Louisiana

Louisiana’s most notorious prison hosts daddy-daughter dance

Published

2 months ago

November 27, 2025

Louisiana’s most notorious prison hosts daddy-daughter dance

Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, in partnership with God Behind Bars, hosted a father-daughter dance on Saturday.

God Behind Bars is an organization that partners with churches and ministries nationwide to help meet the needs of incarcerated individuals and their families. The organization said the first annual Daddy Daughter Dance inside the Angola facility reunited fathers who had not seen their daughters in years.

“When I turned around and saw my baby in that dress and she busted out crying…I sobbed, man, and I ain’t no crier. We slow-danced and she was crying again. I said, ‘Baby, why you crying?’ and she said, ‘Dad, I finally get a chance to dance with you for the first time.’” I told my brothers, ‘Look, brother…this’ll make you want to do right. If you ain’t doing right, bro, you got to do right,’” Leslie, an incarcerated father, said in a statement sent to Newsweek.

Why It Matters

God Behind Bars said the dance gave incarcerated fathers the opportunity to reconnect with their daughters.

“Children with incarcerated parents are among the most vulnerable in America. Events like this matter deeply. Research shows that fatherless daughters face higher risks of low self-esteem, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and incarceration,” God Behind Bars said.

Louisiana State Penitentiary Assistant Warden Anne-Marie Easely said in a statement sent to Newsweek, “It is so important for fathers to be involved in their daughters’ lives no matter where they are in order to break the cycle of incarceration, instill self-confidence and so many other things that fatherless daughters are more susceptible to.”

What To Know

A total of 37 daughters, from ages 5 to 20, and 29 fathers attended the dance. Professional makeup artist Jessica Haynes and others helped the daughters get ready for the event. Volunteers painted the daughters’ nails and touched up their hair.

The fathers were fitted in custom tuxedos donated by Amor Suits months before the event.

The prison’s Seminary Lecture Room transformed into a dance venue with decor and floral arrangements. Families shared a Thanksgiving meal together.

The fathers also prepared a choreographed dance for their daughters.

Each daughter received a gift bag with hair and beauty products donated by T3 Micro and a bible donated by Hosanna Revival.

What People Are Saying

Kevin, an incarcerated father, in a statement sent to Newsweek: “We’re supposed to be the worst of the worst and the hardest of the hardest…and we walk around like that sometimes. Seeing all of us together with our kids, the loves of our lives, with no masks…that was cool.”

Jake Bodine, founder of God Behind Bars, in a statement sent to Newsweek: “It’s hard to put into words what took place at the first ever Daddy Daughter Dance inside Angola prison. I watched a group of men stand with pride and dignity, shedding every label the world had ever put on them. For one night they were not inmates. They were Dad. And the empty places in every heart were filled with joy, laughter, and a love only God can author.”

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Louisiana

Louisiana Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Jan. 13, 2026

Published

10 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Press Room

The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 13, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Jan. 13 drawing

16-40-56-64-66, Mega Ball: 04

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 13 drawing

5-8-4

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 13 drawing

1-7-5-0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Jan. 13 drawing

5-9-5-1-1

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.

By mail, follow these instructions:

Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.

Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:

Louisiana Lottery Headquarters

555 Laurel Street

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:

555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.

When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Louisiana

Louisiana employment remains above 2 million for record-setting stretch

Published

22 hours ago

January 13, 2026

Press Room

What was once a difficult benchmark for Louisiana’s job market could become the new normal, according to an analysis from Leaders for a Better Louisiana.

Louisiana employment has topped 2 mil…

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Louisiana

Scam calls surge in Louisiana with over 50 million targeting residents in December

Published

1 day ago

January 13, 2026

Press Room

Scam calls surge in Louisiana with over 50 million targeting residents in December

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Louisiana residents received over 50 million scam calls in December, according to new statistics from the spam blocking app TrueCaller, showcasing an alarming increase in unwanted calls month by month.

The app identified over 2.5 billion spam calls nationwide in December, with Louisiana residents specifically targeted by over 58 million scam calls and over 3 million scam texts during the month.

“It’s insane, so I don’t get my number out anymore,” said Peter Simon, a local shopper.

Technology makes scams more sophisticated

Carmen Million with the Better Business Bureau of South Central Louisiana said new technology and artificial intelligence make it easier for scammers to contact consumers.

“Technology is with us. And where we could tell consumers where to look out, what warning signs to look out for these scams, you know, the new AI has made it easier for these scammers to make it look really valid. And it can dupe some consumers into believing that they’re a legitimate cause when in case it’s a scam,” Million said.

Scammers use various tactics to trick people and steal information, money, and focus from their targets.

“There was one, like, cruises for a lot. And then there was a lot of political ones that were surprising,” Simon said.

Patricia Martinez, another shopper, expressed concern about vulnerable populations.

“I have senior parents, too, that I feel are all so vulnerable to AI, and I see it really prevalent in social media spaces as well. So, it can create a lot of disinformation,” Martinez said.

How to avoid scam calls

The main goal is authenticity and verifying what the caller claims to represent. If a scammer claims to be from a government agency or organization, consumers should check directly with that organization or agency to see if the claims are true.

“I would tell everyone, like, take me off your list. And they were, I don’t know if that helped, but they stopped calling, so,” Simon said.

Martinez recommended researching suspicious calls online.

“I would always go and Google the sources to see if other people have spoken out about them. Social media is a great place to see where other people have maybe had these issues,” she said.

Million advised consumers to be skeptical of all unsolicited calls.

“Automatically assume it’s not valid. Investigate. And always do your homework,” she said.

The Better Business Bureau tracks scams and encourages consumers to report them anonymously on their website’s scam tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker. Million said many consumers hesitate to report scams due to embarrassment, making the anonymous reporting option vital for gathering information.

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