No. 19 LSU is about to shoot up the rankings after an incredibly impressive 73-71 win over the 5^th team in the nation, the storied Kentucky Wildcats. It was a total team effort with four Tigers in double digit scoring, and ended on a dramatic tip in finish by Kavell Bigby-Williams. Tiger Rag Assistant Editor Tyler Nunez says it’s a historic win that will sit in the pantheon of great LSU basketball moments.

Cut 9 (11) “to me”

Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs are seeking a woman who left a newborn in a field just outside of the Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Gauthier Campus building last night at 8pm. Sherriff Tony Mancuso stressed that any mother who has just had a child and is considering abandoning it can leave the new born at any local police station, fire department, or hospital, and will not be asked any questions, and will not face any charges. But, you must make contact with an employee first.

Cut 13 (10) “…this happens”

Thibodaux Police have arrested a man after a dating site meet up lead to an armed robbery.  25-year-old Kareem Acker of Gretna was apprehended after the victim contacted law enforcement from the meet up going south.  Police spokesperson says Clint Dempster says Acker claims the victim gave him the money prior to Acker discovering the gender identity of the victim.

Cut 7 (11) “…he became stuck.”

The competition to secure a good spot for Mardi Gras parades can be intense, but one Facebook user says he’s willing to ease that burden… for a price.  New Orleans resident Kenneth Sampey posted an offer to hold a 10×10 spot on St. Charles Avenue for Fat Tuesday.  The fee for the service?  Two grand.  Sampey says he made the post out of jest, not expecting it to get the attention that it did.

Cut 3 (12) “…for the price.”

A baby was found in a grassy field just outside of a Lake Charles hospital, and Sherriff Tony Mancuso says the mother could have avoided charges for abandonment if she’d followed the “Safe Haven” law. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

No. 19 LSU is about to shoot up the rankings after an incredibly impressive 73-71 win over the 5^th team in the nation, the storied Kentucky Wildcats.

For their next game, LSU takes on Georgia Saturday at 5pm in Athens.

Thibodaux Police have arrested a man after a dating site meet up lead to an armed robbery.  25-year-old Kareem Acker of Gretna was apprehended after the victim contacted law enforcement from the meet up going south.  Police spokesperson says Clint Dempster says Acker found himself in a position where he couldn’t flee the scene.

Cut 6 (06) “…where he was.”
Dempster says Acker claims the victim gave him the money prior to Acker discovering the gender identity of the victim.

The competition to secure a good spot for Mardi Gras parades can be intense, but one Facebook user says he’s willing to ease that burden… for a price.  New Orleans resident Kenneth Sampey posted an offer to hold a 10×10 spot on St. Charles Avenue for Fat Tuesday.  The fee for the service?  Two grand.  Sampey says he has seen many responses to the post.

Cut 4 (12) “…serious about paying″

A dating website meet up goes south when it leads to an armed robbery in Thibodaux.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

____________________________

A baby was found in a grassy field just outside of a Lake Charles hospital, and Sherriff Tony Mancuso says the mother could have avoided charges for abandonment if she’d followed the “Safe Haven” law. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

_____________________________________________

The competition to secure a good spot for Mardi Gras parades can be intense, but one Facebook user says he’s willing to ease that burden… for a price.  New Orleans resident Kenneth Sampey posted an offer to hold a 10×10 spot on St. Charles Avenue for Fat Tuesday.  The fee for the service?  Two grand.  Sampey says he made the post out of jest, not expecting it to get the attention that it did.

Cut 3 (12) “…for the price.”

Sampey says he has seen many responses to the post.

Cut 4 (12) “…serious about paying″

Sampey says if he does manage to land a $2000 payday, he says his son likely already has plans for the money.

Cut 5 (03)“…something like that.”

_________________________________________________

Thibodaux Police have arrested a man after a dating site meet up lead to an armed robbery.  25-year-old Kareem Acker of Gretna was apprehended after the victim contacted law enforcement from the meet up going south.  Police spokesperson says Clint Dempster says Acker found himself in a position where he couldn’t flee the scene.

Cut 6 (06) “…where he was.”

Dempster says Acker claims the victim gave him the money prior to Acker discovering the gender identity of the victim.

Cut 7 (11) “…he became stuck.”

Dempster says Acker ended up stuck in the mud when trying to exit the vehicle, then tried to remove a weapon and stomp it into the mud in an effort to hide it from authorities.

Cut 8 (06) “…fumbling around.”

