Louisiana

Louisiana bill seeks ‘fairness’ in pregnancy costs

Published

2 years ago

January 12, 2023

Louisiana bill seeks ‘fairness’ in pregnancy costs

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — As the primary payments trickled in Thursday for Louisiana’s upcoming legislative session, amongst them is proposed laws that might permit moms to “get well” 50% of out-of-pocket pregnancy-related medical bills from the daddy of their little one.

Home Invoice 5, which Republican state Rep. Larry Frieman pre-filed Thursday, is of specific curiosity in Louisiana the place there’s a near-total abortion ban. The one exceptions to the ban are if there’s substantial threat of demise or impairment to the affected person in the event that they proceed with the being pregnant and within the case of “medically futile” pregnancies — when the fetus has a deadly abnormality. There are not any exceptions for rape or incest.

Below the invoice, the mom must sue the daddy earlier than the kid turns 2 and provided that the paternity of the kid has been proved by “clear and convincing proof.”

“The invoice is basically about elementary equity,” Frieman, a protection legal professional, instructed the Related Press. “It’s not truthful to have girls should bear all of the out-of-pocket medical bills for being pregnant. And in Louisiana, there isn’t a mechanism within the legislation that enables her to get well.”

Well being prices related to being pregnant, childbirth, and post-partum care common a complete of $18,865, in line with a 2022 research by the Kaiser Household Basis. Nonetheless, the common out-of-pocket funds complete $2,854 for ladies enrolled in giant group plans. These prices don’t embody the quantity spent on heath insurance coverage premiums or further payments from out-of-network suppliers.

One other Louisiana GOP politician proposed the same invoice on a nationwide scale final 12 months.

U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson launched the Unborn Youngster Help Act, which might make it attainable for pregnant moms to gather little one assist beginning in the intervening time of conception. The invoice by no means made it to the U.S. Home ground for debate, however Johnson plans on reintroducing it this session.

In 2021, Utah grew to become the primary state to mandate prenatal little one assist. On the time just a few different states, together with Wisconsin and New York, had provisions that would lead to fathers being financially liable for pre-birth bills.

Proponents of the Utah legislation, which requires the daddy to pay half of a girl’s out-of-pocket being pregnant prices, offered the laws as an effort to lower the burden of being pregnant on girls and improve duty for males who’ve kids. When the legislation was proposed, critics argued that it wouldn’t assist girls who’re most weak and will make abusive conditions much more harmful for pregnant girls.

Source link

Click to comment

Louisiana

British Tiktokers sample south Louisiana cuisine, swamp tour on visit to Houma

Published

15 hours ago

May 13, 2025

Press Room

British Tiktokers sample south Louisiana cuisine, swamp tour on visit to Houma

British TikTokers Joshua Cauldwell-Clarke and Jason Riley visited Houma, Louisiana, documenting their culinary and wildlife experiences.
The duo sampled barbecue at Big Mike’s BBQ Smokehouse, trying various dishes including brisket and ribs.
They then embarked on a swamp tour with Cajun Man Swamp Tours, where they observed and fed alligators.

Two traveling British TikTokers visited Houma for some local flavor and to check out the wildlife.

Joshua Cauldwell-Clarke and Jason Riley are from Nottingham in the United Kingdom, best known from their on-camera reactions to American cuisine as @JohnandJase on TikTok. They currently are traveling through southern Louisiana. They stopped in Houma May 12, where they ate at Big Mike’s BBQ Smokehouse and then went on Cajun Man Swamp Tours.

“That’s the size of my head,” Cauldwell-Clarke said, holding a slab of brisket next to his head. He then took a bite, eyes rolling back as he chewed, “That’s good brisket.”

The two ate three trays of food and many large plastic cups of sides. Owner, operator and pitmaster Mike “Big Mike” Lewis was seated just off camera as the two ate. The meal included mac n cheese balls, ribs, brisket, beans, mac and cheese, green beans and banana pudding.

“They were pretty cool guys,” Lewis said. “It was fun.”

After scarfing down the massive meal, the two headed to the swamps with Captain Billy Gaston giving them an up-close experience with some alligators. Gaston is the owner and operator of Cajun Man Swamp Tours, which operates in Gibson.

“They wanted to wrestle the alligators, but I told ‘em my insurance wouldn’t cover it,” Gaston said.

Instead, he gave the two a long metal pole with a hook with pieces of chicken on the end, and the two fed the gators.

“They’re so strong aren’t they,” Riley said after the gator pulled the chicken from the pole.

While in Houma, the two announced they are having a raffle for Americans to visit the United Kingdom. To enter into the drawing click here, or visit their TikTok.

Source link

Louisiana

From John Foster’s audition to ‘American Idol’ top 5, see 11 of his performances

Published

1 day ago

May 12, 2025

Press Room

From John Foster’s audition to ‘American Idol’ top 5, see 11 of his performances

Louisiana teen John Foster stole the hearts (and stomachs) of the “American Idol” judges when he showed up to his audition in Nashville, Tennessee, with Cajun food from his family’s business in Addis, Benoit’s Country Meat Block.

He walked in with three small plastic coolers filled with boudin, Benoit’s seasoning and beef jerky and proceeded to tell the judges about his hopes to go to medical school. He’s currently enrolled at LSU, studying biology.

“I have a passion for cancer treatment, so the dream is to be a singing oncologist,” he said.

Since his audition, Foster has climbed his way to the top five in the show, performing songs like “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” “Jailhouse Rock” and Disney’s “Almost There.” On Monday night, he’ll perform at 7 p.m. on ABC for a chance in the show’s top 3. Those in the top 3 will head into the Sunday finale.

