| Good morning and thanks for joining us. Here are some of the day's top headlines. Republican protest: Three empty seats on federal trial courts in Louisiana — two in New Orleans and one in Shreveport — could remain vacant thanks to a Republican protest over a New York jury's unanimous conviction of Donald Trump on 34 felony counts last week. Mark Ballard has the story. Redfish rules: Catch limits for redfish, which have seen their numbers drop sharply due largely to habitat loss, are about to change for the first time in roughly four decades. Mike Smith has this report. Buc-ee's looking: The convenience store operator Buc-ees, known for its gigantic fuel and food stops along highways throughout the South, is planning a Louisiana location. Adam Daigle has the details. Thanks for reading, and check out all the latest news, sports and entertainment coverage from The Times-Picayune. Chad | 