Louisiana
HEART OF LOUISIANA: Jim Bowie
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – It was on a sandbar not far from this spot on the Mississippi River near Vidalia, Louisiana, where frontiersman Jim Bowie made a name for himself and his knife. Born in Kentucky, Bowie grew up in Louisiana’s Catahoula Parish.
“I actually probably live within ten or twelve miles of where Bowie lived in Catahoula Parish,” said Stanley Nelson.
Nelson is editor of the Concordia Sentinel newspaper, and has written a few stories about Jim Bowie’s exploits in the area.
“Back in those days, uh, there was a lot of fraudulent land dealing going on and the Bowie brothers were involved in a whole lot of that,” Nelson said.
Jim Bowie was also a slave trader.
“He was a fighter. He didn’t take insults very easily. There was a feud involving a sheriff from Alexandria. Bowie was involved in one party and the sheriff had his men and the other,” said Nelson.
It was an 1827 duel that turned into a deadly brawl on the sandbar.
“Is a bona fide Bowie knife because we know that the Bowie brothers had this made. This bloody affair today, we’d say that it went viral. And so people across the nation of reading about how he’s in this, this fight, uh, outnumbered. He’s shot, he’s stabbed, but he’s still able to, uh, to hold his own,” said Bruce Winders.
With the sudden popularity of the knife, Bowie’s brother Rezin has more knives made.
“This was made on a plantation that the Bowies had in Rapids Parish. This knife was commissioned by Rezin Bowie by, uh, a jeweler named Searles in, uh, baton rouge. And this is what many people think a Bowie knife looks like when they hear the word Bowie knife,” Winders said.
Winders is a historian at the Alamo in San Antonio, where Bowie moved and got married after leaving Louisiana. He’s part of a force of about 200 Texans, who are grossly outnumbered, but refuse to surrender to the Mexican army.
How hard is it to separate fact from legend with somebody like Jim Bowie?
“The legend is what most people know about James Bowie. He may be so sick that he was unconscious or he’s possibly even dead at the time of the battle. Mexicans will say he’s in his bed, he didn’t put up much of a fight. Legend, you know, can’t stand for that. And so he whips out his knife, he’s slashing, he’s firing with his pistols, but you know, that’s where the backed in the, in the legend come together,” said Winders.
Jim Bowie’s story is forever enshrined at the Alamo where he died. But his fame and legend began years earlier in a knife fight on a Louisiana sandbar.
More information on Jim Bowie and his celebrated knife can be found on Heart of Louisiana’s website.
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BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Louisiana homeowners can get financial help to upgrade their roofs and ensure they can better stand up to strong storms.
According to the Louisiana Department of Insurance, registration for next Louisiana Fortify Homes Program lottery opens at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 1. The registration period will stay open through 5 p.m. on Friday, June 19.
Under the latest round of the program, 3,000 grants of up to $10,000 will go out. After applying, homeowners will get placed into a lottery and will be randomly selected.
There are many specific benefits of having a roof upgraded through the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program. Officials said the roofs have stronger shingles that can protect against hail up to two inches wide, sealed roof decks to help prevent water damage, and stronger edges to keep wind from getting underneath.
Homeowners with a fortified roof can also get a certificate to receive a discount on insurance premiums.
“At the end of the day, this program is about more than just roofs,” said Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple. “It is about protecting families, it is about strengthening communities, and it is about putting Louisiana in a stronger position—both physically and economically—to face the challenges ahead.”
Only people living in Ascension Parish, Livingston Parish, Assumption Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, Acadia Parish, Calcasieu Parish, Cameron Parish, Iberia Parish, Jefferson Parish, Jefferson Davis Parish, Lafayette Parish, Lafourche Parish, Orleans Parish, Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. James Parish, St. John the Baptist Parish, St. Martin Parish, St. Mary Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Terrebonne Parish, and Vermilion Parish are eligible to apply for the latest round of the program.
People living in a newly built home, mobile home, or condominium are not qualified.
For a detailed list of eligibility requirements, click here.
If a person registered for the program previously, he or she must do so again. The person will also need to provide the following information:
- A homestead exemption on the primary residence.
- A policy of insurance that provides wind coverage for the primary residence.
- A flood insurance policy on the primary residence if it is in a special flood hazard area.
For more information about applying, click here.
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WATCH: Louisiana baseball HC, players talk series win vs No. 20 Coastal Carolina
Hear from UL baseball’s HC Matt Deggs, pitcher Ty Roman and infielder Owen Galt following its 2-1 series win vs Coastal Carolina.
For the second day in a row, Louisiana baseball has its back against the wall in the NCAA Tournament Starkville Regional.
The No. 25 Ragin’ Cajuns (40-24) secured their 40th win of the season and kept their postseason dreams alive by beating Lipscomb 10-4 in an elimination game on Saturday, May 30. Now, the pressure is back on for seventh-year coach Matt Deggs and his squad as they face No. 24 Cincinnati (38-21) in another win-or-go-home matchup on Sunday, May 31 in Starkville, Mississippi.
Against the Bisons, UL used four pitchers, and in total has used seven of its arms so far in tournament play. One of the Cajuns’ fresh arms heading into the matchup against the Bearcats is senior Andrew Herrmann. The lefty made his latest appearance during the Cajuns’ Sun Belt Conference tournament run on May 24.
While the Cajuns come into the match with some momentum, Cincinnati enters the match with a chip on its shoulder after losing its first game of the tournament on Saturday against regional host Mississippi State.
Watch Louisiana baseball vs Cincinnati on ESPN+
What channel is Louisiana baseball vs Cincinnati on?
TV: None
Livestream: ESPN+
Radio: Varsity Network, 96.5 FM
Louisiana vs. Cincinnati will be available live on ESPN+ streaming for the first game of Day 3 of the Starkville Regional. Jack Kizer and Jack DeLongchamps will provide commentary from Dudy Noble Field.
What time does Louisiana baseball play Cincinnati?
Date: Sunday, May 31
Time: 2 p.m. CT
Location: Dude Noble Field, Starkville, Mississippi
The Louisiana vs. Cincinnati game starts at 2 p.m. Sunday at Dudy Noble Field in Starkville, Mississippi.
Starkville Regionals schedule
Friday, May 29
- Game 1: Mississippi State 10, Lipscomb 1
- Game 2: Cincinnati 12, Louisiana 2
Saturday, May 30
- Game 3: Lipscomb 4, Louisiana, 10
- Game 4: Mississippi State vs Cincinnati, 8 p.m. CT
Sunday, May 31
- Game 5: Louisiana vs Cincinnati, 2 p.m. CT
- Game 6: Winner G5 vs Mississippi State, 7 p.m. CT
Monday, June 1
- Game 7: If necessary, TBD
Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The Caleb Wilson Hazing Prevention Act has been signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry.
This comes after HB 636, authored by Rep. Vanessa LaFleur (D-Baton Rouge), was signed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate on May 19.
The measure redefines hazing, mandates annual prevention training, and strengthens penalties for student organizations involved in hazing.
The legislation is named after a Southern University student who was killed in 2025 after being punched in the chest with boxing gloves during an unsanctioned, off-campus fraternity hazing ritual.
The law will go into effect on August 1.
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