Northeast Louisiana has started the daunting task of recovery following last week’s ice storm. The damage is not limited to what you can see on the outside from your car. With many people losing power for days on end, they were left with refrigerators full of spoiled food. Monroe Mayor Friday Ellis says that’s been keeping the local food bank very busy. 

Cut 9 (08)  “…in spoiled food.”

Delta Utilities customers who are struggling to pay their bills due to financial hardship can get some help. The company is partnering with the United Way in launching DU Cares, giving qualifying customers 250 dollars towards their natural gas bills one time in a 12-month period. Sarah McLaughlin Porteous (PORT-ee-uhs) with Delta Utilities says the response so far has been very encouraging.

Cut 6 (09) “…than 300 applications.”

In all likelihood, legendary Saints quarterback Drew Brees will be announced tonight as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Luke Johnson covers the Saints for the Advocate and says while Brees’ statistics are certainly impressive, the impact Brees had on the Saints franchise is immeasurable.

Cut 14 (09) “…run of success.”

Lane Kiffin spoke to the media yesterday for the first time since being hired as LSU’s head football coach. Over the past couple of weeks, Kiffin and his staff traveled across the country to get a head start on recruiting the Class of 2027. He says his trips in Louisiana have stood out.

Cut 12 (14) “…it’s awesome.”

Northeast Louisiana is thawing out from last week’s ice storm. Now, the daunting task of recovery is getting underway. In Monroe, Mayor Friday Ellis says the destruction rivals that caused by Hurricane Laura in 2020.

Cut 7 (07) “…to the ground.”

Ellis says parts of Monroe look like a war zone, estimating debris clean up alone could cost 15-million dollars.

LSU football coach Lane Kiffin Lane Kiffin spoke to the media yesterday for the first time since being hired as LSU’s head football coach.  Since then, Kiffin has brought in quarterbacks Sam Leavitt of Arizona State, Husan (HOO-sahn) Longstreet of USC and Landen Clark of Elon to play for the Tigers.

Cut 11 (13) “…about their competitiveness.”

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Legendary Saints quarterback Drew Brees is expected to be announced tonight as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Jeff Palermo has more.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The operators of Minden Seafood and Dorcheat Seafood and Grill will pay a former employee 34-thousand dollars in back pay and emotional damages to settle a lawsuit filed by the EEOC.   According to the suit, the young woman was repeatedly sexually harassed and propositioned, but managers she reported the behavior to never did anything so she felt forced to resign. And, the sister restaurant refused to hire her.

Lane Kiffin spoke yesterday at his first news conference in two months. Andre Champagne reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

President Donald Trump has endorsed Louisiana state Sen. Blake Miguez, who recently dropped a U.S. Senate bid to run for the U.S. House of Representatives instead. The president called Miquez a MAGA warrior, saying he has his quote “complete and total support.”
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Now that it’s thawing out, nrtheast Louisiana is beginning the road to recovery from last week’s ice storm.  In Monroe, Mayor Friday Ellis says the destruction rivals that caused by Hurricane Laura in 2020, saying the city looks like a war zone.

Cut 8 (09) “…like hurricane cleanup.”

Ellis says the damage is so widespread, debris removal alone will cost about 15-million dollars.

There’s good news for some Delta Utilities customers who are struggling to pay their natural gas.  The company has launched a program called DU Cares, to help with that.  Sarah McLaughlin Porteous (PORT-ee-uhs) with Delta says there are eligibility requirements, and customers facing unexpected financial hardship need to fill out an application either online or in person.

Cut 5 (04) “…12-month period.”

Delta Utilities has committed up to 200-thousand dollars to fund the program.

After last week’s ice storm, the daunting task of recovery is underway in northeast Louisiana.   Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Certain Delta Utilities customers struggling to pay their natural gas bills can now get some assistance. Sarah McLaughlin Porteous (PORT-ee-uhs) with Delta Utilities says the company has committed up to 200-thousand dollars to fund its new DU Cares initiative.

Cut 4 (07) “…program for us.”

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Lane Kiffin spoke to the media yesterday for the first time since being hired as LSU’s head football coach. One of the first things Kiffin did in Baton Rouge was to sign the two best high school players in the state, Lamar Brown and Richard Anderson. Kiffin says even though he gets a lot of credit for keeping Brown and Anderson in the boot, the program recruits itself.

Cut 10 (15) “…knew it was LSU.”

