Louisiana
Louisiana wants to give away Highway 90 bridges to be repurposed
PEARLINGTON, Ms. (WVUE) – Residents in a small Mississippi community believe their town is dying a slow death as a major artery connecting Louisiana and Mississippi remains closed for more than two years, and the state in charge of the closed road says it’s seeking potential takers for historic yet unnavigable bridges.
Highway 90, which serves as an eastbound exit from New Orleans to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, has been shuttered since May 2022 when inspections found four bridges to be structurally unsafe for drivers.
Pearlington, Mississippi sits on the edge of the state line, along the thoroughfare where cars used to pass from the other side of the water on a daily basis.
“Pearlington is a small town of about 1,000 families, and it is reducing every day,” said Michael Mavenyengwa, owner of the Pearlington Rocket Express.
His business used to function as a gas station and convenience store, but he said he hasn’t been able to afford to keep the pumps running.
“Due to that closure, we have experienced a major loss of business. We have lost maybe 50 to 75 percent of our business,” Mavenyengwa said. “The income we are having, the problems we are having, cannot sustain maintaining the pumps and paying all the bills we need to pay.”
“My business is dying.”
He said Pearlington has many older residents who would often take 90 to the hospital in Slidell.
When accidents on I-10 cause backups or closures of the highway, there is no other way to reach Louisiana or vice versa without traveling to Picayune, Mississippi.
“We feel like we are Americans like everybody else and pay taxes, and we are here trying to survive. It’s where we want to live,” Mavenyengwa said. “We need help here. Because 5 years, 10 years or 2028, maybe this town will be extinct.”
Louisiana is in charge of the bridges, and state and local leaders have often called for an expedited replacement.
But the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) said the replacement would cost over $300 million, and the state currently has a backlog of road repairs and infrastructure upgrades totaling more than $18 billion.
The state said it is seeking proposals for the removal of four bridges, all built in the 1930s: West Pearl River Bridge, West Middle Pearl River Bridge, Middle Pearl River Bridge, and East Middle Pearl River Bridge.
Each would cost approximately $520,000 to demolish, which the state will eventually have to do if an entity can’t be found to remove and repurpose the bridges.
“We need to get these bridges removed from our waterways,” said Daniel Gitlin with DOTD. “If they’re not going to be fixed, if they can’t be reconditioned, we cannot just leave them out there in the water, these are protected environmental waters.”
Gitlin said DOTD is currently in the environmental studies phase of the bridge replacement project.
Latest estimates put the replacement of the bridges sometime in 2028, but it’s unclear whether the state remains on that timeline still.
“This may be an opportunity for local governments, maybe St. Tammany, or some of the cities down there, to say, ‘Hey, we would like to relocate this to a public park,’” Gitlin said. “The state will not only give the bridges away, but they will pay for the cost of basically what it would take.”
MORE
DOTD closes multiple bridges in the New Orleans region
Pearl River bridge closures choking traffic, businesses east of New Orleans
For Pearlington residents, a fix may be awhile away. Gitlin said patch repairs to the bridges, which are more than 90 years old, would only extend their lifespan by a year or two.
Marine traffic has to be considered in the replacement, and so the ideal scenario would be one long spanning bridge over the water, he said.
But it comes down to securing the funding to do so.
“When you’re talking about state funding and you’re talking about groups like the transportation committees in Baton Rouge, they’re going to be looking at the long-term effect of how we spend our money and what we can do for the community,” Gitlin said.
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Louisiana
Louisiana Outdoors Forever Technical Advisory and Project Selection Board to Meet November 10
The Louisiana Outdoors Forever Technical Advisory and Project Selection Board will meet at 2:00 PM, November 10, at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters, located at 2000 Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.
AGENDA:
- Call to Order – Bryan McClinton, Chair
- Roll Call – Angela Morejon
- Project Selection Board Approval of April 14, 2025 Meeting Minutes
- Technical Advisory Board Approval of October 21, 2025 Meeting Minutes
- Approval of November 10, 2025 Agenda
- Updates on 2023 Funded Projects – Angela Morejon
- Technical Advisory Board presents full application scores to the Project Selection Board
- Project Selection Board selects funding for projects for the 2025 Application cycle
- Receive Public Comments
- Adjournment
A live audio/video stream of this meeting will be available via Zoom. To view via webinar, register at: https://wlf-la.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_keZmM260RO6Ch5WcRlqPaQ
The Louisiana Outdoors Forever Program provides funding for outdoor conservation projects in the state. For more information regarding Louisiana Outdoors Forever, visit https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/louisiana-outdoors-forever.
