| By DREW BROACH | Deputy metro editor |
COLD DISCOMFORT: Now that the temperature in the New Orleans area has fallen as low as the Saints’ playoff prospects, you might wonder when the freeze is going to end. The exact answer depends on where you live. Also, it’s cold, yes, but not all-time record cold. JOINING FORCES: The latest effort by employers to bend the trajectory of rising health care costs finds some of south Louisiana's largest private companies forming a coalition aimed at controlling expenses without reducing quality. Six companies that provide coverage to about 38,000 employees and relatives have joined so far. Get more stories like this by subscribing to our free NOLA Business Insider newsletter, emailed weekday mornings. ONE BIG FROG: Yoga balls painted black and gold make up the eyes of a 15-foot-tall bullfrog that is one of the more spectacular bonfire structures erected this year on the Mississippi River levee between Garyville and Gramercy. Per Christmas Eve tradition, all of them will be set afire Saturday night. Thanks for starting your frigid Friday with Morning Headlines. Catch the latest news all day on NOLA.com. D.B. | 