Louisiana
Utilities have so far handled the blizzard well, but things could change • Louisiana Illuminator
Aside from a boil water advisory in Lafayette, most of the state’s public utilities fared relatively well Tuesday as a historic blizzard covered southern Louisiana with as much as 10 inches of snow in some parts. But officials warn that could change very quickly over the next few days.
The biggest interruption of service Tuesday was a loss of water pressure affecting more than 12,000 customers of the Lafayette Utilities System. LUS Director Jeffrey Stewart said the city’s water system experienced pressure drops due to the large number of customers dripping their faucets all at once to prevent their pipes from freezing.
LUS issued a boil water advisory for residents and businesses in the Lafayette area north of Interstate 10, asking customers to turn off their faucets and conserve water if possible. Customers should boil water for one full minute prior to drinking or using it for cooking. The advisory is expected to remain in effect until at least Friday or Saturday once pressure is restored and stabilized after the storm has passed, Stewart said.
“We won’t begin testing until after we stabilize,” he said. “At that point, we sample and wait a minimum of 24 hours to clear.”
On the electric front, the grid was relatively quiet with few outages across the state.
Some outages were reported in Lafayette during the day, but the utility was able to quickly respond and repair them. However, Stewart warned that this initial quiet period is unlikely to last through the week and said people should prepare and expect to lose electricity.
“The next couple nights will definitely test us,” Stewart said. “The deep freeze could cause issues, including making roads not passable.”
Temperatures are expected to dip below freezing each night through Friday, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a blizzard warning Tuesday. Snow and ice could accumulate on tree branches, causing them to snap and pull down aerial power lines.
Vehicles, such as those of curious sightseers, pose a common hazard during winter storms as they will often slide off icy roadways and crash into utility poles. Such an event left thousands without power in Tangipahoa Parish late on Tuesday.
More than 2,000 Entergy Louisiana customers in an area stretching from Amite to Independence lost power after a vehicle ran off the roadway and struck some utility infrastructure, Entergy spokesman Brandon Scardigli said.
“Drivers should avoid being on the roadways if travel is not absolutely necessary,” the Department of Transportation and Development said in a statement.
Entergy crews had restored about half of those outages by 8 p.m., deploying some of the roughly 2,600 personnel on standby as part of its storm response plan.
Entergy’s power line crews will respond in the rain or snow and have winterized bucket trucks outfitted with tire chains to help them navigate icy roads. Otherwise, the only hindrance that can cause them to suspend their response efforts is wind, Scardigli said. Line workers cannot use their bucket trucks if wind speeds exceed 35 mph — the same limitation they face during hurricane season, he added.
In the neighboring parishes to the east, about 2,300 customers of the Washington-St Tammany Electric Cooperative experienced brief outages Tuesday evening, but most were restored relatively quickly.
Despite the quick responses Tuesday, customers should expect slower restoration times as the weather turns even colder.
“While crews are ready to respond, icy roads and other winter hazards are expected to slow travel and restoration efforts,” Entergy said in a statement. “Additionally, cold-load pickup, the increased energy demand that occurs when power is restored to systems impacted by extreme cold, may delay restoration times.”
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Louisiana
Brother of Louisiana mayor accused of raping 16-year-old has a hauntingly similar criminal past
The brother of Louisiana mayor Misty Roberts — accused of raping her son’s teenage friend — is facing child sex crimes of his own.
Brandon Lee Roberts, 39, was accused of raping a teen girl and assaulting a young woman over the course of several years, KALB reported.
The alleged sexual abuse began when one of the victims was as young as 13, according to Beauregard Parish Sheriff Mark Herford.
He was arrested in October.
That comes years after his big sister – ex-mayor of DeRidder, 43-year-old Misty Roberts – allegedly got hot and heavy with her son’s 16-year-old friend at a drunken party at their home.
Roberts was allegedly caught in the tryst by her own kids.
She was arrested months later, and is currently on trial for rape charges.
The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 2, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing
02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing
3-9-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 2 drawing
4-1-1-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing
0-5-2-9-5
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.
NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana National Guard announced Monday that 120 troops will remain deployed in New Orleans through August.
The six-month extension comes after 350 Guard members deployed to New Orleans in late December, in the run-up to New Year’s and other high-profile events like the Sugar Bowl. The troops, which had mainly clustered in the city’s historic French Quarter, had been scheduled to depart in the aftermath of Mardi Gras.
New Orleans is one of several Democrat-run cities, such as Washington and Memphis, Tennessee, where the federal government deployed armed troops under the administration of President Donald Trump. Hundreds of federal agents also converged on Louisiana in December as part of a separate immigration crackdown in and around New Orleans.
During his State of the Union address last week, Trump touted the deployment in New Orleans as a “big success.” In January, Trump credited the troops with reducing the city’s violent crime within a week of their deployment. City police data shows violent crime rates have significantly declined over the past three years in parallel with national trends.
According to a press statement from the Louisiana National Guard, the remaining guard members will serve as a “visible presence to deter criminal activity in New Orleans.”
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, a Democrat who initially opposed the deployment, said that the troops would benefit the city in the coming weeks. She pointed out that National Guard troops had assisted the city during last year’s Mardi Gras in the aftermath of a vehicle-ramming attack in the French Quarter that killed 14 people on New Year’s Day.
“I continue to support the partnership with the LA National Guard to assist in our major events and there are several coming up in the next few weeks,” Moreno said in a statement.
While Moreno did not address which events she referred to, visitors flock to New Orleans in the spring for events like the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican and staunch Trump ally, requested the deployment of the National Guard last September, citing rising violent crime rates in New Orleans despite the data showing crime was down.
“This continued deployment will help us combat violence in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana,” Landry wrote on the social platform X on Monday, noting Louisiana had also sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., last year.
Kate Kelly, a spokesperson for Landry, said the federal government would cover the cost of the extended deployment. She did not respond to a question about whether Guard members would be deployed outside New Orleans.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, said in a statement the troops had already worked closely with other city, state and federal agencies to improve public safety during a stretch of high-profile events in the city, including the flood of visitors over Mardi Gras and the city’s carnival season.
“We remain committed to those partnerships as we continue supporting efforts to keep the City of New Orleans safe for residents and visitors,” Friloux said.
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