News

Milley defends calls to Chinese as effort to avoid conflict

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top U.S. military officer on Wednesday defended the phone calls he made to his Chinese counterpart in the turbulent final months of Donald Trump’s presidency, saying the conversations were intended to convey “reassurance” to the Chinese military and were in line with his responsibilities as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Some in Congress accused Gen. Mark Milley of having overstepped his authority and urged President Joe Biden to fire him, but Biden indicated Wednesday he stands behind Milley.

Biden announces alliance with UK, Australia

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that the United States is forming a new Indo-Pacific security alliance with Britain and Australia that will allow for greater sharing of defense capabilities — including helping equip Australia with nuclearpowered submarines. It’s a move that could deepen a growing chasm in U.S.-China relations.

SpaceX launches four amateurs on private Earth-circling trip

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX’s first private flight streaked into orbit Wednesday night with two contest winners, a health care worker and their rich sponsor, the most ambitious leap yet in space tourism.

It was the first time a spacecraft circled Earth with an all-amateur crew and no professional astronauts.

“Punch it, SpaceX!” the flight’s billionaire leader, Jared Isaacman, urged moments before liftoff.

Dems could change ‘weaponized’ Calif. recall system

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Hours after California Gov. Gavin Newsom beat back a recall election that could have cost him his job, his fellow Democrats in the state Legislature said Wednesday that they will push for changes to make it more difficult to challenge a sitting governor.

That could include increasing the number of signatures needed to force a recall election, raising the standard to require wrongdoing on the part of the officeholder and changing the process that could permit someone with a small percentage of votes to replace the state’s top elected official.

Tesla builds first store on tribal land, dodges state car laws

NAMBÉ, N.M. (AP) — Carmaker Tesla has opened a store and repair shop on Native American land for the first time, marking a new approach to its yearslong fight to sell cars directly to consumers and cut car dealerships out of the process.

The white-walled, silverlettered Tesla store, which opened last week, sits in Nambé Pueblo, north of Santa Fe, on tribal land that’s not subject to state laws.

Prison teacher arrested for bringing in contraband

BATON ROUGE (AP) — A contract teacher at a Louisiana prison is in custody for allegedly bringing contraband, including cellphones, cigarettes and alcohol, to inmates.

Deputy accused of $35K theft from sheriff’s office

COLUMBIA (AP) — The chief civil deputy for a Louisiana sheriff’s office has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $35,000 from the agency.Louisiana State Police began an investigation after the Caldwell Parish Sheriff’s Office was notified of money possibly being stolen from the cash drawer used to collect fines and fees at the sheriff’s office, WBRZ-TV reported.

After the investigation, Debbie Dollar, 58, of Columbia, was identified as a suspect. Detectives found that Dollar had been apparently stealing from the cash drawer since January 2020.

Wrongly convicted man who escaped death row dies of COVID-19

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man who escaped death row in Louisiana in 2012 after he was exonerated by DNA evidence for a murder he didn’t commit has died of COVID-19.

Damon Thibodeaux’s death earlier this month was “so unfair,” according to a Minneapolis attorney who worked to free Thibodeaux after 16 years behind bars, including 15 on death row, after he was convicted in the 1996 death of his 14-year-old stepcousin.

City completes drainage project

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A major drainage project expected to alleviate flooding in the Magnolia Drive neighborhood was declared substantially complete Tuesday.

Jennings Mayor Henry Guinn said the punch list for the project is substantially complete and the project is wrapping up.

“There has never been a defined drainage system in place for that area,” he said. “The area at the time was developed for water to drain on the streets with concrete curbs. It was later added onto without curbs or subsurface drainage.”

Elton seeks bids for projects

ELTON — Improving drainage in Elton is the goal as town officials seek bids for two projects.

“The water has been backing up for years, causing houses to flood and rot,” said town council member Tony Guillory.

The projects are aimed at improving drainage in the incorporated areas of the town.