Privatizing some Baton Rouge government services; how LSU's Title IX problems affect coaching search

The Advocate's Top Headlines

with Matthew Albright | Assistant metro editor

Good morning! Let's get your holiday week started with some of the weekend's biggest news.

Better city services, but higher cost?

Baton Rouge city leaders want to increase the efficiency and reliability some departments, like those that do permitting and maintenance. One solution? Outsource the work to private firms.

This story explains why the mayor and some council members think that's a good idea, and how it might affect taxpayers.

Off-the-field issues in LSU coaching search

The question most people seem to be asking about the next LSU football coach is: Can he win? But there are other important issues coaches have to handle too.

LSU's athletic department has faced withering criticism for its handling of sexual misconduct allegations, and top leaders have promised to do better. We asked the school how that plays into the coaching search, and checked out the records of some top candidates when it comes to protecting women.

Here's what we found.

A fight over Congressional redistricting?

When Gov. John Bel Edwards won re-election in 2019, Democrats cheered that they would have a say in how Louisiana draws its Congressional maps. But he still has to negotiate with a Republican-dominated Legislature, setting up a high-stakes political chess game.

Edwards has said he'll veto any maps that aren't "fair," but what exactly does that mean? Does he want a second majority-Black district? What does a "reasonable" district boundary look like?

Edwards won't say explicitly, but this story looks at what some of his motivations might be.

Thanks for reading, and have a great Thanksgiving week!