A side effect of the COVID vaccination has prompted a new recommendation with routine mammograms. Brooke Thorington explains.

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Many vaccine shipments into Louisiana will be delayed this week due to the winter weather. Matt Doyle has more…

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With two winter storms in the same week to rock the Bayou State, forecasters say it’s been historic. Brooke Thorington has more.

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Because COVID vaccines can cause enlarged lymph nodes for several weeks under the arm in which you receive the injection, physicians are recommending changes for routine mammograms. Breast Surgical Oncologist at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, Dr. Mindy Bowie (pronounced BOO-e) explains.

Cut 4 (10)“…vaccination.”

Or try to schedule your mammogram before you are vaccinated for COVID.

Bowie says unfortunately some patients had their mammograms soon after their vaccination before the new recommendations were issued. She says whenever enlarged lymph nodes are noted on a mammogram you will need to be reexamined.

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Bowie says when you schedule your routine mammogram be sure to let the technician know when you were vaccinated for COVID. She also advises whenever you notice anything unusual about your body whatsoever to always contact your physician to rule things out.

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Bowie says enlarged lymph nodes are a common occurrence when your body is mounting an immune response and you shouldn’t be alarmed when they appear after your vaccines.

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After two winter storms this week, forecasters say it appears the worst is behind us. However, State Climatologist Barry Keim says there’s still some lingering mixed precipitation this morning in north Louisiana and rain in the southeast. Keim says things aren’t necessarily going to warm up either…

Cut 7 (11)  “…and 40s.”

Keim says the forecast Saturday is very similar to Friday with highs reaching into the 40s and 50s.

After this morning Keim says we shouldn’t see any rain over the next few days…

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Keim says these winter storms will go down as some of the worst we’ve experienced, especially because it’s so widespread.

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Much of Louisiana’s weekly vaccine shipment will be delayed due to the historic winter weather impacting the region.  

State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says we’re not alone in missing much of our weekly allocation. 

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The state recently crossed a milestone of more people receiving at least one dose of a vaccine than have tested positive in Louisiana.  

Kanter says that means you may not be able to get vaccinated this week even if you had an appointment to do so.  

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Kanter says postponing your second shot of vaccine will not impact its overall effectiveness so don’t worry if you have a wait a few days.  

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Those with only one shot of the two shot sequence are believed to have about 50 percent immunity, while those who complete their sequence have over 90 percent immunity several weeks after their final dose.  

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Tens of thousands of customers are still without power in Louisiana this morning as a result of the double whammy of winter storms.  

Cleco spokesperson Jennifer Cahill says it could take awhile to restore power in many areas due to horrendous road conditions. 

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Cahill says after days of severe weather they’re seeing more and more damage to poles and powerlines. 

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Last night Cleco and other providers took the step of asking customers to conserve power to prevent further damage to the grid and Cahill says they didn’t make that request lightly…

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Louisiana is still reeling from a double winter storm punch that’s resulted in power outages for tens of thousands of customers, made hundreds of roads impassable, and has shut down water utilities in Shreveport. Caddo Parish Sheriff’s spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says Shreveport is in a tough spot at the moment… 

Cut 6 (09) “…town.” 

City and parish roads have been declared “unpassable” which means they are drivable but dangerous. 

Governor Edwards acknowledged the delays in returning power to much of the state. He says the same roads that are keeping you stuck at home are undrivable for repair crews… 

Cut 13 (12)“…real issues too” 

Cleco, SWEPCO, and Entergy are all asking customers to conserve power tonight.  

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State Police says treacherous road conditions led to 45 people getting stuck on a stretch of Interstate 20 in Bossier and Webster parish for six to eight hours last night. Trooper Brent Hardy says there were multiple crashes but thankfully no serious injuries. It took a lot of effort to get those stuck on the interstate out of there… 

Cut 4 (13) “…stranded.” 

The I-10 Atchafalaya Basin Bridge between Lafayette and Baton Rouge is now open as crews have cleared the ice.  

The State Department of Health has officially confirmed three storm related fatalities. A 50-year-old in Lafayette Parish who slipped and fell, a 74-year-old in Lafayette Parish who died of exposure, and a 77-year-old Caddo man who slipped into his pool and drown. We’re awaiting confirmation on a fourth victim in Shreveport. 

Due to overwhelming power usage both Entergy Louisiana and SLIMCO are asking customers to voluntarily reduce electricity usage between 5 and 10 pm this evening. They are asking customers to reduce their thermostat to 68 degrees and delay laundry, washing dishes, and bathing and other non-essential uses of electricity.

