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Louisiana braces for extreme winter weather BR area near ‘icing line’ with worse conditions to north
STAFF PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon speaks during an assembly at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans on Wednesday.
McMahon promotes ‘patriotic education’
Secretary of education visits La. charter school BY PATRICK WALL
Staff writer
Both the governor and State Climatologist Jay Grymes said the worst impacts will be in central and north Louisiana, with a maximum of 1 inch of accumulated surface ice in some areas. “These accumulation amounts would be crippling,” Grymes said. “Add in a three-day-long continuous freeze, that’s a formula for potential widespread closures into next week.” Grymes said north Louisiana should prepare for a “triple whammy”: first ice, then snow and finally cold air. The threat of dangerous ice is most
The country’s top education official returned to Louisiana this week as part of a nationwide tour, where she praised the state’s educational gains, joined the governor in a school second-line and played the role of national cheerleader for what President Donald Trump has called “patriotic education.” U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon‘s visit, which included stops on Wednesday at Sophie B. Wright Charter School and The National WWII Museum, was part of a crosscountry tour celebrating America’s 250th anniversary this year and promoting an unapologetically pro-America civics and history education. That promotion started as soon as she addressed the hundreds of students gathered in the Sophie B. Wright auditorium. “I want to hear a resounding cheer from all of you,” she said, “for the greatest country in the world: the United States of America!” How to teach America’s story to students is a perpetually contentious topic, but today’s political polarization has cranked up
ä See WEATHER, page 4A
ä See PATRIOTIC, page 5A
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Gov. Jeff Landry speaks at a news conference Thursday on the severe winter weather expected to hit Louisiana this weekend. BY ELLYN COUVILLION and QUINN COFFMAN Staff writers
A winter storm watch is in effect for the Baton Rouge area this weekend, from late Saturday night until 6 p.m. Sunday, as the entire state of Louisiana prepares for extreme winter weather, the National Weather Service said Thursday. Total ice accumulations of around one-tenth of an inch are expected in Baton Rouge with locally higher accumulations of up to a quarter-inch possible. “Difficult travel conditions are pos-
sible,” the weather service said. There is a 90% chance of rain Saturday night, with a low temperature of 39 degrees, the agency said. A 90% chance of rain continues on Sunday, with a low of 24 degrees predicted, the weather service said. Gov. Jeff Landry urged all Louisiana residents to plan ahead for the inclement and potentially dangerous weather conditions. “We are preparing for significant impacts across the state starting as early as Friday in our northwestern parishes,” Landry said Thursday during a news conference about the weather. “I beg you, please take this serious.”
Emerson exits U.S. Senate race
ASCENSION PARISH
More votes set on deal for use of baseball fields
BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
State Rep. Julie Emerson dropped out of the U.S. Senate race on Thursday, becoming the first political casualty of U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow’s sudden entry into the election two days earlier. Emerson’s move comes as no big surprise — she had said she was running only because Letlow hadn’t declared her candidacy. Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, became a formidable challenger to Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, after President Donald Trump endorsed her on Saturday. “With Congresswoman Letlow’s entry into the race, the path to victory that was visible a couple of months ago has diminished,” Emerson posted on social media Thursday. “I support President
BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer
STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK
State Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, is serving in her third term in the Louisiana House of ä See EMERSON, page 4A Representatives.
WEATHER HIGH 66 LOW 47 PAGE 8B
The bases are loaded in Ascension Parish, as an agreement about who can use the Gonzales baseball fields heads to a vote in the Parish Council and Gonzales City Council. If approved, the agreement allows the parish to use the baseball and softball fields at Tee Joe Park, Municipal Park and BergeronGaudin Park for parish programming. That includes the parish’s agreement with AP Baseball league, which has more than 1,300 players, said Pamela Matassa,
Business ......................4D Commentary ................7B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................8D Deaths .........................4B Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....5D-7D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C
communications director for the parish government. The agreement states that other groups, such as traveling baseball teams, may reserve the fields for a fee if scheduling permits. That has led to a sticking point at the city level, because AP Baseball gets priority, leading to a lack of availability for other teams and programs. Speaking at the city’s Jan. 12 meeting, Gonzales resident Randell Williams said travel leagues have previously paid the city to
ä See BASEBALL, page 5A
101ST yEAR, NO. 207