DEVELOPING: The developer behind an $11 million low-income Baton Rouge housing deal with the city-parish has just been charged by AG Liz Murrill on 7 counts of financial crimes. The project was also the subject of federal subpoenas served last year.

Kelly LeDuff is now Baton Rouge’s community development director. But back in February, he was a contracted employee for Sid Edwards’ office, something state law prohibits, as his father is - and was - a senior mayoral aide.

In 2018, St. George committed to cover 19% of the East Baton Rouge DA, court, coroner and prison budgets. In court in 2022, they again said they'd pay. But in 2025, operating as an actual city for more than a year — St. George has yet to pay a dime.

With Baton Rouge bracing for hundreds of city layoffs, council members called out one of their own last night. “It's just a slap in the face … to the 4,000 employees that are sitting there wondering whether or not they're going to have jobs next week.”

Today was one of the most difficult days I have faced as Mayor-President," Sid Edwards said. "These were people I care about, respect, and who worked tirelessly to make a difference for our City-Parish."

The tears at Sid Edwards' watch party last night were not because a candidate lost or simply because the Thrive measures failed. For his employees, a brutal truth was setting in: The realization that some of them would be losing their jobs.

All 3 of the mayor’s tax rededications known as Thrive are going to fail. Will be a rough day at Baton Rouge city hall Monday. Lots of layoffs coming.

It is finally Thrive decision day in Baton Rouge. Will Mayor Sid Edwards major tax overhaul buck the odds and get voter approval?

Former speaker of the Louisiana State House of Representatives has been indicted on theft charges after related to the disappearance of an ancient cypress board that used to hang at the state capitol.

The mayor says his proposed budget for 2026 is the last one in which his office/the city-parish will fund Baton Rouge’s public defender’s office. After that, they’ll need to fund themselves, he says.

JUST IN: Mayor Sid Edwards has named Christel Slaughter his full-time Chief Administrative Officer. Slaughter has served as acting CAO — the top job in the mayor's office — since Sept. 9.

Last night, Edwards brought the Baton Rouge Metro Council a 2026 budget that includes hundreds of layoffs and double digit % point cuts to almost every agency. But BRPD and fire - who together account for about half the budget - are unscathed.

From cops vs. libraries to paying down debt. Sid Edwards’ “Thrive” tax plan has changed a lot in the past 8+ months, and now voters are finally about to weigh in.

“If it's just ICE agents we would like to wait till at least after thrive election. I think it will hurt us getting passed," Edwards texted a consultant last month. The mayor now says he’s completely against ICE in Baton Rouge.

Councilwoman Coleman to the mayor's OCD Director Kelly LeDuff last night: "If this thing was executed in August, and here we're getting almost to Thanksgiving, and … no monies have been issued, something's wrong with this picture."

The latest from @faimon: "To say that Edwards doesn’t need this right now risks underplaying the pivotal moment of his first year."

UPDATE: Mayor Sid Edwards has placed senior staffer Monique Appeaning on leave, as an investigation into her conduct is underway. A complaint filed last week claims she runs the office “like a mafia boss” and used a slur against an employee.

Autopengate — Baton Rouge edition: Several council members are questioning the use of Mayor Sid Edwards’ autopen and whether a staffer currently under scrutiny is authorized to operate it.

“What I don’t want is take-down soldiers. I don’t want them coming in here and busting down doors…”

SCOOP: A top aide to Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards has been accused by a staffer of using slurs, bullying employees and wielding "unchecked authority" "more like a mafia boss than a government worker." Metro Council has called for a full investigation.

For a year and a half, St. George has been creating its brand new government from scratch - one they hope will look different than other Louisiana cities. Meet the company tasked with making leaders’ vision of privatization a reality.

Baton Rouge mayor Sid Edwards says he welcomes extra manpower but wants more info about a National Guard deployment. In his statement this afternoon, Edwards did not address local Democrats’ call for him to reject Gov. Landry’s request.

Democratic members of Metro Council are calling on Mayor Sid Edwards to reject Gov. Jeff Landry’s effort to bring National Guard troops to Baton Rouge.

Days after the plan was temporarily derailed by a lone dissenting vote, Baton Rouge’s Metro Council approved a healthcare switch with a revote that they hope will save the city-parish up to $19 million a year.

A lone dissenting vote held unusual power on Baton Rouge’s Metro Council, which barely had a quorum last night. Hurst was slammed by the 6 others after he stalled a measure months in the making, forcing another special meeting for a Monday revote.

