NATIONAL

“Two police officers were shot and wounded during a protest rally in Ferguson, Missouri, early on Thursday, hours after the city’s police chief resigned in the wake of a scathing U.S. Justice Department report finding his force was rife with racial bias.” – Reuters

“The controversy over Hillary Clinton’s emails and her unconvincing press conference at the United Nations have gotten many Democrats and others thinking the unthinkable: Clinton may not be the Democrats’ 2016 nominee for president. And it has many asking the question — scary for Democrats — of who else could be.” – Michael Barone/Washington Examiner

“Clinton appeared for the press conference in a controlled environment that allowed no follow-up questions. She relied on a prepared script for her statement and turned back to it for answers to the obvious questions. And yet nothing she said can withstand a moment’s thought or scrutiny.” – Power Line

“Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley says if he were president, it would be important as commander in chief to have his secretary of state use the official server for business.” – POLITICO

“Americans’ confidence in all three branches of government is at or near record lows, according to a major survey that has measured attitudes on the subject for 40 years. The 2014 General Social Survey finds only 23 percent of Americans have a great deal of confidence in the Supreme Court, 11 percent in the executive branch and 5 percent in Congress. By contrast, half have a great deal of confidence in the military.” – AP

“Principles: If Republicans want to know how to respond to President Obama’s barbs and attacks, they should pay close attention to what Gov. Scott Walker said after Obama smacked him for signing a right-to-work bill.” – Investor’s Business Daily

“Al Sharpton’s tax problems are well known. It’s a good thing he isn’t a member of the Tea Party, otherwise he might be in real trouble with the IRS. Luckily for the good reverend, he’s a liberal progressive and therefore subject to a different set of rules. What you may not have heard, is that some of Al Sharpton’s financial records have unfortunately been destroyed by not one but two completely unsuspicious fires.” – Legal Insurrection

“Conservatives need to get their facts straight if they want to win the argument on Keystone XL. In order to do that, you need to understand that there are different types of crude oils that are not all the same physically or chemically. Next, you need to know that not all crude oil refineries are alike or have the same product slates. Then, you need to understand logistics. After that, you can consider sources and stability.” – Ricochet

“But while we can’t know the faith in a man’s heart, we can discern quite a lot about the faith he manifests. Discussions about religion should center not just on orthodoxy (correct belief) but also on orthopraxy (correct conduct). And while we can’t know a president’s inner walk of faith, we can know his conduct, and we can know how he publicly ties that conduct to his professed faith. In other words, we can discern how he practices his civil religion.” – National Review

“Who could have seen this coming? Practically everyone outside the Obama administration, that’s who, but these days it would have been a Logan Act violation to mention it. Saudi Arabia has cut a deal with South Korea to develop two nuclear reactors in the next 20 years, putting Iran’s chief opponent in the region to play a little nuclear escalateo with Tehran:” – Hot Air

LOUISIANA

“Between 50 and 60 uniformed Louisiana State Police troopers will patrol the French Quarter and other areas of the city starting Thursday (March 12), and they’ll remain in New Orleans throughout 2015, Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson said Wednesday.” – NOLA.com

“Jamie D. Croom refused to go back to jail, even if it meant dying at the hands of law enforcement officers, his sister said.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“US Thrill Rides announced today that it executed a development agreement with Two Canal Street Investors Inc, currently a finalist in the RFP process to re-development the iconic World Trade Center building at the foot of Canal Street in New Orleans. The Company stated that in the event that Two Canal Street Investors is selected by the New Orleans Building Corporation to re-develop the WTC building the two entities will join together to build the largest observation attraction in the Southern Gulf Region.” – Yahoo! Finance

“The Orleans Parish School Board might open up its books to a thorough audit. Its finance committee will consider the question Thursday (March 12), one week after board member Ira Thomas was charged with conspiring to solicit a bribe and resigned.” – NOLA.com

“Before anyone in the governor’s office and beyond starts conspiring and plotting to create some headaches for Morris, they would be well served to sit down and give some serious thought to what Morris said. Because what Morris said was accurate and made a great deal of sense, and yes, it is ‘insane’ to run to Grover Norquist to get his blessing concerning any proposal any elected official or employee of the state of Louisiana might conjure to balance the budget to avoid ripping state government apart.” – Sam Hanna/Ouachita Citizen

“The mood in the National Guard headquarters in Hammond was somber Wednesday after a helicopter with four Louisiana guardsmen and seven Marines went down over water off the coast of Florida on Tuesday night during a training exercise.” – Baton Rouge Advocate

“Treasurer John Kennedy is balking at Gov. Bobby Jindal’s proposal to sell the remaining piece of Louisiana’s tobacco settlement for upfront cash to pay for Louisiana’s free college tuition program called TOPS.” – Lake Charles American Press

“New tests indicate a worker at the Tulane National Primate Research Center near New Orleans has been exposed to the dangerous bioterror bacteria that was somehow released from a high-security lab on the property, a federal official said Wednesday night.” – WWL-TV

“As heavy rain poured down in Northwest Louisiana, area roadways flooded, stalling some vehicles.” – KSLA

“Five-star LSU basketball commit Antonio Blakeney is feeling good about luring another superstar to the Tigers. Blakeney said on Cullota & The Prince on 104.5 FM in Baton Rouge on Thursday morning that ‘LSU is very real in Malik Newman’s recruitment,’ and ‘I think we’re going to get him.'” – Baton Rouge Advocate