Governor Jeff Landry (R-LA) declared a state of emergency in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/louisiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Louisiana</a> on Friday over a shortage of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">law enforcement</a> officers in the state.
Landry made the declaration in an <a href="https://gov.louisiana.gov/assets/ExecutiveOrders/2024/JML-Executive-Order-22.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">executive order</a> that comes just days before the legislature will meet for a special session on crime, which the governor said will focus on strengthening the criminal justice system and repealing soft-on-crime policies. According to the Louisiana Sheriffs Association, there is a shortage of 1,800 deputies as of July 2023.
“As a former police officer and sheriff’s deputy, I understand the vital role our law enforcement officers play in our communities. Currently, our state is facing a shortage of officers, resulting in increased crime and less public safety. Today’s executive order, and the upcoming crime special session, will ensure our law enforcement officers are supported and we can begin to bring law and order back to our state,” Landry <a href="https://gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/4423" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Landry’s order comes as cities around the country have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/more-than-2500-nypd-cops-have-quit-this-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struggled to retain</a> police officers and recruit amid increasing crime and a push by some activists to “Defund the Police.” Some entities are <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/denver-considers-allowing-non-citizens-to-be-cops-firefighters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even considering</a> letting non-citizens join the ranks of the police.
The executive order says that the “national police officer shortage has affected Louisiana with departments experiencing record-low employment and an increase in police officer response times resulting in an increased threat to the lives, property, and safety of persons within the state of Louisiana.”
The Louisiana Sheriff&#8217;s Association praised the executive order, saying that it highlighted “the importance of the law enforcement profession and our state’s desperate need to fill valuable front line deputy positions.”
During the special session, Landry <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24414844/13-jml-2024-call-and-convene-legislature-into-extraordinary-session.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wants</a> the legislature to look at restricting parole eligibility, expanding the criteria to revoke parole and probation, increasing penalties for carjackings, upgrading illegal use of weapons to the violent crime category, granting immunity under certain conditions to peace officers, and creating a criminal offense for the marketing of fentanyl to minors.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
“This special session begins to fulfill the campaign promises we made to the people of Louisiana to make our State Safe Again. No one, regardless of their neighborhood or zip code, should feel unsafe. We all want safer communities,” Landry <a href="https://gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/4416" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “We will defend and uplift our law enforcement officials and deliver true justice to crime victims who have been overlooked for far too long.”
New Orleans, whose police force Landry <a href="https://www.police1.com/nola/la-governor-slams-nopd-consent-decree-announces-return-of-state-police-troop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously said</a> was in “shambles,” consistently ranks as one of the most violent cities in America. Landry took office in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-jeff-landry-elected-louisiana-governor-by-huge-margin-flips-state-red" target="_blank" rel="noopener">January</a> after his election in October flipped control of the governor&#8217;s mansion in after promising to crack down on crime in the state.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry speaks during CPAC (

Republican Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Police Officer Shortage

Crime

Law Enforcement

Louisiana

New Orleans

Police

U.S.

