Louisiana

Five Louisiana festivals worth hitting the road to check out

Published

2 years ago

March 20, 2023

Five Louisiana festivals worth hitting the road to check out

With as a lot music, meals and pageant occasions happening in New Orleans this spring, it may be simple to overlook there’s a novel state on the market to discover. Communities throughout Louisiana host spring festivals celebrating their native tradition, meals and music. Listed here are 5 festivals arising in April and Might price hitting the street to take a look at.

Louisiana Lao New 12 months Competition

Simply south of Broussard in Acadiana sits the residential enclave Lanexang Village, dwelling to a small Lao group. There are about 60 properties within the Iberia Parish village, however each Easter weekend, Lanexang Village and its Theravada Buddhist temple, Wat Thammarattanaram, explode with guests for a three-day celebration of the Laotian New 12 months. The pageant attracts Laotians from throughout the state and nation in addition to individuals from throughout south Louisiana for a parade, stay music, a magnificence pageant, sandcastle constructing, youngsters’ actions and extra. There is also a big market of distributors promoting Southeast Asian dishes, garments, jewellery and artwork.

The Louisiana Lao New 12 months Competition celebrates the 12 months of the Rabbit on Friday, April 7, via Sunday, April 9, in Lanexang Village. Basic admission is free, and VIP all-access tickets can be found for $50 by way of eventbrite.com. Discover extra info and a schedule of occasions at fb.com/louisianalaonewyear.

Ponchatoula Strawberry Competition

Plenty of cities and cities lay declare to the title of “Strawberry Capital of the World,” however Ponchatoula makes a superb case for it. Within the early twentieth century, strawberries have been a significant crop in Louisiana, and whereas the variety of strawberry farms has dwindled as the broader farming trade has modified, Tangipahoa Parish nonetheless leads the state in strawberry manufacturing.

The Ponchatoula Strawberry Competition celebrates the strawberry and the state’s farmers with a float parade, two phases of music, a strawberry consuming contest, and distributors promoting arts, crafts and meals — with loads of strawberry gadgets. The music lineup consists of The Phunky Monkeys, Tyler Kinchen & The Proper Items, Parish County Line, Thomas Cain, Dukes of Nation, Souled Out and extra. The free pageant runs Friday, April 14, via Sunday, April 16, in Ponchatoula’s Memorial Park. Discover extra info at lastrawberryfestival.com.

Baton Rouge Blues Competition

Blues historical past runs deep in Baton Rouge. Musicians like Slim Harpo, Lightnin’ Slim and Lazy Lester gave beginning to the unhurried, soulful swamp blues — influential on the British rockers of the ’60s, just like the Rolling Stones and Yardbirds. Residing legend Buddy Man acquired his begin in Baton Rouge earlier than storming Chicago, and guitarists like Chris Thomas King, Kenny Neal and Smokehouse Porter maintain the blues alive on phases throughout the nation.

Since 1981, the Baton Rouge Blues Competition has been honoring that native historical past whereas highlighting a few of the finest blues musicians from throughout the nation. The 2023 pageant runs Friday, April 21, via Sunday, April 23, in downtown Baton Rouge and options Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, Elizabeth King, Southern Avenue, The Peterson Brothers, TC Carter Band and extra throughout three phases. Basic admission is free, and there are $200 VIP passes accessible. Discover extra info at batonrougebluesfestival.org.

Competition Worldwide de Louisiane

For greater than 35 years, Competition Worldwide de Louisiane has introduced Louisiana expertise and worldwide musicians collectively in downtown Lafayette — and made many people make the unimaginable alternative whether or not to go to Competition Worldwide or Jazz Fest’s first weekend. The pageant’s worldwide artists typically share cultural roots with Louisiana peoples — French, Spanish, Caribbean, West African and extra — demonstrating the numerous international connections in Louisiana music.

This yr’s lineup options Christian singer Lauren Daigle, Benin singer-songwriter Angelique Kidjo, French reggae band Dub Inc, New Orleans’ Tank and the Bangas, conventional Korean ensemble ADG7, Los Angeles Chicano band Las Cafeteras and plenty of extra. Together with the music, there can be dozens of arts, crafts and meals distributors on the pageant. Competition Worldwide runs Wednesday, April 26, via Sunday, April 30, and is free to attend. Discover extra info at festivalinternational.org.

Louisiana Pirate Competition

There’s a legend in Lake Charles that the pirate Jean Lafitte would use the world’s waterways as a base and hideout — and even hid treasure someplace within the space now often called Contraband Bayou. Nobody has ever discovered the treasure, however Lake Charles embraced the pirate tales — search for the crossed pistols lining the more and more treacherous Calcasieu River Bridge — and Contraband Days began in 1958. Now often called the Louisiana Pirate Competition, the occasion opens yearly with a gaggle of buccaneers touchdown on the Lake Charles Civic Heart, elevating the Jolly Roger and capturing the mayor, who’s then made to stroll the plank.

This yr’s Louisiana Pirate Competition runs Thursday, Might 4, via Sunday, Might 14, with music, carnival rides, arts distributors and meals in downtown Lake Charles. The stay music schedule has not but been introduced, however extra info might be discovered at louisianapiratefestival.com.