A 15 mile stretch along I-20 East in Bossier and Webster Parishes is closed after commercial vehicles jackknifed last night causing approximately 45 motorists to be trapped. Jeff Palermo has more.

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Governor John Bel Edwards says today’s winter weather is challenging Louisiana with power outages, water outages, and hundreds of wrecks on the roadways. Edwards says State Police have worked about 350 weather-related crashes. It’s an especially challenging time for Shreveport as the city is experiencing low water pressure. Edwards says he’s aware of the situation.

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All roads in Beauregard Parish and LA Highway 10 in Allen Parish have been deemed impassable due to the ongoing winter storm.  State Police Trooper Derek Senegal says despite the hazardous road conditions they are seeing an uptick in traffic coming into the region from across the Texas border.  

Cut 10 (09) “…the area” 

Designating a road “impassable” means officials highly discourage non-emergency travel. 

Governor John Bel Edwards says today’s winter weather is challenging Louisiana with power outages, water outages, and hundreds of wrecks on the roadways. Edwards says State Police have worked about 350 weather-related crashes.

Cut 11 (09) “…those crashes.”

Road conditions continue to deteriorate across north Louisiana. Caddo Parish Sheriff’s spokesperson Cindy Chadwick is asking motorists to try and avoid driving into or through northwest Louisiana at this time. She says successfully navigating the area is a coin flip.  

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Mayor Adrian Perkins told KSLA-TV the city could be without water for 48 hours.

State Police says treacherous road conditions led to 45 people getting stuck on a stretch of Interstate 20 in Bossier and Webster parishes for six to eight hours last night. Trooper Brent Hardy says there were multiple crashes…

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There were no serious injuries, but Hardy says multiple agencies were needed to assist those trapped overnight.

All roads in Beauregard Parish and LA Highway 10 in Allen Parish have been deemed impassable due to the ongoing winter storm. State Police Trooper Derek Senegal says yesterday the sun melted much of the ice along those roads, but… 

Cut 9 (12) “…roadway.”

Designating a road “impassable” means officials highly discourage non-emergency travel. 

Another winter storm is hitting Louisiana producing a combination of snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Alexandria area to the Arkansas state line. The state health department says a 77-year-old Calcasieu Parish man slipped on the ice, fell in a pool, and drowned. Cleco is reporting 20-thousand customers without power.

Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins tells KSLA-TV that the city could be without water for 48 hours due to the second round of winter weather. Matt Doyle has more.
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From the Alexandria area to points north, temperatures are at the freezing mark or below freezing. Roads are extremely slick in the northern half of the state. State Police Trooper Brent Hardy says they’ve worked 350 crashes during the winter weather this week, so if you have to drive, drive slowly…
cut 5 (13) “…slolwy”
State Police is working to reopen I-10 West from Port Allen to Lafayette.

What about crawfish and this cold weather? Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says cold temperatures do cause the mudbugs to go into almost a dormant-like state and bury themselves deep in the water, but he’s hopeful we’ll still have a good crawfish season…
cut 13 (09) “….pattern”
Strain also believes the strawberry crop should do well, if producers were able to cover them.

Things were nightmarish last night, especially for 45 people who were stuck on Interstate 20 in Bossier and Webster parishes for up to eight hours after commercial vehicles jackknifed. State Trooper Brent Hardy says multiple agencies were needed to assist those trapped overnight.

Cut 4 (13) “…stranded.” 

Northwest Louisiana continues to get hammered by a combination of frigid temperatures and a messy mix of sleet and snow.  Caddo Parish Sheriff’s spokesperson Cindy Chadwick says roads have been declared “unpassable” which means they are drivable but dangerous. Chadwick says thankfully most residents are playing it safe.  

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Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins announced much of the city could be without water for the next 48 hours.

All roads in Beauregard Parish and LA Highway 10 in Allen Parish have been deemed impassable due to the ongoing winter storm.  State Police Trooper Derek Senegal says despite the hazardous road conditions they are seeing an uptick in traffic coming into the region from across the Texas border.  

Cut 10 (12) “…warmth” 

Designating a road “impassable” means officials highly discourage non-emergency travel. 

