Bogalusa Police offer some pushback on the mayor’s request for the National Guard to come get crime under control in the Washington Parish town. Mayor Tyrin Truong sent a letter to Governor John Bel Edwards asking for State Police and/or the Louisiana National Guard to intervene. Bogalusa P.D. detective Captain David Miller tells WWL radio in New Orleans the police are not against outside assistance…:

CUT 11(08)      “…National Guard.”

However, he says Guardsmen are trained to be soldiers and using them as cops could leads to unforeseen problems. Miller says cops and the mayor are in agreement about needing more actual cops on the street.

A number of schools and offices across southern Louisiana have closed today in anticipation of severe weather moving through. There are tornado watches posted for southwestern Louisiana until 6 pm. The worst of the bad weather should be moving out of the state by late tonight. Tomorrow should be partly cloudy and cold.

State lawmakers go into special session Monday to put together a plan to bring new private property insurance companies to Louisiana, but not everyone is on board. The proposal is to use $45-million in surplus cash to make an incentive fund for new incoming insurers. Thibodaux Republican Representative Bryan Fontenot says there may be better uses for that $45-million…:

CUT 07(12)      “…in our state.”

Fontenot says there’s no talk of possible tort reform which could help lower insurance costs for property owners, nor discussion of possibly reforming the state-run last-resort insurer Louisiana Citizens so it is more affordable.

More Louisiana teachers are choosing to stay in their jobs. Education superintendent Cade Brumley says there’s been a 5-percent increase in teacher retention…:

CUT 03(12)      “…and appreciate.”

The average teacher salary in Louisiana has increased to about $52-thousand.