Louisiana
Louisiana legend Julia Hawkins treasured the outdoors
When Julia Hawkins died last month at 108, her many friends mourned the loss of a Louisiana centenarian who, quite remarkably, had become a champion runner at 101.
For me, her death also had a personal dimension. Hawkins, who lived for many years in Baton Rouge, had grown up with my father in Ponchatoula. She was the last person living who had known Daddy when he was young.
Born in 1914, Daddy was a couple of years older than Julia. We lost my father in 1978, so I cherished Julia’s memories of him. When I visited Julia in 2021, she reminisced for a while about her childhood.
“He was such a gentleman,” Julia said of my father, “and so smart.” I smiled when I heard her mention the two qualities so many others had noted about him.
Daddy grew up on a farm, and Julia spent her youth helping run a small resort at Ponchatoula Beach on the Tangipahoa River. They both spent their earliest years outside a lot, a habit that shaped them and so many others of their generation who grew up when the country was largely rural. Daddy worked construction and kept a vegetable garden. Julia became a tireless gardener and naturalist who helped botanical artist Margaret Stones collect specimens for her beautiful paintings of Louisiana plants.
Being a runner and bicyclist kept Julia outside, too.
Each time I visited Julia, we quickly ended up outdoors. I stopped by once to give a talk to one of her women’s clubs, but it wasn’t long before the guests spilled out the back door, oohing and aahing over what was in bloom. Julia’s acre lot included 60 trees and tons of plants.
During my last visit to her home in 2021, Julia welcomed me inside, then took me by the elbow to the backyard, where she showed off a prized bromeliad. Talk soon turned to her gingko trees, known for their fall foliage. Hawkins was 105 then, still looking forward to another autumn.
Much has been made about Julia’s longevity, and rightly so. But what struck me about Julia wasn’t only the quantity of her life but its quality, the way she seemed to savor every moment.
A number of things shaped her character, but I find myself returning to the way she made herself at home under sun and sky, which opened Julia to the broader world and its possibilities. I’m not sure she tried very hard to do this. My guess is that she and my father grew up at a time when life outdoors was a common part of the human condition, so they embraced it as a natural way of being.
I’m sorry that Julia Hawkins won’t be around to experience another autumn, but I’m grateful for her long life. I’m trying to honor her these days by going out, breathing deeply and seeing what there is to see.
BATON ROUGE (KNOE) – Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming is accusing Governor Jeff Landry of interfering with the state Senate race, which Fleming is a part of.
Fleming took to social media to accuse Landry of working “behind the scenes” to get Congresswoman Julia Letlow elected to the Senate.
According to Fleming, Dr. Ralph Abraham offered him the position of Deputy Director of the CDC shortly before announcing he was stepping down. Fleming said he politely declined.
A week later, news broke that Abraham is now leading Letlow’s Senate campaign.
“We know that Jeff has been heavily lobbying the Trump campaign team for the endorsement, he is pressuring the Republican Party of Louisiana and the Republican Executive Committees to support and endorse Letlow as well,” Fleming wrote on Facebook. “And, he is personally calling his donors to raise big money to save the Letlow campaign.
Landry formally endorsed Letlow for the U.S. Senate on March 4. Letlow also has the endorsement of President Donald Trump.
“We need a warrior who stands with the President to Make America Great. And there’s no greater warrior than a Louisiana mom,” Landry wrote on Facebook.
Fleming continued his commentary, asking when Landry will stop interfering with the state’s Senate race.
“Who is best to decide who represents you in Washington? Jeff Landry, or YOU?” Fleming asked.
Also in the heated race is incumbent Bill Cassidy, M.D.
Party primary elections in Louisiana are set for May 16, 2026.
Copyright 2026 KNOE. All rights reserved.
The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 3, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 3 drawing
07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 3 drawing
6-8-3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 3 drawing
3-6-7-4
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 3 drawing
0-8-3-2-0
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.
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.
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