Storm preparedness: Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Thursday as the remnants of Tropical Storm Cristobal were forecast to reform into a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico and strike Louisiana as early as this weekend. Edwards noted that a flash flood watch has already been issued for a large portion of the state and heavy rain is expected. The National Hurricane Center says Cristobal could reach Louisiana by Sunday. Oil companies have started coronavirus-safe evacuations for offshore workers in the Gulf, The Houston Chronicle reports.
Seeking aid: Louisiana’s public defenders asked state lawmakers Thursday for millions in stopgap aid to offset dollars they’ve lost to defend the poor because of court closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The defenders of indigent people who can’t afford their own lawyers pleaded their case for two hours in the House Appropriations Committee. They requested a $28 million increase in Louisiana’s $30 billion-plus operating budget for the financial year that begins July 1, even as the state grapples with shortfalls caused by the virus outbreak. Read the full story.
Bankruptcy: J.C. Penney Co. is closing 154 of its department stores after filing for bankruptcy protection, as the embattled chain tries to shrink to survive a yearslong slump, The WallStreet Journal reports. The retailer had roughly 850 stores and 90,000 part-time and full-time workers as of Feb. 1. Stores in Lafayette, Shreveport and Metairie will close. Read the full story.
