RSS Feed

=The Legislature is overlooking a key element in its drive to lure major aerospace players to Louisiana, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said in the latest episode of the LaPolitics Report Podcast.
Nungesser said there needs to be more of a focus on the workforce here, and he learned as much by being heavily involved in the Aerospace States Association, serving both as its chair and hosting its 2025 conference in New Orleans.
“As I visited with my other lieutenant governors, like in Alabama, to learn why they’re so successful, it’s the workforce,” he said. “They train kids in high school how to weld on spaceships. It’s a special technique.”
Nunez Community College in Chalmette is uniquely positioned, Nungesser added, and is seeking $9 million from the Legislature to outfit a donated building to train young people for similar roles.
“I’m glad to see the Legislature and (Gov. Jeff Landry) and (Louisiana Economic Development Secretary) Susan Bourgeois passing legislation to make it attractive,” he said on the podcast. “But we better get serious about the workforce.
In an effort to lure projects or programs connected to outfits like SpaceX and Blue Origin, the governor and Legislature are pushing a set of tax breaks to incentivize aerospace companies to come to Louisiana.
While there are no specific businesses being targeted at this hour, the legislative proposal would provide sales tax rebates to aerospace corporations willing to invest $1 billion in Louisiana while creating at least 200 jobs.
Julie Emerson, Landry’s chief of staff, testified before lawmakers this month to communicate the administration’s priorities and eye to the future.
“Louisiana is trying to remain competitive with neighboring states and provide a welcoming environment to a new industry that is increasingly growing, and we would like for it to grow its footprint here,” Emerson told the House Ways and Means Committee before it approved the legislative package.
During the same hearing, Bourgeois noted “Louisiana has a long history in aerospace and defense.”
Nearly 90% of the rocket powering for the recent NASA’s Artemis II mission was manufactured at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.
For more than six decades, Michoud has been a cornerstone of America’s space program, supporting missions from Apollo to the Space Shuttle to the recent Artemis program.
“That history has built a skilled workforce, strong supplier networks and advanced manufacturing capabilities across the state,” Bourgeois said. “Artemis II reflects that foundation — and signals the opportunity ahead as Louisiana continues to grow its aerospace economy.”
There are also signs from other corners of private business, like Textron Systems, a leading defense contractor specializing in advanced military systems, marine craft and aerospace technologies.
With the goal of supporting critical U.S. defense programs, Textron announced last week a $5.8 million, multi-site investment in St. Tammany and Orleans parishes to expand manufacturing and engineering operations.
Three of the company’s facilities will see part of the investment, with Textron expected to create 133 direct new jobs while retaining 761 current positions.
Plus, Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 223 indirect new jobs, for a total of 356 potential new job opportunities in the southeast region.
As for aerospace in general, Nungesser said the possibilities are vast and beyond what the average citizen in Louisiana can imagine. 
For example, there are a handful of initiatives underway that want to utilize microgravity to bioprint, assemble and cultivate human cells in space, which offers more efficiencies than doing the same on earth. 
“If you need a new heart, they’re going to take your tissue and go to space and make these body parts,” the lieutenant governor said. “And all that technology is there.”
The aerospace industry is even growing at such a rate that it may become a fixture of conversation inside Nungesser’s own tourism department one day.
“In our lifetime, you’re going to go to space for tourism and come home,” he said. “You’re going to take off from a space port and go anywhere in the world in two hours. No more international flights.”
For more Louisiana political news, visit www. LaPolitics.com or follow Alford on X @ LaPoliticsNow.

DEAR ABBY: There’s a girl I really like, “Torie,” who has a certain enthusiasm for me that few, if any people, have had. I have taken her seriously, but she works in a store where there’s a drag queen who makes herself look so much like a female that I find it disturbing. She often wears revealing clothing. As much as I like Torie, I do my best to ignore this co-worker when she’s in the store. What do I do if I think the girl I like could be the one for me, but I’m wary of the company she keeps?
CONDITIONAL IN MARYLAND

DEAR CONDITIONAL: Start honestly analyzing what it is about Torie’s co-worker that makes you “uncomfortable.” Has she come on to you? Are you on some level attracted to her? Torie’s co-worker is hurting no one by expressing (and dressing as) the person she is. If you haven’t already, talk with Torie about this. She may be able to explain it to you. However, if you can’t be comfortable around the person, it will be time for you to move on.

