Let’s cool off during what has been a record-breaking summer by recalling the city’s — and what many call the world’s — first commercial ice production facility.
The Louisiana Ice Works opened on Tchoupitoulas Street in 1868. At the time, the only ice in the city was imported from the northeast, and during a sweltering summer, not much of the frozen product made its way to New Orleans customers.
According to reports in The Daily Picayune, the Louisiana Ice Works plant drew water from the Mississippi River, filtered and purified it using salt, ammonia and heat. The three-hour process produced some 600 pounds of ice in a single batch.
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The ice was sold for less than two cents a pound, ending the city’s dependence on natural ice shipped primarily from the northeast. Local demand soared along with the company’s national reputation.
Its success prompted imitators as ice became more available. The company also invited investors, or franchisees, to open their own ice plants in other parts of the state.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WVUE) – A bill to create a 100-foot buffer zone around parade routes and demonstrations for concealed gun carriers without permits failed to pass in the State House.
The proposed legislation by State Rep. Mandie Landry aimed to establish this zone to enhance public safety during permitted events, as Louisiana’s new permitless carry laws are set to activate in less than two months.
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New Orleans law enforcement and other critics of the new permitless carry laws had expressed concerns about the laws’ ambiguity regarding parade routes, fearing it could restrict their ability to detain individuals suspected of carrying weapons illegally.
Opponents of the bill argued that existing laws, such as those against negligent carry and negligent discharge at parade routes, were sufficient.
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Another bill is progressing through the state legislature that would prohibit consumable hemp products from containing any THC.
This bill has passed the State Senate and is now under review in a House committee. The legislation emerges as Louisiana experiences significant tax revenue increases from the burgeoning consumable THC industry, which includes products like gummies and seltzers.
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According to the Louisiana Hemp Association, tax revenue from this sector escalated from $64,000 in 2020 to approximately $4.1 million last year.
In 2022, state lawmakers passed a measure allowing THC-infused products to contain up to eight milligrams of THC per serving. However, supporters of the current bill are concerned about selling these products in non-specialized venues like gas stations and convenience stores and the potential risks posed by products with multiple servings.
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New Orleans, LA (KPEL News) – We don’t often hear about bank robberies these days. Most of us think about gun slingers on horseback when we hear the phrase “bank robbers.” Technology has prevented many such crimes in Louisiana and around the country, so when we hear about one, it jumps out. Such was the case recently in Baton Rouge.
The FBI put out a wanted notice for a 22-year-old fast food worker with a butterfly tattoo on her neck who allegedly walked into a Chase Bank on Highland Road in Baton Rouge in October of 2023. Jazmine Johnnie handed the teller a note demanding $45,000 and claiming that she had a bomb in her purse. Johnnie also threatened that her boyfriend was armed with an AK-47. She left the bank with $3500 in cash and drove away in a gray Dodge Challenger.
A federal arrest warrant on bank robbery charges was issued in February, and a “wanted” release went out to Louisiana media on Friday, May 3. The FBI said Johnnie had known ties in Lafayette and Baton Rouge, as well as in Houston and Huntsville, Alabama.
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On Monday, May 6, the agency sent a notice that Johnnie had surrendered herself to Baton Rouge authorities over the weekend.
Anyone with information about any of the fugitives wanted by the FBI is asked to contact them at 1-800-CALLFBI or submit a tip through their website at https://tips.fbi.gov/. You’ll notice that some of the rewards for information are as high as $250,000 if the tip leads to an apprehension.
FBI Offers Cash Reward For 5 Paintings Stolen in Dallas, Texas
Have you seen any of these paintings? If you have any information regarding their disappearance, please contact the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office at (505) 889-1300.
Gallery Credit: Chrissy
FBI Says YOU Need to Watch Out for These Scams
These scams are hitting people and the FBI doesn’t want you to become the next victim.
Louisiana is best known for its rollicking big city, New Orleans, but hundreds of small towns dot its varied landscape of prairies, hills, forests, Mississippi River delta, and bayous along the Gulf of Mexico. Due to the state’s unique mix of French, Spanish, English, African, Caribbean, Native American, and other cultural influences, seemingly every small town in Louisiana has a distinctive look and feel. Check out our list of six of Louisiana’s most idyllic small towns to get you started on your tour of the “Pelican State.”
