Louisiana
HEART OF LOUISIANA: Kayak Artist
ST. TAMMANY, La. (WAFB) – Artist Carol Hallock has found a way to combine her love of painting with her enjoyment of paddling, a kayak near her home on Bayou Lacombe.
“I always liked anything Louisiana. You know the pelicans, the oak trees. Water on the bayou just surrounds me and it becomes a part of you,” said Hallock.
I tagged along in my own kayak as Hallock scanned the springtime bayou landscape, looking at shapes, the light, anything that would inspire her to put paint and brush to canvas.
“In springtime, it’s bright, bright, bright, bright greens, and they only last about a week,” Hallock said.
In her small kayak, Hallock is seeing her world from water level,
“And so you’re looking up and it’s giving you a different angle and more access to places,” said Hallock.
You’ve probably seen these landscapes along the bayou hundreds of times. Where do you find inspiration to paint something new?
“In a way, the composition may be very similar, but your colors change. Your light changes, the time of year changes, and so it’s always new. The challenge is to, if you’re painting that same thing over and over, make it better,” Hallock said.
Hallock notices how the late afternoon sun adds highlights to trees. The swaying of moss in the wind and shapes reflecting in the water. A lot of folks would come by this, by you on a boat and whisk right by this scene here, but I‘m loving the detail. The lilies, the flowers that that you’re finding in that.
“Dead trees are interesting. They talk somehow,” Hallock said.
It might seem like it would be easier to snap a picture and take it home to paint the scene. Hallock prefers the plein air style trying to do a painting, from start to finish, while sitting on location in her kayak.
“The camera doesn’t have the emotion,” Hallock said. “The camera does not see what you see. It does not see the emotion, the light, and doesn’t feel what you feel when you’re painting from a photo. You’re trying to do a 3d rendering from this 2d photo, and if you’re out in nature, you’re trying to do a 3d, but then there’s three d in front of you.”
Carol Hallock’s award-winning oil paintings capture familiar scenes, trees along a bayou, the changing of seasons, the imperfections and beauty of Louisiana landscapes, and the white egret that she always names Geraldine.
“I‘ve always kind of been closed off from emotion, not really knowing how I felt. And I think painting has helped me acknowledge what’s inside of me,” said Hallock.
If every stroke of the brush hits its mark, Hallock says she can complete a painting in less than an hour. And there’s always tomorrow with different light or perhaps a few more clouds. Another chance to capture the beauty and emotion of a kayak trip on the bayou.
More information 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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