Students gathered outside UL Lafayette’s Student Union as Dr. Ramesh Kolluru was celebrated after being named the university’s seventh president. He inherits a multimillion-dollar budget gap.

City Hall has asked vendors about camera‑based parking enforcement as officials look to new revenue to help close a multihundred‑million‑dollar shortfall. The RFI is exploratory and responses are due April 7, 2026.

City records show New Orleans has ended an agreement with Habitat for Humanity and moved to reclaim $2 million earmarked to help homeowners facing insurance-driven foreclosures.

Shintech will invest $3.4 billion to expand its Plaquemine plant, adding ethylene and VCM units and promising more than 800 potential jobs for the Capital Region. The phased build targets lower emissions and a first‑phase finish in 2030.

NORD is recruiting teens for about 150 lifeguard spots this summer, offering $17.58/hour and paid Red Cross certification. A hiring fair is set for March 4 at Milne Recreation Center.

Ana Castro is opening Casimiro, a casual Mexican breakfast spot in Bywater with housemade tortillas and Mexico City–style morning dishes.

A Raceland man was arrested after deputies say he fired two shots during an argument on Morristown Road; the other man was not hit and bail was set at $300,000.

NOPD released photos seeking Arthur C. Cook, wanted in a Jan. 16 robbery and a Feb. 12 carjacking. Detectives ask anyone with information to contact First District detectives or Crimestoppers.

Patchy morning fog before sunshine; highs near 80°F today. Rain and thunderstorms become more likely by Friday — early commuters and boaters should take care.

Rep. Alonzo Knox introduced HB 800 to increase grocery‑pricing transparency and HB 472 to let cities adopt rent‑stabilization as the 2026 legislative session opens.

New Orleans police named a suspect after a Feb. 28 home break-in on Texas Drive and are asking the public to contact detectives or submit anonymous tips.

Graze Craze opened its first Louisiana shop in Covington, a 1,100-square-foot location run by local owners Jessica and Steve Sintes. The shop will offer curated grazing boards, gluten-free options and local delivery.

Three LaPlace residents admitted to a federal cocaine-smuggling conspiracy after large seizures tied to a Grand Isle smuggling route; sentencing is set for June 2026.