ICYMI: President Donald Trump said Monday night that he’s firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, an unprecedented move that would constitute a sharp escalation in his battle to exert greater control over what has long been considered an institution independent from day-to-day politics. Trump said in a letter posted on his Truth Social platform that he is removing Cook effective immediately because of allegations that she committed mortgage fraud. Read the full story from the Associated Press.
98% contained: Firefighters were close to extinguishing a fire Monday evening that’s been burning since Friday’s explosion at a petroleum products plant in Tangipahoa Parish. Emergency responders are now focused on containing and cleaning up materials believed to have spilled from the site. Read more from Louisiana Illuminator.
20 years later: The National Hurricane Center calls Hurricane Katrina “one of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history.” More than a million people were displaced, the death toll has fluctuated between 1,392 and 1,833, and damages have been estimated at $125 billion, or $226 billion in today’s dollars. Read more from The Center Square.
