@riverrat

@AliceMarshall

What's up with people's muted reactions? This is insane shit that should not be happening - replicated at a global scale. And it's getting worse day by day.

#Louisiana #wildfires #LAIlluminator

I woke up this morning to the smell and haze of smoke coming from the southwestern end of the state, hundred of miles away. I can’t remember ever seeing anything like this. 17 parishes across the state of #Louisiana have declared a state of emergency due to #wildfires - meaning there are active fires in a quarter of the state’s parishes.

From #LAIlluminator:

https://lailluminator.com/2023/08/27/louisiana-wildfires-force-more-evacuations-17-parishes-under-state-of-emergency/

Residents in #Louisiana’s #RiverParishes - colloquially known as #CancerAlley - are looking to the #EPA to enforce common sense regulations, such as fence line monitoring.

From #FloodlightNews and #LAIlluminator:

https://lailluminator.com/2023/07/07/cancer-alley-2/

The #Louisiana Legislature appears to want to continue our race to the bottom in #education. The current teacher shortage isn’t because it’s too hard to become a teacher. It’s because it doesn’t make economic sense to continue being a teacher when so many other fields will give you less work for better pay.

From #LAIlluminator:
https://lailluminator.com/2023/05/04/louisiana-lawmakers-consider-softer-qualifications-to-attract-more-uncertified-teachers/

#Education #Labor #FairPay

The Louisiana Industry Defense Council has rebranded itself as the Louisiana Industry Sustainability Council, but don’t let that fool you, their message is the same: ignore locals’ desires for a clean, healthy #environment and promote #industry at all costs.

In an area known as #CancerAlley is it really unreasonable to be weary of new development?

From #FloodlightNews and #LAIlluminator:
https://lailluminator.com/2023/05/04/petrochemical-industry-in-louisiana-plans-a-defense-amid-growing-opposition/

#Louisiana #ChemicalIndustry

#ElectronicArts has laid off 200 employees from their facility at #LSU in #BatonRouge #Louisiana. Unlike many tech layoffs, it doesn’t seem that #EA was seeking to reduce it’s workforce. Instead, QA professionals were instructed to train new employees from the UK and Romania, whom they believed to be their replacements.

The #layoffs are suspiciously timed as employees were in discussions about #unionizing.

From #LAIlluminator:
https://lailluminator.com/2023/03/02/laid-off-ea-workers-in-baton-rouge-allege-retaliation-for-union-efforts/

#Louisiana’s #ITEP program offers big businesses relief from local taxes while largely cutting local taxing authorities out of the picture. In recent years, reform of ITEP gave local leaders a voice in vetoing applications, but now it seems companies can appeal to the Board of Commerce and Industry (and win).

#FolgersCoffee sought an appeal to the board, which let them off the hook for at least $5 million in unpaid taxes.

From #LAIlluminator:
https://lailluminator.com/2023/03/02/state-commerce-board-wrestles-taxation-power-from-locals-in-folgers-case/

Boring elections have vast consequences. By the sound of it, Devonte Louis is actually walking the walk on #energy, #sustainability, and #environmental policy. Now let’s see if the #Louisiana Public Service Commission can push utilities in the right direction.

From #LAIlluminator in partnership with #FloodlightNews and #TheLensNOLA

https://lailluminator.com/2023/02/17/new-state-utility-regulator-wants-to-reduce-rates-introduce-renewable-mandates/

Once again #Louisiana AG Jeff Landry has decided to target #Libraries in an attempt to bolster his run for Governor.

#LAIlluminator #FirstAmendment #FreeSpeech

https://lailluminator.com/2023/02/13/critics-say-bill-to-restrict-library-materials-is-a-solution-in-search-of-a-problem/

#LAIlluminator has some thoughts on what #LSU could have done with the $1 million dollars they overpaid to #BrianKelly.

#Athletics (especially #football ) have long been a priority over just about everything else at #Louisiana’s flagship #university, this piece simply highlights the cost of those priorities.

#education #EducationFunding

https://lailluminator.com/2023/02/07/heres-what-brian-kellys-1-million-overpayment-couldve-paid-for-at-lsu/

This makes Devonte Lewis’ election to the #Louisiana Public Service Commission even more impressive. It’s also proof that there is a strong base of support in favor of proper oversight and regulation of utility companies and is one more piece of evidence of the #FossilFuel industry’s corrupting influence on our politics.

Another great story from the #LAIlluminator with references from #TheLensNOLA.

#NonProfitNews #LocalNews #EnergyPolicy #Environment

https://lailluminator.com/2023/01/25/louisiana-democratic-party-funneled-utility-donations-to-climate-candidates-challenger/

We have to demand more from our public utilities, and that means demanding more from the Public Service Commission.

Not just for our pocket books, but for the #environment.

/end rant

This rant brought to you by reporting from the #LAIlluminator: https://lailluminator.com/2023/01/19/entergy-to-shift-another-1-5b-in-storm-costs-to-customers/

In 2022, the US recognized the harm that #BurnPits do to the health of our military personal with the PACT Act. Meanwhile, in #Louisiana, LDEQ is considering continuing the permits for a burn pit in #Colfax a town in #GrantParish.

The site is used to dispose of military ordinance, as well as unused fireworks from Disney World.

#environment #PublicHealth

From the #LAIlluminator:
https://lailluminator.com/2023/01/15/tight-knit-colfax-community-combats-open-burn-pit-we-are-the-flush-toilet/

I’m sad to say that there’s a lot that feels quite typical in this article from #LaIlluminator about the way industry and #LocalGovernment behaves in the #RiverParishes of #Louisiana. For some, these projects bring jobs, but for others they bring health risks and further the lack of investment in their communities.

https://lailluminator.com/2023/01/12/slave-descendant-wants-louisiana-lawmakers-to-probe-tax-incentive-deals/

From Julie O’Donoghue of the #LAIlluminator:

Youth held at #Angola allege violence from guards, extended lockdown in lawsuit

https://lailluminator.com/2023/01/06/youth-held-at-angola-allege-violence-from-guards-extended-lockdown-in-lawsuit/

#JuvenileJustice

How did I not know that #TheLensNOLA has a #podcast? I used to listen to the #LAIlluminator podcast, but it’s been inactive for some time. I’m excited to get more #LocalNews in my ears!

#lagov #NolaNews

The one thing I’m missing from the bird site is local news. Hopefully this latest wave of the #TwitterMigration will bring over some of my favorite local #Journalists as well...

#LAIlluminator #NolaDotCom #PARLouisiana #Louisiana #NOLA #LocalNews