It’s Christmas Day, but it doesn’t feel like it with these warm and muggy temperatures. Jeff Palermo reports on when we’ll see cold weather again.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

___________________________________________________

A festive holiday night takes a tragic turn in downtown Lake Charles as a driver plows into a horse carriage. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 2 (24) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

______________________________________________________

It’s quiet Christmas weather other than it’s warmer than normal. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says that warm air will continue to produce foggy conditions every morning throughout the weekend.

Cut 3 (07) “…definitely an issue.”

High temperatures will be in the upper 70s today, making it one of the warmest Christmas days on record; and we’ll see 80-degree temperatures this weekend. Keim believes the temperatures will fall just short of setting any records.

Cut 4 (09) “…records would suggest.”

Keim says if you’re looking for colder temperatures, you’ll have to wait until next week for the next arctic blast to hit Louisiana.

Cut 5 (10) “…even colder yet.”

___________________________________________________

A Christmas carriage ride in downtown Lake Charles takes a tragic turn Monday night when a driver plows into the carriage. Lake Charles Police Lieutenant Jeffrey Keenum says people were on board at the time, and at least two people were hospitalized.

Cut 6 (09) “…wonderful holiday season.”

49-year-old Monica Guillory of Lake Charles is charged with hit-and-run, driving with a suspended license and driving with no insurance. Lieutenant Keenum says the crash put a damper on what was supposed to be a festive mood downtown.

Cut 7 (14) “…the horse carriage.”

As for the horse, Keenum says the horse is fine.

Cut 8 (11) “..we’re aware of.”

________________________________________________

A tiny Christmas miracle happened in southwest Louisiana this month. An eight-week-old puppy found locked in the trunk of a vehicle is doing much better now. Jeff Dorson of the Humane Society of Louisiana says the discovery of the malnourished and dehydrated puppy occurred when Oakdale police officers conducted a routine traffic stop.

Cut 9 (10)  “…from the trunk.”

Dorson says officers called local rescuer Brittany Ware to the scene, and she now has temporary custody of the dog, who’s been named Rosie Joe. He says as soon as Rosie Joe has recovered from his terrifying experience, he will be rehomed.

Cut 10 (11) “…that’s what’s happening.”

The driver of the vehicle, Dallas Antonie, was cited for cruelty. He’s already on probation for other crimes. Dorson is not sure why Antonie was driving in Allen Parish with an eight-week-old puppy in his trunk.

Cut 11 (07) “…it in court.”

_____________________________________________________________

It’s Christmas Day, and many Louisiana residents are spending the day with family and loved ones. U.S. Senator John Kennedy says the Christmas season is special because it’s a celebration of God’s love for all of humanity.

Cut 12 (10) “…redeem us all.”

Kennedy says God’s love can be found everywhere, but it really shines in Louisiana.

Cut 13 (20)  “…people on Earth.”

Drivers are enjoying the Christmas gift of low gas prices. The average price for regular unleaded is $2.50 a gallon. Don Redman with Triple-A Louisiana says one thing keeping prices low is OPEC not adjusting production when the U.S. increased its production of refined gasoline.

Cut 7 (11) “…dollars a barrel.”

Of course, if you win tonight’s Powerball drawing, you’re never going to care about gas prices again. That’s because tonight’s estimated jackpot is a whopping 1.7-billion dollars. Chrislyn Maher (“mayor”) with the Louisiana Lottery says while no one has won the big prize since September 6th, almost 100 people across the country have come agonizingly close but still came away with huge paydays.

Cut 9 (09)  “…for two million.”

Just in time for Christmas, flu activity is rampant across the country, especially in Louisiana. Dr. David Janese (juh-NEESE) with Ochsner LSU Health says emergency rooms throughout the state are seeing more and more people sick with the flu.

Cut 10 (07) “…illness criteria.”

Nationwide, the CDC says about 4.6-million people have become sick with the flu, including almost 50-thousand hospitalizations and about two-thousand deaths.

The public service commissioner who spearheaded the new policy streamlining the process for data centers and other large projects to access the energy they need is clearing up some misconceptions. While the Alliance for Affordable Energy says the new policy will cause bills for residential customers to spike, Commissioner J.P. Coussan says there are safeguards in place to keep costs from spiraling out of control.

