Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is in New Orleans to make sure the proper security measures are in place for the biggest sporting event of the year. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

All Schools in Morehouse Parish were closed Monday and will remain closed tomorrow. A mass parish-wide bomb threat led authorities to close all Morehouse Parish schools including Louisiana Delta Community College Monday and Tuesday. Law enforcement officials are investigating the threat and say they made the decision to close the schools out of an abundance of caution. Some schools may participate in virtual learning activities.

The Super Bowl is about more than the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, the half-time show, and the commercials. Superbowl in New Orleans is a whole week and it’s underway. Peter O’Reilly with the NFL says the league is using this week to show off New Orleans, and that includes getting the local business community involved through its NFL Source program.

Cut 9 (08)  “…225 local businesses.”

Jack Bech was named the Senor Bowl MVP this past weekend, but he says he would rather have his brother than the M-V-P honor. Tiger Bech was killed in the New Years Day terror attack on Bourbon Street and Jack believes it was his brother who helped him achieve great things…

Cut 14 (11) “…legacy on .”

Bech starred at St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette, just like his older brother Tiger. Jack Bech played two seasons at LSU and became one of the nation’s best receivers after transferring to TCU.

A suspect was shot and killed by a Bossier City Police Officer early Monday morning. The officer was responding to a 9-1-1 hang-up call and Police say, when the officer arrived became involved in a life-threatening encounter. The officer discharged their weapon resulting in a fatal shooting. The incident was turned over to the Louisiana State Police who is now investigating.

Fortunately, a one-year-old Shreveport child sleeping in a car when it was stolen was found unharmed. The child’s mother had left her car running while she went inside to get jackets. An hour after the theft, an officer working extra duty at a Walmart found the child safe in the parking lot. The stolen car was later found at a Circle K near an apartment complex.  SPD CPL. Chris Bordelon says officers tracked 17-year-old Marcus Madden who allegedly stole the vehicle there.

Cut 4 (07) “…Madden into custory.”

The Superbowl is Sunday, and Superbowl week here.  Peter O’Reilly with the NFL says one goal of the week-long festivities is to make the Super Bowl accessible to everyone, not just those who cannot attend the game. Tonight is Super Bowl Opening Night at the Superdome.

Cut 11 (10) “…really engaging event.”

The NFL Experience opens Wednesday at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

One of the highlights of this past weekend was the performance by TCU wide receiver Jack Bech in the Senior Bowl. One month after his older brother, Tiger Bech, died tragically in the New Year’s Day terror attack on Bourbon Street, Bech was named the Senor Bowl MVP with had six catches for 68 yards and he caught the game winning touchdown pass on the final play of the game.

Cut 12 (12) “…did today.”

Bech starred at St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette.

A mass bomb threat in Morehouse Parish has led authorities to close all Morehouse Parish schools today and Tuesday. Law enforcement officials are investigating a parish-wide threat and say out of an abundance of caution, they’ve closed all schools in the parish including Louisiana Delta Community College Monday and Tuesday. Some schools will participate in virtual learning activities.

A Shreveport mother’s car was stolen with her one-year-old child inside when she left her car running with the sleeping child inside while she went into her home to get jackets for the child and herself Friday night. Fortunately, an hour later, the child was found unharmed in a Walmart parking lot by a police officer working extra duty. SPD CPL. Chris Bordelon says officers responded to a stolen vehicle shortly after 8 pm.

Cut 3 (10) “…in the area.”

17-year-old Marcus Madden was arrested and faces charges of simple kidnapping, motor vehicle theft, and child desertion.

Superbowl is Sunday but Superbowl Week has already begun. Andrew Greenstein reports from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center…

Cut 2 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

To kick off Super Bowl week, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Governor Jeff Landry and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell held a moment of silence at the corner of Bourbon Street and Canal Street to recognize the victims of the New Year’s Day terror attack. Afterwards, Noem spoke with reporters and said federal, state and local governments are on the same page when it comes ensuring the Super Bowl will be safe….

Cut 6 (08) “…on my watch.”

An enhanced security zone will go into effect on Wednesday for Bourbon Street and surrounding streets.

