Bill Cassidy blasts Trump’s Iran peace deal: ‘Reagan is rolling over in his grave’ BY MARK BALLARD | Staff writer Updated 5 hrs ago WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy condemned President Donald Trump’s 14-point deal pausing hostilities with Iran, which is slated to be signed Friday in Switzerland.
+3 Louisiana cracks down on restaurant worker attacks as Gov. Jeff Landry signs new law BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN | Staff writer Updated 5 hrs ago Standing behind a McDonald’s counter in Baton Rouge on Wednesday morning, Gov. Jeff Landry signed a law he says will help protect restaurant workers from attacks.
+6 Despite outcry, most Louisiana school districts can afford teacher stipends, auditor says By PATRICK WALL | Staff writer Updated Jun 16, 2026 School superintendents might not like Gov. Jeff Landry’s plan to cut their budgets to pay for teacher stipends — but most school districts can afford it.
Australian woman charged with voting illegally in Louisiana, could face 5 years in prison BY ALYSE PFEIL | Staff writer Updated Jun 16, 2026 An Australian woman who is a legal permanent resident and lives in Franklinton was charged with federal crimes for illegally voting in two elections in 2022 and 2024, according to the U.S. Dep…
The fight in Congress over college athletics drags on, with Louisiana lawmakers in key roles BY MARK BALLARD | Staff writer Updated Jun 16, 2026 Two competing bills promise to fix college sports, and Louisiana lawmakers are at the center of it.
+3 Julia Letlow favored to win U.S. Senate race, but John Fleming says don’t count him out BY TYLER BRIDGES | Staff writer Updated Jun 14, 2026 Gone are the national reporters who flocked to Louisiana to capture the political drama of whether U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy could survive President Donald Trump’s attempts to end his political career.
+2 Louisiana just made it illegal to sue oil companies over climate change. So have other states. By ALEX LUBBEN | Staff writer Jun 14, 2026 Louisiana has joined a handful of Republican states that have recently passed legislation aimed at banning lawsuits against oil and gas companies over the harms of climate change.
Spat between Fleming, Letlow erupts over AI video mention of congresswoman’s late husband BY ALYSE PFEIL | Staff writer Jun 12, 2026 U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow on Friday slammed Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming for sharing on social media an AI video depicting a fake version of her referring to her late husband.
East Baton Rouge Parish Library headed back to the polls for a tax vote. See the details here. BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD | Staff writer Jun 12, 2026 An East Baton Rouge Parish Library tax is back on the ballot this month after voters shot down a city-parish tax rededication initiative in November.
Here's what's on the June 27 ballot in the Baton Rouge region: Party primaries, tax propositions. BY VICKI FERSTEL | Staff writer Jun 12, 2026 Early voting for the June 27 election begins Friday, June 12, and ends Saturday, June 20, excluding Sunday, June 14 and Friday, June 19, which is a state holiday. Early voting hours are 8:30 a…
Early voting begins Friday for Senate election and other races throughout Louisiana BY TYLER BRIDGES | Staff writer Jun 12, 2026 Seven days of early voting begin Friday throughout Louisiana in advance of the June 27 election.
+2 Louisiana lawmakers passed bills to try to keep prescription drug costs down. Will it work? BY ALYSE PFEIL | Staff writer Updated Jun 11, 2026 Louisiana lawmakers this year took what they hope is another big steptoward lowering the cost of prescription drugs.
+2 Metro Council approves Baton Rouge anti-gang partnership with federal agents, despite U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confusion BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER | Staff writer Jun 10, 2026 Amid public confusion about the role of Homeland Security, coupled with fears of potential U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, the Metro Council accepted $1.16 million to house fed…
A U.S. appeals court judge in New Orleans is taking senior status, creating an opening BY MARK BALLARD | Staff writer Updated Jun 10, 2026 Donald Trump will have the chance to name another member to this New Orleans-based bench that hears appeals from three states.
