Head of Louisiana OMV resigns, Gov. Landry announces Friday
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Gov. Jeff Landry announced Friday morning that Louisiana OMV Commissioner Dan Casey has resigned as the state office continues to have outage issues.
The resignation comes as the OMV system has been experiencing frequent outages due to its aging mainframe applications. In a March 21 statement, the Office of Technology Services (OTS) and Unisys have been actively investigating outages but haven't found the issue.
'I want to sincerely thank Dan Casey for stepping up to serve as the Commissioner of Office of Motor Vehicles at a time when most people would shy away from the position. Dan faced nearly impossible circumstances, including a system that was designed in the 1970s, with the demands of the 21st century. I am thankful for his leadership and wish him the best,' Landry said Friday.
The governor said work to find a permanent fix for system issues continues. An executive order signed by Landry on March 20 declared a state of emergency and suspended late fees for Class E driver's licenses up to 30 days past the expiration date. Residents will still need a valid, unexpired ID to travel outside of Louisiana since the Transportation Security Administration and law enforcement in other states will not recognize the extension.
Landry said he will name an interim secretary in the near future.
Landry merges homeland security agency with Louisiana National Guard
Rain and storms expected for Baton Rouge area this weekend
Head of Louisiana OMV resigns, Gov. Landry announces Friday
'Disappointed but not surprised': Measles cases explode in 19 states, new outbreak confirmed
National Kidney Foundation hosts free screenings, walk in Baton Rouge
McConnell: US headed for 'Russia wins, America loses' headline on Ukraine deal
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Stay safe with these tips for using a power generator after a hurricane or tropical storm
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Louisiana consumers are buying and using generators across the state to be prepared for a power outage during hurricane season. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), generators are emergency equipment that provide a secondary power source during an electrical failure. Generators can be useful in the event of a natural disaster and there is a power outage. Though it can be useful, generators can also be dangerous. Some generators emit carbon monoxide, which is colorless and odorless but can be fatal for humans and animals. FEMA recommends not using generators indoors or in poorly ventilated areas. Precaution tips include installing a carbon monoxide alarm in your home to prevent toxic buildups. FEMA says to always use heavy-duty extension cords for appliances. Generators use a huge amount of power and if used improperly, can cause injury or power surges to power lines. Fuel for the generator should be stored outdoors. To avoid electrocution, keep the generator dry and away from rain and wet conditions. When refueling, turn off the generator and allow it to cool down. Fuel spilled on the hot engine parts could ignite a fire. Read the generator's instruction manual to use the recommended fuel type and how much is required. What items should be in hurricane, disaster preparation kit for your family, pets? See here. Costco will let customers shop without crowds (for a price) Where the 'No Kings' anti-Trump military parade protests are planned DOJ calls Newsom legal challenge to National Guard 'crass political stunt' Newsom hits back at DeSantis over offer to send Florida state guard to LA LSU duo named First-Team Freshman All-Americans Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Celebrate US Army's 250th birthday at Perkins Rowe block party
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) – Celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th birthday in Baton Rouge at a block party on Thursday. The largest branch of the military was founded on June 14, 1775. The theme is 'This We'll Defend,' on the rich history and legacy of service, sacrifice, and dedication. 'The Army is only one year older than our nation, so it's a big deal for us,' said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Darlin Acevedo. The U.S. Army Recruiting Company New Orleans is hosting a block party in Perkins Rowe to celebrate. It's a chance for local communities to show their steadfast support of local veterans, soldiers, and families. 'In Baton Rouge, we're trying to get the men and women to be a part of the legacy and to further expand for the next 250 years,' said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Daeshawn Duffie. The family-friendly party is from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, June 12, at Perkins Rowe Town Square. This one-day event features music by the School of Rock, a future soldier swear-in, a mayor's proclamation and a cake-cutting ceremony. Attendees can also learn about other veteran organizations and hands-on robotic training. Officials preview DC security for Army's 250th anniversary parade Costco will let customers shop without crowds (for a price) Where the 'No Kings' anti-Trump military parade protests are planned DOJ calls Newsom legal challenge to National Guard 'crass political stunt' Newsom hits back at DeSantis over offer to send Florida state guard to LA LSU duo named First-Team Freshman All-Americans Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump trade deal shows how vital China's rare-earth metals are to US defense firms
