State

Using aeration devices in water features can help deter mosquito breeding. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Got mosquitoes? Get rid of standing water

From The LSU AgCenter

Friday, April 11, 2025

After some of our recent rains, you may have noticed areas of your lawn holding water. Or perhaps you have some buckets, pots, plastic tarps or other items sitting around that filled up with rainwater.

A bee visits an azalea bloom. Photos by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

Azaleas, a staple of Southern gardens, named 2025 Louisiana Super Plant

From The LSU AgCenter

Friday, April 4, 2025

Every year, LSU AgCenter horticulturists select four plants to add to the Louisiana Super Plant program. Plants don’t come by this designation easily. They must prove they can be beautiful and tough in the face of Louisiana’s challenging growing conditions.

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Gov. Landry orders executive branch hiring freeze for La.

Wesley Muller / Louisiana Illuminator

Friday, April 4, 2025

Gov. Jeff Landry has enacted a hiring freeze for the executive branch of state government in an effort to save $20 million ahead of a projected state budget shortfall.

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Landry budget grows Medicaid

Julie O’Donoghue / Louisiana Illuminator

Friday, March 28, 2025

Gov. Jeff Landry has made public moves to cut state government spending in recent weeks, following the lead of President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency and its dramatic reductions at the federal level.

LSU AgCenter entomologist Aaron Ashbrook observes an ant mound at the AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden in Baton Rouge.

Two-step your way to getting fire ants under control

From The LSU AgCenter

Friday, March 21, 2025

Spring is near in Louisiana. The birds are singing, and flowers are beginning to blossom in our landscapes. It’s a great time to be outdoors. Watch your step, though, or you might become a victim of another sign of the changing seasons: fire ants. As temperatures warm, fire ants become more active.

Early voting for four amendments on the ballot for the March 29 election continues at Eunice City Hall through Saturday. Voting hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cynthia Martin, voter commissioner, hands back Austin Miller’s driver’s license as he will cast his vote. Results from early voting in Eunice included Saturday, 39; Monday, 42; and Tuesday, 32. (Photo by Myra Miller)

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Few early voters turning out to amend Louisiana Constitution

Wesley Muller / Louisiana Illuminator

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Early voter turnout so far is very low for Louisiana’s March 29 election to decide the fate of four constitutional amendments and, for some voters, local races and tax referendums. As of Monday night and the close of the second day of early voting, statewide turnout tallied 67,072.

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Fortified roof grant program is proving effective

Wesley Muller / Louisiana Illuminator

Friday, March 14, 2025

The state’s grant program that helps homeowners pay for upgrades for a fortified roof is proving effective in lowering the cost of their homeowner’s insurance, according to a review published Monday by the state auditor.

House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice,

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DeVillier among lawmakers seeking study on moving UNO back to LSU System

Piper Hutchinson / Louisiana Illuminator

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Louisiana’s top two state lawmakers have asked the Board of Regents to study the possibility of moving the financially-embattled University of New Orleans back into the LSU System.

LSU AgCenter fruit and nut specialist Michael Polozola demonstrates pruning a young peach tree to encourage a form that is more conducive to fruit production. (Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter)

Pruning boosts health and productivity of fruit and nut trees

From The LSU AgCenter

Friday, March 7, 2025

Late winter is an ideal time for pruning many trees, and fruit trees are no exception. Regularly trimming away damaged and unsightly branches is key to maintaining a healthy tree with an aesthetically pleasing shape.

House Speaker Mike Johnson

State budget vulnerable to federal spending cuts

Morgan Carter and Madeline Waltman LSU Manship School News Service

Friday, February 28, 2025

Louisiana’s reliance on federal funds for half of the state budget leaves it vulnerable as President Donald Trump and congressional leaders push for substantial cuts in federal spending. Federal funds provided $21.4 billion, or 50.8%, of the $42.1 billion Louisiana state budget in fiscal 2024.