SUMMARY: Mayor-President Monique Blanco Boulet proposed a $17 million renovation for the nearly 70-year-old City-Parish Hall to address its many deficiencies. The plan surprised council members, leading Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux to remove funding from the initial budget meeting, emphasizing council oversight on public spending. The project, lacking prior public input or stakeholder engagement, echoes previous controversial proposals by former Mayor Guillory. Critics question the need for such a costly renovation amid other pressing community needs, like pothole repairs and drainage. Further scrutiny arises as the city would fund the entire project despite shared parish use, with the parish owing $17 million to the city. The plan remains unsettled but highlights tensions over government spending and priorities.

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The post How Boulet’s City Hall renovation proposal fell short appeared first on thecurrentla.com

SUMMARY: Two new Louisiana laws, effective mid-2025, require state agencies and public colleges to collect and share data on undocumented immigrants, including reporting ineligible applicants for benefits to federal immigration authorities. Act 419 mandates tracking immigration status of those using state services, while Act 351 requires reporting applicants denied benefits like SNAP or Medicaid to ICE. These laws follow federal efforts to expand data collection, raising fears that immigrant families, including those with U.S. citizen children, may avoid public benefits out of fear. Implementation details remain unclear, causing concern among immigrant advocates about increased isolation and chilling effects on access to essential services.

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SUMMARY: Hurricane Erin is intensifying in the western Atlantic with 110-mph winds, located 665 miles southwest of Bermuda. The National Hurricane Center forecasts it will move north-northwest then northeast, passing east of the Bahamas and between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda. Currently a Category 2 hurricane, Erin may fluctuate in strength while expanding. Hurricane-force winds extend 80 miles from its center, with tropical storm-force winds reaching 205 miles. Tropical Storm Warnings and Watches are active for parts of the Bahamas and North Carolina, where mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. Two other tropical disturbances in the Atlantic show potential for development later this week.

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The post Hurricane Erin to grow larger as two other tropical spots linger behind appeared first on wgno.com