Louisiana
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
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.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A major traffic improvement project is moving forward near one of Baton Rouge’s busiest shopping areas.
The MOVEBR program has officially broken ground on the railroad underpass phase of the Mall of Louisiana Boulevard project, a key part of the city’s effort to improve mobility and safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
The $38 million project is the latest phase in a multi-step plan to ease congestion and enhance flood control in the area. Fred Raiford, East Baton Rouge Parish’s director of Transportation and Drainage, said the project is designed to give commuters more options and reduce bottlenecks near the Mall of Louisiana.
“We just feel like it’s a good connector to be able to tie the interstate in Perkins and provide more opportunity for drivers to use the vehicles to go where they want to go in that general vicinity,” Raiford said.
Phase One included the Backcourt Drive Bridge and the Dawson Creek twin bridges. This new phase focuses on building a railroad underpass and pump station, a critical addition to keep traffic flowing and reduce flooding during heavy rain.
Raiford said once this stage is complete, crews will move into roadway construction and signal installation.
“Our next phase will be the actual road construction, and the last thing is to look at putting the traffic signal at Perkins and the Mall of Louisiana Road,” he said.
Previously known as the Picardy-Perkins Connector, the Mall of Louisiana Boulevard project is being developed in coordination with the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Railroad to safely separate vehicle and train crossings. Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards said it’s a major step toward modernizing local infrastructure.
“I think this roadway is going to be a fantastic asset for our parish, for today and for the future,” Edwards said.
Once completed in roughly three years, the four-lane roadway will feature a 10-foot-wide shared-use path connecting to BREC’s Trail at Dawson’s Creek, along with a privacy wall to buffer nearby neighborhoods.
Officials said the Mall of Louisiana Boulevard project is another milestone in MOVEBR’s mission to reduce congestion and create safer, more accessible routes throughout East Baton Rouge Parish.
Latest News
The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Nov. 8, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Nov. 8 drawing
03-53-60-62-68, Powerball: 11, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Nov. 8 drawing
3-2-6
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Nov. 8 drawing
5-6-0-2
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from Nov. 8 drawing
5-6-4-4-0
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Easy 5 numbers from Nov. 8 drawing
06-17-22-30-35
Check Easy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto numbers from Nov. 8 drawing
16-17-19-23-30-31
Check Lotto 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.
The 2025 Louisiana high school football season continued on Friday, and High School On SI has a list of final scores from this weekend.
Louisiana High School Football Scores, Results & Live Updates (LHSAA) – November 7, 2025
A.J. Ellender 31, Morgan City 6
Acadiana 21, Carencro 14
Albany 46, Bogalusa 28
Ascension Catholic 54, East Iberville 16
Ascension Christian 25, North Iberville 24
Assumption 14, South Terrebonne 16
Barbe 70, Sam Houston 49
Beekman 86, Madison 58
Belaire 30, Baker 7
Belle Chasse 55, Kenner Discovery 0
Bonnabel 35, Riverdale 12
Bourgeois 38, East St. John 20
Breaux Bridge 22, Livonia 19
Brother Martin 31, Holy Cross 3
Brusly 6, Istrouma 0
Caldwell Parish 47, Vidalia 0
Calvary Baptist Academy 51, North Caddo 6
Carver Collegiate Academy 36, Fredrick Douglass 14
Catholic – N.I. 42, Houma Christian 8
Central 48, Scotlandville 7
Church Point 49, Ville Platte 6
Covenant Christian Academy 49, Central Catholic 6
Covington 14, St. Paul’s 34
De La Salle 49, Livingston Collegiate Academy 23
Delta Charter 32, St. Frederick 29
Denham Springs 54, St. Amant 26
Destrehan 49, Thibodaux 26
East Ascension 35, Walker 20
East Feliciana 58, Northeast 14
Episcopal 48, Capitol 0
Erath 40, Abbeville 12
Eunice 64, Washington-Marion 50
Evangel Christian Academy 55, Parkway 27
Ferriday 46, Rayville 6
Franklin 22, Delcambre 14
Franklin Parish 61, Tioga 22
Franklinton 41, Archbishop Hannan 17
Green Oaks 58, Magnolia 6
Gueydan 28, Highland Baptist Christian 10
Hammond 35, Ponchatoula 28
Haughton 58, St. Louis Catholic 34
Haynesville 47, Glenbrook 0
Homer 49, D’Arbonne Woods 42
Jeanerette 60, Hanson Memorial 0
Jena 52, Buckeye 0
Jennings 27, Westlake 6
Jewel Sumner 21, Amite 7
John Ehret 27, West Jefferson 0
Jonesboro-Hodge 30, Cedar Creek 0
Kaplan 28, St. Martinville 20
Kentwood 44, Central Private 14
Kinder 48, Avoyelles 6
Lafayette 41, Sulphur 14
Lafayette Christian Academy 13, Lake Arthur 0
Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy 25, Ascension Episcopal 24
Leesville 56, LaGrange 24
Liberty 30, Woodlawn-B.R. 21
Lincoln Prep 51, Arcadia 28
Loreauville 15, West St. Mary 14
Loyola College Prep 28, Northwood 27
Lutcher 42, South Lafourche 3
Mamou 58, Pine Prairie 0
Mandeville 42, Fontainebleau 20
Mansfield 28, Many 10
McDonogh 35 56, Eleanor McMain 18
Metairie Park Country Day 42, Collegiate Academy 0
Minden 42, Southwood 0
Natchitoches Central 27, Benton 13
Neville 31, Alexandria 14
Newman 28, South Plaquemines 0
North Webster 31, Bastrop 0
Northlake Christian 57, Independence 15
Northwest 45, Iota 14
Patterson 28, Donaldsonville 19
Pickering 15, Plain Dealing 6
Pine 48, Springfield 12
Rayne 42, Crowley 27
Red River 54, Oakdale 18
Richwood 36, Carroll 14
Ringgold 40, Bolton 0
Riverside Academy 1, Crescent City Christian 0
Rosepine 40, East Beauregard 34
Ruston 49, West Monroe 44
Sacred Heart 42, Berchmans Academy 6
Salmen 28, Chalmette 24
Slidell 42, Northshore 3
Southside 65, New Iberia 7
St. Augustine 55, John Curtis Christian 28
St. Charles Catholic 24, Archbishop Shaw 0
St. Helena College and Career Academy 34, Pope John Paul II 24
St. James 63, Berwick 0
St. John 35, White Castle 6
St. Martin’s Episcopal 46, Varnado 28
St. Mary’s 58, Lakeview 0
St. Michael 52, McKinley 0
St. Paul’s 34, Covington 14
St. Thomas More 55, North Vermilion 7
Terrebonne 52, Central Lafourche 25
Teurlings Catholic 36, Northside 6
The Willow School 12, Abramson 8
University Lab 42, Port Allen 6
Vinton 21, DeQuincy 17
Washington 40, Woodlawn-Shreveport 14
West Feliciana 48, Tara 0
West St. John 46, Centerville 0
Westminster Christian Academy – Lafayette 20, Vermilion Catholic 19
Winnfield 20, Lakeside 6
Wossman 29, Peabody 20
Young Audiences Charter 36, Patrick Taylor Science & Tech Academy 0
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