January 2020

LSU brings back Pelini as defensive coordinator

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Reigning national champion LSU is bringing back Bo Pelini as defensive coordinator, the position he held when the Tigers won a national championship in the 2007 season.

Pelini, whose hiring was announced by coach Ed Orgeron on Monday, replaces Dave Aranda, who left the Tigers to take over as Baylor’s head coach after LSU’s victory over Clemson in the College Football Playoff final in New Orleans earlier this month.

Tribute for Bryant kicks off Super Bowl media night

MIAMI (AP) — Chants of “Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!” broke a moment of a silence that kicked off a more subdued Super Bowl media night.

The NFL opened the most hyped week in professional sports with mixed emotions Monday night, one day after retired superstar Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others died in a helicopter crash in California.

City’s IDB audit reports healthy finances ’

The Industrial Development Board of the City of Jennings listed healthy finances for the previous fiscal year, according to state auditors.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office recently released the results of the board’s annual routine audit of financial statements for the year ending June 30, 2019. The 10-page audit report was completed by certified public accountant J. Aaron Cooper, of Jennings.

LA Mardi Gras festivities set for Feb. 15

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LAKE ARTHUR - Purple, green and gold will soon flood the streets here.

Residents are preparing for one of the town’s most anticipated events, the annual Mardi Gras celebration. Festivities have been scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 15.

“There is no fee to participate but registration is required,” said organizer Angela Landry. “Entry forms and regulation information can be picked up at Lake Arthur City Hall.”

COUNTRY COMES TO TOWN

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In an effort to keep dying traditions alive, the Western Heritage Trail Ride travels through local communities, raising awareness and promoting the rodeo way of life. Riders and wagons recently made their way down historic Main Street in Jennings.

John Mark Bangle

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March 9, 1959 – Jan. 8, 2020

John Bangle, beloved son, brother, uncle and friend, passed away at the age of 60 at his home in Houston, Texas.

A Celebration of Life memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, in Cypress-Fairbanks Funeral Home, located at 9926 Jones Road in Houston, Texas.

Alabama fire chief confirms deaths as fire destroys 35 boats

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (AP) — Boaters leaped into the water to escape an explosive fire that consumed at least 35 vessels docked along the Tennessee River early Monday. Authorities said there were fatalities as seven people were sent to hospitals and seven others were initially reported missing.

The blaze was reported shortly after midnight as people living in the boats were sleeping, and consumed the wooden dock and an aluminum roof that covered many of the vessels, cutting off escape routes and raining debris into the water.

Bolton book pressures GOP to allow witnesses

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pressure is increasing on senators to call John Bolton to testify at President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial after the revelation that a draft of a book by the former national security adviser undercuts a key defense argument — that Trump never tied withholding military aid to Ukraine to his demand the country investigate political rival Joe Biden.

Bryant’s helicopter flew in fog that grounded other choppers

CALABASAS, Calif. (AP) — The helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant and eight others that crashed into a rugged hillside outside Los Angeles was flying in foggy conditions considered dangerous enough that local police agencies grounded their choppers.

Mongolia closes border, China extends holiday to fight virus

BEIJING (AP) — China on Monday expanded its sweeping efforts to contain a deadly virus, extending the Lunar New Year holiday to keep the public at home and avoid spreading infection as the death toll rose to 81.

Mongolia closed its vast border with China, and Hong Kong and Malaysia announced they would bar entry to visitors from the Chinese province at the center of the outbreak following a warning by medical officials that the virus’s ability to spread was growing. Travel agencies were ordered to cancel group tours nationwide, adding to the rising economic losses.