A strong cold front is heading towards Louisiana that will bring the potential for severe weather and the end to our mild temperatures. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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CRCL.org is the place to go for Louisianans looking to responsibly recycle their Christmas trees. Matt Doyle has more.
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Rain is in the forecast today, but the possibility of severe weather exists for tomorrow. C-S Ross with the National Weather Service in Shreveport says a strong line of thunderstorms will enter northwest Louisiana early tomorrow morning
Ross says large hail is also possible…
Cut 4 (06) “…northern Louisiana.″
Ross says the Climate Prediction Center has Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto and Sabine parishes listed as parishes that could see severe weather tomorrow morning before the sun rises. He says much of the state is under a marginal risk of severe weather on Thursday as the storms move south and to the east…
Cut 5 (08) “…northeast Louisiana.”
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The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana has a new webpage that compiles information about parish efforts to collect and responsibly recycle or dispose of Christmas trees. CRCL spokesperson Jimmy Frederick says CRCL.org makes it easy to know when the trucks will be by to pick up your holiday evergreens.
The website notes the dates for pickups, along with drop-off deadlines.
Five parishes are collecting trees for coastal restoration efforts, a program that Frederick says dates back to 1989 when a Dutch LSU grad student studied flood prevention efforts in Holland. He says once planted into the bayou, the trees trap sediment, rebuilding the marsh.
Jefferson, Orleans, St. John, Tangipahoa, and Terrebone Parishes all collect trees for coastal restoration.
Frederick says responsible Christmas tree recycling isn’t just for coastal issues. He notes several other parishes participate in programs that use the trees for positive good, and encourages non-coastal residents to donate their firs to those efforts.
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The National Retail Federation says expect heavy crowds at shopping centers through the weekend. Of the nearly 7,000 people surveyed, 51% say they’ll be out and about through the end of the year. NRF spokesperson Katherine Cullen says a big chunk of that crowd is shopping today.
Cut 9 (08) “…after Christmas ends.″
Cullen says the primary reason appears to be bargain hunters on a post-Christmas binge.
Cut 10 (12) “…gift card buck.”
Cullen says the combination of shoppers looking for a bargain and those exchanging items may result in heavy crowds at the stores, but that shouldn’t be a problem as retailers are prepared for the crush.
Cut 11 (10) “…spirit of the season.”
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Two people are dead following a quadruple shooting in St. James Parish. Authorities were dispatched on Christmas Eve to the Neighborhood Lounge on Main Street in Lutcher. One of the four that was hit died at the scene, while another died at a hospital. Sheriff Willy Martin described the scene as chaotic.
Martin says investigators are looking into several suspects, but in the chaos, the shooters got away.
Cut 13 (11) “…had four victims.”
Martin says with the shooting happening during the holiday, it has complicated the investigation.
Cut 14 (13) “…give us some leads.”
Crimestoppers is offering $5000 for information that leads to the arrest.
The deceased are identified as 20-year-old Thaddeus Watis and 23-year-old Dedrick Paul Green, Jr., both of Convent, Louisiana. The two others transported to the hospital were 25-year-old Jerrell Moody and a 15-year-old male. No motive is known for the shooting at this time.
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