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20 years on, New Orleans remains in Katrina's shadow

Thu, 08/28/2025 - 9:27am
EMILEE CALAMETTI, The Center Square

An estimated 1.5 million people were displaced during Hurricane Katrina across Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, but most significantly from New Orleans.
It is estimated that 40% of displaced families did not return to the city.
As the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina arrives Friday, The Center Square spoke with former New Orleans resident Lauren Breaux, who was evacuated with her family during the destructive storm.
“We had evacuated many times leading up to Katrina,” Breaux said. “I think already once that year, so we were nonchalant about the entire situation. I remember we started to realize the gravity of the situation when we were driving home and our side of the road was completely clear going back into the city.
“We didn’t know until seeing the cars bumper to bumper trying to exit the city, how bad it was going to be.”
Breaux and her family lost their home, part of the $125 billion destruction caused by a storm that mercifully dropped from Category 5 to Category 3 when making landfall.
A study conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that 1.12 million of those displaced from their homes were living in Louisiana before Hurricane Katrina. Of the remaining evacuees, 288,000 were residing in Mississippi and 88,000 in Alabama.
“Once the levee broke, there was no hope for our home,” said Breaux. “We had water through our attic, and possibly above our roof, but we are not 100% sure since no one could be down there at the peak water height.”
Her family eventually settled across Lake Pontchartrain in Pearl River months after evacuating.
Saint Tammany, Orleans, Jefferson, Saint Charles, Terrebonne and Saint Bernard were among the most displaced counties in Louisiana during the storm. Each county had between 10,000 to 350,000 residents evacuated.
While Breaux and her family did not return to New Orleans, 61.9% of Louisiana evacuees returned to their prior residence after the storm
.Those who did not return settled in other parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and Arkansas.
Now, the New Orleans population sits at 380,000, a drop of about 80,000 – or roughly a tick more than can fill the Superdome for Saints football games. The NFL team lost its home, too, relocating to various other “home” venues from San Antonio to New York. Residents who moved back to the city had to rebuild or move entirely and still feel the effects of the storm 20 years later.

Katrina informs puts for fortified roofs in New Orleans

Thu, 08/28/2025 - 9:26am
NOLAN McKENDRY, The Center Square

As  New Orleans has rebuilt and rebounded, Hurricane Katrina’s impact has informed much of the policy and initiatives throughout the state.
The Louisiana Fortify Homes Program, Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple told The Center Square, focuses not just on flood protection but on stronger homes and communities.
“The city, the state, and the federal government spent over $14 billion to fortify levees and build additional pump stations,” Temple said. “But we’re still going to have hurricanes. Our properties are still going to be subject to hurricane-force winds. That’s why the focus now is on resilient housing stock.”
The Crescent City was braced for a Category 5 hurricane in the gulf 20 years ago this week. It arrived that Aug. 29, Category 3 at landfall, tearing through levees, homes and lives. It remains among the most deadly and costly of all time from the Atlantic basin.
Temple said the state’s investments in levees and pump stations after Katrina reduced the risk of another catastrophic flooding event. But, he warned, Louisiana remains highly vulnerable to hurricane-force winds that can tear apart homes and destabilize entire communities.
The Louisiana Fortify Homes Program provides grants of up to $10,000 for homeowners to upgrade roofs to nationally recognized standards able to withstand stronger winds.
Since launching in 2023, the program has awarded more than 3,700 grants, with thousands more homeowners fortifying their roofs without state help.
Temple said the program’s impact goes beyond lowering individual insurance costs. Strengthening homes, he said, helps keep communities intact in the wake of major storms.
“When people’s homes are damaged, the longer it takes to repair and rebuild, the less likely they are to move back,” he said. “More resilient homes mean people are more likely to return, insurance remains affordable, and entire communities recover faster. That’s a part of resilience that hasn’t been talked about enough.”
The program’s next registration round opens Sept. 2, with 500 grants available. Homeowners in Louisiana’s coastal zone, Lake Charles, Sulphur and Westlake are eligible to apply. Those who registered in the September 2024 or February lotteries will be automatically reentered into the new round.
Temple said his office is working to make the process smoother for applicants.
“The last time, we had over 10,000 people sign up,” he said. “We’ve tried to make sure people don’t have to resubmit every single time. Once you put your name in the hat, it should stay there until you’re selected.”
The program’s momentum is part of what Temple calls a shift toward long-term resiliency in Louisiana.
“We built the levees,” he said. “We built the pump stations. Now we’re focused on building resilient properties so insurers are willing to stay in coastal Louisiana – and so people can afford to live here.”

