KATC.com

Tagged News

• Louisiana Senate rejects smoking ban extension

  May 23, 2012 7:41 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The Louisiana Senate has refused to prohibit smoking within 25 feet of the entrance to any building where smoking already is banned, even after the measure was limited to state-owned buildings. Louisiana prohibits smoking in restaurants, public places, public buildings and many places of employment.... more »

• School textbook bill stalls in La. Senate

  June 22, 2011 7:39 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Senators have refused to consider a proposal to give local school districts more freedom to choose the textbooks they use, a measure that opponents say is a back-door attempt to introduce creationism in science classes. The measure by Republican Rep. Frank Hoffmann needs a two-thirds... more »

• La. Senate approves $25B budget for next year

  June 20, 2011 6:00 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana senators overwhelmingly supported a $25 billion budget that contains hundreds of millions less in cuts than the House sought but that senators hope represents a compromise that can win support before the session ends this week. The 2011-12 budget - approved 36-2 Sunday night... more »

• Redistricting Could Mean Splitting Up Acadiana

  April 8, 2011 11:39 PM

  It's a widely shared opinion - north and south Louisiana are practically two different states. But some politicians, including Governor Bobby Jindal, are pushing to put northern and southern parishes in the same congressional districts. After the 2010 Census Louisiana lost a congressional district, and must now consolidate from... more »

• Vitter still strong despite 'serious sin'

  October 29, 2010 4:01 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) Hoping to prove pollsters wrong about Louisiana's U.S. Senate race, Rep. Charlie Melancon travels the state evoking the names of Democratic icons such as Russell Long and John Breaux, who built reputations as centrist dealmakers. But incumbent Republican David Vitter's unswerving conservatism appears to be in vogue.... more »

• One more time, but with fewer candidates

  October 28, 2010 5:22 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) A night after six Senate candidates took part in a debate on one New Orleans television station, another station airs the second and last major candidate debate with the two best known candidates. Republican incumbent David Vitter and his Democratic challenger, Rep. Charlie Melancon, are to take... more »

• Vitter won't discuss links to prostitution ring

  October 28, 2010 5:22 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) In his latest debate appearance, Sen. David Vitter repeatedly refused to say whether he broke the law in connection with a Washington prostitution ring. Again admitting only to an unspecified "sin," Vitter said the actions happened some 10 years ago and he is looking to the future.... more »

• Senate debates set for Wed., Thurs.

  October 27, 2010 5:00 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) With less than a week to go in the campaign, and after many voters have already cast early ballots, candidates for a U.S. Senate seat are at last about to meet in a widely seen forum. WDSU television in New Orleans hosts a Wednesday night debate in... more »

• Vitter prepares to debate challenger Melancon

  October 27, 2010 5:00 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) Republican incumbent Sen. David Vitter again admitted to an unspecified "serious sin" during a forum with five of his challengers but offered no new information on the prostitution scandal that broke in 2007 when he was linked to a Washington call girl ring. It was in answer... more »

• Senate debates set for Wed., Thurs.

  October 27, 2010 5:00 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) With less than a week to go in the campaign candidates for a U.S. Senate seat are at last about to meet in a widely seen forum. WDSU television in New Orleans hosts a Wednesday night debate in which incumbent Republican David Vitter faces Democratic challenger Charlie... more »

• Vitter challengers push for TV debates

  October 8, 2010 10:53 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon and four other candidates for the U.S. Senate are urging several television stations and public interest groups to go ahead with plans for televised candidate debates, even if incumbent Republican David Vitter won't participate. With polls showing him in the lead, Vitter has... more »

• Democrat ad seeks to revive GOP senator's scandals

  September 29, 2010 1:35 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) The Democrat hoping to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter is airing a television ad detailing a prostitution scandal that sent Vitter scurrying from public view in 2007. Running on cable television systems, U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon's ad features a grainy black-and-white re-enactment of a man resembling... more »

• Melancon hits Vitter on fiscal policy

  September 20, 2010 3:39 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Democratic Senate candidate Charlie Melancon is blasting Republican Sen. David Vitter on fiscal policy and Vitter's votes for several Bush-era spending measures. The criticism hits Vitter in an area that has been his strength. Vitter has positioned himself as a fiscal hawk who rails against federal... more »

• First debate for Senate candidates

  September 8, 2010 10:46 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) Candidates for U.S. Senate have made their first appearance at a political forum, a sign that the state campaign season is heating up. Incumbent Sen. David Vitter, the Republican nominee on the Nov. 2 ballot, received the endorsement of the New Orleans area Alliance for Good Government... more »

• Melancon pushes for debates in Senate race

  August 31, 2010 3:01 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Democrat Charlie Melancon is pressing Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter to agree to a series of five debates around Louisiana before the November election. Melancon says he sent a letter to Vitter on Tuesday requesting the town hall-style forums, without pre-screened questions. No word yet from... more »

• Despite scandals, Vitter the La. primary favorite

  August 26, 2010 12:42 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) Republican Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana has largely shrugged off his 2007 prostitution scandal and fresher questions about his employment of an aide accused in a knife attack on a woman. Vitter has been more focused on attacking his likely November challenger, Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon,... more »

• Vitter claims GOP candidate is a Democratic ploy

  August 6, 2010 5:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter is accusing Democrats of bankrolling a GOP challenger to Vitter in the U.S. Senate race. The last-minute entrance of former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor was a surprise challenge to Vitter in the Aug. 28 primary. Vitter's campaign claims Traylor's... more »

• Vitter claims GOP candidate is a Democratic ploy

  August 6, 2010 5:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Republican U.S. Sen. David Vitter is accusing Democrats of bankrolling a GOP challenger to Vitter in the U.S. Senate race. The last-minute entrance of former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor was a surprise challenge to Vitter in the Aug. 28 primary. Vitter's campaign claims Traylor's... more »