12:30 LRN Newscast Jan 19

An early morning house fire in Slidell claims four lives, two were children. Fire Chief Chris Kauffmann says it’s been a difficult and emotional morning for everyone involved.

Cut 5 (13) “…accidental fire.”

The victims have been identified as 33-year old Phoenix Lousteau, her husband 40-year-old Stephen Lousteau, and their daughters, Mackenzie age 10, and Payton age five.

Americans can request four free at-home COVID-19 tests through the website COVIDtests-dot-gov. LSU Health New Orleans Chair of Genetics Doctor Lucio Miele says you should not test for the sake of testing…
cut 15 (08) “….is critical”

Louisiana is preparing for a big change in temperatures as a major cold front will begin moving through the state this afternoon. National Weather Service Meteorologist Michael Berry says residents can expect freezing conditions beginning tonight.

 Cut 6 (22) “…lower 30s.” 

Berry does believe that the I-20/I-49 corridor should miss out on winter precipitation, but Central Louisiana and areas to the south and southwest of Alexandria could be impacted.