Six times the U.S. House has taken a vote to choose its new Speaker with majority leader Kevin McCarthy failing to get the 218 votes needed to take that position. Until the House chooses its next leader all congressional business is on hold. Louisiana District 6 Congressman Garret Graves says this is a lengthy process…:

CUT 12  (13)        “…34 names.”

This is the first time the House has failed to elect a speaker in the first ballot since 1913.

How are gasoline prices for Louisiana consumers in the New Year? The statewide average price of regular gas is $2.94; up over 15-cents from a week ago, but still a dime cheaper than a year ago. Louisiana AAA’s Don Redman says he expects prices to drop over the winter…:

CUT 09  (10)        “…to do with demand.”

I-10 Eastbound in Lafayette remains closed near the Evangeline Thruway due to structural damage to the overpass, says DOTD’s Rodney Mallett. Eastbound I-10 traffic is being detoured at U.S. 165 and to I-49, then U.S. 190 east. When the roadway will reopen is unknown at this hour.

Hot and dry weather, than a late summer flood, then more hot and dry weather resulted in more than 500-million dollars in crop losses for Louisiana farmers in 2022. LSU AgCenter Economist Michael Deliberto says 2022 was a good year for sugarcane, but they are still trying to determine the extent of damage from the freezing temperatures Christmas week…:

CUT 08(07)      “…first time.”

800-thousand acres of the soybean crop was damaged; 68-percent of the crop. That’s $316-million in soybean losses alone.

We’ll have some nice weather across Louisiana for the next few days, with afternoon highs raging into the low-to-mid 70’s. Our next real chance of rain comes in Sunday and Monday.