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Louisiana

U.S. Attorney for Western District of Louisiana announces resignation

Published

7 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

U.S. Attorney for Western District of Louisiana announces resignation

SHREVEPORT, LAFAYETTE, MONROE, ALEXANDRIA, LAKE CHARLES La. (KALB) – On January 8, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced that Brandon Brown would resign as as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana.

As U.S. Attorney for the Western District of La., Brown acted as the chief law enforcement officer for 42 of 64 parishes in the state, overseeing every federal civil and criminal case in the district.

Brown’s last day in office is set for January 20.

Brown was nominated to the position on November 15, 2021 by President Joe Biden, was confirmed by the Senate on December 7 and sworn in on December 10.

U.S. Attorney Brown released the following statement about his tenure:

During his tenure, Brown became the U.S. Fifth Circuit’s representative on Attorney General Merrick Garland’s Attorney General Advisory Committee (AGAC), which assists the AG in creating policy for each of the 94 districts.

According to the release, U.S. Attorney Brown prosecuted hundreds of firearms cases and set a high priority on those related to drugs, public corruption, child pornography, and human trafficking.

They said due to these efforts, both Monroe and Shreveport saw significant decline in violent crime rates.

Alexander Van Hook will reportedly assume the role of U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana until a successor can be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

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Louisiana

Two more candidates join Baton Rouge and Lafayette state Senate races on day 2 of qualifying

Published

15 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Two more candidates join Baton Rouge and Lafayette state Senate races on day 2 of qualifying

Two more candidates qualified on Wednesday to run for open seats in the Louisiana Senate.

One of the vacancies is to represent District 14 in Baton Rouge and the other is to represent District 23 in Lafayette.

Carolyn Hill signed up to run in Baton Rouge on the second of the three-day qualifying period, which closes Thursday afternoon. She is running as a Democrat.

Hill, 42, has a career in policy social work and currently works for East Baton Rouge Parish Schools. She also founded and owns Hill and Hills Associates, a political consulting firm that supports candidates running for office.

In 2011, she won a race to represent District 8 on the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. She lost a 2015 bid for reelection to BESE.

In Lafayette, Republican Jesse Regan formally qualified to run for state Senate.

Regan was elected to represent District 3 on the Broussard City Council in 2019. He won reelection in 2022.

Regan is a mortgage lender at Preferred Lending Solutions. He also co-founded DJD Development Group and co-owns Madison Banquet & Reception Centre in Broussard, according to an online biography.

The candidates who signed up Wednesday join four others who qualified Tuesday.

Democrats Quentin Anthony Anderson and state Rep. Larry Selders qualified in Baton Rouge, and Republican state Rep. Brach Myers and Kristopher Harrison, who is running unaffiliated, qualified in Lafayette.

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Louisiana

Editor of Louisiana newspapers remembered for mentorship, nose for news

Published

23 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Editor of Louisiana newspapers remembered for mentorship, nose for news

Marvin Gene Mearns, of Mandeville, a longtime editor of The Baton Rouge Advocate, New Orleans Times-Picayune and Houma Daily Courier, died Dec. 21, 2024.

He was 86.

Beloved for his steady and gentle mentorship of generations of Louisiana journalists, Mearns began his 50-year career in journalism covering the state Capitol for United Press International following his graduation from LSU.

After he was drafted and served in the U.S. Army, Mearns returned to Louisiana newspapers. He worked during different points in his career as the St. Bernard/Plaquemines bureau chief for The Times Picayune/The States-Item, as the executive editor of the Daily Courier and as an editor of suburban and metro news for The Advocate.

Born Feb. 21, 1938, in Lake Charles, Mearns lived for many years in Houma and New Orleans and later Baton Rouge. Wherever he was, he remained a fixture in the newsroom, his family said, even after Hurricane Katrina displaced him in 2005.

Mearns, who went by his middle name “Gene,” was an exacting wordsmith with rare editing skills. He could refine reporters’ copy with strong, precise verbs and concise phrases but keep his own fingerprints hidden, retaining the style of the writer.

A calming voice for reporters facing imminent nighttime deadlines, Mearns also exceled at seeing the long view, often giving journalists nudges to dig beneath the daily story.

“Gene had a good nose for stories and a wonderful rapport with his reporters,” said Fred Kalmbach, managing editor for The Advocate. “He also was a great writing coach, with a penchant for sniffing out and eliminating cliches.”

Dr. Micah Hatchett, Mearns’ stepdaughter, said he was a wonderful father and grandfather who gave her the same training in writing that he had given so many young journalists.

Hatchett said journalism and writing were among the “biggest loves” of his life.

“He read the paper every day until the day he died, so that’s the kind of man he was,” she said.

Mearns is survived by his wife, Bridgid Hirt Mearns; Hatchett and her husband, Jesse; and grandchildren, Brice Hatchett, and Luke Hatchett. He is also survived by his siblings and many extended family members and friends.

Services will be held privately at a later date.

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