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President Biden approves Louisiana disaster declaration
President Joe Biden made a major disaster declaration for Louisiana and ordered federal assistance to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms Feb. 11 to 19, the administration announced Tuesday. “We appreciate President Biden’s approval for this assistance. Winter weather events on this magnitude or not a […]
Catholics told to pass on J&J COVID-19 vaccine if they have a choice
The day after the Federal Drug Administration granted emergency-use authorization to a COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, the Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a statement urging Catholics to choose, if they can, the other two available vaccines. According to a statement released Sunday morning, the archdiocese instructs Catholics “that the latest vaccine from […]
State’s climate task force open to public’s ideas
Gov. John Bel Edwards’ Climate Initiatives Task Force is seeking ideas from the public it can incorporate into its final climate report to be released next year. Members of the public can make those public comments between now and April 30. The report itself is scheduled to be published in February 2022. “Two of the […]
White House amends Louisiana’s Hurricane Laura disaster declaration
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Monday that President Joe Biden has “made additional disaster assistance available” to Louisiana by “authorizing an increase in the level of federal funding for Public Assistance projects undertaken in the State of Louisiana as a result of Hurricane Laura during the period of August 22 to August 27, 2020.” […]
Louisianians encouraged to report winter storm damage to state
The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness announced Saturday that it is seeking information from residents who sustained damage to their homes or businesses during last week’s storm. GOHSEP has placed a self-reporting survey at damage.la.gov. According to the office, the survey “will help local and state emergency managers collect data to move […]
Water problems cause lingering state office closures
State offices in Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, DeSoto, Red River and Webster parishes will remain closed one week after a destructive winter storm passed through Louisiana, Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne announced Sunday evening. State offices in those northwest Louisiana parishes will be closed Monday, February 22 “due to continuing water pressure problems caused by the severe […]
As Louisiana continues freezing Gov. Edwards asks Biden for emergency declaration
Gov. John Bel Edwards asked President Joe Biden to declare an emergency in Louisiana in response to a winter storm that has caused multiple deaths, power outages and water shortages across the state. In a letter the governor sent Wednesday evening, Edwards writes, “Extreme winter weather, including record low temperatures, snow, sleet and freezing rain, has […]
Louisiana state government offices to be closed in 36 of 64 parishes Thursday
State offices across Louisiana were shut down the first three days of the week, and on Wednesday afternoon, Louisiana Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne announced that in more than half the state those offices will remain closed Thursday because of continuing bad weather. Dardenne announced office closures for Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, […]
Winter storm shuts down all state offices Monday
Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne announced Sunday that state offices will be closed statewide Monday as Louisiana braces for a winter storm. The office close, according to a statement from Dardenne’s office, “applies to all nonessential employees, including those authorized to work from home due to COVID-19.” Dardenne said his announcement may be updated as […]
Award-winning journalist Tammy C. Barney to write columns for Louisiana Illuminator
Tammy Carter Barney, an award-winning columnist who spent most of her career writing for The Times-Picayune and The Orlando Sentinel, will be writing a column twice a month for the Louisiana Illuminator. After earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Loyola University New Orleans, she covered city government and education for The Daily Comet in […]
4 Louisiana state troopers booked with excessive force in past incidents
The Louisiana State Police announced the Monday arrests of four Louisiana State Police officers from Troop F for turning off their body cameras, using excessive force on men they were arresting and lying about what happened. The troopers’ alleged crimes happened in July 2019 and May 2020. In a statement, Col. Lamar Davis, the Louisiana […]
Excerpts from President Joe Biden’s inaugural speech
Below are excerpts from President Joe Biden’s inaugural address, following his swearing-in as the nation’s 46th president: We’ll press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities. Much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain. Few […]