Author

Greg LaRose

Greg LaRose

Greg LaRose has covered news for more than 30 years in Louisiana. Before coming to the Louisiana Illuminator, he was the chief investigative reporter for WDSU-TV in New Orleans. He previously led the government and politics team for The Times-Picayune | NOLA.com, and was editor in chief at New Orleans CityBusiness. Greg's other career stops include Tiger Rag, South Baton Rouge Journal, the Covington News Banner, Louisiana Radio Network and multiple radio stations.

An image of a wildfire in Beauregard Parish from drone video shows burning trees and first responder vehicles on a nearby highway.

Louisiana modifies statewide burn ban as fires near total containment

By: - September 28, 2023

Louisiana will modify its statewide burn ban, in effect since late August, to allow each parish to set its own guidelines. Recent rain and the work of firefighters has lowered the risk of additional blazes in the state’s most prone areas. Starting at 5 p.m. Friday, each parish can choose to opt out of the […]

Depressed child sitting at weargered sidewalk. Fine noise applied.

Work begins early for Louisiana’s new ombudsperson on child abuse response

By: - September 28, 2023

Retired Baton Rouge juvenile Judge Kathleen Richey begins her new job Monday as Louisiana’s first state child ombudsperson, leading an office that will review policy to promote the best interests of children and handle complaints when public and private agencies fall short. Even before she starts officially, Richey has already made appointments to meet with […]

Vessels in the Mississippi River work on raising a sill in the Mississippi River near Alliance to reduce the flow of saltwater upriver.

President Biden approves emergency declaration for southeast Louisiana saltwater intrusion

By: - September 27, 2023

President Joe Biden has approved Gov. John Bel Edwards’ request for an emergency declaration in response to saltwater intrusion on the lower Mississippi River, the governor’s office announced Wednesday. A far reaching drought throughout the upper Mississippi River Valley has slowed its flow to the point where saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico, which is […]

Stephen Waguespack and Shawn Wilson participate in the Gray Television governor's race debate Sept. 26, 2023, at the University of New Orleans Performing Arts Center.

Waguespack, Wilson battle for middle ground in Gray TV governor’s race debate

By: - September 27, 2023

NEW ORLEANS — The two men polls show in second and third place behind the frontrunner in the Louisiana governor’s race had the stage to themselves Tuesday night at the University of New Orleans Performing Arts Center. Republican Stephen Waguespack and Democrat Shawn Wilson held an hour-long, genial policy discussion with no real attacks against […]

An image of a wildfire in Beauregard Parish from drone video shows burning trees and first responder vehicles on a nearby highway.

Two Southwest Louisiana fires declared 100% contained

By: - September 26, 2023

Two of the four fires that have collectively damaged more than 40,000 of woodlands in Louisiana have been brought under control, according to officials who’ve spent weeks on the ground containing the blazes. An update from the Southern Area Complex Incident Management Gold Team posted Tuesday on Facebook that listed the Lions Camp Road fire […]

COMMENTARY
State Rep. Richard Nelson during the Police Jury Association of Louisiana forum at the Shreveport Convention Center, March 10, 2023.

Richard Nelson’s departure from the governor’s race means more than you think

By: - September 25, 2023

A day before he announced he was withdrawing from the Louisiana governor’s race, Richard Nelson shared a quick account of his day on the campaign trail via social media. He was the featured speaker last Tuesday at the Kinder Rotary Club, which Nelson noted holds its meetings at the Reed-Riley Smith & Son’s Funeral Home.  […]

A tug boat pulls a barge on the Mississippi River downriver from the city of New Orleans, shown on the horizon at sunset

Saltwater intrusion creates drinking water emergency for southeast Louisiana

By: - September 22, 2023

NEW ORLEANS — The historic drought currently baking Louisiana has created an emergency for areas in the southeastern part of the state that depend on the Mississippi River for their drinking water. The flow of saltwater upriver from the Gulf of Mexico is expected to reach New Orleans in exactly a month and has already […]

Jeff Landry standing at podium speaking to reporters. His wife Sharon is at his side.

Jeff Landry declines Gray Television debate invitation

By: - September 22, 2023

Frontrunning candidate Jeff Landry has officially opted out of the next event slated for statewide TV, making it more than likely he will have made just one appearance alongside his competitors in the governor’s race in a debate or public forum before the Oct. 14 primary.   The Republican attorney general’s absence leaves just two candidates […]

Police in Minneapolis unravel crime scene tape

Violent Crime Task Force offers glimpse of future showdowns over criminal justice reform

By: - September 20, 2023

The newly seated Violent Crime Task Force met for the first time Tuesday. Its members convened for an introductory organizational session that lasted less than 30 minutes, but still provided a preview of the anticipated conservative push to unravel changes Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards has made to Louisiana’s criminal justice system since taking office. […]

Images of the departmental uniform patches of the Alexandria Police Department, Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office and Pineville Police Department are shrouded in smoke with a dark background that features lights from a police car and a prison cell bars

Wrongful deaths, beatings, false arrests alleged in lawsuits against Rapides law enforcement

By: and - September 20, 2023

A string of lawsuits lays out allegations of death, violence, negligence and unwarranted arrests, stops and searches against Rapides Parish law enforcement in recent years. Plaintiffs point fingers at leadership for permitting a climate of misconduct.   A Louisiana Illuminator review of federal and state court records since 2020 found multiple complaints against the Rapides Parish […]

COMMENTARY
Shawn Wilson

Democrat Shawn Wilson making the governor’s runoff isn’t necessarily a lock

By: - September 18, 2023

You can’t put it much more bluntly than independent Hunter Lundy did at Friday’s televised governor’s debate.  “Shawn Wilson cannot win this race. He has zero chance of winning the race,” Lundy said, trying to position himself as an alternative to the party favorites in next month’s election.   A look at the Republican-heavy field for […]

Jeff Landry standing at podium speaking to reporters

Landry keeps big fundraising edge, not counting money PACs, trial lawyers spend

By: - September 15, 2023

Attorney General Jeff Landry continues to hold a decisive edge in fundraising in the Louisiana governor’s race, according to campaign finance filings 30 days ahead of the Oct. 14 primary election. Records from the Louisiana Ethics Administration show Landry pulled about $1.82 million in the reporting period between July 7 and Sept. 4. No other […]