Louisiana
Officer catches massive python in Louisiana
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Louisiana’s Department of Government Efficiency has concluded its work with a final report showing just under $1 billion in state savings and a plan to overhaul the Inspector General’s office.
“Every permanent process we put in place ensures that those services only get stronger,” Governor Jeff Landry said at a press conference Thursday.
Federal program savings drive results
The report shows a large portion of the savings comes from federal dollars, with just over $600 million in total. At least half of that stems from removing ineligible people from Medicaid and SNAP programs. The full itemized breakdown of savings has not been released to the media.
“But I mean, just think about it, if you are deceased, incarcerated, no longer eligible for Medicaid, no longer live in the state — you should not be on the Medicaid rolls,” said Angele Davis, member of the LADOGE team and former Commissioner of Administration.
Landry said the removals targeted fraud in the system.
Contract streamlining and DCFS restructuring
The remaining savings in state dollars came from streamlining state contracts for services like IT and decommissioning outdated technology. Landry claims the restructuring of the Department of Children and Family Services also saves dollars and improves services.
“By adding our staff back to the front lines where we come into contact with children and families, we were able to reduce our caseloads by 17% — that produces more meaningful engagement with families and better-informed decisions for children,” DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris said.
New Inspector General appointment
Landry appointed Davis as the next State Inspector General to maintain efficiency focus for a six-year term. The goal is to put audit reports into action rather than letting them sit unused.
“But if there are a duplication in services, the inspector general doesn’t need to be doing the same thing as the attorney general is doing or the legislative auditor is doing,” Davis said.
The changes will require legislative approval. The 2025 legislative session begins March 9.
Savings breakdown from LADOGE Final Report:
Medicaid Eligibility: $285.5 million
SNAP Eligibility: $14.9 million
State/Federal Contracts: $206.4 million
Technology Services: $68.4 Million
Telecommunications: $2.8 million
Travel / Conferences: $1.3 million
Utilization of Assets: $9.6 million
Leases: $3 million
Process Efficiency / Service and Workforce Optimization: $407.6 million
TOTAL SAVINGS: $999.5 million
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Louisiana
Deputies investigate unusual incident at Louisiana elementary; uber driver buries Buddhist items near school
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating a suspicious incident reported Wednesday afternoon at Norco Elementary School but says there is no credible threat to the public.
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According to the sheriff’s office, deputies received the report around 5 p.m. after an Uber driver dropped off a grandparent at the school to pick up a student. The driver was operating a light-colored truck with Uber and foreign-language stickers and a bed rack decorated with Tibetan prayer flags.
Deputies said the driver parked, got out of the vehicle and walked around the area before digging a small hole at the base of a tree and placing an object inside. The item was later identified as a religious prayer pendant. The driver also placed religious stickers on electrical poles near the school.
Investigators said the stickers and pendant are commonly used in Tibetan Buddhist practices meant for protection and purification and are not intended to convey any harm.
Detectives identified the driver as a Chinese national and contacted the FBI for assistance.
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Federal authorities confirmed the man is a lawful permanent U.S. resident with a green card issued in 2010 and no known criminal history.
The sheriff’s office said that although the behavior appeared unusual, investigators found no credible threats to the school, students or staff. The investigation remains ongoing as a precaution.
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Louisiana
Construction firm drops rezoning request for expansion in Louisiana’s Hungarian settlement
A request for rezoning is being dropped after residents of Louisiana’s Hungarian settlement expressed concerns that the move would bring industrial work to their area.
More than 70 people gathered Tuesday for a Livingston Parish zoning meeting, expecting to discuss a proposed rezoning of roughly 37 acres along Strawberry Lane from light commercial to heavy industrial for PALA, an industrial construction firm eying an expansion.
But the item was pulled from the docket a few hours prior and did not go to a vote.
Strawberry Lane is in the largest rural Hungarian settlement in the United States, between the rural towns of Albany and Springfield in the parish. Since discovering the proposal about a month ago, residents have expressed dismay over the potential project and its implications for the future of their settlement.
The day after the meeting, PALA Group President and CEO Scott Barringer said the company will continue to expand but not rezone to heavy industrial in an effort to keep residents happy, which was why the item was pulled from the zoning agenda.
“We didn’t need the zoning … it was just a misunderstanding,” he said.
The rezoning was tied to a proposed expansion for PALA, which specializes in metal fabrication and has its headquarters in Baton Rouge. PALA announced a $1.9 million investment in August to build a new shop and expand operations, with some Livingston Parish leaders celebrating the expansion for adding 14 new jobs and retaining 35 employees.
Next to the proposed rezoning site, PALA already operates a 70,000-square-foot fabrication facility under a light commercial zoning classification, according to the parish zoning map.
This expansion will happen under its current commercial zoning classification, Barringer confirmed.
Joe Erdey, parish councilman for the area, praised PALA’s decision to not change the zoning, but said he would “believe it when I see it.”
“We will be on guard watching for it,” he said. “Only time is going to tell us the answer.”
Many residents said they welcomed businesses, including PALA’s existing site, but were afraid an industrial zoning classification would be a calling card for more industries to come to the settlement.
“Other people are going to come in nearby and get industrial zoning just because they can,” said Nathan Miller, who lives on the road behind Strawberry Lane, on Tuesday.
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