Investigations
Louisiana sheriff’s dept. has destroyed records of alleged officer misconduct for years
NEW ORLEANS – The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office has been unlawfully destroying its deputies’ disciplinary records for at least 10 years, according to records provided by state officials responsible for overseeing the retention of records by state, parish and local agencies. The finding comes at a time when the Sheriff’s Office is facing multiple lawsuits […]
Rapides traffic stop shooting shines light on window tint enforcement
ALEXANDRIA – James Kittling remembers Nov. 6 starting like many other Sundays during football season. He was going to watch the Saints game with his brother, Derrick. “I was gonna smother some pork chops,” James Kittling said, “make some rice and gravy, string beans, probably put some corn on the side. Before he left, I […]
Gov. Edwards issues state apology for fatal 1972 shootings at Southern University
By Drew Hawkins and Claire Sullivan Gov. John Bel Edwards apologized Wednesday on behalf of the state to former Southern University protest leaders and the families of two Southern students who were killed by an unidentified sheriff’s deputy 50 years ago. “To the extent that the state of Louisiana can try to make this right, […]
Mastercard gave New Orleans $100K for ‘truly needy.’ City couldn’t get people to take cash.
NEW ORLEANS – In November of last year, Mayor LaToya Cantrell gathered finance executives and community leaders on a basketball court inside a city recreation center to announce a new initiative that, she said, was aimed at addressing the city’s racial wealth gap. The mayor’s vision centered on the Crescent City Card, a quasi-municipal ID […]
Two applicants for Capitol police chief have made headlines
State lawmakers will choose the first ever Capitol police chief in the coming weeks, and the law enforcement professionals who have put their names up for consideration include two who were involved in notable incidents related to their jobs. T.J. Gaughf, director of training for the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Rodney Hyatt, a state […]
AT&T, Verizon internet service slower – but not cheaper – in New Orleans’ poor, Black neighborhoods
A couple of years into the pandemic, Shirley Neville had finally had enough of her crappy internet service. “It was just a headache,” said Neville, who lives in a middle-class neighborhood in New Orleans whose residents are almost all Black or Latino. “When I was getting ready to use my tablet for a meeting, it […]
Sinking homes, damaged roads: How a New Orleans community struggles against subsidence
This story was reported through a partnership that includes the Louisiana Illuminator, Floodlight, The Lens, WWNO-FM and The Guardian. NEW ORLEANS – In the early 1990s, James Wright lost his family home in the 9th Ward neighborhood when a new school was built on his block. “They basically took our houses because they gave us […]
Costs of incarceration rise as inflation squeezes inmates, families
Across the nation, prison commissaries are raising prices on items that many consider basic necessities — from deodorant to fresh fruit — not provided by the state department of corrections. The markups come as decades-high inflation is also squeezing inmates’ families, making it harder for them to help. It’s a burden that families shouldn’t have […]
Which officials have early access to LSU season tickets, parking passes?
Among the perks provided to select Louisiana officials – elected and appointed – is early access to buy season tickets ahead of the general public for LSU sports. For premium seats at Tiger Stadium, they are allowed to bypass a waitlist. On top of that, the majority of these officials are given early access to […]
Former Louisiana elected officials tap their old campaign funds to buy sports tickets
Editor’s note: This story is the second in a two-part series that looks into the spending of campaign money on sports tickets. You can read the first installment here. You’ll find a chart below this story that online sports ticket spending by former elected officials. In Louisiana, stepping down from public office doesn’t necessarily mean leaving behind all […]
Louisiana officials use campaign cash to buy LSU, Saints tickets
Editor’s note: This story is the first in a two-part series that looks into the spending of campaign money on sports tickets. You can find the second story here. If you’re looking for tickets to an LSU or Saints game this year, you might want to ask an elected official for help. Forty-nine Louisiana politicians spent […]
Former pro wrestler: Gov. Phil Bryant cut nonprofit funding for supporting his opponent
JACKSON, Mississippi – A former professional wrestler and defendant in the Mississippi welfare scandal is alleging that he personally witnessed Republican Gov. Phil Bryant instruct an appointee to cut welfare funding to a nonprofit because its director supported Democrat Jim Hood in the 2019 governor’s race. The allegation that Bryant leveraged his control of welfare spending […]