Hunter McCann has the best bets for the March Madness, NBA, college baseball, NHL, and MLB! Friday NBA: Bulls @ Heat: Heat -1.5 Kings @ Pelicans: Over 210 Total Points MLB: White Sox @ Phillies: Phillies ML Astros @ Nationals: Astros -1.5 Mets @ Dodgers: Dodgers ML College Baseball: Florida @ Vanderbilt: Vanderbilt -1.5 Kansas @ Baylor: Kansas ML LSU @ Missouri: LSU ML Saturday NBA: Magic @ Cavaliers: Magic +4.5 Suns @ Timberwolves: Timberwolves -1.5 76ers @ Knicks: Knicks -2.5 NHL: Islanders  @ Hurricanes: Hurricanes -1.5 Maples Leafs @ Bruins: Over 5.5 Goals MLB: Rays @ Yankees: Y ..read more

BATON ROUGE — Meeting outside of their usual meeting room in the state capital complex, member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission had to improvise their reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance on Friday when an American flag wasn't available. Their solution? Reciting the pledge to the back of Chairman Mike Francis' American flag shirt. Before the meeting was called to order at the Wyndham Hotel in Many, the audience and the commission's board had a laugh when Francis turned around to reveal an American flag on the back of his white fishing shirt. "If y'all would put your attent ..read more

WASHINGTON (AP) — Staring down a decision so consequential it could alter the course of history — but also end his own career — House Speaker Mike Johnson prayed for guidance. A conservative Christian, the speaker wrestled over whether to lead the House in approving $95 billion in desperately needed war-time aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies, which many in his own Republican majority opposed — some so strongly they would try to boot him from office. Or, he could do nothing, halting the flow of U.S. aid and potentially saving his own job but ..read more

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee - The No. 7 LSU softball team has a tough test this weekend on the road. The Tigers start a three-game series with the only SEC team that has better ranking Friday, No. 4 Tennessee. The game will be on the SEC Network at 5 p.m.  The Volunteers, 32-7 overall and 12-3 in the SEC, and are coming off a series win over Mississippi State last weekend. LSU, 34-8 overall and 10-8 in the SEC, has lost four of their last six conference games. The last time the Tigers won a series against Tennessee was in Knoxville in 2021. LSU is 12-4 this season against Top 25 teams ..read more

BATON ROUGE — Road crews plan to close Bluebonnet Boulevard just west of its intersection with Airline Highway after the Friday night rush hour and leave it closed through much of Saturday. All lanes will be blocked. The city-parish transportation department said the closure was required for emergency sewer work requested by the Wastewater Collections division ..read more

BATON ROUGE - Officials said starting Friday, any 17-year-olds arrested would be booked into the parish prison rather than the juvenile detention center.  The decision comes after the push to house the seven 17-year-olds currently in the overcrowded juvenile detention center in the prison caused confusion and disagreement among parish officials.  Those seven teenagers — and any other 17-year-olds arrested — will be held in central booking until proper housing can be provided for them in the prison proper. The concern came due to legal standards the prison ..read more

BATON ROUGE — Road crews plan to close Bluebonnet Boulevard just west of its intersection with Airline Highway after the Friday night rush hour and leave it closed through much of Saturday. All lanes will be blocked. The city-parish transportation department did not return telephone calls seeking comment Friday but referred callers to the sewage and environmental department ..read more

BATON ROUGE - DOTD announced there would be another traffic shift on I-10 westbound near the I-12 merge.  This shift marks another milestone in the ongoing College Flyover project, DOTD said.  Starting at 5 a.m. Wednesday, traffic will be shifted to the right starting at the I-12 eastbound exit. Construction crews will clearly mark all shifts with barricades and temporary road markings overnight on the night before.  Upon completion of the flyover project, I-12 westbound will be reconfigured to pass beneath the new overpass, running adjacent to I-12 eastbound traffi ..read more

GONZALES — The Gonzales Police Department are searching for three people that appear to have stolen over $1,000 of retail merchandise from Tanger Outlets. The three people reportedly stole $1,000 from Michael Kors on April 1. Police said the three people appeared to work together to commit the theft ..read more

BATON ROUGE - A notice sent out erroneously in the mail may have spooked drivers into thinking their registrations expired sooner than they did.  The OMV said registration for trucks and trailers with an expiration of June 30, 2024 could not be processed until May 1. Residents may have received a renewal notice for these types of vehicles due to a vendor prematurely sending them out.  The notice would have affected approximately 100,000 trucks and trailers. The mailing error has been resolved, and the notice does not affect your registration eligibility.&nbsp ..read more