Seven people were killed, and at least two dozen others were injured on Monday when a dense &#8220;super fog&#8221; over New Orleans severely limited visibility for drivers on an interstate and caused a massive multi-car pileup, authorities said.
The series of crashes — involving at least 158 vehicles — began just before 9 a.m. on Interstate 55 and stretched along a one-mile span of the highway, Louisiana State Police spokesperson Sgt. Kate Stegall <a href="https://weather.com/news/weather/news/2023-10-23-smoke-fire-fog-new-orleans-visibility" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> weather.com. According to reports, at least three 18-wheelers were involved in the crash, with at least two fully engulfed in flames.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
RAW VIDEO: Scene of multiple crashes and fires on I-55 northbound near the Manchac exit&gt;&gt;<a href="https://t.co/p2ctyyrKaS">https://t.co/p2ctyyrKaS</a> <a href="https://t.co/eYJIPb7bw9">pic.twitter.com/eYJIPb7bw9</a>
&mdash; FOX 8 New Orleans (@FOX8NOLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX8NOLA/status/1716480829960917212?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Stegall said they expect the highway to remain closed until crews complete the interstate inspection.
&#8220;We are working from the outside, in,&#8221; Stegall reportedly said.
The fatal incident left at least 25 people injured, some in critical condition, who were transported to nearby hospitals.
Louisiana State Police reportedly said more fatalities could be discovered as crews continue to clear up the debris of charred and crumbled vehicles that crashed in both directions of the Louisiana expressway.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I55 south bound south of manchac. Stay away <a href="https://t.co/aByuvzUsxg">pic.twitter.com/aByuvzUsxg</a>
&mdash; NorthShore Gladiators (@NSGladiators) <a href="https://twitter.com/NSGladiators/status/1716459763788021832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards confirmed the accident in a <a href="https://twitter.com/LouisianaGov/status/1716568910567240053" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> Monday on social media.
&#8220;Please join me and Donna in praying for those hurt and killed in today&#8217;s tragic I-55 crash, as well as their families. The combination of wildfire smoke and dense fog is dangerous, and I want to encourage all Louisianans in affected areas to take extreme caution when traveling,&#8221; Gov. Edwards said.
&#8220;I also want to thank the first responders and medical personnel who have worked so diligently to save lives and render aid. The best way you can help them, besides exercising caution on the road, is to donate blood at your local blood donation center. It will help replenish supplies that are being drained today to care for the wounded,&#8221; Gov. Edwards said.
According to Tyler Stanfield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in New Orleans, the mix of moisture and smoke from a wildfire across the Mississippi River caused the dense fog.
&#8220;It&#8217;s the perfect storm,&#8221; Stanfield <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/23/us/fog-new-orleans-louisiana-crash.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> said.
Stanfield said New Orleans typically sees the super fog twice a year, usually from swamp fires that frequently occur in the region in the Fall due to dry conditions.
Clarencia Patterson Reed <a href="https://www.nola.com/news/traffic/at-least-2-dead-in-pileups-of-hundreds-of-vehicles-on-i-55-in-louisiana/article_c929e2ae-71bf-11ee-a0e6-c7222d3ca0d2.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate the thick fog forced her to come to an abrupt stop to avoid crashing into vehicles ahead of her on the interstate early Monday. But as soon as she hit the brakes, she was in the pileup when other cars began slamming into her vehicle.
&#8220;It was &#8216;Boom. Boom,'&#8221; she said. &#8220;All you kept hearing was crashing for at least 30 minutes.&#8221;
Reed escaped her vehicle relatively unharmed, but her wife suffered an injury on the side of her leg.
&#8220;We&#8217;re grateful because we&#8217;re alive,&#8221; Reed said. &#8220;We&#8217;re here to tell you what we see up here because some people will not get that chance. It&#8217;s bad.&#8221;
Christopher Coll told the outlet he had already started pumping the breaks when he noticed the cluster of vehicles crashed in front of him.
&#8220;I was already on the brakes, slowing down when an F-250 drove up on top of my work trailer and took me for a ride,&#8221; Coll said.
The impact from the pickup truck pushed Coll&#8217;s vehicle into the pileup, where he eventually had to kick open his passenger door to flee the chaos. He told the outlet he escaped without injuries, but the series of crashes totaled his vehicle, and he lost all of his work tools and supplies.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve never seen anything like this before,&#8221; Coll said. &#8220;It was horrible. It was the worst wreck I&#8217;ve ever seen.&#8221;

Massive 150-Vehicle Pileup In Louisiana Leaves 7 Dead, 25 Injured: Reports

Massive 150-Vehicle Pile-up In Louisiana Leaves 7 Dead, 25 Injured: Reports

Car Crash

Severe Weather

Wildfires

New Orleans Saints veteran tight end Jimmy Graham was arrested Friday night in Southern California when officers found him wandering in traffic after he suffered a “medical episode.” 
Graham was taken into custody on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance after authorities received a call about someone acting erratically, TMZ <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/08/19/jimmy-graham-arrested-new-orleans-saints-wandering-in-traffic-resisting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Graham allegedly resisted officers who attempted to arrest him before being taken to a hospital. The Saints released a statement Saturday, saying that Graham likely experience a seizure, which resulted in him becoming disoriented. 
&#8220;New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham experienced a medical episode last evening, which resulted in him becoming disoriented,&#8221; the team said, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38221254/saints-te-jimmy-graham-arrested-experiencing-medical-episode" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to ESPN. &#8220;He was taken into custody by local authorities and transported to a local hospital for evaluation for what Dr. John Amoss believes to be a likely seizure and spent the night under medical supervision and testing. Amoss met Graham at the hospital and is overseeing his care at this time. He was released this morning and is with the team as they continue preparations for Sunday&#8217;s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.&#8221;
The 36-year-old tight end signed a one-year contract to return to the Saints this year after spending several <a href="https://www.nfl.com/players/jimmy-graham/stats/career" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seasons</a> in Seattle, Green Bay, and Chicago. Graham, who is a five-time Pro Bowler, did not play during the 2022 season, making his return to the Saints a surprising development for the 2023 season. New Orleans drafted Graham in the third round of the 2010 draft. He quickly became a standout tight end in the league, catching passes from Saints QB Drew Brees.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1692551179799000&amp;usg=AOvVaw149wVUFucE7CWxRq9-A4I-">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
The team was in Southern California at the time of Graham’s medical episode and arrest as it prepared to play the Los Angeles Chargers in a preseason matchup. Graham participated in the team’s practice Friday morning and reposted a video on X of Brees and him chatting at the practice. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The 🐐!!!! <a href="https://t.co/nR5qyNSmTn">https://t.co/nR5qyNSmTn</a>
&mdash; Jimmy Graham (@TheJimmyGraham) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJimmyGraham/status/1692636715612332296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Jimmy Graham

NFL Star Arrested While Wandering Streets After Suffering ‘Medical Episode’

