9:30 LRN Newscast

A Texas attorney received a 180-day jail sentence for slipping his now estranged wife with abortion inducing medication and the brother of the victim says that’s way to light of a punishment…
cut 5 (04) “…not just”
That’s Shreveport Senator Thomas Pressly, who has authored a bill that would punish a person for doing a similar thing in Louisiana for at least

Former New Orleans Representative and the current Assistant to the Commissioner of the Office of Motor Vehicles, Austin Badon, has switched political parties making him one of the state’s newest Black Republicans. When asked if Governor Jeff Landry asked him to join the GOP…
Cut 13 (09) “…at all.”
But Badon says he did text Landry and let me know that he changed parties.

The driving factor to why he chose to leave the Democratic Party, Badon says was the immigration issue at the Texas border.

After decades of delays, major flood projects for the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas are close to receiving funding from Congress…
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Colleen Crain”

The U-S House is expected to approve this funding this week

Congressman Clay Higgins has announced another 14-million dollars for hurricane Laura recovery efforts. Eight million dollars will go to Jefferson Davis Electric Co-op for permanent repairs to a substation, Jefferson-Davis will get another four million for permanent restoration of their north power distribution system and one million dollars will go towards repairs at College Oaks Elementary School in Lake Charles.

8:30 LRN Newscast

A Texas attorney was sentenced to 180 days in prison for slipping abortion medication to his now estranged wife. Brooke Thorington reports the brother of the victim is calling for stiffer penalties here in Louisiana
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Governor Jeff Landry signed eleven bills into law yesterday that were approved in the crime special session, including legislation that gives the state additional options to carry out an execution and also parole will no longer be an option for most criminals. Landry will have another bill signing ceremony this afternoon in New Orleans.

Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says an appropriations bill that will be voted on later this week contains 575-million dollars for two major flood control projects in southeast Louisiana, one for the Baton Rouge area and the other for the West Shore project that would protect St. John, St. Charles and Saint James parishes from flooding from Lake Pontchartrain…
cut 10 (08) ….really excited”

Former state representative and current assistant commissioner at the Office of Motor Vehicles, Austin Badon, is the state’s newest Black Republican. Badon says the immigration issue at the Texas border drove him to leave the Democratic Party…
cut 14 (08) “….many years”
He says the Republican Party has welcomed him with open arms and he even received a call from Congressman Steve Scalise.

7:30 LRN Newscast

The U-S House is expected to approve later this week an appropriations bill that contains 575 million dollars to finish construction on major flood projects in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas. Congressman Garret Graves says this ensures the Comite Project is fully funded and it gets them closer to fully funding the West Shore Project which protects the river parishes from flooding….
cut 12 (06) “…I was born”

Former state representative and current assistant Commissioner of the Office of Motor Vehicles, Austin Badon, has announced he’s now a Black Republican. Badon says he was a conservative Democrat when serving in state legislature, but he believes the Republican Party better represents his views…
cut 15 (09) “…better alignment”
Badon also says he is a pro-life Catholic.

A freshman state lawmaker wants to make it a crime to livestream illegal activities on social media platforms…
cut 2 (29) “….I’m Teiko Foxx”

An officer involved shooting in Lafayette Parish has resulted in the arrest of 30-year-old Michael Brumley of Scott. State Police say Scott Police officers responded to a domestic disturbance on Saturday when they encountered Brumley who was armed with a knife. L-S-P says a Taser gun was not effective against Brumley and a second officer fired his weapon. Brumley was released from the hospital and booked into jail yesterday.

6:45 LRN Sportscast

The Pelicans started a three-game road trip last night by routing the Raptors 139 to 98. Trey Murphy made 10 of his 14 three-point shots and finished with a season-high 34 points….
cut 29 (10) “…..
New Orleans is at Philadelphia on Friday.

The ULM men’s basketball’s season is over after losing to Coastal Carolina 75 to 71 in the Sun Belt Tournament. The Warhawks finish the year with an 11 and 19 record. Coastal advances to play the Ragin Cajuns on Thursday.

At the boys basketball high school playoffs…Marksville will play for a state championship for the first time since 2005 after beating Richwood 60-52. Marksville will face Red River who downed Donaldsonville 56-45. The Bulldogs from Coushatta are seeking their first state title since 1999.

