Louisiana
Lights Out Louisiana to help protect billions of migratory birds flying over state
BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) is calling on residents and businesses across the state to join others in turning off bright or excessive lighting from 11 pm to 6 am each day between August 15 and November 15 to help protect the billions of migratory birds that fly through Louisiana at night during this time.
Louisiana is located on the Mississippi Flyway, and the state’s vast wetlands, forests and coastline serve as critical stops along the birds’ migration routes, according to LWF. During the 2022 fall migration, an estimated 478 million birds passed through Louisiana. The majority of these birds migrate at night, typically beginning their nighttime migration about 30 to 45 minutes after sunset, with peak flights between 10 and 11 pm.
While dark skies allow migrating birds to avoid predators, take advantage of calmer air, and use the moon and stars for navigation, they also pose other dangers, such as bright artificial lights and skyglow from larger cities, which can confuse birds and often lead to fatal collisions with buildings or windows.
“Our city lights can misguide birds, diverting them off course with often dire consequences. This initiative is an easy yet impactful step in helping these birds continue their incredible journey,” Rebecca Triche, executive director of LWF, said. “Louisiana is well-known for the populations of migratory birds we see here at different times of the year and people care about keeping wildlife sustainable. By supporting the Lights Out initiative, businesses and individuals can take a practical step to protect the birds that briefly call Louisiana home.”
According to the National Audubon Society, which started the first lights-out program in Chicago in 1999, just one building in a community with bright lights could be a big deal, citing a week in 2017 in which nearly 400 birds died after flying into the windows of a 32-story Texas skyscraper because of its floodlights.
Dr. Dan Scheiman, Plants for Birds Program Manager for Audubon Delta, said, “Following that incident, the skyscraper in question joined many other buildings in Houston Audubon’s Lights Out for Birds Program, saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of birds. Each year in the United States an estimated 1 billion birds die by colliding with windows. This number is not sustainable. Every building, every Lights Out program helps reduce this threat to ensure the long-term health of our bird populations.”
Dr. Phil Stouffer, the Lee F. Mason Professor in the LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources, has been studying the problem on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge and leads the LSU Bird Window Collision Monitoring Project, which has been in existence for five years. On the LSU campus, the group has recorded 569 dead birds representing 75 species. The most common victims during the fall migration have been the common yellowthroat, ruby-throated hummingbird and ovenbird.
“This is a problem that can be overcome,” Stouffer said. “Reducing illumination is one of the easiest approaches that we can all take. Dark skies also benefit other wildlife, and we humans might see a few more stars.”
One Lousiana building participating in the Lights Out project this fall is the Center for Coastal & Deltaic Solutions, located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge at the city’s old municipal dock. The building, which is owned by the Wilbur Marvin Foundation and houses the Water Institute, will turn off its large overhead lights during the designated Lights Out times.
Beaux Jones, acting president and CEO of The Water Institute, emphasized the importance of the Lights Out initiative, stating, “Living in Louisiana, a vital migration route, is a birder’s dream. Yet, it poses navigation hazards for migrating birds. The support from the Wilbur Marvin Foundation makes this endeavor even more significant to me and aligns with The Water Institute’s commitment to ecological sustainability.”
Individuals and organizations wanting to join others in the Lights Out Initiative should follow these guidelines:
- Turn off non-essential lights nightly from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. during the migration period.
- Avoid using landscape lighting on trees or gardens where birds may be resting.
- For essential security and safety lighting, use these dark skies-friendly lighting adjustments:
- Aim lights downwards.
- Use light shields to direct light downwards and prevent an upward glare.
- Use motion detectors and sensors so lights turn on when needed.
- Close blinds at night to limit the amount of light seen through windows.
- For building owners/managers:
- Adjust custodial schedules to be completed by 11:00 p.m.
- Ensure lights are turned off after custodial cleaning.
Additional Guidelines for Buildings Over 3 Stories:
- Dim or turn off:
- Exterior/decorative lighting.
- Lobby/atrium lights.
- Perimeter room lights on all levels.
- Floodlights.
- Lighting on interior plants/fountains.
- Lights on vacant floors.
- Lights with blue-rich white light emissions (over 3000 K in color temperature.)
- Instead use:
- Desk lamps or task lights instead of overhead lights.
