Subscribe to Daily Recap ERA feed
1 month 3 weeks ago
Maybe there’s something to this notion that weather extremes are getting greater. We had record breaking high temperatures in December and record breaking low temperatures in January.
January 31 beat the all-time low for that day by one degree. This year’s low was 16 degrees, lower by one degree than January 31, 1966. The high that day this year was 28 degrees, a whopping five degrees lower than the January 31, 1996 high of 33 degrees. And the wind was blowing at 25 knots. Brrr!
By Wyatt Emmerich on
1 month 3 weeks ago
Photo by Tracey Ladner, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Rouses of Franklinton opened at 7 a.m. Monday morning to a large crowd of local shoppers eager to view the remodeled store. Rouses replaces Winn-Dixie, which has pulled out of Louisiana entirely.
At 4 p.m. Monday local officials and others joined Rouses CEO Donny Rouse for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the store.
In the photo above, a large group of local officials and Rouses personnel were present for the ribbon-cutting. Store personnel said they were appreciative of the large number of shoppers who have come to the store.
Published on
2 months ago
Rouses Markets will celebrate the opening of its first-ever Franklinton store — and its first location in Washington Parish —with an official ribbon cutting on Monday, February 2 at 4:00 p.m. The store opens to customers Monday morning at 7:00 a.m.
Published on
2 months ago
Rep. Julia Letlow
Next January Washington Parish will have its 8th member of Congress in the past 30 years.
Current Congresswoman Julia Letlow will not seek re-election, running instead for the U.S. Senate seat curently held by Sen. Bill Cassidy.
With an average of one new Congressional Representative approximately every four years for the past few decades, Washington Parish has seen an extraordinary amount of turnover in its federal representation, much more than is common.
Published on
2 months ago
From left to right with the Tourism award plaque are State Rep John Wyble, Krystal Peterson, Tourism Commission Executive Director Patty Alford, Ella Bickham, Edna Kennedy, Cynthia August, Kim Windham, State Sen Beth Mizell, Chris Landry, and Lorraine Hall.
The Louisiana Travel Association announced Washington Parish Tourism Commission as the recipient of the prestigious 2026 Outstanding Convention and Visitors Bureau/Tourist Commission of the Year at its Annual Meeting in Lafayette.
Published on
2 months ago
Cecily Bateman
•Part 4
"You live, you die. It's the in-between that counts." --- Tommy Lee Jones in the movie "Finestkind."
By Cecily Bateman on
2 months ago
Callie Foreman
As I look back on the seasons of my life I have to laugh at how many changes aside from bone density and joint pain have occurred.
By Callie Foreman on
2 months ago
Winn-Dixie of Franklinton closed its doors for the last time this past Sunday evening as Rouses Markets prepares to become the new owner. Rouses is planning to open the store this coming Monday, February 2.
As the photo shows, the Winn-Dixie sign on the front of the store is being removed, to be replaced by a Rouses Markets sign.
To answer a question that The Era-Leader’s staff has been frequently asked: Rouses will have an advertising circular in The Era-Leader every week, replacing the weekly circular from Winn-Dixie. PHOTO BY TRACEY LADNER
Published on
2 months ago
Rev. Jimmy Oalmann
Luke 8:4-10
By Rev. Jimmy Oalmann - Richardson Baptist Church on
2 months ago
Brenda Magee was off this week. Her column will return next week.
Published on
2 months ago
Hello, Mt. Hermon! With this cold weather, a hot bowl of homemade chili is just what we need. The Mt. Hermon Ruritan Club will be hosting their annual Chili Cook-off Fundraiser next Saturday, February 7th, from 11 AM-1PM. For only $5 per person, you can sample the best homemade chili in town, and cast your vote for the club member with the best. It will be a great time of community fellowship!
By Holly Gill Sanders on
2 months ago
Well everyone we are down to the last week in the first month of this new year already. The winter storm forecast challenged us to trust God in a situation that was out of our control & to care for one another, which is within our control to do. I pray that all of you had all of your needs met, whatever they might have been.
By Gwen Pigott on
2 months ago
Wow! It is COLD outside! At this moment I know we are out of school on Monday but won’t know about Tuesday until later. I hope you all have a safe and warm week. I hope to get a little reading and cleaning done, maybe. (haha) Praying for the weather not to be as rough as it could be.
By Karen Thigpen on
2 months ago
Hello again everyone. Well, Glory..!!!! They say if don't like the weather in south Louisiana just hang on a bit and it will change. I think for the most part we missed out on all the sleet and freezing rain. Thank The Lord.!! They are ready predicting another real cold spell this coming weekend at well. We'll just have to wait and see. Ya'll please stay safe and warm. Don't forget to check on your neighbors and elderly.
By Lerand Hunt on
2 months ago
Winter Greetings!
Hello to all of my faithful readers. Can you believe the first month of 2026 is gone? Time waits for nothing and no one. Snow has been in the weather forecast, but haven't gotten any so far. There is lots of excitement when it snows, but traveling is hazardous and think about all the animals that's out in it.
By Nell Smith on
2 months ago
Jim Brown
By Jim Brown on
2 months ago
Published on
2 months ago
George Starks
District Attorney Collin Sims announces that on Wednesday of this week, George Starks, 32, of Pearl River, Louisiana, was sentenced to a mandatory term of life imprisonment for the brutal rape and sexual battery of a child.
The sentencing follows a December 2025 conviction where a St. Tammany Parish jury took only 19 minutes to return a unanimous guilty verdict.
Judge Tara Zeller of Division B handed down the following sentences:
Published on
2 months ago
President Ronald Reagan
40 years ago today, President Ronald Reagan spoke to the nation following the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Shown below is his speech.
Ronald Reagan, January 28,1986, broadcast from the White House:
Published on
2 months 1 week ago
JACKSON, Miss. – Due to ongoing hazardous conditions caused by the ice storm, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is closing county health departments and offices in the following counties for Tuesday, January 27:
Published on