The second ranked LSU baseball team heads to Hammond tonight to face Southeastern Louisiana who is off to a 9-4 start under first year head coach Bobby Barbier. The Tigers will start freshman left-hander Kade Anderson on the mound and expect Coach Jay Johnson to keep rotating players in and out of the line-up….
cut 18 (18) “…abilities”
First pitch is at 6 PM.

Last night. Southeastern defeated Alcorn State 12 to 2 in seven innings. Louisiana Tech improved to 12-0 on the season with an 11 to three win over Xavier. Jorge Corona hit a two run homer and drove in three runs on the night. Dalton Davis and Ethan Bates also drove in three runs.

ULM was a big win over Little Rock 11 to 1. Joe Haggard homered as the Warhawks have won five of their last six. Tulane outscored Nicholls 14 to 12.

6:30 LRN Newscast

The countdown is on to the regular session which starts next week. Here are a couple bills that will be discussed. Baton Rouge Representative Dixon McMakin wants to make it a crime to live stream illegal activities…
cut 7 (08) “…..prevent that’
So if a person live streams a theft, murder, sexual assault, they could be charged with either principal or accessory to a crime.

Shreveport Senator Thomas Pressly has filed the Abortion by Fraud Criminalization Act. Pressly says it’s in response to his sister who was poisoned by her husband with abortion-inducing medication. Mason Herring was sentenced to 180-days in a Texas jail and Pressly wants to make sure Louisiana’s law has stronger penalties…
cut 4 (09) “…75-thousand dollars”
Louisiana Right to Life is in support of the legislation.

After decades of delays, major flood projects for the Baton Rouge area and the New Orleans area are close to receiving funding from Congress…
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Colleen Crain”

The U-S House is expected to approve this funding as part of a bill to avoid a federal government shutdown.

11:40 LRN Sportscast

LSU returns to the football practice field today as Spring Practice kicks off. New defensive coordinator Blake Baker will begin installing his system and linebacker Harold Perkins will move back to inside linebacker. The Advocate’s Wilson Alexander says Baker probably wants Perkins to play a similar role that Ty’Ron Hopper played at Missouri last season…
Cut 16 (10) “…plays out”

LSU men’s basketball coach Matt McMahon has suspended guard Jalen Cook. McMahon says Cook has failed to meet the standards that he has put in place for the program. Cook has missed the last five games because of a leg injury. The Tigers will be at Arkansas tomorrow night.

ULM plays Coastal Carolina in the opening round of the Sun Belt Tournament at 5 PM in Pensacola.

LSU’s Angel Reese has been named the SEC Player of the Year in women’s basketball. Mikaylah Williams is freshman of the year.

The Ragin Cajuns softball team pulled off a stunning victory on Sunday, ending Oklahoma’s NCAA record 71-game winning streak. U-L Lafayette won seven to five in eight innings. Despite the big victory, the Cajuns have a losing record at 10-12. Coach Gerry Glasco says a losing record is unacceptable…
Cut 19 (14) “…my responsibility.”

Oklahoma’s loss, means LSU softball is the last team still undefeated in the country. The fourth ranked Tigers are 19-0 and they’ll begin SEC play this weekend at Kentucky.

LSU right handed pitcher Luke Holman is the SEC pitcher of the week for striking out 12 hitters on Friday in a win over Texas. Louisiana Tech’s Cole McConnell is the Conference USA hitter of the week after collecting eight hits and driving in eight runs in four games last week. The Bulldogs host Xavier for a two-game mid-week series starting tonight.

9:30 LRN Newscast

In the next hour, Governor Jeff Landry will sign legislation that would allow a non-felon adult to conceal carry a gun without a permit. Brooke Thorington reports there are questions where conceal carry would be legal…
cut 3 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office says a woman is recovering from her injuries after fatally stabbing a twice convicted sex offender who attacked her at an laundromat near Lacombe on Sunday. The man killed has been identified as 40-year-old Nicholas Tranchant who was on parole.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission is asking businesses to report individuals on unemployment who fail to show up for a job interview or refuse a job offer. L-W-C Secretary Susana Schowen says there are forms on their website that an employer can fill out…
cut 5 (12) “….from there”
Schowen says they want to identify unemployment recipients abusing the system.

