Louisiana
Lake Charles lacks firefighters while union lawsuit seeks better pay • Louisiana Illuminator
LAKE CHARLES — Staffing at city fire stations is one-third below ideal levels, as a year-old lawsuit over inadequate pay lingers over the department’s efforts to recruit new firefighters. Officials say the safety of residents and businesses aren’t at risk, but firefighters at one station have been forced to relocate while their air-conditioning is not working.
Jared Chandler, Firefighters Union 0561 liaison, told the Illuminator the optimal number of full-time employees for the department is 182 — a number that city Public Information Officer Katie Harrington confirmed. There are currently 37 LCFD job vacancies, with 34 of them in fire suppression, she said.
“We are definitely lacking in personnel, as is shown by the number,” Chandler said.
Members of the Firefighters Union Local 561 say the inability to fill those jobs stems, in part, from a complicated compensation structure. The union filed a lawsuit March 3, 2023, in local state court claiming multiple instances when the city paid new firefighters more than those with higher ranks.
The city implemented a new salary system in January 2023 that increased firefighter pay based on their position and years of service. However, the system doesn’t adhere to state law, according to the lawsuit.
Louisiana law requires firefighters receive 2% annual increases in pay after reaching three years of continuous service for up to 20 years. It also lists the minimum salary increases for specific firefighter ranks.
The lawsuit names Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter, City Administrator John Cardone Jr. and all City Council members as defendants.
Assistant City Attorney Christopher E. John denied the allegations in his response to the union’s court complaint. Litigation is ongoing, and the next court date isn’t available on record.
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The union’s requests include that the city adopt an equitable pay schedule for firefighters that “maintain(s) the minimum salary differential between ranks,” including 2% annual increases mandated by law. They also ask for an end to lump sum payments and compensation owed for back pay and pension payments.
Lake Charles firefighters have been outspoken before about being paid commensurate with their duties and experience. Their union staged a days-long picket line in front of City Hall in July 2022 over wages as low as $11.17 per hour. By December that year, the City Council had adopted a new pay matrix and amended it in January this year.
Public records the Illuminator obtained indicate that, as of January, the annual salary for an entry-level Lake Charles firefighter is $33,503, or $11.51 per hour for an average 56-hour workweek. The city also pays $600 monthly supplemental pay for all new firefighters during their first year of service. Upon completing the first year, the state pays the $600 monthly supplement.
Lake Charles is actually on par with pay for entry-level firefighters in Baton Rouge, who make a little over $33,200 per year for a 56-hour workweek in a city with nearly three times the population and twice the land area.
Kenner, which has about 15,000 fewer people than Lake Charles and only a third of the area, pays its firefighters a starting salary of $22,287 for 40 work hours per week, with an hourly wage of less than $9.00. Kenner has faced a similar lawsuit from its firefighters over their compensation.
The fire recruit classification for the New Orleans Fire Department has a starting base salary of $40,896.
Fire Chief Delton “DC” Carter says the department currently employs 123, not including support staff, and that the department can always use more personnel.
“We have maneuvered staffing so that we have been able to continuously provide the level of service needed for our run area,” Carter said. “Since I have been chief, I have never felt like we have provided inadequate staffing or an inadequate level of service or care for our run area.”
Carter has been in charge of the Lake Charles Fire Department since 2022 and joined its ranks in 1999.
While the Lake Charles firefighters union’s lawsuit alleges inadequate pay, some members say inadequate facilities are also an issue. For at least 56 days, Fire Station 5 in the southeastern section of the city had no functioning air conditioning. District F City Council member Craig Marks said in a Facebook post the city has been working on the HVAC problem at the station since February.
Marks also said Station 5 firefighters were temporarily relocated while the AC issues were being addressed. Sources who wished to remain anonymous out of concern for their job security said a used air conditioner was temporarily placed in Station 5, and its firefighters were relocated to another station. As of last Saturday, no firefighters have been on shift at Station 5 except to clean the facility, the Illuminator determined.
There are eight fire stations in Lake Charles, and the city has a joint services agreement with Calcasieu Parish to occupy two stations in Ward Three that were previously staffed with volunteers.
