16 parishes suffer storm's heaviest hit

State offices are closed in 16 parishes Thursday where hazardous driving conditions and scattered power outages are forecast due to a winter storm that dropped a mix of rain, sleet, snow and ice.
Schools are closed in most of them and normal government and business activity is almost at a standstill.
The parishes include Rapides, Avoyelles, Catahoula, LaSalle, Bienville, Caldwell, Claiborne, East Carroll, Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Union and West Carroll.