'Just my time to step up': Lance Potier excels in overtime, pushing McNeese to a 79-72, overtime win against Northwestern State

NATCHITOCHES -- This is Lance Potier’s role, to do whatever is asked of him. Labeling him a guard or a forward is difficult and part of Dave Simmons’ proclivity to turn to his versatile senior in any situation. Saturday’s Southland Conference opener necessitated Potier play larger than his 6-foot-6 frame. LaBarrius Hill had fouled out and there were few other frontcourt options to which Simmons...

Cowgirls stop red-hot Beatrice Attura on final possession to secure 68-63 win against Northwestern State

NATCHITOCHES --   Huddled around their first-year coach, the Cowgirls screamed in unison, imploring one another for just one stop the player who was, for 40 minutes, unstoppable. McNeese State guards Caitlin Davis and Amber Donnes smothered Beatrice Attura, the Northwestern State senior guard who’d single handedly gotten her team to this point. Mercedes Rogers stood feet away, her eyes...

South Korea may change EV incentive rule that hurts Tesla

Filed under: Green,Hirings/Firings/Layoffs,Tesla,AutoblogGreen Exclusive,South Korea,Electric Country's rule necessitating 10-hour maximum charging time may be eliminated next year. Continue reading South Korea may change EV incentive rule that hurts Tesla South Korea may change EV incentive rule that...

The Grand Tour's first two-part special is stunning, but too long | Episode Review

Filed under: Celebrities,TV/Movies Beach buggies, beautiful scenery, and about 30 unnecessary minutes. Continue reading The Grand Tour's first two-part special is stunning, but too long | Episode Review The Grand Tour's first two-part special is stunning, but too long | Episode Review originally appeared...

Best of Autoblog 2016: Cosmo designed a car for just us girls and it sucks

Cosmopolitan is receiving flack after the magazine unveiled its own version of the Seat Mii gear towards women. Continue reading Best of Autoblog 2016: Cosmo designed a car for just us girls and it sucks Best of Autoblog 2016: Cosmo designed a car for just us girls and it sucks originally appeared...

Texas judge takes specialized court for veterans on the road

ANNA, Texas -- In the Army, Richard Ress survived duty in some of the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan, but on a July day in 2009, he seemed ready for his life to end in the back of a Texas police car facing his third drunken-driving arrest in less than a year. According to the arrest report, Ress asked the officer "to shoot him and get it over with." He was struggling with flashbacks and nightmares...

Divers assembled in search for missing plane with 6 aboard

CLEVELAND -- A dive team has been assembled in Cleveland to begin recovery efforts for a small plane carrying six people that disappeared over Lake Erie near Cleveland's shores. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson expressed condolences Saturday to the family and friends of those who lost loved ones. The U.S. Coast Guard on Friday suspended its search for the plane that vanished shortly after takeoff Thursday...

Grand Old Party? Donald Trump remaking GOP in his image

WASHINGTON -- President-elect Donald Trump is remaking the Republican Party in his own image and backing a populist agenda that sometimes clashes with core conservatives. For example, Trump has promised a massive infrastructure spending bill to update the nation's roads and bridges. He favors an investment that could dwarf the infrastructure spending Republicans opposed when it appeared in President...

Second arrest made in death of Jeanerette man

NEW IBERIA -- Authorities have arrested a second person in connection to the death of a Jeanerette man. Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal tells local media that 18-year-old Brady Rogers was arrested Thursday and charged with first-degree murder in the death of 75-year-old Howard Poche. Another suspect, 23-year-old Jeffery Lee Marks, was arrested Wednesday and faces the same charge. Poche was reported...

Michael Brown's family fights Ferguson push for his records

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Michael Brown's parents are objecting to a request from Ferguson for the 18-year-old's medical and academic records as the city defends itself against a lawsuit that the parents filed over the 2014 police shooting death of their son. Michael Brown Sr. and Lezley McSpadden want a St. Louis federal judge to scuttle demands for the documents. They say they're irrelevant and call the...

Cuban conservatory students in New Orleans for jazz concert

NEW ORLEANS -- Students from Cuba's top music academy will present a free concert of big band jazz with a Cuban accent in New Orleans on Jan. 5. The nonprofit group Horns to Havana says the 14-member high-school jazz ba nd from Havana's Conservatorio Amadeo Roldan will be in New Orleans from Jan. 3-10 for a jazz and cultural exchange program with the Preservation Hall Foundation. It also will play...