State seeks comment on Francine recovery rules

Wed, 08/27/2025 - 2:34pm

From the Louisiana Division of Administration

The Louisiana Office of Community Development-Disaster Recovery is accepting public comments on an action plan amendment (APA) that sets an income cap on the state’s Hurricane Francine recovery programs as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The public comment period begins today and ends at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.

APA 1 amends the Hurricane Francine Master Action Plan to set an income cap on eligibility for households earning up to 300% of the area median income for the Restore Louisiana Homeowner Program. APA 1 also uses the interchangeability of funds provision authorized by Congress, which allows states to use disaster funds interchangeably and without limitation for the same activities when addressing unmet recovery needs in the most impacted and distressed areas resulting from any major disaster.

The purpose of the program-level income cap requirement is to provide transparency about eligibility for direct-benefit assistance; prevent misinterpretation of eligibility; and reinforce the difference between federal grant compliance and state program requirements.

Direct-benefit activities are those where the individual beneficiary applies for and receives specific assistance, such as housing rehabilitation, homebuyer assistance, relocation payments or direct financial assistance to businesses.

HUD considers APA 1 substantial because it results in a change in eligibility criteria.

Background: In the Hurricane Francine Master Action Plan, the Restore Louisiana Homeowner Assistance Program did not set a cap on income. The Master Action Plan stated that those qualifying under the low and moderate-income national objective, which is defined by HUD as households earning no more than 80% of the area median income (AMI), will be prioritized, with very low-income households earning less than 50% AMI receiving the highest priority. HUD’s Office of Disaster Recovery, Policy Division made the determination that the federal Universal Notice, 90 FR 1754, requires grantees to establish and disclose a specific maximum income cap for each program that provides direct-benefit activities.

A copy of the plan is available on our website or by calling 225.219.9600.

Members of the public can submit comments several ways:

--Emailing them to ocd@la.gov;
--Mailing them to Disaster Recovery Unit, P.O. Box 94095, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9095, Attn: Janice Lovett; or
--Faxing them to the attention of Janice Lovett at 225-219-9605.

At the end of the official public comment period, the state will submit the action plan amendment to HUD for approval.

Franklin police make arrests in shooting, armed robbery

Wed, 08/27/2025 - 12:55pm
Staff Report

(Editor’s note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)

Franklin police reported arrests in a June 28 armed robbery and in Saturday night shooting in the area near Seventh and Ninth streets.

Franklin

Chief Cedric Handy reported these arrests:

--J’Trell Connor, 25, Main Street, Franklin, with the assistance of the New Iberia Police Department, was arrested at 3:09 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant dated June 28 alleging armed robbery, six counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and false imprisonment.

Connor was additionally arrested on a warrant dated July 9 alleging terrorizing and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies. Connor was booked, processed, and held with no bond set at the time of press release.

About 3:44 p.m. June 27, the Franklin Police Department responded to an armed robbery at a local bank on Main Street. Connor’s arrest was in connection with that incident.

--Taylor Coleman, 19, Martin Luther King Boulevard, Franklin, was arrested at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on charges of attempted second-degree murder and illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities. Coleman was booked, processed and held with no bond set at the time of press release.

