Louisiana
HEART OF LOUISIANA: Ford Assembly Plant
ARABI, La. (WAFB) – The building is massive, a quarter-of-a-million square feet under roof, tucked away on 25 acres of land along the Mississippi river in Arabi, Louisiana. From the second floor of the century-old building, you get a stunning view of the New Orleans skyline upriver. History was being manufactured here in the 1920s. Model T Fords that revolutionized America were being built at this facility. The assembly lines were mass producing cars that people could afford.
“Automobiles were being driven from town to town. They had to build roadways. They needed motels for those who were going on longer trips. There were places for people to eat,” said Sidney Torres III.
Torres, a Saint Bernard Parish attorney, owns the old Ford building. It’s one of the regional production plants that Henry Ford built across America. He figured it was easier to ship parts than finished Model T’s. So car production moved out of Detroit to assembly plants like this one in Arabi. I wonder as you walk through here, if you ever imagine what it was like back in the 1920s when they were building thousands of Model T’s right here.
“I do,” Torres said, “and it’s fascinating because it’s a trip back in history. Henry Ford probably was standing right here at some point in time. There may have been 400 people who were actually working, assembling the vehicles. There’s just this feeling that the energy is still there.”
The Arabi location was strategic. It was located near a major city. It had access to the Mississippi River and port for shipping cars to South America. And it was located alongside rail lines. The massive building was designed by famed industrial architect Albert Kahn, who helped shape the skyline of Detroit. You can still see signs of the state-of-the-art car production facility. Torres couldn’t resist finding one of the old Model T Fords that still runs after more than 100 years.
“And it’s a little bit complicated. There’s three pedals down there and none of them do what you think they will do,” said Torres.
Do you have any idea if this was actually built here in Arabi?
“I could not trace it back to this actual facility, but it very well could have been,” Torres said.
Torres is planning a future for this old assembly plant that will feature 21st century businesses from film and interactive media to esports and a multi-purpose event center.
“There‘s just something about this space that brings you back in time and it also causes you to have the visions for the future to say, wow, this could really be something special,” said Torres.
This massive building was clearly something special when it opened here in 1923 and now it has a chance at a new type of production in its future.
More information on the old Arabi Ford plant and other local features can be found on Heart of Louisiana’s website.
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Louisiana
Louisiana has the highest incidence of prostate cancer in the nation. See the parish data.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, with an estimated 333,830 new cases and 36,320 deaths projected for 2026 for the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.
In the U.S., there are approximately 116 new prostate cancer cases per 100,000 people annually. Louisiana has the highest prostate cancer incidence rate in the country at 147.2 cases per 100,000 — a rate that has been steadily rising since 2014, according to data from the National Cancer Institute.
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These parishes had the highest rates, in cases per 100,000, of prostate cancer from 2018 to 2022, in descending order:
- West Feliciana Parish with 218.6 cases per 100,000;
- Iberville Parish with 182.3 cases per 100,000;
- Bienville Parish with 179.7 cases per 100,000;
- West Baton Rouge Parish with 179.4 cases per 100,000;
- Vermillion Parish with 176.5 cases per 100,000;
- Iberia Parish with 173.8 cases per 100,000;
- East Baton Rouge Parish with 173.6 cases per 100,000;
- East Carroll Parish with 172.9 cases per 100,000;
- East Feliciana Parish with 166.3 cases per 100,000;
- Tangipahoa Parish with 166.2 cases per 100,000;
- St. Martin Parish with 166 cases per 100,000;
- Jackson Parish with 165.3 cases per 100,000;
- and Lincoln Parish with 165.1 cases per 100,000.
These parishes had the lowest rates, in cases per 100,000, of prostate cancer from 2018 to 2022, in ascending order:
- Cameron Parish with 101 cases per 100,000;
- Evangeline Parish with 102.7 cases per 100,000;
- Union Parish with 106.9 cases per 100,000;
- Winn Parish with 108.2 cases per 100,000;
- Vernon Parish with 109.4 cases per 100,000;
- Grant Parish with 109.7 cases per 100,000;
- Franklin and La Salle parishes with 111 cases per 100,000;
- St. Bernard Parish with 113.9 cases per 100,000;
- Tensas Parish with 115.2 cases per 100,000;
- Terrebonne Parish with 117.5 cases per 100,000;
- Washington Parish with 121.1 cases per 100,000;
- Livingston Parish with 122.8 cases per 100,000;
- Sabine Parish with 122.9 cases per 100,000;
- Bossier Parish with 123.7 cases per 100,000;
- and La Fourche Parish with 124.8 cases per 100,000.
Data represents an annual average for all stages of prostate cancer.
PENSACOLA, Fla. — Marcavia Shavers posts 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead ULM Warhawks women’s basketball past Louisiana 79-63 in the Sun Belt Conference tournament.
ULM (15-15, 7-11 Sun Belt) took control early, outscoring Louisiana 17-7 in the first quarter and extending the lead to 41-21 by halftime. The Warhawks never trailed and led by as many as 28 points in the second quarter.
Shavers anchored the inside for ULM, finishing 9-of-15 from the field with 13 rebounds. Jazmine Jackson added 17 points off the bench, knocking down four 3-pointers, while J’Mani Ingram scored 16 points and dished out six assists.
ULM shot 46.9% from the field and held a 42-27 advantage on the boards. The Warhawks also converted Louisiana turnovers into 29 points and scored 26 second-chance points.
Louisiana (5-26, 2-16 Sun Belt) was led by Mikaylah Manley with 18 points and Imani Daniel with 17 points and seven rebounds. Amijah Price chipped in 12 points.
After struggling early, Louisiana shot better in the second half, scoring 42 points after the break. However, the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
ULM advances in the Sun Belt tournament, while Louisiana closes its season with the loss.
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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.
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