Numerous roads are closed as a result of a winter storm that has iced up bridges, ramps and overpasses. Because elevated roads and bridges ice over first, DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says theircrews in conjunction with State Police worked throughout the day and overnight…
Cut 4 (10) “…US-51.”
One of the roadways shut down is the I-10 Atchafalaya Basin Bridge.

State offices are closed today but state lawmakers are at the capitol working on approving a new Congressional map that would contain two majority-Black districts, instead of one. Governor Jeff Landry is also calling for legislators to approve a new Supreme Court map…
cut 16 (12) “…unbalanced.”

Windy and colder weather continues to grip Louisiana. Bill Jacquemin has the latest on the weather warnings…
cut 2 (35) “….untreated surfaces”

There are numerous road closures in the Bayou State after an arctic cold front swept across the country Monday creating hazardous conditions. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says even though crews began applying brine and salt to roadways Monday afternoon…
Cut 3 (13) “…our drivers.”
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge after a single vehicle wreck led to a massive traffic jam. Westlake Police Chief Chrstopher Wilrye says the driver involved in the single vehicle wreck lost his life after either jumped or fell off the bridge…
cut 9 (12) “…yesterday”
The man who lost his life has been identified as 37-year-old Jordan Foster.

Governor Jeff Landry opened the start of an eight-day special session urging legislators to approve a Congressional District map that adds a second majority minority district. He also wants legislation approved that will shift Louisiana’s elections from a jungle open primary to closed party primaries. He says voters that belong to a political party should have the right to choose their candidate to represent them in the General election
cut 15 (14) “….decipher”
The special session must end by January 23rd.

Three Natchitoches Police officers are recovering from injuries after trying to apprehend 25-year Lakendra Bolton who is accused of stealing from a grocery store…
cut 7 (10) “…the hospital”
Natchitoches Police spokesperson John Greely says Bolton injured the officers with her vehicle.

Very cold morning as temperatures are below freezing with wind chills in the teens into single digits. National Weather Service meteorologist Cameron Kowalski says be prepared for another cold morning tomorrow…
cut 9 (12) “…low as 12”
Single digit lows are expected near the Arkansas border.

Three Natchitoches police officers are recovering from injuries after attempting to arrest 25-year-old Lakendra Bolton who allegedly tried to steal from Super One Foods. Natchitoches police spokesperson John Greely says two of the officers were injured when trying to arrest her in the parking lot…
cut 6 (05) “…ran over them”
Greely says Bolton injured another officer when she rammed a police-vehicle head on which ended the pursuit. The officers injuries are considered serious to minor and Bolton faces several charges including three counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Governor Jeff Landry urges state legislators to pass a Congressional map with two black voting districts and makes the case for closed primaries. …
Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

Landry says he supports Catahoula Parish Senator Glen Womack’s proposal for a new Congressional District map, which creates a second majority Black district by drastically changing Republican Congressman Garret Graves’ district, stretching it from Baton Rouge to Shreveport. Graves says the map ignores redistricting principles.

It’s a cold morning in Louisiana and that brisk wind out of the north is not helping. Cameron Kowalski is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles…
Cut 7 (11) “…mid 30s”
In north Louisiana, temperatures will struggle to get to 30 degrees and for central Louisiana high temperatures will struggle to get to the freezing mark.

It could be a struggle for Governor Jeff Landry to get his proposed closed party primary system for elections approved by legislators in the ongoing special session. But Pollster Bernie Pinsonat just completed a survey that shows 70-percent of respondents said party primaries in the spring and general elections in the fall would give voters more time to know the candidates…
cut 5 (10) “….for months”

Governor Jeff Landry opened the special session yesterday by calling on lawmakers to pass a Congressional map with two majority Black voting districts. Landry says if the state Legislature does not do it before the special session ends on January 23rd, the federal courts will
Cut 13 (12) “..federal judge”

Chair of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus Candace Newell took to the House floor before Landry spoke and said she’s received assurances from the governor and Republican Legislative leadership that they will pass a map with two voting Black districts
Cut 14 (11) “..what is right”

Wind chills are in the single digits and for north Louisiana, high temperatures will not get above freezing. Meteorologist Cameron Kowalski with the National Weather Service,,,
cut 8 (08) “…freezing mark”
Central and south Louisiana will see high temperatures today in the mid 30s.