According to the city’s website, Lake Charles’ Insurance Service Office (ISO) fire rating is currently a Class Two, the next-to-highest rating. Carter said the city has maintained this fire rating for more than 40 years.
“It was not always at a two, but we were eventually able to move up to that,” Chandler said. “Your city’s fire rating directly affects people’s insurance premiums, and there are many factors that determine that rating, one of them being the amount of personnel a department has and its response times.”
Lake Charles covers the cost of city fire protection from its general fund, as opposed to a dedicated tax or fee that some municipalities and parishes collect for their fire departments. Harrington said fire protection costs account for nearly 26% of general fund expenditures, second only to city police (27.8%) and just ahead of public works spending (25%).
Across all of city government, salaries and wages make up 39% of general fund spending.
The city’s current budget for fiscal year 2023-24, which began Oct. 1, lists expenditures totaling $22.8 million for the fire department – a 6% increase from the prior year. Salaries, overtime, retirement contributions and other fringe benefits account for 73% of department spending, down from 86% five years ago.
Regarding recruitment, Chandler said the Lake Charles Fire Department has “a great deal of difficulty” as the lowest-paid department in the area.
“Even when we do get recruits, a lot of the time we lose them after hiring them to surrounding stations,” Chandler said.
According to employees at the Sulphur Fire Department, their entry-level base salary exceeds $36,500 for a 40-hour workweek. The Lafayette Fire Department indicated recruits can expect to make about $34,600 starting pay for a 50-hour average work week that comes to an hourly wage of $13.30.
The Carlyss Fire Department, just southwest of Lake Charles, uses a combination of volunteer and career firefighters. Chief Mark Ware Jr. said the starting salary for career firefighters is $42,000 for nearly 40 hours a week, including incentive pay.
Carter advised those who enter the firefighting profession don’t do so for the compensation.
“A career in the fire service, like any public safety career, is a calling to be answered,” Carter said. “The recruitment challenges we face are similar to those faced nationwide at this time. However, we are seeing an increased interest as of late.”
Louisiana
Pervy mayor’s kids told cops that they caught her romping with teen boy at boozy pool party
The children of a disgraced Louisiana mayor told cops that they both caught their mom fooling around with a 16-year-old boy at a boozy pool party, according to video played at her rape trial.
Misty Roberts, the 43-year-old former head of DeRidder, Louisiana — population 9,8000 — faces a charge of third-degree rape over the 2024 incident.
Roberts’ son told investigators in an interview played for jurors that he saw his mom having sex with his pal through a crack in a window.
But, when asked about his recollection, he demurred — telling the court he wasn’t exactly sure what he saw that night, according to KPLC.
The jury also reviewed pictures from the party, which showed kids holding drinks as well as a photograph of Roberts and the victim that prosecutors described as “lewd.”
That picture showed Roberts at the party in her bikini, with the teen victim looking up at her smiling.
Roberts’ son texted his mom that night, incredulous about what was happening, and told her that his sister was crying, according to messages presented by prosecutors.
“He is seventeen,” the son texted Roberts.
The boy was later confirmed to be 16 years old, according to KPLC.
Roberts’ daughter also took the stand while prosecutors played her interview with detectives, in which she said she saw her mom and the boy “on top of each other” that night.
The former mayor’s nephew also admitted he tried to sneak a peek — using his phone to try and get a peek at what was going on in the room. He testified that he wasn’t sure if he hit “record” — but if he did said he never sent it to anybody.
None of the three witnesses who testified said they saw the “private parts” of Roberts and the victim. The teen boy, they noted though, was shirtless.
After the alleged tryst, the victim’s mother texted Roberts to ensure that she was not pregnant, to which she replied she was on birth control. Roberts shared a screenshot of that message to a group chat with her friends, who urged her to take Plan B.
A DoorDash driver testified that he delivered an emergency contraceptive to Roberts’ house, which he recognized from trick-or-treating with his children there.
In other texts shown in court, Roberts asked her son what kind of alcohol her son and other kids wanted for the party.
