House Speaker Mike Johnson says aid for California wildfires may require 'conditions'
Plus: South Louisiana travel conditions difficult as snow accumulates.
Bossier City weather — Today: Mostly cloudy in the morning, then clearing. Highs in the mid-30s. Tonight: Clear, cold with lows around 18. Wednesday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 40s.
A Freeze Warning is in effect from midnight tonight to 9 am Wednesday.
Most of the accumulating snow has remained well south of Alexandria, with the Bossier City area seeing only light flurries. However, South Louisiana travel is difficult. DOTD has shut down I-10 from Lafayette to Port Allen, I-12 from Airline Hwy. to the I-10/12 split, I-10 from Highland Rd. to the I-10/12 split, I-55 from Laplace to Ponchatoula and many of the I-10 on/off ramps in Orleans, Jefferson and St. Charles Parishes. At 4 am, traffic cameras in Lafayette and Baton Rouge revealed snowy highways and little to no traffic. The I-10 bridge over the Mississippi into Baton Rouge was obscured by blowing snow.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson says federal aid for California wildfires may require 'conditions'
Bossier resident and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson says that Congress will likely provide billions in disaster aid to help California recover from devastating wildfires but indicated he favors placing conditions on that emergency funding.
“No one wants to leave any American who is in need hanging, so to speak, right?” said Johnson. “But at the same time, we recognize that we have a $36 trillion federal debt and we have to balance these needs. It’s about priorities.”
Johnson said he had watched footage of the fires in and around Los Angeles with “heartache.” He acknowledged that Louisiana has received significant federal disaster aid without conditions, though he said things must change.
“The Americans there that are affected desperately need and deserve help,” Johnson said. “But you’ve also heard us talk about our concerns with the governance of the state of California. And to the extent there is complicity involved in the scope of disaster, then we think that’s something that needs to be carefully regarded.”
Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for their management of water resources, fire department budgets, and forest management.
Johnson said during the press conference that Congress would ultimately follow the Trump administration’s lead on a disaster aid package but laid the groundwork for potentially shifting how lawmakers help state and local governments recover from natural disasters.
“We will follow the administration’s lead on this,” Johnson said. “But I will say we have to make sure there are safeguards on the precious treasure of the American people. There are natural disasters, of course. But if they are made much worse by human error and deliberate policy choices that were unwise and were stated as such at the time, then I think that that’s something that needs to be carefully regarded.”
– By Jennifer Shutt/Louisiana Illuminator
LDWF urges hunters to avoid accessing WMAs during extreme winter weather
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) urges hunters to avoid travel to Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) during the severe cold weather conditions.
Due to the potentially hazardous conditions, hunters and outdoorsmen are advised to exercise extreme caution when outdoors.
Travel safety: Stay off the roads if conditions are dangerous, and honor all road closures.
Inform others: Let someone know your hunting location and expected return time.
Layer up: Dress in moisture-wicking layers to stay dry, add insulation for warmth, and wear a waterproof outer layer to block wind and rain.
Protect your feet: Insulated, waterproof boots and thick wool socks are a must to avoid frostbite.
Stay hydrated: It’s easy to forget, but dehydration happens even in cold weather. Bring water or a warm drink in a thermos.
Pack smart: In case of emergencies, bring a fully charged phone, a map, a compass, and a GPS. Ensure your vehicle has emergency supplies, including jumper cables, a flashlight, a blanket, and an ice scraper.
Avoid overheating: Overheating can lead to sweating, which increases heat loss. Remove layers as needed during intense activity.
Be fire-ready: Carry materials to start a fire in case you need warmth unexpectedly.
Know the signs: Learn to recognize symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia, such as shivering, numbness, slurred speech, and confusion.
Landry, Murrill blast federal report on Louisiana State Police use of force
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and state Attorney General Liz Murrill say a U.S. Department of Justice report that slams the Louisiana State Police's use of force is "old news."
The report, which analyzed the state police's use of force from 2018 to 2023, says the state police "engages in a statewide pattern or practice of using excessive force that violates the Fourth Amendment."
The report credited the agency with making much-needed reforms to its use of force practices, including creating a Force Investigation Unit to investigate serious incidents. However, it said more reforms were necessary to "remedy the unlawful conduct" found by the Department of Justice.
The investigation was launched after the death of Ronald Greene. He was in the hands of Louisiana State Police near Monroe on May 10, 2019.
According to the report, the troopers repeatedly tased him, punched him, and left him lying facedown on the side of the road. According to the report, the troopers didn't render assistance and later tried to cover up the incident by writing a report that attributed Greene's death to an automobile collision.
The state police took 15 months to open an internal affairs investigation, which resulted in the firing of one trooper involved in the incident in September 2020. Another trooper was fired in 2021, and a third was suspended in 2021.
After his inauguration last year, Landry launched an investigation in concert with Murrill with the assistance of outside counsel, a review that the two Republicans say has been ongoing all year.
"This report, conducted under the previous administration, seeks to diminish the service and exceptionality of LSP," Landry said in a release. "We will not let that happen. The reputation of our men and women in blue is one of respect, admiration, and appreciation, and we will always have their back."
Murrill said the report follows months of inactivity and no engagement with state officials. She also accused the Justice Department of using the agency to advance a political agenda.
The report details a history of excessive use of force on nonresisting suspects, often for misdemeanor violations such as speeding. The Justice Department said troopers used force on those who were restrained and who were otherwise not a flight risk.
The report also said troopers were prone to using force not to protect themselves or others or prevent escape but for suspects who didn't immediately follow a trooper's commands.
The report said the agency's use of tasers was concerning and that troopers used excessive force "to immediately control encounters, often within the first few moments of encountering a person and without giving the person a warning or an opportunity to comply."
– By Steve Wilson/The Center Square
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