BY DOUG GRAHAM | Staff writer A Port Allen woman has been accused of ordering an abortion-inducing drug online and then coercing her daughter to take the medicine to end her pregnancy. Now, the woman and the New York doctor who prescribed the pill have been indicted by a West Baton Rouge Parish grand jury, charged with criminal abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs. Providing an abortion, including abortion medication, has been banned in Louisiana since the summer of 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade with its Dobbs v. Jackson ruling. This is the first criminal indictment of its kind in the state, District Attorney Tony Clayton said. Warrants for the arrests of both women have been issued, but New York's governor said on Friday the state would not comply with an extradition request. Read more about the politically charged case. A new ring of defenses in place to keep crowds safe on Bourbon Street in the run-up to the Super Bowl won’t keep out one of the deadliest weapons in America: the firearm. A state law passed last year by the Republican-controlled Legislature allows anyone 18 or older without a criminal record to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. The lack of gun restrictions, especially in New Orleans' core entertainment district, is again drawing criticism in a city still reeling from the ramming attack on Bourbon Street that killed 14 people and injured dozens more on New Year’s Day. Read more about the impact on security measures. For food writer Lauren Cheramie, some dishes can trigger memories from her childhood. Read why a fruit salad recipe from her aunt's ex-sister-in-law, while complicated, remains a family tradition. |