Lafourche Parish residents are beaming with pride after hometown hero Ed Orgeron leads LSU to a national championship. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

_____________________

There’s a viral video that shows former LSU standout Odell Beckham Junior handing out cash to an LSU player following the victory over Clemson in the national title game. Jeff Palermo has LSU’s response.

cut  2 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”

___________________________

While many throughout the state may be showing love for Coach Ed Orgeron, no one is more excited about his success than those in the area where he grew up.  Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Lt. Brennan Matherne says the area already bleeds purple and gold…

Cut 3 (10)  “…that national title.” 

Matherne says the majority of the parish has supported Coach O, even when he was working with other football programs outside of the state.

Cut 4 (11) “…out of everyone.”

Matherne says there is now a grassroots effort in place to get Orgeron to be a grand marshal in one of the parish’s Mardi Gras parades this year.

Cut 5 (12) “…that’s the hope.”

_______________________

Clemson may have had a rough game as a whole, but Jennings native, running back Travis Etienne played well with 114 total yards and a touchdown on five yards a carry.

While he was heartbroken to miss out on a chance to get his second championship ring, he was excited to be back playing ball in Louisiana.

Cut 6 (08) “home crowd”

Etienne ended the season with 1,614 yards rushing on 7.8 yards a carry, 432 yards through the air, and 23 total touchdowns.

Despite personally performing well the Jennings High star wasn’t happy about the way the game turned out. He says few players have a chance to win multiple championships in a career.

Cut 7 (11) “hurts”

Etienne is NFL draft-eligible after completing his third season in college. This could be his last hurrah in college, but he’s not ready to start reminiscing just yet.

Cut 8 (08) “…college”

He’s ranked as the top running back prospect, and a lock for the 1^st round in the 2020 draft, if he decides to declare.

_________________________________

Tigers fans lined the streets outside the LSU Football Operations building to greet their heroes returning home from their triumphant win over Clemson last night in the Dome.

Here’s the moment those first sirens announcing the team’s arrival could be heard by the roughly 300 fans who showed up to cheer on the returning team.

Cut 9 (11) “*sirens*”

Many fans lined up hours ahead of time to get a good view of the team as they made their way back to the Capital from the Crescent City. This mom says her son just couldn’t wait to get out there…

Cut 10 (10) “…about it”

The event was packed with families decked out in purple and gold. This little Tiger had been waiting to see the team for quite some time.

Cut 11 (10) “…LSU”

The team arrived, waived at the fans, and headed into the facility without taking interviews.
______________________

LSU’s undefeated national championship season puts them in the debate as the greatest college football team ever. Coach Ed Orgeron, who was part of national championship teams as an assistant at Miami and USC, says it’s for the media to decide if the Tigers are the best team

Cut 12 (10) “…next year.”

Orgeron says he’s looking forward to a big recruiting weekend.

Junior Safety Grant Delpit says he knows people in Louisiana will be talking about this team for years to come

Cut 13 (12) “yes sir”

LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase set a College Football Playoff championship record with 221 yards receiving on nine catches. The former Rummel High standout says it’s extra special to win in New Orleans

Cut 14 (08) “…the state”

A political analyst says Governor Edwards has to be pleased with the election of Clay Schexnayder for Speaker. Matt Doyle asks why that is…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

________________________________________

Purple and Gold Nation showed out in force last night not only at the dome but at watering holes across southeast Louisiana to watch LSU’s historic win…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

____________________________________________

For the fourth time in program history, LSU wins a national championship and for the fourth time they do it in New Orleans. Jeff Palermo has this report as the confetti rained down…

Cut 3 (24)  “… (fireworks going off) 

____________________________________________

There was a surprise result House Speaker yesterday as a Republican, Clay Schexnayder, won the job with the majority of his support coming from Democrats. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says it was a good day for Governor Edwards, who faces a lot more legislative opposition than in his first term.

Cut 4 (12) “…Democrats.”

Pinsonat says that gives the Governor additional leverage for legislative influence.

It’s a blow to Senator John Kennedy and AG Jeff Landry, who pushed all Republicans to vote for the Speaker who received the most Republican support. Pinsonat says it’s a loss, but not a defeat for the two’s state ambitions…

Cut 5 (10) “…power”

The move temporarily boosts the short term political prospects of moderate Republicans who backed Schexnayder, but Pinsonat says it’s likely damaging to their long term political careers.

Cut 6 (12) “…in general”

_____________________________

Former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal was in attendance at the Inauguration Day event in Baton Rouge yesterday.  In recent years, Jindal has transitioned away from public service and is now working in the private sector and says more elected officials should try it.

Cut 7 (10) “…permanently in office.”

With the exception of a few name drops in last year’s Governor’s race, Jindal has kept a low profile since a run at the Republican nomination for President in the 2016 race.  Jindal believes, for the most part, the country has many good things going for it in DC.

Cut 8 (13) “…but Americans first.”

Jindal is still living in Baton Rouge, working in the energy and healthcare fields, but when it comes to the possibility of hopping back into politics, he says never say never.

Cut 9 (12) “…with my kids”

____________________

LSU fans are on cloud nine after a trampling Clemson 42-25 in the CFP Championship Game to wrap up a perfect season that will never be forgotten.

