A Lake Charles man and woman are arrested after detectives discovered a million dollars’ worth of illegal narcotics on them. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso says the combined anti-drug task force arrested 43-year-old Caleb Barfield and 30-year-old Kimberly Breaux last week…:

CUT 12  (11)        “…that also.”

The pair face a laundry list of drug charges, including intent to sell, possession of illegal firearms, and possession with a juvenile present. Barfield’s bond was set at $803-thousand and Breaux’s at $59-thousand.

The Governor’s Office announces a deal to create a new customer call center in the Shreveport area; meaning about 600 new jobs. The Advanced Call Center Technologies facility will also result in over 300 indirect jobs. The Pennsylvania-based company does call-in customer service for financial institutions. The new center should open in March.

Central Louisiana authorities have arrested two people in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 27-year-old Deven Brooks. Ball Police Chief Marshall Deen says Brooks was shot in the head and his body dumped along the Red River. Under arrest for the crime are Terrance Lavalais and Jamaria Randle; both 21-years-old and both from Alexandria. Deen says they believe Brooks knew one of his alleged killers, but they are not sure of an exact motive…:

CUT 10  (12)        “…the murder.”

Bond has been set at 400-thousand dollars for each.

An investigative report for WBRZ TV in Baton Rouge says Louisiana State Police second-in-command, Lieutenant Colonel Doug Cain, is implicated in the cover-up of the death of Ronald Greene, on a roadside in northwest Louisiana in May of 2019. Documents leaked to Channel 2 indicate Cain knew something wrong had happened, but he did nothing about it and even blocked prosecution of one trooper.

The state health department reports 2,081 COVID hospitalizations today; an increase of 82 from Wednesday. Governor John Bel Edwards says hospitalizations among kids from the Omicron variant are also on the rise, and he wants to dispel any rumors that COVID is not impacting children…:

CUT 06(11)      “…than Delta surge.”

Edwards also encourages indoor masking to decrease COVID transmission, and he does not rule out returning to a mask mandate, if necessary.

Central Louisiana authorities arrest two people in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 27-year-old Deven Brooks. Ball Police Chief Marshall Deen says Brooks was taken from his home earlier this week in Ball. His body was discovered two days later along the Red River…:

CUT 09(09)      “…kidnapping.”

Terrance Lavalais and Jamaria Randle – both 21 and both from Alexandria are in custody.

A study by personal finance website WalletHub ranks our state among the worst in which to raise a family. Jeff Palermo has that…:

CUT 01(30)      “…Palermo.”

A Hammond man is dead from being crushed in the back of a garbage truck. Police believe 42-year-old Jermaine Watts wanted to escape the overnight cold, so he climbed inside a dumpster to catch some sleep. He died when the dumpster was emptied into the truck and the compactor was activated.

The Omicron variant has yet to peak in Louisiana, and Governor Edwards says COVID is having a greater impact on children now. Brooke Thorington has more…:

CUT 02(32)      “…Thorington.”

A Baton Rouge area pastor’s suit against the Governor over COVID lockdowns has been tossed out of court. A federal district judge ruled Pastor Tony Spell’s request for injunction mostly because the lockdown is over. He also denied any claim to damages from the state.

A Slidell man says the dismembered woman’s body, found in a home in the New Orleans 9^th Ward Is that of his missing wife. Those remains have not been positively ID’ed as 36-year-old Julia Dardar, who’s been missing since last month. Micah Dardar says she left home after becoming addicted to meth, and he fears this was her fate. 34-year-old Ben Beale was arrested after the headless body was found. The investigation is ongoing.

A new report from the personal finance website “WalletHub” ranks Louisiana among the worst states in which to raise a family. WalletHub data analyst Jill Gonzales says factors like health & safety, education, cost of child care, poverty and child mortality were all considered…:

CUT 03  (07)        raising a family

The report is online at “WalletHub.com/edu”

And now today’s markets …..

The state health department is reporting 2,081 COVID hospitalizations today an increase of 82 from Wednesday. Governor John Bel Edwards says hospitalizations among children from the Omicron variant are also on the rise and he dispels any rumors that COVID is not impacting children.
Cut 6 (11) “…than Delta surge.”
Edwards says some of those children admitted are between the ages of 0-to four, which are not eligible to be vaccinated.

With voters in St. Tammany Parish rejecting a proposal to move a Bossier City casino license to Slidell, what becomes of that casino? State Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Johns says state law dictates that Diamond Jack’s casino must re-open within 60 days of the failed referendum…:
Cut 13 (08) “…very short extension.”
Johns says the board will meet week to decide whether to grant that extension.

A new study finds drug overdose deaths from 2019 to 2020 increased across the nation by 31-percent and in Louisiana, it’s even worse. Brooke Thorington has more…:
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

The Hammond Police Department reports a homeless man that had fallen asleep inside a dumpster was killed when he was crushed by a garbage truck compactor. They say the man, identified as 42-year-old Jermaine Watts, was likely trying to escape the cold in the dumpster when the compactor was activated.

Governor Edwards will hold a briefing at 10:30 today discussing the state’s response to COVID. On Wednesday the state reported a single day high for new cases at 17,952. Hospitalizations have reached 1,999 and three fourths of those patients are unvaccinated.

