Jim BrownJim Brown is a former Louisiana state senator, Secretary of State, Commissioner of Insurance and a regular contributor to The Gazette. Does the average Louisiana citizen have a legal right to follow the internal workings of government in Louisiana? Not just in Baton Rouge at the state capital, but in deliberations that take place by school boards, city councils, …

Sallie HollisSallie Rose Hollis is a native of Rocky Branch and retired Journalism Professer from Louisiana Tech University. Contact her at sallierose@mail.com. A patch of untamed beauty recently took residence in our front yard. Many might have labeled the population of that patch as weeds, but to me they seemed to be welcome friends. Buttercups and fleabane, their delicate petals …

The Louisiana legislative session has passed its halfway mark for 2024, leaving just about a month left to go.Why it matters: There’s still time, but so far, lawmakers have yet to hand first-year Gov. Jeff Landry a major victory.The big picture: Landry began this session from a position of power after a statement-making election last year sent the Republican to …