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Louisiana Illuminator
Real-time data show the air in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’ is even worse than expected
Since the 1980s, the 85-mile stretch of the Mississippi River that connects New Orleans and Baton Rouge has been known as “Cancer Alley.” The name stems from the fact that the area’s residents have a 95% greater chance of developing cancer than the average American. A big reason for this is the concentration of industrial […] The post Real-time data show the air in Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’ is even worse than expected appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Virginia NAACP sues Shenandoah school board after district restored Confederate names
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia NAACP on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the Shenandoah County School Board for what it called “reaffirming discrimination,” after the school system voted to rebrand schools with Confederate names in May. The lawsuit alleges that the school board violated the U.S. Constitution, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of […] The post Virginia NAACP sues Shenandoah school board after district restored Confederate names appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Judge strikes down Florida gender-affirming care restrictions for minors and adults
Florida can no longer enforce its ban against transgender youth receiving gender-affirming care, or its restrictions against adults accessing gender-affirming care, after a federal district court ruling Tuesday found those rules to be unconstitutional and fueled by animus against trans people. The ruling is effective immediately. Although federal courts have blocked many state anti-LGBTQ+ laws, […] The post Judge strikes down Florida gender-affirming care restrictions for minors and adults appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Pair of U.S. House Dems add to chorus calling for Alito, Thomas recusals
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats echoed Senate colleagues Tuesday in calling for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito to recuse themselves from Jan. 6 cases, and for congressional Republicans to support passing an enforceable ethics code for the entire bench. Reps. Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight […] The post Pair of U.S. House Dems add to chorus calling for Alito, Thomas recusals appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Louisiana lawmakers refuse to endorse child care as campaign expense
Five years ago, the Louisiana Board of Ethics told a political candidate she could use her campaign money to cover child care costs as long as the expense was related to her efforts to get elected. But state legislators declined to insert that policy into law this year. They scuttled Senate Bill 153, which would […] The post Louisiana lawmakers refuse to endorse child care as campaign expense appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Biden touts gun safety record to advocates, as son found guilty on felony charges
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday touted his administration’s efforts to reduce gun violence as the second anniversary of bipartisan gun safety legislation he signed into law approaches. “Never give up on hope,” Biden said during an annual conference hosted by the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. The speech came hours after the […] The post Biden touts gun safety record to advocates, as son found guilty on felony charges appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Immigration group pleads for help bringing deported relatives back to the U.S.
WASHINGTON – The Ohio Immigrant Alliance at a Tuesday press conference at the U.S. Capitol called on members of Congress to bring deported family members back home to the United States. Present at the event were relatives of those deported asking for both Congress and President Joe Biden to reform the American immigration system and […] The post Immigration group pleads for help bringing deported relatives back to the U.S. appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Landry shakes up Louisiana Economic Development agency
Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill into law Tuesday that restructures the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) agency, eliminates labor union representation from its board and exempts the agency from certain state purchasing laws that critics say have caused bureaucratic delays. Senate Bill 494, sponsored by Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, attracted scant attention during a recent […] The post Landry shakes up Louisiana Economic Development agency appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
U.S. Senate Republicans outline their farm bill framework
WASHINGTON — Republicans on the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on Tuesday released their framework for a new five-year farm bill that will set the policy and funding levels for key food, agriculture and conservation programs. The top Republican on the committee, Arkansas Sen. John Boozman, laid out GOP priorities with reporters […] The post U.S. Senate Republicans outline their farm bill framework appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Bipartisan U.S. House caucus planning for post-war Middle East
WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of U.S. House lawmakers has launched an effort to spur planning for what the Gaza Strip will look like the “day after” the Israel-Hamas war, even as agreement over a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal remains elusive. Democratic Reps. Brad Schneider of Illinois and David Trone of Maryland, along with Republicans Ann […] The post Bipartisan U.S. House caucus planning for post-war Middle East appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
For some rural communities, a stripped-down hospital is better than none at all
On many days, some small hospitals in rural Mississippi admit just one patient — or none at all. The hospitals are drowning in debt. The small, tight-knit communities they’ve anchored for decades can do little but watch as the hospitals shed services and staff just to stay afloat. The federal government recently offered a lifeline: […] The post For some rural communities, a stripped-down hospital is better than none at all appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Losing faith: Verite survey reveals structural causes of hopelessness in New Orleans
