State

Timing is everything when applying fertilizer

Spring is here and the plants are booming. Plants perform best when they are getting the optimum amount of sunlight, appropriate amounts of water and plenty of essential nutrients for good growth and production of flowers and fruit. Optimize plant growth by knowing how and when to fertilize.

Main barrier to broadband internet is cost

In the fifth installment of the 2022 Louisiana Survey, released Tuesday, residents say the most common barrier to having broadband internet is the cost of the service.

Views on abortion are split

A survey released Thursday suggests that Louisiana residents are split almost evenly over whether to maintain legal access to abortions.

Consider the lilies: A symbol of springtime beauty

Spring brings many beautiful flowers, but none more beautiful than the lily. Readily found this time of year and often used for celebrations and decorating in the spring, lilies are important to many cultures and mentioned often in literature.

House passes DeVillier’s education funding bill

The House passed HB 33 by Rep. Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, which creates ESAs (education savings accounts) for children from military and foster families and students attending schools with D and F ratings who have been denied a transfer to better-performing schools.

Tri-Parish workforce grew 1.2% in March

The Tri-Parish workforce grew to 68,216 in March, which is 1.2% or 799 people over the March 2021 number, according to data released Friday by the Louisiana Workforce Commission. The workforce includes workers and those looking for a job. The workforce count by parish in March was: — St.

Teacher, professor pay raises in budget

The House passed a package of budget bills on Thursday, including a proposed $38.6 billion state operating budget with pay raises for K-12 teachers and college faculty. The bill also included more money for infrastructure, though it would not give Gov.

‘Hunger-free campus’ program may soon come to Louisiana colleges

Louisiana college students struggling with getting enough food could soon get support from their universities. A bill to establish the “Hunger-Free Campus” program advanced Tuesday from the Louisiana House Education Committee. The proposal’s author, Rep.

Survey shows La. residents worry about storm losses

Louisiana residents are concerned about damage from hurricanes and fear the unsettling reality of the state’s eroding coastline, with 40% of respondents who have insurance saying they had filed property damage claims since 2020, according to an LSU survey released Tuesday.

Anti-vaccine bills stall in Legislature

Three anti-vaccine bills ran into trouble with lawmakers Tuesday during lengthy debates. Rep. Larry Bagley, a Stonewall Republican, had proposed a bill that would make it a misdemeanor crime for government agencies and schools to discriminate against people based on their vaccine status.