Kenner girl punches her way into national boxing spotlight

KENNER -- Many have Olympic dreams but few are able to achieve them. For 14-year-old Kenner resident Alexis Lavarine, that dream has come a step closer to reality with a win at the recent USA Boxing Nationals held in Kansas City, Missouri. Lavarine punched her way to a spot on the USA Amateur Boxing Travel National Team Junior Division for 2017--with a chance to make the 2020 Olympic Boxing team. In...

Georgia boy battling leukemia to be honorary Falcons captain

GAINESVILLE, Ga. -- When 6-year-old Riley Johnson visits the Georgia Dome as an honorary team captain for the Atlanta Falcons, he will likely be one of the toughest people on the field. The Gainesville boy, who was diagnosed in May with leukemia, will take the field for the coin toss before the Falcons take on the New Orleans Saints in their final regular-season game on Sunday. The Rally Foundation...

Veteran shares cautionary tale from World War II on fireworks safety

Every year when New Year’s Eve rolls around, Jack L. Havens, a World War II veteran, knows that some people will be setting off fireworks, and he gets an uneasy feeling because a friend was involved in a serious fireworks accident years ago. “I just want to warn people to be safe when it comes to fireworks,” Havens said. Havens, 92, of Sulphur, was serving in the Navy and docked in Naples, Italy,...

Last hurrah: Orgeron's arrival gives Smith shot to produce

ORLANDO, Fla. — Where did the time go? LSU tight end DeSean Smith can’t believe this is it. The end. Could it have been just four years ago that he committed to LSU after an All-American career at Barbe High School. But his late-blooming college career indeed gets its final chapter this morning when the No. 19 Tigers (7-4) take on No. 15 Louisville (9-3) in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl. “It’s...

US issuing new rules to curb illegal fishing, seafood fraud

PORTLAND, Maine -- The Obama administration is issuing new rules it says will crack down on illegal fishing and seafood fraud. The new protections are called the Seafood Import Monitoring Program. They are designed to stop illegally fished and misidentified seafood from getting into stores and restaurants in the U.S. An arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will administer the...

Family tours Orleck with grandfather who'd served

This Christmas, Larry “Gene” Hayes of Tennessee brought his family to visit the USS Orleck, where he worked as a sonarman detecting enemy submarines during the Korean War. Hayes visited the Orleck for the first time in October. Seeing the ship for the first time in over 60 years had a big impact on him, he said, and he resolved to bring his family to see it soon. Hayes said he wanted his grandchildren...

Families to hold their own fireworks shows

DeRidder fireworks stands are preparing for a busy weekend as Beauregard Parish residents are getting ready to entertain family with at-home fireworks shows for the New Year’s holiday. “There may be a few organizations holding firework shows, but I think for the most part everyone is planning on staying home and lighting fireworks with family this year,” stated Alexis Allemang who works the Hale firework...

Trump sends New Year wishes to all, even his 'many enemies'

PALM BEACH, Florida -- President-elect Donald Trump has an unusual New Year's message for his Twitter followers. He is wishing a "Happy New Year to all, including to my many enemies and those who have fought me and lost so badly." Trump adds, "they just don't know what to do," ending his message with the word, "Love!" The president-elect will be spending his New Year's Eve at his private Mar-a-Lago...

Nissan Qashqai headed to the US, to debut at the Detroit Auto Show

Filed under: Rumormill,Detroit Auto Show,Nissan,United States,Crossover,SUV The Rogue-like crossover is Nissan's most popular model in Europe. Continue reading Nissan Qashqai headed to the US, to debut at the Detroit Auto Show Nissan Qashqai headed to the US, to debut at the Detroit Auto Show originally...

James Tabary named Louisiana Newcomer of the Year by LSWA

James Tabary’s record-breaking debut season earned another honor Friday. Tabary, the Arkansas State transfer who set new McNeese State records for pass attempts and completions and fell 33 yards shy of breaking the school’s single-season passing record, was named the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Newcomer of the Year on Friday evening. Voted upon by a panel of the state’s sports writers...

In his final season, McNeese's Lance Potier embraces a new role as the Cowboys' 'glue'

Inside the first team meeting of his final season as a collegiate basketball player, Lance Potier was told he would not start. His minutes would likely evaporate, too. Don’t think about scoring, either, coaches told him. What, then, was left for the versatile, 6-foot-6 St. Martinville product who dedicated three seasons to the program while toiling in relative anonymity as a seventh or eighth man...

