Louisiana
LED honors top growth companies, Xavier recognized for educational avertising
Louisiana Economic Development recently honored 10 companies as Louisiana Growth Leaders at its 2024 Spotlight Louisiana event.
The 10 companies honored were:
brandRUSSO, of Lafayette; Jaci Russo, co-founder.
Core Boiler & Mechanical Services, of Prairieville; Paola Alvarado, president.
Envoc, of Baton Rouge; Calvin Fabre, president and founder.
Finding Solace, of West Monroe; Lyla Corkern, owner and CEO.
Foret Contracting Group, of Thibodaux; Benton Foret, co-founder.
Gulf Wind Technology, of Avondale; James Martin, CEO.
M S Benbow and Associates Professional Engineering Corp., of Metairie; Leo Holzenthal Jr., president and CEO.
Martin Specialty Coatings, of Shreveport; Tim Keeley, CEO.
Restech Information Services, of Metairie; Vince Gremillion, founder and president.
Urban South Brewery, of New Orleans; Jacob Landry, founder and CEO.
The Growth Leader Legend award was presented to Tides Medical, a Lafayette-based biotechnology company that uses donated human placentas to manufacture advanced regenerative skin substitutes.
Louisiana Growth Leaders are selected by a statewide panel of economic development professionals who evaluate businesses in the LED Growth Network for community involvement and business success. The criteria include growth, strategy, innovation, philanthropy and leadership.
—
Lauren Lee and Allison Ryan, of First Guaranty Bank, have completed the American Bankers Association’s Bank Marketing School.
The two-week program prepares bank marketing professionals to become marketing leaders.
—
Eric Lane, owner of Gerry Lane Enterprises in Baton Rouge, has been named the 2024 Louisiana Dealer of the Year by the Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association.
The award recognizes one standout Louisiana automobile dealer for their business success and impact in the community.
Lane’s dealerships have received numerous awards over the years including the top Chevrolet dealer for retail sales in Louisiana in 2022 and 2023, the top retail dealer for General Motors in Baton Rouge for 37 years and the General Motors Mark of Excellence Award from 2020 to 2024.
—
Fallon Gerald Tullier, of Visit Baton Rouge, and Ian Wallis, of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, have made Destinations International’s 2024 30 Under 30 list.
The program recognizes talented young people in the tourism organization industry.
Tullier is the research and technology manager for the Baton Rouge convention and visitor’s bureau. She started working for the agency as a marketing intern in 2018, then became a full-time research specialist in 2020. She earned a bachelor’s in marketing from LSU.
Wallis is sales and marketing manager for the Lafourche Parish tourism organization. He has been with the organization since 2021. He earned a bachelor’s in tourism and travel management and a master’s in business administration, with a hospitality concentration, both from Johnson & Wales University.
—
Baton Rouge Community College, Louisiana Department of Education, LSU Health New Orleans and Xavier University of Louisiana all won honors at the 2023 Educational Advertising Awards.
BRCC and its partner agency, Feigley Communications, earned a gold award for television advertising-single for their fall 2023 TV commercial. The school won a silver award in the special video category for its 25th anniversary video.
The state department of education along with its partner, MESH, nabbed a silver in the integrated marketing campaign for “Work Worth Doing” campaign.
LSU Health and Crucial Content took home a gold award in the special event campaign for its 90th anniversary table book and digital publication.
Xavier and Ruffalo Noel Levitz earned a silver in the total recruitment package category for their student search and enrollment campaign.
More than 1,000 colleges, universities and educational agencies submitted entries in the annual awards program.
—
Sarah Barlow, provost and vice chancellor for workforce and student development at Baton Rouge Community College, was selected for the 2024-25 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship.
Barlow was one of 40 people selected for a fellowship, which aims to prepare the next generation of presidents to lead community colleges.
The fellows, selected through a competitive process, will work closely with highly accomplished community college presidents and thought leaders over 10 months.
Barlow joined the faculty of BRCC in August 2010 as an assistant English professor. She became chair of the English and Humanities Department in 2013, then joined the student services team in 2018.
She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from the University of Toledo and a doctorate in English from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Louisiana
Polls open for Louisiana runoff election | Everything you need to know
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – It’s Election Day, and many voters are deciding on some closely watched primary run-offs, which will determine who appears on the ballot in November.
Polls are open as of 7 a.m. on June 27 and will close at 8 p.m. You will still be able to vote as long as you are in line by 8 p.m.
Election coverage
Fox 8 will bring you analysis as the numbers come in. Our election coverage starts at 9 p.m. on our streaming apps and online.
Who’s on the ballot?
Today is the Republican primary runoff between Stephanie Hilferty and John Young for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 1.
And in the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education District 1 race, Joseph Cao and Ellie Schroder are going head-to-head.
Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming and Congresswoman Julia Letlow face off for the Republican U.S Senate nomination.
This week, a JMC Analytics poll put Fleming five points higher than Letlow.
Gary Crockett and Jamie Davis are the two candidates on the U.S Senate Democratic ballot.
On May 16, Davis got 47 percent of the vote statewide in the Democratic primary. Crockett got 26 percent of the vote.
Fox 8 interviewed the Republican and Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate. You can watch those interviews below:
Voters will also decide how much they want to fund 140 St. Tammany sheriff’s deputies. Fox 8 covered this proposal extensively, and voters can learn more HERE.
New party primary rules
In June 27th’s runoff, voters must stick with the same party they selected in the May election. For example, those who voted Republican in May must vote Republican in this runoff.
However, in the November general election, all voters can select any candidate on the ballot regardless of party.
The Louisiana Secretary of State website lists requirements voters should know before heading to the polls.
What should I bring?
