The question over which city “started” Mardi Gras, New Orleans or Mobile, Alabama, is up for debate again this Fat Tuesday. Michelle Southern reports…
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One of the state’s more unique Mardi Gras traditions happens in the Calcasieu Parish town of Iowa. Scott Carwile reports…
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IBM technology announces plans for a 400-job application development and innovation center in Monroe. Michelle Southern reports…:
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The question over which city “started” Mardi Gras, New Orleans or Mobile, Alabama, is coming up again this Fat Tuesday. Mobile Mayor Sandy Simpson is bragging that the Alabama destination is where the pre-Lenten celebrations originally began in the United States. The Big Easy Mardi Gras expert Arthur Hardy says the first New Orleans Mardi Gras parade was held in 1857…:
Hardy says Mobile’s parades on Fat Tuesday did not begin until 1868 — after the Civil War. He says their Mardi-Gras-like parades, which featured floats followed by a tableaux ball were staged on New Years Eve…:
Hardy says the style of parade — floats and costumes and masks — did in fact start in Mobile, but they didn’t roll on Mardi Gras day until 11 years after New Orleans did. He says Mobile enjoys the second largest and longest running parade season in America, but New Orleans has the biggest celebration in the world…:
Cut 6 (08) “that’s indisputable”
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One of the state’s more unique Mardi Gras traditions happens in the Calcasieu Parish town of Iowa. The Iowa Chicken Run is an all day celebration that begins and ends at the Knights of Columbus Hall. Organizer, Rodney Victorian, says his grandfather started this event 36 years ago…
CUT 7 (11) “for the community”
The parade will begin at 10AM and will stop at participating homes to collect ingredients for a gumbo that will be served later in the day. Victorian says kids can try to catch something other than beads and toys in Iowa…
When a donation to the gumbo is made, a chicken is thrown in the air for the children to catch. Victorian says the Iowa Chicken Run attracts visitors from all over to partake in the festivities… (The chickens are not harmed and not used to make the gumbo.)
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Now that a strong cold front has moved through, Canadian air has settled over Louisiana leaving us with another chilly Mardi Gras day. State Climatologist Barry Keim says southeast Louisiana should brace for temperatures today in the upper 30s this morning, then high temperatues this afternoon only in the upper 40s…:
Keim says if you’re headed to parades today anywhere in the state, it might be a good idea to bring an umbrella just in case but you probably won’t need it. He says it’s going to be a very cold Fat Tuesday pretty much throughout The Bayou State…:
Keim says for revelers who plan to be outside all day, make sure you bring a lot heavy coats, gloves and blankets…:
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IBM technology announces plans for a 400-job application development and innovation center in Monroe. Officials say IBM will provide software technology services to clients across the nation and partner with CenturyLink on research and product innovation initiatives. Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo says this is huge for Northeast Louisiana…:
Governor Bobby Jindal says $4.5 million dollars will be provided to ULM, Louisiana Tech and Grambling for additional computer science programs to help meet IBM’s workforce needs and keep Louisiana graduates in the state. Mayo says big companies are attracted to CenturyLink which has corporate headquarters in Monroe…:
Mayo says this announcement is in addition to the 800+ jobs coming to the CenturyLink technology center which will open in March….:
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The LSU men’s basketball team is at Texas A-and-M looking to pick up another win on the road tonight. About a month ago, the Tigers hosted the Aggies and blew a double-digit lead and lost by three points to A-and-M. Sophomore guard Tim Quarterman they learned a tough lesson that day
Cut 16 (12) “care of the ball”
LSU has played well on the road. They are 4-2 in league games away from the PMAC and 6-2 in true road games overall. Quarterman says they have the mindset they can win on any team’s floor
The Tigers have won two of their last three. Last week they lost top ranked Kentucky by two points and beat Tennessee by 18 on the Volunteers home floor. LSU’s Jarell Martin says the team’s confidence is high