NFL Star Arrested While Wandering Streets After Suffering 'Medical Episode'

arrest

Los Angeles

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Police</a> did not issue a traffic citation to Cedric Richmond, a former senior adviser to President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/louisiana-legislature-sends-ban-on-child-sex-change-changes-to-governors-desk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a> and ex-U.S. congressman, or test him for intoxication despite the high-profile Democrat acting bewildered and slurring his speech after a car wreck in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-orleans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Orleans</a>, according to new details about the April 23 incident.
A police report offered insight into a police officer&#8217;s investigation into what happened with Richmond, who <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/25/politics/cedric-richmond-leaving-white-house/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">left the White House last year</a> to become an adviser to the Democratic National Committee, after his Mercedes convertible crashed into an oak tree at an intersection with his young son in the passenger seat of the vehicle.
&#8220;The officer briefly met with (Richmond) and noted slurred speech,&#8221; officer Mark Miranda wrote, <a href="https://www.fox8live.com/2023/06/07/former-rep-cedric-richmond-neither-tested-nor-cited-after-april-car-crash-treme-nopd-says/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=snd&amp;utm_content=wvue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per Fox 8</a>. &#8220;The officer did not detect an odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from (Richmond). Paramedics advised both occupants (of Richmond’s crashed car) were being transported &#8230; for possible injuries sustained in the crash.&#8221;
Miranda said Richmond&#8217;s son was in stable condition but complained of pain along his waistline. The police report added that Richmond had a &#8220;suspected serious injury,&#8221; according to an investigative report by <a href="https://www.nola.com/news/politics/nopd-didnt-test-cedric-richmond-after-single-car-wreck/article_0d5b1d4e-048d-11ee-bea6-830e8f257c8e.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Times-Picayune</a> and local CBS affiliate <a href="https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/investigations/cedric-richmond-car-crash-new-orleans-no-sobriety-test/289-d2c9bf2b-6a99-40d0-9b26-5a8ee8b3c288" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WWL-TV</a>.
Both victims were transported to a hospital for treatment, Miranda reported. At the hospital, Richmond “was observed in a dazed, disoriented state and advised the officer he could not remember any details regarding the crash. The officer no longer noted slurred speech,&#8221; Miranda&#8217;s report said.
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) issued a statement explaining that a citation is issued at the discretion of an officer based on an initial investigation. &#8220;As the incident involved a single-vehicle crash, coupled with the medical condition of the driver and the statement provided by the passenger of the vehicle, no citations were issued,&#8221; the NOPD statement added.
NOPD also said &#8220;there was no reasonable suspicion of intoxication, nor probable cause to conduct tests for impairment&#8221; because Miranda reported that he did not detect any odor of an alcoholic beverage from Richmond.
Miranda attributed Richmond&#8217;s bewildered state to injuries from the crash and a deployed airbag. In addition, the officer reportedly chose not to cite Richmond, in part, because of a statement by Richmond&#8217;s son, who told Miranda the accident happened after an orange Corvette swerved in front of their vehicle and believed the road had been wet. However, Miranda observed in his police report that the road had been dry and a review of footage from nearby crime cameras showed no indication of a speeding Corvette when the crash took place.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685885459858000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0AFvCLn4CIt7S8nPLjhrIg">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
<a href="https://www.nola.com/news/politics/nopd-didnt-test-cedric-richmond-after-single-car-wreck/article_0d5b1d4e-048d-11ee-bea6-830e8f257c8e.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Times-Picayune</a> and <a href="https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/investigations/cedric-richmond-car-crash-new-orleans-no-sobriety-test/289-d2c9bf2b-6a99-40d0-9b26-5a8ee8b3c288" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WWL-TV</a>, which divulged these details, also reviewed the footage and found no evidence of another car in the area at the time. Their news report said the city provided some police body-camera video but deleted footage that actually showed Richmond, citing the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. In addition, their news report pointed out that the number of DWI arrests by News Orleans police have dropped over the years <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/03/17/1164383840/new-orleans-police-department-taps-civilians-amid-an-officer-shortage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amid an officer shortage</a>.
Former NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas, now a professor of criminal justice at Loyola University, told the news outlets the department should conduct an internal investigation, though he doubts there was a &#8220;coverup.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.wdsu.com/article/the-police-report-speaks-for-itself-cedric-richmond-says-after-car-crash/44110904" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WDSU</a>, a local NBC affiliate, reported Richmond suffered injuries to his hand, head, and hip. &#8220;I&#8217;m fine, my son is fine, and the police report speaks for itself,” Richmond told the news outlet.

