News
Republicans in Congress repeat Trump’s claims of a stolen election
WASHINGTON—Some Republicans in Congress are agreeing with President Donald Trump’s baseless claims that the election was stolen from him, and backing legal challenges to voting results in states won by President-elect Joe Biden. “For the integrity of the electoral process, and the system that we have chosen to effectuate our democracy, we have got to […]
President-elect Biden says that with a national mask mandate ‘We can save tens of thousands of lives’
WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden’s coronavirus response plan seeks to put a national mask mandate in place by calling on all governors to require face coverings in their states. It’s a move that public health experts say could dramatically reduce the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths. But putting wider mask laws in place would […]
Louisiana climate task force holds first meeting
Louisiana’s Climate Initiatives Task Force, a body Gov. John Bel Edwards created through an Aug. 19 executive order, held its inaugural meeting at the capitol building on Monday, and its chairperson said the task force’s effort will be about “leading us away from environmental disaster and economic hardship and towards a better future for our […]
The Supreme Court could strike down Obamacare. Here’s what’s at stake.
WASHINGTON—The fate of the sweeping 2010 health care law known as Obamacare is again in limbo, with the Supreme Court on Tuesday set to hear arguments over whether that statute should be overturned. States are at the heart of the case and nearly every one has made an argument about why Obamacare should be kept […]
Calcasieu Parish public schools’ academic calendar could extend to early June
The Calcasieu Parish School Board is scheduled to vote on a proposed change to the system’s school calendar Tuesday that, starting Nov. 30, would add 30 more minutes to each school day. Even with those added minutes, a school year interrupted by two hurricanes and an ongoing pandemic wouldn’t end before early June. “Staff has […]
Five more parishes can apply for Hurricane Delta aid
Beauregard, Lafayette, Rapides, St. Landry and St. Martin parishes have been added to FEMA’s individual assistance program, bringing the total number of parishes impacted by Hurricane Delta where residents are eligible for aid to 10, the governor’s office announced Saturday. Delta made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on Oct. 9 near Creole, Louisiana, about […]
Building back the Blue Wall: How Joe Biden won Pennsylvania | Analysis
Joe Biden built back the fabled “Blue Wall” of the Upper Midwest on his way to becoming president-elect on Saturday. But as important as Biden’s wins in Michigan and Wisconsin were, no state played a more important role in the former vice president’s victory than Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes. The Associated Press called […]
Joe Biden declared next president by Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Democrat Joe Biden’s native state of Pennsylvania on Saturday secured his victory to become the next president of the United States when The Associated Press reported he had gained enough votes there to win the electoral college. The AP called Pennsylvania for Biden at 11:25 a.m., which gave the former vice president 284 […]
Louisiana governor leaves most pet projects in state budget
Gov. John Bel Edwards kept almost all of the 118 pet projects Louisiana lawmakers inserted into the budget intact when he signed legislation this week. He vetoed just five items — costing a combined $718,000 — out of the $25.2 million list Wednesday. The governor removed money for Madisonville lighthouse repairs ($250,000), Grant Parish waterworks […]
Republicans parroting Trump’s claim that he’ll win with ‘legal votes’
WASHINGTON—Some GOP lawmakers have fallen in line with President Donald Trump’s claim that he will win the election if the “legal votes” are counted. “If you count the legal votes, I easily win,” Trump said Thursday night, without citing any evidence that votes have been cast fraudulently or illegally. “If you count the illegal votes, […]
What does the new anti-abortion amendment really mean for Louisiana?
Far from being a mere symbolic gesture, the passage of Louisiana’s anti-abortion constitutional amendment on Tuesday cements any future abortion prohibitions in the state if Roe v. Wade is ever weakened or overturned. The amendment, which passed by an overwhelming 62 percent, adds Article I, Section 20.1 to declare that “to protect human life, nothing […]
Calcasieu Parish reopens 66 public schools after Hurricane Laura
More than two months after Hurricane Laura, a Category 4 storm that heavily damaged 74 Calcasieu Parish public schools, the school board has reopened 66 public schools. “The reopening process is going really well,” Holly Holland, the public information officer for the Calcasieu Parish School Board, said. “Our students, faculty, and staff have all been […]