The Prides of Webster Parish, Buccaneers linebacker Devin White and Chiefs defensive back L’Jarius Sneed will be featured heavily on Super Bowl Sunday.  White got drafted fifth overall in 2019 and Sneed was drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 draft.  He had some bad injury luck early in the season but has established himself as a starter in his rookie year.  White and Sneed both say they’re good friends but…

Cut 14 (13) “the moment”

The Louisiana Tech men’s basketball team got a big win over North Texas last night 68-63 in a Conference USA matchup.  Isaiah Crawford poured in 27 points for the Bulldogs and was a perfect 3 for 3 on three-pointers.

The Ragin Cajuns men’s basketball team lost a close one to Arkansas State yesterday 95-87.  The Red Wolves shot almost 57 percent from the field and 55 percent from behind the arc.

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Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette and Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu both played a St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, both went to LSU and wore the coveted number 7 jersey.  Fournette says he can’t wait to compete against Mathieu on Sunday

Cut 18 (13) “make us better”

The New Orleans Pelicans pulled out a close victory over the Indiana Pacers last night 114-113.  The Pels were led by forward Brandon Ingram who had 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists, Lonzo Ball added 20 points of his own.  New Orleans shot 53.9 percent from the floor and an impressive 52 percent from three-point range.

ULM falls to UT Arlington 63-56 on the hardwood.

LSU’s game against Florida scheduled for this afternoon has been postponed due to Covid-19 in the Florida program.

The Health Department confirmed two more cases of the UK variant of COVID in Louisiana, bringing the total to five. Brooke Thorington has more on what this could possibly foreshadow for the state.

Cut 1 (32) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.”  

Starting next week 57 Walmarts across the state will begin a trial run of their pharmacy vaccination program. Each will be given 100 doses to start to work out the kinks, that allocation coming from the state’s reserves.

Starting next Friday and running through Mardi Gras Day all indoor and outdoor bars will be shut in New Orleans, and access to the French Quarter will be limited. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell says she rather be accused of doing too much than too little.

Cut 4 (12) “…all of us”

An additional 30 State Police Troopers have been deployed to New Orleans to help enforce COVID mitigation efforts. Governor Edwards says the state is committed to preventing another Mardi Gras super spreading event, and Edwards has this message for tourists who still plan to show up…

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Governor John Bel Edwards says it would be irresponsible for people to gather in large groups for the carnival season. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (30) …I’m Jeff Palermo”  

Only 863 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported today, but that’s on an unusually low number of total tests. Still, the positivity rate has plummeted in recent weeks below ten percent along with COVID hospitalizations which are now below 1,300. Unfortunately, 32 additional deaths have been reported and the total for the state now sits at 9,076 people dead since March.

The number of suspected UK variant COVID cases in Louisiana is growing, bringing the total number of cases to five with 20 additional cases pending verification. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says it takes a while to get these results back.

Cut 7 (13) “…becoming.”

The greater New Orleans and Lafayette areas are the only parts of the state to have a confirmed case so far.

Two guys who grew up just 15 minutes from each other in Webster Parish will play big roles for their respective defenses Sunday. Buccaneers linebacker Devin White and Chiefs defensive back L’Jarius Sneed are both starting for their teams and Sneed says he’s heard the folks back home are brimming with pride…

Cut 13 (12)“. up to”

Starting Monday those 65 and older will be eligible to get a COVID vaccine, meaning 250,000 additional Louisianans can now register at a local eligible pharmacy for a vaccine appointment. This comes as Moderna has ramped up production and we’ll be seeing a five percent increase in our allocation next week as a result. 400,000 Louisianans have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine shot.

Flu cases are down in Louisiana, as well as the rest of the country as social distancing and handwashing helps crush the usually nasty flu season. State Immunization Director Dr. Frank Welch says we’ve all learned some good lessons this year about what it takes to keep viruses at bay and he hopes we don’t forget them once the pandemic is past…

Cut 8 (08) “…over.”