Cedric Richmond

Former Biden Staffer Didn’t Get Cited Or Tested For Intoxication After Crash

Former Biden Staffer Didn't Get Cited Or Tested For Intoxication After Crash

General

Joe Biden

A Louisiana high school senior was awarded a staggering amount of scholarships and was accepted to at least 170 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/colleges">colleges</a> he applied to with more acceptance letters rolling in every day.
Dennis Barnes hopes to break the current record for most <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/education">scholarships</a> ever awarded, which currently sits at $9.4 million. The 16-year-old senior has been offered more than $9 million in scholarships so far. “My goal is to reach $10 million,” Barnes told the local station WWL-TV, per <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12016621/New-Orleans-teenager-wins-record-breaking-9-million-scholarships.html">The Daily Mail</a>. 
The senior said he intends to pursue a dual degree in computer science and criminal justice. He hasn’t yet decided on which college to attend but will announce his decision before graduating from International High School of New Orleans.
Barnes has a GPA of 4.98 and is a member of the National Honor Society. He’s also fluent in Spanish. He already began his pursuit of higher education by taking college credits at the Southern University at New Orleans.
“I submitted college applications in August, with an eye on raising the bar high for college admissions. Decision letters were an overflow in my mailbox and hundreds of scholarship offers,” he told WWL.
“I will say I haven&#8217;t always been a straight-A student. I&#8217;ve always been devoted to getting my school work done and get good grades like the average child,” Barnes said of his educational background.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="125 college offers; $9 million in total for 16-year-old New Orleans honor student" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DdXkGDFV1_g?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“It&#8217;s not normal, I know it&#8217;s not of course, but I started at someplace. There&#8217;s a starting point for everything. I started and then realized where I was going and as I realized the path I was heading down, I rolled my momentum and I ended up farther than I ever thought I would&#8217;ve been,” he said.
Barnes told USA Today that as of Tuesday, he had been accepted to 170 schools, but that number keeps growing. Many institutions offered him a full ride to attend. &#8220;I am still getting letters. Decision letters were an overflow in my mailbox,&#8221; Barnes <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/entertainthis/new-music-friday/2023/04/26/dennis-barnes-new-orleans-student-nine-million-dollars-scholarships/11734990002/">told</a> the outlet during a phone interview. &#8220;I&#8217;m proud of myself. I&#8217;m a black man and you don&#8217;t find that too often in the black community. It stands out.&#8221;
His mother, Reba Barnes, told the news station she’s not surprised by her son’s success.
<a class="c-link" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-5998">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
“'[He] has been like this since a baby. He&#8217;s always been very inquisitive, always on top of everything,” she said. “If he had a field trip, he would put the paper right in front of me, ‘Mama, sign this.’ I never had to ask him for the report card. He&#8217;s always been diligent and purposeful in everything he does.”
Barnes told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/27/us/louisiana-teen-gets-over-170-college-offers-reaj/index.html">CNN</a> that his faith is also important to him. 
“I am a God-fearing young man; I keep God first,” he said. He offered advice to other students looking to succeed.
“If you keep your school, your education a priority and keep God in the mix, then you are definitely going to be successful no matter what you do,” the student said.
The current scholarship money record was set by Normandie Cormier in 2019. She was accepted into 139 colleges after applying with the Common App and the Common Black College App, which allows students to apply to hundreds of schools simultaneously. 
Cormier is currently pursuing a master&#8217;s degree at Louisiana State University, the publication noted.

University Application Acceptance Letter

New Orleans Teen Awarded $9 Million In College Scholarships, Accepted To 170 Colleges

College

Education

The Biden administration has asked the Supreme Court to step in after a federal appeals <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/courts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">court</a> walked back just part of the decision to suspend FDA approval of a widely used abortion drug, but not the full request to completely block the ruling. 
Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a Thursday statement that the Department of Justice would be turning to the Supreme Court after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-orleans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Orleans</a> issued a ruling late Wednesday night that partially reversed a ruling from U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-in-texas-suspends-fda-approval-of-abortion-pill-used-in-up-to-half-of-abortions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had paused FDA approval</a> of mifepristone. 
&#8220;The Justice Department strongly disagrees with the Fifth Circuit&#8217;s decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine vs. FDA to deny in part our request for a stay pending appeal. We will be seeking emergency relief from the Supreme Court to defend the FDA&#8217;s scientific judgment and protect Americans&#8217; access to safe and effective reproductive care,&#8221; Garland said in a statement.
The announcement came as the issue was likely to go before the high court due to competing rulings from federal judges in Washington and Texas.
According to Wednesday&#8217;s <a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-pill-appeal-fe13d36218f1fb43590aff29b5ba4e9c?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruling</a> from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court, mifepristone, a pill used in up to half of all abortions, cannot be mailed and it can only be used up until the seventh week of pregnancy. Last week, a conflicting ruling from U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice ruled the FDA must still allow the drug in 17 Democratic-led states that had brought a lawsuit concerning the chemical abortions.
Judges Kurt Engelhardt and Andrew Oldham, both appointed by former President Donald Trump, favored the restrictions while Judge Catharina Haynes, appointed by former President George W. Bush, opposed regulating the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/abortion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chemical abortion</a> pill. 
The appeals court&#8217;s restrictions were added because the judges did not believe them to be “critical” because “the nation operated — and mifepristone was administered to millions of women — without them for sixteen years” between the initial approval of the drug in 2000 and the FDA&#8217;s changes in 2016 to how mifepristone was obtained
During his explanation of why he voted to suspend approval, Kacsmaryk said that the approval had relied on shoddy studies.
“Simply put, FDA built on its already-suspect 2000 Approval by removing even more restrictions related to chemical abortion drugs that were present during the final phase of the investigation. And it did so by relying on studies that included the very conditions FDA refused to adopt,” he said.
Kacsmaryk’s decision was widely praised by pro-life groups but decried by the Biden administration, who promised to challenge the ruling. 
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1681398295491000&amp;usg=AOvVaw17JGI15VfXfp9aJG4_QdWo">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
“We are going to continue to fight in the courts, we believe the law is on our side, and we will prevail,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said of the issue this week. 
The suspension of mifepristone followed a suit from the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine and other pro-life groups who were represented by lawyers with the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alliance-defending-freedom-adf">Alliance Defending Freedom</a>. 
“Pregnancy is not an illness, and chemical abortion drugs don’t provide a therapeutic benefit—they can pose serious and life-threatening complications to the mother, in addition to ending a baby’s life. The FDA never had the authority to approve these hazardous drugs and remove important safeguards,” <a href="https://adfmedia.org/press-release/court-halts-fdas-illegal-approval-chemical-abortion-drugs">said</a> ADF Senior Counsel Erik Baptist.

