Student attendance has become a key focus in Louisiana’s education system. BESE, the Louisiana Department of Education and the state Legislature are working to address rising truancy and chronic absenteeism. BESE Vice President Stacey Melerine (mel-uh-REEN) says in the 2023-24 school year, the truancy rate reached 41-percent, and students were absent an average of 11 days.

Cut 6 (09) “…grow as students.”

Webster Parish Sheriff deputies are continuing to investigate a shooting that injured six people, including two critically at an unpermitted bonfire event in Dubberly on Saturday night. Sheriff Jason Parker says they are still interviewing attendees, and no arrests have been made but he says the organizers are facing fines….

Cut 5 (12) “…situation happen.”

Parker says the people shot are in their 20s and 30s.

A Baton Rouge fixture is moving to Terrebonne Parish. The Belle of Baton Rouge riverboat is being towed to Gibson, as part of a downtown revitalization effort there. The riverboat will be completely gutted and rebuilt on the inside, and it is slated to reopen this fall.

It’s going to warm up this weekend, but by no means should you be putting that winter jacket away just yet. Some parts of South Louisiana will see temperatures in the 70s this weekend.  LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says then comes a big change.

Cut 9 (07)  “…really cold air.”

And Keim says that brutal cold could be accompanied by a wintery mix.