The state’s tourism leader, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, is in Washington D-C on this Fat Tuesday. He’s there to promote the state’s new tourism slogan “Louisiana: Feed Your Soul.” Nungesser says the new branding perfectly typfies the kind of activities visitors can expect when they come to Louisiana…
cut 8 (09) “…Gras week”
Nungesser will be talking with traveling writers and passing out King Cake in the Nation’s capitol. State tourism officials will do the same in Atlanta, Dallas and Houston.

High temperatures will be in the mid 60s in New Orleans for their Mardi Gras festivites and there’s a chance for a shower this afternoon. State Climatologist Barry Keim says it will be a little cooler in southwest Louisiana for their Mardi Gras festivites….
cut 5 (07) “…actually is”
High temperatures in the 70s tomorrow.

The LSU Ag Center is concerned about an invasive species known as the apple snail. It became so abundant in an Acadia Parish that a farmer there had to shut down his crawfish farm. Agent Mark Shirley says the resilient and slimy snails can rapidly infect a large area….
cut 16 (11) “…larger snails”
Shirley says the apple sails devour vegetation crucial for crawfish and there’s no way to kill off the snails.

Old time Mardi Gras celebrations will take place in small southwest Louisiana towns like Mamou and Iowa. In Iowa, the chicken run starts at the Knights of Columbus Hall and Organizer Rodney Victorian….
cut 10 (10) “…chasing it”
After the run is done, gumbo will be served featuring the chicken collected that day and there you’ll also hear plenty of zydeco music.