A severe drought and heat in South Louisiana caused major setbacks for crawfish farmers, with many crawfish and hatchlings perishing in 2023, but the 2025 season looks more promising. Colleen Crain has more.
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New Orleans certainly knows how to throw a party, and that’s exactly what it’ll be doing the day before the Super Bowl. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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A Breaux Bridge man faces dozens of counts of trafficking of children for sexual purposes. St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, Major Ginny Higgins, says their deputies have been investigating 32-year-old Javien Demouchet since July….
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Higgins says Demouchet is accused of soliciting minors for sex in exchange for money and-or gifts. She says right now they know of just one victim, but the investigation is ongoing regarding other juvenile victims…
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In 2023, a severe drought and heat in South Louisiana caused major setbacks for crawfish farmers, with many crawfish and hatchlings perishing. The 2024 season reflected this loss, with lower availability and higher prices. According to LSU AgCenter’s Todd Fontenot, the upcoming season looks more promising, as the crawfish are emerging to better conditions.
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Increased rainfall and moderate temperatures have improved field conditions, especially for crawfish raised alongside rice. While concerns remain, especially with salinity issues in southern ponds, Fontenot expects this year to be an improvement over last year’s record low yields.
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With acreage dedicated to crawfish production up to 400,000 acres, hopes are high for a plentiful season. However, Fontenot says it remains too early to predict whether prices will remain stable.
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New Orleans certainly knows how to throw a party, and that’s exactly what it will be doing the day before the Super Bowl with a Mardi Gras-style parade. The grand marshal is Todd Graves, the founder of Baton Rouge-based Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers. He says this is a way to invite the whole city to the festivities surrounding the big game.
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The parade will be shown on national television, and Graves says it’s a way for New Orleans to showcase itself not only to the country, but to the world.
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Again, this will be a Mardi Gras-style parade, featuring marching bands, throws and about 20 floats, including signature floats from various krewes. Float-builder Barry Kern can’t wait.
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The parade will be held February 8th, and it will go along streets in the French Quarter and the Central Business District, albeit not following one of the traditional Mardi Gras routes.
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The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for the southern half of the state. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says a red flag warning signals a heightened risk of wildfires, caused by a combination of low humidity and strong winds.
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Louisiana is currently experiencing drought conditions, which, according to Grymes, further increases the wildfire threat. As temperatures drop and winds rise, the likelihood of fires spreading rapidly grows.
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To stay safe, residents are advised to avoid all fire-related activities, including campfires and burn piles. Additionally, people should comply with burn bans and other restrictions issued by local authorities. Grymes says these precautions are essential to prevent uncontrolled fires during the red flag warning.
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