoches Parish, where he ditched the vehicle and fled in the woods near the Marco -Lena areas.

The state House is set to convene again at 3:00. Will they be able to pass a tax proposal to help close a nearly one-billion dollar budget gap that’s the result of expiring state sales taxes. A key sales tax bill was overwhelmingly voted down last night and time is running out in this special session.

Gus Mijalis, a Shreveport businessman and noted close friend of former Gov. Edwin Edwards, has died. We have reaction from Edwards…
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Jim Shannon”

A 55-hundred dollar reward has been offered for information leading to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for the shooting deaths of two adult male Louisiana black bears. It’s believed the bears were killed during the first weekend of February about 10 miles south of Franklin in St. Mary Parish. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries spokesperson Adam Einck….
cut 5 (05) “…under investigation”
It is illegal to hunt bears.

A new report on human trafficking showed a 77-percent increase in juvenile victimes identified over the past year, including more than three times as many victims age 12 or younger, compared to 2016. Walter Fahr with D-C-F-S Child Protective Services says the report shows more needs to be done to help juvenile human trafficking victims, get out of that lifestyle…
cut 11 (09) “…related issues”
For juveniles, Caddo and Orleans parishes were the most identified as the parishes of orgin.

Frustrations are high and time is short for lawmakers trying to solve the fiscal cliff. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Chairman of the House Republican Legislative Caucus, Lance Harris, blames the governor for poor negotiating tactics….
Cut 13 (10) “what happened”
Despite all of the animosity tax negoitations continue.

A state Department of children and Family Services report says there was a 77-percent increase in the number of juvenile human trafficking victims. 72 of juvenile victims were 12 or younger, which is a 260-percent increase from 2016. Walter Fahr with Child Protective Services says these young victims are easily coerced back to the trafficking lifestyle…
cut 10 (09) “….the juveniles”
Fahr says they need more oganiziation to help get these children out of the trafficking lifestyle.

Shreveport businessman and confidante of former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards, Gus Mijalis, has passed away at the age of 83. His family owns Farmers Seafood and he was an influential person during Edwards’ four terms. The former governor says there was no one like Mijalis…
cut 8 (10) “…we were very close”
Mijalis’ memorial service is Monday.