Local search for New Orleans

1+ hour, 40+ min ago (500+ words) LAFAYETTE, La. " Seemingly constant regulatory changes and tightening limits on THC products in Louisiana are putting some small hemp businesses under increasing pressure, leaving many struggling to adapt and stay afloat. The state's shifting rules surrounding hemp-derived THC have created confusion for some consumers and business owners. Blue Basin Canna, a Lafayette-based business that has operated in the industry since 2021, says the changes have become increasingly difficult to navigate. "It just got too expensive to maintain," owner Dwayne Dugas said. Dugas said the company saw strong early success when Louisiana first legalized certain hemp products. But that momentum quickly slowed when lawmakers began tightening regulations. "The state was thriving, the hemp industry was thriving in that first year, and then the legislature came and changed the rules," he said. "We had to spend money to change packaging, art design, the…...

3+ hour, 4+ min ago (732+ words) NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - It's a matchup between the top two seeds to determine the Louisiana Division III Non-Select state champion. Defending champion Sterlington, the No. 2 seed, takes on top-seeded Jena Friday afternoon in the Caesars Superdome as part of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association's Prep Classic. Sterlington enters Friday's game at 11-2. Last week, the Panthers rolled past St. James - the same team they beat to win the title last season - 63-38 in the semifinal round. Sterlington is bidding to win state for the fourth time in program history. As for Jena, the Giants are making their first-ever trip to the Superdome to play for a state title. After reaching the semifinals each of the past two seasons, the Giants (12-1) finally broke through with a 30-6 semifinal win against Union Parish. Follow The Sporting News correspondent Buck Ringgold (@Bucks_Ballpark) for all of the…...

4+ hour, 35+ min ago (446+ words) BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Louisiana has settled two federal lawsuits against CVS Health Corporation and its pharmacy benefit manager subsidiary Caremark PCS Health LLC over allegations the companies engaged in unfair business practices that harmed independent pharmacies and increased prescription drug costs. U.S. District Judge David C. Joseph signed dismissal orders Tuesday for both cases, which were filed in state court in June before being moved to federal court. The terms of the settlements were not disclosed in court documents. The state had accused Caremark of systematically under-reimbursing independent Louisiana pharmacies while directing patients to CVS-owned facilities. Louisiana also alleged the company engaged in "spread pricing," keeping the difference between what it charges health insurers and pays pharmacies. In a separate case, the state challenged Caremark's drug rebate negotiations with pharmaceutical manufacturers, claiming the practices created an "oligopoly feedback loop" that led…...

5+ hour, 30+ min ago (474+ words) BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - WAFB on Friday took the rare step of asking a judge to force Louisiana State Police to produce a jail surveillance video of an April 2022 incident in Avoyelles Parish involving a state trooper. The petition, filed in the 19th Judicial District Court, seeks a court order to produce the video and other documents sought by the station's investigative team. WAFB's I-Team and Chief Investigator Chris Nakamoto first sought the records while investigating an April 2022 incident in which Trooper Matthew Clair is accused of hitting a handcuffed man inside a parish jail during booking. Clair said the man, who was handcuffed in front, was charging at him and had to be stopped. A jail surveillance camera captured the incident. Louisiana State Police leaders, however, have refused to make the video public, saying the trooper's privacy outweighs the public's…...

8+ hour, 18+ min ago (44+ words) Social media star Denise Ivonne Jarvis Gongora " who was known for her extreme plastic surgeries " died after falling from the ninth-floor balcony of a rented condo in Phuket, Thailand on Tuesday, ... Why advocates say New Orleans" transit funding cuts could affect your commute...

10+ hour, 44+ min ago (1592+ words) NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - Both North DeSoto and Iowa have enjoyed tremendous success on the gridiron in recent years. Yet, neither the Griffins nor the Yellowjackets have claimed a state title. Friday afternoon in the Caesars Superdome, someone is going to get that long-awaited championship, as North DeSoto takes on Iowa for the Division II Non-Select title as part of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association's Prep Classic. North DeSoto is the top seed in the bracket, and the Griffins have looked the part, going 13-0 and has scored at least 44 points in each contest. That high-octane offense is led by quarterback Luke Delafield, a Northwestern State signee who has thrown for nearly 2,200 yards and 29 touchdowns, and running back Kenny Thomas, a Louisiana Tech signee who has ran for nearly 1,600 yards and 21 scores. The Griffins reached the title game in 2022 after beating…...

12+ hour, 44+ min ago (1081+ words) Just to show he's still got it, Percy Miller posted a 3-point shooting video on social media this week. "This ain't the '90s no more!"a man yelled as Miller, better known as hip-hop mogul Master P, drained one corner 3 after another. Top of the arc? "Make 'Em Say Uhh,"the man continued, a reference to Miller's 1997 hit song. "I played basketball before I sold 100 million records," Miller clapped back. These days, Miller gets in his shots when he can, juggling a busy schedule as president of basketball operations and assistant coach at the University of New Orleans. On Saturday, the Privateers (3-7) will visit seventh-ranked Houston (9-1) at Fertitta Center. His son, Mercy, is a sophomore guard for the Cougars. This will mark the first time father and son have been on opposite ends in a basketball game. "This is definitely history…...

13+ hour, 19+ min ago (369+ words) NEW ORLEANS " Instead of a traditional black-tie ball, Mayor-elect Helena Moreno is turning her inauguration into a citywide celebration, with hands-on service, music, and free family-friendly events. At a press conference Friday at Gallier Hall, Moreno unveiled "All In for New Orleans," a citywide celebration that will kick off Jan. 10 and continue through her official swearing-in at the Saenger Theatre on Jan. 12. "This weekend is for the entire city," Moreno said in a release. "Every family, every neighborhood, every person who loves New Orleans and is ready to move forward together." In a departure from past inaugurations, Moreno will not host a black-tie ball. All events will be free and she stated they are funded by private donations, with no city money involved. Gayle Benson, Chair of Moreno's Inauguration Committee and owner of the Saints and Pelicans, said the theme…...

14+ hour, 9+ min ago (132+ words) NEW ORLEANS " The University of New Orleans (UNO) campus was evacuated on Friday morning following reports of an unspecified possible threat, a New Orleans Police Department spokesperson confirmed in an email to WWL." In an alert sent to students, staff and faculty, the UNO Police Department said it had been alerted to "a potential threat to the school" and ordered a mandatory evacuation of all campus locations. "This is an actual emergency and not a test or a drill!!" the alert read. The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) confirmed the school had been evacuated. A spokesperson said the department could confirm the campus had been cleared but directed inquiries about the nature of the threat to the university and its police force. This story is developing and will be updated."...

14+ hour, 27+ min ago (620+ words) SLCC Chancellor Vincent June speaks during a Ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office welding training facility on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at the LPSO Transitional Housing Facility in Lafayette. The new ten-bay facility will house the Technical Welding Program which is a partnership of the South Louisiana Community College and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office. South Louisiana Community College is finally getting to expand its Lafayette campus. The school, through the Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges System that oversees it, closed on the nearly $3.6-million deal last week for the land at the corner of Dulles Drive and Luke Street. "SoLAcc continues to build tremendous momentum with the expansion of its academic and workforce blueprint, and this acquisition reflects the strength of our partnerships across the state," SoLAcc Chancellor Vincent June said in a statement. As part of…...