The draft trade agreement with China announced by Donald Trump on Wednesday would ease concerns from top US military suppliers about rare-earth metals and magnets that, if cut off permanently, could hobble production of everything from smart bombs to fighter jets to submarines and other weapons in the US arsenal. While the deal has not yet been finalised, it may reassure major defense companies such as Lockheed Martin, the largest US user of samarium – a rare-earth metal used in military-grade magnets – whose supply is entirely controlled by China. The issue of China's export restrictions on the metals and magnets was so important that Trump specifically mentioned them as part of his announcement of a broader trade agreement with China that would reduce US tariffs to 55% and Chinese tariffs to 10%. Related: Trump says China will face 55% tariffs as he endorses trade deal 'Our deal with China is done, subject to final approval with President Xi and me,' Trump wrote. 'Full magnets, and any necessary rare earths, will be supplied, up front, by China.' Rare earths are crucial to the production of F-35 fighter jets, Virginia- and Columbia-class nuclear-powered submarines, Tomahawk missiles, radar systems, unmanned aerial vehicles and smart bombs, according to Gracelin Baskaran of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a thinktank. China in April imposed export restrictions on seven rare earth elements during the tough negotiations over Trump's new tariffs. China also targeted the aerospace and defense industries by limiting 15 US entities with ties to the industry from receiving dual-use goods. 'The United States is already on the back foot when it comes to manufacturing these defense technologies,' Baskaran said in an interview published by CSIS. 'China is rapidly expanding its munitions production and acquiring advanced weapons systems and equipment at a pace five to six times faster than the United States. While China is preparing with a wartime mindset, the United States continues to operate under peacetime conditions.' Trump has amassed a team of foreign policy China hawks, including a number who have warned that the US should focus more on the pacing threat posed by China over the coming decades instead of current conflicts in Ukraine or the Middle East. 'Even before the latest restrictions, the US defense industrial base struggled with limited capacity and lacked the ability to scale up production to meet defense technology demands,' she continued. 'Further bans on critical minerals inputs will only widen the gap, enabling China to strengthen its military capabilities more quickly than the United States.' China and the US had agreed last month in Geneva to pause the implementation of sky-high tariffs that would have delivered a severe economic blow to manufacturers and consumers in the US, as well as exporters in China. But China maintained export licenses on rare-earth metals used by both defense producers and carmakers that threatened to upend global supply chains and imperil production in the US. In particular, China has a stranglehold on the production and export of samarium, a magnet used in combination with cobalt to provide highly durable magnets used to withstand the intense temperatures in military-grade tech. China produces the entire world's supply of the rare-earth metal. In particular, the magnets are important for the production of guided missiles, satellite-guided 'smart bombs', and aircrafts, including fighter jets, according to Apex Magnets, a supplier. Those supplies of weapons have been depleted through deliveries of missiles and other ordnance to Ukraine and to the Israeli military. Pentagon planners and other officials in the administration of Joe Biden, regularly squared off over whether foreign weapons deliveries expose a US vulnerability in case it faced off with a major military power. In order to break the deadlock, secretary of state Marco Rubio also abruptly announced plans to cancel hundreds of thousands of visas for Chinese students in the US. While publicly that was said as a plan to root out Chinese spies in US higher education, Axios reported that the visa ban was also motivated by China's obstinance on resuming rare earths exports. The breakthrough comes as Trump is planning to display US military prowess at a parade in Washington DC this weekend that has been seen as an attempt to flex American muscle and reinforce the US president's bonafides as a supporter of the military. Trump in 2019 ordered the Pentagon to find new sources of procuring rare earth minerals, in particular samarium, because the US did not have the capacity to produce them domestically. The initiative was 'essential to the national defense', he said then. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data