The temperature has climbed above freezing and progress will be made in re-opening major sections of Louisiana’s interstate system. State Transportation Secretary Joe Donahue…

Cut 18 (16) “…New Orleans”

Work has been taking place around the clock to reopen the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. Boh Brothers is helping to remove the snow, which was much as two feet deep on the northern third of both bridges.

Washington D-C Mardi Gras business meetings and social gatherings begin today in our nation’s capital. Jeremy Alford, the publisher of LaPolitcs-dot-com, says this year’s event is getting off to a topsy-turvy start.

Cut 4 (10) “…up to Washington.”

Because of the numerous flight cancellations at the Baton Rouge and New Orleans airports, many people are arriving to the networking event of the year a day late.

Louisiana Congresswoman Julia Letlow has filed two pieces of legislation to strengthen Agriculture Disaster Assistance. One of the bills aims to help livestock and crawfish producers when adverse weather or drought strikes and the other bill increases the flexibility for farmers with soybean crops covered by federal crop insurance…

Cut 12 (05) “…attention was needed”

Letlow says she’s fighting to ensure Louisiana farmers have the support they need when disaster strikes.

Four duck hunters got caught in the winter storm on Tuesday and had to be rescued after their boat starting taking on water in the Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area in St. Mary Parish. Sergeant Jeremy Foret says after they got the call, it took LDWF agents more than an hour to rescue them…

Cut 15 (04) “…attention was needed”

Later that same day, Foret and his crew rescued a duck hunter who ran out of gas in his boat. He also needed no medical attention.

After spending the last couple of days off the roads in south Louisiana, many people are getting back in their vehicles today. State Climatologist Jay Grymes has this word of caution…

Cut 8 (12) “….on the roads”

High temperatures will get in the low 50s today which should help reopen several major roadways that remain closed this morning.

The winter snowstorm has kept many people from Louisiana from getting up to Washington D-C for D-C Mardi Gras activities, which get underway today and last until Saturday night. Lapolitics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford it’s an annual gathering of Louisiana’s biggest movers and shakers…

Cut 6 (13) :,,,want to be”

The Fifth U-S Circuit Court of Appeals hears oral arguments today on a controversial Louisiana law that requires every public school classroom to display the Ten Commandments. The plaintiffs in the case say the law tramples on students’ religious liberty and violates the separation of church and state. But Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill says the law is plainly constitutional.

Congresswoman Julia Letlow introduces two bills aimed at enhancing disaster aid for agricultural producers and improving crop insurance flexibility. Sean Richardson reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

This snowstorm has certainly been one for the ages. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

In Shreveport-Bossier City, authorities continue to look for the suspect who fatally shot a pharmaceutical rep walking back to his vehicle yesterday morning at a Walgreen’s across the street from Byrd High School. Police say the suspect stole the victim’s vehicle and it was tracked to an apartment complex in Bossier City, but the shooter still has not been found.

D-C Mardi Gras events get underway today at our nation’s capital. LaPolitics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says this is the networking event of the year for politicians, lobbyists and business executives…

Cut 5 (09) “….relations professional”

Much of the activity takes place at the Washington Hilton and a bar at that hotel is renamed for this weekend as the 65^th Parish.

Louisiana Congresswoman Julia Letlow has filed legislation to strengthen agriculture disaster assistance.

Cut 11 (05) “…before disasters strike”

Letlow says the Drought Assistance Improvement Act would address shortcomings in existing relief programs. Including helping crawfish farmers when there is adverse weather or drought.

This arctic blast has been one for the ages. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says this was the biggest snowstorm in South Louisiana in more than 100 years. And Grymes says the cold temperatures will last a couple more days…

Cut 7 (15) “…with the snow.”

The temperatures are in the 20s this morning, so not as cold as yesterday when we saw single digits. And Department of Transportation crews will be back at it again today clearing the major roadways closed because of snow and ice.

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents were busy during the snowstorm rescuing duck hunters. Two duck hunters were stranded on Lake Henderson in St. Martin Parish and Sergeant Jeremy Foret was part of the effort where four duck hunters got stranded in St. Mary Parish…

Cut 13 (06) “…call for a help

Foret says they got to the boaters a little more than a hour later.

A Who’s Who of Louisiana politics will converge at a DC hotel starting today for Washington Mardi Gras. Andrew Greenstein reports

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Louisiana U-S Senator Bill Cassidy says he will vote to confirm South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security. In a statement Cassidy says Governor Noem has her priorities straight, a secured southern border and protecting the country from another terror attack like the one in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.

New all time record lows were set this morning. National Weather Service Meteorologist Stacey Denson says single digit temperature readings were recorded across southwest Louisiana…

Cut 3 (13) “…in Lafayette.”

The low temperature at Baton Rouge Airport got down to seven degrees, that’s a record for that location.

The sun is out, and the temperature is above freezing, which is helping to melt the snow. But several major road ways remain closed, including I-10 from the Texas-Louisiana line to Baton Rouge. I-55 between LaPlace and Ponchatoula is closed and so is I-10 through New Orleans. U-S 90 in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes is also shut down. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett…

Cut 11 (07) “….in the south”

Eleven and a half inches of snow fell in Chalmette. That appears to be the highest snowfall total. St. Benard Parish Director of Homeland Security John Rahaim says the snow has been beautiful to look at, but some people received minor injuries…

Cut 7 (15) “…doing”

The search is on for a gunman who fatally shot a man delivering pharmaceutical drugs to a Walgreens across the street from Byrd High School. Shreveport Police spokesperson Chris Bordelon says they received a 9-1-1 call at 10:20 AM…

Cut 19 (11) “…investigation”

Bordelon says they believe the suspect fled to an apartment complex in Bossier City.

The sun is out and it’s warming up, but the governor is pleading with the public where snow is still on the ground to stay home…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Get used to this snow; it will be around for a few more days. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says while it will be warmer tomorrow, it won’t warm up to the point to melt it all away….

Cut 12 (09) “…into the weekend.”

Who got the most snow yesterday? Looks like the winner is Chalmette as the New Orleans suburb recorded 11.5 inches of snow. St. Bernard Parish Director of Homeland Security John Rahaim (ram) says it was a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.

Cut 6 (09) “…left Colorado.”

But Rahaim says first responders had to attend to a few people who were injured performing dangerous stunts in the snow.

Eight-inch snowfall totals were recorded in Jennings, Opelousas, Lafayette, Jeanerette and even in Morgan City. Meteorologist Stacy Denson says the wind was so strong and the snowfall was coming down so fast, the National Weather Service in Lake Charles issued its first ever blizzard warning on Tuesday morning….

Cut 5 (15) “…light snow.”

Lafayette and New Iberia set all time record low temperatures as it got down to two degrees in Lafayette and four degrees in New Iberia.