It’s National Colon Cancer Awareness Month and the American Cancer Society says of all cancer deaths in people under 55, colon cancer is number one for men and two for women. G-I doctor Charles Bergrreen says get a colonoscopy if you’re over 45…
cut 15 (12) “….called Cologuard”

8:30 LRN Newscast

The Louisiana Workforce Commission has set up a system to report job applicants who fail to show up for job interviews or refuse job offers. LWC Secretary Susana Schowen says this initiative will help identify unemployment recipients who abuse the system..
cut 6 (12) “….they’re calendar”
Schowen says employers can report a job applicant who no-shows an interview or refuses an offer by filling out a couple of online forms on the L-W-C website.

Governor Jeff Landry will hold a bill signing ceremony for the legislation approved in the crime special session today. One of the bills allows for permitless concealed carry. New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry says some firearm free zones needs to be extended
cut 11 (07) “…French Quarter

Congressman Garret Graves tells WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge that he plans to run for re-election in the district he currently serves, the sixth district. The new Congressional map approved by lawmakers in January radically changes his district, stretching it from Baton Rouge to Shreveport, but Graves says he’s confident the courts will reject that map

Some say life begins at 50. For St. John Parish Police Juror, Dixie Ramirez, her political life began at 90. Colleen Crain has the story…
cut 2 (31) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

7:30 LRN Newscast

Governor Jeff Landry will a sign a bill today that would allow non felon adults to conceal carry without a permit. The legislation would go into effect on July 4th. New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry would like to see legislation approved in the regular session that clarifies where you can and cannot carry a firearm…
cut 12 (11) “…bring it”

March is National Colon Cancer Awareness Month and colorectal cancer is on the rise among adults under 55. GI Alliance Gastroenterologist Doctor Charles Berggreen says more millennials develop abnormal growths called polyps in the ascending portion of the colon.
Cut 13 (11) “…left side of the colon.”
The American Cancer Society says cancer rates in people younger than 50 years of age have been increasing by one percent to two percent a year since the mid-1990s.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission has set up a way for employers to report to the state individuals who are on unemployment, but fail to show up for interviews or refuse job offers. LWC Secretary Susana Schowen says employers want to know if potential job seekers are acting in good faith when they apply for positions.
Cut 4 (12) “…to them.”
Schowen says if a b applicant fails to show up for an interview or refuses a job offer, an employer can report the incident by filling out online forms at the L-W-C website.

In St. John the Baptist Parish, 91-year-old Dixie Ramirez is serving her first term as a parish councilwoman. It’s her first time in political office and the former business owner says she was encouraged to run and she encourages others to do so, especially females…
cut 9 (09) “…is thriving”

6:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU men’s basketball coach Matt McMahon has suspended guard Jalen Cook from the team. McMahon says Cook has failed to meet the standards he has in place for the program. Cook has missed the last five games because of injury. The Tigers are at Arkansas on Wednesday.

McNeese cut down the nets last night after beating Houston Christian 87 to 69. The Cowboys are Southland champs and they just completed a perfect record at home this season.

Nicholls clinched a bye in the Southland Tournament with a 68-62 win over Northwestern State. Southeastern Louisiana won its 10th conference game with a 71-56 win at UIW.

Tonight the Pelicans begin a three game road trip in Toronto. New Orleans is 5th place in the West. The Raptors are 15-games under the 500 mark.

Spring football begins for the LSU Tigers today. They are thin at defensive tackle as Mekhi Wingo, Maason Smith, and Jordan Jefferson are preparing for the NFL draft. Jacobian Guillory and Jalen Lee are the only returning defensive tackles. JUCO transfer Shone Washington is expected to participate in spring football and the Advocate’s Wilson Alexander says an offensive linemen will switch sides to provide added depth…
cut 17 (16) “….Ahamad Breaux”
Breaux is an incoming freshman defensive lineman from Ruston High School.

At the boys state basketball playoffs…Avoyelles Charter defeated Rapides 58-46 in the Division Five select semifinals. The Vikings will be defending their title on Friday and they’ll play J-S Clark. who defeated Epsicopal School Acadiana 62-43.

In Division Five non-select, Anacoco defeated Gibsland Coleman 50 to 41. The Indians will play defending state champs on Friday in the title game. Zwolle defeated Negreet 61-51.