LSU and head coach Lane Kiffin are having a successful Tuesday when it comes to the transfer portal. The Tigers’ first commitment came from junior safety Ty Benefield out of Boise State, who is rated as the No. 2 safety in the transfer portal. This season, Benefield had 105 total tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two interceptions for the Broncos.

LSU also landed redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Stephiylan (STEPH-eye-lin) Green out of Clemson. Green is rated as the No. 6 defensive lineman in the transfer portal. Green had 25 tackles, two-and-a-half sacks and a pass breakup with the Tigers this season.

LSU men’s basketball looks to bounce back from its first conference loss to Texas A&M tonight as the Tigers host South Carolina tonight at 7 p.m. LSU will be without senior point guard DJ Thomas for the second straight season.

McNeese State basketball defeated Stephen F. Austin 66-64 last night to improve to 12-and-3 and 5-and-1 in Southland play. Freshman guard Larry Johnson led the Cowboys in scoring with 18 points.

The Saints may not have made the playoffs this season, but the team left its fan base with plenty of optimism and hope for next year after finishing 4-and-1 in its last five games. Receiver Chris Olave had to miss the final game of the season against the Falcons after doctors found a blood clot in his lung. Olave says he thought he had a bruised rib after feeling pain near his lung following the game against the Titans.

Cut 19 (16) “…a blood clot.”

Olave says he is expected to make a full recovery and he should be able to participate in offseason training beginning in April.

UL-Lafayette redshirt sophomore quarterback Lunch Winfield announced on social media that he will return to the Cajuns in 2026. Winfield passed for 1,555 yards with 11 touchdowns while also rushing for 667 yards and nine touchdowns.

Nicholls basketball defeated Northwestern State 74-72 last night to stay undefeated in Southland play. Senior guard Jaylen Searles led the Colonels in scoring with 18 points.

An early morning crash in Lafayette took the lives of three people. It happened a little after 5:00 am when a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on E. Broussard struck another vehicle stopped at a traffic light and the stopped vehicle was pushed through the intersection into another vehicle while the striking vehicle ran into a utility pole. The driver of the initial crash, 21-year-old Joseph Prejean of Lafayette died at the scene. Two people in the second vehicle, 36-year-old Cherita Washington and 17-year-old Chase Washing of Duson also died as a result of their injuries. The person in the last vehicle struck suffered moderate injuries.

Last year in Louisiana, five law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, compared to three in 2024. That’s the fifth highest in the country and second highest per capita. Nationwide in 2025, the number of line-of-duty deaths reached historic lows says Bill Alexander, the CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Cut 8 (09) “…to be going.”

Across the country, 44 officers were killed in firearm-related incidents, down from 52 in 2024 and 34 officers were killed in traffic-related incidents, down from 44 from the year before.

2026 is going to be a big year for elections in Louisiana, including the U.S. Senate race and several special elections to fill vacancies in the legislature. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Today is Epiphany, the day Christians around the world eat King Cake and celebrate the worship of baby Jesus by the Wisemen. Here in Louisiana January 6^th marks the beginning of Carnival season. Dave Haydel of Haydel Bakery says Mardi Gras comes earlier this year with two fewer weeks in the season but he says last year, we had two weeks of snow and he says king cake prices are the same as last year too.

Cut 13 (02)  “…for everybody.”

Did Governor Jeff Landry call for the execution of Nicolas Maduro? In an opinion piece on Breitbart (Bratebart) News Landry wrote “Personally, I’d like to see Maduro executed for the crimes he has committed against the people of the United States and the families left to mourn,” “However, I would be well satisfied to see him and his wife spend the rest of their days at Camp 57 in Angola.” He said Maduro’s capture will save tens of thousands of American lives because it interrupts the fentanyl pipeline from China.

2026 was shaping up to be a busy election year with the new closed party primary and new voting equipment. Secretary of State Nancy Landry says the state goes to great lengths to secure its elections, including greatly limiting who can and cannot handle the voting equipment.

Cut 5 (10) “…touch our machines.”

And the machines are never connected to the internet.

Temperatures are running about 15-degrees above normal right now says LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim and he says that’s typical when a La Nina climate pattern is active and when we have warm temperatures in the winter, expect foggy conditions in the morning….

Cut 11 (11) “…lots of fog.”

Today is Epiphany and that means it’s time to take the Christmas tree down and enjoy some king cake. Dave Haydel of Haydel Bakery says they had a line of people outside their store this morning and business has been steady all day. Haydel says the goal is to sell just as many king cakes as they did last year

Cut 12 (11) “…hard to say.”

All charges against LSU running back JT Lindsey have been dropped. He was arrested in August and charged with accessory after the fact to second-degree murder. At that time Lindsey reportedly allowed two men to stay in his dorm room unaware they had committed any crime and were wanted for questioning. At the time Lindsey was suspended from the team but allowed to attend class and to use athletic facilities on his own. He made the Fall semester Dean’s list and is now eligible to return to play.

Louisiana is looking to some big elections in 2026 perhaps the biggest is for U.S. Senate, where incumbent Bill Cassidy faces strong opposition in the Republican nomination in the newly closed party primary. Several other elections will also keep the polls busy. Secretary of State Nancy Landry says what the state really needs for all these elections is elections commissioners, who are paid to help run the polling places.

Cut 4 (11) “…do our elections.”

