The Bureau of Labor Statistics is out with new numbers that show good and bad news for Louisiana. Lafayette ranks as the worst in the nation for job loss, while the Lake Charles area is the third best in percentage of employment gains between October 2014 and the next year. LSU Economist Dr. Loren Scott says the struggling oil and gas industry reaches many sectors of the economy…:
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He says construction projects in southwest Louisiana have helped the area add 4600 jobs. Houma-Thibodaux has lost about 2800 and Lafayette about 4300 during the same time period..

State Police have released the identities of the deceased victims in the East Feliciana Parish double homicide. They are 46-year-old Kem Smith of Clinton, and 39-year-old Clifton Cowan Jr of Zachary. Troopers determined the victims were boyfriend and girlfriend, and the suspect in the killings, 31-year-old Eric Sanders of Norwood, is the ex-husband of the murdered female. Sanders is charged with two counts of first degree murder.

State Police are still cleaning up a seven vehicle crash that occurred on I-10 in West Baton Rouge Parish early this morning. Sergeant Nick Manale says the crash happened around 3AM in heavy fog conditions when a passenger vehicle stopped in the roadway…:
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The crash caused the closure of the entire interstate for several hours this morning, and the westbound lanes remain closed between Baton Rouge and Gross Tete as salvage teams work to off-load the 18 wheelers and get them off the road.