Louisiana
Man Accused of Riding up on a bike and starting a fire at Jeanerette City Hall
Officials with the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office didn’t have to wait long to find a man accused of riding up to Jeanerette City Hall with what they say was a delayed incendiary device.
In a statement to the press, officials asked for the public’s help yesterday to locate 44-year-old Eugene Desmond for allegedly setting a fire at a public building.
As the scenario goes, it is alleged that Desmond rode up to city hall on his bicycle and went to the section of the building where the mayor’s office is located. He tried to get in, but he was unsuccessful in his attempt. When that didn’t work, he had another plan.
Desmond Eugene
As 1 o’clock approached Wednesday afternoon, authorities alleged he decided to use a delayed incendiary device, and he left it behind at the building. This device started a fire.
Thankfully, no one was injured after the fire started at Jeanerette City Hall, and there was only minimal damage to the facility.
Officials say the man, once found, was taken into custody. No one has stated what the motive for this incident might be or why Desmond decided to place the device at city hall. The investigation continues.
If you do know something about the situation, you can call the Jeanerette Police Department at 337-276-6323. You can also call the State Fire Marshal’s Office Tipline at 844-954-1221. You can also give information on any case by visiting lasfm.org.
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Louisiana
Special Olympics Mississippi moves state games to Louisiana, holds swimming events in-state
BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) — Special Olympics Mississippi will hold its State Summer Games May 22–24 at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana, with swimming competitions continuing to take place in Mississippi.
Officials with the Special Olympics said the games were moved from Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi to Louisiana because of security concerns.
“When they canceled the state games this year, it made it a little bit rough on some of the athletes, but they continued to train,” Sharon Patterson, Director for Area 3, said.
The swimming competitions will take place in Mississippi because Louisiana does not include swimming in its events. Two swimming events are scheduled for May 9, one in Tupelo and another at the Natatorium in Biloxi.
A torch run began in North Mississippi on Monday and will arrive in Bay St. Louis on Thursday.
“It’s a run, walk, or roll because we have wheelchairs in there as well,” Patterson said.
On Friday, the torch run will move through Pass Christian and travel along Highway 90, with law enforcement officers from each city carrying the torch through their jurisdictions.
The run will conclude at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi, where the Biloxi Shuckers are sponsoring a celebration featuring the lighting of the cauldron. A special athlete will sing the “Star-Spangled Banner,” lead the pledge and recite the oath.
Special Olympics Mississippi includes nearly 20 areas across the state. Each area holds games to qualify athletes for the state games.
The organization will also send 126 athletes to the USA Games in Minnesota in June. The national competition occurs every four years.
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Copyright 2026 WLOX. All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WAFB) – The U.S. Supreme Court denied a motion to recall its decision on Louisiana’s congressional map, making its ruling final.
The high court is sticking to its decision from last week to throw out the state’s current voting map. The ruling struck down a map that featured two majority-Black districts.
Gov. Jeff Landry canceled the congressional race due to the court’s decision, despite mail-in ballots and early voting. Several lawsuits have been filed to reverse the governor’s executive order. As of May 5, more than 128,000 votes have been cast early, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
The state Senate is expected to start discussing a new map on Friday.
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Copyright 2026 WAFB. All rights reserved.
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