About 11:04 p.m. Saturday, the Franklin Police Department responded to multiple calls of shots fired in the area of Seventh Street and Ninth streets. One victim was transported to a local hospital and is in stable condition.

Coleman’s arrest stems from that incident.

Coleman was additionally arrested while incarcerated Tuesday on a charge of theft of a motor vehicle.

--Cody Ransom, 36, Eunice Road, St. Martinville, was arrested at 4:50 p.m. Tuesday on a warrant dated Aug. 20 alleging when lighted lamps are required and two counts of resisting an officer. Ransom was additionally arrested on a warrant for 3rd Ward City Court alleging failure to appear on ae charge of speeding. Ransom was booked, processed, and held on a $3,148 bond.

Morgan City

Chief Chad M. Adams reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 88 calls for service over the last 24-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

--Jaquandre Williams, 23, Tiffany Street, Patterson, was arrested 4 p.m Tuesday on charges of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with juveniles.

--Phil Lodrigue, 45, Two Sister Court, Morgan City, was arrested at 7:58 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of possession of fentanyl.

--Jakai Madise, 19, Roderick Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 8:39 p.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of marijuana (first offense) and improper lane usage.--Porfirio Ordonez-Perez, 45, Lake Palourde Road, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:13 p.m. Tuesday on charges of switched license plate, no driver’s license, no insurance and possession of fraudulent documents.

--Brandon Isau, 24, Terrebonne Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:54 p.m. Tuesday on two counts of failure to appear for trial (6th Ward Morgan City Court.

St. Mary

Sheriff Gary Driskell reported that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff's Office responded to 41 complaints and made these arrests:

--Dearius Deshawn Kenner, 37, Siracusa, was arrested at 9:54 a.m. Tuesday on a warrant alleging possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II drug, possession of synthetic cannabinoids and transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses. Kenner continues to be incarcerated at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.

--Paul Michael Charles, 34, Patterson, was arrested at 1:24 p.m. Tuesday on charges of disturbing the peace (language), resisting arrest or officer, unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, and criminal trespass.

Bail was set at $21,250.

Atchafalaya River Coastal Hub plan released

Wed, 08/27/2025 - 12:13pm

The Water Institute, in partnership with St. Mary Parish government and St. Mary Excel, on Wednesday announced the release of the strategic plan for the Atchafalaya River Coastal Hub — a community-driven vision to strengthen economic opportunity, build resilience, and support long-term growth across the Atchafalaya Basin.

The plan will be unveiled at a public meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. Residents, business leaders and community stakeholders are invited to attend and learn more about the vision for ARCH and its role in shaping the Parish’s future.

“ARCH is more than a plan — it’s a shared commitment to building a stronger future for St. Mary Parish,” said Catherine Holcomb, president of St. Mary Excel. “From the intensive workshop sessions to the planning meetings and industry interviews, this process reflects our community’s collective determination to innovate and create solutions that merge economic opportunity, resilience, and quality of life. With the voices of our residents, ARCH becomes a cornerstone for revitalization and transformation.”

The ARCH initiative builds on the Parish’s long history of innovation and its unique coastal setting to create a hub for collaborative research, industry partnerships, and community-focused projects. Informed by extensive workshops, industry interviews, and direct engagement with residents, the plan identifies strategies that merge best practices from business, industry, and research partners to address challenges while seizing opportunities unique to Louisiana’s coast.

The Water Institute facilitated the year-long planning process in partnership with St. Mary Parish and St. Mary Excel. Using a structured decision-making framework, the institute’s cross-disciplinary team worked with stakeholders to identify fundamental community objectives, prioritize actions, and shape the long-term vision for ARCH.

