Guest Columns

Guest column: It's time to reform Louisiana's severance tax system

BY SARAH MAGRUDER
Sep 13, 2024

For years, Louisiana has been struggling to try to stimulate its energy industry. Even during periods of high fuel prices, when businesses are incentivized to build up supplies, they’re still …

Guest column: Black male teachers were critical for me. So now I work to pass those lessons along

BY AUSTIN SMALL-JONES
Sep 13, 2024

In recent years, a troubling trend has emerged in secondary education: Boys, especially those of color, are falling significantly behind their female counterparts in academic achievement.

Guest column: Louisiana's high-profile leaders are leading the fight for pro-family bills

BY GENE MILLS
Sep 13, 2024

I do not know of a time when Louisiana had greater influence at the federal level than right now.

Guest column: Addiction and overdoses are rampant. Louisiana leaders in Washington can help.

BY KEN ROY
Sep 6, 2024

Louisiana is vulnerable.

Guest Column: Congress needs to pass this bill to help Louisiana small businesses

BY LEAH LONG
Sep 6, 2024

Running a small business isn’t easy, even in good times, and these aren’t good times.

Sen. Bill Cassidy: The Senate passed my bill to protect children online. Now we must make it law.

BY SEN. BILL CASSIDY
Sep 6, 2024

Parents are right to worry about the ways their children can be targeted online. We see the mental health challenges fueled by social media use, increasing data collection and uncomfortably sp…

Guest column: The Louisiana Supreme Court's alarming U-turn

BY TIGER JOYCE
Sep 5, 2024

Louisiana's reputation as a “judicial hellhole” is not just a label — it's a reflection of systemic issues within the state's civil courts that threaten both justice and economic prosperity.

Guest column: New OSHA heat proposals are a warning for employers. Here's why.

BY ADRIENNE WOOD
Sep 5, 2024

Recently, The Times-Picayune | The Advocate published a piece outlining the need for heat-related protections for Louisiana workers in the form of a rule from the Occupational Safety and Healt…

Guest column: First day of school brings new challenges. And new opportunities. Here's how we see them.

BY JAMES GRAY
Sep 4, 2024

As the superintendent of Jefferson Parish Schools, the first day of school has always been filled with excitement and anticipation.

Guest column: A closer look at key indicators is a mixed bag for Louisiana

BY BARRY ERWIN
Aug 30, 2024

A year ago, the Council for A Better Louisiana started a new initiative to try to put together a comprehensive picture of how Louisiana is doing in important areas. It’s called "The Louisiana …

Russel Honoré: AM radios were the backbone of Katrina response. This bill will keep them in cars.

BY RUSSEL HONOR?
Aug 29, 2024

On Aug. 29, 19 years ago, Hurricane Katrina slammed into our state.

Tulane President Michael Fitts: University can help fuel New Orleans' revitalization. Here's how.

BY MICHAEL FITTS
Aug 28, 2024

The South is booming.

Arnie Fielkow: In the midst of a grinding war, Ukraine's children still inspire

BY ARNIE FIELKOW
Aug 21, 2024

I recently returned from my fourth trip to the region, and second to Ukraine, since Russia's unlawful invasion in February 2022. My trip this time around was filled with an array of emotions i…

Guest Column: Congress hasn't passed a farm bill in six years. Here's why a new one is needed.

BY MERYL KENNEDY FARR
Aug 20, 2024

As we approach this critical election season and remainder of the 118th Congress, there are numerous issues vying for the attention of voters and policymakers alike. Among them, the upcoming f…

Guest Column: The key lesson from the front lines of Hurricane Beryl response? Be prepared, Louisiana.

BY KENNETH ST. CHARLES
Aug 19, 2024

One month into my new job at the Red Cross, I volunteered to deploy to Houston in early July in response to Hurricane Beryl.

Guest column: Tulane students protests were aimed at drawing attention to pain in Gaza

BY DANIEL JOS? OLDER AND ANNA MILLER
Aug 16, 2024

This spring, New Orleans joined the rising worldwide student movement. Led by Tulane and Loyola students in their encampment, hundreds gathered in hope and prayer to call for a cease-fire in G…

Guest column: I'm going to the DNC to fight for important issues

BY KATIE DARLING
Aug 15, 2024

I never planned on getting involved in politics, but life in Louisiana has become very strange. A place where I once felt the most freedom is now where I feel the least.

Guest column: Patchwork kratom rules serve no one. The FDA should step in.

BY RYAN NIDDEL
Aug 8, 2024

Last month, the Tangipahoa Parish Council voted to ban the sale of the herb kratom, a move that we have seen across the country. It’s the latest example of local officials wrestling with a hea…

Guest column: Every person should have the right to an attorney -- including in immigration court

BY SARA LOUIS-AYO
Aug 8, 2024

Each day, a 5-year-old girl follows me around like a ghost.

Guest column: The Legislature did the right thing with Summer EBT. Here's why it was good.

BY RHONDA JACKSON
Aug 8, 2024

Summer is that magical season for kids, when they get a break from school to enjoy free time with family and friends. But for far too many, it’s the hungriest time of year as families struggle…

Guest column: Louisiana’s anti-LGBTQ policies are hastening state's decline

BY HENRY M. LAMBERT
Aug 1, 2024

Louisiana needs your help to be better.

Guest column: Louisiana's energy future hinges on what we do now

BY MARC EHRHARDT, TOMMY FAUCHEUX AND MIKE MONCLA
Jul 31, 2024

For more than a century, Louisiana has been an energy-rich state and a world leader in energy exploration, production and innovation.

Guest column: Louisiana could learn much from this small Japanese city

BY RICHARD BUCHHOLZ
Jul 25, 2024

Louisiana and Japan are two completely different places, right? Well, not so fast.

Guest Column: Louisiana and Latin America have a shared past. They should share a future as well.

BY ADAM RATZLAFF
Jul 25, 2024

A dilapidated statue of Simón Bolívar, the founding father of several Latin American countries, sits off the intersection of Canal and Basin streets in New Orleans — a gift from the Venezuelan…

Guest column: Celebrations are enriched by opting to reduce plastic usage

BY SHARON C. LAVIGNE and PALOMA HENRIQUES
Jul 17, 2024

The Fourth of July represents many things to many people. As we celebrated, we reflected on the holiday’s history and its evolving significance in our nation.

Guest Column: New Orleans Council must revive stalled street renaming process

BY EDWIN A. LOMBARD
Jul 10, 2024

When the New Orleans Street Renaming Commission recommended that Gen. Meyer Avenue be renamed Rudy Lombard Avenue in honor of my late brother, our family rejoiced.

Guest column: The right to bear arms has a complicated history

BY HENRY BRADSHER
Jul 10, 2024

Now that the Louisiana Legislature has made it even easier for people to carry guns, it's a good time to examine the history of the American right to lethal weapons. It is more complex than th…

Guest column: Richard Zuschlag's legacy is worthy of celebration and emulation

DAVID AUBREY
Jul 9, 2024

Richard Zuschlag's life and legacy have left an indelible mark on our state and beyond.?Zuschlag was more than a business leader; he was a statesman, a friend and a champion for good. His unwa…