This number has tracked across all of North America.

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Videos of a shoulder to shoulder packed Bourbon Street last weekend have New Orleans officials pledging to crack down on gatherings ahead of Mardi Gras. New Orleans Police Chief Shaun Ferguson says Mardi Gras must be different this year and the city will be breaking up large crowds that gather for celebrations.

Cut 9 (08) “… area.”

State Police report two people were killed in a head-on crash in Thibodaux on Wednesday afternoon. Senior Trooper Jesse LaGrange says the high impact collision occurred when 33-year-old Lathisha Bellanger of Gray entered the northbound lane on L-A 1 in an attempt to pass several vehicles.

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The other driver who died at the scene has been identified as 57-year-old Ricky Zeringue of Thibodaux.

Normally right now we’d be at the peak of flu season, but so far, the state reports very few cases.

Cut 1 (31) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.”  

Those now 65 and older are eligible to receive a COVID vaccine starting Monday. This comes as the state is expecting to see a five percent increase in the total vaccine allotment for next week and we hit 400,000 total people who’ve received at least their first of two doses. Approximately a quarter-million more Louisianans will be eligible with this decision.

A 33-year-old Natchitoches man faces over 500 counts of child porn, 30 counts of mail theft, eleven counts of identity theft, and drug charges. Captain Tony Moran, with the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, says their investigation into Christopher Stanfield began when a duffle bag containing several pieces of mail was found during a search of his vehicle

Cut 3 (09)  “…bank account numbers”

State Police report two people were killed in a head-on crash in Thibodaux on Wednesday afternoon. Senior Trooper Jesse LaGrange says the high impact collision occurred when 33-year-old Lathisha Bellanger of Gray entered the northbound lane on L-A 1 in an attempt to pass several vehicles, but could not confirm if it was a no-passing zone…

Cut 14 (10) “..head on” 

The other driver who died at the scene has been identified as 57-year-old Ricky Zeringue of Thibodaux.

Cases of the flu are down across the country compared to last year as COVID mitigation measures have more folks keeping their distance and washing their hands.  State Immunization Director Dr. Frank Welch says people had good reason to play it safe.

Cut 6 (11) “…low”

The low outbreak of flu this year, Welch says is reflective of the southern hemisphere who also had low cases of the flu during their winter.

State Police report two people were killed in a head-on crash in Thibodaux on Wednesday afternoon. Senior Trooper Jesse LaGrange says the high impact collision occurred when 33-year-old Lathisha Bellanger of Gray entered the northbound lane on L-A 1 in an attempt to pass several vehicles

Cut 12 (07) “    collision” 

The Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office says an investigation into mail theft resulted in dozens of felony charges against a 33-year-old man. 

cut 2 (31) …I’m Jeff Palermo”  

At least 400,000 Louisianans have now received their first dose of a COVID vaccine and 130,000 have completed their full series as of this week’s vaccination update from the Louisiana Department of Health. 1,956 providers are now involved in the state’s vaccination program as well.

The New Orleans City Council pledges to develop a plan to stop Mardi Gras 2021 from turning into the super-spreading event that Mardi Gras 2020 was after videos of a packed and maskless Bourbon Street emerged over the weekend. That provoked an impassioned plea from New Orleans Police Chief Shaun Ferguson…

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All New Orleans parades have been canceled this year.

Flu is down this year as COVID mitigation measures have folks stay distant and washing their hands, two key moves in also insuring the flu season stays limited. State Immunization Director Dr. Frank Welch says he hopes folks will keep up the good flu-fighting work even after the COVID pandemic ends…

Cut 8 (08) “…over.”

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser explains how The Louisiana Civil Rights Trail became a reality.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

The LSU men’s basketball team suffered a 78-60 loss at the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide.  It was a tough shooting night for the Tigers as they shot just 30 percent from the floor as a team and 23 percent from 3 point range.  LSU was led offensively by freshman guard Cam Thomas who scored 22 points to go along with 5 rebounds.  With the loss, LSU is 11-6 on the season.