DEAR ABBY: My son is 41 and a recovering drug addict. Currently, he’s sober, but he believes he is in an online relationship with a famous actress who is 23 years old. He lives with me and has nothing. He works part time at a local grocery store and sends her money every week via a gift card or something of the sort.
I have tried everything I can to convince him he is being scammed. How can I prove this to him? I am not able to kick him out. He has nowhere to go. He would be on the street. Please advise and help me. I need my life back.
MANCHILD'S MOM
IN THE EAST

DEAR MOM: Famous actresses do not need gift cards from their admirers, so the chances are GREAT that your needy and gullible son is being scammed. The gift card is the tip-off. The next step for you would be to contact the police department in your community and ask for help in convincing your son he is being scammed. If “she” is scamming him in this way, it is probably happening to many others.

DEAR ABBY: My close friend (we are both in our late 50s) tells me her friends go into every intimate detail with her about their sex lives. She said they tell her everything. Every once in a while, she’ll ask me about mine, but I feel this is a private matter between my partner and me. Am I wrong?
I feel awkward sharing this personal information because I’m sure her friends gossip. Our sex lives are undoubtedly different due to previous illnesses, etc. She even asks me if we have toys! Am I wrong to feel this way?
MODEST IN
MASSACHUSETTS

DEAR MODEST: You are not wrong. Not everyone is comfortable sharing the intimate details of their sex lives. If this woman is telling you about her own, as well as the preferences of her other friends, she can’t be trusted not to share your information. The word from here is to keep your lip zipped.
***
To receive a collection of Abby’s most memorable — and most frequently requested — poems and essays, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby — Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 446, Kings Mills, OH 45034-0446.

April 14, 1912, a gigantic British ship scraped an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the inaugural voyage of the RMS Titanic, once considered an unsinkable behemoth.
Last week was the anniversary of that incident which occurred 114 years ago. The Titanic has an extraordinary connection to Morgan City!
In April 1912, the Atchafalaya River rose to unprecedented levels, overran its banks and invaded Front Street and our small city. The waters of the Atchafalaya rose to 3 feet inside of some houses, and there was a need for the widespread evacuation of St. Mary Parish.
Two tragedies in one month . . . both involving water, but Morgan City survived its misfortune.
Demonstrating the resilience of our citizens, elevated wooden sidewalks were constructed; small boats were commandeered for transportation; and life and business continued as normal.
My great-grandfather, William Bailey Gray, was one of those in the newspaper business in Morgan City at that time. Delivering their product through the waist high waters proved difficult in April of 1912, and with a story as significant as the sinking of the Titanic, posters were nailed to telephone poles in order to get the news out.
That disaster’s importance can be seen in a photo taken on the corner of Front Street and Everett outside Leon Kahn’s Dry Goods.
A second connection with the Titanic and Morgan City involves Trinity Episcopal Church.
In 1873, a group of local women held a raffle to raise money to build an Episcopal Church. They raised $350 for the building fund, and one of the area’s fire companies won the prize – a silver trumpet.
In 1876, property on the corner of Second and Greenwood was purchased for $300, and this shotgun style building was constructed for both school and worship.
It wasn’t until 1911 that improvements were planned. In the next few years, church members as well as local Catholics, Methodists and Jews donated to a fund set up for renovations.
Out of town contributions were made by our town’s namesake, Charles Morgan, and his partners in the railroad business, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Whitney.
Also contributing to church improvements on was their friend, Mrs. Madeleine Astor.
Young Madeleine was just 19 years old when she married 40-year-old multimillionaire John Jacob Astor. They embarked upon a two-year honeymoon in Europe when Madeleine discovered she was pregnant.
Wishing to have her child born at home in New York City, the couple traveled to Paris where Mr. Astor purchased tickets for their party of five to return to the States on the safest possible ship, the Titanic.
On the night of April 14, Madeline was awakened in the middle of the night by her husband, who informed her that although everything would be all right, they needed to don their life jackets and report to the gymnasium of the ship.
Within minutes, Mrs. Astor, her nurse, and her lady’s maid were helped by Mr. Astor and his butler to climb through a window and onto Lifeboat No. 4, one of the final boats to be lowered before the Titanic sank.
Mr. Astor explained that his wife was in a delicate condition and asked if he could join her aboard the lifeboat. Unfortunately, he was refused.
Within 30 minutes, at 2:20 a.m., millionaire John Jacob Astor, his dog, Kitty, and his butler all went down with the sinking of the Titanic.
Madeleine Astor’s gift to Morgan City’s little green church helped turn what was once called a shabby little church into one of the most beautiful and historic places in St. Mary Parish. Today, this historic church remains an active place of worship.

Darryl David Levingston, 85, a native of New Iberia, formerly of Morgan City, and resident of Baker, died March 30, 2026.
He is survived by a brother, John Levingston and a sister, Bernie Landry.
Memorial service will be held Thursday at 10:15 a.m. at Hargrave Funeral Home. Burial with military honors rendered by the Est. St. Mary Veteran’s Funeral Squad will follow in Morgan City Mausoleum.
Hargrave Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.