Morgan City police radio logs for Aug. 26-27

Wed, 08/27/2025 - 10:57am

The following are the radio dispatch logs from the Morgan City Police Department. To report unlawful or suspicious activity, call the police department at 985-380-4605.
Tuesday, Aug. 26
5:31 a.m. 1700 block of East Garner Street; Criminal damage to property.
5:34 a.m. 1700 block of East Garner Street; Criminal damage to property.
5:34 a.m. 1200 block of South Prescott Street; Criminal damage to property.
5:47 a.m. 1200 block of South Prescott Street; Criminal damage to property.
5:48 a.m. 1200 block of South Prescott Street; Criminal damage to property.
6:03 a.m. 1200 block of Onstead Street; Criminal damage to property.
6:08 a.m. 1800 block of East Garner Street; Criminal damage to property.
6:10 a.m. 1200 block of South Prescott Street; Criminal damage to property.
6:18 a.m. 1200 block of North Prescott Street; Criminal damage to property.
6:21 a.m. 1200 block of North Prescott Street; Criminal damage to property.
6:24 a.m. 1200 block of Onstead Street; Criminal damage to property.
6:26 a.m. 1200 block of North Prescott Street; Criminal damage to property.
6:27 a.m. 1700 block of Maple Street; Criminal damage to property.
6:30 a.m. 1200 block of Onstead Street; Criminal damage to property.
6:33 a.m. 1200 block of North Prescott; Criminal damage to property.
6:41 a.m. 1200 block of Onstead Street; Arrest.
7:03 a.m. 1200 block of Onstead Street; Criminal damage to property.
7:22 a.m. 1200 block of North Prescott; Criminal damage to property.
7:31 a.m. 1700 block of Maple Street; Criminal damage to property.
7:34 a.m. 1200 block of Onstead Street; Criminal damage to property.
7:37 a.m. 2400 block of Tiger Drive; Arrest.
7:41 a.m. Sixth Street/Brashear Avenue ; Suspicious subject.
7:45 a.m. 100 block of South Railroad Avenue ; Subject removal.
8:11 a.m. Freret/Everett streets; Complaint.
9:07 a.m. 1200 block of Onstead Street; Criminal damage to property.
9:42 a.m. 1700 block of West Garner Street; Criminal damage to property.
11:19 a.m. 300 block of Union Street; Complaint.
Noon 400 block of La. 182; Assistance.
12:48 p.m. 6600 block of La. 182; Crash.
1:20 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Arrest.
2:31 p.m. Maple/Franklin streets; Complaint.
4:42 p.m. 500 block of Hilda Street; Subject removal.
5:52 p.m. 300 block of Second Street; Medical.
6:03 p.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Medical.
7:01 p.m. 1800 block of East Garner Street; Criminal damage to property.
7:02 p.m. 1800 block of East Garner Street; Criminal damage to property.
7:26 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Disturbance.
7:27 p.m. 1100 block of Federal Avenue; Assistance.
7:42 p.m. 900 block of Seventh Street; Patrol.
7:53 p.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Arrest.
8:11 p.m. Federal Avenue/Orange Street; Complaint.
8:11 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Arrest.
8:24 p.m. 1600 block of Federal Avenue; Arrest.
9:58 p.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Arrest.
10:23 p.m. 400 block of Fourth Street; Fire.
11:54 p.m. 700 block of Terrebonne Street; Arrest.
Wednesday, Aug. 27
12:14 a.m. Seventh/Everett streets; Arrest.

Berwick man faces rape charge in St. Landry

Wed, 08/27/2025 - 9:42am

A Berwick man, previously accused of shooting at police officers, has been indicted on a rape charge in St. Landry Parish.

Tyler Jermaine Sylvester, 26, Versen Street, Berwick, was arrested Tuesday by the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office on a charge of first-degree rape.

The victim of the suspected rape told the Sheriff's Office about the attack July 29 during preparation for another trial involving Sylvester, St. Landry Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said.

The suspected rape occurred the night before deputies tried to arrest Sylvester on other outstanding warrants Aug. 2, 2022.

"The victim, after dealing with the trauma of the ordeal, made this information known to the Assistant District Attorney during case preparation," Guidroz said.