Because of the winter precipitation that fell yesterday and early this morning, dozens of elevated roadways and highways are closed. State Police Trooper Ryan Davis says if you run into an issue while traveling, call star LSP…
cut 12 (10) “…their trip”
Hundreds of vehicles were stuck on the I-10 and I-210 bridges in Lake Charles yesterday as a result of a crash and icing. Westlake Police say a 37-year-old Lake Charles man died after he jumped off the bridge.

State offices are closed today but state lawmakers are at the capitol working on approving a new Congressional map that would contain two majority-Black districts, instead of one. Governor Jeff Landry is also calling for legislators to approve a new supreme court map…
cut 16 (16) “…as another one”
There’s a proposal to increase the number of justices from seven to nine.

Also up for debate in this special session is a proposal to change Louisiana’s open jungle primary to a closed primary system. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat just conducted a statewide survey and found support for closed primaries, but it’s not overwhelming…
cut 6 (10) “…the other”
Project Louisiana Values funded the poll.

The winter precipitation has moved out of Louisiana but several elevated roadways remain iced over….
cut 2 (29) “….I’m Teiko Foxx”

I-10 between St. Martin Parish and Baton Rouge, including the Atchafalya Basin Bridge is shut down. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett…
cut 27 (08) “…ice over”
No timeline on when these iced over roads will re-open.

Governor Jeff Landry opened the special session by calling on lawmakers to pass a Congressional map with two majority Black voting districts. Landry says if the state Legislature does not do it before the special session ends on January 23rd, the federal courts will
Cut 13 (12) “..federal judge”
Landry also wants lawmakers to pass legislation that would shift Louisiana from the jungle primary system to closed party primaries. Pollster Bernie Pinsonat conducted a poll last week and found a majority of the 600 respondents approve of several features of a closed party primary…
cut 4 (12) “….revealing”

Governor Jeff Landry opened the start of a eight-day special session urging legislators to approve a Congressional District map that adds a second majority minority district. He also wants legislation approved that will shift Louisiana’s elections from a jungle open primary to closed party primaries. He says voters that belong to a political party should have the right to choose their candidate to represent them in the General election
cut 15 (14) “….decipher”
The special session must end by January 23rd.

We are in the middle of a deep freeze in Louisiana. Cold temperatures and winter precipitation has led to….
cut 10 (03) “….roads and bridges”
That’s State Trooper Ryan Davis who says numerous bridges, on-ramps, and elevated highways are closed this morning.

Temperatures are in the teens and wind chills are in the single digits on this frosty morning. Colleen Crain reports the extreme cold will last until tomorrow morning…
cut 1 (30) “..I”m Colleen Crain”

And this winter weather has produced power outages. Entergy says 11-thousand customers are without power and many of those outages are in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas. Cleco has over 500 customers without power and SWEPCO has over 300 customers without power in the Shreveport area.

Two adults and a minor have been arrested in connection with the shooting outside Bogalusa High School that took the life of a 14-year-old body and left a 13-year-old hospitalized last week. Bogalusa Police say a 16-year-old has been charged with first degree murder. 21-year-old Jamichael Spikes has been charged with several offenses including principal to attempted second degree murder. 18-year-old Caleb Moss was arrested on several charges including accessory after the fact of first-degree murder. The investigation is ongoing.

