U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson announced Friday that $6.8 million in federal grant funds have been awarded to improve the quality of education offered to students in the Fort Polk community around Leesville.  Read more

Three FEMA Mobile Registration Intake Centers (MRICs) are now operating throughout Beauregard Parish to assist residents in their recovery efforts following Hurricane Laura.  Read more

ABC Pregnancy Resource Center hosted a drive-through baby supply giveaway on Wednesday. Over 100 children were served through the free event, Becky Girola, executive director, said.  Read more

McNeese State University will restart its fall semester in an online format on Sept. 18. Classes are cancelled as the campus is closed for debris removal, remediation and building restoration. “We are receiving assistance at the local, state and federal level and we will share a restoration … Read more

Zoning ordinances addressing travel trailers, mobile homes and portable storage containers were temporarily suspended at the Tuesday meeting of the Sulphur City Council.In light of the widespread need for housing as the result of damage from Hurricane Laura, residents may now apply for a per… Read more

LAFAYETTE — The absence of electrical power in much of Calcasieu Parish three weeks because of Hurricane Laura has brought back memories of my pre-teen years when I spent my summers in Cameron Parish, my birthplace.  Read more

Ricky Self has endured a career’s worth of difficulty in his first two months as director of the Port of Lake Charles. Along with the health and economic challenges brought on by COVID-19, he is now facing tens of millions of dollars in damages caused by Hurricane Laura.“It was unbelievable,… Read more

There is much not right in Southwest Louisiana at the moment, but that fact makes even the smallest acts of compassion stand out even more. One such event happened Saturday to a Lake Charles man, who wished to remain anonymous. Read more

A Vernon Parish deputy and another motorist made harrowing escapes from a frightening collision Wednesday morning, according to authorities.  Read more

The majority of Entergy Louisiana customers in Calcasieu and Cameron parishes should have power restored by Sept. 23, with restorations by Sept. 30 for the remaining customers who can safely receive power, officials said at a briefing Monday.Calcasieu Parish Administrator Bryan Beam read a s… Read more

By official order of the State Fire Marshal’s office, burn bans in both Beauregard and Vernon parishes have been lifted so long as residents obtain proper permits for burning, according to officials.  Read more

The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury’s decision to lift the mandatory evacuation, effective Sept. 11, was quickly met with criticism on social media. Some residents said it was too soon, considering how many households were severely damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Laura, the tens of thousands … Read more

Three Leesville residents are facing multiple charges including looting and resisting arrest this week after barricading themselves indoors while Vernon Parish officials fired tear gas cartridges into their residence, according to authorities. Read more

In times of crisis, a timeless quote from the late Fred Rogers tends to emerge again and again: "Look for the helpers."In Jennings, the help has been tenfold since Hurricane Laura devastated Southwest Louisiana. "Since the hurricane, we have been overwhelmed at the amount of monetary donatio… Read more

LAFAYETTE — My Hurricane Laura restoration effort hit rock bottom last week, but the situation looked much brighter by week’s end. Waiting for an insurance company estimate of damages on my home and hoping to hear from some contractors I had called proved fruitless by Thursday. Read more

A DeRidder woman was killed in a single-vehicle crash Friday on U.S. 171 near North Perkins Ferry Road, authorities said.  Read more

Several Vernon Parish schools will be reopening on Monday, Sept. 14, according to information released by school officials on Friday.  Read more

First Baptist Church of Westlake's mission is to act "as the hands and feet of Jesus."   Read more

The mandatory evacuation for Calcasieu Parish was lifted Friday afternoon. However, several local officials said basic services remain limited, and residents choosing to return will have to be self-sufficient. Read more

“We never lost water,” said Sulphur Mayor Mike Danahay. “We were down to a trickle at one point because we were running the whole city on one plant.”  Read more

A 49-year-old man and his dog died in a Starks house fire, authorities said. Read more

Just under 3,000 Entergy Louisiana customers in Calcasieu Parish have had power restored since Hurricane Laura’s landfall nearly two weeks ago, Spokesperson Margaret Harris said during a briefing Wednesday. Read more

LAFAYETTE — Sometimes the insurance you buy — home, car or health — doesn’t give you the protection you thought you had, especially after a hurricane. Read more

Dustin Davis, a U.S. postmaster from Dallas, was in Lake Charles on Tuesday helping distribute mail.  Read more

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Blue Roof Program’s mobile unit is now open in DeRidder.  Read more

Katy Sandusky, communications manager for the American Red Cross Louisiana Region, said the organization will provide long-term assistance for Southwest Louisiana residents impacted by Hurricane Laura. Read more

So here’s my main observation from almost two weeks of multiple trips each and every day, making the rounds to all of the big box hardware stores: Read more

An 11-year-old boy has been arrested in the death of a 39-year-old family member, authorities said.  Read more

Residents of Pecan Acres Apartments in Lake Charles were given an ultimatum this week; remove your property and belongings by Sept. 6 or consider them abandoned.  Read more