Classes and offices will remain closed through today, Jan. 22, due to snow received in the area. Campus administration anticipates reopening on Thursday.
Hattie B’s will be open for brunch and dinner.
Student Life is holding a snowman contest. Build the best snowman and send a picture for the chance to win a Chick-Fil-A gift card (Bonus points if you use LCU logos or colors). Email them to Brian.manuel@lcuniversity.edu for a chance to win.
The Alexandria International Airport has announced that AEX is now open and operational amid winter weather precautions. However, at this time, both Delta Air Lines and American Airlines have canceled their flights scheduled for tonight.
Both airlines are currently working through logistics with flight crews and staffing to ensure a safe and smooth return to regular operations. AEX anticipates flights will resume tomorrow and encourage passengers to check directly with their airlines for updates on specific flights.
For further information, passengers are encouraged to contact their airline for the latest updates.
“We are excited to reopen AEX and welcome passengers back,” said Ralph Hennessy, C.M., Executive Director., “While tonight’s cancellations are unfortunate, we are working closely with Delta and American Airlines to support their efforts in resuming normal operations as soon as possible. We thank our travelers for their patience and understanding.”
For more information about England Airpark, visit www.englandairpark.org.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is providing an update on the latest weather-related closures on state routes throughout Louisiana. Motorists should keep in mind that conditions change rapidly and roadways may be closed suddenly if they’re unsafe for travel.
As of January 21, 2025, at 10:00 am, the following state roadways are closed:
Assumption Parish
U.S. 90 in both directions between Amelia and Des Allemonds
Calcasieu Parish
I-210 between I-10 east and west interchanges
East Baton Rouge Parish
I-12 westbound between Airline Highway and the I-10/I-12 split
I-10 westbound between Highland Road and the I-10/I-12 split
I-110 in both directions between the I-10/I-110 split and U.S. 61 Natchez
I-10 eastbound between LA 415 and Washington Street
I-10 westbound between the I-10/I-12 split and LA 415
Iberia Parish
U.S. 90 at the LA 88 overpass
Lafayette Parish
I-10 in both directions between I-49 and LA 415
Lafourche Parish
LA 20 in both directions on the St. Patrick Bridge
U.S. 90 in both directions between Amelia Street to Des Allemonds
LA 1 bridge between Port Fourchon and Leeville
LA 308 between 7th Street and Herbert Street (Larose Highrise Bridge)
Orleans Parish
U.S. 90B HOV lanes in both directions on the Crescent City Connection
U.S. 90B (Westbank Expressway) between Westwood Drive and LA 428
U.S. 90 B between I-10 and Tchoupitoulas Street
LA 407 (Woodland Highway) bridge between General De Gaulle and LA 406
LA 39 (Claiborne Bridge) between Poland Avenue and Tennessee Street
Plaquemines Parish
LA 23 bridge between Levee Road and Buccaran Road
Pointe Coupee Parish
LA 10 in both directions between LA 1 and U.S. 61
Rapides Parish
NOW OPEN: U.S. 165B in both directions on Jackson Street Bridge
LA 8 in both directions on the Boyce Bridge
St. Charles Parish
LA 3127 south ramp to I-310 northbound
I-310 in both directions between U.S. 90 and I-10, except for the Hale Boggs Bridge between LA 18 and LA 48
St. John the Baptist Parish
I-10 in both directions between U.S. 51 and U.S. 190B
I-55 in both directions between I-10 and LA 22
Terrebonne Parish
LA 3087 (Prospect Boulevard) between Coteau Road and Hayes Street
Drivers should avoid being on the roadways if travel is not absolutely necessary.
For the most up-to-date road status information, DOTD offers motorists various resources:
511 Traveler Information: Travelers can find information regarding road closures by downloading the Louisiana 511 mobile app or by visiting the 511 Traveler Information website at http://www.511la.org. This website offers updates in real time, along with access to our live-stream traffic cameras.
MyDOTD: Motorists can receive up-to-date information on local projects, lane and road closures, and other DOTD activity by signing up via email for MyDOTD at http://www.dotd.la.gov.
Social Media: Find DOTD on social media for updates and information. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
RPSB is continuing to closely monitor this winter storm and is in frequent communication with local authorities. Currently, the forecast does not predict temperatures to be above freezing for more than a couple hours today.
