BY MATTHEW ALBRIGHT | Assistant metro editor For years, Louisiana leaders have warned that looming changes to the National Flood Insurance Program are going to hit our state hard. We've been pushing FEMA to give us a concrete sense of how much premiums could increase, and we finally have a preliminary number: 122%. And that's just the average. Lots of homeowners will pay way more. Those numbers could change, but they are still raising alarm. Here's why the huge increases are happening and who could be most affected. Whether it's the West Nile virus or just annoying bug bites, mosquitoes are a big problem for Baton Rouge. We followed along with some parish pest control workers to see how they keep the little bloodsuckers in check. Voters will soon be asked whether to renew the tax that pays for that work; here's a look at what your money is paying for. Ali Gaye was among LSU's most promising players last year, but an injury cut his season short. Now he's back, healthy and turning heads on the practice field. And he's thriving off the field, too: He and his family immigrated from Gambia, and he's the first to graduate from an American university. Here's his story. |