The New Orleans Pelicans earned a 123-101 win over the Phoenix Suns at home.  Zion Williamson led the team with 28 points while Brandon Ingram added 23 and Steven Adams had a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.  The team’s next game is tomorrow against the Indiana Pacers on the road.

The LSU Tigers added two more signees to its football team yesterday as 4-star defensive end Saivion Jones from St. James and 3-star offensive lineman Kimo Makaneole from Florida both signed their letters of intent.  This gives LSU 22 signees in the 2021 class.  The team has three spots left in the class and could look to the transfer portal to fill the remaining spots.

According to 247 Sports, the Ragin Cajuns football program signed the second-best recruiting class involving teams in the Sun Belt.  The class includes a nice mix of high school stars as well as some quality transfers.  A handful of signees are already on campus and head coach Billy Napier is excited to see what they can do.

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Louisiana Tech only signed one player on Wednesday, and that’s junior college transfer Demarcus Gordon from Tunica Mississippi.  Coach Skip Holtz says Gordon is an important piece of the puzzle that they need.

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The state along with the rest of the country is reportedly experiencing a low amount of flu cases this season. State Immunization Director Dr. Frank Welch believes COVID mitigation measures along with more people choosing to be vaccinated for the flu are responsible.

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There’s still time in the season to get your flu shot.

A 33-year-old Natchitoches man faces over 500 counts of child porn, 30 counts of mail theft, eleven counts of identity theft and drug charges. Captain Tony Moran, with the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, says their investigation into Christopher Stanfield began when a duffle bag containing several pieces of mail was found during a search of his vehicle

Cut 3 (09)  “…bank account numbers”

Videos of a shoulder to shoulder packed Bourbon Street last weekend have New Orleans officials pledging to crack down on gatherings ahead of Mardi Gras. New Orleans Police Chief Shaun Ferguson says Mardi Gras must be different this year and the city will be busting up large crowds that gather for celebrations.

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Traditionally Mardi Gras would be ramping up exponentially between now and Fat Tuesday on February 16^th.

Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca are closing in on FDA approval, and Tulane School of Medicine Professor Dr. Lisa Morici says once they get the green light the state’s vaccine supply will increase significantly, particularly because the J&J vaccine is only one shot…

Cut 12 (07) “…(2x) dose.”

J&J is expected to receive approval before AstraZeneca.

State Police say a three-year-old child who was not properly restrained was killed in a wreck last night involving an 18-wheeler in Calcasieu Parish. Trooper Derek Senegal says the child was a passenger in a vehicle driven by 41-year-old Blaine Keith Lecompte. Senegal says they suspect Lecompte was impaired

Cut 12 (10) “vehicular homicide” 

The CDC is now mandating that all public transit systems require riders to mask up. Senator Bill Cassidy says this is a requirement most transit systems already have, and there’s a real question as to whether the CDC has the power to levy penalties against systems that refuse.

Cut 9 (07) “… enforce.”

The Biden Admin has rejected calls to enforce a nationwide public mask mandate.

The LSU Ag Center says the state is looking at a record sugar cane harvest this year. Sugar cane specialist Kenneth Gravois expects over 500-thousand acres of sugar cane planted in 2021 as more sugar cane will be planted in the northern and western parts of the cane-growing region. He says the 2021 crop is already off to a great start thanks to a mild winter..

Cut 5  (08) “…are good.” 

 Gravois says sugar was planted on 496-thousand acres in 2020.

The two bodies recovered from the wreckage of a plane that went down near Hackberry Tuesday are believed to be that of flight instructor Rock Palermo and his student Don Clements. Palermo, an attorney, was also the pilot for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Tony Mancuso was visibly emotional about the loss of Palermo.

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