April 2021

Biden to sign $15 minimum wage for federal contract workers

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to sign an executive order to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour for federal contractors, providing a pay bump to hundreds of thousands of workers.

In fight against virus, Biden looks for path back to normal

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden spent his first 100 days in office encouraging Americans to mask up and stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus. His task for the next 100 days will be to lay out the path back to normal.

California recall has enough signatures to make ballot

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Organizers of the recall effort against California Gov. Gavin Newsom have collected enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot, state election officials said, likely triggering just the second such election in state history.

LA man found with fentanyl, heroin mixture

LAKE ARTHUR – A man is in the parish jail after he was discovered to be in possession of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin Saturday.

Feds: FEMA applications faked after 2016 Louisiana flood

LAFAYETTE (AP) — Ten Louisiana residents are accused of collecting about $6,000 each by faking applications for disaster benefits for car damage after floods in August 2016.

Average US price of gas jumps 2 cents per gallon to $2.96

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline jumped 2 cents over the past two weeks, to $2.96 per gallon.

Refineries to pay $5.5M for LC-area contamination

LAKE CHARLES (AP) — Nine oil refineries and chemical companies in the Lake Charles area have agreed to pay the federal government $5.5 million for their contamination of parts of the northern Calcasieu River estuary.

Two life terms plus 50 years for ex-deputy who raped girls

LAKE CHARLES (AP) — A former Louisiana sheriff’s deputy has been sentenced to life in prison for raping and sexually assaulting three girls, all less than 11 years old.

City flushing water hydrants

Residents in South Jennings may notice cloudy water over the next two to three weeks, but city officials say there is nothing to worry about.

Born minutes apart at the same hospital. Soon, they’ll marry

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Are some couples just meant to be? You could make that argument about Abby Chustz and Bryon Garrety.