Some of the best shopping deals of the year fall the day after Christmas, and experts say you can expect even steeper discounts this season…

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The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office says an officer involved shooting has left a 54-year-old Pride man dead. They say deputies responded to a disturbance call at the home of Gregory Sanders. Authorities say Sanders was threatening to harm himself and then walked outside and pointed a high-powered rifle at the deputies. One of the officers fired and killed Sanders. The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave. The investigation is ongoing.

It’s Christmas Day, but the weather outside feels more like spring with afternoon highs approaching 80 degrees. State Climatologist Barry Keim says we’ll have to deal with this warm and humid air for at least the next couple of days…

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Keim says a cold front will bring more seasonable weather to Louisiana on Monday.

The Tulsa Hurricanes will face the Virginia Tech Hokies in Saturday’s Camping World Independence Bowl in Shreveport. Independence Bowl spokesman Stefan Nolet says there will be many events surrounding Independence Stadium leading up to the game. He feels this year’s kickoff time will give fans the opportunity to truly have a gameday experience…

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The Independence Bowl is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

Despite a torn plantar fascia in his right foot, Saints Quarterback Drew Brees says he intends to play Sunday against the Jaguars. He says stiffness was an issue on Thursday and whether or not he’ll practice today will depend on how he’s feeling…:

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The Saints won’t make the playoffs and they have just two games left, but Brees says he wants to play for the team.

Expect a moment of silence before Sunday’s game to remember Jerry Romig, who was the public address announcer for the Saints for 44 years. Romig passed away Wednesday at his home at the age of 86. His family said Romig was battling an extended illness. Romig retired from his P-A duties two years ago. Dome general manager Doug Thornton calls Romig an institution.

Former LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger will start this Sunday as the Tennessee Titans host the Houston Texans. Mettenberger is filling in for the injured Marcus Mariota. Mettenberger is 0-8 as a starter in the NFL.
The Virginia Tech Hokies face the Tulsa Hurricanes in Saturday’s Camping World Independence Bowl in Shreveport in what will be Hokies’ head coach Frank Beamer’s final game. Independence Bowl spokesman Stefan Nolet says they are honored to host coach Beamer in the last game of his career…

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Beamer announced his retirement at the end of the season. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:45 tomorrow afternoon and it will be televised on ESPN.

The Pelicans bring a two-game winning streak into their Christmas Day matchup with the Miami Heat. New Orleans defeated both Denver and Portland this week to improve to 9-19 on the year. The Heat have lost two of their last three.

There are four more games on the NBA schedule today: the Bulls face the Thunder, the Warriors play host to the Cavaliers, the Spurs take on the Rockets, and the Clippers are at the Lakers.

It’s a tropical like Christmas Day across Louisiana. There’s the potential that a few records could be broken as high temperatures will be around 80-degrees. State Climatologist Barry Keim says this is really unusual for December 25th…

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Keim says a cold front will bring drier and more seasonable weather to Louisiana on Monday.

Planning to hit up the mall tomorrow? Savvy shoppers know that some of the best deals of the year fall the day after Christmas, and experts say with December 26th falling on a Saturday, retailers will be ready with sales. LSU Assistant Professor of Marketing Dan Rice says stores will attempt to sell off excess inventory and appeal to shoppers who are making returns…

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Rice says tomorrow will also be a great day to stock up on next year’s wrapping paper, ornaments and seasonal dinnerware.

Tomorrow’s Camping World Independence Bowl in Shreveport will pit the Tulsa Hurricanes against the Virginia Tech Hokies. Independence Bowl spokesman Stefan Nolet says this year’s matchup is full of history. He says Tulsa played in the first Independence Bowl in 1976 and Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer coached his first bowl game in Shreveport…

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The game kicks off at 4:45 and it will be televised on ESPN.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees says he is going to play this Sunday against the Jaguars for New Orleans’ last home game of the season. Brees has a torn plantar fascia in his right foot and he didn’t practice Thursday, but he says he’s making progress every day and he has every intention to take the field in the Dome Sunday…

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Brees suffered the injury early in the Saints’ loss to the Detroit Lions on Monday.

Governor-elect John Bel Edwards says he’s taking a break from the transition for a couple of days to spend Christmas with his family. He says they are gathering at his mothers home in Tangipahoa Parish tonight…:
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Edwards says his transition teams have been busy since the election day working on solutions to improve transportation, education and health care..:
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Edwards takes office January 11th.

Meanwhile, Governor Bobby Jindal is sending out his Christmas wishes. In an email, Jindal says the last eight years of his life have been filled for unforgettable experiences that their family will cherish forever. He says Louisiana’s future is brighter than ever and it’s been an honor to serve the people of this state.

