Columns

Polls, surveys offer no better picture of recovery

BATON ROUGE — As Carnival season paraded through south Louisiana last month, briefly pushing aside the memories of those fateful days last fall with bags of throws and elaborate parties, a slew of special interest groups were releasing studies and polls and surveys that brought reality ringing back in a most sobering way.
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Columns

Richard Baker, a man with the plan

BATON ROUGE – Congressman Richard Baker, a Republican who has represented voters here most of his adult life, has been catapulted into the ranks of a political superstar in recent months due to a high-profile housing plan that bears his namesake. And while that proposal may be on life support, Baker plans to make the most of the momentum he has built. […]

Columns

Inside Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE — First there was a state-sponsored 30-member board to oversee hurricane recovery efforts. Then came another 19-member panel to regulate revamped building codes, and a slew of inspectors will need to be hired just to carry out its mandates. […]