- “warm-white” or filtered LEDs outdoors (less than 3000 K in color temperature.)
Migration routes, along with the timing of the flight, can vary from day to day due to a number of factors such as the weather conditions. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology BirdCast dashboard, on Monday, August 7, there were an estimated 550,700 birds that crossed Louisiana during the night. Exhibiting the vast difference in flight paths, 276,400 of those birds were estimated to have flown over the Shreveport/Bossier City area, while only 11,200 birds were estimated to have flown over the Baton Rouge area.
Just a week earlier though, the Baton Rouge area had an estimated 56,100 birds fly over in one evening. During last fall’s migration period, on September 13, 2022, the Baton Rouge area had 436,100 birds cross the region, compared to 123,100 birds in the Shreveport area. On that night alone, more than 3.5 million birds migrated across Louisiana.
Individuals can monitor the bird migration in their area by using BirdCast, a migration dashboard provided by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Dashboards for Louisiana and selected cities are:
Louisiana – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA
Alexandria – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-079
Baton Rouge – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-033
Houma – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-109
Lake Charles – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-019
Lafayette – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-055
Monroe – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-073
New Orleans – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-071
Shreveport – https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-LA-017
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/UZWHBXVMK5GZ5BSQPR2L3U3UMA.jpg "Crane outside Univ. of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics becomes home to a family of hawks")
If things go according to conservative lawmakers’ plan, Louisiana children will be tried as adults and sent to adult prisons more often in the future, because the Legislature could increase the number of crimes for which minors can be prosecuted as adults.
Oh, you thought Gov. Jeff Landry’s third special legislative session was all about tax reform?
You’re not wrong. Taxation is the main focus. But it’s not the only agenda item.
Even as lawmakers see crime decline across Louisiana, many still preach the myth that sending more children to adult facilities makes us all safer. It allows them to campaign on “lock ’em up” and “tough on crime” platforms.
State Sens. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, and Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, and state Rep. Debbie Villio, R-Kenner, quietly secured legislative approval of a proposed constitutional amendment toward that end in the just-ended special session. They were able to do it because most Louisianans remained focused on Gov. Jeff Landry’s efforts to reduce personal income taxes on the rich while raising Louisiana’s combined sales tax rate to the highest in the nation.
All the noise about tax reform provided the perfect cover for Cloud, Morris and Villio to find new ways to punish our youth. Their Senate Bill 2 glided through the legislative process without so much as a minor headwind.
Truth be told, Landry was right to call his third special session this year to push his tax reform ideas.
For far too long we haven’t had serious legislative debates about how best to raise Louisiana from near the bottom among states where businesses want to relocate and bring good jobs. The problem with focusing solely on tax reform is that businesses consider more than just taxation when they locate or expand. They also consider housing quality, employee-friendly laws and practices, quality K-12 and higher education, public safety and other quality-of-life factors.
Fortunately, overall crime has been declining in Louisiana.
That apparently means little to politicians who want to make crime more than a party-line talking point. Some simply want to put more people, especially minors, behind bars. The proposed constitutional amendment, if approved by voters, would allow lawmakers to treat 14-, 15- and 16-year-olds as adults without asking citizens if that’s what they want.
Our state constitution already allows lawmakers to authorize — by a two-thirds vote in each chamber — special juvenile procedures for minors charged with specific offenses:
- First- or second-degree murder
- Manslaughter
- Aggravated rape
- Armed robbery
- Aggravated burglary
- Aggravated kidnapping
- Attempted first-degree murder
- Attempted second-degree murder
- Forcible rape
- Simple rape
- Second-degree kidnapping.
- A second or subsequent aggravated battery
- A second or subsequent aggravated burglary
- A second or subsequent offense of burglary of an inhabited dwelling
- A second or subsequent felony-grade violation of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law or prohibited transactions in drug-related objects, involving the manufacture, distribution, or possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances.
If approved by voters, SB2’s proposed constitutional amendment would eliminate that list and let lawmakers alone — by a two-thirds vote, without voters’ consent — decide which crimes should be “adult” offenses for minors
Imagine the Legislature deciding that a 14-year-old should be tried as an adult because he stole from a store or got into a fight at school. SB2 proponents say some children can’t be rehabilitated. Sigh.