Candlelight services will be held across the state to celebrate Christmas and the State Fire Marshal’s Office is issuing guidelines to organizations who plan to utilize candles. Marshal Butch Browning says people need to understand that there’s a possibility for tragedy when using open flames in assemblies…:
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Browning adds that candles should never be given to young children.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees says he is going to play this Sunday against the Jaguars for New Orleans’ last home game of the season. Brees has a torn plantar fascia in his right foot and he didn’t practice today, but he says he’s making progress everyday and he has ever intention to take the field in the Dome Sunday.

Over 150 soldiers with the Louisiana National Guard are home this Christmas Eve a after 10-month deployment overseas. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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Governor-elect John Bel Edwards says he’ll be taking a much needed break with family for the Christmas Holidays. He says he will spend a portion of the holiday reflecting on the huge challenge in front of him, one that he embraces…:
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Edwards takes office January 11th.

PaPa Noel will have the way lit for him tonight along the Mississippi River in St. James Parish with the annual Bonfires on the Levee celebration. Parish President Timothy Roussel this is the perfect event to get families into the Christmas spirit…:
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He says the bonfires along the levee are truly a sight to see.

And you can keep track of where Santa is tonight thanks to The North American Aerospace Defense Command. This year NORAD has “Santa Cams” that will stream videos as St. Nick makes his way around the world. The website is noradsanta.org.

There were no jackpot winners for Wednesday’s massive Powerball drawing so the estimated prize for Saturday goes up to $255 million dollars. That’s a cash value of $158.4 million dollars.

A police officer in Covington was attacked by an owl during patrol early this morning, causing him to crash. Officer Lance Benjamin, who suffered minor scratches, said he ran off the road when an owl flew through the window of his unit. The Covington PD Facebook page has body cam footage.

Governor-elect John Bel Edwards takes time from the transition to spend a couple of days celebrating Christmas. Don Molino has the story…:
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The bonfires along the levee that light the way for PaPa Noel are lit every Christmas Eve in St. James Parish. Parish President Timothy Roussel says this is a time honored tradition…:
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For safety reasons, the structures are 15 feet tall instead of 20 feet, as in year’s past.

Expect a moment of silence before Sunday’s final home Saints game to remember Jerry Romig, who was the public address announcer for New Orleans for 44 years. Romig passed away yesterday at his home at the age of 86.

Many “candlelight services” will take place this Christmas and the State Fire Marshal’s Office is issuing guidelines to organizations who plan to utilize candles this season. Marshal Butch Browning says stationery candles should be on a strong base so that they don’t tip over in large crowds…:
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Louisiana National Guard soldiers are returning home to their families today, just in time for Christmas. 1023rd Engineer Company were on a 10-month deployment overseas. Captain Ross Bethea says none of the soldiers from the 10-23rd were injured or killed during their deployment. He says the experience for everyone involved was tremendous…:
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Although he knows he has a challenging year in front of him, Governor-elect John Bel Edwards is looking forward to spending some time with family this Christmas. Edwards says tonight his family will gather at his mother’s home in Tangipahoa Parish…

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Edwards says his contribution to Christmas dinner will be oyster soup.

In St. James Parish tonight its the annual Bonfires on the Levee celebration. If you plan on attending, it’s recommended that you get into the area before 6PM. St. James Parish President Timothy Roussel says, if you’ve never seen the bonfires before, it is a sight to see…

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The fires are intended to light the way for Papa Noel.

It’s a timely gift for members of the Louisiana National Guard’s 1023rd Engineer Company, as the unit returns home today from a 10-month deployment. Ross Bethea is the Captain of the 10-23rd Engineer Company…

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Over 150 soldiers will arrive in Monroe this afternoon after spending much of 2015 in Kuwait.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office is issuing guidelines to organizations who plan to utilize candles this Christmas during candlelight services. Marshal Butch Browning says it just takes one second for a flame to be dropped during a crowded ceremony and somebody’s clothes catch on fire…

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The National Fire Protection Association showed that in all 9,000 religious structure fires from 2007-2011, more than 350 were directly attributed to the use of candles.

Tonight, the annual Bonfires on the Levee celebration takes place in St. James Parish. Jeff Palermo reports…

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There were no jackpot winners in last night’s $227 million Powerball drawing. That means Saturday’s estimated jackpot moves to $255 million with a cash value of $158.4 million. You have until 9PM December 26th to purchase a ticket to get into Saturday night’s drawing.

Members of the Louisiana National Guard’s 1023rd Engineer Company returns home today from a 10-month deployment overseas. Captain Ross Bethea says none of the soldiers from the 10-23rd were injured or killed during their deployment. He says the experience for everyone involved was tremendous…

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The soldiers will arrive in Monroe this afternoon.

Candlelight services will be held across the state to celebrate Christmas and the State Fire Marshal’s Office is issuing guidelines to organizations who plan to utilize candles. Marshal Butch Browning says people need to understand that there’s a possibility for tragedy when using open flames in assemblies…

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Browning adds that candles should never be given to young children.