Louisiana

Guest column: Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law is in line with the constitution and history

Published

1 year ago

January 24, 2025

Guest column: Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law is in line with the constitution and history

Last year, Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill that requires public schools to post the Ten Commandments. Other states are considering similar laws.

Cue the secular outrage. The ACLU was joined by several leftist organizations in a lawsuit challenging the law nearly before the ink from the governor’s signature had time to dry.

The new law, according to them, threatens the very foundation of our republic — a republic whose law, of course, is built on concepts found in the Ten Commandments. Recently, a federal judge, appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, agreed, stopping the law from being implemented. Now, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, considered by many to be the most conservative appeals court, will review that decision in oral arguments Thursday.

Liz Murrill, Louisiana’s attorney general, who supports the law, said this debate is “far from over.” She’s right about that.

Admittedly, these are tough days for those who for decades successfully campaigned to remove any vestiges of religious texts inscribed in public settings and which made up the very fabric of our nation.

Kelly Shackelford

Provided photo

For much of that time, they had the U.S. Supreme Court on their side with its religiously hostile Lemon test. That test made it easy for courts to sandblast religious inscriptions, tear down monuments and label anything that secularists deemed offensive as the “establishment of religion.”

But in its 2022 decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, the Supreme Court once and for all concluded that Lemon should be scrapped. The justices made clear, “This Court long ago abandoned Lemon and its endorsement test offshoot. … In place of Lemon and the endorsement test, this Court has instructed that the Establishment Clause must be interpreted by reference to historical practices and understandings.”

The Kennedy decision came after the court, in 2019, in The American Legion v. American Humanist Association, determined that a cross-shaped 100-year-old World War I memorial on public land was perfectly constitutional.

In that landmark ruling, Justice Samuel Alito warned, “A government that roams the land, tearing down monuments with religious symbolism and scrubbing away any reference to the divine, will strike many as aggressively hostile to religion.”

Those decisions changed the legal framework in America. For over half a century, courts and government officials could knee-jerk respond to any public display of religion with a quick cancel. Not anymore. The presumption now is that a religious display is constitutional.

But some may wonder, what about inside schools? Are public displays referencing religion in the classroom constitutional?

The answer is a resounding yes. Justice Anthony Kennedy changed how the courts must look at religious displays and expression in the light of history. Eliminating Lemon makes Stone v. Graham, a 5-4 decision that banished Ten Commandments from schools and relied on Lemon, a relic of a previous time when religion was censored from public life.

Our history unmistakably teaches us that the Ten Commandments were widely displayed in schools for the first century of our nation. And, of course, under the secularists’ legal regime, public schools across the nation would need to cancel all field trips to our nation’s capital. After all, a simple walking tour of the magnificent buildings that proudly display depictions of the Ten Commandments are all around Washington, D.C., including inside the U.S. Supreme Court.

Now, those despising the presence of any “religiously expressive” display bear the burden of proof. They must demonstrate precisely how the “monument, symbol, or practice” violates the First Amendment. In light of the court’s “strong presumption of constitutionality” for displays in keeping with the history and tradition of our country, that will be almost impossible.

Which brings us to Louisiana.

The Pelican State has rightly recognized the history and tradition of the Ten Commandments in the state. Putting this historic document on schoolhouse walls is a great way to remind students of the foundations of American and Louisiana law.

We applaud Louisiana for being the first, but by no means the last, state to take this bold step for religious liberty.

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Louisiana

Shavers leads ULM past Louisiana 79-63

Published

4 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

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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Louisiana

State Treasurer John Fleming accuses Jeff Landry of interfering in Louisiana Senate race

Published

16 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

State Treasurer John Fleming accuses Jeff Landry of interfering in Louisiana Senate race

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.

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Louisiana

Louisiana Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

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.

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