Attorney General Garland Appears Before Senate Appropriations Committee

Biden Admin Calls On Supreme Court To Intervene In Controversial Abortion Pill Decision

Court Makes Decision On Suspension Of FDA Approval Of Widely Used Abortion Pill

Abortion

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)

Biden Administration

Courts

Karine Jean-Pierre

Merrick Garland

Social Issues

Supreme Court

It&#8217;s the &#8220;Loch Ness Monster of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-orleans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Orleans</a>.&#8221;
A daycare center owner in The Big Easy posted a video of a massive fish swimming in the lagoon in City Park. Fishermen and locals from the area were puzzled by what exactly the creature was as well, since the area is home to a number of large fish species. Local ABC affiliate <a href="https://wgno.com/news/louisiana/orleans-parish/what-is-the-mysterious-creature-swimming-in-lagoons-at-new-orleans-city-park/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WGNO</a> said that local officials are investigating the strange aquatic creature.
Kim Frusciante, the co-founder of Early Partners preschool in New Orleans, said she saw the fish while walking through the park with her family last week. “We looked into the water and saw a mysterious serpent-like creature. It is nothing I have seen before land or sea,” Frusciante told the outlet. “The great people of the internet seem to think it is a genetically modified carp fish created in a lab and released in City Park.”
“My children were a combination of terrified and excited as many children would be seeing a beast in City Park,” she continued. “It was quite long. I have a 4-year-old slightly smaller than it and it was weaving on the surface, and a lot of scales, the tail was red and it was swishing around aimlessly hanging out on the surface much longer than a normal fish.”
“In our sea creature studies, we haven’t seen anything like this in our books,&#8221; she added. “I am pretty well convinced that it is the Loch Ness monster of New Orleans,”
Frusciante posted the video of the creature to Early Partners&#8217; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq5zKzZLdjO/?img_index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> account. The dorsal fin and tail of the fish can be seen thrashing in the water.
Commenters under the Instagram post, and a separate Facebook post by WGNO, gave theories about just what the monster might be.
&#8220;I used to see huge carp swimming under the bridges on Bayou St. John,&#8221; one commenter wrote. &#8220;Fascinated me as a kid, huge.&#8221;
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-22625">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
&#8220;Is an Alligator Gar, I see them my self, they casually come up to see what&#8217;s around, they been there for decades,&#8221; said another.
&#8220;If it has a red tail and coming to the surface it is an aripama that someone released there,&#8221; another wrote.
One user claimed that the fish had been in the lagoon for a while. &#8220;Saw this in the sculpture garden last week,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Looked like it was dying. Tail all chewed up, and the body disturbingly crooked. Figured it was a carp of some sort, but very grotesque. How is it not dead yet?&#8221;
Officials at New Orleans City Park told WGNO that they could not positively identify the creature, but they believed it was a carp. They would be working with partners to find and identify it.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/real-life-loch-ness-monster-paleontologists-discover-fossils-of-marine-dinosaur-in-fresh-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Loch Ness Monster</a> may not be in New Orleans, but last year, evidence emerged that it could very well have existed. A group of scientists from the University of Bath and the University of Portsmouth in the U.K., and the Université Hassan II in Morocco, discovered bones belonging to a plesiosaur in the Kem Kem beds, an ancient riverbed system in what is now the Sahara desert in Morocco. The discovery indicates that plesiosaurs, originally thought to have lived only in saltwater environments, may have also lived in freshwater habitats as well.
The new discovery means that the Loch Ness Monster could have been real, in a sense. “On one level, it’s plausible,” the University of Bath said in its press release. “Plesiosaurs weren’t confined to the seas, they did inhabit freshwater.” But the release admits that stories about the monster, a.k.a. “Nessie,” are still just stories.

