The 318: Shreveport to get a civil rights trail, local casinos face more regulations
This week in the 318, the Caddo Parish Commission heard from a local historian about the area's civil rights history and heard arguments against the not-so-regulated expansion of off track betting parlors.
LSU Shreveport nearing completion of local Civil Rights Trail with 40+ information markers
nullCalled to the Caddo Parish Commission’s Thursday meeting to discuss the area’s history of lynching and the remaining symbols from that time, social studies professor Gary Joiner also delivered the news that a civil rights trail mapped by Louisiana State University Shreveport will soon be open to the public.
Joiner said the university, for which he is the department chair for history and social studies, has selected nearly 40 sites throughout Caddo Parish where hikers will find information about the civil rights history associated with that area. By time it launches, he thinks there will be 50 sites.
He didn't have a launch date for the trail but said the university would appreciate the commission’s help.
“We need to show where the first downtown sit in was. We need to show not only the bad things but the good things,” Joiner added.
Video poker truck stop owner lobbies for harsher regulations for casino competitors
Heeding the concerns of a truck stop casino owner who says he can't compete, the Caddo Parish Commission may decide to expand regulations on off track betting parlors.
Airport Casino owner Nathan Hicks said those parlors don't have the same zoning requirements, allowing them to be closer to churches and schools than Hicks' business. He also said those businesses allow for more leisure.
"They can also offer smoking. They can also offer table games. They can also offer horse racing. I simply can’t compete," Hicks said to the Commission Thursday.
Find out more about Hicks' complaints here.
First case of monkeypox identified in Louisiana resident
The Louisiana Department of Health reported the first detected case of monkeypox infection in a Louisiana resident on Thursday.
The individual is from the department's Region 1, which includes Orleans, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. Bernard parishes. The agency said it would not give more information about the person, such as age or sex, until there were enough cases to be able to report the data and shield patient confidentiality.
An out-of-state resident visiting Louisiana also tested positive for monkeypox.
Monkeypox is a viral illness that typically involves flu-like symptoms, swelling of the lymph nodes and a rash that includes bumps that are initially filled with fluid before scabbing over.
‘We are still fighting’: Shreveport abortion clinic, Hope Medical Group for Women, still open
Fielding a call from a woman seeking an abortion, the director of Hope Medical Group for Women tried to answer as best she could.
Yes, federal protections for abortion had been overturned, she said. The clinic was still open – but there’s a waiting list and a court hearing on Friday that could change everything, she added.
“We are still fighting,” clinic administrator Kathaleen Pittman told the woman before hanging up Wednesday.
By Pittman’s own description, you have to be an optimist to work in abortion services. Now, with confused patients calling for help and a looming court date threatening to put an end to almost all abortions in the state, that optimism is being tested like never before.
Find out more about the recent efforts of Louisiana abortion clinics here.
Shootout kills one, injures 3 in Shreveport on Fourth of July.
Around 2:45 p.m., the Shreveport Police Department responded to Jewella Avenue and Meriwether Road.
Upon arrival, officers found an individual in critical condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head. He was taken to a local hospital by the Shreveport Fire Department and was later pronounced dead.
No other victims were located at the scene, police said.
Police believe that three vehicles were involved in this incident. A red Chevy Camaro, white Dodge Charger and a black Dodge Challenger.
Two victims in the shooting were dropped off at Ochsner LSU Health, police said. Another victim was dropped off at Willis-Knighton South shortly after the incident.
At this time, no suspect is in custody.
Kendrick Dante writes for the USA Today Network and is a government watchdog reporter in Shreveport, Louisiana. He enjoys cooking, concerts, and content. Email him at kdbrown1@gannett.com or connect on Twitter @kendrickdante.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: The 318: Shreveport to receive a civil rights trail created by LSU
