Texas / South Central News

5th Circuit Largely Sides With Louisiana Sheriff`s Deputies Accused in Lawsuit of Using Excessive Force

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – A federal appeals court has largely sided with two white Louisiana sheriff`s deputies in a lawsuit filed by a Black woman, rejecting her claims that they used excessive force against her as they investigated an allegation …

People Moves: Standard Lines Services Names Lakey as Division Leader

Standard Lines Services named Joshua Lakey division leader. Standard Lines Services is a division of Graham-Rogers Insurance, based in Bartlesville, Okla. Lakey has 18 years of insurance experience and previously served as senior territory manager at Safeco Insurance.

New Orleans Marsh Fire Blamed For Fatal Highway Crashes is Out After Burning For Weeks

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – A stubborn, smoky marsh fire that contributed to fatal car crashes on fogbound highways and sometimes fouled New Orleans air with a pervasive stench has been completely extinguished after burning for over a month, the New …

5th Circuit Court of Appeals Clarifies Standard of Evidence for Negligence Award Against River Boat Pilots in Mississippi River Collision Case

As maritime accidents go, the collision between the M/V Strandja and the M/V Kieffer E. Bailey on the Mississippi River was hardly a catastrophe. A jury determined that damages amounted to only $114,000. But the accident did provide an opportunity …

Texas Prosecutor Drops Most Cases Against Austin Police Officers Over Tactics Used During 2020 Protests

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A Texas prosecutor whose office oversaw indictments against more than 20 Austin police officers for tactics used during the 2020 protests that followed George Floyd`s killing said Monday he was dropping most of the cases and …

EPA Finalizes Regulation Requiring Oil and Gas Operators in Texas to Reduce Methane Emissions

The Environmental Protection Agency on Saturday finalized a long-anticipated climate regulation that will require oil and gas operators to dramatically reduce how much methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is escaping from equipment in many oil fields across Texas. The rule …

Study: Louisiana’s Agriculture and Forestry Sectors Suffer $1.69B in Damages Due to Heat and Drought

Louisiana’s agriculture and forestry sectors experienced approximately $1.69 billion in damages in 2023 due to excessive heat and drought, according to a study from the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. The report, “Preliminary Estimates of the Impacts of Drought and …

TWIA Board of Directors to Consider 2024 Budget at Upcoming Meeting

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) Board of Directors will meet next week to consider the association’s 2024 budget. The meeting, which will be held at the Corpus Christi Omni Hotel on Dec. 12 at 9:00 a.m., will also include …

Federal Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Alleging Environmental Discrimination in Louisiana Parish

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit that accused a south Louisiana parish of using land use policies to guide industries that pollute into communities with majority-Black populations. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier of the …

Climate Change, Natural Disasters Sent Texas Homeowners Insurance Rates Skyrocketing in 2023

Insurance companies across Texas have dramatically increased home insurance rates this year, state filings show, as climate change spooks executives and inflation pushes up costs to rebuild after natural disasters. Texas is prone to hurricanes and flooding, both of which …

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