Sylvester was scheduled for trial on four counts of attempted first-degree murder. He is alleged to have shot at deputies attempting to arrest him on outstanding warrants.

“Sylvester has a long history of domestic violence and flight from officers," Guidroz said. " This recent development clearly illustrates the extreme trauma that can be caused from domestic violence and other serious crimes against persons.

"The courage and bravery exhibited by the victim in this case cannot be understated. It is possible to escape the chains of domestic violence; our District Attorney’s Office and the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office stand ready to help in any way possible.”

Anyone with additional information about this crime is encouraged to call the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office at 337-948-6516.

Dear Abby: Wife feels diminished after discovering hubby's porn habit

Wed, 08/27/2025 - 6:00am

DEAR ABBY: About eight months ago, I stumbled on my husband watching online porn. He admitted to habitual use but said it was just a stress reliever and he would stop viewing it. Meanwhile, I am plagued by feelings of not being enough for him, mainly before or during sex but also at random times of the day and night.
I am a small-breasted woman, and I can’t stop thinking that he has seen beautiful bodies that are much more of a turn-on than mine. I am ashamed of how I look and no longer want him to see me naked. This was never a problem before, but now it’s a constant feeling of inadequacy. I’m also not sure he has stopped, but I realize there’s no way for me to know that, so I’m struggling with trust.
Is there anything I can do to stop thinking about this and build back some self-confidence?
CAN’T COMPARE
IN THE SOUTH

DEAR CAN’T COMPARE: You need to understand something. Men are turned on by the visual. Millions of them watch porn for pleasure. This is a fact. Your husband’s viewing doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with you. You are the woman he married, and until you “stumbled upon him” watching porn, everything was fine.
As I reread your letter, I was struck by your lack of self-esteem. The surest way to stop obsessing about this and rebuild your self-confidence would be to ask your doctor to refer you to a psychologist who can help you regain your perspective.

DEAR ABBY: After a recent gathering for my granddaughter’s graduation, I am feeling depressed and upset. Unflattering pictures of me were taken during the event and later posted on social media. I wasn’t asked, and I think it was done maliciously by the grandmother on the other side. She posted no candid pictures of herself, only ones that were planned and staged.
I don’t feel I can ask that they be taken down without causing a rift. I did post a suggestion on the site about privacy and pictures. That grandma has read my message but hasn’t taken the hint to remove them. This has led to unpleasant memories of an otherwise memorable and happy event. Why don’t people realize that no-longer-young individuals don’t want terrible pictures splashed all over the internet?
EMBARRASSED
IN NORTH
CAROLINA

DEAR EMBARRASSED: Your granddaughter’s graduation was all about her and her accomplishment. It wasn’t a “Mirror, mirror on the wall” contest of which grandmother is the fairer. Try to focus more closely on the spirit of the occasion and less on any unfortunate picture that was posted later. If you do, you may see the humor in this. You wrote that older people don’t want terrible pictures splashed all over the internet. News flash: Younger people like it even less. Laugh and the world laughs with you. And toss the sour grapes into the garbage.

***

What teens need to know about sex, drugs, AIDS and getting along with peers and parents is in “What Every Teen Should Know.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby, Teen Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

Get It Growing: Are elderberries nuisances or nature's gift?

