Big rig trucks sitting in traffic is costing the trucking industry billions and billions of dollars. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office has announced a second former St. Mary School Board Employee has been arrested on theft charges. 65-year-old Lisa Ann Powell of Morgan City was taken into custody after it was determined more than 205-thousand dollars was missing from Patterson High School’s bank account. Powell was a bookkeeper. Dinah Dru Richard has also been arrested.

Christmas Day is one week from today, but the warm weather does not make it feel like Christmas is approaching. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says that will change as a cold front moves through the state today. Keim says it will bring a little bit of rain and much cooler weather

Cut 12 (12) “…environment.”

Keim says the coldest day of the week will be Saturday, morning lows that day could dip below freezing in north Louisiana.

Congress has approved the HEARTS Act which would provide federal aid to improve cardiac arrest preparedness in schools nationwide. Kristen Simpson is a board member at the American Heart Association…

Cut 10 (10) “….emergency response plans”

The legislation was inspired by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. His life was saved by an automated external defibrillator nearly two years ago.

Big rig trucks sitting in traffic is costing the trucking industry billions and billions of dollars. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A cold front is moving through the northern half of the state at this hour. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim…

Cut 12 (12) “…environment”

Highs tomorrow in the 60s and we could see below freezing temperatures in north Louisiana on Saturday.

Soon, schools will have some important tools to help save people experiencing cardiac arrest thanks to the HEARTS Act, which passed unanimously in both houses of Congress. Kristen Simpson, a board member at the American Heart Association, says this bill, which is currently awaiting a signature from President Biden, will create a uniform standard for schools.

Cut 9 (08)  “…have any AEDs,”

According to statistics, only about one in ten children who experience cardiac arrest outside a hospital survive. Simpson says with an AED on hand, those odds improve exponentially.

Fifty-two men and women have begun training to become Louisiana State Police Troopers. They are part of Cadet Class 106 and Trooper Shelby Mayfield says cadets are paid while they go through the academy and equipment is provided…

Cut 7 (13) “….while you’re training”

Mayfield says Cadet Class 107 will start in June, and applications remain open for aspiring troopers.

A requirement to display the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms is set to take effect on January 1^st, but a federal judge has ruled its unconstitutional because it violates the separation of church and state. But Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murril says Louisiana school boards not involved in the original lawsuit can move forward with implementing the Ten Commandments law…

Cut 15 (08) “…to your order”

There are five school boards that can not display the Ten Commandments, because of the pending litigation.

The Lafayette Economic Development Authority has announced that Bucees has chosen Lafayette for its next store and it will be built along Interstate 10. LEDA President Mandi Mitchell says this is a big deal…

Cut 6 (15) “…period of time.”

Construction is slated to get underway early next year and the store will be fully operational by the second quarter of 2026.

If you still need to mail your Christmas gifts to arrive before Christmas Day, you’d better get a move on it. Evelina Ramirez with the Postal Service says the first deadline is today.

Cut 7 (10) “…is December 19th.”

And if you miss that deadline, your last resort is Priority Mail Express, with a deadline of December 21st – this Saturday.

Enhanced seat belt warnings are coming to al new vehicles in the U.S in September of 2026. That’s in response to new NHTSA (NIT-sa) rules.  Greg Fischer with the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, on how small changes could save lives.

Cut 12 (11) “…the right direction.”

Fischer notes that many vehicles that are currently rolling off the assembly line already comply with NHTSA’s new rules.

Chaos erupted on the Causeway Bridge over Lake Pontchartrain this morning as dense fog resulted in six separate crashes involving over 40 vehicles. 33 people were injured, most of the injuries were minor and none of them were life-threatening. Causeway General Manager Carlton Dufrechau says it did not not start off as a foggy morning …

Cut 10 (12) “….people almost simultaneously”

Fog is expected again tomorrow morning in southeast Louisiana.

In Bossier Parish, bird flu has been found with a backyard flock. Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says wild geese and ducks are bringing the virus into Louisiana. He says the key for all poultry producers is biosecurity.

Cut 8 (10) “…your domestic birds.”

Strain says the infected birds have been euthanized and the facility has been cleaned up.

About one in four Louisiana students was chronically absent last school year, an increase from the previous year. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is looking at ways to reduce chronic absenteeism and BESE President Ronnie Morris says solutions include making school fun again, including opportunities for kids to do hands-on activities such as robotics and music. Another idea is to open up internship opportunities to high school kids.

Cut 5 (08) “…way after graduation.”

A two-year long investigation has resulted in two dozen people in Concordia and Rapides Parishes arrested for their alleged involvement in a nationwide drug trafficking network. U-S Attorney Brandon Brown says 13 of the suspects face federal drug trafficking charges…

Cut 12 (13) “…imprisonment.”

Concordia Sheriff David Hedrick says his deputies arrested 11 more suspects in the investigation.

Dense fog this morning resulted in multiple crashes involving over 40 vehicles on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge that connects the New Orleans Metropolitan Area and the North Shore. Causeway General Manager Carlton Dufrechau…

Cut 11 (06) “….nine separate crashes”

Officials say 33 people were hospitalized, but most of the injuries are minor and none are life-threatening.

Two-dozen people are facing either federal or state charges as a result of a lengthy investigation into drug trafficking involving methamphetamine in Rapides and Concordia parishes. U-S Attorney Brandon Brown says multiple people from Vidalia and Ferriday have been taken into custody…

Cut 13 (12) “….bad applies”

13 people are facing federal charges and Concordia Sheriff David Hedrick says his deputies arrested another 11 individuals.

The absenteeism trend in Louisiana schools is heading in the wrong direction. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Office of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Dan Casey says yesterday’s system outage that prevented O-M-V from conducting any transactions is the result of a computer software system that’s 50-years-old. Casey says in the coming days, OMV will announce a modern solution to replace the aging system.

At this hour, Louisiana’s Electoral College is meeting to officially cast eight votes for Donald Trump and J-D Vance to be the next President and Vice President of the United States.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 1 (27) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Dan Casey says yesterday’s system outage that prevented O-M-V from conducting any transactions is the result of a computer software system that’s 50-years-old. Casey says in the coming days, OMV will announce a moder solution to replace the aging system.

Funeral services are tomorrow for Richland Parish Sheriff Gary Gilley, who passed away Saturday at the age of 66. Gilley was a law enforcement officer for nearly 30 years, the last eight were as the sheriff of Richland Parish. Ouachita Sheriff Marc Mashaw (Muh-shaw) says Gilley’s death is a loss for north Louisiana…

Cut 9 (04) “…was one of us”

Richland Parish Schools will be closed tomorrow in honor of Sheriff Gilley.

LSU has signed quarterback Michael Van Buren who started eight games for Mississippi State this season. Van Buren threw 11 touchdown passes for the Bulldogs in 2024, but he also threw seven interceptions and was sacked 27 times. David Murray covers State for 2-4-7 sports and says Van Burn is known to hang on to the ball in the hopes of hitting the deep pass…

Cut 15 (16) “…college level certainly”