Fortunately, voters will get to decide whether such scared-straight tactics make sense — or will actually attract more businesses to Louisiana. Do SB2’s sponsors really think businesses will come here because we incarcerate more youth? Shouldn’t we instead promote early childhood education and care, healthy living and higher literacy rates?
The governor, the Louisiana District Attorneys Association and the Louisiana Sheriffs Association have endorsed SB2. But not everyone agrees with them.
“Senate Bill 2 is unnecessary and has the potential to end juvenile justice in Louisiana,” Laramie Griffin, founder of Evolve Louisiana, shared with me. “This bill does nothing to improve public safety.” Griffin added that the bill has an “invisible list,” meaning lawmakers could “add whichever law they choose without public vote.”
The proposed amendment will appear on the next statewide ballot, likely in March. A “yes” vote would let lawmakers decide which crimes committed by minors can land them behind bars with adult criminals. A “no” vote would keep the current list and rule in the constitution.
Let’s not wait to get through the holidays, the new year and Carnival to focus on what this means.
Now is the time to launch a “Vote No!” campaign.
Let’s tell the world that we can be business-friendly, socially responsible and compassionate toward children who make mistakes.
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U.S. News & World Report has released a database comprised of the top elementary and middle schools in 2025 in each state.
The rankings of schools can even be narrowed down by city and district levels.
Top 10 elementary schools in Louisiana
There are numerous Louisiana elementary and middle schools ranked within U.S. News’ database, and here are the top ten best ranked elementary schools statewide in Louisiana.
No. 1 T.S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School
According to U.S. News, T.S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School, located in Lake Charles, is ranked number one in Louisiana elementary schools and is a part of Calcasieu Parish Public Schools.
The student population of T.S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School is 300, and the school serves K-5.
No. 2 Metairie Academy for Advanced Studies
According to U.S. News, Metairie Academy for Advanced Studies is ranked number two in Louisiana Elementary School and is a part of Jefferson Parish Schools.
Metairie Academy for Advanced Studies enrollment is 368 students, and the school is kindergarten through fifth grade.
No. 3 Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies
U.S. News says that Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies is number three in Louisiana Elementary Schools and is a part of Jefferson Parish Schools.
The student enrollment at Gretna No. 2 Academy for Advanced Studies is 357 and serves the grades pre-k through fifth grade.
No. 4 Airline Park Academy for Advanced Studies
Airline Park Academy for Advanced Studies in Metairie is a part of Jefferson Parish Schools and is ranked number four in Louisiana Elementary Schools, according to U.S. News.
Airline Park Academy for Advanced Studies’ enrollment is 418 students and teaches pre-k through fifth grade.
No. 5 South Highlands Elementary Magnet School
South Highlands Elementary Magnet School in Shreveport is a part of Caddo Parish Public Schools and is ranked number five in Louisiana Elementary Schools, says U.S. News.
The student enrollment at South Highlands Elementary Magnet School is 517 and the school serves grades pre-k through fifth grade.
No. 6 Westdale Heights Academic Magnet School
Westdale Heights Academic Magnet School is part of East Baton Rouge Parish Schools and is ranked number six in Louisiana Elementary Schools, according to U.S. News.
Westdale Heights Academic Magnet School’s student enrollment is 464 and the school serves pre-k through fifth grade.
No. 7 Fairfield Magnet School
Fairfield Magnet School, located in Shreveport, is a part of Caddo Parish Public Schools and is ranked number seven on U.S. News’ list of the top Louisiana Elementary Schools.
Fairfield Magnet School has a student enrollment of 515 and teaches pre-k through fifth grade.
No. 8 Ray St. Pierre Academy for Advanced Studies
Ray St. Pierre Academy for Advanced Studies is located in Westwego, which is a part of Jefferson Parish Schools, and is ranked number eight in U.S. News’ list of Louisiana Elementary Schools.
Ray St. Pierre Academy for Advanced Studies teaches pre-k through fifth grade and the enrollment is 336 students.
No. 9 Phoenix Magnet Elementary School
Phoenix Magnet Elementary School, located in Alexandria, is a part of Rapides Parish Public Schools and is ranked number nine in U.S. News’ list of the best Louisiana Elementary Schools.
Phoenix Magnet Elementary School serves pre-k through fifth grade and student enrollment is 351.