Additionally, the region is expecting extremely cold temperatures through the night. These expected
low temperatures will prevent the snow and ice from adequately melting. These conditions create a substantial risk of unsafe driving conditions for both personal vehicles and buses.
Therefore, all Rapides Parish Public Schools and offices will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Further updates will be communicated via the mass notification system, on their website, rpsb.us, and on social media channels.
By JIM BUTLER
As thermostats go up today to deal with another abnormal weather event, be consoled with the fact your electricity rate is among the lowest nationally.
Not so encouraging as snow/ice encapsulates limbs and lines is that the state’s electricity grid reliability falls short of the national average.
To summarize — you’ll pay less per kilowatt hour for electricity to keep you warm than residents of most other states today, if you are able to get electricity service.
And weather-related interruptions are nothing new to Louisiana.
According to a Legislative Auditor’s report on electricity generation and consumption issued this month, Louisiana had 47 weather-related disaster events 2014-2024 in which overall costs reached $1 billion. (The audit does not cast blame for the disasters. Nor does it break out data for individual utilities.) Even exceeding major-event outages, the state grid had one of the highest number and duration of outages in the Southern region.
Extreme weather and climate change are among multiple risks to the grid as it transitions from the traditional large power plant systems to other generation alternatives, the audit notes.
The state has one of highest per capita to electricity consumption rates in the U.S., the audit notes, with natural gas the primary fuel for generating the juice.
In 2023 the average Louisiana residential customer used 46.3 percent more than the average American residential customer.
The state average retail price was below the average rate nationally before increases due to costs of rebounding from extreme weather and natural gas price rises.
As of June 2024 the state was at the bottom in average retail price for residential electricity.
The average monthly residential bill in 2023 was $143, the audit shows, an increase of $19 since 2010.
(Extremes in monthly residential average in 2023 were Hawaii, about $210, and Washington State, $110.)
The report discusses alternative generation scenarios, Public Service Commission needs and concerns, and long-term access and affordability for all segments of the population.
It can be read at the state Legislative Auditor website.
We’re in a “polar vortex” and it’s time to hunker down, get comfortable and read a book.
None of the three books I’ve read recently are hot off the shelf, but they were all written by Southern writers – Willie Morris (Mississippi), Pat Conroy (South Carolina) and Tom Callahan (Virginia).
The first is by Mississippi’s Willie Morris (1934-1999), a native of Jackson who was raised in Yazoo City and spent his later years in Oxford. It’s titled “Shifting Interludes – Selected Essays Edited by Jack Bales” and my favorite essay of the bunch is “The Day I Followed the Mayor around Town.”
Morris, who authored “My Dog Skip,” wrote about a stray black lab named Pete at the New York village of Bridgehampton, where Morris lived and worked for a while. Pete got to know and befriend everyone in town, so much so that he was nicknamed the “Mayor.” Morris followed him around town one day.
“His first stop,” he wrote, “was in front of the Polish grocery, where he greeted the old men who loiter there at all hours. ‘There’s the Mayor!’ one of them shouted, and the other swiftly joined in the chorus. Pete made his salutations to each person, then sat among them for a while watching the cars go by. A large dog named Cato, known in the village as Pete’s police commissioner, appeared from around a corner and sat next to Pete scanning the morning scene – a kind of informal policy conference perhaps. … Then he went to each of the three bars in the village to give his respects to the morning beer drinkers. In the bars there was much amiable banter directed his way, and one solicitation in particular: “Here’s our Mayor! How about a Budweiser, Your Honor!”
Pat Conroy (1945-2016), perhaps most known for writing “Price of Tides,” was born in Atlanta and was a military brat who moved around a lot as a youth but his heart and residence for most of his life was in South Carolina, where he lived most of his life. In “South of Broad,” Conroy drew me in from the start.
“It was my father who called the city the Mansion on the River,” he wrote. “He was talking about Charleston, South Carolina, and he was a native son, peacock proud of a town so pretty it makes your eyes ache with pleasure just to walk down its spellbinding, narrow streets. Charleston was my father’s ministry, his hobbyhorse, his quiet obsession, and the great love of his life. His bloodstream lit up my own with a passion for the city that I’ve never lost nor ever will.”
Finally, kudos go to Tom Callahan, 79, from Reston, Va., for “Arnie – The Life of Arnold Palmer.”
Palmer was so beloved by millions of golf fans, including my grandmother, Mumbo, who was part of “Arnie’s Army” and introduced me to Palmer while watching him on TV compete in the Masters in the early 1960s.
