Louisiana

Landry administration suspends all work on Louisiana’s largest coastal project

Published

11 months ago

April 5, 2025

Landry administration suspends all work on Louisiana’s largest coastal project

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) — Governor Jeff Landry’s administration took a major step Friday toward downsizing or killing Louisiana’s largest coastal project, the $3.1 billion Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion in Plaquemines Parish.

In a letter to the contractor, Gordon Dove, head of the Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities, ordered a 90-day suspension of all work on the project.

Mid-Barataria had been the centerpiece of Louisiana’s ambitious plans to restore its coast, an effort to channel Mississippi River sediment into the bay to mimic the river’s land-building powers.

However, critics argue that the diversion, which would take up to 75,000 cubic feet of river water each second, would devastate shrimp and oyster fisheries and other marine life, including Barataria Bay’s population of bottlenose dolphins.

“We’re still doing an evaluation,” Dove said Friday night. “We don’t want to pay for cranes sitting out there.”

The order to cease activity will allow for the removal of equipment, according to Dove.

A limited amount of construction work has been performed over the last year, but six large cranes have sat idle.

Dove said the ultimate decision on the project would be “based on a decision we can afford.”

An Environmental Impact Statement estimated that Mid-Barataria would build 21 square miles of land over 50 years. However, Governor Landry complained that the project cost had skyrocketed from an estimated $750 million to $3.1 billion over the last decade.

“It’s to a point you cannot afford to build the large diversion,” Dove said.

Funding for the project flows primarily from fines and settlements associated with the 2010 Gulf oil spill. However, Landry has argued the state would have to cover any shortfall as the project costs increase.

Dove said the downsized project could combine a few features, including a diversion of 2,500-25,000, a 23.5-mile-long land bridge stretching from Buras in Southern Plaquemines Parish to Lafourche Parish, and a long-distance sediment diversion pipe.

While critics have accused the administration of abandoning a science-driven approach to coastal restoration, Dove said the land bridge is already included in the state’s coastal master plan.

“What water can you divert that doesn’t kill the shrimp and oysters and bottlenose dolphins,” Dove said.

Supporters of the diversion have argued that the scope of Louisiana’s coastal land loss requires a large-scale project. However, Dove argued that the sediment pipeline could build 19,000 acres of land over a 12-15-year period.

The diversion was granted the required federal permits in December of 2022 after a years-long evaluation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies.

Any revision would require an environmental evaluation by the Corps, which could lead to a full-blown Environmental Impact Statement, a process that could take years.

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Louisiana

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

Published

3 hours 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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Louisiana

Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past

Published

15 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past

The brother of Louisiana mayor Misty Roberts — accused of raping her son’s teenage friend — is facing child sex crimes of his own.

Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, was accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years, KALB reported.

Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, is accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years. Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office

The alleged sexual abuse began when one of the victims was as young as 13, according to Beauregard Parish Sheriff Mark Herford.

He was arrested in October.

Booking photo of Misty Clanton Roberts. — Brandon’s sister, Misty, the ex-mayor of DeRidder, Louisiana, allegedly raped her son’s teenage friend. AP

That comes years after his big sister – ex-mayor of DeRidder, 43-year-old Misty Roberts – allegedly got hot and heavy with her son’s 16-year-old friend at a drunken party at their home.

Roberts was allegedly caught in the tryst by her own kids.

She was arrested months later, and is currently on trial for rape charges.

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Louisiana

Louisiana Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for March 2, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 2, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing

02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing

3-9-9

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 2 drawing

4-1-1-0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing

0-5-2-9-5

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

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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