NATIONAL

“There’s a solitary man at the financial center of the Ferguson protest movement. No, it’s not victim Michael Brown or Officer Darren Wilson. It’s not even the Rev. Al Sharpton, despite his ubiquitous campaign on TV and the streets. Rather, it’s liberal billionaire George Soros, who has built a business empire that dominates across the ocean in Europe while forging a political machine powered by nonprofit foundations that impacts American politics and policy, not unlike what he did with MoveOn.org.” – Washington Times

“In the American liberal compass, the needle is always pointing to places like Denmark. Everything they most fervently hope for here has already happened there.” – NY Post

“Here’s why America’s failure to be represented at the Paris unity march was so profoundly disturbing. It wasn’t just because President Obama’s or Vice President Biden’s absence was a horrendous gaffe. More than this, it demonstrated beyond argument that the Obama team lacks the basic instincts and judgment necessary to conduct U.S. national security policy in the next two years. It’s simply too dangerous to let Mr. Obama continue as is—with his current team and his way of making decisions. America, its allies, and friends could be heading into one of the most dangerous periods since the height of the Cold War.” – Leslie Gelb/The Daily Beast

“Beyond the specifics, if someone like Gelb is saying this publicly, my bet is that a lot of the liberal establishment is saying worse privately. And what about the man at the top? Gelb hedges with some pro forma clichés, but between the lines you can make out what he really thinks:” – Power Line

“According to the Mass. State Police, the protesters attached themselves to 1200-pound barrels. Col. Tim Alben said six individuals were tied inside the barrels and had to be cut out of the barrels.” – WHDH

“It was a one-mile walk home from a Silver Spring park on Georgia Avenue on a Saturday afternoon. But what the parents saw as a moment of independence for their 10-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter, they say authorities viewed much differently.” – Washington Post

“Now I wonder. What’s the difference between what Donohue said and this shpiel from Francis?” – Hot Air

“Not since the multiplication of the loaves and fishes near the Sea of Galilee has there been creativity as miraculous as that of the Keystone XL pipeline. It has not yet been built but already is perhaps the most constructive infrastructure project since the Interstate Highway System. It has accomplished an astonishing trifecta:” – George Will/National Review

“House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told a press conference Wednesday that President Obama will ‘properly’ veto a Republican bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which expressly denies funding for Obama’s recent executive actions granting amnesty to millions of illegal aliens.” – CNS News

“For only the second time in nearly two decades, the 20 Academy Awards acting nominations went to a group made up entirely of white actors and actresses.” – Hollywood Reporter

LOUISIANA

“East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Kip Holden’s $335 million public safety tax plan that included money to build a new parish prison will not be on the May ballot — but the proposal is far from dead and voters may yet have a chance to decide on it this fall.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“State Police are assisting a possible hostage situation on Becky Sue Road in rural Evangeline Parish.” – KATC

“An international engineering firm has submitted a preliminary proposal to the state to build an “inner loop” toll road around Baton Rouge, officials said Thursday morning. The plan, which faces a lengthy review process and daunting hurdles, is called the Baton Rouge Urban Renewal and Mobility Plan, or BUMP.”

“Donors still reeling from Louisiana’s expensive U.S. Senate race are being asked to open their wallets again, for the state’s looming governor’s race. And that, too, is shaping up to be a high-spending contest.” – NOLA.com

“Federal health officials say more than 126,000 Louisiana residents have signed up for health insurance through the federal marketplace. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the latest enrollment data Wednesday, saying 126,454 people in the state had selected an insurance plan by last week.” – Lake Charles American Press

“A St. Bernard Parish grand jury that began meeting Thursday (Jan. 15) is considering a possible malfeasance in office charge against Parish President Dave Peralta, a source familiar with the case confirmed.” – NOLA.com

“Louisiana’s generous film incentive program, which by the most recent estimates costs taxpayers about $170 million a year, could and should be better designed to get the state a bigger return on its investment.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“New Orleans police have released a video showing a man being beaten and robbed by two women and two men on the edge of the French Quarter.” – Fox 8 Live

“Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler says a proposed $3.8 million mid-year budget reduction by the Jindal administration will force him to implement an agency-wide employee furlough as early as next week. Schedler has been advised to prepare an impact statement to the Division of Administration by Friday outlining how the reduction would be realized.” – WWL-TV

“A Baton Rouge shoe store employee recently told police he would rather go to jail than cooperate with authorities in an investigation into some official, game-worn LSU football equipment that recently was sold on eBay, LSU police said. And go to jail he did.” – Baton Rouge Advocate