The infrastructure bill signed into law by the President last month will mean $36-million to improve 51 of Louisiana’s airports. State Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson says Armstrong International in New Orleans will get the largest piece of that pie, but the rest will be distributed over airfields large and small. The FAA say the backlog of airport modernization and safety projects totals $43-billion. So Wilson says this money is much needed…:

CUT 04(09)      “…effective way.”

New Orleans Police are catching criminals who’ve been carjacking motorists and robbing them at gunpoint. At a press event today, NOPD announced the arrest of three men they say were responsible for numerous such crimes. Police Chief Shaun Ferguson says they don’t seem to be an organized gang, but treat the crimes like some sort of game. He says more arrests are coming.

The holiday “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” highway safety campaign is officially underway and will remain so through the New Year weekend. State Highway Safety Commission Director Lisa Freeman says extra police patrols – both state and local – will be on the roads looking for impaired drivers … and there will also be random sobriety checkpoints. Freeman says this is the worst time of year to lose a loved one in a crash, and even worse if you’re the cause of a fatal crash…:

CUT 11(08)      “…from the roadway”

Last Christmas holiday, 181 people were killed or injured in traffic crashes in Louisiana.

The New Orleans Saints face Miami at home Monday night, but they’ll do it without their TWO top quarterbacks. Both Taysom Hill and his backup Trevor Siemian have tested positive for COVID-19. This means Monday will be rookie QB Ian Book’s first start as an NFL quarterback. Coach Sean Payton will likely miss the game as well, as he too has the virus.