Take a look at Foster’s performances on “American Idol” thus far.

Cajun charm and Conway Twitty

Foster, 18, first performed “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” by Alan Jackson for his Nashville audition. Then, “Idol” judge Carrie Underwood asked him for another song that would showcase his vocals a bit more.

“Goodbye Time” by Conway Twitty proved to be the perfect choice for Foster to receive his golden ticket to Hollywood.

“You’ve got a lot of great tools. That last song really showed us that,” judge Luke Bryan said.

Hollywood week

The show’s “Hollywood Week” is historically stressful for the participants, with the judges making big cuts to the number of contestants. Foster performed “In Color” by Jamey Johnson.

Johnson is a Grammy-nominated country music singer and songwriter who is a Grand Ole Opry member.

Top 24

After pulling an all-nighter in preparation for the show’s duets round, Foster makes the top 24. The contestants headed to Aulani, a Disney resort in Ko Olina, Hawaii, where Foster took it up a notch in his energy levels with “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” by Garth Brooks.

“I haven’t really shown America or the judges what I can do with a really energetic song. I’m usually a slow, sad ballad guy,” Foster told guest mentor Josh Groban prior to taking the stage.

While performing, Foster was lively, and the crowd and judge Underwood sang along.

Top 20

Foster sang an original song to gain a spot in the top 20. He performed “Tell That Angel I Love Her,” in honor of his friend Maggie Dunn, who was killed on New Year’s Eve in 2022 when an Addis police officer ran a red light during a high-speed pursuit.

Foster’s family, along with Dunn’s mother, Erin Martin, and friend Leslie Kleinpeter were in the studio audience for the show.

“When you open your mouth on this song, you’re country, but you’re also storytelling country, judge Lionel Richie told Foster. “Now, whether that’s old, new, happening now, later, whatever the case may be, it was so believable and I heard every word of every part of your story and that’s what great music is about.”

Top 14

For a spot in “Idol’s” top 14, Foster covered Brooks and Dunn’s 1991 “Neon Moon.” During this episode, LSU student Baylee Littrell was one of six contestants sent home.

After Foster performed, all three judges were on their feet with applause.

Top 12

Music icon James Taylor mentored Foster before his tribute to Elvis’ 1957 hit “Jailhouse Rock,” which earned him a spot in the top 12. Foster steered clear of the Elvis impersonator route, which proved to be useful.

“John, I’m very proud of you on that one. It was exactly what you wanted — it wasn’t like an Elvis imper(sonator), it was just John Foster doing Elvis. It was very comfortable just watching you,” judge Luke Bryan said.

Underwood wrapped up the critiques with, “That was such a great song choice, you were having fun with it, you made it your own and I feel like I was watching like a young Dwight Yoakam up there.”

Top 10

Despite ditching his guitar, Foster was pure country when he covered “I Told You So,” which Underwood and Randy Travis performed on “Idol” in 2009.

“Idol” winner Fantasia mentored Foster, who she said looks like “a little Ken doll.”

“I’ve never been called a Ken doll before, but to be called a Ken doll by Fantasia was quite the compliment,” Foster said.

When Foster told her that he planned to sit during his performance, a first for him, she urged Foster to do a modulation on the song.

“He has a beautiful voice,” she said. “It’s like water, and I didn’t want it to get lost.”

Top 8

For the show’s “Iconic Women in Music” night, Foster covered Bonnie Raitt’s “Something to Talk About” to make it into the top 8. Miranda Lambert served as a guest mentor.

During his session with Lambert, Foster admitted that she was his first crush.

“I had a really hard time making eye contact with her because, you know, she was my first childhood crush. I was too nervous,” Foster said on the show.

Lambert encouraged him to interact with the crowd during his performance, which he did while sporting a cowboy hat and his guitar.

Top 7

Judge and former “Idol” winner Underwood offered George Strait’s “I Cross My Heart” for Foster to sing during the show’s “Judges’ Choice” night. Foster went with Underwood’s pick, one of three songs the judges chose for the finalist to perform.

While Foster honored Straight, he also dedicated the song to his girlfriend, Brooklyn Bourque, who got time in the spotlight during the episode.

“I’ve never been able to perform a love song that I’ve actually meant. I’m now dating someone, we’ve almost been dating for a year now,” Foster said. “I’m really excited to take the stage again. Brooklyn, this one’s for you.”

Top 5

Foster moved his way up in the competition to “Idol’s” top 5. On Sunday night’s show, the remaining seven contestants were trimmed to five, Foster included.

He performed “Almost There,” from the film “The Princess and the Frog,” for the show’s “Disney nights,” a tribute to his Louisiana roots.

Later in the Mother’s Day episode, Foster sang Brooks and Dunn’s “Believe” to his mother, Amanda Benoit.

Lin-Manuel Miranda was the mentor for contestants Sunday night and is expected to return for Monday night’s show.

Foster and the other four contestants will perform again at 7 p.m. Monday on ABC for part two of the show’s Disney nights. After voting, the top 3 will be announced and will head into the Sunday finale.

The show streams the next day on Hulu. Voting is only allowed while the show airs.

To help put Louisiana teen in the top 3, here’s how to vote (up to 30 times):

Source link

Louisiana

HEART OF LOUISIANA: Kayak Artist

Published

2 days ago

May 12, 2025

Press Room

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.

Click here to report a typo. Please include the headline.

Click here to subscribe to our WAFB 9 News daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.

Source link