Be prepared to show one of the following before voting:
- a driver’s license;
- a Louisiana Special ID;
- LA Wallet digital driver’s license;
- a United States military identification card that contains your name and picture; or
- some other generally recognized picture ID that contains your name and signature.
Where do I vote?
You can use the Louisiana Voter Portal to find where you vote on election day, or you can call your parish Registrar of Voters Office. Your voter information card, which is sent by mail, lists your polling place.
Click HERE to find your voting precinct by entering personal information, such as your zip code. This method gives you the most specific information.
Can I vote by mail?
In Louisiana, only certain citizens can vote by mail, including:
- military or overseas citizens;
- senior citizens (65+);
- voters with disabilities;
- higher education students & professors;
- religious clergy;
- voters temporarily absent during early voting and election day;
- voters who moved to a new parish more than 100 miles from former residence within 30 days of election;
- persons involuntarily confined to institution;
- sequestered jurors;
- voters hospitalized or who expect to be hospitalized during early voting and election day;
- voters employed upon state waters;
- voters incarcerated for non-felony with sheriff’s certification; and
- participants in the state’s address confidentiality program.
For more information, click HERE.
What if I have a disability?
People with visual impairments and the person assisting them in voting may go to the front of the line at their polling place.
According to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website, a voter is entitled to receive assistance while voting if they are unable to read or unable to vote without assistance because of a physical disability, including being visually impaired. A voter may choose to use the audio ballot instead of receiving assistance.
However, voters must either file a statement with the registrar in person or by mail before the election if they need assistance in voting or complete an affidavit and/or provide specific documentation to the commissioner on election day.
For more information, click HERE.
Rules on advocating
According to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website, you should never wear, hand out, or display anything advocating for or against any candidate, proposition, or political party appearing on the ballot in the election while voting. All polling places have a 600 foot campaign free zone.
To see what exactly will be on your ballot, find polling locations, and more, you can go to the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website HERE.
See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.
Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel.
Copyright 2026 WVUE. All rights reserved.
Louisiana
Southern football’s Marshall Faulk visits Central Louisiana
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) – After being hired as the new head coach of the Southern Jaguars, Marshall Faulk made the trip to Central Louisiana to help promote his program.
“These are my eyes for the talent in this area,” Faulk told KALB. “We’re aggressive about recruiting the State of Louisiana, and so when there’s good talent and players coming up here, hanging out with some of the people that I know.”
Southern is Faulk’s first head coaching job after spending last season as an assistant at Colorado.
“I’ve done a lot of stuff in the states that I’ve lived,” Faulk said. “Being born here, I hadn’t done a lot around helping youth sports and helping kids in this environment. I’ve got a lot of information and education around football and things that I can give, and this is a great opportunity to give back.”
The Jaguars only won two games in 2025, but are just two years removed from a SWAC Championship Game appearance.
“Just the guys learning how to practice their willingness to learn,” Faulk said on the traits he’s seen thus far from his team. “They’re wanting their desire to get better, and that’s all you want.”
Southern opens up their season on August 29 against Alabama State at the Birmingham Football Classic.
Click here to report a typo. Please provide the title of the article in your email.
Copyright 2026 KALB. All rights reserved.
Louisiana
AASHTO Journal – Louisiana DOTD Completes I-20 Rehabilitation Project
The Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the official completion of the $128 million I-20 Major Rehabilitation Project in Bossier and Caddo Parishes.
[Above photo by Louisiana DOTD]
The project, noted as being one of the largest investments in the I-20 corridor in many years, included a total rebuild of all the travel lanes and ramps at five interchanges from near Hamilton Road to LA 782-2 (Industrial Drive) in Bossier City.
Work began on this I-20 project in September 2023, which included removing all of the original pavement and roadway base down to the dirt – fully reconstructing them with all new material, the first project of its kind for this section of interstate since it was built in the 1960s.
The project also included extensive concrete panel replacements across the Red River on sections of I-20 in Shreveport; drainage structure installation and improvements; new overhead signage and related components; updated street lighting, a new barrier wall, and headlight glare screens; plus fresh roadway striping and reflectorized pavement markings.
The agency said contractors completed all major construction work such as concrete paving by late 2025, with final items – including permanent roadway striping and signage – finished over the last several months.
“The I-20 project is a testament to what we can accomplish when collaboration is at the forefront and everyone works toward a common goal, which is to deliver a large-scale investment that positively impacts the quality of life for thousands of citizens,” noted Governor Jeff Landry (R) in a statement.
“Executing such a vast infrastructure improvement also demonstrates government accountability, effective project management, and a commitment to delivering on our promises,” he said.
“The I-20 major rehabilitation project was a transformational investment in one of the most vital transportation corridors in not only Louisiana, but also across the entire southern United States,” added Glenn Ledet, Louisiana DOTD secretary. “Meaningful advancements like this one help ensure reliability, safety, and resilience – all of which are essential to strengthening the larger transportation network.”
Related articles
-
Lifestyle11 minutes ago‘Wait Wait’ for June 27, 2026: With Not My Job guest Stephen Malkmus
-
Technology21 minutes agoMargaret Atwood says the problem with AI is ‘garbage in, garbage out’
-
World26 minutes agoGulf countries strongly condemn Iran’s drone attack on Bahrain as rising tensions threaten MOU
-
Politics33 minutes agoJeffries welcomes Democratic Socialists into the fold as critics warn party is revealing ‘exactly who it is’
-
Health36 minutes agoThese leafy greens could help protect your lungs, study suggests
-
Sports41 minutes agoKnicks hand Mamdani-backed candidate cease and desist letter for using team’s logo in campaign: report
-
Technology48 minutes agoEmpty envelopes in your mailbox? Do not scan that code
-
Business51 minutes agoTruck parking lot plans near Port of Los Angeles spark backlash among residents