No. 10 B.R. Foreign Language Academy Immersion Magnet
B.R. Foreign Language Academy Immersion Magnet is a part of East Baton Rouge Parish Schools and is ranked number ten in U.S. News’ list of Louisiana Elementary Schools.
Immersion Magnet’s student enrollment is 548 and serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
Louisiana
Louisiana’s legislative leaders say they have a tax deal; final votes expected Friday • Louisiana Illuminator
State lawmakers have agreed to a pared-down version of Gov. Jeff Landry’s tax overhaul package but one that would still affect most people and businesses in Louisiana. The deal, hashed out in back-room negotiations Thursday, is expected to receive full approval Friday.
“A lot can change overnight, but as of right now, we’re comfortable with the number of votes we have…in the Senate,” said Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie.
“I believe we have the votes [in the Louisiana House],” Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Johnson, R-Pineville said.
The revised package calls for pushing the current sales tax rate of 4.45% to 5% for five years, starting July 1, 2025, when the state’s next fiscal year starts. It would drop to 4.75% in 2030 but still remain higher than the current 4.45% rate.
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In exchange for these higher, permanent sales taxes, most Louisiana residents would receive an income tax cut. The state would move from a three-tiered income tax system with a high rate of 4.25% to a flat rate of 3% accompanied by a significantly higher standard deduction threshold.
On the business side, the corporate franchise tax will be eliminated altogether, and the corporate income tax would move to a flat rate of 5.5% — right between the current lowest rate of 3.5% and highest rate of 7.5%.
The Legislature has also agreed to dissolve some government funds dedicated to special purposes and end some business and industry tax breaks to shore up state revenue. This includes ending the state’s many incentive programs such as the Quality Jobs and Enterprise Zone tax credits, among others..
A portion of the state inventory tax credit, which helps businesses cover their local parish tax bills, will be phased out for some employers in 2026. Money from the vehicle sales tax that was going to large transportation projects – such as the new Baton Rouge Interstate 10 bypass bridge and Interstate 49 expansions – will now be diverted for general government expenses.
In an interview Thursday night, Henry said he did not expect the current deal to leave Louisiana with a significant budget shortfall as some had feared. Still, lawmakers held off on taking votes on the tax package until Friday because they are waiting for the final revenue estimates to be finished by staff.
“Staff needs the time … . And we want time to read and digest the bills before we vote,” House Republican Caucus Chairman Mark Wright, R-Covington, said.
Landry was also throwing a political fundraiser Thursday night in Baton Rouge, and any tax votes taken before Friday would likely have coincided with the event.
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Legislative leaders are also combining the bill that cuts income taxes with the legislation to increase sales taxes in order to pin down conservative Republican votes. Once the proposals merge, lawmakers will no longer be able to vote for the tax break without the corresponding tax hike.
“It’s to lock people in. You can’t vote for the tax cuts without voting for the revenue, too,” said Sen. Gerald Boudreaux of Lafayette, chairman of his chamber’s Democratic Caucus.
Republicans have supermajorities in the Senate and House, but Democrats will be needed to reach the 70 votes required to pass the sales tax hike legislation. Certain conservative Republicans have refused to vote for any bill that included a tax hike, which means bipartisan support becomes even more important to get the package across the finish line.
Much of the negotiations over the past two days has taken place between Landry and Senate Democrats, who had reservations about raising Louisiana’s sales tax rate to pay for an income tax reduction.
Louisiana already has the highest average sales tax rate in the nation when local parish rates are included. High sales taxes are more of a burden for poor people, who end up spending more of their paycheck to cover their cost.
Boudreaux said Democrats were given some concessions for agreeing to support Landry’s tax package. They were assured certain health care services wouldn’t be cut, and funding for early childhood education and juvenile vocation programs would be prioritized, he said.
The state funding formula for higher education might also be reworked to direct more support to Louisiana historically Black colleges and universities, according to Boudreaux.
The votes appear to be on tight margins, however.
Wright, as the head of the House Republican Caucus, expressed concern that the Legislature would start “losing people” who would vote for the tax bills the longer they waited to vote on Friday. Some lawmakers have made it clear they don’t intend to push their holiday travel to support the tax overhaul.
The special session must end by 6 p.m. Monday.
“It’ll be interesting because I heard they may have more Republicans missing as the day goes on, especially around five o’clock,” said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Matthew Willard of New Orleans, who has opposed Landry’s proposal.
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