State

Earcel Boyd killed a Japanese guard when he was in the Navy during World War II. (Photo courtesy of Leland Boyd)

Earcel Boyd killed a Japanese guard when he was in the Navy during World War II. (Photo courtesy of Leland Boyd)

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Father’s Klan ties splintered family

Josh Archote / LSU Manship School News Service
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
This is the second in a three-part series When Leland Boyd woke up in the middle of the night as a child, he’d sometimes find his father Earcel in the bathroom, scrubbing his hands over and over. “The next day you’d see him, his hands would be just red,” Leland said.

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Louisiana considers prison time for modest marijuana possession again – but only for minors

Julie O’Donoghue / Louisiana Illuminator / lailluminator.com
Monday, March 28, 2022
Louisiana lawmakers may put incarceration back on the table for possession of modest amounts of marijuana, but only for children and teenagers under age 18. Adults would still be able to avoid prison time if caught with marijuana joints, even for repeat offenses. Rep.
Earcel Boyd preached at Baptist churches before and after joining the Ku Klux Klan. (Photo courtesy of the Concordia Sentinel)

Earcel Boyd preached at Baptist churches before and after joining the Ku Klux Klan. (Photo courtesy of the Concordia Sentinel)

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Sons experienced father’s evolution into a segregationist

Josh Archote / LSU Manship School News Service
Friday, March 25, 2022
Though 57 years have passed, Leland Boyd still can’t forget the smell of burnt human flesh.  In December 1964, Leland, then 12, stood in the doorway of a hospital room, where Frank Morris, a 51-year-old Black man from Ferriday, lay in critical condition after two men had torched his shoe shop.

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Louisiana may prohibit release of mug shots before conviction

Julie O’Donoghue / Louisiana Illuminator
Friday, March 25, 2022
The Louisiana Legislature is considering a ban on the release of almost all police mug shots unless a person is convicted of a crime. The proposed restriction could impact the way media reports on arrests throughout the state. House Bill 729, sponsored by Rep.

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Louisiana prison officials push for air conditioning after fighting lawsuit

Julie O’Donoghue / Louisiana Illuminator
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
The head of Louisiana’s prison system is pushing state lawmakers for funding to install air conditioning at its facilities statewide to make it easier to retain correctional officers. None of the seven prisons in the system have air conditioning for prisoner dormitories.

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High fuel prices won’t bring jobs because oil companies won’t drill

Wesley Muller / Louisiana Illuminator
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Rising fuel prices typically lead to job growth in an energy hub like Louisiana, but experts say the state is unlikely to see much of a benefit this year as fossil fuel companies have so far been hesitant to spend more on drilling and production.

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Barksdale airman sues over COVID exemption

Harlan Kirgan
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
By Victor Skinner The Center Square A senior airman stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base is suing over the Biden administration’s military COVID-19 vaccination mandate after officials denied her religious exemption. Senior Airman Faith Crocker filed a lawsuit Monday in the U.
Coffee grounds and eggshells are excellent kitchen scraps to compost for use in the garden. (Photo by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

Coffee grounds and eggshells are excellent kitchen scraps to compost for use in the garden. (Photo by Heather Kirk-Ballard/LSU AgCenter)

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Fertilizing on a budget

Heather Kirk-Ballard / LSU AgCenter horticulturist
Friday, March 18, 2022
Fertilizer prices spiked in U.S. markets in late 2021. Now, as we are getting ready for spring planting, the price of fertilizer continues to skyrocket. Farmers and even home gardeners are feeling the pinch and looking for alternative ways to provide nutrients for their gardens.
Jeremy Alford

Jeremy Alford

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Newspapers have a busy session, too

Jeremy Alford
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
The Louisiana Press Association’s new lobbying team is facing a regular session that will take aim at a vital component of the newspaper business — advertising revenue.