The two teenagers killed in Tuesday’s mass shooting at a Mardi Gras celebration in Mamou have been identified. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

When you set your clocks up this weekend the State Fire Marshall’s office reminds you to change the batteries in your smoke alarms. Spokesperson Ken Pastorick says smoke alarms are proven to save lives and suggests testing your smoke alarm monthly if you can’t afford one, Operation Save-a-Life can help.

Cut 11 (10) “…smoke alarm installation.”

You can get more information and register for a smoke alarm at LASFM-dot-org.

The identity of a man whose remains were discovered in 1984 is still unknown. St. Tammany Parish Coroner Christopher Tape says Hunters found the skeletal remains near the Mississippi State Line but the circumstances surrounding the man’s demise are unclear. At the time of his death, he could have been between 18 and 40 years old and his death could have occurred anytime between the late 1960’s to the early 80’s

Cut 8 (06) “…who just disappeared.”

There was no evidence of injuries before death. There was a pocket watch and a bell with the body, and the skull had an extra tooth.

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser looked back at this Carnival in New Orleans and said it was good to see the severe weather on Tuesday did not damper the spirits though some parades times and routes were altered.

Cut 3 (12) “…get home safely”

When clocks change to Daylight Saving Time this weekend, it’s a good time to change the batteries in your smoke alarm and the State Fire Marshal’s office wants to remind Louisianans that smoke alarms save lives. Spokesperson Ken Pastorick says last year 73 people died in residential fires in Louisiana, and only three cases had working smoke alarms.

Cut 10 (13) “…save your life.”

Every year more out-of-state visitors are going to cities outside of New Orleans to experience Mardi Gras, says Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. Unfortunately, this Carnival season there were violent incidents in Franklinton and Mamou but in New Orleans Nungesser says there were a few incidents in the city but fortunately no major incidents along the parade routes.

Cut 4 (07) “…a black eye”

St. Tammany Parish investigators need your help in identifying human remains found more than 40 years ago. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Louisiana’s small business owners are urging legislators to address rising insurance costs through legal reforms in the legislative session that starts next month. According to NFIB State Director Long, lawsuit abuse is a major factor driving up insurance rates, and common-sense reforms are necessary to stabilize the market and create a fair legal system.

Cut 7 (11) “…2025 session.”

Another Carnival season has come and gone in Louisiana. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says it was good to see that the severe weather on Tuesday did not damper the spirits across south Louisiana, even though parade times were moved up and two major parades in New Orleans were shortened.

Cut 3 (12) “…get home safely” 

A man whose remains were discovered back in 1984 is still unidentified, and the coroner in St. Tammany Parish needs your help. Hunters found the remains below the I-59 bridge on the bank of the West Pearl River near the Mississippi state line. Coroner Dr. Christopher Tape says even though only the bones remained, through genetic genealogy, investigators were able to establish some characteristics.

Cut 7 (06) “…when he died.”

It’s unclear how long the remains were there before the hunters found them more than 40 years ago.

Clocks spring forward an hour this weekend, and it’s a great time to check smoke alarms too. Ken Pastorick with the Louisiana Office of the State Fire Marshal says smoke alarms are proven to save lives and that’s what happened last Saturday in Hammond.

Cut 9 (13)  “…minimal damage.”

DOTD is working to implement its strategic improvement plan. Secretary Joe Donahue says the department identified a few deficiencies in its operation – among them is the lack of consistency in the department’s messaging.

Cut 15 (08) “…get different answers.”

Donahue says another deficiency identified is the inability to deliver projects on schedule, saying in recent years, a small percentage of them were actually in the Highway Priority Program’s pipeline

Small Business owners are urging lawmakers to focus on tax reform in the upcoming legislative session. Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

A Pearl Harbor survivor from Louisiana has died at the age of 102. Jessie Alton Mahaffey of Many was stationed on the battleship USS Oklahoma when on December 7^th 1941 when it was attacked by Japanese bombers. Mahaffey was born in Florien and joined the United States Army right out of high school in 1941. Funeral services are this Saturday in Many.

A man whose remains were discovered back in 1984 is still unidentified, and the coroner in St. Tammany Parish needs your help. Hunters found the remains below the I-59 bridge on the bank of the West Pearl River near the Mississippi state line. Coroner Dr. Christopher Tape says exactly when the man died is unclear.

Cut 6 (09) “…your family history.”

Dr. Tape says even though only the bones remained, through genetic genealogy, investigators were able to establish some characteristics. They believe he’s mixed race, but he was anywhere from 18 to 40 when he died.

It’s a reacquaintance of sorts – Cleo Fields is back on Capitol Hill as a congressman for the first time in 28 years. If Congress seems much more polarized to you now compared to back then, Fields says you’re exactly right.

Cut 12 (08) “…to come back.”

