Good morning, Slidell.

Covington-based Hornbeck Offshore completed a Sept.

1 merger with Helix that created a $1.9 billion, 83-vessel fleet and restored the company to the NYSE, expanding work in wind, fiber, defense and offshore decommissioning. The company plans a nuclear-powered ship test on the Gulf Coast in late 2027 or early 2028.

The CDC says Louisiana has the highest flu activity in the continental U.S., and the state has recorded about 100 flu deaths so far this season; doctors say the season started early, H1N1 is prevailing (a mutation has been noted), and low vaccination plus high uninsured rates raise risk.

FMOL Health unveiled a mobile mammography unit today that will begin service in the Our Lady of the Lake community from Baton Rouge to the Northshore, with later stops in Acadiana and North Louisiana (screenings by appointment).

Saints owner Gayle Benson posted an open letter Wednesday, Oct.

28, thanking fans who traveled to Paris for the team's first NFL game in France and saying the visit could boost business, tourism, and cultural ties between Louisiana and France.