By Greg LaRose | Editor-in-Chief
On this day in 1898, an explosion sank the USS Maine in Havana Harbor, killing about 260 American Navy sailors and Marines. The cause of the explosion was disputed between the United States and Spain, fueling the tension that led to war two months later between the two countries. It ended in December 1898 with the independence of Cuba, and Spain ceded authority over Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam to the U.S. for $20 million.
NOTE: You can find our full recap of last week’s election qualifying at lailluminator.com.
Shrimper Keo Nguyen displays a sample of wild caught Gulf of Mexico shrimp on his boat docked east of Lake Borgne prior to bringing it to a seafood market, Oct. 24, 2023. (Wes Muller/LAI)
By Wes Muller
Louisiana law requires restaurants to clearly indicate when they serve imported seafood, but hundreds have failed to do so, according to a review of state enforcement data from 2025. The offenders included fine-dining establishments, mom-and-pop eateries and fast-food chain locations.
Workers begin adjusting the name of the “John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts” on Dec. 19, 2025 in Washington, D.C. to add President Donald Trump to its signage. (Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
By Julie O’Donoghue
President Donald Trump has appointed Gov. Jeff Landry to a federal council that historic preservation advocates fear will weaken or eliminate protections for historically significant sites across the country. The advisory council develops and oversees federal regulations for appraising the historic preservation impact of any project that uses federal resources or requires a federal permit. Its review process is used to evaluate more than 100,000 projects across the United States annually.
Lumberjacks cut cypress trees in Livingston Parish around the 1930s. (Southeastern Louisiana University, Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies/Archives.)
By Elise Plunk
The search continues for a missing piece of ancient cypress that had been displayed at the State Capitol before it went missing from a state lawmaker’s office. In the meantime, a local historical association says the keepsake should be displayed at their parish courthouse if it surfaces again.
MORE LOUISIANA NEWS
U.S. military veterans gather at the Louisiana State Capitol on May 20, 2024. (Wes Muller/LAI)
A federal court has struck down a 2024 Louisiana law that sought to let unauthorized consultants take a cut of benefit payments for disabled veterans in exchange for helping them apply for those benefits. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who is defending the law, said the matter is far from over.
Louisiana has more proposed carbon capture and sequestration projects than any other state, according to a new analysis of federal government data that’s prompting outcry from environmental groups concerned the expansion is outpacing safety.
One of Gov. Jeff Landry’s floor leaders in the Louisiana Legislature will become leader of his executive staff. The governor has turned to her to shepherd his state tax structure overhaul through the statehouse as well as his private school voucher program.
IN NATIONAL NEWS
Federal agents gather in Minneapolis In January. (Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)
As the Trump administration intensifies its immigration crackdown, health care workers in multiple states say ICE is increasing its presence in health care facilities, deterring people from seeking medical care and creating chaos that jeopardizes the safety of their patients.
The millions of immigrants who have crossed the border with Mexico since 2020 could change the balance of political power in Congress — but in a way likely to boost Republican states that emphasize border security, at the expense of more welcoming Democratic states.
Criminal justice has emerged as one of the most wide-ranging and politically charged areas on lawmakers’ agendas in this year’s state legislative sessions. Across the country, legislators are weighing proposals that affect nearly every part of the criminal justice system, including policing, gun policy, solving crimes, sentencing, prison oversight and reentry support.
COMMENTARY
No badge is above the law | Daily Montanan
Minnesota 1, Trump 0 | MN Reformer
Journalism needs more Daisy Bates, less Jeff Bezos | AR Advocate
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