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Not out of the woods: Aside from a boil water advisory in Lafayette, most of the state’s public utilities fared relatively well Tuesday as a historic blizzard covered south Louisiana. However, officials warn that could change quickly over the next few days. The most significant service interruption Tuesday was a loss of water pressure affecting more than 12,000 customers of the Lafayette Utilities System. Temperatures are expected to dip below freezing each night through Friday, according to the National Weather Service, and snow and ice could accumulate on tree branches, snapping them and causing them to fall on aerial power lines. Read more from the Louisiana Illuminator.
On leave: President Donald Trump‘s administration moved Tuesday to end affirmative action in federal contracting and directed that all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on paid leave and eventually be laid off. The moves follow an executive order Trump signed on his first day ordering a sweeping dismantling of the federal government’s diversity and inclusion programs. Read more from The Associated Press.
Holding steady: Oil prices were holding steady Wednesday, with traders closely watching President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs and the potential impact of the national energy emergency he declared on his first day in office. Brent crude futures were 18 cents lower at $79.11 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures edged down 18 cents to $75.65. Read more from Reuters.