Cut 14 (08) “…the best cost.”

With the jackpot skyrocketing, Powerball fever is gripping Louisiana. Andre Champagne reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

It will be a warm and dry Christmas Day. LRN meteorologist Bill Jacquemin says the high temperature tomorrow will come close to breaking records…

Cut 28 (08) “…to low 80s”

Gas prices are giving drivers a Christmas gift this year as they have not been this low in five years….

Cut 6 (13) “….and a quarter”

That’s Triple-a fuel analyst Don Redman who says despite an increase in gasoline demand over the holidays, supply is strong.

There’s a new policy that streamlines the process for data centers and other large projects to access the energy they need, and the public service commissioner who spearheaded it is clearing up some misconceptions about it. Commissioner J.P. Coussan says it’s not a rubber stamp for utility companies to charge what they want to charge in order to expedite these big projects.

Cut 15 (10) “…of this project.”

The Public Service Commissioner who spearheaded a new policy for large projects like data centers to access energy is defending the policy that removes the requirement for utilities powering the projects to prove that its generation is the cheapest and most reliable. The Alliance for Affordable Energy says the new policy will cause residential customers’ utility bills to skyrocket, but Commissioner J.P. Coussan says…

Cut 13 (09)  “…on this deal.”

At this time of year Flu activity is rampant across the country and this year is no exception, especially in Louisiana. Dr. David Janese (juh-NEESE) with Ochsner LSU Health says the number of people testing positive for the flu is staggering.

Cut 11 (05) “…only trending upward.”

The CDC says almost 50-thousand people have been hospitalized with the flu and there have been about two-thousand deaths associated.

As you drive to your Christmas destination, you can do so without giving too much money to the gasoline companies. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Once again families can track Santa Claus’ trip around the globe by visiting the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s Santa tracker website. According to the director of NORAD, Colonel Matt Tromans, Santa usually arrives in Louisiana between 9 PM and midnight but he waits until the children are asleep before delivering presents to a home.

Just in time for Christmas, flu activity is rampant across the country, especially in Louisiana. Dr. David Janese (juh-NEESE) with Ochsner LSU Health says emergency rooms throughout the state are seeing more and more people sick with the flu.

Cut 10 (07) “…illness criteria.”

Dr. Janese says nearly one-fourth of all flu tests are coming back positive.

The flu is also infecting wild birds in the form of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says the birds can transmit the virus to domestic dogs and cats, and in rare cases, humans. State Wildlife Veterinarian Jonathan Roberts says if you find a sick or dead wild bird, contact LDWF and have an agent pick it up.

Cut 5 (09) “…to wash that.”

There’s a new policy that streamlines the process for data centers and other large projects to access the energy they need, and the public service commissioner who spearheaded it is clearing up some misconceptions about it. Commissioner J.P. Coussan says it’s not a rubber stamp for utility companies to charge what they want to charge in order to expedite these big projects.

Cut 15 (10) “…of this project.”

Here we go again with a huge Powerball jackpot up for grabs. The estimated jackpot for tonight’s drawing is 1.7-billion dollars. Chrislyn Maher (“mayor”) with the Louisiana Lottery says while no one has won the big prize since September 6th, almost 100 people across the country have come agonizingly close but still came away with huge paydays.

Cut 9 (09)  “…for two million.”

A Christmas carriage ride in downtown Lake Charles takes a tragic turn Monday night when a driver plows into the carriage. Lake Charles Police Lieutenant Jeffrey Keenum says people were on board at the time, and at least two people were hospitalized.

Cut 23 (09) “…wonderful holiday season.”

49-year-old Monica Guillory of Lake Charles is facing three charges.

Things that are expanding this holiday season – credit card balances from buying presents, waistlines due to overindulging in fruitcake, and the Powerball jackpot because no one can match the five white balls and the Powerball. Chrislyn Maher (“mayor”) with the Louisiana Lottery says the estimated jackpot for tonight’s drawing is 1.7-billion dollars.