_______________________

No. 19 LSU is about to shoot up the rankings after an incredibly impressive 73-71 win over the 5^th team in the nation, the storied Kentucky Wildcats. It was a total team effort with four Tigers in double digit scoring, and ended on a dramatic tip in finish by Kavell Bigby-Williams. Tiger Rag Assistant Editor Tyler Nunez says it’s a historic win that will sit in the pantheon of great LSU basketball moments.

Cut 9 (11) “to me”

Guard Tremont Williams led the team with 15 points and five assists.

The team was down by nine at one point in the second half, but rallied back to be in a position to seal the game on an offensive rebound facilitated by a Skylar Mays last second drive. The win puts them one game back in the SEC, and Nunez says you’ll almost certainly be seeing this team in March.

Cut 10 (09)“…contender now”

Number one Tennessee sits atop the SEC, riding an 18 game win streak.

Nunez says there’s a lot of basketball left to be played this year, but a team full of freshman wining a grind-it-out contest against a historic and highly ranked opponent sends a strong signal to fans, and the rest of the NCAA.

Cut 11 (11)   “…special.”

For their next game, LSU takes on Georgia Saturday at 5pm in Athens.

_______________________________

Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs are seeking a woman who left a newborn in a field just outside of the Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Gauthier Campus building last night at 8pm. Sherriff Tony Mancuso says surveillance footage shows a woman depositing the child outside of the facility without alerting any of the employees there.

Cut 12 (08)   “…good health”

The baby is African-American, and is in good health.

Mancuso stressed that any mother who has just had a child and is considering abandoning it can leave the new born at any local police station, fire department, or hospital, and will not be asked any questions, and will not face any charges. But, you must make contact with an employee first.

Cut 13 (10) “…this happens”

The “Safe Haven Law” applies up to sixty days after birth.

Mancuso says the mother likely had good intentions with the decision, and they understand how heartbreaking the decision must have been, but you cannot leave your newborn alone and exposed when abandoning it.

Cut 14 (09)     other charges” 

Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs are seeking a woman who left a newborn in a field just outside of the Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Gauthier Campus building last night at 8pm. Sherriff Tony Mancuso says surveillance footage shows a woman depositing the child outside of the facility without alerting any of the employees there.

Cut 12, 8 seconds, a homicide

The baby is African-American, and is in good health.

No. 19 LSU pulled off an incredibly impressive 73-71 win over the 5^th team in the nation, the storied Kentucky Wildcats last night. The team was down by nine at one point in the second half, but rallied back to be in a position to seal the game on an offensive rebound facilitated by a Skylar Mays last second drive. The win puts them one game back in the SEC, and Tiger Rag Assistant Editor Tyler Nunez says you’ll almost certainly be seeing this team in March.

Cut 10 (09)“…contender now”

The IRS says tax returns are eight percent smaller on average so far this year, but Kevin Barnhart full story…

Cut 3 (25) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

In Baseball, The Phillies are reportedly close to signing former LSU ace pitcher Aaron Nola to a four-year, 45-million dollar contract extension.

LSU Ag Center Aquaculture Specialist Greg Lutz has some good news crawfish fanatics: this year’s crop is lookin pretty good. Lutz wants to remind folks that no matter how the season goes, and no matter what the price or availability is, don’t blame the trappers who bring the supply in every year, blame Mother Nature.

Cut 6 (10) “…find em”

The competition to secure a good spot for Mardi Gras parades can be intense, but one Facebook user says he’s willing to ease that burden… for a price.  New Orleans resident Kenneth Sampey posted an offer to hold a 10×10 spot on St. Charles Avenue for Fat Tuesday.  The fee for the service?  Two grand.  Sampey says he made the post out of jest, not expecting it to get the attention that it did.

Cut 3 (12) “…for the price.”

Rapides Parish Sheriff William Earl Hilton announces his sixth term as sheriff will be his last as he will not pursue re-election.  Hilton, whose father also served as a sheriff, has grown up around the area, and says the decision to leave law enforcement was not an easy one.

Cut 7 (11) “…like to do.”

No. 19 LSU is about to shoot up the rankings after an incredibly impressive 73-71 win over the 5^th team in the nation, the storied Kentucky Wildcats. It was a total team effort with four Tigers in double digit scoring, and ended on a dramatic tip in finish by Kavell Bigby-Williams. Tiger Rag Assistant Editor Tyler Nunez says it’s a historic win that will sit in the pantheon of great LSU basketball moments.

Cut 9 (11) “to me”

Thousands of Americans who have received their federal tax refunds are wondering why it’s smaller this year. Frank Holzenthal with the Louisiana CPA Society says it’s the result of changes with the federal tax code, but many workers have also been bringing home bigger checks since the tax reform was enacted last year…
cut 12 (09) “…structured”
The I-R-S says the average refund is eight-percent smaller this year compared to last.