Purple and Gold nation locked arm and arm as the clock wound down on the greatest season in team history. Here’s hundreds of fans reacting as the sidelines emptied out…

Cut 10 (11) “…*cheering**”

John from Baton Rouge was celebrating outside of the Bulldog, a Capital City sports bar packed shoulder to shoulder with ecstatic post-game fans. He says this kind of magical season is rare…

Cut 11 (08) “…team”

After the immediate postgame celebrations ended, fans flocked to local sporting goods stores to get their hands on 2020 National Championship T-shirts, including this fan waiting outside Academy…

Cut 12 (13) “…comming”

__________________________________

The LSU Tigers are national champs as they completed a 15-and-0 dream season with a 42-25 victory over Clemson in the Superdome last night. Quarterback Joe Burrow had another spectacular game, 463 yards passing and five touchdowns. LSU’s offense started slow and trailed by 10 in the second quarter, but Burrow knew they would get it going

Cut 13 (13) “…get it figured out.”

On defense, LSU forced a high-powered Clemson offense to punt nine times as the other Tigers were just 1 of 11 on third downs. Coach Ed Orgeron says the key was slowing down former Jennings running back Travis Etienne…

Cut 14 (15) “…the ballgame”

LSU will go down as one of the best teams ever in the 150-year history of college football. They beat seven teams that were ranked in the top 10 when they played them. Burrow understands they accomplished something truly great…

Cut 15 (12) “…been around”

It was Burrow’s final game in an LSU uniform. He finishes his career with 65 total touchdowns and 60 passing touchdowns. Both are NCAA records. Burrow goes down as a legend…

Cut 16  (11)  …more special” 

Cleanup continues in northwest Louisiana from a tornado that claimed three lives over the weekend. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington” 

_____________________

It was Inauguration Day today at the Capitol…

cut  2 (52) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

___________________________

In Northwest Louisiana, power is being restored and clean up crews have moved in after an EF-2 tornado swept through the area around 2 am Saturday morning. Lt Bill Davis with the Bossier Parish Sheriff office says Swepco has restored power to most of the area.

Cut 3 (11)  “…along well.” 

79-year old Jerry Franks, and 65-year-old Mary Sue Franks were killed in Haughton and in Caddo Parish 75-year-old Raymond Holden was killed in Oil City during the storm.

In addition to lives lost, Davis says at least 50 homes have been destroyed in the Bossier Parish area.

Cut 4 (11) “…homes effected.”

In Benton, the middle school was heavily damaged and classes are canceled today. Crews are cleaning up debris and students are expected to attend class tomorrow. Davis describes the scene at Benton Middle School

Cut 5 (11) “…damage inside.”

_______________________

Gonzales Republican Representative Clay Schexnayder wins the Speaker vote 60-45 over Albany Republican Sherman Mack.

Schexnayder was backed by a coalition of Democrats and moderate Republicans, and is thought to be a more friendly choice for Governor Edwards, but says the People’s House will speak for itself…

Cut 6 (11) “citizen”

Lafayette Senator Page Cortez was named Senate President.

The new Speaker laid out his priorities for the next term, likely trying to assuage concerns from the chamber’s conservatives…

Cut 7 (09) “legacy.”

Schexnayder was handed the gavel by the previous Speaker, Taylor Barras.

Senator John Kennedy and AG Jeff Landry pushed Republicans to unify behind whoever received the most Republican support, but that didn’t happen, and Schexnayder won with a majority of his votes coming from Democrats…

Cut 8 (12) “…important”

The House is two members shy of a Republican Supermajority.

_________________________________

Governor Edwards was sworn in today for a second time and highlighted his three biggest focuses for the upcoming term.

His first and biggest focus for the next four years is education. He highlighted increased classroom funding, more teacher pay raises, and early childhood education.

Cut 9 (12) “…our state”

Early childhood education advocates are calling for an 80 million dollar upfront investment, with increased yearly funding for the policy to achieve universal access.

His second focus was workforce development…

Cut 10 (11) “…labor.”

He touched on equal pay for equal work, increased funding for higher ed, and a goal for 60 percent of Louisiana workers to have a degree or credential by 2030.

Finally, the Governor noted that coastal restoration will be a continuing focus for his administration. He says the state is finally starting to get ahead of our decades of losses…

Cut 11 (09) “…to lose”
______________________

Lafayette Senator Page Cortez is unanimously elected Senate President for the next four-year term.

Cortez reportedly wrapped up the job handily late last year and is set to lead the Upper Chamber’s new, more conservative disposition.

Cut 12 (13) “…Louisiana.”

Senators Sharon Hewitt of Slidell and Rick Ward of Iberville were reportedly in the running or considering running for the position. Cortez thanked his competitors in the race, and looked ahead…

Cut 13 (11) “LIghtly.”

Cortez replaces John Alario, who was term-limited out of the Senate and chose not to run for election in the House after a 48-year Legislative career.

______________________________

LSU’s record-breaking offense gets its biggest challenge yet tonight going up Clemson’s stingy defense in tonight’s national championship game. Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables is one of the best in the nation. LSU Quarterback Joe Burrow….

Cut 14 (11) “…lightly”

LSU has the highest-scoring offense in the country at 49 points per game. But Clemson is right up there, averaging 45 a contest. Tigers linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson says Clemson has great skill position players

Cut 15 (12) “…all that”

The Tigers are 14-0 for the first time ever, but LSU Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire says the job is not done…

Cut 16  (12)  …dominate”