A former LSU basketball player – now living in Ukraine – describes the situation there under a Russian invasion. More from Kevin Gallagher…:
Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”
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Senate confirmation hearings for U-S Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson begin on March 21, inspiring a new generation of Black legal professionals. David Grubb has more…
Cut 2 (34) “…I’m David Grubb.”
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After Mardi Gras ended with the shooting deaths of two visitors, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says he will once again back legislation to have the state oversea the French Quarter. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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Former LSU basketball player, and Ukraine native, Roman Rubchenko (pronounced: roob-CHENK-oh) shares his feelings on the Russian invasion; now in its second week. Rubchenko and some family and friends are currently safe in a rural community area several miles south of the capital city of Kiev. He says the resolve of the Ukraine people to resist the invaders is strong…:
Cut 4 (10) “…something like that.”
Rubchenko played forward for the LSU Tigers from 1992 to 1996. He now runs businesses in Ukraine. Appearing via telephone on the “Talk Louisiana” radio program, he says his country will never let Kiev be taken by Russian ground troops, and the might of the Russian infantry is overrated…:
Cut 5 (09) “…reason to fight for.”
Rubchenko says Vladimir Putin has underestimated the pride and the resolve of the Ukraine people; many of whom have volunteered to take up arms against the invaders…:
Cut 6 (11) “…to like it very much.”
Rubchenko says, if he were face-to-face with Putin, he would (quote) “grab him by the neck and I would choke him.”
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Senate confirmation hearings for U-S Supreme Court nominee, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will begin on March 21. If confirmed, Jackson would be the first Black female to be seated on the Supreme Court bench. That historic possibility has stirred emotions and inspired the next generation of the Black legal community. Southern University Student Bar Association President Nzhada (Nih-jay-da) Harris is among them.
Cut 7 (11) “…going to do so.”
Harris says that Judge Jackson would bring a strong combination of legal skill and experience, with two Harvard degrees, 10 years as a federal judge, and having clerked for Stephen Bryer, whom she’s been nominated to replace. And believes her experiences as a woman and as a person of color are going to add a much-needed perspective to the court; one more reflective of the nation as a whole.
Cut 8 (12) “…level of inclusion.”
There will be challenges for Jackson in her confirmation. Research from the Law & Society Review has shown that when people of color and women have been nominated to the high court, they have faced greater skepticism and received less courtesy than their white male counterparts. Harris understands the battle ahead for Judge Jackson but remains hopeful.
Cut 9 (12) “…excited for this.”
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Mardi Gras ended at midnight Tuesday in New Orleans as law enforcement walked down the streets of the French Quarter blaring sirens. Carnival season was tainted with the shooting deaths of two tourists this year. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser hopes legislation placing the state in charge of the worldwide tourist attraction will reduce crime.
Cut 10 (10) “…do something.”
The legislation would basically turn the French Quarter into a State Park, with park rangers acting as law enforcement. Nungesser says a plan was in place with the Mayor, that included adequate police patrol, surveillance, and improved lighting.
Cut 11 (10) “…this year.”
Nungesser says to make the Quarter safer everyone including city council members and the mayor has to get on board.
Cut 12 (12) “…time to shine.”
A 15-year old girl from Houston and a 33-year old man from South Carolina were killed in separate shootings during carnival in New Orleans.
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The Lake Providence Police Department is closed for business after Mayor Jerry Bell says Police Chief Leroy Threats exhausted his annual budget in mid-February. Bell says he along with the board of aldermen asked Threats to produce a plan of action for the budget shortfall….
Cut 13 (10) “…that plan.”
Bell says the department falls under the Lawrason Act, so if a department sees a five percent variance in revenues and/or expenses, then a plan of action must be submitted.
Threats reportedly says he doesn’t know how the department is out of money when he’s only been there a year and hasn’t spent technically anything. Bell says he’s not sure what Threats is thinking because he’s been in communication with him about the fiscal budget that runs from July to June for the last seven months.
Cut 14 (11) “…and helping.”
Bell believes it’s a situation where Threats, who was elected in a special election last year, lacks administrative experience and the department’s largest expenditure is payroll. Threats did not respond to our request for comment.
In the meantime, Bell says as long as Threats remains chief, they have to wait on him to submit a plan. Bell says his communication with Threats has fallen on deaf ears and Threats has reportedly said he plans to retire.
Cut 15 (11) “…of action.”
In the meantime, the East Carroll Sheriff’s Office will oversee patrols of Lake Providence.
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The Sun Belt Men’s Basketball Tournament gets underway in Pensacola, Florida today. The Cajuns are an 8-seed and will face 9th seeded UTA at 11:30 this morning. The Mavericks beat U-L Lafayette twice during the regular season including an overtime defeat at home. A game Coach Bob Marlin remembers well…
Cut 16 (15) “…Pensacola.”
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It’s been a tough season for Keith Richard and the UL-Monroe WarHawks. They enter the Sun Belt Conference tournament as the 11th seed and are in the midst of a five-game losing skid. Ten of UL-M’s 17 losses have come by single digits, so Richard would like to see a change of fortune with the WarHawks one loss from their season coming to an end.
Cut 17 (17) “ …been in them.”
UL-Monroe will face the sixth-seeded Arkansas State Red Wolves in the opening round of the Sun Belt tournament at 5 pm. The WarHawks split the season series with Arkansas State with each team winning on the opponent’s home floor. ASU has both the Sun Belt player and defensive player of the year, center Norchad Omier (O-meer), but Richard likes the way his team matches up everywhere else.
Cut 18 (21) “ …in the backcourt.”
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LSU women’s basketball fans were not pleased with the Southeastern Conference postseason awards announcements. The Tigers finished second in the SEC standings yet only two players, guards Khayla Pointer and Alexis Morris, were named to the All-Conference team. On the eve of the SEC tournament, Coach Kim Mulkey is focused on team achievements, not individual honors.
Cut 19 (18)_“…taken it”
Mulkey missed out on the Coach of the Year award after leading LSU to the greatest single-season turnaround in conference history and one of the greatest in Division I history. Mulkey already has seven Big 12, two WBCA, three USBWA, and two Associated Press Coach of the Year awards, so she isn’t worried if the spotlight misses her this time, not with a chance at a much bigger prize.
Cut 20 (16) “ …accomplished a lot.”