He was famous for making time for anyone, signing autographs after tournaments until the last one was requested. Unlike many of his peers, he often warmly interacted with members of the gallery.
Callahan tells the story about his intervening with a gallery member during a round when a 10-year-old boy panicked after he became separated from his parents in crowds following Palmer at Pebble Beach.
“Palmer went into gallery,” he wrote, “reassured him, took him by the hand, and walked him down the middle of the fairway, knowing Roger’s parents would see him there. Sure enough, a mother’s voice immediately called out, ‘Roger!’”
The boy was Roger Maltbie, who went on to enjoy a successful golf career as both a PGA Tour player and TV commentator.
Palmer’s most fierce rival was Jack Nicklaus, and in 2012 when Palmer was among six former athletes receiving a Congressional Gold Medal, Nicklaus gave a testimony about him.
“When I first saw Arnold Palmer hit a golf ball, I was just fourteen years old. I had just come off the golf course in Sylvania, Ohio, playing a practice round before the Ohio State Amateur. It was pouring down rain. I was the only person on the golf course. As I walked by the practice tee, there was one person there. I stood and watched him. I didn’t know who he was – I just looked at this strong guy with big hands and broad shoulders, hitting these short irons, driving them into the rain.
“I watched for a while and I said, “Man is that guy strong. I wonder who he is.” I walked into the clubhouse and I said, “Who’s the guy out there on the practice range?” and they said, “Oh, that’s our defending champion, Arnold Palmer.”
Finally, there’s this from Callahan about a charming Palmer interaction with a fan. About 20 years ago, Arnie went with a dentist, an agent and a magazine editor to play a lazy round in his hometown of Latrobe, Pa.
“As they reached the third tee, adjacent to a road,” Callahan wrote, “a convertible screeched to a stop and the driver vaulted out. Running to the tee with his hand extended, he shouted, ‘Mr. Palmer! Mr. Palmer! I’ve got to shake your hand! I grew up in Pittsburgh! You’ve been my idol my whole life, since I was a kid! I talk to my own kids about you now.! To be able to meet you in person, this is the greatest experience of my life! If I could just shake the hand of Arnold Palmer, it would mean the world to me!
“Arnie beamed, shook the man’s hand, and asked him, ‘Where do you live?’ They talked for a few animated minutes, like old barracks buddies. Then Palmer turned to the others and said, ‘Do you guys know my friend, Bob? He’s a Pittsburgher.’
“After about 25 minutes of introductions and small talk, Bob started back to this car. ‘Hey, Bobby,” Palmer called after him. ‘Do you happen to have a camera with you?’ ‘On my phone in the car,’ he said. ‘Go get it. Wouldn’t it be nice to capture this moment? We’ll wait.’
“The picture was taken, the man drove away, and the game resumed,” Callahan wrote. “This was Arnie and his fans, all of whom he knew by their first names.”
Continue your article here…
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development advises motorists that beginning on Monday, January 20, 2025 at 9:00 p.m., the US 165-Business bridge over the Red River in Rapides Parish will be closed to all vehicular and marine traffic until further notice.
The purpose of the closure is to promote safety for the traveling public and DOTD workforce during the anticipated winter weather event. The bridge will be reopened to vehicular and marine traffic as soon as it is verified that the event is over and no ice is present on the bridge deck.
This bridge is located approximately 0.11 miles East of LA 1208-3.
DOTD encourages the public to avoid all unnecesary travel during inclement weather.
Permit/Detour Information:
Detour via I-49 and US 167 (Purple Heart Memorial Bridge).
Safety reminder:
DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution through the construction site and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment. Remember to leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you.
Area residents should exercise caution when driving, walking, or biking near an active construction zone.
POSTPONED, ROAD CLOSURE: Elevated sections of I-49 from Exit 80 (Macarthur Dr.) to Exit 94 (Rapides Station Rd), Rapides Parish
(UPDATE – 1/20/2025 8:00 pm): DOTD advises motorists that the previously planned closure of the below referenced elevated section of I-49 in Alexandria has been postponed at this time.
Staff will closely monitor the forecast to determine if further adjustments to this plan need to be made.
DOTD continues to urge the public to avoid any unnecessary travel during inclement weather.
