Louisiana

Louisiana launches doula registry to expand access to care

Published

2 months ago

March 29, 2025

Louisiana launches doula registry to expand access to care

ST. LANDRY PARISH — A new initiative by the Louisiana Department of Health is set to make doula services more accessible to families across the state. The Louisiana Doula Registry allows doulas to be reimbursed for up to $1,500 per pregnancy by insurance providers, including Medicaid.

Shawana Johnson, the owner of Wild Child Doula Services, sees the registry as a step in the right direction. “It makes services more accessible,” she says. “It’s an excellent start. We service women locally right here, and some insurance companies are making strides to get things in line so that clients can hire doulas as providers. The goal is that all insurance providers do the necessary paperwork so we can provide services to our community.”

Johnson, based in Opelousas, provides doula services throughout the area and has already registered for the program.

Kiara Ford, a mother of three, is one of many who have benefited from doula services. She hired Johnson for her third pregnancy and says the experience made a significant difference. “It just provided me with a lot of emotional and physical comfort,” Ford says. “It led to me having an awesome birth, an awesome labor. I was super excited that I had Ms. Shawana to help me.”

The Louisiana Department of Health highlights numerous studies that demonstrate the benefits of doula care, including:

Fewer cesarean sections
More spontaneous vaginal births
Shortened labor durations
Higher maternal satisfaction postpartum
Increased breastfeeding rates
Lower rates of preterm labor and low birth weight

For doulas seeking inclusion in the registry, the Louisiana Department of Health requires the completion of an application available on their website.

This initiative is expected to expand the reach of doula services, improving maternal and child health outcomes across Louisiana.

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Louisiana

America's largest remaining antebellum mansion burns down in devastating fire

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2025

Press Room

America's largest remaining antebellum mansion burns down in devastating fire

Historic Nottoway Plantation, the largest antebellum mansion in the U.S., burned to the ground this week after a fire broke out on Thursday. There have been no reports of injuries or deaths connected to the fire.

Fire crews worked to extinguish the flames with water reportedly being poured onto the rubble as long as 18 hours after the fire started, according to Fox 8. As of Saturday, the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

“Some staff members stated they had gone into the museum and there was smoke. When they returned, the whole room was in flames,” Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle told Fox 8, adding that it was “a total loss.”

Fire crews move in a line around the now fully engulfed the Nottoway Plantation on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in White Castle, La. (Michael Johnson/The Advocate via AP)

2 DEAD AFTER HOUSE BURNS DOWN IN NEW JERSEY FOLLOWING ‘GIGANTIC EXPLOSION,’ CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY

Daigle noted in a post on the Iberville Parish Government’s Facebook page that “The loss of Nottoway is not just a loss for Iberville Parish, but for the entire state of Louisiana. It was a cornerstone of our tourism economy and a site of national significance.”

The 64-room mansion was built by John Hampden Randolph in the late 1850s, according to multiple sources. It sat on more than 53,000 square feet and — in addition to the dozens of rooms — it contained 365 doors and windows and 22 white columns, Fox 8 reported. The property overlooked the Mississippi River.

Firefighters battle blaze at Nottoway Plantation

Firefighters from Baton Rouge battle a blaze as flames burst from the roof of the Nottoway Plantation on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in White Castle, La. (Michael Johnson /The Advocate via AP)

NJ WILDFIRE SCORCHES 13,500 ACRES AS FIREFIGHTERS WORK TOWARD CONTAINMENT

Randolph first arrived in Louisiana in 1841 and began by planting cotton, but ultimately shifted to sugar cane, according to the LSU Scholarly Repository. The scholarly repository article also notes that the mansion was named “Nottoway” after the county in Virginia where his ancestors lived.

U.S. Department of the Interior records cited by Axios show that Randolph owned 155 slaves and 6,200 acres of land by 1860.

In addition to the luxurious mansion, the property also featured several trees that are over 100 years old, several of which are more than 120 years old, according to Nottoway Plantation’s website.

The remains of Nottoway Plantation after a fire broke out on May 15

Light smoke can be seen from a handful of active hot spots as crews remain on scene after a fire on Thursday engulfed the historic Nottoway Plantation, Friday, May 16, 2025, in White Castle, La. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)

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In modern times, the mansion and the surrounding property functioned as a museum, resort and wedding venue. Nottoway Plantation’s website states that it sat on 31 acres, which included 40 overnight rooms, a bar, a restaurant, event space, a pool, tennis courts and more.

“While its early history is undeniably tied to a time of great injustice, over the last several decades it evolved into a place of reflection, education, and dialogue,” Daigle wrote in the Facebook post. “Since the 1980s, it has welcomed visitors from around the world who came to appreciate its architecture and confront the legacies of its era. It stood as both a cautionary monument and a testament to the importance of preserving history — even the painful parts — so that future generations can learn and grow from it.”

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

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Louisiana

Urgent search for Louisiana escaped inmates

Published

19 hours ago

May 17, 2025

Press Room

Urgent search for Louisiana escaped inmates

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Louisiana

See photos, videos of fire that destroyed the Nottoway plantation in Louisiana

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2025

Press Room

See photos, videos of fire that destroyed the Nottoway plantation in Louisiana

The Nottoway Resort in Louisiana caught fire Thursday and burned for hours, with most of the historic plantation reduced to rubble by 10 p.m.

Iberville Parish president Chris Daigle confirmed in a Facebook post Thursday night that the mansion situated along the Mississippi River was a total loss.

Nottoway was “not only the largest remaining antebellum mansion in the South but also a symbol of both the grandeur and the deep complexities of our region’s past,” Daigle said. “While its early history is undeniably tied to a time of great injustice, over the last several decades it evolved into a place of reflection, education, and dialogue.”

Built in 1859, the property was most recently used as an event space and popular wedding venue.

Multiple fire agencies battled the blaze into the night. You can see photos and video of the fire here.