BY MATTHEW ALBRIGHT | Staff writer It can pay off big time to have the right Louisiana legislator. The state budget is flush with cash this year, and lawmakers have been able to send more than $100 million back to their districts for local projects. Splash parks, police stations, golf courses and civic associations are all getting taxpayer money. And the more influential the lawmaker, the more money they get. This story looks at how it all works, and why some people think it's an unfair way to run a state. As Baton Rouge grapples with record-breaking gun violence, the mayor and police leaders have started saying the courts are letting too many people accused of violent crimes back out on the streets. But Baton Rouge is also under pressure to reform its bail system, which frequently keeps people before trial longer than everywhere else in Louisiana. This story shows the tightrope the city is trying to walk between protecting civil liberties and keeping people safe. In a fun and tasty return to normalcy, the Jambalaya Festival came back to Gonzales after a two-year hiatus caused by COVID. This story and photos take you inside the festivities — and the fierce but friendly contest to be crowned "World Jambalaya Champion." | 