Should Louisiana invest in snowplows after a snowstorm that left major roadways closed for multiple days? Jeff Palermo has the story…
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Oral arguments today before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in the ongoing lawsuit over the state’s Ten Commandments law. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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As the state thaws out we are getting a look at the damages caused by the freezing temperature to Louisiana crops. The sugarcane industry can breathe a sigh of relief as Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner, Dr. Mike Strain says fortunately most sugarcane was under snow.
Cut 3 (11) “…the cold weather.”
Strain says other crops are not in the ground yet, but for winter pastures rye grass is likely lost and until mid to late march rely on hay for feed. Strain says some good news is the long term freeze likely killed the Pine Beetles.
Cut 4 (06) “…that are problematic.”
Strain says the cold is a double edged sword when dealing with crops and pests.
Cut 5 (12) “…natural control mechanism.”
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Work continues today on the reopening of major highways closed because of snow and ice. Large portions of I-10 and I-55 are closed as well as U-S 90 in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says they’ve been chipping away on six inches of ice on elevated portions of our highway system, and they expect major progress today
Mallett says the sun has been a major ally is the thawing of our roads, but he also credits the extensive work done by DOTD crews…
Louisiana Transportation Secretary Joe Donahue says they expect the I-10 Atchafalaya Basin Bridge and the I-10 Mississippi River Bridge to reopen today, but the I-10 Twin Spans and the Bonnet Carre spillway will likely not re-open until Friday.
Mallett says not only sun has been an ally in their efforts to clear the snow and ice off the roads, so have the crews and equipment from the Arkansas Department of Transportation. He says they have much more experience when it comes to winter weather
Mallett says the Arkansas Department of Transportation brought with them 16 snowplows that also had salt spreaders.
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A three-judge panel at the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments this morning over the state’s Ten Commandments law. The law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all public school classrooms statewide is currently on hold in five parishes – East Baton Rouge, Livingston, Orleans, St. Tammany and Vernon. Solicitor General Ben Aguinaga (ah-gheen-YAH-ga) argued for the state that what makes the law constitutional is that the Ten Commandments are placed amid other historical context on specially-designed posters.
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Aguinaga says the posters were designed with Supreme Court precedent in mind.
Cut 10 (15) “…that exact concept.”
During Aguinaga’s 20-minute argument, Judge Catharina Haynes expressed skepticism that posting the Ten Commandments is truly about teaching American history.
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Jonathan Youngwood followed with his own 20-minute argument on behalf of the plaintiffs. Reading directly from the posters, Youngwood argued that the law is all about promoting Christianity in public schools.
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Youngwood said since the posters would be required to be in every public school classroom, kids would be subject to constant religious indoctrination.
Cut 13 (09) “…every single day.”
The three judges will issue their ruling at a later date; regardless of what it is, it will almost certainly be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Louisiana is beginning to thaw out. LRN Meteorologist Bill Jacquemin says who would have ever thought that 50-degrees would feel so good…
Jacquemin says temperatures will get below freezing again tomorrow morning and Saturday for much of the state and then the warm-up really gets going…