New Orleans City Park Lagoon

‘Loch Ness Monster Of New Orleans’: Residents Puzzled By Huge Fish In City Park Lagoon

'Loch Ness Monster Of New Orleans': Residents Puzzled By Huge Fish In City Park Lagoon

Animals

Facebook

Fish

Instagram

Former Raiders QB Derek Carr appeared on Monday to confirm reports about where he&#8217;s headed for his next NFL home when he tweeted a familiar saying related to the Saints football team.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/faith-was-number-one-raiders-qb-says-he-wasnt-allowed-to-skip-church-for-games">31-year-old</a> star QB took to <a href="https://twitter.com/derekcarrqb/status/1632777656763842560?s=20">Twitter</a> and tweeted to his hundreds of thousands of followers a very brief message that read simply, &#8220;Who dat [saints emoji].&#8221; The saying is often tossed about among fans of the New Orleans team.
The post has since gone viral with more than 6.3 million views and counting.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Who dat ⚜️ <a href="https://t.co/DIY8gBGuGu">pic.twitter.com/DIY8gBGuGu</a>
&mdash; Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) <a href="https://twitter.com/derekcarrqb/status/1632777656763842560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The former Las Vegas star and now free-agent QB post comes following reports that he&#8217;s headed to the Saints team with a four-year contract, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/03/06/derek-carr-new-orleans-saints-quarteback-free-agent/11411968002/">USA Today</a> reported.
Shortly after publication, the Saints tweeted that Carr was officially part of the New Orleans team.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Got our guy.
The New Orleans <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Saints?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Saints</a> have agreed to terms with QB Derek Carr! <a href="https://t.co/F9Au1Uc59F">pic.twitter.com/F9Au1Uc59F</a>
&mdash; New Orleans Saints (@Saints) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saints/status/1632833431607312387?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Got our guy,&#8221; the tweet read. &#8220;The New Orleans #Saints have agreed to terms with QB Derek Carr!&#8221;
The Saints have yet to announce details of the deal with Carr that is reportedly worth up to $150 million and includes $100 million in total guarantees, <a href="https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/03/06/report-four-year-150-million-deal-for-derek-carr/">ProFootball Talk</a> noted.
In the offseason, the ex-Raiders player met with three teams, the Saints, Carolina Panthers and the New York Jets.
Carr&#8217;s story with the Raiders came to an end after he was benched in December for the remainder of the 2022 NFL season by head coach Josh McDaniels. At the time, the team stood at 6-9 and was still ostensibly in the playoff hunt, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/raiders-qb-derek-carr-benched-with-two-games-remaining-in-season">reported</a>. McDaniels announced that Jarrett Stidham would get the start instead, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/dec/29/derek-carr-benched-las-vegas-raiders">Guardian</a> noted.
The Raiders acquired Stidham from the New England Patriots in an off-season trade. McDaniels previously was the Patriots&#8217; offensive coordinator. Stidham got the start against the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs and the team lost both games and their chance of getting into the playoffs.
<a class="c-link" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
In January, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/raiders-qb-derek-carr-says-goodbye-after-9-seasons-says-he-gave-them-everything-he-had">QB wrote a message</a> on Instagram saying goodbye after 9 seasons with the Las Vegas team and shared in his farewell that he had given them all he had &#8220;every single day&#8221; no matter whether it was off-season or not. The former Vegas QB said all he ever wanted to be was a Raider and that he still has that &#8220;fire&#8221; burning inside him to win a championship no matter where that might be.
Carr had been the Raiders&#8217; starting QB since 2014 and had only missed three games in nine seasons due to injury. Last offseason, Carr signed a three-year, $121.5 million contract extension, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35335730/raiders-bench-qb-derek-carr-start-jarrett-stidham-vs-49ers">ESPN</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/faith-was-number-one-raiders-qb-says-he-wasnt-allowed-to-skip-church-for-games">&#8216;Faith Was Number One&#8217;: Raiders QB Says He Wasn&#8217;t Allowed To Skip Church For Games</a>

