The state health department is reporting 48 additional cases of the Omicron variant of COVID 19, bringing the total number of Omicron cases in Louisiana to 93, most of them in the Greater New Orleans area.

On his monthly call-in radio show, Governor John Bel Edwards was asked if the Omicron variant will put a damper on Mardi Gras fun in 2022. Edwards says it’s still too early to tell and so far there’s not a consensus from health officials…
cut 10 (09) “…or deaths’

Meanwhile, Louisiana Senator John Kennedy had a press call with reporters and discussed his objection to the government mandating that private businesses should have their employees vaccinated against COVID…
cut 8 (12) “…primarily legislature”

When Canadian Pacific merges with Kansas City Southern it’s a big part of the puzzle to get passenger rail service from Baton Rouge to New Orleans on track. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Officials have identified the pilot of a helicopter who died when his chopper crashed on the I-10 Bonnet Carre Spillway in St. Charles Parish. His name is 42-year-old Joshua Hawley of Denham Springs. He was a father of three young children and 13-year U-S Marine Corps veteran.