WATCH: 2024 Christmas Parade lights up downtown San Angelo
The 2024 Christmas Parade lights up downtown San Angelo.
Louisiana’s fall festival season is in full swing, and there’s still plenty of time to enjoy food, music, arts and culture across the region before the holidays arrive.
From long-running community traditions to niche cultural celebrations, residents can expect a mix of live entertainment, family-friendly activities and regional cuisine as communities showcase the best of Louisiana.
Whether you love zydeco music, crave a plate straight off the pit or want to stock up on handmade gifts before the holidays, there’s a festival for every interest. Many events also highlight fundraisers for schools, churches and nonprofits, bringing families and community members together.
Here are 10 festivals still ahead on the calendar this fall across Acadiana, with opportunities to dance, dine and discover the region’s heritage before the season winds down.
10 Louisiana fall festivals you can still catch
- Port Barre Cracklin Festival
Nov. 13‐16, 2025. A festive four‑day event featuring cracklin’ cooking competitions, carnival rides, parades, and live music. Address: 129 Park St., Port Barre, LA 70577
- Christmas on the Bayou Festival
Nov. 7, 2025. A holiday‑themed fest with lights, vendors and seasonal treats. Address: Bryan Street, Cottonport, LA 71327
- Bayou Teche Brewing Fall Fest Nov. 15 – Dec. 25. Craft beer, wood-fired pizza and local music set the mood for a relaxing autumn weekend. Address: 1002 North Ln., Arnaudville, LA 70512
- Christmas in the Park
Nov. 30, 2025. Holiday lights and community gatherings to wrap up the fall season. Address: Moncus Park, 2913 Johnston St., Lafayette, LA 70503
- Holiday Lights at Baton Rouge General
Nov. 20‑22, 2025. Multi‑day celebration of lights and holiday activities (still within fall‑to‑holiday transition). Address: 8585 Picardy Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70809
- Reindeer Trails
Nov. 20‑22, 2025. A local holiday‑themed festival with family activities and trails of lights. Address: 629 Spring St., Shreveport, LA 7110
- Holiday Light Safari
Nov. 27‑28, 2025. A night‑time festival of lights, food vendors, and family fun. Address: Alexandria Zoo 3016 Masonic Dr., Alexandria, LA 71301
- Logansport Christmas Festival
Nov. 22, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026. An extended festival, including the tail end of fall and the start of the holiday season. Address: 192-198 Elm St., Logansport, LA 71049
- Light Up the Lake Christmas Festival
Nov. 28, 2025. A one‑night event with fireworks, lights and local vendors; still in the broader fall festival window. Address: 900 Lakeshore Dr., Lake Charles, LA 70601
- Noël Acadien au Village
Dec. 1 to Dec. 23, 2025. An evening market/festival celebrating Acadian heritage and holiday spirit. Address: 200 Greenleaf Dr., Lafayette, LA 70506
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A new study from the personal-finance company WalletHub ranks Louisiana among the worst states in the country for job seekers in 2025.
The report places Louisiana 49th overall out of 50 states in WalletHub’s annual Best & Worst States for Jobs ranking.
WalletHub said the national unemployment rate sits at 4.3%, and its labor force participation is at its lowest level in the past couple of years.
To help job seekers find better opportunities, WalletHub compared all 50 states using 34 key indicators of job-market strength and economic vitality. The study looked at factors such as employment growth, job opportunities, median annual income and average commute time.
WalletHub said that states ranking higher tend to have stronger economies, higher wages, and more stable employment conditions.
Louisiana’s rankings in major categories include:
- 40th – Job opportunities.
- 27th – Employment growth.
- 28th – Monthly average starting salary.
- 42nd – Unemployment rate.
- 48th – Median annual income (adjusted for cost of living).
- 47th – Average work week (in hours).
- 33rd – Average commute time.
- 50th – Job security.
Best states to find a job, according to WalletHub
- Massachusetts.
- Connecticut.
- Minnesota.
- Vermont.
- New Hampshire.
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