A recent survey commissioned by Verite News showed high levels of resident dissatisfaction in New Orleans. This combined with evidence from the U.S. Census Bureau that the city is losing population at one of the highest rates in the U.S., creates a sense of hopelessness. This hopelessness remains despite many survey respondents stating how much […] The post Losing faith: Verite survey reveals structural causes of hopelessness in New Orleans appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
‘Lookback window’ extended for child abuse survivors to file lawsuits in Louisiana
Child abuse survivors may have more time as adults to file lawsuits against their perpetrators under a new law. It’s a measure meant to strengthen efforts to hold organizations such as the Catholic Church accountable for decades of mistreatment. Louisiana’s original “lookback window” for civil suits over older child abuse allegations was set to expire […] The post ‘Lookback window’ extended for child abuse survivors to file lawsuits in Louisiana appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Louisiana sued for allowing consultants to profit off disabled veterans
An attorney has filed a federal lawsuit against the state over the Louisiana Legislature’s recent passage of a law that lets unregulated consultants profit off disabled veterans. The plaintiff is John B. Wells, a retired Naval officer turned lawyer who now represents military veterans trying to obtain benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs […] The post Louisiana sued for allowing consultants to profit off disabled veterans appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Trump floats plan to end taxes on tips, though experts raise doubts
WASHINGTON — Economists across the ideological spectrum raised doubts about the cost and workability of former President Donald Trump’s proposal over the weekend to exempt tips from federal taxes if he wins in November. During a campaign rally Sunday in Las Vegas, where hundreds of thousands work in the hospitality industry, Trump promised service workers […] The post Trump floats plan to end taxes on tips, though experts raise doubts appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Trump says he’ll work ‘side by side’ with group that wants abortion ‘eradicated’
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump said Monday that if reelected he plans to work “side by side” with a newly formed religious organization that says abortion is the “greatest atrocity facing” the United States and should be “eradicated entirely.” During two-minute recorded remarks played at The Danbury Institute’s inaugural Life & Liberty Forum in […] The post Trump says he’ll work ‘side by side’ with group that wants abortion ‘eradicated’ appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Highway humor is over some drivers’ heads
States have had their fun with highway safety messages, posting everything from Taylor Swift lyrics to discourage texting in Mississippi, to a “vibe check” — winking at Gen Z — to encourage seat belt use in Arizona. Such messages are shown intermittently on thousands of highway signs, known as variable messaging signs, when the billboards aren’t lit up […] The post Highway humor is over some drivers’ heads appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Minorities ‘systematically’ underrepresented in U.S. petrochemical workforce, study finds
This country’s heaviest polluters also rely on a workforce that disproportionately fails to fill good-paying jobs with people of color who are more likely to be affected by their emissions, according to a new study. The research, from Tulane University’s Environmental Law Clinic — currently under peer review — finds that people of color are […] The post Minorities ‘systematically’ underrepresented in U.S. petrochemical workforce, study finds appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Governor names Tim Hardy chair of Louisiana Community and Technical College System
Baton Rouge attorney Tim Hardy has been named the new chairman of Louisiana’s two-year college system Monday, Gov. Jeff Landry’s office announced Monday. Hardy, a Shreveport native and Southern University Law Center graduate, will lead the board that oversees the 12 schools in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. More than 150,000 students attends […] The post Governor names Tim Hardy chair of Louisiana Community and Technical College System appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
New voter registration rules threaten hefty fines, criminal penalties for groups
ORLANDO, Florida — On a sticky Sunday afternoon in late May, Mark Wendell ambled through Loch Haven Park, a mossy, oak-covered green space wedged between a trio of lakes and the Orlando Science Center. Among the two dozen food and vendor tents lining the sidewalks at the Orlando Fringe theater and arts festival was People […] The post New voter registration rules threaten hefty fines, criminal penalties for groups appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
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The Louisiana Illuminator is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization driven by its mission to cast light on how decisions are made in Baton Rouge and how they affect the lives of everyday Louisianians, particularly those who are poor or otherwise marginalized. Here readers will find in-depth investigations and news stories, news briefs and commentary, all of which is intended to help them make sense of how state policy is crafted, how it helps or hurts them and how it helps or hurts their neighbors across the state. Notwithstanding the way political reporting is often presented, we see politics as neither sport nor entertainment. There are quality-of-life consequences – even life-and-death consequences – to environmental permitting decisions, to health care policy, to income- and sales-tax rates, to budgetary cuts and to economic development plans. For those reasons, the Illuminator does not cover politics in a way that centers on politicians, their squabbles with one another or their career ambitions. Instead, we center on Louisianians from Ouachita to Calcasieu, from Plaquemines to Caddo who must live with the decisions their political leaders make. Though we’re located in Baton Rouge, we understand that the ramifications of decisions made in our capital are felt across the state and that those stories are often best told in cities, towns and parishes far from the halls of power. As our name indicates, our mission is to shine a bright light on Louisiana, to highlight the state’s successes and its examples of good and responsive government and to expose its failures and corruption. An affiliate of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers like you, the Louisiana Illuminator retains editorial independence.
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