News from the South - Louisiana News Feed
Louisiana opens registration for new round of fortified roof grants • Louisiana Illuminator
Louisiana opens registration for new round of fortified roof grants
by Wesley Muller, Louisiana Illuminator
February 12, 2025
Registration for Louisiana’s fortified roof grant program opened Wednesday for its first lottery round of 2025.
The Louisiana Fortify Homes Program, which offers up to $10,000 to homeowners who install hurricane-resistant roofs on their houses, is now in its third calendar year.
The registration period will close at 5 p.m. on Sunday (Feb. 16), at which point the Louisiana Department of Insurance will randomly select 1,000 grant recipients. This round of grants is limited to residents of Louisiana’s coastal zone and the cities of Lake Charles, Sulphur and Westlake. Homeowners can find out if they live in the zone by entering their address into the search field of the state’s online coastal zone map. Homes within the blue-shaded area of the map are eligible.
Homeowners are required to create a profile on the program’s website before registering for the lottery. Homeowners who registered during a previous round but were not selected must register again if they want to participate in the current round.
People who register on the last day of the registration period have the same chance of being selected as those who register on the first day, so there is no need to rush to register, according to a Department of Insurance news release.
Louisiana’s fortified roof grant program carries over millions in unspent funds
The Fortify Homes Program has so far awarded about 1,800 grants since its first round of funding in October 2023, Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple said.
The program awards grants of up to $10,000, so homeowners need to cover any costs that exceed that amount. They also might need to pay for some of the work upfront because the state issues grant checks to contractors only after they complete the job.
A fortified roof, one that meets the standards of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, are built with improved materials and techniques that can stop leaks and withstand winds of up to 150 mph, lowering the risk of storm damage and typically leading to lower homeowner insurance rates.
To qualify for a fortified roof grant, Louisiana homeowners have to get a state-approved evaluator to inspect their home. They must then obtain bids from at least three insurance department-approved contractors who can do the work. The department’s website lists approved evaluators and contractors.
The program has a number of other eligibility requirements that can be found at www.ldi.la.gov/fortifyhomes.
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Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.
News from the South - Louisiana News Feed
Running into the Weekend
SUMMARY: This weekend in Lake Charles, Louisiana, two significant State title games are set to take place. The 15th annual Van Lee Relays showcased exciting track and field action at Neville High School, featuring notable performances like Charlotte Switzer’s first-place long jump of 16’5″ and Aiden Anding’s impressive long jump of 22’11”. In running events, Gabriella Glover won the girls’ 100-meter dash with a time of 12.35 seconds. In baseball, West Monroe topped Captain Shreve 3-1, while Ruston secured a 5-1 victory over K. N. Central. Other teams had mixed results in both baseball and softball competitions.

Local Highlight Reel for March 14th
News from the South - Louisiana News Feed
Early voting begins Saturday for March 29 elections; 4 constitutional amendments
Early voting begins Saturday for March 29 elections; 4 constitutional amendments
by Wesley Muller, Louisiana Illuminator
March 14, 2025
Early voting in Louisiana begins Saturday for the March 29 election to decide the fate of four constitutional amendments and, for some voters, local races.
Early voting takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 15-22, excluding Sunday, March 16.
Voters in all parishes will have four constitutional amendments on the ballot, while a select number of towns and parishes will get to decide on local propositions and offices, according to Secretary of State Nancy Landry.
The election will decide who gets a seat on the 21st Judicial District Court that covers Tangipahoa, Livingston and St. Helena parishes. Democrats did not enter a candidate for this race, so three Republicans are jockeying for the seat.
Fourteen parishes will have local races on the ballots: Avoyelles, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Livingston, Morehouse, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. Mary, Vermilion, Vernon and Washington.
There are 17 parishes with local propositions on the ballots: Acadia, Allen, Assumption, Claiborne, Iberia, Jackson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, St. James, St. Landry, Terrebonne, Union, Webster and West Baton Rouge.
Ten parishes have local races and ballot referendums: Ascension, Bossier, Caddo, DeSoto, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Red River, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa.
Voters who are not overseas but cannot vote in-person still have time to request and cast an absentee ballot. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 4:30 p.m. March 25, and completed ballots must be turned in by 4:30 p.m. March 28.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day, March 29.
For more information on voting, visit GeauxVote.com or call (800) 883-2805
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Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.
The post Early voting begins Saturday for March 29 elections; 4 constitutional amendments appeared first on lailluminator.com
News from the South - Louisiana News Feed
Experts warn against ‘measles parties’
SUMMARY: Experts are warning against “measles parties” in Louisiana amid a measles outbreak in Texas. These parties, where parents intentionally expose children to the virus to build immunity, are considered unsafe and can lead to serious complications, including death. The measles vaccine is much safer and more effective. With the virus potentially spreading from Texas, Louisiana health officials, including Dr. Kali Broussard and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, urge vaccination as a preventive measure. Louisiana’s health department is offering discounted vaccines for children, emphasizing the importance of immunization to avoid severe outcomes and long-term health risks.
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The post Experts warn against ‘measles parties’ appeared first on thecurrentla.com
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