BY MATTHEW ALBRIGHT | Staff writer A bill to ban gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, like surgery and hormone treatments, failed in a Louisiana Senate committee Wednesday. Proponents have argued the bill would protect children from invasive procedures and give parents more say in health decisions. Opponents argued it would block health care that can significantly improve transgender youths' mental health and wellbeing. Here's a look inside the debate, and how the bill was defeated. A spurt of violence in Baton Rouge continued late Tuesday night and Wednesday. Three people were wounded in a shooting on North Street near North Acadian Thruway, a man was accused of shooting at police during a chase, and a 13-year-old old was injured in what appeared to be an accidental shooting. Meanwhile, Ryan Hallford, a Baton Rouge priest and St. Joseph's Academy staff member, was identified as one of three siblings shot in Ponchatoula. When she was the 2003 valedictorian at Baton Rouge High, Melanie Liu she was going to be a doctor, and now she is. But along the way she's had lots of unexpected experiences. Here's her story. It's the latest in our ongoing series that tracks valedictorians from 20 years ago to see where they are now, and what they've learned. | 