State

Take advantage of trial garden evaluations

I recently visited a few trial gardens across the South to see what’s new in the ornamental plant world. I saw some wonderful plants and got excited about some of the up-and-coming cultivars being tested for use in the landscape.

LDWF clarifies new lifetime license structure after recent legislative session

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has received a large volume of calls regarding the future of their lifetime licenses in the wake of the recent legislative session. Act 356-HB 691, recently signed by Gov.

Parts of Sherburne WMA Shooting Range to be closed for construction beginning Monday

Portions of the Sherburne Shooting Range Complex, located on the Sherburne Wildlife Management Area (WMA), will be closed beginning Monday for renovation and infrastructure improvement, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced.

Edwards OKs trading higher unemployment benefits for ending federal assistance

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards signed into law a bill that will end federal pandemic unemployment in exchange for a long-term increase in state unemployment benefits. The bill passed last week as the state’s regular legislative session came to a close.

Number of employed continues to rise in COVID-19 recovery

Preliminary data for May released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) shows that Louisiana’s seasonally adjusted number of employed individuals rose both over the month and over the year.

Rural revitalization plan cites 4 key issues (Download the report)

The Advisory Council on Rural Revitalization released its Strategic Plan Report on Wednesday.

LSU Board urges mandated vaccines for students

The LSU Board of Supervisors voted 9-2 Friday to urge the Louisiana Department of Health to add COVID-19 shots to a list of mandated vaccinations for college students once federal regulators give full approval to the vaccines.

Protect, promote pollinators

June 21 to 27 is National Pollinator Week, and the focus is “Pollinators, Plants, People, Planet,” according to www.pollinator.org. Protecting pollinators should be popular year-round, but in June, we aim our focus on how these beneficial creatures help our ecosystems and bring food to our tables.

Pearls of wisdom: Unhinging oysters facts

“He was a bold man that first ate an oyster,” said 18th-century Irish satirist Jonathan Swift. Whether enjoyed fried, grilled, in a seafood gumbo or, perhaps most opinion dividing, raw, there is no denying the oyster’s impact on both Louisiana’s culture and seafood industry.

Parish, state honor legendary musician Clifton Chenier

Clifton Chenier, known as the King of Zydeco, is being honored by the St. Landry Parish Council and teh state House of Representatives with resolutions declaring each June 25 through 2025 as Clifton Chenier Day.