News

As Southwest Louisiana settles into another stretch of high temperatures and humidity, Jennings firefighters say preventing heat-related illness begins long before anyone starts feeling thirsty. While hydration, rest and limiting strenuous activity remain the foundation of heat safety, firefighter/EMTs Bryan Kyzar and Charles Feazell say people should also give their bodies time to adjust to working outdoors instead of moving abruptly between air conditioning and extreme heat.

As preparations to head back into the classroom begin, one Jennings High School educator hopes to give teachers something more than school supplies before the first bell rings. Carson Turgeon, who recently completed his first year of teaching at JHS, is inviting teachers, administrators, coaches, custodians, secretaries and other school staff from across the area to gather for community prayer.

— The special prosecutor pursuing a criminal case against Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has accused Murrill and her attorneys of mounting a retaliatory campaign to harass and intimidate her, asking an Orleans Parish judge to throw out a subpoena seeking her communications and telephone records.

— Louisiana will begin enforcing a series of new artificial intelligence laws Aug. 1 that expand criminal penalties for AI-generated sexual images, require disclosures on certain political advertisements created with artificial intelligence and establish procedures for using AI-generated evidence in court.

— Cleco plans to build a new natural gas power plant as part of a broader deal to supply electricity to Applied Digital’s massive data center in Rapides Parish, according to testimony filed with state regulators.

— Republican lawmakers have teed up a Continuing Resolution that would extend government funding at current levels until Dec. 4, punting the government shutdown deadline by two months.

(The Center Square) — For a 10th consecutive night, the U.S. is carrying out strikes on Iran, targeting the Islamic Republic’s ability to attack commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

— Forecasters say Democrats are favored to take the U.S. House this November while Republicans are favored to hold the Senate, yet the likeliest outcome is one party sweeping full control of Congress.