Olivia Vidal
Anchor
A Mandeville native, Olivia Vidal covered news all around Louisiana before returning home to join the FOX 8 News team.
She has previously worked at FOX 8's sister stations, KPLC in Lake Charles and KSLA in Shreveport.
She began her TV career at KPLC as a reporter after graduating from LSU in 2011.
She left in 2013 to take on a morning reporter position at KPLC’s sister station, KSLA News 12, in Shreveport.
Olivia returned to KPLC in 2014 to help launch a Raycom Media smartphone app before accepting a position with a local public relations firm. From there, she moved into a communications specialist role for a local petrochemical company in the Greater Lake Charles area.
After two years of working in the petrochemical industry, she returned to KPLC before joining the FOX8 team.
Officials say the number of crimes involving young teens is on the rise in the relatively quiet Lafourche Parish community.
Employees for the nonprofit said the theft has caused work to pause on several homes under construction for families in need.
For many residents impacted by Hurricane Ida in 2021, they’re still living in trailers in their driveways while work continues inside their homes.
Cantrell's office says the taxpayer money was used to foster and preserve New Orleans culture, but critics say it’s a distraction from her work here at home.
The 23-year-old off-duty police officer was riding a bike in the French Quarter when attacked around 3 a.m., the NOPD said
There have been 276 shootings so far this year in New Orleans, with 130 of them fatal, the Metropolitan Crime Commission said.
Police said a 59-year-old man was critically wounded Sunday when shot during a carjacking by one of six Bridge City youth detention center escapees
Hundreds of thousands of people are making their way to New Orleans for the return of Essence Festival.
Restaurant Week in New Orleans brings special menus and dining deals to drive business to local restaurants as tourism starts to slow down in the city.
The heat is on and many are finding higher energy bills as the temperatures outside continue to climb.
Police are investigating reports of shots fired at the old Naval Base.
Police have been silent since Augustine Greenwood was killed at Morris Jeff's graduation ceremony.
A server at a New Orleans restaurant received a generous tip from a customer. She said it was the answer to her prayers and now she is paying it forward.
With one week before the start of hurricane season, many are still recovering from Hurricane Ida and concerned about what this year may bring.
Former Saints coach Sean Payton gave a commencement address Saturday (May 14) to Loyola University graduates, including his wife Skylene Montgomery.
The names of those lost at sea will be forever remembered at the Lady of the Gulf memorial in Port Fourchon.
Over the last 24 hours, family members of Linda Frickey have gotten little to no sleep. The phone is ringing off the hook and visitors are stopping by around the clock to console the family.
Reflecting on the last two years, doctors say the discoveries and advancements in science are remarkable.
The family of Ciaya Whetstone says they still have no information about a cause of death or any information from Uber about the driver’s background or the route they took that fateful night.
Grand Isle residents are determined to bring the island back even better than before. But bouncing back after Hurricane Ida won’t be something that happens overnight.
Homes and camps are still destroyed, while others are being rebuilt, and the roadways are starting to clear. But residents are pushing forward.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, doctors say you should just assume you have it and stay home.
Day one of the new vaccine mandate and New Orleans businesses are already feeling the impact.
Houma resident LaTosha Williams and her family have been living in a camper in the front yard of her damaged home. Hurricane Ida was over four months ago and she said she’s still waiting for insurance money so she can rebuild.
While there have been talks at City Hall about changing routes, krewes are still waiting to find out whether those changes will happen.
The hunt is on, and it isn't for wild game.
Many residents in parishes hardest hit by Hurricane Ida continue to wait for a temporary housing solution, like FEMA trailers, while others are taking matters into their own hands for survival.
In a cell phone video from a passenger on the school bus, you see the parents on board the bus confronting Anderson. Then the parents dragged Anderson off the bus and continued to beat and kick her at the bus stop, next to the bus full of students.
The CDC said opioids accounted for the highest number of overdose deaths.
As many restaurants reopen, they are now dealing with a supply shortage as the Louisiana seafood industry took a big hit during Hurricane Ida, specifically the oyster industry.
As local and state officials look for more funding for housing, some believe the affordable housing crisis before the storm is only getting worse as supply is low but the demand for homes and rentals is high.
French Quarter businesses are feeling the impact of the city-wide vaccine mandate as they say tourism takes a nosedive.
The city of New Orleans says it is in a dangerous situation.
One week after receiving the COVID vaccine, House Republican Whip Steve Scalise sent out a tweet arguing the CDC’s face mask advisory for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated. He said it only discourages people from getting the vaccine in the first place.
Bryan Thompson, 43, is married to Audrey. He has a 6-year-old son named Endymion. He works for an IT company from home. He says he’s otherwise a healthy man, but he is unvaccinated against COVID-19.
Doctors are seeing more unvaccinated COVID patients come to the hospital, and say more education is needed to help people understand how the vaccines work.
“We’re gonna eat, drink and shop,” said Missy Reeder, who is visiting from Tennessee. “We were off and why not? It was just a spur of the moment thing.”
“The big ragers, the really disruptive parties, that’s what we care about the most; what we’re really trying to stop.”
The increase in carjackings is shaking up neighborhoods across the city where residents are begging for more enforcement and police presence.
“We actually built the hotel, renovated it, got it open and then the pandemic hit,” said Mike Defrino, CEO of Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants. He said building a hotel in the middle of a global pandemic was scary and difficult.
Dwayne Lewis-- a survivor of the lift boat-- said he was convinced he was going to die.
This coming carnival season, parade-goers can expect every tandem float to have a safety barrier system in place between each connected float.
Doctors are urging people to get vaccinated if they haven’t already.
In the middle of all the destruction, there are stories of recovery.
“The Saints have some of the best fans you know in the world you know so I am looking forward to it,” said fan Sargon James.
Locally, drivers may see a jump in the price of gasoline, but they won’t be hit hard like other states.
A New Orleans woman is pleading for help in bringing her father home.
Investigators with the New Orleans Police Department are scratching their heads as to why the medical vehicle was stolen in the first place.
The United Cajun Navy and stars from the show "Swamp People" are hoping more people will get involved with the search for the remaining crewmembers of Seacor Power.
Search and rescue resumes Friday morning for 12 missing crew members in the aftermath of the lift boat disaster at Port Fourchon.