Days after police launched their investigation into the alleged crime, Roberts resigned as mayor of DeRidder, a city of just under 10,000 people about 20 miles east of the Texas border.
Roberts was charged with third-degree rape and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles.
The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Feb. 28, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Feb. 28 drawing
06-20-35-54-65, Powerball: 10, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Feb. 28 drawing
8-3-8
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Feb. 28 drawing
5-4-7-5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from Feb. 28 drawing
9-9-1-3-0
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Easy 5 numbers from Feb. 28 drawing
04-17-21-27-33
Check Easy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto numbers from Feb. 28 drawing
08-10-15-21-22-33
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.
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) demanded a congressional briefing from President Trump’s administration Saturday (Feb. 28), hours after the U.S. military joined Israel in launching airstrikes against Iran.
“When I talked to Secretary (of State Marco) Rubio, I implored him to be straight with Congress and the American people about the objectives of these strikes and what comes next,” Schumer said in a statement. “Iran must never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon, but the American people do not want another endless and costly war in the Middle East when there are so many problems at home.
“The administration has not provided Congress and the American people with critical details about the scope and immediacy of the threat. Confronting Iran’s malign regional activities, nuclear ambitions and harsh oppression of the Iranian people demands American strength, resolve, regional coordination and strategic clarity. Unfortunately, President Trump’s fitful cycles of lashing out and risking wider conflict are not a viable strategy.
“The administration must brief Congress — including an immediate all-senators classified briefing — and in public testimony to answer these vital questions. The Senate should quickly return to session and reassert its constitutional duty by passing our resolution to enforce the War Powers Act. My prayers are with our brave American servicemembers.”
Meanwhile, reaction to the attack from Louisiana’s congressional delegation appeared to break predictably among party lines.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) posted to X that the attack “is yet another move by President Trump to protect the United States and sends a message to the world: Never doubt America’s resolve or capacity to defend its interests.”
For years, the Iranian Regime has chanted “Death to America,” targeted our troops, weaponized their terrorist proxies, and killed tens of thousands of innocent people, including Americans. Today, President Trump made it clear: their reign of terror is over.
The President has…
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) February 28, 2026
Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.) of New Orleans, however, said he was “deeply concerned” about the attack and said, “The American people deserve to understand the objectives, the risks and the path forward.”
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) wrote, “The President’s decision to attack Iran presumably was based upon a clear and present danger to the United States, and a planned execution that does not put the United States in a forever war.”
The President’s decision to attack Iran presumably was based upon a clear and present danger to the United States, and a planned execution that does not put the United States in a forever war. We pray for the safety and success of our servicemen and servicewomen.
— U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy) February 28, 2026
Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.), who is mounting a primary challenge for Cassidy’s U.S. Senate seat, also endorsed Trump’s decision to attack Tehran.
Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and actively plots to kill Americans. President Trump’s decisive strikes send a message that America will not tolerate Iran’s threats to our national security. May God bless our troops and keep them safe as we confront radical… https://t.co/P5IVxiBi2p
— Congresswoman Julia Letlow (@RepJuliaLetlow) February 28, 2026
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) also backed Trump’s military action, writing that Iran was “facing the severe consequences of its evil actions.”
Today, Iran is facing the severe consequences of its evil actions. President Trump and the Administration have made every effort to pursue peaceful and diplomatic solutions in response to the Iranian regime’s sustained nuclear ambitions and development, terrorism, and the murder… https://t.co/G5XPELtAmX
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) February 28, 2026
Democratic Rep. Cleo Field expressed reservations that Trump had not made a case for the attack to Congress or the American people.
This morning, the United States, in coordination with Israel, launched strikes against Iran — a significant military action with serious consequences for our national security.
While I understand the gravity of the threat, the process here cannot be ignored. The War Powers Act…
— Congressman Cleo Fields (@RepFields) February 28, 2026
Republican Sen. John Kennedy had not yet posted reactions to the Iran attack — dubbed by the Pentagon as “Operation Epic Fury” — on social media or sent statements to the news media.
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