Louisiana
ACLU says it is ready for trial if Louisiana legislature falls short on redistricting map
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) — As state lawmakers prepare to convene in a special session on redistricting next week, the American Civil Liberties Union says it hopes the legislature approves a new congressional map that adheres to the Voting Rights Act. If not, the ACLU says it is ready to go to trial.
Redistricting is the redrawing of electoral district boundaries. It is supposed to happen every 10 years, after the U.S. Census, to make sure each district has about the same number of people and districts are representative of a state’s electorate.
“After the Census, we see where populations have moved. And that redistricting process allows us to reapportion the congressional seats,” said Brandon Davis, an assistant professor in Tulane University’s Department of Political Science.
Federal Judge Shelly Dick ruled that the congressional map Louisiana’s Republican-controlled legislature approved last year violates the Voting Rights Act and dilutes the power of the state’s Black voters.
“If you pack the minority population into one district, you’re essentially diluting their ability to … affect the election of two people that they would choose to serve and represent them,” Davis said.
Dick gave the legislature until Jan. 30 to redraw the map. If lawmakers fail to do so, the federal court will hold a trial and decide on a plan for the 2024 elections.
Some Republicans in the legislature are signaling they want the issue resolved.
Rep. Stephanie Hilferty (R-Metairie) said, “I think there’s a plan coming up for the redistricting session, and so my hope is that we can move beyond that, satisfy the courts and move on with the business of the people of Louisiana.”
The special session will also take up changes to the districts for Louisiana Supreme Court justices.
“We have one minority-majority Supreme Court district and it’s time for that to change as well,” Rep. Matthew Willard (D-New Orleans) said. “So, I look forward to having those conversations and making sure we do not dilute and suppress the votes of Black people in the state of Louisiana.”
Sen. Pat Connick, a Republican representing parts of the west bank of Jefferson Parish said, “We have to and we’ve got to be fair about it. … So, I’m looking forward to working that also.”
Nora Ahmed, legal director for the ACLU of Louisiana, said, “The legislature knows what their obligations are under the Voting Rights Act.
“It’s possible that the (new) map will do what it’s supposed to do. It’s possible the map might not do what it’s supposed to do. So, it’s important that there is still a court date in place. … All of the preparation that is necessary to go to this trial and make sure that we get Black voters what they’re owed in this state. But there is, of course, the opportunity for the legislature to act.”
Redistricting can affect the balance of power in Congress and state legislatures.
If the legislature does not produce a map that passes federal court muster, the judge could draw one.
Five of the six representatives of Louisiana’s congressional districts are Republicans. And pundits say it is likely one of the Republicans will lose their district once the map is redrawn.
“It will be to their advantage to draw the districts themselves,” Davis said. “But to draw the district themselves is going to be tricky, because you only get so many House seats and then you have to decide which House member you’re going to write out and which House member you’re going to put in a competitive district.”
There will be national interest in what the Louisiana legislature ultimate decides.
“There are congressional elections coming up and ensuring that there are two majority(-minority) districts will be critical,” Ahmed said.
Davis says both parties try to use redistricting to their benefit.
“It’s political gerrymandering, in a sense that in states where Republicans hold majorities, they draw to their advantage and states where Democrats hold majorities they draw to their advantage,” he said.
Ahmed says there was litigation over the district boundaries for Louisiana’s legislature.
“We just finished the trial in the state House and legislative maps case, and every indication in that trial is the legislature believes that they’re in the right and that they do not plan on making any changes unless directed to do so by a court,” she said. “So, it does seem to be the case that there will need to be a legal opinion issued before there is any movement on the legislature’s part to do what they are legally obligated to do.”
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Louisiana
Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past
The brother of Louisiana mayor Misty Roberts — accused of raping her son’s teenage friend — is facing child sex crimes of his own.
Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, was accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years, KALB reported.
The alleged sexual abuse began when one of the victims was as young as 13, according to Beauregard Parish Sheriff Mark Herford.
He was arrested in October.
That comes years after his big sister – ex-mayor of DeRidder, 43-year-old Misty Roberts – allegedly got hot and heavy with her son’s 16-year-old friend at a drunken party at their home.
Roberts was allegedly caught in the tryst by her own kids.
She was arrested months later, and is currently on trial for rape charges.
The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 2, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing
02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing
3-9-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 2 drawing
4-1-1-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing
0-5-2-9-5
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.
By mail, follow these instructions:
- Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
- Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
- Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
- Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.
Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:
Louisiana Lottery Headquarters
555 Laurel Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:
555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.
When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
- Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
- Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.
NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana National Guard announced Monday that 120 troops will remain deployed in New Orleans through August.
The six-month extension comes after 350 Guard members deployed to New Orleans in late December, in the run-up to New Year’s and other high-profile events like the Sugar Bowl. The troops, which had mainly clustered in the city’s historic French Quarter, had been scheduled to depart in the aftermath of Mardi Gras.
New Orleans is one of several Democrat-run cities, such as Washington and Memphis, Tennessee, where the federal government deployed armed troops under the administration of President Donald Trump. Hundreds of federal agents also converged on Louisiana in December as part of a separate immigration crackdown in and around New Orleans.
During his State of the Union address last week, Trump touted the deployment in New Orleans as a “big success.” In January, Trump credited the troops with reducing the city’s violent crime within a week of their deployment. City police data shows violent crime rates have significantly declined over the past three years in parallel with national trends.
According to a press statement from the Louisiana National Guard, the remaining guard members will serve as a “visible presence to deter criminal activity in New Orleans.”
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, a Democrat who initially opposed the deployment, said that the troops would benefit the city in the coming weeks. She pointed out that National Guard troops had assisted the city during last year’s Mardi Gras in the aftermath of a vehicle-ramming attack in the French Quarter that killed 14 people on New Year’s Day.
“I continue to support the partnership with the LA National Guard to assist in our major events and there are several coming up in the next few weeks,” Moreno said in a statement.
While Moreno did not address which events she referred to, visitors flock to New Orleans in the spring for events like the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican and staunch Trump ally, requested the deployment of the National Guard last September, citing rising violent crime rates in New Orleans despite the data showing crime was down.
“This continued deployment will help us combat violence in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana,” Landry wrote on the social platform X on Monday, noting Louisiana had also sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., last year.
Kate Kelly, a spokesperson for Landry, said the federal government would cover the cost of the extended deployment. She did not respond to a question about whether Guard members would be deployed outside New Orleans.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, said in a statement the troops had already worked closely with other city, state and federal agencies to improve public safety during a stretch of high-profile events in the city, including the flood of visitors over Mardi Gras and the city’s carnival season.
“We remain committed to those partnerships as we continue supporting efforts to keep the City of New Orleans safe for residents and visitors,” Friloux said.
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