Wed, 08/27/2025 - 6:00am
OLIVIA McCLURE, LSU AgCenter

There’s an old saying that one person’s trash is another’s treasure. It’s a similar story for elderberries — nuisance for some, valuable crop to others.
It’s true: Elderberries do behave like weeds in many ways.
These large shrubs pop up along fences, in ditches, on vacant lots. They grow quickly, spreading with ease thanks to an extensive root system and numerous seeds. With unassuming white flower clusters, tiny berries and a scraggly growth habit, they aren’t much to look at.
And yet elderberries have their benefits. For one, their BB-sized berries are an important food source for all sorts of wildlife. They serve as a host plant for several moth species, and their plentiful flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees and other pollinators.
People, of course, also make use of elderberries. Jams, jellies and syrups made from the berries have become trendy in recent years. Elderflowers are edible, too, often making an appearance in drinks in the form of elderflower liqueur.
Elderberry shrubs are part of the Sambucus genus, and a few species are native to the United States. Here in Louisiana, you’ll find Sambucus canadensis.
Right now, elderberries are ripening across our state. Whether you live in the city or the country, you shouldn’t have to look far if you want to harvest some.
“Pretty much everywhere that a bird’s been, you’ll see an elderberry,” said Clark Robertson, an LSU AgCenter horticulture agent in Livingston Parish.
That’s because birds love eating elderberries. They disperse the seeds, which germinate readily, through their excrement.
Unlike birds, most humans won’t enjoy eating elderberries straight off the plant. Raw berries have an unpleasant, strong taste and can upset stomachs. People generally eat them cooked, and in this state, they have more of a blackberry flavor.
When foraging for berries, pay close attention to their color.
“You’ll want to harvest the whole inflorescence when the majority of the berries are a dark purple to black color,” Robertson said. “When you’re processing the berries, you would want to remove any green to red berries, as they could potentially be toxic.”
If you’re interested in having an elderberry shrub of your own in your home orchard, AgCenter horticulturist Jason Stagg suggests sticking to wild types and avoiding the black-leaved cultivars you might find at your local garden center.
“In limited trialing at the Hammond Research Station, we decided that those were not the best for our hot climate, as those have European genetics,” Stagg said.
 Elderberries prefer fertile, moist — but not waterlogged — soils. They’re deciduous and can die back to the ground in severe winters, but they’ll reliably come back in the spring. They have few disease or insect pest issues and, true to their weedy tendencies, they don’t require much maintenance to grow successfully.
Plants usually reach about 10 feet tall in Louisiana and bloom multiple times in spring and summer.
“You’ll have berries ripening throughout the summer,” Robertson said. 
Now — some of you are probably thinking, “I have more elderberries than I can stand! How do I get rid of them?”
 To tame an elderberry infestation, chop the shrubs down and paint a stump killer containing the herbicide triclopyr onto the cuts to kill the root system.
You also can keep an eye out for young elderberries, dig them up and discard them — or share them with someone who’d like to transplant them.

Jeremy Alford and David Jacobs: Washington, not Baton Rouge, may steer House redistricting