'She's separating herself': McNeese point guard Caitlin Davis takes control of Cowgirls heading into Southland play

Playing point guard inside Burton Coliseum carries almost a mythical, sometimes unnerving, mystique. The best woman to ever do it, Caitlyn Baggett, has her jersey hanging high above the rafters. Her successor, Jalyn Johnson, has more assists than anyone in McNeese State history and is the program’s seventh-leading scorer. Keara Hudnall, who toiled for two seasons as Johnson’s backup, tore her ACL...

Recharge Wrap-up: Cadillac CT6 Plug-In on sale in China, Oregon utilities spur EV adoption

Filed under: Green,Hirings/Firings/Layoffs,Cadillac,GM,Green Culture,Electric,Luxury China gets American EV luxury. Oregon utilities are promoting EVs by building chargers. Some job losses will be offset by new positions at Continental. Continue reading Recharge Wrap-up: Cadillac CT6 Plug-In on sale...

Apple sued over patents for locking out FaceTime while driving

Filed under: Government/Legal,Driving,Safety,United States,Gadgets,Smartphone Apple has a patent on technology that would lock down a phone while a user is driving. The lawsuit claims that failure to implement the tech makes Apple culpable in the victim's death. Continue reading Apple sued over patents...

Some power restored to North Carolina's gov.-elect for now

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A North Carolina judge granted a small victory to the state's incoming Democratic governor on Friday, temporarily blocking a law by Republican lawmakers stripping him of control over elections in a legislative power play just weeks ago. Wake County Superior Court Judge Don Stephens blocked the new law, which would end the control governors exert over statewide and county election...

This 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is an unrestored beauty with a great backstory

Filed under: Read This,Mercedes-Benz,Coupe,Classics,Performance And that owner was a pretty nifty guy. Continue reading This 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is an unrestored beauty with a great backstory This 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is an unrestored beauty with a great backstory originally appeared on Autoblog...

Aircraft carrier group returns from the Middle East

NORFOLK, Va. -- Sailing on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lara Runge placed a rare phone call to her wife Jessica in Chesapeake, Virginia, on Election Day. The women prayed together "for the safety of our country and that equality would remain consistent." Both supported Hillary Clinton, while the majority of the ship's crew voted for President-elect Donald Trump, said Runge, an aviation electronics...

Zsa Zsa Gabor's life, glamour, honored at funeral mass

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Zsa Zsa Gabor has been remembered for her love of glamour and red carpets at a funeral mass honoring the actress. Around 100 mourners gathered Friday at a picturesque Beverly Hills church to pay respects to Gabor, who died Dec. 18 from a heart attack at age 99. Gabor's husband Frederic von Anhalt gave a lengthy eulogy recounting their relationship and Gabor's desire for the...

Court reinstates Kennedy cousin Skakel's murder conviction

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A divided Connecticut Supreme Court has reinstated Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel's conviction in the 1975 murder of Martha Moxley, rejecting a lower court ruling that his trial lawyer didn't adequately represent him. The state's highest court on Friday released its 4-3 ruling. Skakel's lawyer said he was reviewing the ruling and had no immediate comment. Skakel was convicted in...

US deportations of illegal immigrants up 2 percent

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration has deported 240,255 immigrants over the past 12 months, a 2 percent increase over 2015. But while the number of deportations was greater than last year, it was a sharp decrease from 2014. Commenting on the statistics released Friday, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said his department remains focused on finding and deporting immigrants who pose a...

Prosecutor: No charges against ex-Oklahoma sheriff

TULSA, Okla. -- A former Oklahoma sheriff who was friends with a reserve deputy who fatally shot an unarmed black man won't face new criminal charges after an investigation into misconduct allegations. Special prosecutor Rob Barris on Friday declined to charge former Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz, who already has been sentenced to a suspended one-year jail term for misdemeanor charges brought...

Syria's cease-fire holding despite minor violations

BEIRUT -- A nationwide Syrian cease-fire brokered by Russia and Turkey that went into effect at midnight held Friday despite minor violations, marking a potential breakthrough in a conflict that has disregarded high-level peace initiatives for over five years. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported clashes early Friday between troops and rebels in the central province of Hama...