Louisiana
Jazz funeral procession, second line honors Louisiana lives lost during COVID pandemic
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Stepping in time, the walking track at City Park became a memorial long overdue for the many local lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Saturday (May 25) jazz funeral and second line through City Park provided the chance to properly grieve those not formally laid to rest because of public health restrictions preventing large gatherings.
The Krewe of Black and Gold hosted this inaugural event.
With those lost loved ones in mind, the day brought closure to many in a way that is uniquely New Orleans.
“I’m a COVID ventilator survivor. I spent a month on it,” said Marvin Belisle, the Wild Man of the Wild Magnolias Mardi Gras Indian tribe. “I mean I had a 20 percent chance to live. So, it touched me deeply. And so, I had to participate in this.”
The illness touched so many in New Orleans, sparking a call to action even in Saturday’s stifling heat.
“The fact that we lost a lot of culture bearers, it touched me dearly,” said Belisle.
Fernando Rivera, CEO of the VA healthcare system’s southeastern Louisiana branch, remembers the earliest days of the 2020 pandemic.
The new VA hospital on Tulane Avenue saw some of the very first U.S. disease cases.
“We diagnosed, about 12 days after Mardi Gras, the first hospitalized COVID patient in Louisiana.
Rivera says the hospital quickly became inundated and overwhelmed as case numbers skyrocketed.
“As you can imagine, becoming the second epicenter after New York, New Orleans was a hotbed,” said Rivera.
The CDC reports more than 18,000 deaths statewide from COVID-19.
Those following close behind the TBC Brass Band say Saturday’s tribute brought mixed emotions.
“Great memories from second lines of the past. And sad, because of what we’re thinking about,” said one longtime resident of New Orleans. “And then celebrating the resilience of people, getting out and doing it in the hot sun!”
The event attracted a few visitors experiencing the New Orleans tradition for the first time, like Zeke Davis, making his first visit to the city and selected from the crowd to lead the procession.
“I wasn’t expecting anything like this!” said Davis. “I’ve seen all these parades on tv and stuff, but this was a blast!”
With the memory of those who passed and the gratitude for frontline workers who risked their lives to keep them comfortable came a reminder that New Orleans will always rebuild.
Kim Bergeron//Krewe of Black and Gold, founder
“How many times have we been knocked down? We always get back up,” said event organizer Kim Bergeron. “And we do so stronger and better, and we keep bringing our joy and our unique culture to the world. And so, that’s what this story is about. It’s a love letter to the city, basically.”
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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.
Louisiana
Louisiana Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for March 2, 2026
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.
Louisiana
National Guard deployment in New Orleans extended for six months
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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