The LDWF is reporting a resurgence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the state’s wild bird population. Kace Kieschnick has more.
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As you drive to your Christmas destination, you can do so without giving too much money to the gasoline companies. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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With the jackpot skyrocketing, Powerball fever is gripping Louisiana. Andre Champagne reports.
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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is causing mortality in wild birds, especially in Southwest Louisiana. State Wildlife Veterinarian Jonathan Roberts says the virus affects various species differently.
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The virus can also occasionally transfer to mammals, including domestic cats and dogs, and in rare cases, humans. Health officials consider this strain of the virus to be a minimal threat to humans, but Roberts says if you find sick or dead wild birds, contact the LDWF to remove them safely.
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People hitting the road for the Christmas holiday road can fill their gas tanks and have money left over for some last minute gifts. Don Redman with Triple-A Louisiana says gas prices are the lowest they’ve been since 2020.
Redman says one thing keeping prices low is OPEC not adjusting production when the U.S. increased its production of refined gasoline.
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Redman says the holiday season is typically the time of year when gas prices are at their lowest.
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Things that are expanding this holiday season – credit card balances from buying presents, waistlines due to overindulging in fruitcake, and the Powerball jackpot because no one can match the five white balls and the Powerball. The jackpot has rolled over every drawing since September 6th, and Chrislyn Maher (“mayor”) with the Louisiana Lottery says the estimated jackpot for tonight’s drawing is 1.7-billion dollars.
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While no one has won the big prize, almost 100 people across the country have come agonizingly close. Maher says they still came away with huge paydays.
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Of course, you have a much better chance of being struck by lightning or being cast in the lead role of a major motion picture than you have of winning Powerball. But in any event, good luck!
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This will certainly put a damper on a festive holiday season – flu activity is rampant across the country, especially in Louisiana. Dr. David Janese (juh-NEESE) with Ochsner (Ox-ner) LSU Health says emergency rooms throughout the state are seeing more and more people sick with the flu.
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Dr. Janese says the number of people testing positive for the flu is staggering.
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Janese says this is the time of year when flu activity tends to increase.
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Nationwide, the CDC says about 4.6-million people across the country have become sick with the flu, including almost 50-thousand hospitalizations and about two-thousand deaths.
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The Public Service Commissioner who spearheaded a new policy that streamlines the process for large projects like data centers to access the energy they need is clearing up some misconceptions about the new policy. The policy states that utilities looking to build infrastructure to power those projects no longer have to prove that the generation is the cheapest and most reliable on the market. The Alliance for Affordable Energy says residential customers will see their utility bills skyrocket as a result, but Commissioner J.P. Coussan says that’s not true.
Coussan says there are still safeguards in place to keep utility costs from spiraling out of control.
Coussan says the new policy is not a rubber stamp for utility companies to charge what they want to charge in order to expedite these big projects.
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Yahoo Sports’ Caroline Fenton reviewed the start of the Lane Kiffin era at LSU on Tiger Rag Radio. She says it was always a home run hire, but she’s still been impressed by his enthusiasm to embrace the program and the all-star coaching staff he’s put together.
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One of Kiffin’s claims to fame is how effectively he’s used the transfer portal to build his roster in Oxford. Fenton says finding players in the portal and bringing in former players from Ole Miss can be a recipe for instant success.
Two Rebels Kiffin is sure to target are quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy. Fenton says with Harlem Berry and Caden Durham already on the roster and a nearly two-million-dollar NIL offer in Oxford, Kiffin may not be able to persuade Lacy despite their connection.