The National Weather Service reports a stretch of quiet, seasonable weather across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi, with clear to mostly clear conditions expected Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday and little to no chance of rain. High temperatures will generally range from the upper 50s to mid-60s, with overnight lows dipping into the upper 20s to mid-40s. Baton Rouge and New Orleans are expected to see highs near the mid-60s midweek before cooling slightly, while McComb and Gulfport will follow a similar trend. Forecasters say a cold front is expected to move through late Thursday into early Friday, bringing cooler temperatures but no significant rainfall, keeping conditions dry and calm through the end of the week.
–The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash that occurred early Sunday morning, Jan. 11, in Abita Springs. Deputies say a Chevrolet pickup truck traveling on Louisiana Highway 435 near Brook Forest Road left the roadway for unknown reasons shortly before 5 a.m., crossed a ditch and struck a tree. The male driver and a male passenger were taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, where the driver was pronounced dead. The crash remains under investigation.
–New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno signed 13 executive orders on her first day in office Monday, Jan. 12, launching an aggressive effort to reorganize city government and address basic services residents say have lagged for years. The directives target long-standing infrastructure and operational issues citywide, including potholes, broken streetlights and government efficiency, with orders establishing a permanent in-house street maintenance unit, creating a citywide “Lights On” initiative for streetlight repairs, and forming an infrastructure coordinating council to better align public works agencies. Moreno also signed orders restructuring senior leadership through a new deputy mayor system, launching a budget stabilization and efficiency program, reviewing public safety readiness, setting workplace conduct standards, reassessing outside employment by city officials, and curtailing non-essential travel — a ban that explicitly applies to the mayor’s office during the city’s financial crisis. Additional orders focus on youth and family services, municipal building needs, climate and resilience policy, and revoking or reviewing executive orders from the previous administration, which Moreno said are aimed at restoring accountability, improving basic services and rebuilding public trust.
–Washington Parish deputies are asking for the public’s help in locating a missing juvenile reported missing around noon after not being seen since late Saturday night. Authorities say 15-year-old Deliliah Mcelveen was last seen at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 11 off Keaton Road outside of Bogalusa. She is described as a white female, about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing approximately 150 pounds, with long red hair, and was last seen wearing all black. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to contact the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office at 985-839-3434.
–Slidell police say a small electrical fire prompted a temporary evacuation at the Slidell Police Department on Sgt. Alfred Drive earlier in the day. The fire involved an air handler located above the jail, and all occupants were safely evacuated while crews with St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1 responded and contained the issue. Police officials said there were no injuries, the problem was isolated, and operations have since returned to normal at both the police station and the jail.
–Louisiana State Sen. Valarie Hodges says she is hopeful for positive updates at the Comite River Diversion Project Task Force meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 10 a.m., where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development are expected to provide long-awaited progress reports on the billion-dollar flood mitigation project. After months of delays tied to a federal shutdown, leadership changes at the Corps and other setbacks, Hodges said officials have agreed to present an update on the project’s status, including a possible completion timeline and information on anticipated flood insurance rate reductions. The Comite River Diversion Project is designed to provide critical flood control benefits for the greater Baton Rouge area, and Hodges said she will continue pressing for transparency and oversight to ensure the long-delayed project moves forward for the residents who depend on it.
–The Hammond Police Department is asking for the public’s help in solving a residential burglary reported in the 400 block of Sentell Drive, where several antique items, pieces of furniture, electronics and irreplaceable photographs with significant sentimental value were stolen. Investigators say anyone with information related to the burglary is urged to contact Detective Corey Morse with the Hammond Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at 985-277-5758 or by email at morse_cm@hammond.org, through the department’s Facebook page, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa at 1-800-554-5245, where tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.
–The Franklinton Police Department is warning residents about scam calls in which individuals are falsely claiming to be Chief Justin Brown, with some calls appearing on caller ID as coming from the police department. Officials stress that Chief Brown is not calling anyone about fines, warrants, payments or donations, and that the department will never request money or personal information over the phone. Residents who receive such calls are urged not to provide any personal or financial information and to hang up immediately, as police encourage the public to stay alert and share the warning to help protect others in the community.
–WDSU reports that federal and state authorities conducted a search at Smitty’s Supply plant in Roseland in November, according to Environmental Protection Agency records, following a large August explosion that released oil into the Tangipahoa River and surrounding lakes. While details of the investigation remain unclear, the records indicate that after two days, FBI and state police agents departed the site, leaving the EPA response team to continue overseeing the environmental cleanup.
–Several North Oaks Health System clinics are relocating beginning Jan. 12, 2026, as part of an effort to better serve patients, with primary care, family medicine, infectious disease and rheumatology services moving to new locations on the North Oaks campus. The Primary Care Clinic will operate out of two locations, including Building 4, Suite 200 at 15770 Paul Vega, MD, Drive, and Family Medicine at Medical Arts Plaza, Building 19, while the Infectious Disease and Rheumatology clinics will relocate to Building 4, Suite 204 at the same Paul Vega Drive address. North Oaks officials say the moves are designed to improve access and coordination of care, and patients can schedule appointments or get additional information by calling (985) 230-APPT.
