BY DOUG GRAHAM | Staff writer Losing people: Despite a slight uptick in the state’s population, parishes across Louisiana are struggling to keep their residents from leaving for other parts of the country, according to the Census Bureau. The agency attributed the state's modest overall growth to international immigration. Among the most notable declines was New Orleans, which saw its population slide by almost 2,470 people last year and nearly 20,700 people since 2020. East Baton Rouge and Jefferson parishes saw their population increase slightly in the new estimates, entirely due to the changes in how immigrant populations are calculated. Read about population shifts in other parts of the state. Ballot box: Four proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution are on the ballot as early voting begins today for the March 29 election. The changes deal with courts, taxes, how juveniles are treated in the criminal justice system, and elections for judges. Early voting runs from March 15 to 22, excluding Sunday, and early voting locations are open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Learn more about the proposed amendments. Charges set: Seven people have been indicted in connection with a drive-by shooting last November in Baton Rouge that left a car riddled with bullets and an 8-year-old boy dead the day before Thanksgiving. District Attorney Hillar Moore says no decision has been made on whether the state will seek the death penalty against the four men charged with first-degree murder. Read more about the defendants. | 