5:30 LRN Newscast March 1

It’s a day of revelry and parades in south Louisiana as thousands are celebrating Mardi Gras Day after COVID-19 and a winter storm kept people inside last year. New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell turned over a key to the city to the King of Rex, James Reiss III. He asked that citizens do only one thing today.

Cut 10 (10) “…Hail Rex.”

As President Biden preps for his State of the Union Address, US Senator Bill Cassidy says he believes it will be clear in tonight’s speech, that the Biden Administration is not alleviating the pains impacting Americans, specifically record inflation that’s crushing the middle class.

Cut 12 (09) “…gas pump.”

Cassidy says in the first year of Biden’s presidency, America’s economy has suffered greatly with inflation at a 40 year high. Cassidy also believes the best way to address Russia, as they invade Ukraine, is through a tough energy policy. The State of the Union will air at 8 pm tonight.

An elderly Shreveport couple was killed Monday afternoon when the car 81-year-old Louis Flanigan was driving failed to yield to an oncoming Freightliner along US Highway 84 in Desoto Parish. Trooper Jonathan Odom says, 80-year-old Inell Flannigan, the driver’s wife was also killed.

Cut 6 (12) “…the Jaguar.”

Odom says the Jaguar was struck twice and the couple was pronounced dead on the scene.

Less than a week after it was announced that Art Briles would be Hue Jackson’s offensive coordinator at Grambling, Briles decided to step down, resigning from the staff on Monday. Reports show that from 2011 to 2015 Briles ignored or covered up more than 50 sexual and physical assaults by players during his time at Baylor. Dr. Jim Henderson, president of the U-L system says that Jackson may have had good intentions in trying to redeem Briles, but the decision was poorly considered.

Cut 5 (12) “…student population.”