Local News

Hurricane Rafael, an unusual November storm, is gathering strength and moving toward the United States with significant force, having recently been upgraded to a Category 2. With maximum sustained winds currently reaching 110 mph, Rafael represents a rare and potentially severe threat for this time of year, particularly for regions from Texas to the Florida Panhandle. Forecasts indicate that western Cuba will be among the first to feel the storm’s impact, with landfall expected within hours, according to the latest data from the National Hurricane Center (NHC). This puts communities in Cuba, as well as in the southeastern US, on...

Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) responded to President-elect Trump’s threat that he would throw members who sat on the House committee that investigated rioting at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in jail, calling his remarks an “assault on the rule of law.” “Here is the truth: Donald Trump attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election and seize power,” Cheney said in a statement provided to The Hill. “He mobilized an angry mob and sent them to the United States Capitol, where they attacked police officers, invaded the building and halted the official counting of electoral votes. Trump watched...

One state has already declared an emergency due to the approaching winter storm. Several affected states have also issued guidelines on how to stay safe during this period. On January 21, 2025, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a winter storm warning for nine U.S. states. The affected states include Alabama (AL), South Carolina (SC), North Carolina (NC), Georgia (GA), Louisiana (LA), Mississippi (MS), Florida (FL), Texas (TX), and Alaska (AK). Below is a breakdown of the affected areas in each state, the expected duration of the storm, and other important details. Louisiana Areas Affected by the Winter Storm Warning...

President-elect Donald Trump abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown, instead telling House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate — days before a deadline when federal funding runs out. Trump’s sudden entrance into the debate and new demands sent Congress spiraling as lawmakers are trying to wrap up work and head home for the holidays. It left Johnson scrambling late into the night at the Capitol trying to engineer a new plan before Friday’s deadline to keep government open. “Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH,” Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance said in...

President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, vowed Tuesday to foster a “warrior culture” at the Pentagon and confronted allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking and questions about his derisive views of women in combat during a heated Senate confirmation hearing. Hegseth repeatedly deflected the various misconduct allegations and instead focused on his own military experience in the Army National Guard as senators determine whether the combat veteran and former TV news show host is fit to lead the U.S. military. “It’s time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm. A change agent,” Hegseth...