Latest News

The Super Bowl is costing a Mardi Gras parade krewe on New Orleans' west bank its usual floats and its usual route.

There won't be any Carnival parades during Super Bowl weekend. That's the weekend The Krewe of Choctaw usually rolls.

Krewe captain Chuck Favrot tells The Times-Picayune that Choctaw usually shares floats and themes with a Baton Rouge group, the Krewe of Jupiter. But moving Choctaw's parade puts both on the same day — Jan. 26.

HOUMA — The U.S. Attorney's Office in New Orleans says a Houma towboat company must pay $525,000 in fines and penalties after pleading guilty to violating federal environmental regulations.

The Courier reports that Cenac Towing violated the Clean Water Act between June 2008 and January 2010 by failing to collect samples of the raw sewage discharged by its former yard. 

HOUMA — Terrebonne Parish voters will be asked this fall for permission to use taxpayer money to build a new Terrebonne Parish Health Unit. The Parish Council has unanimously agreed to add the measure to the Nov. 6 ballot. 

Legislation assigning 80 percent of BP’s Clean Water Act fines to Gulf Coast states most affected by its oil spill has been approved by Congress. The landmark legislation included in the Transportation Bill is expected to mean billions of dollars for Louisiana.

New Orleans officials say West Nile virus has been detected in mosquitoes collected in the city.

No human West Nile cases have been reported in New Orleans so far this year, although one human case has been reported in St. Bernard Parish.

Most people infected do not get sick. However some develop flu-like symptoms and a few will develop serious illness.

BATON ROUGE — The board governing Louisiana's property insurer of last resort has agreed to drop rates by 10 percent across a dozen south Louisiana parishes, with the rate cut retroactive to June 7, when the reduction was signed into law.

The $16 million annual rate cut is for customers of the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

Citizens customers won't likely see a change on their bills until November, after the process for changing rates is complete. They'll get rebates for any money they paid above what they should have.