While the number of line of duty deaths ticked up slightly in Louisiana in 2025, they dipped to historic lows nationwide. Joe Gallinaro reports.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”

Louisiana is experiencing a heat wave during this first full week of January. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says high temperatures will be touching the 80s for the rest of this work week

Cut 9 (10)  “…state of Louisiana.”

A package of auto insurance reform bills went into effect on January 1st. Can they reduce auto insurance premiums? Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Louisiana CEO Ben Albright says the modified comparative fault law should help to reduce excessive claims cost. Albright says the law prevents drivers responsible for at least 51-percent of an accident from receiving a damage award to cover their injuries.

Cut 21 (08) “…before this law.”

Albright says Louisiana still needs to reform how damages are awarded in car crashes with significant medical costs.

While the number of line-of-duty deaths across the country greatly decreased in 2025, they ticked up in Louisiana. Last year, five law enforcement officers in Louisiana were killed in the line of duty, compared to three in 2024. Bill Alexander, the CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, says nationwide, 111 were killed in the line of duty last year.

Cut 6 (06) “…148 such deaths.”

Alexander says the number of line of duty deaths reached a historic low in 2025.

2026 is going to be a big year for elections in Louisiana, including the U.S. Senate race and several special elections to fill vacancies in the legislature.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

It feels more like spring than winter. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says temperatures are running 15-degrees above normal. He says it is typical to see above-normal temperatures when a La Nina climate pattern is active…

Cut 10 (10) “…La Nina year”

Reaction to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. troops is, predictably, split down party lines. Republicans like Senator Bill Cassidy are hailing the operation.

Cut 7 (10) “…States for justice.”

But Democratic Congressman Troy Carter says there is no question that Maduro is a bad man and that the people of Venezuela have suffered under his regime. However, that does not change the fact that the U.S. had no right to act unilaterally.

Cut 10 (10) “…the relationships internationally.”

In Lafayette this morning, three people were killed in a multi-vehicle wreck at a major intersection. Lafayette Police say three vehicles were involved in the crash that happened at just after five o’ clock this morning at Johnston and East Broussard. It was foggy at the time of the crash, but police have yet to say if poor visibility contributed to the wreck.

2026 was already shaping up to be a big year for elections in Louisiana; and Secretary of State Nancy Landry says with several vacancies in the legislature, it will be even more so.

Cut 3 (11) “…May and June.”

Of course, the biggest race is that for U.S. Senate, where a handful of candidates are challenging incumbent Bill Cassidy for the Republican nomination in the newly-closed party primary. The party primary is May 16^th.

Today’s the Christian Feast of Epiphany, which means it’s the kick off of Mardi Gras Season.  Arthur Hardy, founder of the Mardi Gras  Guide, says that means lots of great things, including…

Cut 15 (06) “…they’re shipped nationally.”

Fat Tuesday is February 17th.

It’s also transfer portal season….today LSU received former Boise State safety Ty Benefield. He had 197 tackles and two interceptions for the Broncos last season.

Reaction to this weekend’s military action in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro is predictably split down party lines. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Three people were killed this morning in a multi-vehicle wreck at a major intersection in Lafayette. The identities of the victims have not been released and Lafayette Police officers are investigating what led to the crash involving three vehicles at the intersection of Johnston and East Broussard.

For the second year in a row, a major economic development project in Louisiana has been recognized by Business Facilities as the Platinum Deal of the Year. In 2024 it was Meta’s A-I data center in Richland Parish, in 2025 it was the Hyundai Steel mill Ascension Parish. Governor Jeff Landry says Louisiana is setting a new standard for economic development…

Cut 12 (04) “…for business”

Landry says Louisiana is the first state to earn back-to-back honors.

Louisiana is experiencing a heat wave during the first full week of January. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says high temperatures will be touching the 80s for the rest of this work week…

Cut 9 (10) “…state of Louisiana”

Keim says this is a La Nina winter, so it’s not unusual to have warmer than normal temperatures when a La Nina is in effect.

As we await the effects of the package of auto insurance reform bills that took effect when the calendar flipped to 2026, an influential group says the work is not done yet. Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Louisiana CEO Ben Albright says Louisiana still needs to reform how damages are awarded in car crashes with significant medical costs.

Cut 5 (07) “…in the system.”

Albright says whether additional legislation can pass is another story.

For the second year in a row, a major economic development project in Louisiana earns a prestigious honor. This time, it’s the Hyundai Steel mill in Ascension Parish that was recognized by the online resource Business Facilities as being the nation’s most significant development announcement of 2025. Governor Landry says Louisiana is the first state to earn back-to-back top honors.

Cut 13 (06)  “…a national level.”

Today is January 6th; and especially in Louisiana, that means today is Epiphany – the holiday that officially kicks off Mardi Gras season. Arthur Hardy, the founder of the Mardi Gras Guide, says despite this year’s Carnival season being shorter than last year’s, he’s looking forward to a good one.

Cut 14 (08) “…a good year.”

The Saints have closed the book on 2025 and are now looking ahead to 2026. That includes receiver Chris Olave, who had to miss the final game of the season after doctors found a blood clot in his lung. Olave says he thought he had a bruised rib after feeling pain near his lung following the game against the Titans.

Cut 19 (16) “…a blood clot.”

Olave says he is expected to make a full recovery.