TALLAHASSEE, Florida, Aug. 26 -- The Florida Department of Financial Services issued the following news release: As Hurricane Laura bears down on the Gulf Coast, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis announced the deployment of Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) Task Force 4 to Louisiana on Thursday to provide life-saving equipment and resources following potential impacts of Hurricane Laura. Task Force 4 is a Type 3 US&R Team that consists of more than 40 highly trained more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 -- The Congressional Black Caucus issued the following news release: The blatant disregard for human life, especially Black lives, is on display once again in our country's police departments. This time in Kenosha, Wisconsin and Lafayette, Louisiana. Both men were shot in the back by police officers. Jacob Blake is paralyzed from the waist down and Trayford Pellerin is dead. The shootings of Jacob Blake and Trayford Pellerin are yet again two tragic incidents of police bru more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Aug. 24 -- Entergy issued the following news release: Entergy Texas is continuing to monitor and plan for any potential impacts of two tropical systems. While the paths and intensity of Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura could change, the company is preparing for multiple scenarios as well as the enhanced risks of severe thunderstorms, strong winds, heavy rains, high tides and coastal flooding in portions of southeast Texas. Entergy Texas is mobilizing a storm tea more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, Aug. 29 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following news on Aug. 28: In a letter to President Donald Trump, Gov. John Bel Edwards today requested a major disaster declaration for 23 parishes in Louisiana impacted by Hurricane Laura which, if approved, would bring FEMA assistance to affected individuals and communities. At least ten people have died in Louisiana following the storm, with many thousands more suffering damage to their homes and businesses.  more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, Aug. 24 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following news on Aug. 22: Gov. John Bel Edwards on Saturday requested a federal emergency declaration from the White House, as Tropical Storms Marco and Laura are forecast to impact Louisiana in quick sequence early next week. On Friday, Gov. Edwards declared a state of emergency in Louisiana and began hosting meetings of the state's Unified Command Group and receiving daily briefings on the two storms. The Gove more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, Aug. 27 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following news on Aug. 26: Gov. John Bel Edwards signed an order today that extends Phase Two and the statewide mask mandate, closure of bars to on-site consumption and gathering size limits in Louisiana for another two weeks, until September 11, 2020. Despite progress in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in the state, The White House Coronavirus Task Force still has Louisiana in the red zone for new cases, just as s more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, Aug. 29 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following statement: * * * President Donald Trump has approved Gov. John Bel Edwards' request for a major disaster declaration following Hurricane Laura, the state learned Friday evening. More details about the approval and how to access aid will be forthcoming. Gov. Edwards said: "I appreciate President Trump's quick action on my request for a Major Disaster Declaration, which will pave the way for getting a more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, Aug. 27 -- The Louisiana Public Service Commission issued the following order (No. T-35597) involving State Delivery Service: In re: Cancellation of Common Carrier Certificate Number 8286 for failure to maintain the required insurance coverage on file with the Commission pursuant to General Orders dated May 04, 2017 and January 12, 1976. ORDER OF DISMISSAL The Louisiana Public Service Commission ("Commission") issued a citation to State to State Delivery Service, LLC o more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, Aug. 24 -- The Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center issued the following news release: A new federally funded study could reveal the nervous system cells and circuits in our brains that influence our metabolism and health in response to dietary changes. "Changing what we eat can profoundly affect our health for better or worse," said Christopher Morrison, PhD, Professor and Director, Neurosignaling Laboratory, Pennington Biomedical Research more PR

RUSTON, Louisiana, Aug. 27 -- Louisiana Tech University issued the following news: Education is a lifelong endeavor, as exemplified by a partnership between Louisiana Tech's Science and Technology Education Center and CYBER.ORG hat allows individuals to jump ahead with a cyber education certificate program being offered this fall. The program will prepare educators to teach cyber confidently and computer science content in their classrooms. Teachers who complete the year-long program will not  more PR

RUSTON, Louisiana, Aug. 27 -- Louisiana Tech University issued the following news: A team of researchers led by Louisiana Tech University College of Engineering and Science faculty recently received a two-year $180,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund their study of the factors that influence the academic achievement and persistence of sophomore chemical engineering students. Dr. Brad Cicciarelli, senior lecturer in Chemical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at Lou more PR

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Aug. 27 -- Gov. Kevin Stitt, R-Oklahoma, issued the following joint news release on Aug. 26: Governor Kevin Stitt and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) announced today that Oklahoma is sending a Type III Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Team with water rescue capabilities to the state of Louisiana in preparation for Hurricane Laura response efforts. "In times of need, the State of Louisiana has faithfully stepped up to help our state and people, and w more PR

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, Aug. 24 -- Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-Louisiana, issued the following news: President Donald Trump has approved Gov. John Bel Edwards' request for federal assistance related to Tropical Storm Marco and Hurricane Laura. Gov. Edwards submitted the pre-landfall emergency declaration to the President and the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Saturday, August 22. "I would like to thank President Trump for his quick approval of federal assistance for Louisiana and for pre- more PR

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 29 -- The Texas Democratic Party issued the following press document: Texas largely dodged a bullet as Hurricane Laura unleashed its wrath on Louisiana and other southern states. However, as Texas and the rest of the country brace for an active hurricane season, fewer resources will be available to residents in need as the Trump Administration decided to divert $155 million from FEMA, to pay for his massively-expensive border wall that he promised Mexico would pay for. Yes, more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Aug. 25 -- Tulane University issued the following news release: Sport, a common thread that can unite people from every culture across the globe, is an integral part of everyday life. The central mission for the Tulane Center for Sport is devoted to the study, research and support of all areas where sport engages society, not only as entertainment or competition on the field of play but in human health, complex legal issues, labor agreements, sports marketing and finance more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Aug. 27 -- Tulane University issued the following news release: As pharmaceutical firms race to bring the first COVID-19 vaccines to market, scientists are already working on version 2.0. Two Tulane University researchers were awarded a $150,000 Fast Grant for a project to make next-generation COVID-19 vaccines more effective. Microbiologist Lisa Morici, PhD, and immunologist James McLachlan, PhD, will test whether they can elicit a better immune response in tissues mos more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Aug. 26 -- Tulane University issued the following news release: Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who had a combination of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes were over three times more likely to die from the disease, according to a new Tulane University study. The study (https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2020/08/18/dc20-1714), published in the journal Diabetes Care, is the first to look at the impact of metabolic syndrome on outcomes for COVID-19  more PR

ARLINGTON, Texas, Aug. 29 -- The University of Texas Arlington campus issued the following news release: A civil engineering assistant professor at The University of Texas at Arlington is working to better assess a bridge's structural health by combining machine learning with traditional monitoring measurements. Suyun Ham's 18-month, $122,000 grant is part of UTA's membership in the Transportation Consortium of South-Central States (Tran-SET), a U.S. Department of Transportation Center adminis more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Aug. 27 -- Xavier University of Louisiana issued the following news: Xavier University of Louisiana has announced the appointment of Phillip D. Adams as the Vice President of Institutional Advancement (VPIA). As the VPIA, Adams will provide leadership to the University's fundraising and development division and is responsible for designing and implementing comprehensive institutional advancement initiatives. "This national search process was robust and attracted a talen more PR

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, Aug. 28 -- Xavier University of Louisiana issued the following news: The Institute for Black Catholic Studies (IBCS) at Xavier University of Louisiana has appointed C. Vanessa White, D.Min. as Associate Director for the Th.M. Degree Program, effective immediately. Dr. White, a long-time member of the IBCS community, earned the Master Catechist Certification in 1990 and has served in several leadership capacities. As an IBCS faculty member, Dr. White teaches in both the D more PR