An arrest has been made in the weekend murder of a mother and her young child in Gonzales over the weekend.  Investigators are calling the shootings of Christina Lynn Artus, 41, and Kaylee Forcell, 1 year a domestic violence situation.The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested Kalvin N. Forcell, 39, of Donaldsonville, on two counts of first-degree murder; simple burglary (vehicle); unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling; theft of a vehicle over $25,000; illegal use of weapons; and possession of a firearm by persons convicted of certain felonies.

Snow sleet and freezing rain has been falling across northern parishes of Louisiana. For south Louisiana light rain is expected to turn to freezing rain into tomorrow morning but only a glaze of ice is possible on roads and the ground. LRN meteorologist Bill Jacquemin

Cut 8 (09) “…into tomorrow” 

Louisiana and the world of Cajun and Country music morns Jo-El Sonnier, the man who took the music of South Louisiana to the world. Saturday, while on tour in Texas, Sonnier received a standing ovation for one of his biggest hits, Tear-Stained Letter, before he left the stage to rest before signing autographs. Minutes later he suffered a fatal heart attack. Cajun Music Historian, Wade Falcon…

Cut 12 (11)  “…this world.”  

Sonnier had a reputation for generosity. He performed and collaborated with many well-known Cajun and Country artists.

The LSU Men’s basketball team suffered its first SEC loss against Auburn on Saturday 78 to 93. The game saw Louisiana’s own Jordan Wright score 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists on the night. The Tigers struggled to keep possession of the ball against what LSU Head Coach Matt McMahon says is an elite Auburn team.

Cut 19 (19) “ … in transition.”

LSU will host Ole Miss on Wednesday with tip off at 6:00 pm on the SEC Network.

—

The LSU Lady Tigers also suffered their first SEC loss to Auburn 67 to 62 on Sunday. Angel Reese had 24 points and 11 rebounds and Aneesah Morrow had 12 points and 15 rebounds for the game. The loss dropped LSU from number 7 to number 10 in the newest AP Rankings and LSU Head Coach Kim Mulkey says that there’s a lot of room to improve after the loss.

—

In other college basketball news, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs defeated the Liberty Flames in an overtime thriller on Sunday 80 to 76. Bulldogs Head Coach Talvin Hester says that a big reason the Bulldogs won was because of the play of forward Daniel Batcho.

Cut 16 (13) “… tough team.”

Daniel Batcho was named the Conference USA player of the week after averaging 18.5 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks in Louisiana Tech’s wins over Middle Tennessee and Liberty.

—

And a big day for McNeese’s men’s basketball team as it received it’s first ever Associated Press Top 25 Men’s Basketball Poll vote. The Cowboys are 14 and 2 on the season and 3 and 0 in Southland conference play with a 74 to 65 win over Southeastern on Saturday.

—

In LSU Transfer Portal news, Liberty wide receiver CJ Daniels has transferred to LSU after a 1,067 yard and 10 touchdown performance last season.

We’re seeing a good bit of wintry preciptiation falling across the state and that will continue into the morning hours. There’s also plenty of cold air that pushing towards the coast. LRN meteorologist Bill Jacquemin says there’s a hard freeze warning for most of the state…
cut 7 (07) “…on Wednesday”

A special legislative session is underway in Baton Rouge. Teiko Foxx reports the top priority is drawing new boundaries for the state’s Congressional map…
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Teiko Foxx”

A new poll released shows there is support for closed primaries. A survey released last week found that 56-percent oppose changing to a closed primary system. But Pollster Bernie Pinsonat says a majority of respondents to his survey of 600 likely voters approve several features of a closed party primary…
Cut 4 (12) “..revealing”
59-percent said it makes sense for Republicans and Democrats to pick their own party candidates in a closed primary.

Cajun and country musician Jo’el Sonnier has died at the age of 77. Sonnier won a Grammy in 2015 for “The Legacy” Album, he also had some great country music hits. Cajun Music historian Wade Falcon…
cut 14 (11) “….multiple times”
Sonnier died after a concert in Texas on Saturday night.