For about the past 6 months, the FBI has been working with staffers from Mayor Sid Edwards’ office on an investigation into past housing deals involving federal funds. Newly obtained emails shed more light on the scope of the authorities’ investigation.

The warden was nice enough to give me The Advocate photographer Javier Gallegos access to nearly every inch of Baton Rouge's jail this week. Javi put together a gallery showing an unprecedented look at the conditions inside the decrepit facility.

Years of neglect have left Baton Rouge’s jail an inhumane ruin. But now its crumbling walls aren’t just a crisis for inmates. They’ve become a runaway train of soaring costs barreling toward taxpayers. And there are no brakes in sight.

Here’s a wild one. Louisiana AG Liz Murrill says a Shreveport council vote to welcome Bernie Sanders is invalid under state law, which mandates vocal—not electronic—votes. But officials across the state have been using electronic systems for decades. 🧵

Charlie Davis, who has served as Mayor Sid Edwards' top staffer since the administration took over, is transitioning from CAO to a new role in the office.

Though virtually every significant local and state ballot measure has failed over the past year, Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards’ team hopes to pass “Thrive” by showing voters the plan isn’t a new tax.

Public pushback related to the new LSU arena has surged in recent weeks. Despite that, Metro Council unanimously approved a new tax Wednesday night. At least some of the revenue from that tax could be given to the arena's developer in the future.

Baton Rouge GOP chair Woody Jenkins slammed the proposed tax plan related to the new LSU arena yesterday. Calling it a “scam” that avoids public input, Jenkins is urging the Metro Council to delay its vote tonight on the measure.

Shaq says he will be the first investor in LSU’s proposed new arena, a project still under review after Oak View Group’s former CEO was indicted.

Newly obtained records related to a Baton Rouge housing deal show even more concerning practices. But they also show at least some staffers from the department, which sources say is now under federal investigation, were raising red flags.

Some frustrations among Baton Rouge’s Metro Council with the mayor’s office came to a head last night. And the sentiment was heard from both sides of the aisle.

The feds are investigating millions of dollars distributed by a Baton Rouge City Hall office since 2020. Here are some instances of possible financial mismanagement at the Office of Community Development.

Multiple sources say federal authorities are investigating Baton Rouge's Office of Community Development for possible misuse of public funds. A recent internal report raises questions about the millions of dollars the agency distributed in recent years. www.theadvocate.com/...

The merger between Baton Rouge’s EMS and fire departments is not going super smoothly, it seems. “EMS has our own problems, just like everyone else,” said one EMS employee. “But the fire department is not the answer to those problems. Support is.” www.theadvocate.com/...

In merging with BRFD, Baton Rouge EMS workers were told no one will lose their jobs, rank or promotion structure. The promise has many of the paramedics asking: “So, where is the money being saved then?” www.theadvocate.com/...

According to a draft of terms for the new LSU arena, a deal could hinge on Baton Rouge and state officials agreeing to rebate taxes to Oak View Group, the finalist to develop the project. www.theadvocate.com/...

This year’s Louisiana legislative session had a lot of bills focused on Baton Rouge. But the current city-parish contract only providing lobbying services on behalf of the mayor. www.theadvocate.com/...

A Zachary councilman says the city attorney threatened him with a smear campaign if he didn’t approve an upcoming tax. He’s asking the mayor to investigate and for the attorney to resign. www.theadvocate.com/...

More records reveal a potential price for naming rights to the LSU arena. It looks like it’ll cost Our Lady of the Lake around $50 million - if a deal to develop the arena goes through. www.theadvocate.com/...

Records turned over to us today point to Baton Rouge’s Our Lady of the Lake hospital getting the naming rights to the new LSU arena. If the arena gets built. www.theadvocate.com/...

New on the LSU arena: - University “evaluating” things after developer was indicted by feds yesterday. - More details from prosecutors. - Thoughts from Baton Rouge officials, including Mayor Sid Edwards. www.theadvocate.com/...

ICYMI yesterday: The developer picked for the LSU arena project was indicted in federal court for rigging bids in a similar deal at UT Austin. www.theadvocate.com/...

A year later, we finally got video of a then-Baton Rouge mayoral senior staffer hitting an ABC board member with a chair at a nightclub last June. www.theadvocate.com/...

Facing a $40M parish shortfall in Dec., Baton Rouge council members found a little extra revenue to ease strain on their district budgets. Darryl Hurst used it to buy a $36K off-road vehicle. It was parked in his driveway yesterday. www.theadvocate.com/...

Though he couldn’t yet say quite how much, Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards said he expects the move to save the city-parish some money once fully implemented. www.theadvocate.com/...