BY DOUG GRAHAM | Staff writer The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is now set to be considered "extremely active," according to calculations by Colorado State University researchers, who provide seasonal forecasts and track storm data. The busiest month was October. Although only one storm, Hurricane Francine, made landfall in Louisiana, three others brought havoc to the Florida Gulf Coast, and 11 of this year's 18 named storms reached hurricane strength, according to the researchers. Read more about the season's statistics. Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle are increasing pressure to slow the hiring of a replacement for a key Louisiana Board of Ethics official. A pair of state senators won an order temporarily halting the hiring last week. The mushrooming conflict comes amid recent hearings in which legislators have questioned how the ethics board enforces its rules. Read more about the conflict here. Back-to-back defeats after six consecutive wins have put the LSU Tigers' season in a ditch. Can the team dig deep and find way to pull together and get a win against Florida on Saturday? Read what columnist Scott Rabalais thinks. | 