Wed, 08/27/2025 - 6:00am
JEREMY ALFORD AND DAVID JACOBS

Legislative leaders put a new spin on the three-year legal saga over Louisiana’s congressional map last week, asking members to keep their calendars flexible for a possible special session this fall. 
Does that mean the Louisiana Legislature will redraw the map for the second year in a row? Not necessarily, and even if they do, the rules of the game will be dictated in Washington, D.C., not in Baton Rouge. 
“There’s a lot of hurry up, and then wait and see, because there are so many unknowns,” said House and Governmental Affairs Chair Beau Beaullieu. 
Lawmakers adopted the current map with two majority-minority districts in a special session last year. Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office already has defended that map once at the U.S. Supreme Court. 
But instead of issuing a ruling, the Supremes have asked participants to prepare new arguments about “whether the State’s intentional creation of a second majority-minority congressional district violates the Fourteenth or Fifteenth Amendments to the U. S. Constitution.” Re-argument is scheduled for Oct. 15. 
The court could rule right away, they could wait until the end of the current term this summer, or issue a ruling sometime in between. If the justices provide immediate clarity, Gov. Jeff Landry could call a session that starts on Oct. 23 or so to allow legislators to draw a new map before the holidays, and before congressional candidates qualify for next year’s races in January. Legislators might also draw contingency maps that could be enacted when the court’s decision eventually is handed down.  
“You’ve got to be fair to the people that are running,” Senate and Governmental Affairs Chair Caleb Kleinpeter said. “We have closed primaries that are supposed to be in April and May.” 
The main (read: Landry-backed) bill would come out of Beaullieu’s or Kleinpeter’s committee; no decisions have been made about which chamber would take the lead. 
“We want to go back to a 5-1 [Republican] map,” Kleinpeter said, most likely with a Democratic-leaning Black-majority district that ties New Orleans and Baton Rouge together. 
“We have to look at the numbers,” he added. “First it has to be a compact district, and then the population plays a factor as well.”
Congressman Cleo Fields, who represents the new majority-minority district, argued that it’s too soon to even discuss a redistricting session when the matter is still before the courts. 
“Don’t put the cart before the horse,” he said. “I think this is Donald Trump’s play, quite frankly, to get as many Republican seats as he can.”
Trump has been pushing red states to redraw their districts to bolster the narrow U.S. House GOP majority ahead of the midterms. Democrats are discussing similar plans to counter those efforts in their states. 
House Speaker Phillip DeVillier said he did not discuss Louisiana’s congressional map with White House officials when a delegation of Republican state officials visited two weeks ago. Senate President Cameron Henry did not respond to a text asking the same question. 
Though Fields, a Democrat, has a good relationship with Republican Gov. Landry, the two have not discussed the potential for a special session, Fields said. Fields was in the state Senate when the Legislature approved the new map, but his preferred option did not win the day. 
The map the Black Caucus favored would have created a second minority district that cut into the area Congresswoman Julia Letlow currently represents. Legislators decided to protect the state’s lone Appropriations Committee member over Garret Graves, who was out of favor politically. 
That same map, which featured a more compact minority district, could in theory be dusted off and debated again if the current map is tossed. Though how viable it would be might depend on why the court invalidates the current map. 
The way the court has framed the question for October’s arguments suggests they are preparing to throw out Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. For decades, states like Louisiana have sought to comply with Section 2 by creating majority-minority congressional districts. 
But it’s also possible that the court upholds Section 2 while still invalidating Louisiana’s current map, reasoning that lawmakers leaned too heavily on race at the expense of traditional redistricting principles such as compactness. In that world, advocates and lawmakers who favor a second minority district have a much stronger hand. 
“If the Supreme Court says that Section 2 is valid, but that the way that this map was drawn doesn’t meet the standard, then we can draw the original map that I think all of us preferred,” said Rep. Edmond Jordan, who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus. 
But on the other hand, if Section 2 no longer applies and Congress doesn’t pass legislation that replaces Section 2 in some form, “then I think everybody’s district is in jeopardy,” he said. By “everybody,” he means representatives of majority-minority districts nationwide, including Congressman Troy Carter. 
From here, we drift further into speculation land. Letlow has yet to rule out her interest in U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy’s seat, or the open LSU president’s job, though a crowded field has assembled for the former and McNeese President Wade Rousse is widely thought to be the favorite for the latter gig. 
If Republicans hold onto their majority, or even expand it with help from Trump’s redistricting push, Letlow could continue to wield power from her safe seat with a perch on the Appropriations Committee.
But if the Legislature or the courts mess with her district, going all-in for the Senate may look more attractive. 
For Landry, adding another seat to the Republican tally allows him to join Trump’s redistricting parade. That would be ironic, since many conservatives say he gave up on the old 5-1 map far too quickly. 
And if Landry does issue a special session call, will it be limited to redistricting? Remember that when he called for a tax-focused special session last fall, he also threw in other topics, such as vocational education and abandoned oil wells. 
Landry already has threatened to call lawmakers back to Baton Rouge to address pharmacy benefit managers. And after the Orleans Parish jailbreak in May, he suggested more changes to Louisiana’s criminal justice system could be in order. 
Legislators may prefer a narrowly tailored call. But Landry is not the sort of politician to pass up an opportunity to advance his agenda.
A Landry spokesperson did not respond to an email asking for comment.
For more Louisiana political news, visit www. LaPolitics.com or follow Alford on X @ LaPoliticsNow.

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