A New York doctor is facing criminal charges in Louisiana after prosecutors say she prescribed an abortion drug that terminated a Port Allen teenager’s pregnancy. A West Baton Rouge grand jury indicted Doctor Margaret Carpenter and the 39-year-old mother who allegedly gave the pills to her teenage daughter last April and instructed her to take them. West Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Tony Clayton says he is not prosecuting the minor who took the pills that were shipped in from the New Paltz clinic in New York. Clayton says it is illegal to send abortion pills into this state…

Cut 15 (08) “…in Louisiana.”

If Carpenter and the 39-year-old mother are convicted, they face a prison sentence of up to five years.

A Baton Rouge judge has ordered LSU to allow law professor Robert Levy to return to his classroom after he was suspended for saying “F” the governor. Levy’s attorney Jill Craft says Levy made the comments on the first day of a criminal law course and he was talking about Governor Landry for publicly rebuking another law professor.

Cut 7 (09) “….how funny it was”

The new 360-million-dollar Jimmie Davis Bridge in the southern part of Shreveport-Bossier City will be built next to the existing structure and Department of Transportation spokesperson Erin Buchanan says once a temporary trestle bridge is completed in mid to late February, construction on the new bridge will ramp up…

Cut 10 (06) “…for construction.”

Buchanan says the new bridge is on track to be finished by early 2027.

The City of New Orleans steps into the global spotlight next week hosting its 11th Super Bowl. Michael Hecht, the CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., says the global impact of hosting this game is off the charts.

Cut 3 (10) “…be much greater.”

5 people have been arrested in connection with the theft of headstones of U.S. Military Veterans in Iberia Parish. The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s office with the New Iberia Police Department is investigating the crimes and have arrested Kody Paul Myers, Makayla Naquin, Hannah Leah Guidry, Troy Anthony Primeaux, and Kevin Ray Espinoza all for illegal possession of stolen items. Richard Paul Brower is also wanted for possession of stolen items. Sheriff Tommy Romero said, “The theft of these grave markers is not only a crime but a profound act of disrespect to the men and women who served our country and their families.”

A judge ordered LSU to immediately reinstate law professor Ken Levy after suspending him for alleged inappropriate classroom statements. Levy’s Attorney Jill Craft says the temporary restraining order prevents LSU from infringing on Levy’s free speech and due process rights or retaliating against him.

Cut 6 (13) “…why it’s illegal.”

The state department of transportation says they are about two-thirds done with the I-20 major rehab project in Bossier Parish. DOTD spokesperson Erin Buchanan says next Wednesday and Thursday nights, traffic will be swapped on I-20 eastbound from the outside travel lanes to the newly constructed inside lanes from the Red River Bridge…

Cut 11 (13) “…rebuilding back.”

The work on I-20 is expected to be completed late this year or early next year.

LHSAA baseball schools have voted to push back the end of the season. But the new scheduling will not be in place until the 2028 season, because their contract with the host site of the state championships, Sulphur Parks and Recreation, goes through 2027. LHSAA Director Eddie Bonine says the baseball state championships currently fall on graduation weekend…

Cut 13 (12)  “…now and then.”

Following his suspension over alleged inappropriate remarks in the classroom, a judge has ordered LSU to promptly reinstate law professor Ken Levy

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

The City of New Orleans is putting the final touches on welcoming thousands of people to enjoy the city’s 11^th hosting of the Super Bowl. Michael Hecht, the CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., says they will be giving VIP visitors a tour of the city.

Cut 4 (05) “…NASA Michot.”

The Jimmie Davis Bridge replacement project in the southern part of Shreveport-Bossier City is close to reaching a milestone. Department of Transportation spokesperson Erin Buchanan says work on a temporary trestle bridge will be completed next month and once that structure is completed, they can move large equipment onto the water to allow for construction of the new bridge…

Cut 9 (05)  “…very exciting.”

Buchanan says the new bridge is still on track to be finished by early 2027.

Louisiana high school principals overwhelmingly voted down a proposal to allow student-athletes the one-time ability to transfer to another school and not have to sit out a year. LHSAA executive Director Eddie Bonine (Bo-nine) says Louisiana will expand its voucher program in the coming years and they wanted to see where schools stood on the issue, and they got their answer…

Cut 12 (08) “…again.”

The vote was 273 to 66 against the one-time transfer rule.

