Louisiana
New hires at Louisiana Bar Foundation, Pennington Biomedical Research Center
New Orleans
Franziska Wagner has been hired as chief financial officer of the Louisiana Bar Foundation.
Wagner has worked as an accountant and auditor for clients in the government, nonprofit and construction sectors.
She earned a bachelor’s in accounting from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a master’s in accounting from the University of New Orleans.
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Terrance Payne has been named director of building trades training at the New Orleans Career Center.
Payne was one of the inaugural trainers in the building trades program.
The Career Center recently hired 14 new staffers, a move that brings the number of employees to 42, double what the organization had two years ago. There are now more than 600 trainees in the program’s five industry sectors: health care, building trades, digital media/IT, engineering/manufacturing and culinary arts.
The new hires are: Shanitra Charles, instructor, pre-nursing; Myles Ford, instructor, pharmacy technician; Diana Kennedy, instructor, pre-nursing; Wynn Martin, success coach; Tony McKarry, instructor, building trades; Bria Hays-Mackey, bookkeeper; MacKenzie Rosenberg, success coach; Maria Schneider, program coordinator; Cedric Singleton, instructor, building trades; Taralyn Stephens, instructor, culinary; Lee Stevenson, instructor, building trades; Aaron Washington, trainee support coordinator; and Anastasia Williams-Smith, program coordinator.
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Darian Shorts and Justin Vlosich have joined the staff of Gambel Communications.
Shorts is a communications strategist. Previously, she worked for The PR Alliance.
She earned a bachelor’s in political communication and a master’s in mass communication, both from LSU.
Vlosich is a communications coordinator. He previously worked for the New Orleans Pelicans, Louisiana SPCA and the New Orleans Saints.
He earned a bachelor’s in marketing from the University of New Orleans.
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Joe DiTommaso has been promoted to vice president of commercial lending for OnPath Credit Union.
DiTommaso joined OnPath in 2022 as northshore market president. Before that, he worked for Gulf Coast Bank, Chase and Hibernia National Bank/Capital One.
He served as a Marine for five years and received awards for his involvement in the support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Baton Rouge
Bailey Richard has been hired as director of marketing, communication and compliance for Off The Hook Restaurants.
Richard has held senior marketing positions for other businesses and has a track record of strategic planning and grassroots marketing.
Off the Hook, which was founded in 2012, has five quick-service seafood restaurants in Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Hammond, Thibodaux and Houma.
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Reis Alsberry has been hired as director of intellectual property and commercialization for Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
Alsberry was commercialization manager for Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Before that, he held patent management positions at Florida State University, Florida A&M University and Old Dominion University.
He earned a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Old Dominion, a bachelor’s in civil engineering from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law.
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Amos Davis has been named chief operating officer for Emergent Method.
Davis has nearly two decades of policy, legal and operational experience. He spent the past several years as global senior counsel for Uber; before that, he was a lead adviser for several Coca-Cola Co. brands, including Minute Maid.
He earned a bachelor’s from the University of Virginia, a master’s from Emory University and a law degree from Emory University School of Law.
Louisiana
At least 8 children killed in shooting in Louisiana, US
Yasin Gungor
19 April 2026•Update: 19 April 2026
At least eight children were killed and two others were wounded in a shooting in the US state of Louisiana, local police said Sunday.
Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said officers responded to the shooting just after 6 am (1100GMT), following a domestic disturbance call.
The age of the deceased ranged from one to 14 years, he said, adding that the incident involved at least 10 individuals across four separate locations.
The suspect attempted to flee by carjacking a vehicle and driving to neighboring Bossier City, where police located and shot him dead.
Bordelon said Shreveport police officers pursued the suspect’s vehicle into Bossier, where three officers discharged their firearms, killing him. He said investigators believe the suspect was the only person who opened fire at the locations.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the attack as “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” adding: “It’s a terrible morning.”
No immediate information was available about the condition of the injured.
Louisiana
‘Growth pays for growth’: Entergy’s Fair Share Plus model to save Louisiana customers $2.8 billion
Louisiana
Thinking of retiring in Louisiana? These are 5 best places to do so
Think tank proposes capping Social Security benefits at $100,000
A Washington think tank proposed capping annual Social Security benefits at $100,000 for couples as a way to shrink a looming deficit in the retirement trust fund.
When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
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