The state health department reports 2,081 COVID hospitalizations today; an increase of 82 from Wednesday. Governor John Bel Edwards says hospitalizations among kids from the Omicron variant are also on the rise, and he wants to dispel any rumors that COVID is not impacting children…:

CUT 06(11)      “…than Delta surge.”

Edwards also encourages indoor masking to decrease COVID transmission, and he does not rule out returning to a mask mandate, if necessary.

Central Louisiana authorities arrest two people in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 27-year-old Deven Brooks. Ball Police Chief Marshall Deen says Brooks was taken from his home earlier this week in Ball. His body was discovered two days later along the Red River…:

CUT 09(09)      “…kidnapping.”

Terrance Lavalais and Jamaria Randle – both 21 and both from Alexandria are in custody.

A study by personal finance website WalletHub ranks our state among the worst in which to raise a family. Jeff Palermo has that…:

CUT 01(30)      “…Palermo.”

A Hammond man is dead from being crushed in the back of a garbage truck. Police believe 42-year-old Jermaine Watts wanted to escape the overnight cold, so he climbed inside a dumpster to catch some sleep. He died when the dumpster was emptied into the truck and the compactor was activated.