A judge has ordered LSU to immediately reinstate law professor Ken Levy after suspending him for alleged inappropriate classroom statements. A court hearing is set for Feb. 10.  Levy’s Attorney Jill Craft called the case a crucial free speech issue, while LSU vowed to continue its investigation, emphasizing respect and professionalism in the classroom.

Cut 8 (11) “…feelings hurt.”

High schools who sue the LHSAA over sanctions the association has imposed on them will no longer be allowed to participate in postseason play in the sport in which the lawsuit is filed. It’s a reaction to what happened this fall when University High filed a lawsuit against the LHSAA who stripped most of their wins away from them for using ineligible players. LHSAA Director Eddie Bonine says the suit threatened to push back the playoffs for every school…

Cut 14 (07) “…cleans that up” .”

The vote was 180 to 159 in favor.

The City of New Orleans is in global spotlight it hosts Super Bowl 59 next Sunday. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (37) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The Nation’s Report Card shows Louisiana 4th graders led the nation in reading improvement moving from 42^nd to 16^th place in the last two years. Leaders for a Better Louisiana Chief Policy Officer Barry Erwin says it helped that Louisiana students were back in the classroom faster than other states following the pandemic.

Cut 9 (12)  “…wrong direction.”

The findings of a survey by Tulane’s Newcomb Institute point to an epidemic in Louisianans’ mental health. Colleen Crain reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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This week we learned that Louisiana made a huge jump in the national rankings in the area of fourth grade reading, from 46 in 2022 to 16 in 2024. Sean Richardson on how that may have happen…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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U-S Senator Bill Cassidy says he’s struggling with Robert F Kennedy’s nomination for U-S Health Secretary. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Tulane’s Newcomb Institute uncovered some alarming mental health concerns with a recently released 2023 statewide survey. Executive Director, Anita Raj calls it a mental health crisis of epidemic proportions with one in nine Louisiana adults living with severe depression and/or anxiety – many contemplating self-harm.

Cut 4 (11) “…in the past year.”

Raj says in Louisiana, an alarming number of men especially have contemplated suicide – greater than one in ten have thought about suicide in the past year. She says risks of non-intervention are substantial so if you see alarming behaviors, seek help

Cut 5 (11) “…against themselves or others.”

Raj says Louisiana has a shortage of mental health providers, but help is available. If someone is struggling, even if they don’t have a plan to harm themselves, they could still be in a difficult or dire circumstance that needs intervention.

Cut 6 (11) “…they are concerned about.”

9-8-8 can help connect those needing support with resources in their area. The survey is available at newcomb.tulane.edu

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Louisiana made significant progress on the Nation’s Report Card with 4th graders leading the nation in reading improvement. Fourth graders advanced from 42nd to 16th place in reading, while 8th graders moved up 10 spots to 29.  Leaders for a Better Louisiana Chief Policy Officer Barry Erwin says a few years ago, public schools decided to go back to the basics when teaching reading and math.

Cut 7 (12) “…negative trends.”

Erwin credited policies focused on the “science of reading” and expanded tutoring. He says there was also more of a focus on early intervention as a key to improving literacy.

Cut 8 (08) “…earliest ages.”

Erwin says improvement started in 2021 and because Louisiana students were back in the classroom faster than other states following the pandemic, it played a factor in the improvement of reading.

Cut 9 (12)  “…wrong direction.”

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U-S Senator Bill Cassidy admits he’s struggling with the confirmation vote for Robert F Kennedy Jr as Secretary for the U-S Health Department. Kennedy is known as a vaccine skeptic and that bothers Cassidy, who is a physician. The Baton Rouge Republican is concerned Kennedy will never accept evidence that shows vaccines do not cause autism……

Cut 10 (16) “…United States.”

Cassidy made the comments after participating in two different confirmation hearings for Kennedy. Cassidy is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which will vote on advancing Kennedy’s nomination to the floor.

The senior Senator, who is up for re-election next year, will likely face backlash from fellow Republicans if he doesn’t vote to confirm Kennedy.

But Cassidy says if Kennedy tells the public as the Health Secretary that vaccines are harmful, but a person actually dies from a vaccine-preventable disease, it will come back against the Trump administration

Cut 11 (12) “…it can be.”

