Tropical Storm Bertha is expected to make landfall near Burris in Plaquemines Parish late this afternoon or early evening. According to LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim, the Greater New Orleans area will experience impacts later, with sustained winds between 15 and 20 miles per hour and gusts up to 30 to 35 miles per hour. Cities farther west, including Lafayette and Lake Charles, are expected to feel effects tomorrow as the system transitions into a post-tropical storm, with sustained winds around 25 miles per hour and gusts in the low 30s from Thursday afternoon into Thursday night.
State lawmakers are evaluating possible changes to funding for Mississippi’s public universities and community colleges. Senator Nicole Boyd highlighted a widening gap between the workforce needs of the state’s economy and the output of higher education institutions. A proposal introduced during the 2026 regular legislative session would have established performance-based funding tied to student success, but the measure did not pass. It is uncertain whether similar legislation will be introduced in the next session.
New U.S. Census Bureau data shows Louisiana’s population increased by 24,000 in 2024, marking the state’s first population growth since 2017. Adam Knapp, CEO of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, said the increase was driven primarily by fewer residents leaving the state. Louisiana saw 96,000 new arrivals and 84,000 departures, the lowest number of departures since 2010. The largest population gains were among children under 18 and adults ages 25 to 30, indicating an influx of young families.
The Mississippi River at Natchez-Vidalia is at 35.72 feet and falling.
