Author
Louisiana state government offices to be closed in 36 of 64 parishes Thursday
State offices across Louisiana were shut down the first three days of the week, and on Wednesday afternoon, Louisiana Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne announced that in more than half the state those offices will remain closed Thursday because of continuing bad weather. Dardenne announced office closures for Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, […]
Winter storm shuts down all state offices Monday
Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne announced Sunday that state offices will be closed statewide Monday as Louisiana braces for a winter storm. The office close, according to a statement from Dardenne’s office, “applies to all nonessential employees, including those authorized to work from home due to COVID-19.” Dardenne said his announcement may be updated as […]
Award-winning journalist Tammy C. Barney to write columns for Louisiana Illuminator
Tammy Carter Barney, an award-winning columnist who spent most of her career writing for The Times-Picayune and The Orlando Sentinel, will be writing a column twice a month for the Louisiana Illuminator. After earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Loyola University New Orleans, she covered city government and education for The Daily Comet in […]
4 Louisiana state troopers booked with excessive force in past incidents
The Louisiana State Police announced the Monday arrests of four Louisiana State Police officers from Troop F for turning off their body cameras, using excessive force on men they were arresting and lying about what happened. The troopers’ alleged crimes happened in July 2019 and May 2020. In a statement, Col. Lamar Davis, the Louisiana […]
Excerpts from President Joe Biden’s inaugural speech
Below are excerpts from President Joe Biden’s inaugural address, following his swearing-in as the nation’s 46th president: We’ll press forward with speed and urgency, for we have much to do in this winter of peril and significant possibilities. Much to repair, much to restore, much to heal, much to build, and much to gain. Few […]
State gives hospitals permission to use its extra vaccine doses on certain members of the public
To prevent COVID-19 vaccine dosages from going to waste, the Louisiana Department of Health Tuesday gave hospitals permission to vaccinate certain members of the public if they have extra after they’ve vaccinated their staff. According to a press release issued by the state health department, hospitals now have permission to “begin using any remaining current and […]
These Louisiana pharmacies are scheduled to receive COVID-19 vaccine this week
The Louisiana Department of Health on Monday released a list of pharmacies across the state that will offer COVID-19 vaccinations to people 70 and older this week. Those who are eligible must first make an appointment with their respective pharmacy in order to get vaccinated. There are about 485,000 people in Louisiana who are age […]
Read Jarvis DeBerry’s best Illuminator columns of 2020
The June 23, 2020 launch of the Louisiana Illuminator also marked Editor Jarvis DeBerry’s second act as an opinion writer in Louisiana. DeBerry wrote opinions for 20 years at The Times-Picayune, and after almost a year writing columns for cleveland.com helped launch the Illuminator. His column appears weekly on the website. Six months into publication, […]
Gov. Edwards to attend White House vaccine summit Tuesday
Gov. John Bel Edwards will travel to the White House to participate in Tuesday’s Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Summit, his office announced in a Monday evening press release. Edwards will attend the summit with other governors and with Alex Azar, the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. “Gov. Edwards will offer his perspective […]
Early voting for Dec. 5 runoff election ends Saturday
Saturday is the last day that Louisiana residents can vote early for the Dec. 5 runoff elections. The polls open at 8:30 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. State offices and all early voting locations are closed Friday in observance of Acadian Day, which celebrates the arrival in Louisiana of the Acadian people from the […]
Time for Louisianians to vote early is running out
Early voting for the Dec. 5 election wraps up Saturday, Nov. 28, at 6 p.m., but state offices will be closed Thursday and Friday in observance of Thanksgiving Day and Acadian Day. No voting will take place on those days. Louisianians planning to cast an early ballot who haven’t done so by Wednesday at 6 […]
22 Louisiana law enforcement officers known to have died of COVID-19
The National Fraternal Order of Police said in a Wednesday press release that 276 law enforcement officers across the country have died of COVID-19 since the novel coronavirus reached the United States. The police organizations lists those fatalities as “line-of duty deaths” and calls the pandemic a “public health crisis” and a “public safety crisis.” […]