Louisiana

Budget deal preserves flood insurance for Louisiana, other states through hurricane season

Published

1 year ago

September 27, 2024

Budget deal preserves flood insurance for Louisiana, other states through hurricane season

Congress’ temporary budget deal to keep the government open for three months also keeps the National Flood Insurance Program from expiring in Louisiana and other states during hurricane season.

President Joe Biden officially signed Congress’ continuing resolution Thursday to avoid a government shutdown until Dec. 20, but sets up another funding battle at the end when both sides know who control the White House.

“Our state is still picking up the pieces that Hurricane Francine left behind, and our communities need all the help they can get,” Louisiana Republican U.S. Sen. John Kennedy said of the CR. “I’m thankful we’ve delivered Louisianians additional disaster aid and protected their flood insurance so that the program doesn’t expire in the middle of hurricane season.”

Louisiana Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy also voted for the temporary budget deal that propped up the flood insurance program again before it expired Sept. 30.

“Nobody wants a shutdown,” Cassidy said. “We must keep the National Flood Insurance Program going, put more money into FEMA’s disaster relief fund, continue to pay our troops and give the Secret Service additional resources to protect (former) President Trump. While I’m disappointed the SAVE Act was not included, this bill gives us the time to find a lasting solution without harming Americans.”

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act) would require people to prove they are U.S. citizens before they can vote. It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in all federal elections and critics believe it would add barriers for legal voters who can’t easily access their citizenship documents.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Shreveport had proposed a six-month budget extension that would have included the SAVE Act, but it failed to pass, necessitating the final deal.

“The best play under the circumstances was the CR with the SAVE Act,” Johnson said ahead of this week’s final deal. “But we came a little short of the goal line, so we have to go with the last available play.”

Trump urged House Republicans to let the government shut down if they did not get the voting legislation passed along with a funding extension. But Johnson told his conference that it would be “political malpractice” to do that so close to an election, citing polling indicating voters probably would blame Republicans for a shutdown.

More: Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins’ Haitian tweet draws sharp criticism as racist

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

Source link

Click to comment

Louisiana

Cuban families in Louisiana celebrate Christmas with traditional lechon feast

Published

10 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Press Room

Cuban families in Louisiana celebrate Christmas with traditional lechon feast

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – For many Cuban families in Louisiana, Christmas means gathering for a traditional lechon, a pig roast that serves as the centerpiece of their holiday celebration.

Vivian Nieto, owner of Churro’s Cafe in Metairie, said the Cuban tradition parallels Louisiana’s French Acadian cochon de lait but uses distinct seasonings and preparation methods.

“The Cuban use, basically, is the garlic, the naranja agria, and salt,” Nieto said. “If you don’t add anything else, that would be perfect.”

Traditional mojo marinade starts with citrus and garlic

The marinade, called mojo, always starts with garlic and citrus, specifically bitter orange juice known in Spanish as naranja agria. Nieto adds cumin and oregano to the base mixture.

At her Cuban restaurant, Nieto uses a Boston butt instead of a whole pig and lets it marinate overnight.

“I remember when I was a kid, the night before, they cleaned, they marinated,” Nieto said. “In our family, we exposed our babies early to the big pig that gets seasoned and marinated the night before.”

Pig roasted all day on Christmas Eve

Like the Acadian cochon, the lechon is roasted all day on Christmas Eve. Nieto said the taste testing during preparation bonds families together.

“Not too many people realize how tight is Cuba with New Orleans,” Nieto said. “The food, you respond deeply.”

The pork is served with congri, black beans and rice with onions and garlic, and yuca.

Nieto said she finds deep joy in making food that connects Cuban culture across generations.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.

Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel.

Source link

Louisiana

Louisiana Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Dec. 23, 2025

Published

22 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Press Room

The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 23, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 23 drawing

15-37-38-41-64, Mega Ball: 21

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 23 drawing

3-1-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 23 drawing

4-6-9-2

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Dec. 23 drawing

9-0-4-5-0

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.

Source link

Louisiana

What CBD is legal in Louisiana? See state law for 2026

Published

1 day ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

What CBD is legal in Louisiana? See state law for 2026

CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is a non-intoxicating compound from the cannabis or hemp plant that does not cause a “high,” unlike THC, according to the CDC.

CBD was first approved as a drug for the treatment of seizures in children with severe forms of epilepsy, but now, CBD is used for other purposes like pain relief, sleep and general wellness, says Brown University Health.

Despite CBD’s availability and supposed benefits, CBD products are not risk free, as there are possible side effects and risks associated with CBD use, according to Brown University Health.

What is Louisiana’s state law for CBD in 2025? What to know

Under the Agriculture Improvement Act in 2018, hemp was removed from the federal Controlled Substances Act, which effectively legalized CBD if it comes from hemp, according to the CDC.

Despite hemp-derived CBD being legal at the federal level, some states have not removed hemp from their state’s-controlled substances acts, meaning that the legality of CBD products varies across states, says the CDC.

Following the enactment of this legislation, Louisiana passed Act 164 in 2019, effectively legalizing the cultivation and production of industrial hemp in the state, says Louisiana State Cannabis.

The legislation defined hemp as a cannabis plant containing no more than 0.3% THC, therefore, CBD products derived from hemp are legal in Louisiana. However, marijuana-derived CBD remains illegal for recreational use in the state, according to Louisiana State Cannabis.

Although, Louisiana enacted Act 491 in 2015, which allows the use of medical marijuana, as well as marijuana-derived CBD, to treat certain diseases and medical conditions in the state, says Louisiana State Cannabis.

Presley Bo Tyler is a reporter for the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team for USA Today. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com

Source link