Is this another COVID wave? We crunched the numbers and talked to experts.

The Advocate's Top Headlines

with Matthew Albright | Assistant metro editor

Good morning! Here are some of our favorite stories from the past 24 hours or so.

Another COVID wave?

Fueled by the more-infectious omicron variant of the coronavirus, COVID cases are starting to surge again in Louisiana.

Our reporters ran the numbers, talked to doctors, and observed long testing lines to get a picture of how bad things are as we go into the holidays. Here's what they found.

"What is the world coming to?"

Instead of celebrating Christmas together, the family of Tony Smith is planning a funeral. The husband and father of four was fatally shot Sunday, the latest to die in a record-shattering surge of gun violence in Baton Rouge.

We talked to his family, who shared with us their shock and grief at his death.

Political battle looms

Conflict is brewing on the Baton Rouge Metro Council over how to fill the seat that will come open when Erika Green resigns to become a judge.

Green's fellow Democrats want the election to be in March, arguing constituents deserve to pick their representative as soon as practical. But some Republicans don't want the vote to happen until November; they argue those elections, which have bigger races, will have higher turnout.

The debate is starting to get heated, with accusations of racisim and political power plays starting to fly. One of our city politics reporters explains what's going on and why it matters.

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!