LSU Ag Center Aquaculture Specialist Greg Lutz has some good news for crawfish fanatics: this year’s crop is looking pretty good. Despite some topsy-turvy weather lately, he says the conditions are ripe for a solid, but not record setting year for size and supply.
Cut 4 (10) “…out there.”

Rapides Parish Sheriff William Earl Hilton announces he will not seek re-election. Hilton was first elected sheriff in 1992, retired in 2008, but was elected again in 2011 and he says this retirement is final…
cut 8 (08) “…when I retired”
Hilton says his proudest accomplishment is supplying each school with a resource officer.

The 19th ranked LSU basketball team made a huge statement last night by beating 5th ranked Kentucky 73-71 in Lexington. Kavell Bigby-Williams with the tip-in at the buzzer stunned the Rupp Arena crowd and ended the Wildcats 10-game winning streak. LSU came back from nine points down in the second half to win. Coach Will Wade…
cut 20 (14) “…tonight”
It’s only the second time in program history that LSU has defeated a Top five team on the road. 1980 was the only other time.

LSU is becoming a basketball school as the Tigers made a strong statement last night with a 73-71 upset win over 5th ranked Kentucky. It’s only the second time in program history that LSU has defeated a Top 5 team on the road. The Tigers are now 20-4, 10-1 in the SEC and will look for another road win on Saturday at Georgia.

Rapides Parish Sheriff William Earl Hilton is not seeking re-election, making his sixth term his last. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

It was another cool morning across Louisiana and LSU AgCenter Aquaculture Specialist Greg Lutz says these cold snaps are keeping crawfish from getting bigger…
cut 5 (10) “…growing”
The forecast calls for warmer temperatures the rest of the work week, which should help create a better supply of crawfish.

And we are keeping an eye on the Mississippi River which is rising again. But President of the Fifth Louisiana Levee District Reynold Minsky says the levees in northeast Louisiana should be able to handle all the water that’s on its way…
cut 14 (09) “….have to sandbag”
But Minsky says more rain in the Missouri and Ohio River valleys could cause problems, especially in Tensas Parish, which is susceptible to overtopping.

Matt Doyle has some good news about this year’s crawfish crop…
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle”

LSU fans are feeling good today after watching the 19th ranked Tigers upset 5th ranked Kentucky on a tip in at the buzzer. 73-71 was the final score. Many Kentucky fans believe the last basket should not have counted, because they claim it was offensive goal tending, but finally a call for a Louisiana sports team went their way.

River levels for the Mississippi are very high and they are forecast to continue to rise. President of the 5th Louisiana Levee District Reynold Minsky says as bad as it is, it could be much worse, but the future is highly dependent on weather conditions in other areas of the country.
Cut 13 (12) “…range of valleys.”
The 5th district levees offer protection of at least 58 feet.

Longtime Rapides Parish Sheriff William Earl Hilton announces he will retire and not seek re-election to a seventh term this year. Hilton started his first stint as sheriff in 1992, retired in 2008, but came back four years later. Hilton says he’s proud of putting a school resource officer at every school in Rapides Parish…
cut 9 (10) “…remembered for”
Hilton says the biggest challenge for the next sheriff will be controlling a growing drug problem.

The IRS reports the average federal tax refund so far is down eight percent from 2018, as filers are nabbing about 170 dollars less. The lower refund is the result of the GOP tax reform legislation that went into effect last year. But Frank Holzenthal, with the Louisiana CPA Society, says the lower refund is offset in most cases by higher take home pay during the year…
Cut 10 (11) “…more taxes”

The 19th ranked LSU basketball team pulled off the upset last night as the Bayou Bengals beat 5th ranked Kentucky 73-71 on tip in at the buzzer by Kavell Bigby Williams. Tigers Coach Will Wade felt good about his team’s chances heading into the game…
cut 30 (13) “…confident”
The Tigers are 20-4.

Rapides Parish Sheriff William Earl Hilton announces his sixth term as sheriff will be his last as he will not pursue re-election. Hilton, whose father also served as a sheriff, has grown up around law enforcement, and says the decision to leave the profession was not an easy one.
Cut 7 (11) “…like to do.”
Hilton began his first term as sheriff in 1992 and this is second time he’s retired. But he says this one will stick.

President of the 5th Louisiana Levee District Reynold Minsky says he’s concerned about the rising Mississippi River. But Minsky says the only place that may see overtopping of the levee system is in Tensas Parish…
cut 15 (09) “…on the outside”