Property tax renewal for BREC parks operations, maintenance up for vote. See the details here. BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD | Staff writer Jun 10, 2026 East Baton Rouge Parish residents will vote this month on whether to renew the property tax that funds the park agency’s operations and maintenance, which can range from staffing lifeguards to…
What happens when a Louisiana inmate dies in custody? Families are asking for more oversight. BY AIDAN MCCAHILL | Staff writer Jun 9, 2026 A failed House bill would have established a statewide system for reporting prison and jail deaths in Louisiana. Advocates say it was a first step in addressing systemic issues in the state’s …
Baton Rouge district attorney and challenger spar over a hate crime case as election approaches BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER | Staff writer Jun 9, 2026 Allegations that a 13-year-old boy dressed up in Ku Klux Klan garb to deface a neighbor’s property with racist messages have sparked a fight between Baton Rouge’s district attorney and his fir…
+2 OMV offices around Louisiana experiencing network outages due to tech upgrade BY ALYSE PFEIL | Staff writer Jun 9, 2026 Office of Motor Vehicles locations around Louisiana “are experiencing network outages due to connectivity issues” after a new hardware system used by dozens of state government offices and age…
East Baton Rouge Parish to vote on Council on Aging’s property tax renewal. Here’s what to know. BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD | Staff writer Jun 9, 2026 East Baton Rouge Parish voters will decide this month whether to renew a 10-year property tax for the parish’s Council on Aging that would fund services like meals and transportation for seniors.
Kamala Harris to serve as keynote speaker for Louisiana Democrats’ New Orleans fundraiser By JULIA GUILBEAU | Staff writer Jun 8, 2026 Kamala Harris will be honored in August at the Louisiana Democratic Party’s annual fundraiser in New Orleans, serving as the event’s keynote speaker, organizers said.
Why did Gov. Jeff Landry, legislators crack down on New Orleans courts? Here’s the inside story. BY TYLER BRIDGES | Staff writer Jun 7, 2026 Gov. Jeff Landry’s opening address to the state Legislature three months ago took an emotional turn when he looked up at the visitors gallery in the House chamber and asked the family of Jacob…
+11 The Louisiana Legislature passed more than 900 bills. See some of the most important. BY ALYSE PFEIL, MEGHAN FRIEDMANN AND MATT ALBRIGHT | Staff writers Jun 7, 2026 When the U.S. Supreme Court issued its April 29 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, it sent the state Legislature into overdrive.
+2 As Gov. Jeff Landry touts federal projects in Louisiana, Sen. Bill Cassidy says: You’re welcome. BY MARK BALLARD | Staff writer Updated Jun 5, 2026 “I’m a little bit amused by my contributions not being acknowledged by Gov. Landry,” said Cassidy, who Landry helped oust from office.
Louisiana likely to use new congressional map for 2026 midterms despite looming court challenge BY ALYSE PFEIL | Staff writer Updated Jun 5, 2026 It appears likely that November’s congressional elections will be held under Louisiana’s new voting map after a federal court postponed a key hearing on a potential legal challenge to the new map.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry issues first veto of the year — on a bill that passed unanimously BY ALYSE PFEIL | Staff writer Jun 5, 2026 Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry this week vetoed legislation that would have allowed prisoners who were wrongfully convicted of a crime to get more compensation from the state.
+2 Baton Rouge’s public defender will get a funding boost — including help from St. George, Central and Baker BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER | Staff writer Jun 4, 2026 A bill headed to Gov. Jeff Landry's desk would guarantee Baton Rouge's public defender $1 million a year from the city-parish budget, but its author, State Rep. C. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rou…
Louisiana gets rid of inspection stickers — in most places. Here’s what to know. BY ALYSE PFEIL | Staff writer Updated Jun 4, 2026 Drivers across most of Louisiana will no longer need a vehicle inspection sticker, though many in Baton Rouge and New Orleans have to comply with other inspection rules in those areas.
+5 In a stormy session, workforce training wins were a bipartisan bright spot, business groups say By STEPHANIE RIEGEL | Staff writer Jun 4, 2026 While much of the 2026 legislative session was dominated by battles over congressional redistricting and high-profile partisan issues, for the state’s business lobby, a series of measures desi…