(Original notification – 1/20/2025 1:00 pm):
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development advises motorists that beginning on Monday, January 20, 2025 at 8:00 p.m., I-49 though Alexandria will be closed from Exit 80 (the southern junction of MacArthur Dr.) to Exit 94 (Rapides Station Rd.), due to anticipated winter weather conditions.
This closure will remain in effect until the roadway has been deemed safe for travel. This closure includes all entry and exit ramps between these exits.
Permit/Detour Section:
Northbound traffic will be detoured to Exit 80, to US 71 NB (MacArthur Dr.) to NB LA 1, to EB Rapides Station Rd., to NB I-49.
Southbound traffic will be detoured to Exit 94, to WB Rapides Station Rd., to SB LA 1, to SB US 71 (MacArthur Dr.), to SB I-49.
Safety reminder:
DOTD advises the public that the forecasted weather conditions may result in hazardous driving conditions on state roads and bridges in various regions of Louisiana. During inclement weather, motorists should avoid all unnecessary travel. If travel is unavoidable, drivers will need to use EXTREME caution. DOTD will be monitoring the bridges and elevated structures, and will be ready to apply salt over affected bridges, remove fallen trees from the roadway, and close routes as needed.
Make an effort to be aware of your surroundings and be watchful of DOTD personnel and equipment dispensing de-icing/anti-icing material.
Additional information:
Call 511, visit www.511la.org, or download the Louisiana 511 mobile app for additional travel information. Out-of-state travelers may call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511). Motorists may also monitor the LA DOTD website at www.dotd.la.gov, by selecting MyDOTD, or by visiting the DOTD Facebook and X (Twitter) pages.
DOTD Contact:
Alexandria District Emergency Operations Center
(318) 561-5233
Media Contact:
Erin Buchanan
DOTD Public Information Officer
Alexandria District
(318) 549-8402
erin.buchanan@la.gov
Continue your article here…
Alexandria, LA – Flight Cancellations Announced at Alexandria International Airport (AEX) Due to Severe Weather
Airlines serving Alexandria International Airport have begun canceling flights scheduled for Tuesday due to severe weather conditions impacting the region. Passengers are urged to check directly with their airline for the latest updates on flight statuses, rebooking options, and any potential delays.
The safety of all passengers and staff remains the highest priority. AEX is working closely with airline partners to monitor the evolving weather situation and provide support to travelers.
“We understand the inconvenience weather-related cancellations can cause, and we encourage all passengers to stay informed and make necessary adjustments with the airlines,” said Ralph Hennessy, C.M., Executive Director., “We recommend passengers check their airline’s website or app for updates before traveling to the airport.”
For more information about England Airpark, visit www.englandairpark.org.
Crews from all departments of the Alexandria Utility System are currently preparing for the upcoming Winter Weather Event. Based on current forecasts, the greatest risk appears to be freezing conditions and snow for about 48 hours beginning midnight Monday. Consequently, water pipes that are not properly insulated are at risk of freezing and potentially bursting during this event. Residents are encouraged to prepare now with these simple steps:
Check sprinkler or irrigation systems now. Make sure they are turned off or drained. Don’t forget to insulate or drain the backflow preventer near the water meter.
Know how to properly shut off the home’s water supply.
Protect pipes by wrapping them with insulating products.
Identify the home’s freezing points. Eliminate sources of cold air near water pipes and seal drafts around windows or doors.
Consider shutting off water supplies to abandoned or unoccupied structures ahead of the freezing weather.
There is no need to drip indoor faucets right now. If the power goes out AND it is below 28 degrees outside for 4 hours or more, a slow drip might be okay. Drip 5 drops a minute, which means there is no need to run water constantly. Dripping more can add to placing system pressure at risk.
To avoid the risk of fire, ensure all portable heaters, heated blankets, and other such appliances are properly connected directly to a wall outlet and not a power strip or extension cord. Never use an outdoor grill or other heating product indoors.
If anyone experiences a water leak during this Winter Weather Event and need assistance shutting off the home’s water supply, submit a service request through the AlexConnects Mobile App or online https://www.cityofalexandriala.com/submitrequest.
Medical, fire, or public safety emergencies should still be reported to 911.
Due to projected snow and freezing conditions, ATRANS will not run today, Jan 21. Service will remain interrupted until weather conditions improve. Stay close to their social media sites for notice of service resume.