A mobile home fire in Washington Parish claims the life of a 53-year old man and is the 13^th person to die in a house fire in the state this year. The State Fire Marshal’s office says a relative went to check on how a mobile homeowner was doing in the bitter cold and found the Franklinton home on fire Monday afternoon.  The cause of the blaze has not been determined, but improper wiring or unsafe smoking may have contributed.

Northwest Louisiana is getting hammered by a combination of frigid temperatures and a messy mix of sleet and snow.  Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins announced much of the city could be without water for the next 48 hours. Caddo Parish Sheriffs spokesperson Cindy Chadwick… 

Cut 6 (09) “…town.”

City and parish roads have been declared “unpassable” which means they are drivable but dangerous. 

All roads in Beauregard Parish and LA Highway 10 in Allen Parish have been deemed unpassable due to the ongoing winter storm.  

State Police Trooper Derek Senegal says yesterday the sun melted much of the ice along those roads, but… 

Cut 9 (12) “…roadway.”

Designating a road “unpassable” means officials highly discourage non-emergency travel along it. 

A 15 mile stretch along I-20 East in Bossier and Webster Parishes is closed after commercial vehicles jackknifed last night causing approximately 45 motorists to be trapped. Jeff Palermo has more.

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The state reports 179 new COVID cases and 66 fatalities. Multiple testing facilities have been closed due to inclement weather.

Another winter storm is hitting Louisiana producing a combination of snow, sleet, and freezing rain to most of the state north of Interstate 10. Governor John Bel Edwards tweeted there have been several deaths related to people slipping and falling on ice. The state health department says one of the fatalities involved a Calcasieu Parish man who slipped on the ice, fell in a pool, and drowned.

In northwest Lousiana, about 45 people were trapped in their vehicles for eight to ten hours last night as a result of multiple accidents on a 15-mile stretch of Interstate 20 in Bossier and Minden Parishes. State Police Trooper Brent Hardy…
cut 3 (11) “…five six mile back-up”
Hardy says there were no serious injuries and Bossier City firefighters helped get the trapped motorists home or to local hotels.

The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is warning of the potential for fish kills resulting from this historic cold spell we’re in. Assistant Secretary Patrick Banks says anytime the temperature drops to near or below freezing for an extended period of time, vulnerable species are put at risk.
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It’s been cold in southeast Louisiana. Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says if farmers took proper precautions, the cold temperatures should not jeopardize the strawberry crop….
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And when will it warm up? State Climatologist Barry Keim says we need to wait a few days…
cut 12 (06) “…the weekend”

Snow, sleet and freezing rain is falling over most of Louisiana today. North of I-20 is getting more snow and much of Louisiana is seeing freezing rain, which is leading to treacherous roads. State Climatologist Barry Keim says this is somewhat reminiscent of the last hurricane season, back-to-back systems hitting the state, but instead of a month apart its days apart…
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The forecast calls for over a quarter of an inch of ice over north and central Louisana and freezing rain is also falling in southwest Louisiana north of I-10.

It was another cold morning in southeast Louisiana. So how is the strawberry crop doing? Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says farmers should be able to salvage the berries…
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This historic deep freeze has state Wildlife and Fisheries officials worried about large scale fish kills. Matt Doyle has the story.
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It’s Ash Wednesday one of the more prominent Catholic and Lutheran holidays and LSU Religious Studies Professor Michael Pasquier says despite public health limits on church capacity…
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Many churches are offering drive through blessing services today, but with the roads situation, it will be difficult for many to get their ashes.

More winter weather is hitting the state today. Snow is falling north of I-20, it’s sleet south of Louisiana is being impacted by freezing rain. Multiple accidents are being reported across the state, even in the New Orleans area. State Climatologist Barry Keim says we’ll get above freezing in south Louisiana, but it will remain cold…
cut 12 (06) “….the weekend”

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is warning the public about the potential for fish kills due to freezing temperatures. Inland freshwater ponds and waters are not expected to be at risk, but Assistant Secretary Patrick Banks says fish in coastal marsh areas with shallow waters are at risk.
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Banks says redfish, black drum, and white trout, and spotted seatrout are most at risk.

Last year’s Ash Wednesday was one of the last major religious holidays celebrated before the pandemic struck. Matt Doyle spoke with an expert about how COVID has impacted the religious community since then…
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It was a quiet Mardi Gras Day, because of the pandemic and the cold weather. It was 26-degrees in New Orleans, but State Climatologist Barry Keim says that’s not the coldest Mardi Gras day ever. He says on February 14, 1899 the temperature hit 22 degrees in New Orleans on that Fat Tuesday.