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.

6:30 LRN Newscast

The Louisiana Workforce Commission has a new process for employers to report unemployment recipients who are no-shows or decline a job offer. Teiko Foxx has more…
Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Teiko Foxx.”

The Louisiana Lottery says no one has stepped up to claim a 50-thousand dollar powerball prize that was won October 9th, 2023. The winning ticket was purchased at Piggly Wiggly on Highway 182 in Opelousas and is set to expire on April 6th.

Governor Jeff Landry is set to sign a bill to allow non-felon adults to conceal carry without a permit in Louisiana. A New Orleans lawmaker wants to provide more clarification to the law. Democrat Mandie Landry says legislation needs to be approved in the regular session that would clearly define where one can and cannot conceal carry…
Cut 10 (10) “…the language.”
Current law prohibits firearms in a bar or near a school, and then another law bans guns at parades, but Landy says vague language doesn’t define what “near” means.

In Saint John the Baptist Parish, 91-year-old Dixie Ramirez is serving her first term as a parish council woman. Ramirez was elected last year and it’s her time in public office…
cut 8 (09) “….to be doing’

4:45 LRN sportscast

The ninth ranked LSU women’s basketball team completed the regular season on Sunday with a 77-56 win over Kentucky. It was the Lady Tigers eighth straight win. Angel Reese had 22 points and 14 rebounds and she was honored at halftime for Senior Day. Reese says it’s been a long four years of college basketball
Cut 18 (18) “..for tonight”

LSU men’s basketball coach Matt McMahon announced today that Jalen Cook is suspended from the team for failure to meet the standards of the program. Cook is averaging 16 points a game, but has not played since February 13th because of a hamstring injury. The Tigers are 8-8 in the SEC and at Arkansas Wednesday.

The Sun Belt men’s basketball tournament gets underway tomorrow in Pensacola, Florida. ULM will face Coastal Carolina and the winner of that game gets the Ragin Cajuns on Thursday. U-L Lafayette will have to win four games in order to win the Sun Belt tourney. They are the defending tournament champs. Coach Bob Marlin says previous success at the tourney should pay off this week…
cut 17 (15) “….can win”

The Cajuns softball team is relishing a monumental win on Sunday as they ended Oklahoma’s NCAA record 71-game winning streak with a 7-5 win in ten innings.

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.

LRN PM Newscall

Legislation to prevent the state from interfering with or refusing the right to contraception has been filed for the upcoming session. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (32)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

______________________________________

The U-L Lafayette softball team ended Oklahoma’s NCAA record 71-game winning streak on Sunday. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (24)  “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

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A White Castle man is missing after driving his car in Bayou Lafourche following a single vehicle crash in Assumption Parish early Saturday morning . Trooper Ross Brennan says 64 year old Gilbert Bunch Junior traveled off the roadway after failing to stop for a stop sign at LA Highway 1 and Highway 398.

Cut 3 (07) “…partially submerged.”  

Brennan says a passenger was able to exit the vehicle and swam to the bank. Bunch is described as a 5-foot, 6-inches tall black male wearing dark colored clothes. He says multiple agencies have searched for Bunch in Bayou Lafourche.

Cut 4 (10) “…for him.” 

Brennan says Bunch was last seen near the vehicle before it became fully submerged. He says law enforcement currently have no leads on where Bunch is located and if you have seen anything to call Troop C.

Cut 5 (05) “…a contact.”

Anyone with information regarding the crash can contact Troop C at (985) 857-3680.

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Bills to codify the right to contraception in Louisiana have been filed for the upcoming legislative session. Public Policy Professional Mary Patricia Wray says House Bill 395 and Senate Bill 225 seek to secure the right to birth control for Louisianans.

Cut 6  (10) “…the United States.” 

The Right to Contraception Act is similar to legislation pending in ten other states, including Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned which gave states the right to determine the legality of abortion, Wray says there are concerns the right to prevent a pregnancy is also in peril even though it is protected by a US Supreme Court ruling. She says because Louisiana has a very high rate of domestic abuse and other sex-related crimes that can lead to pregnancy and disease…

Cut 7 (10) “…not wanted.”  

The bills also define what methods of birth control are included.

Cut 8 (13) “…prevents disease.” 

According to a recent Impact Research survey, the right to contraception is supported by eight out of ten voters in the country.

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18-year-old Jaylon Joiner, a student at Carencro High School, was fatally shot while getting off at a bus stop in Lafayette Parish on Friday. Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Valerie Ponseti (pon-set-tee) says Joiner was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds outside the Carencro city limits.

Cut 9 (06) “…Bradford Drive.” 

Ponseti says 19-year-old Malikai Doucet was arrested and charged with second degree murder of Joiner. Authorities believes several suspects were involved in this incident.

Cut 10 (06) “…this investigation.”

Ponseti says the investigation is ongoing.

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The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office says a woman fatally stabbed a twice convicted sex offender at a Lacombe are laundromat on Sunday afternoon. Lt. Suzanne Carboni says 40-year Nicholas Tranchat tried to attack the woman with a sharp weapon

Cut 11 (12) “…safety.”

Carboni says Tranchat was unresponsive when authorities arrived and later died from his injuries at a local hospital. She says the woman fled to a family member’s home and called police.

Cut 12 (11)  “…life-threatening.”  

The laundromat is located on US Highway 190 near Lacombe. Carboni praised the female victim’s actions.

Cut 13 (02) “…woman.”  

Tranchet was convicted in 2003 for Indecent Behavior with Juveniles and again in 2008 for Attempted Aggravated Rape and Aggravated Burglary. He was released on parole last December and supervised by the Covington Parole Office.