Derek Carr-2

Derek Carr Appears To Confirm Reports About Next NFL Home

Celebrities

Las Vegas Raiders

An overnight shooting in New Orleans left two people dead and four more wounded, police reported.
All of the victims were teenagers, with no suspect in custody, according to local authorities, who responded to the incident at the 2000 block of St. Maurice Avenue in the Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood.
The shooting occurred around 12:30 a.m. Monday, with emergency medical personnel pronouncing a 19-year-old male and 19-year-old female dead on the scene. Two 18-year-old males were taken to a local hospital by ambulance, while two others teenagers were transported in a private vehicle.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨BREAKING NEWS UPDATE🚨 2 dead, 4 injured after shooting in Lower 9th Ward We now know the two victims dead at the scene were both 19-years-old, a male and a female. The injured victims are two 18-year-old males, one 18-year-old female and one 17-year-old female. <a href="https://twitter.com/WWLTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WWLTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/LwzYbZgZJK">pic.twitter.com/LwzYbZgZJK</a>
&mdash; Leigha McNeil WWL-TV (@leigha_mcneil) <a href="https://twitter.com/leigha_mcneil/status/1607341530548736000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The identities of the victims have not yet been released as family members were still being notified. The Orleans Parish Coroner&#8217;s Office will release the identity of the victims and determine their exact causes of death, <a href="https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/2-killed-4-injured-in-lower-9th-ward-shooting-nopd-says/article_26063476-851e-11ed-98b4-0f04dc9ba33a.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Nola.com. Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call the New Orleans Police Department.
The shooting deaths follow the murder of a New Orleans comedian on Friday. Brandon &#8220;Boogie B&#8221; Montrell was fatally shot multiple times in his vehicle on Friday afternoon.
<a href="https://www.fox8live.com/2022/12/24/comedian-brandon-boogie-b-montrell-identified-man-slain-outside-new-orleans-grocery-store/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to</a> Fox 8, New Orleans police did not believe Montrell was the intended victim, with two unidentified shooters fleeing in a sedan.
Montrell was also a social media influencer known for his “Hood History” series of videos that added a humorous twist to historic locations and events in his home city.
The comedian had been living in California and recently returned to Sidell near New Orleans for the Christmas holiday, according to a family member, the outlet reported.
“My son was not just the victim of a stray bullet,” Montrell’s mother Sherilyn Price said Saturday in a statement released by family attorney Juan LaFonta.
“He’s the victim of decades of neglect that have left New Orleans’ youth with no hope for a future and with no real fear of consequences. It’s past time for leaders in our city and all over to do their jobs. It matters who the president is, who the governor is, and who the mayor is. Leaders create opportunities – including the opportunity to live in peace without fear of random violence,” she added
New Orleans continues to face concerns about violent crime and homicides. <a href="https://www.rit.edu/liberalarts/sites/rit.edu.liberalarts/files/docs/CRIM%20Resources/CPSI%20Working%20Paper%202022.01_Homicide%20Paper%201.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to</a> a Rochester Insitute of Technology study, the city most-recently ranked as the second most dangerous city in the nation.
The Daily Wire also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beleaguered-southern-city-seizes-murder-capital-crown-from-st-louis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that New Orleans, plagued by low police staffing levels and morale, saw 41 murders per 100,000 people in the first six months of the year, a 141% increase over 2019, according to an analysis by The <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-orleans-murder-rate-crime-11663338008" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wall Street Journal</a>. The murder rate is nearly four times that of Chicago and nearly 20 times the rate in New York City.
“The criminals are more bolder and more brazen,” New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson told the newspaper. “They do not believe they will face any consequences for their actions.”

Police car – stock photo

2 Dead, 4 Injured In New Orleans Mass Shooting

Shooting

The defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons was transported to the hospital Sunday as the team was warming up ahead of their game against the New Orleans Saints.
&#8220;Atlanta Falcons Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees was involved in an on-field pregame collision,&#8221; the team <a href="https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-release-statement-on-defensive-coordinator-dean-pees">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;He was stable, alert and responsive and has been transported to University Medical Center New Orleans for medical testing.&#8221;
&#8220;Frank Bush will serve as interim defensive play caller for today&#8217;s game,&#8221; the statement added.
Pees, 73, is the oldest defensive coordinator in the league and came out of retirement to coach for the team, according to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35278971/falcons-dc-dean-pees-stretchered-pregame-collision">ESPN</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
It appears a member of Falcons staff was just carted off the field. Didn’t see what happened. The person was being attended to by medical staff for a few minutes. Working to find out who it was. <a href="https://t.co/hYmlxZHEWM">pic.twitter.com/hYmlxZHEWM</a>
&mdash; Justin Felder (@Justin_FOX5) <a href="https://twitter.com/Justin_FOX5/status/1604528172879544325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The two touchdowns that the Saints scored in the first quarter of the game proved to be too much for the Falcons to come back from as New Orleans went on to win 21-18.
The team later released a statement saying that after Pees was back with the team after having received treatment and evaluation at the hospital.
&#8220;Atlanta Falcons Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees has been treated and released from University Medical Center New Orleans following an on-field pregame collision,&#8221; the team <a href="https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-update-defensive-coordinator-dean-pees-status">said</a> in a new statement. &#8220;He will rejoin the Falcons for the flight back to Atlanta.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-star-nfl-quarterback-rushed-to-the-hospital-after-devastating-hit">WATCH: Star NFL Quarterback Rushed To The Hospital After Devastating Hit</a>

NFL: JUL 30 Atlanta Falcons Training Camp

NFL Defensive Coordinator Rushed To Hospital On Stretcher After Scary On Field Collision

