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Mud, sweat and cheers: Volunteers plant mangroves to protect Louisiana coast from erosion

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Mud, sweat and cheers: Volunteers plant mangroves to protect Louisiana coast from erosion


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  • Volunteers planted trees and grasses to help protect Louisiana’s coast from erosion.
  • The planting effort is part of a larger project to fortify 34 man-made islands between Fourchon and Grand Isle.
  • These islands and their new vegetation are designed to act as a barrier against storm surges.
  • The project was organized by the environmental groups Restore or Retreat and Ducks Unlimited.

Twenty-five volunteers slipped and sloshed through mud to plant trees Nov. 7 and 8 to shield Louisiana’s coast.

Restore or Retreat and Ducks Unlimited rallied volunteers to plant 12,000 black mangroves and 12,000 Vermillion smooth cordgrass plants along the edges of 34, 1,000-foot-long, man-made mud islands located between Fourchon and Grand Isle. The volunteers went out on four boats, armed with gloves, two augers and four dibble bars to finish the last nine islands and plant the last 6,000 trees.

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“Your back does feel it by the end of the day,” Restore or Retreat’s Executive Director and Louisiana State Rep. Joseph Orgeron said as he demonstrated to volunteers how to use the auger. “Polly, why don’t you show them the dibble dance?”

Project Coordinator Polly Glover plunged the dibble bar into the soft mud and wiggled it to create an indention for the grass. The dibble bar had a flat, almost paddle-like shape on one end, with a T-shaped handle on the opposite end.

Earth, Wind, and Fire’s “Boogie Wonderland” played over a cellphone as volunteers swarmed the edges of the islands. Everywhere they touched went from black mud to patches of green. Curious dolphins and stone crabs popped up to investigate the commotion.

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The small islands act as a barrier against storm surges, Orgeron said, by truncating the initial surge and slowing the progress of water. The roots of the plants will act as anchors, holding the land in place against erosion, and the trees also will help block the wind.

Volunteer Tina Dieudonne traveled from New Orleans to help with the planting.

“Because I believe conservation in the state must be done,” she said as she planted the grass. She said the lock and levee systems weren’t enough alone. “Even with the large steel walls, we still lose the land real fast.”



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Louisiana

More Storms Monday – Severe Storms Possible by Midweek

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More Storms Monday – Severe Storms Possible by Midweek


(KMDL-FM) You might not have realized it, but you’re on a roller coaster. No, not the kind of roller coaster you look forward to riding, but the kind of roller coaster only Mother Nature can devise in the form of Louisiana’s annual up and down weather conditions, also known as spring.

READ MORE: Louisiana Parishes That Have the Most Tornadoes

Much of Louisiana was affected by strong storms with heavy rains and gusty winds during the day on Saturday and extending into Sunday morning. By later afternoon yesterday, conditions had improved, and it looked as though the work and school week would be off to a much calmer start.

Heavy Rain Possible in Louisiana To Start the Work Week

The start of the work and school day will be much calmer; however, the ride home on this first day of “extra sunlight” thanks to Daylight Saving Time will include a decent chance of showers and storms. Oh, and there are already reports of thick fog.

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So, after a foggy start this morning, you could be picking up kids from school or driving yourself home from work in a torrential downpour. And you’ll get to do all of this while you’re mentally addled from the twice-a-year time change.

Rain chances are listed at 50% for this afternoon, but they do taper off quickly after the sun goes down. The Weather Prediction Center is forecasting a slight risk of an excessive rain event for portions of Louisiana later today. The area of concern is generally along and well north of US 190.

When Is The Next Threat of Severe Storms in Louisiana?

Tuesday should be a cloudy but breezy and warm day. Then on Wednesday, the rain chances and the next threat of severe storms will move into Louisiana.

weather.gov/lch

weather.gov/lch

The Storm Prediction Center outlook for Wednesday’s severe weather potential suggests that the northern and central sections of the state might be more at risk for stronger storms than the I-10 corridor might be.

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READ MORE: Who Is Appearing at Patty in the Parc in Lafayette?

We will know more about that potential later this morning when the SPC updates its forecast. The outlook for the remainder of the week, including the Patty in the Parc Weekend event in Downtown Lafayette, looks to be spectacular.

Patty in the Parc Entertainment 2011-2025

Gallery Credit: Dave Steel

 

 

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Tech companies could receive large tax breaks in Louisiana as data centers begin construction

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Tech companies could receive large tax breaks in Louisiana as data centers begin construction


RICHLAND — Tech companies could receive significant tax breaks in Louisiana as data centers break ground in the state. 

According to a report by The Advocate, Meta officials told state officials in 2024 that they would need significant tax breaks while negotiating the $27 billion data center project currently being built in North Louisiana. 

Based on projections of Louisiana’s tax exemptions and the expected expenditures of the companies, state and local governments could potentially give billions in tax breaks to the tech giants. 

Several states, including Louisiana, have seen backlash to data centers as residents worry about potential rising electric costs and strain on water systems.

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Virginia is currently debating whether or not to repeal tax exemptions for the tech companies, as it has cost state and local governments in Virginia $1.9 billion in 2024 alone. 

The tax break exempts data centers from state and local taxes for multiple things data centers require, including servers, chillers, electric infrastructure and construction costs. 

The scale of the data center projects, which include tens of billions in spending, coupled with Louisiana’s sales tax of 10%, means tax breaks could be worth huge amounts. 



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Why tech giants could reap massive tax breaks in Louisiana as data centers break ground

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Why tech giants could reap massive tax breaks in Louisiana as data centers break ground


Gov. Jeff Landry speaks at an event Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at Shreveport Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, La., held to announce that Amazon plans to build data centers in Caddo and Bossier Parishes. He is joined by Roger Wehner, left, vice president of Economic Development for Amazon, and Matt Vanderzanden, CEO of STACK Infrastructure.



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