Louisiana state departments and cabinet agencies spend more than $5 million annually on press secretaries and media relations.
Is it political overkill or worth every penny?
By Jeremy Alford
The responsibilities of a Louisiana governmental press secretary extend far beyond fielding requests from reporters. Some duties aren’t in the job description, as Marsanne Golsby learned during her stint as former Gov. Mike Foster’s top media liaison.
Rep. Jeff Landry’s Monday announcement — long expected — sets the stage for a classic mudslinger.
By Walter Pierce
The wait is over: U.S. Rep. Jeff Landry, R-New Iberia, announced Monday in Youngsville that he will challenge Congressman Charles Boustany this fall. And if recent history is a guide — recent history being Landry’s ugly primary election against Hunt Downer for his current seat nearly two years ago — this race will get nasty long before it’s decided.
Each year the Louisiana State Bar Association selects an attorney and judge in each region of the state to receive its prestigious Crystal Gavel Award, which recognizes community service and volunteer work. This year the honor was bestowed on Lafayette attorney Glenn Armentor...
Pas Bon
Only in Louisiana will you find prisoners convicted of nonviolent crimes wasting away in jail cells for upwards of 10 years with almost nonexistent rehabilitation services, while murderers, rapists and other prison lifers receive job skills training and even the chance for an undergraduate degree.
Couillon
Former N.P. Moss Middle School Principal Ken Douet is seeking more than $500,000 from the school system for what he claims is school board favoritism that prevented him from taking over as principal of the Early College Academy following Moss’s closure...
An ordinance to end Lafayette Consolidated Government’s contract with red-light camera/speed van operator Redflex was shot down by a 6-3 vote Tuesday night.
If Lafayette is successful in cutting off the LUS water supply to Broussard it could have a disastrous economic impact on the city of Broussard and stymie its future growth.
Louisiana faces a $211 million budget shortfall for the current fiscal year (which ends June 30). One strategy being floated by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, involves doing nothing.
The feedback provided to the state Department of Education regarding Louisiana’s No Child Left Behind waiver application outlines several deficiencies in the state’s teacher evaluation system.
A pair of Louisiana congressmen, both Republicans, are near the top of the heap among members of the U.S. House of Representatives for dispensing year-end bonuses to staff.
The Atchafalaya Basinkeeper organization and several other concerned citizens groups are making good on their promise to deliver swift legal action against the St. Martin Parish School Board and Good Hope Inc. for plans to log several acres of cypress-tupelo trees in the Atchafalaya Basin.
An attorney for the Louisiana Board of Ethics is recommending the agency decline to waive fines levied against a pair of local candidates in last fall’s elections who failed to file campaign finance reports on time.
The Times-Picayune reported Tuesday morning that the U.S. Department of Education is handing the state another $10.1 million to help turn around its worst performing schools.
Negotiations between the state’s Economic Development department and the businesses it’s trying to lure to the state will likely continue to be exempted from the state’s public record statutes following a unanimous vote Monday in the House.
Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless are now within two points of each other, and within the margin of error, on a 100-point scale of customer satisfaction.
Lafayette has a special place in the heart of the man who gave away more than 80,000 meals after Hurricane Katrina. And he’d like nothing more than to bring his famous charbroiled oysters to town.
A joint project of the Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission and AOC Community Media, My Lafayette was designed to showcase Lafayette/Acadiana as a prime tourist destination and its residents as creative storytellers.
Tipitina's Foundation & Let's Be Totally Clear's Smoke-Free Air Series comes to Artmosphere on Friday to raise awareness about the foundation's campaign for smoke-free nightclubs and like venues.
As of 2:04 p.m. today, word is Downtown Alive! will take place in Parc San Souci this evening. We checked in with tonight's DTA! Performer Paul "Lil' Buck" Sinegal to see what he has planned for the weekly outdoor gig set for Parc San Souci.
Miller's Zydeco Hall of Fame, formerly known as Richard's Club in Lawtell has a three-day grand opening going on beginning tonight with Brian Jack & the Zydeco Gamblers.
According to author Ron Thibodeaux, formerly of The Times-Picayune, the book tells the story of the hurricanes that slammed the Cajun communities across Louisiana's gulf coast in 2005 and 2008.
The Jefferson Street Greenroom downtown and several hundred additional pubs and breweries nationwide are celebrating American Craft Beer Week with special events this week.
It's Living History Days and it's all part of the Louisiana Bicentennial Celebration at the Alexandre Mouton House/Lafayette Museum, 1122 Lafayette St. Living History Days is free and open to the public and will take place Saturday and Sunday.
During her term as president of the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Billi LaCombe did a complete makeover of its board and the organization as a whole, and initiated changes to its bi-laws, policy and the focus of the coalition.
United Way of Acadiana scored in the top tier of 62 communities competing for United Way Worldwide’s Common Good Awards, an honor bestowed upon the local chapter for its partnership with the Lafayette Parish Public Education Stakeholders Council and “demonstrating clear progress toward its goal of reducing the achievement gap in Lafayette public schools.”
The free onsite process takes between 30-45 minutes. Participants must be between 30-65 years old and have never been diagnosed with cancer (not including basal or squamous cell skin cancer). They will fill out a short survey, measurements will be taken, as will some blood.
Don’t let the sweet Cajun accent fool you: District 3 BESE Representative Lottie Beebe is a feisty grandmother — and she’s no stranger to fighting the state education powers that be.
“We explained to the school board that it’s the most important asset that our kids have in the parish because there is no place in the entire world like the Atchafalya Basin.”
Bloodhorse.com confirmed last week that Lafayette/Houston/Dallas businessman Mike Moreno’s Southern Equine Stables purchased a minority interest in Arkansas Derby winner Bodemeister, who is favored to win the 138th Kentucky Derby Saturday.
Some critics of smart meters and the comprehensive plan cite a little-known resolution of the United Nations for the basis of their opposition. We hope their paranoia doesn’t hinder progress in Lafayette.
Acadian Ambulance is again under fire for its billing practices, and this time tens of thousands of Louisiana residents could be lining up for reimbursement through a class action lawsuit.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Landry appears so eager to challenge Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany this fall he might have broken federal law to build name recognition in Lafayette.
The U.S. Education Department sent critique letters to states on their No Child Left Behind waiver applications April 17, but the contents of Louisiana’s letter — i.e. the deficiencies in our state’s alternative plan for achieving higher academic performance — are still being shielded from the public as of noon Wednesday.
Louisiana state departments and cabinet agencies spend more than $5 million annually on press secretaries and media relations. 
Rep. Jeff Landry’s Monday announcement — long expected — sets the stage for a classic mudslinger. 
Wednesday May 16, 2012