Cassidy says if Kennedy would admit that vaccines do not cause autism, this would be an easy vote and a powerful message for Americans…

Cut 12 (10) “…is your power.”

During his two days of confirmation hearings, Kennedy said he would follow the science on vaccines and he’ll publicly apologize if he’s wrong about his previous anti-vaccine statements. Kennedy will likely need 51 votes in the U.S. Senate to become the next HHS secretary.

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A longtime high school football coach in northwest Louisiana has been nominated for the Don Shula High School Coach of the Year Award. The New Orleans Saints nominated Calvary Baptist head coach Rodney Guin for the award that’s named after the NFL’s winningest coach. Guin has won 205 games as a head coach and calls it an honor to be recognized…

Cut 13 (11)  “…huh.”

Guin led Calvary Baptist to a state championship in 2023 and 2020. He also had a lot of success at Haughton High School, where he helped mold current Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Guin says the nomination came out of the blue…

Cut 14 (11) “…for us.”

Guin did not win the Don Shula National Coach of the Year Award. That went to Bill Jacklin of Wisconsin. But Guin says the nomination came with two tickets to next week’s Super Bowl and he’s taking his better half…

Cut 15 (07) “…wife.”

A second lawsuit has been filed against New Orleans city officials and the contractors working in the French Quarter over the New Year’s Day attack on Bourbon Street. The suit claims 40-million dollars in security upgrades were mismanaged and Plaintiffs attorney Antonio Romanucci says the city of New Orleans has no problem inviting tourists to the French Quarter, but they failed in their duty to care for them by allowing a truck to drive around a police car and unleash terror

Cut 14 (13) “…be shocked.”

A similar lawsuit was filed earlier this month by well-known New Orleans personal injury attorney Morris Bart.

Thousands of road reflectors damaged by snowplows brought in to clear major highways after last week’s rare and significant snowfall. Spokesperson Rodney Mallett says DOTD is hiring a contractor for the work, though no cost estimate or timeline has been provided. Mallet says the full extent of the damage is yet to be determined.

Cut 11 (05) “…right now.”

He says the added safety benefit the reflectors provide is worth the cost to replace the damaged ones.

Senator Bill Cassidy questioned Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kenney Jr. about his stance on vaccines in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing.

Cut 1 (36) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Ahead of the Superbowl, GOHSEP Director Jacques Thibodeaux outlined a comprehensive plan to protect the French Quarter from potential threats. The initiative focuses on enhancing public safety through increased law enforcement presence, surveillance upgrades, and improved emergency response coordination.

Cut 6 (13) “…prospective of the public.”

Today was the second day of confirmation hearings for Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert F Kennedy, Jr. Kennedy appeared in front of the Senate Health Committee, chaired by Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy. Cassidy questioned Kennedy about his stance on vaccines, asking him if he thought measles and Hepatitis B vaccines caused autism…

Cut 3 (14) “…that really is a yes or no.”

In preparation for the Superbowl and Mardi Gras, GOHSEP Director Jacques Thibodeaux outlined a comprehensive plan to protect the French Quarter from potential threats. He says increased law enforcement presence, surveillance upgrades, and infrastructure improvements, including reinforced barriers and upgraded lighting, are part of the strategy to deter criminal activity and ensure a secure environment for residents and tourists.

Cut 7 (09) “…entertainment venue.”

DOTD is planning to replace road reflectors damaged by out of state snowplows brought in to clear major highways after the heaviest snowfall in over a century. Louisiana borrowed 16 snowplows and 70 workers from the Arkansas Department of Transportation. Spokesperson Rodney Mallett says reflectors are not federally required but the added safety benefit is worth the cost to replace them.

Cut 10 (14) “…money on reflectors.”

A full assessment is still pending, but thousands likely need repairs or replacement.

New Orleans city officials and the contractors performing construction work in the French Quarter are facing a second lawsuit over the New Year’s Day attack on Bourbon Street that left 14 dead and several injured. The lawsuit claims the 40-million dollars in security upgrades were mismanaged leaving Bourbon Street unprotected from a vehicle-based attack. Plaintiffs’ attorney Antonio Romanucci…

Cut 13 (12)  “…eight weeks.”