An Allen Parish man was convicted of causing a wildfire while burning debris, according to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF). Timothy L. Caudle pleaded guilty in November and was ordered to pay a fine of $250, $240 in court costs, $232.50 for fire-suppression reimbursement and a suspended sentence of 20 days in jail. Caudle was burning debris Sept. 9, 2025, when investigators discovered he was burning without establishing proper containment lines and l

The crawfish industry is facing a labor shortage due to federal immigration caps. (Photo by James Simon / Mais La Seafood) BATON ROUGE — The crawfish industry is facing a labor shortage due to federal immigration caps as the state enters the start of the harvesting season, Commissioner of Agriculture Mike Strain said in a House committee meeting on Tuesday.   Most of the seasonal workers employed by the state’s crawfish peeling and packing facilities are authorized to work te

State Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple is drafting rules for discounts on insurance premiums for fortified roofs. (Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Department of Insurance) BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple is working with a national panel of insurance commissioners to establish a targeted discount rate for homeowners who install a fortified roof. The benchmarks will be minimum discounts on homeowner policies that insurance providers are required to me

Senate President Cameron Henry and House Speaker Phillip DeVillier previewed the upcoming legislative session at a luncheon Monday. (Photo by Cross Harris / LSU Manship School News Service) BATON ROUGE — State Senate President Cameron Henry and House Speaker Phillip DeVillier expressed concern Monday about a spate of bills that might give communities veto power over carbon capture projects in their areas.   The push for a local option follows growing concerns of residents, la

Twenty-six parishes in Louisiana have banned burning due to very dry conditions. According to the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF) website, fire danger is elevated in almost all parishes from the Interstate 10 corridor northward. More than half of those parishes are at level of high or very high danger due to lack of rain. The drought in Louisiana has continued for some time. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor website, most of the state remains in mode

Jan Moller, executive director of Invest in Louisiana, warned that the state could face budget shortfalls starting next year. (Photo by Louisiana Public Broadcasting) BATON ROUGE — Federal and state budgeting policies could force Louisiana into structural budget shortfalls approaching $300 million in fiscal 2027 and more than $1 billion by 2029, the director of a nonpartisan think tank, Invest in Louisiana, told the Press Club of Baton Rouge on Monday.   “These aren’t my numb