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East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Talks Flood Control, MOVEBR Plan

Louisianans have a love-hate relationship with water. Our state's waterways are the source of so much of our culture and commerce. But as rainfall increases and storms intensify, once historic flooding events are becoming commonplace.

Boy Scout Bankruptcy Represents ‘Day Of Reckoning’ For Organization, Lawyer Says

The Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy protection Tuesday amidst several expensive sex-abuse lawsuits. In an official statement , Boy Scouts of America said that it will use the Chapter 11 filing to “equitably compensate victims” of abuse while keeping the organization from folding. The Boy Scouts would use the money from the bankruptcy protection filing to create a “Victims Compensation Trust,” according to the statement. The decision had been expected since late 2018, when the Wall...

Hundreds Of Homes Flooded In Mississippi As More Rain Is Expected

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich Released Following Trump's Commutation

East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Talks Flood Control, MOVEBR Plan

By Paul Braun • Feb 18, 2020

Louisianans have a love-hate relationship with water.

Our state's waterways are the source of so much of our culture and commerce. But as rainfall increases and storms intensify, once historic flooding events are becoming commonplace.

Gov. Edwards Forms 'Rural Revitalization' Task Force

By editor • Feb 17, 2020

Governor John Bel Edwards just announced new efforts to revitalize Louisiana’s rural communities that are in crisis.

By executive order, Gov. Edwards formed a task force to address problems in the state’s outlying and underpopulated areas affected by poor education, economic development, and healthcare access.

A maximum of 34 appointees will help identify the needs of Louisiana’s rural residents and devise legislative solutions.

Man Turns Himself In For Dumping French Quarter Art Carts In The River

By Betsy Shepherd • Feb 17, 2020

The man the New Orleans Police Department says is responsible for stealing artist carts from Jackson Square is now in police custody.

Landon Semones, 42, turned himself into authorities at the Eighth District Station this morning for the theft of nearly a dozen carts in the French Quarter during the early hours of Jan. 31.

Texas Health Agency Head Named Louisiana's New Health Secretary

By Paul Braun • Feb 13, 2020

Gov. John Bel Edwards has officially chosen the new secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health following the departure of Rebekah Gee, the former head of the state’s largest government agency.

Fire At ExxonMobil's Baton Rouge Refinery Extinguished, No Injuries Reported

By Paul Braun • Feb 12, 2020

First responders have extinguished a fire inside ExxonMobil’s sprawling Baton Rouge refinery complex that caused concern among area residents and bathed the night sky in an orange glow that was visible for miles.

Louisiana Could Face Water Shortage Without Better Management

By editor • Feb 11, 2020

Louisiana groundwater levels are declining faster than they are being replenished.

Teacher's Unions Disappointed By Edwards' Budget Priorities

By Paul Braun • Feb 11, 2020

Last week, Governor John Bel Edwards debuted his $32 billion dollar budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. Unsurprisingly, the second-term governor’s plan highlighted new investments in education.

Edwards' Budget Proposal Prioritizes New Education Investments

By Paul Braun • Feb 10, 2020

Elizabeth Garner / LSU Manship School News Service

Gov. John Bel Edwards debuted a $32 billion state budget proposal Friday, but ongoing disputes between the administration and Republican lawmakers over how much money the state has to spend looms large over the start of this year’s negotiations.

Chalmette Refining Releases Excessive Levels Of Cancer-Causing Gas, Report Says

By Paul Braun • Feb 6, 2020

A Louisiana refinery is one of 10 across the country that is releasing excessive levels benzene into nearby communities, according to a report from the Environmental Integrity Project, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade and other environmental groups.

Chalmette Refining recorded the eighth-highest emission levels of cancer-causing gas in the nation.

Edwards Administration, GOP At Odds Over State Revenue Estimates... Again

By Paul Braun • Feb 4, 2020

Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, House Speaker Clay Schexnayder and Senate President Page Cortez prepare for a meeting of the Revenue Estimating Conference on Jan. 31, 2020 — Paul Braun / WRKF

Governor John Bel Edwards and top Republican lawmakers will start the 2020 legislative session locked in a familiar standoff.

On Friday, the Revenue Estimating Conference, or REC, couldn’t agree to update the state's official revenue projections. That means the governor’s executive budget would have to be based on last year’s estimate — about $100 million less than economists expect the state to have in the coming fiscal year.