Shortly after his arrival in England, a wealthy, elderly lady was murdered in her home in the same small town in which he had settled. A friend of the murdered lady knew of the detective’s police background and asked him to help. The Scotland Yard detective allowed the former police detective into the home just to see if there was anything he could offer. Within a short time, the Belgian refugee had solved the crime, earned the respect and friendship of the Scotland Yard detective, and began his career as a private detective. For decades, the private detective had worked independently and with Scotland Yard to solve crimes.
The private detective, now aged, wheelchair bound because of arthritis, and suffering from a weak heart, was working a murder case in the small town where his private detective career began, Styles St. Mary. The private detective linked four other unsolved murders to the one he was investigating. Through meticulous investigation, the private detective learned the identity of the murderer and wrote it down in a detailed letter to an acquaintance. He went to bed that night without taking his amyl nitrite heart medicine and died during the night from a heart attack.
The New York Times reported that the detective’s age was unknown. Although elderly, the proud detective concealed his age with false hair and makeup. Even his being wheelchair bound was a ploy to help him gain information in what was to be his last case. The former Belgian police detective, the refugee who escaped the atrocities of the Germans, the private detective who purportedly died as a result of a heart attack while solving his last case, was murdered. He was murdered by his own creator. The private detective was the creation of the most successful novelist of all time, outsold only by Shakespeare and the Bible. The private detective’s name was Hercule Poirot. He was murdered by Dame Agatha Christie just months before her own death. The obituary published on the front page of the New York Times on August 6, 1975, was the first instance in which the newspaper had printed an obituary for a fictional character.
Source:
1. The New York Times, August 6, 1975, p.1.
2. Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (New York: John Lane, 1920).
3. Agatha Christie, Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case (London: Collins Crime Club, 1975).
The Alexandria Farmers Market will be closed today, Jan. 21, due to the expected snow and freezing conditions. Stay safe and enjoy the snow. The market will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
Rapides Regional Medical Center is closing the following services today (Tuesday) and Wednesday due to the winter weather Central Louisiana is forecasted to receive:
Closed Today (Tuesday)
Closed Tuesday and Wednesday
The Emergency Room of Rapides Regional Medical Center remains open.
For continual updates on services of Rapides Regional Medical Center and Rapides Women’s and Children’s Hospital, follow the Facebook pages. For updates on Rapides Urgent Care, follow the Rapides Urgent Care Facebook page.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development advises motorists that beginning on Monday, Jan. 20, at 8pm I-49 though Alexandria will be closed from Exit 80 (the southern junction of MacArthur Dr.) to Exit 94 (Rapides Station Rd.), due to anticipated winter weather conditions.
This closure will remain in effect until the roadway has been deemed safe for travel. This closure includes all entry and exit ramps between these exits.
Northbound traffic will be detoured to Exit 80, to US 71 NB (MacArthur Dr.) to NB LA 1, to EB Rapides Station Rd., to NB I-49.
Southbound traffic will be detoured to Exit 94, to WB Rapides Station Rd., to SB LA 1, to SB US 71 (MacArthur Dr.), to SB I-49.
DOTD advises the public that the forecasted weather conditions may result in hazardous driving conditions on state roads and bridges in various regions of Louisiana. During inclement weather, motorists should avoid all unnecessary travel. If travel is unavoidable, drivers will need to use EXTREME caution. DOTD will be monitoring the bridges and elevated structures, and will be ready to apply salt over affected bridges, remove fallen trees from the roadway, and close routes as needed.
Make an effort to be aware of your surroundings and be watchful of DOTD personnel and equipment dispensing de-icing/anti-icing material.
Call 511, visit www.511la.org, or download the Louisiana 511 mobile app for additional travel information. Out-of-state travelers may call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511). Motorists may also monitor the LA DOTD website at www.dotd.la.gov, by selecting MyDOTD, or by visiting the DOTD Facebook and X (Twitter) pages.
Whatever he is, or isn’t, we as a nation are bound to a new president today.
Almost half those voting in November (nearer three-quarters in our part of the country) favored his candidacy, resulting in an overwhelming electoral margin.
Let’s get the negative out of the way first on Day One of a four-year term (not a synonym for reign) — the only opinions that matter regarding allegations in the Smith report would have been those of jurors in any trial held.
Given their experience in that arena Mr. Trump and his band of barristers does all it can to avoid such, whatever the case.
Your view or mine of the report doesn’t matter. It’s done.
Now the positive — it’s just four years.