Congress ushers in new era of all-Republican rule

Congress ushers in a new era of all-Republican rule. On Tuesday at noon, with plenty of pomp and pageantry, members of the 115th Congress will be sworn in, with an emboldened GOP intent on unraveling eight years of President Barack Obama’s Democratic agenda and targeting massive legacy programs from Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson such as Social Security and Medicare.

Governor names new leader for wildlife and fisheries agency

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has named a new secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries after its former leader called it “a troubled state agency” and resigned abruptly. Edwards on Friday announced that State Rep. Jack Montoucet will be the agency’s new secretary effective Jan. 16, replacing Charlie Melancon.