Louisiana
Town of Ball takes initiative to make the town healthier
BALL, La. (KALB) – The Town of Ball became the 35th Louisiana municipality to adopt a comprehensive smoke-free indoor ordinance.
The town council voted unanimously to pass the ordinance during the June 18 town council meeting, making them the ninth municipality in Rapides Parish to do so. The ordinance went into effect on July 18.
Mayor Gail Wilking of Ball said she wants to protect the longevity and the future of Ball.
“It’s very important to me as well as my counsel that we provide a healthy surrounding for our residents and the visitors here,” said Mayor Wilking.
With vaping on the rise amongst today’s youth, Mayor Wilking hopes the new ordinance will impact her younger constituents.
“I think they don’t realize there’s no difference in my opinion between vaping and smoking cigarettes or cigars,” said Mayor Wilking.
The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living collaborated with the Ball community on this ordinance. They provided extensive information, which led the counsel to make an informed decision. Their goal is to create a healthy Louisiana, including the state’s youngsters.
“We can educate our youngsters on the harmful effects of using tobacco of any form, including vaping, and have them not even initiate the use. That’s a win for us,” said Misty LaSalle, CENLA Regional Manager for The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living.
According to TFL, there are 7,000 chemicals associated with secondhand smoke. About 27 percent of Louisiana adults use tobacco products.
LaSalle said secondhand smoke comes with massive health risks
“So you have a higher risk of high blood pressure or diabetes and, of course, you have a higher risk of cancer, and all forms of cancer can be linked back to tobacco use,” said Misty.
The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living encourages other Louisiana municipalities to become smoke-free. For more information on how you can do that click here.
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Copyright 2024 KALB. All rights reserved.
METAIRIE, La. (WVUE) – Louisiana insurance officials will hold a press conference Wednesday to acknowledge the retirement of bonds issued after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple and Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation leadership will provide an update on the state-backed insurer as hurricane season begins.
The press conference is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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Copyright 2026 WVUE. All rights reserved.
CALVIN, La. (WVUE) – A small community in north-central Louisiana is working to preserve an important piece of its history.
During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps put young men to work replanting by hand the state’s only national forest.
The tiny community of Calvin, tucked away in the resulting pine forest, holds only a few other remaining crumbling clues of that work, as Dave McNamara finds in the Heart of Louisiana.
For more, visit the Heart of Louisiana archive here.
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Copyright 2026 WVUE. All rights reserved.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Gray Louisiana) – Louisiana drivers will soon no longer need annual vehicle safety inspection stickers for most personal vehicles.
Gov. Jeff Landry signed House Bill 1085 into law Tuesday morning, ending the state’s mandatory vehicle safety inspection sticker program for most personal vehicles. The bill was authored by Rep. Larry Bagley, R-Stonewall, who has worked for years to pass the change.
The law replaces the current inspection sticker, often called a brake tag, with a $6 QR code sticker tied to the vehicle’s registration.
Fifty-nine of Louisiana’s 64 parishes will abolish the inspection stickers and use QR codes instead. Drivers in East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Livingston, Iberville, and Ascension parishes would still need emissions testing under federal law.
The changes are set to take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
There will be a grace period from June 30 until Jan. 1, 2027. During that time, law enforcement will not issue citations for failing to display an inspection sticker.
Supporters of the bill have argued the inspection process is outdated and inconvenient for drivers. Bagley previously said the QR code would include limited vehicle information, such as the VIN, and would be available to law enforcement through special equipment.
The change will not apply to every vehicle. Some commercial vehicles, school buses and certain farm vehicles would still be subject to safety inspections. Some local governments would also still be able to require local inspections.
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Copyright 2026 Gray Media. All rights reserved.
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