State

Rabbiteye blueberry is ideal for Louisiana landscapes, valued for both its fruit and ornamental qualities. (LSU AgCenter file photo)

Rabbiteye blueberry is ideal for Louisiana landscapes, valued for both its fruit and ornamental qualities. (LSU AgCenter file photo)

Fruitful beauty: Floweraing trees and shrubs for landscapes

It’s that time of year. The deciduous trees are putting on their leaves. The oaks and pines are producing copious amounts of pollen. Live oaks are shedding leaves to put on new growth.

State fire marshal: Change your clocks, change your batteries

BATON ROUGE — State Fire Marshal Chief Bryan J Adams is encouraging Louisianans to check the status of the life-saving devices in their homes, like smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, when changing their clocks ahead one hour for Daylight Saving Time at 2 a.m. Sunday.

LSU researchers design tool to explore effects of solar farming

Though solar farming is not a novel concept in renewable energy, it is fairly new to the state of Louisiana. With the advancement of renewable resources come questions about how they will affect humans and the environment.

Crack down on crime approved

Louisiana lawmakers gave final passage Thursday to sweeping changes in crime laws sought by Gov. Jeff Landry — including measures that will expand methods of execution to include electrocution and nitrogen hypoxia and shield records relating to the executions.
Protesters filled the ground floor of the state Capitol last Tuesday during hearings on stricter crime laws. (LSU Manship School News Service photo)

Protesters filled the ground floor of the state Capitol last Tuesday during hearings on stricter crime laws. (LSU Manship School News Service photo)

With GOP in charge, Louisiana House moves to almost completely eliminate parole

Louisiana, which tops lists for both incarceration and crime, moved Friday toward almost entirely eliminating parole and dramatically shrinking good-behavior sentence reductions.
Multiple species of periodical cicadas, including this Magicicada tredecim, have historically existed in Louisiana. Photo courtesy of Louisiana State Arthropod Museum

Multiple species of periodical cicadas, including this Magicicada tredecim, have historically existed in Louisiana. Photo courtesy of Louisiana State Arthropod Museum

For the first time since 1803, two broods of cicadas to emerge at the same time

For the first time since 1803, two broods of periodical cicadas — one that appears every 17 years and another that emerges every 13 years — will come from the ground simultaneously in the United States this spring and summer.
The lily was named plant of the year by the National Garden Bureau. They make great cut flowers, and they grow well in the garden. (Photo by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

The lily was named plant of the year by the National Garden Bureau. They make great cut flowers, and they grow well in the garden. (Photo by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow

Every year, the National Garden Bureau shines a spotlight on a select group of plants, and for 2024, the lily has been chosen as one of those deserving special recognition.

Don Breaux was serious lawman, usually

I have been trying to recreate in my mind’s eye just how much the driveway dipped behind the old Lafayette City Hall at the point of Jefferson and Lee Streets. I’m doing it because that dipping drive nearly got Donald Breaux fired from the job that began a remarkable law enforcement career.
Potatoes can be harvested by digging carefully around the roots and gently pulling the plants from the soil. (Photo by Kathryn Fontenot/LSU AgCenter)

Potatoes can be harvested by digging carefully around the roots and gently pulling the plants from the soil. (Photo by Kathryn Fontenot/LSU AgCenter)

Potato-planting time arrives in Louisiana

Are you ready for spud season? If you want to grow your own potatoes, it’s time to dig into the dirt and get planting.