This hour, Newell addresses outgoing Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, granting excessive vacation time, creating a bookkeeping nightmare for the agency, and Congress's thin margin of passing the Laken Riley Act. Then, Newell opens the phone lines and the WWL callers chime in about government employees' insurance, how illegal immigrant criminals should face American justice, and workers from other Gulf Coast states migrating to New Orleans.

On today's show, Newell talks about the cease-fire and hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas and Gaza.

Then, Newell speaks with:

Colonel Jeff McCausland, CBS military analyst,

Billy Nungesser, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana,

Joan Alker, Executive Director of the Center for Children and Families and a Research Professor at the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy,

and Rafael Goyeneche, President of the Metropolitan Crime Commission.

This hour, Newell has on Rafael Goyeneche, President of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, to talk about the NOPD going into a two-year sustainment period, the New Year's Bourbon St. terror attack, and the latest on the Operation Sideswipe case.

This hour, Newell talks about the latest of the Israeli/Hamas cease-fire in Gaza. Then, Joan Alker, Executive Director of the Center for Children and Families and a Research Professor at the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, joins Newell to talk about to a new study that shows Medicaid plays a bigger role in providing health coverage to people in rural and small towns than it does in metro areas.

According to a new study, Medicaid plays a bigger role in providing health coverage to people in rural and small towns than it does in metro areas. The report by Georgetown University and the University of North Carolina NC Rural Health Research Program found that non-elderly adults and children in rural areas and small towns are more likely than those living in cities to rely on Medicaid for their health insurance. As a consequence, reductions in federal Medicaid funding being contemplated in Congress are more likely to cause greater harm to these communities than metro areas. Joan Alker, Executive Director of the Center for Children and Families and a Research Professor at the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy, joins Newell to discuss it.

This hour, Newell speaks with Colonel Jeff McCausland, CBS military analyst, about the Israel/Hamas cease-fire and hostage deal in Gaza. Then, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser comes on to talk about bollards in Jackson Square, the upcoming Washington Mardi Gras costume ball, the Keep America Beautiful Conference, and the Super Bowl parade.

Billy Nungesser, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, joins Newell to talk about the bollards in Jackson Square, the upcoming Washington Mardi Gras costume ball, the Keep America Beautiful Conference, the Super Bowl parade, and Shaq as the King of Bacchus.

Israel and Hamas agree to a Gaza cease-fire and hostage deal that will take effect Sunday. Almost 100 people are still captive inside Gaza: Israel’s military says it believes at least a third are dead. The three-phased agreement would begin with the release of 33 women, children, older adults, and wounded civilians in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian women and children imprisoned by Israel. Soldiers and other male captives would be released in the second phase. Colonel Jeff McCausland, CBS military analyst, joins Newell to discuss the negotiation.

On today's show, Newell talks about the state beginning the sweeps of homeless encampments in New Orleans, Congress voting for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, and President Biden lifting Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list.

Then, Newell has on:

Michael Hecht, President & CEO of GNO Inc.,

Joe Threat, Sr. Deputy Chief Administrative Officer/ Infrastructure and Chief Resilience Officer for the City of New Orleans,

Collin Arnold, Director of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness for New Orleans,

and Michael Glasser, President of PANO.

(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

This hour, Newell speaks with Collin Arnold, Director of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness for New Orleans, about the public safety measures being implemented ahead of Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras. Then, Michael Glasser, President of PANO, joins the show to discuss the NOPD entering into a two-year sustainment period to exit the federal consent decree.