He’s a Super Bowl champ, two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, a five-time All-Pro selection, and in the Saints Ring of Honor. Now Drew Brees is about to be a Hall of Famer. The NFL announces the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 tonight, and Brees is expected to be “in that number.” Luke Johnson covers the Saints for the Advocate and says it would be shocking if Brees is not a first ballot hall of famer.

Cut 13 (05)  “…Drew Brees’ name.”

NFL Honors will air on NBC at tonight at eight.

A state representative from St. Bernard Parish files a bill that would make using images of children to create A-I deepfakes of a sexual nature illegal. Republican Michael Bayham says because it’s such a new technology, A-I is currently not addressed in Louisiana statutes.

Cut 10 (12) “…particularly our children.”

With the next Sugar Bowl being a College Football Playoff Semifinal, the game will be played January 15th, 2027. Not only will it be the latest Sugar Bowl in history, but the teams won’t even be known until after New Year’s Day. Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley says that in no way will diminish the turnout or the excitement leading up to the game.

Cut 4 (09) “…excitement around them.”

Four state lawmakers are looking to make the jump to Congress. Jeff Palermo has more on the race to replace Julia Letlow in Louisiana’s 5th Congressional district.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

A deadly stabbing at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola. The West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested 43-year-old Dominican Republic native Melvin Lopez for the murder of 35-year-old Jonathan Robertson, who was serving 75 years for armed robbery. Lopez has been at the prison since 2017 and is serving a life sentence for murder.

LSU head coach Lane Kiffin was able to sign the two best players in the state of Louisiana in defensive linemen Lamar Brown and Richard Anderson. Kiffin says even though he gets credit for keeping Brown and Anderson in the boot, it was the program that recruited itself.

CUT 21 (20): “knew it was LSU.”

Today is National Signing Day and LSU officially signed three-star junior college transfer offensive lineman Adrian Lamb of Georgia Military College and three-star safety Jackson Williams of Archbishop Shaw High School.

The LSU baseball team came in as the No. 1 team in the 2026 USA Today Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll. It’s the Tigers’ fourth Top-2 ranking and second No. 1 ranking since last month. LSU was rated No. 1 by Perfect Game and No. 2 by D1Baseball and Baseball America in their respective preseason polls. LSU, UCLA, Texas, Georgia Tech and Arkansas rounded out the top five.

The UL-Lafayette men’s basketball team has won three of its last four games, and the Cajuns look to keep it hot as they’re at James Madison tonight. With the team’s recent success, Cajuns head coach Quannas White says he wants his team to remain humble.

Cut 16 (17) “…and be consistent.”

The Louisiana Tech men’s basketball team hosts New Mexico State tonight at 6:30 p.m.

The Sun Belt Conference released its Preseason Coaches Poll today, and UL-Lafayette baseball was picked to finish fifth in the conference, receiving 126 votes.

Head baseball coach Matt Deggs announced the Cajuns’ starting pitching rotation today during UL Baseball Media Day. Junior left-hander Ty Roman will serve as the Friday night starter. Roman is a transfer from San Jacinto junior college. Junior right-hander JR Tollett will be the Saturday starter and graduate student left-hander Andrew Herrmann will be the Sunday starter.

Using images of children to create A-I deepfake images of a sexual nature would be illegal if a state lawmaker has his way. Representative Michael Bayham has filed a bill that would classify deepfake content involving children as child sex abuse material if it’s sexually explicit in nature.

Cut 9 (08)  “…abused and exploited.”

Even though Blake Miguez is running for a U.S. House seat in a district he doesn’t live in, that’s perfectly legal – the only requirement is that he live in the state. Still, USA Today Network’s Greg Hilburn says Miguez’s opponents are hitting him hard on that fact.

Cut 7 (10) “…Senator Miguez.”

The primary election is May 16th; qualifying is next week – February 11th through the 13th.

The next Sugar Bowl will be the latest one in its 90-plus-year history. Because it’s a College Football Playoff Semifinal, it will take place Friday, January 15th, 2027. Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley says while it breaks tradition, it’s for the best.

Cut 3 (09) “…be in it.”

The Sugar Bowl at the end of the 2027 season will be New Year’s Eve, before the Superdome hosts the National Championship Game for that season January 24th, 2028.

Cut 26 (02) (SFX ends)

It’s a pretty safe bet that Drew Brees will hear that sound on his front door tomorrow from a Pro Football Hall of Famer, letting him know that he’s a member of the Class of 2026. Luke Johnson covers the Saints for the Advocate and says it would be shocking if Brees is not a first-ballot hall of famer.

Cut 13 (05)  “…Drew Brees’ name.”