Cut 8 (11) “…Mega and Powerball.”

One thing that would put a damper on Christmas is the flu, and the virus is running rampant in Louisiana and across the country. Dr. David Janese (juh-NEESE) with Ochsner LSU Health says this is the time of year when flu activity tends to increase.

Cut 12 (08) “…home for Christmas.”

The flu is even spreading among the state’s wild bird population, in the form of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. Kace Kieschnick has more.

Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”

The Alliance for Affordable Energy says a new policy that no longer requires utilities providing energy for large data center projects to prove the generation is the cheapest and most reliable, will cause residential customers’ utility bills to skyrocket. Public Service Commissioner J.P. Coussan who spearheaded the new policy says there are still safeguards in place to keep utility costs from spiraling out of control.

Cut 14 (08) “…the best cost.”

At this time of year Flu activity is rampant across the country and this year is no exception, especially here in Louisiana. Dr. David Janese (juh-NEESE) with Ochsner LSU Health says the number of people testing positive for the flu is staggering.

Cut 11 (05) “…only trending upward.”

The CDC says almost 50-thousand people have been hospitalized with the flu and there have been about two-thousand deaths associated.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is causing mortality in wild birds, especially in Southwest Louisiana says the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. State Wildlife Veterinarian Jonathan Roberts says the virus can also occasionally transfer to mammals, including domestic cats and dogs, and in rare cases, humans. Health officials consider this strain of the virus to be a minimal threat to humans, but Roberts says if you find sick or dead wild birds, contact the LDWF to remove them safely.

Cut 5 (09) “…to wash that.”

People hitting the road for the Christmas holiday road can fill their gas tanks and have money left over for some last-minute gifts. Don Redman with Triple-A Louisiana says gas prices are the lowest they’ve been since 2020.

Cut 6 (13) “…and a quarter.”

Redman says the holiday season is typically the time of year when gas prices are at their lowest.

Leaving animals in cars is cruel and one man is accused of taking it even further. KPLC is reporting that Oakdale Police found an 8-week-old puppy locked in the trunk of a car when they made a traffic stop earlier this month. According to the Humane Society of Louisiana, officers told them that they heard barking sounds which led them to discover the puppy that appeared malnourished. The driver, Dallas Antoine, was cited for animal cruelty. The puppy who has been named Rosie Joe is recovering and will be rehomed.

Flu activity is rampant across the country, especially here in Louisiana. Dr. David Janese (juh-NEESE) with Ochsner (Ox-ner) LSU Health says this is the time of year when flu activity tends to increase.

Cut 12 (08) “…home for Christmas.”

To prevent the flu, avoid sick people, practice good hygiene, and be especially diligent with handwashing.  If you become ill, please stay home and avoid others except to seek medical care.

With the jackpot skyrocketing, Powerball fever is gripping Louisiana. Andre Champagne reports.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

Holiday travelers will find the lowest gas prices since 2020 says Don Redman with Triple-A Louisiana and he says there are a couple of reasons…

Cut 7 (11) “…dollars a barrel.”

And he says the holiday season is typically the time of year when gas prices are at their lowest.

The Public Service Commissioner who spearheaded a new policy for large projects like data centers to access energy is defending the policy that removes the requirement for utilities powering the projects to prove that its generation is the cheapest and most reliable. The Alliance for Affordable Energy says the new policy with cause residential customers’ utility bills skyrocket, but Commissioner J.P. Coussan says…

Cut 13 (09)  “…on this deal.”

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is causing the death of wild birds, especially in Southwest Louisiana. State Wildlife Veterinarian Jonathan Roberts says the virus affects various species differently.

Cut 4 (09) “…disease in geese.”

As you drive to your Christmas destination, Andrew Greenstein reports you can do so without giving too much money to the gasoline companies.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Tonight’s Powerball jackpot drawing is estimated to be 1.7 billion dollars because the jackpot has rolled over since no one has matched all six numbers since September 6^th. Chrislyn Maher (“mayor”) with the Louisiana Lottery says while no one has won the big prize, almost 100 people across the country have come close and come.

Cut 9 (09)  “…for two million.”