A new poll suggests that Bill Cassidy’s re-election bid could be a tough one. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Lafayette Renaissance Charter High School mourns the loss of Alaya Christian, a dedicated student and victim of Mamou’s Mardi Gras mass shooting. Christian was involved in many school activities, including softball, student council, and football training. The school community is heartbroken and extends condolences to her family and friends.

Louisiana’s small business owners are urging legislators to address rising insurance costs through legal reforms in the upcoming legislative session starting April 14. NFIB State Director Leah Long says the NFIB supports legislation that would place medical damages in a trust to prevent excessive costs, cap non-economic damages at 750-thousand dollars for predictability, and bar individuals more than 50-percent at fault from recovering damages to reduce frivolous claims.

Cut 8 (11) “…taking the case”

DOTD is working to implement its strategic improvement plan. Secretary Joe Donahue says the department identified a few deficiencies in its operation – among them is the inability to deliver projects on schedule.

Cut 13 (13)  “…fall off track.”

If a new poll is any indication, Senator Bill Cassidy’s re-election bid could be a tough one. A new poll by JMC Analytics commissioned by the John Fleming campaign shows the current state treasurer leading Cassidy by 13 points in a head to head matchup. JMC Analytics Founder and President John Couvillon (KOO-ve-ahn) says the closed primary could create significant headwinds for Cassidy.

Cut 4 (13) “…Republicans and independents.”

Louisiana’s small business owners are urging legislators to address rising insurance costs in the upcoming legislative session. According to NFIB State Director Leah Long, lawsuit abuse is a major factor driving up insurance rates, and common sense reforms are necessary to stabilize the market and create a fair legal system.

Cut 7 (11) “…2025 session.”

We’re learning one of the names of the victims in the deadly Mardi Gras concert shooting in Mamou. Lafayette Renaissance Charter High School says Alaya Christian was one of the two kids killed in the shooting. The school says Christian was on the student council, a player on the softball team and an active participant in clubs and organizations. In addition to the two killed, 12 others were hurt, with two in critical condition.

DOTD is working to implement its strategic improvement plan. Secretary Joe Donahue says among the issues identified is the inability to deliver projects on schedule. He says of the projects completed in recent years, a small percentage were actually in the Highway Priority Program’s pipeline, and that’s something that will change.

Cut 14 (14) “…course of development.”

Donahue says another deficiency identified was the lack of consistency in the department’s messaging.

A new poll suggests that Senator Bill Cassidy could be in for a tough re-election campaign. The poll by JMC Analytics commissioned by the John Fleming campaign shows the current state treasurer leading Cassidy by 13 points in a head to head matchup. JMC Analytics Founder and President John Couvillon (KOO-ve-ahn) says now that the U.S. Senate primary in Louisiana is a closed primary, the challenge for Cassidy is that the electorate will be much more conservative than in years past.

Cut 5 (16) “…on his re-election.”

Speaker Mike Johnson’s chief of staff is accused of driving under the influence. Hayden Haynes was arrested Tuesday following President Trump’s address to Congress. Capitol Police say Haynes backed into a parked vehicle just before midnight Tuesday night. Haynes has been Johnson’s chief of staff since 2023.

Louisiana’s small business owners are urging legislators to address rising insurance costs through legal reforms in the upcoming legislative session. NFIB State Director Long says the organization supports legislation that would place medical damages in a trust to prevent excessive costs, cap non-economic damages at 750-thousand dollars for predictability, and bar individuals more than 50-percent at fault from recovering damages to reduce frivolous claims.

Cut 8 (11) “…taking the case”

It’s a reacquaintance of sorts – Cleo Fields is back on Capitol Hill as a congressman for the first time in 28 years. If Congress seems much more polarized to you now compared to back then, Fields says you’re exactly right.

Cut 12 (08) “…to come back.”

DOTD is working to implement its strategic improvement plan. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (36) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Louisiana’s small business owners want lawmakers to address rising insurance costs through legal reforms in the upcoming legislative session.  NFIB State Director Leah Long, says lawsuit abuse is a major factor, and needs to be addressed.

Cut 9 (05)  “…small business owners.”

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It’s a reacquaintance of sorts – Cleo Fields is back on Capitol Hill as a congressman for the first time in 28 years. Since the day that Fields left office the first time, only 19 representatives remain, none from Louisiana.  And that’s not the only change for the sixth district Congressman.

Cut 11 (07) “…done through iPhones”

It looks like Senator Bill Cassidy could be in for a tough re-election campaign next year.  That’s according to a new poll by JMC Analytics commissioned by the John Fleming campaign, which shows the current state treasurer leading Cassidy by 13 points in a head to head matchup. JMC Analytics Founder and President John Couvillon says the closed primary will be a tough one, and the campaign will begin in earnest in a few months.

Cut 6 (11) “…and this fall.”