Since St. Tammany Parish voters rejected a proposal to move a Bossier City casino license to Slidell last month, State Gaming Control Commissioner Ronnie Johns says state law dictates that Diamond Jack’s casino must re-open within 60 days of the failed referendum. And Diamond Jacks request for an extension for their re-opening plan has been granted.

Cut 14 (15)  “…are gonna be.”

Data from the National Center for Health Statistics indicates that from 2019 to 2020 drug overdose deaths increased more than 50-percent in Louisiana. Ben Miller, President of Well Being Trust, says they’ve also seen an alarming increase in street or synthetic opioid overdose deaths increase by 56-percent compared to prescription opioids.

Cut 5 (08) “…a concern.”

Miller says we are better able to control opioid prescriptions, but synthetic use is increasing.

The real estate market remains active and Louisiana Realtors Association Director of Business and Professional Development Amy Fennell it’s still a seller’s market and in some places, it’s more exacerbated than others, for example, areas of the state recovering from natural disasters.

Cut  11 (07)  “…bayou area.”  

The state continues to urge the public to remain vigilant as Louisiana’s Covid numbers are hitting levels not seen since the pandemic first started. Of 17-thousand cases reported Wednesday, LDH says 1-in-4 were kids under 18. Tulane University epidemiologist Dr. Susan Hassig says youngsters may not be as severely affected by the virus, but they can still transmit it – even if vaccinated…:
CUT 9 (10) “learn the best”
Other countries are seeing this latest surge begin to drop but Hassig says it’s too early to call when that will happen here.

Police in New Orleans say detectives located a headless torso inside a deep freezer that was hooked up to a bus in the backyard of a residence in the 9th Ward. The man who lived there, Benjamin Beale, is behind bars on various charges including obstruction of justice in relation to the case. Authorities were searching for Beale’s estranged wife, but the remains have yet to be identified and cause of death, including murder, has not been established. The investigation is ongoing.

St. Tammany Parish voters rejected a proposal to move a Bossier City casino license to Slidell which means that casino needs to reopen within 60 days of the failed measure. State Gaming Control Commissioner Ronnie Johns says Diamond Jacks has an uphill battle as its run down, and…:
Cut 15 (09) “staff in place”
He says Diamond Jack’s will present their plan to the Gaming Control Board on February 17th for approval.

Low housing inventory in Louisiana and lots of buyers means the real estate market here is very hot right now. Amy Fennell with the Louisiana Realtors Association says sellers are receiving multiple offers so they should get the help of someone with experience…:
CUT 12 (12) “looking for it”
She says supply chain issues have drastically slowed the construction of new homes.

The Covid Pandemic is surging in Louisiana and Governor John Bel Edwards has called a news conference this morning to address it. On Wednesday, the state reported 17-thousand new COVID cases, with about 2 thousand in the hospital. The Omicron variant is less severe, and some say that could signal the surge may be ending, but Tulane Epidemiologist Dr. Susan Hassig is more cautious…:
Cut 8 (08) “to call it yet”
Of the 2000 people hospitalized with the virus, 75-percent are not fully vaccinated.

Overdose deaths in Louisiana were rising at alarming rates even before the pandemic but it’s only gotten worse. New data suggests from 2019 to 2020 overdoses increased more than 50 percent in Louisiana. Ben Miller, President of Well Being Trust, says if you suspect a loved one is an addict, you should ask them about it…:
CUT 6 (11) “may not”

After voters rejected a plan to move a Bossier City casino license to Slidell in December, what becomes of the original casino? Kevin Gallagher asks the Gaming Control Commissioner:
Cut 3 (28) “I’m Kevin Gallagher”

An art teacher from St. James Parish has been arrested in two parishes this week on charges including sex crimes involving a juvenile. 50-year-old Lisa Samuels was first booked with a DWI in Ascension Parish before being brought to St. James where she was booked with molestation of a juvenile and indecent behavior with juveniles.

Governor John Bel Edwards has called a news conference for 10:30am after the state recorded another single-day high number of COVID cases..:
Cut 2 (27) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

New Orleans Police say a man is behind bars after detectives found a dismembered body in a freezer on his property inside a school bus in the 9th Ward. They say 34-year-old Benjamin Beale is booked on several drugs and weapons charges along with obstruction of justice. Cops were searching the man’s home in relation to the disappearance of a woman named Julia Dardar who has been missing since at least last November. This investigation is ongoing.

A study from the National Center for Health Statistics finds from 2019 to 2020 drug overdose deaths increased more than 50-percent in Louisiana. Ben Miller, President of Well Being Trust, says the pandemic made things worse, but this has been a growing problem for some time…:
Cut 4 (11) “attention to”
He says if something isn’t done now, these terrible trends will continue.

The housing market in Louisiana is booming. Louisiana Realtors Association Director of Business and Professional Development Amy Fennell says “For Sale” signs don’t stay up long:
Cut 10 (11) “lots of buyers”
She says because things are so hot right now it’s best to use a realtor if you’re selling a home because you’re likely to get multiple offers.