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Louisiana gaming revenues show mixed trends for December | Louisiana

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Nolan McKendry | The Center Square – 2025-01-20 07:00:00

SUMMARY: Louisiana’s gambling industry showed mixed results in December. Video gaming devices generated $63.7 million, a 1.5% increase, with truck stops leading revenue. However, hotel revenue dropped 11.2%. Caesars New Orleans reported a 2.6% increase from December 2023, despite a 5% decrease from November. Riverboat casinos saw an 8.1% decline year-over-year. Slots at racetracks generated $26.4 million, with a slight decline from last year. Sports betting experienced a 38.1% drop in net proceeds, though wagers increased by 3.6%. Fantasy sports earned $2.4 million, contributing modestly to state taxes. Overall, the sector had a slight increase in revenue year-to-date.

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News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

Town of Montgomery fails audit, lacking payment documentation, budget | Louisiana

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Emilee Calametti | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-03-31 15:37:00

(The Center Square) — A recent audit showed the town of Montgomery lacked several supporting documents, including vendor payments, operating losses, and meeting minutes for the Board of Aldermen.

After failing to complete an audit report before the deadline and reconcile financial accounts, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office released an audit summary on March 26 detailing its findings for Montgomery’s 2023 fiscal year.

The independent auditor did not provide an opinion due to the findings.

“We do not express an opinion on the accompanying financial statements of the governmental activities, business-type activities, and each major fund of the town,” the report said. “Because of the significance of the matter described in the Basis for Disclaimer of Opinion section of our report, we have not been able to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to provide a basis for an audit opinion on the financial statements.”

The auditor could not perform necessary procedures due to the lack of documentation concerning transactions and bank reconciliations. An analysis by management showed that the town overlooked adopting a budget for the audited period.

No meeting minutes for the Board of Aldermen were recorded, for the year ending Dec. 31, 2022, concerning budget. The lack of minutes is reported by the auditor to be an administrative oversight. Failing to adopt a budget violates state law and the Home Rule Charter.

The schedule of findings provided by the independent auditor states no documentation was available to support various vendor payments for the first quarter of 2023.

Findings also showed the utility system reported substantial operating losses, which resulted in a depletion of finances. Rates were not adjusted to offset costs, resulting in a significant decrease in funds. Montgomery officials submitted the audit late in violation of state law.

There were also cases of reconciliation issues and payroll documentation. According to the auditor, the bank accounts operated by the town had not been properly reconciled. As for payroll, employees recorded their timesheets but there is no record of supervisor approval for some. 

The different findings were originally reported in 2021, some in 2022, and now again for the 2023 audit. 

Montgomery, population 620, is located in north central Louisiana on the west bank of the Red River. 

Emilee Ruth Calametti serves as staff reporter for The Center Square covering the Northwestern Louisiana region. She holds her M.A. in English from Georgia State University and soon, an additional M.A. in Journalism from New York University. Emilee has bylines in DIG Magazine, Houstonia Magazine, Bookstr, inRegister, The Click News, and the Virginia Woolf Miscellany. She is a Louisiana native with over seven years of journalism experience.

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New Orleans Weather Impact: Strong storms are set to arrive early Monday

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www.youtube.com – WWLTV – 2025-03-30 18:16:39

SUMMARY: New Orleans is preparing for strong storms on Monday, with the potential for severe weather as a cold front approaches. The day is expected to be the only active weather day this week, with rain chances peaking at around 60% from morning to early afternoon. Temperatures will be in the lower 80s, following a record high of 86 degrees. After Monday, the weather is predicted to be warm and dry, with highs rising close to 90 by the week’s end. Although the week will start warm and humid, a chance of rain may return next weekend.

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Meteorologist Alexandra Cranford says most rain will happen from morning to early afternoon Monday.

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Lauren Betts and UCLA reach first Final Four of women’s NCAA Tournament, beating LSU 72-65

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wgno.com – ANNE M. PETERSON, Associated Press – 2025-03-30 16:53:00

SUMMARY: UCLA defeated LSU 72-65 to reach its first women’s NCAA Final Four, with Lauren Betts scoring 17 points, seven rebounds, and six blocks despite sitting out the second quarter due to foul trouble. Gabriela Jaquez added 18 points and Timea Gardiner contributed 15. Betts credited her teammates for holding the lead while she was sidelined. LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson led with 28 points, but UCLA maintained control in the final quarter, with Jaquez’s three-pointer sealing the win. The Bruins will face the winner of Southern California vs. UConn in the Final Four in Tampa.

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