Natchitoches
Natchitoches (pronounced Nack-a-tish) claims the dual titles of oldest city in Louisiana and oldest European settlement in the huge territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Beautifully perched along the Red River, this parish (county) seat of about 18,000 residents has a famous Historic District that spans 33 blocks of architectural gems that now house antique shops, eateries, bed-and-breakfasts, private homes, and more. After a postcard-pretty walking tour of downtown, head downriver to Magnolia Plantation and Oakland Plantation, which explore life in both the stately plantation houses and the ramshackle slave quarters.
New Iberia
New Iberia, a town of 28,000 along Bayou Teche, is a good representation of Louisiana’s diverse cultural influences. Founded by Spaniards in 1779, New Iberia has been shaped by generations of French Acadian (Cajun), African American, Native American, and Anglo-American residents. Check out the Bayou Teche Museum to get a primer on New Iberia’s distinctive history and culture. From there, do some shopping and sightseeing in a downtown that was named a “Great American Main Street” in 2005. If you enjoy lively community festivals, come in late spring for New Iberia’s Mardi Gras celebration or in October for the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff.
St. Francisville
St. Francisville overlooks the Mississippi River from a long, narrow ridge, earning its reputation as “the town that is two miles long and two yards wide.” Along with offering fantastic vistas of the mighty river, this town of about 1,600 residents has a lovely downtown with numerous Victorian-era and earlier buildings. Historic highlights include the old Julius Freyhan High School and Temple Sinai, the latter representing St. Francisville’s long history of Jewish settlement. After shopping at hotspots like District Mercantile and Backwoods Gallery, enjoy a meal at Audubon Cafe or Restaurant 1796 before checking out the replica vintage steamboats docked along the river.
Abita Springs
Legend says that the name Abita Springs derives from a Choctaw word for the mineral springs in this part of modern-day St. Tammany Parish, now part of the greater New Orleans metro area. Abita Springs was a popular spa resort in the late 1800s for city residents seeking fresh air and healing waters, and several of the Victorian-era health resorts and vacation homes remain to this day. Visitors still flock to this town of 2,500 to escape city life for a day or two, but now come to enjoy local craft beers, eclectic shops like the Abita Mystery House, and fun community events like the Abita Springs Opry and the weekly art and farmer’s markets.
Breaux Bridge
Breaux Bridge, a town of 7,500 in St. Martin Parish near the city of Lafayette, proudly proclaims itself as the “Crawfish Capital of the World.” It is said that crawfish first appeared on restaurant menus here and that Breaux Bridge is the birthplace of crawfish etouffee. The annual Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival brings thousands of visitors to town each May, but there are plenty of reasons to visit, even if you are not a crawfish aficionado. For instance, Breaux Bridge is also famous for its lively music scene, particularly traditional Cajun and Zydeco musical styles. The walkable downtown is lined with shops and boutiques, and Bayou Teche offers boating, fishing, and sightseeing galore.
Grand Isle
Grand Isle is the name of a Gulf Coast barrier island at the mouth of Barataria Bay as well as the town that sits on it—making it the only inhabited barrier island in the state. This exposed location means that Grand Isle gets pummeled by tropical storms and hurricanes, but the town and its 1,000 hardy residents rebuild and rejuvenate each time. So, while you will not see much historic architecture, you will find fine waterfront vacation homes and plenty of dining and shopping options. Grand Isle is renowned for its beautiful public beaches, as well as for being one of the best spots in Louisiana for birdwatching and butterfly-watching.
You are guaranteed to have a good time no matter where you visit in Louisiana—great music, fantastic food, welcoming locals, and natural wonders abound in every corner of the state. While no trip to Louisiana is complete without a stop in New Orleans, be sure to make time to get off the beaten path and explore some of the state’s many great small towns. Your own personal list of must-visit towns will grow with each return trip to the Pelican State!