Atlanta

Football

Sports

The niece of former New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie reportedly injured six police officers during an altercation at an airport.
Shannon Epstein allegedly asked a Hispanic family on the plane if they were &#8220;smuggling cocaine&#8221; before the Thanksgiving morning flight took off to New Jersey, <a href="https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/chris-christies-niece-bites-officers-at-new-orleans-airport/article_592e7ee2-728d-11ed-9b91-9345a9dda9b2.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Jefferson Parish Sheriff&#8217;s Office spokesperson Jason Rivarde.
The plane, which had already left the gate, reportedly returned before taking off, and airline workers asked Epstein to exit the aircraft after she became increasingly angry.
Deputies arrived at the scene as Epstein reportedly became more upset and refused to leave. Authorities then prepared to arrest her when Christie&#8217;s niece allegedly turned violent and injured six deputies. Epstein reportedly kicked one officer in the groin and bit another.
<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_source=dwsite&amp;cid=dwplus&amp;mid=z&amp;xid=0" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">TIRED OF THE LEGACY MEDIA&#8217;S BIAS CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE AND OBSCURING THE TRUTH? JOIN US AND SAVE 30%.</a>
Law enforcement eventually handcuffed Epstein to a wheelchair to remove her from the plane. She was charged with six counts of battery, three counts of disturbing the peace, and resisting arrest, <a href="https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/chris-christies-niece-bites-officers-at-new-orleans-airport/article_592e7ee2-728d-11ed-9b91-9345a9dda9b2.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> NOLA.com.
Epstein paid bail of $10,750 and was released on the same day the alleged incident took place. She is scheduled to return to Jefferson Parish for court on January 23, 2023.
The Daily Wire has reached out to Spirit Airlines for more information. No statement has been made at this time. Christie, a 2016 Republican presidential candidate, has not commented on the alleged altercation.
A growing number of incidents regarding unruly passengers has occurred over the past two years, many in connection with mask-wearing requirements on airplanes during COVID restrictions. In 2021, 1,099 unruly passenger cases were <a href="https://www.faa.gov/data_research/passengers_cargo/unruly_passengers#:~:text=The%20repercussions%20for%20passengers%20who,violation%20for%20unruly%20passenger%20cases." target="_blank" rel="noopener">documented</a> but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with numbers dropping but still high, with 767 so far in 2022.
Bryan Del Monte, president of The Aviation Agency, said last year that he <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/07/unruly-passengers-on-flights-why-people-act-out-despite-the-risks.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supports</a> Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian’s call for a national “no-fly” list for unruly passengers, though the idea has not moved forward. Bastian said Delta had banned at least <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/05/delta-asks-the-justice-department-to-put-unruly-travelers-on-a-no-fly-list.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1,900 people</a> for mask-related issues alone. The airline also says it increased self-defense training for flight attendants and front-line employees.

Spirit Airlines

Chris Christie’s Niece Accused Of Biting And Injuring Cops During Airplane Argument

Air and Space

Airplane

Chris Christie

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-orleans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Orleans</a> minister pleaded guilty before a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S.</a> district court judge to money laundering Tuesday, admitting that he took over $889,000 from his church and its ministries for his personal use.
Dr. Charles J. Southall, the executive pastor of First Emmanuel Baptist Church, was charged in September with laundering proceeds through a wire fraud scheme, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/pr/dr-charles-j-southall-iii-pleads-guilty-money-laundering-and-admits-obtaining-over" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The 64-year-old minister has been the lead pastor at the church since 1989.
In 2019, Southall took a $10,000 tithe from one of the congregants and deposited the money into his personal accounts. Between 2016 and 2020, he took multiple donations totaling around $106,000 from another member that was intended for charity and building improvements and moved the funds to accounts for his personal expenses.
Southall used another $150,000 of proceeds from the church’s rental properties that it used to provide low-income housing and used the money for his own purposes without the church’s knowledge, the DOJ said. He also schemed to defraud the church by causing its properties to be sold and directing a portion of the profit to himself.
“In total, Southall improperly caused approximately $537,805.51 of profit from the sale of FEBC-owned real properties located on Amelia Street, Fourth Street, and Baronne Street to be diverted to Southall’s personal benefit improperly and without authorization,” the DOJ wrote.
In 2013, Southall hired someone to consult about starting a sister school in Baton Rouge to the church’s Edgar P. Harney Spirit of Excellence Academy. The consultant was paid $220,000, which was all deposited into an account Southall shared with the person he hired. Some of that money was then used to pay Southall’s personal credit card bills.
Along with making payments on credit cards, Southall used some of the nearly $900,000 to buy a vehicle and purchase tickets and other items.
In his plea deal, the pastor agreed to pay over $85,000 in restitution to Spirit of Excellence Academy, and repay $10,000 to one of the victims he laundered money from and more than $106,000 to another victim. Southall faces up to 10 years, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced on January 17.

Church Steeple

New Orleans Pastor Admits To Defrauding Church Members, School Of Nearly $900K

Church

Fraud

Menu