Why is Louisiana college attendance dropping?

with Matthew Albright | Assistant metro editor

Good morning! Here are some of our best reads from yesterday.

A college dropoff

Fewer students enrolled in Louisiana colleges this year than the year before — even though enrollment was up at LSU and Southern University. At the same time, fewer students took advantage of TOPS, the state's major merit-based scholarship.

Some Louisiana higher education leaders think that's a worrying sign. Here's what the numbers look like, and what it might mean. 

A deadly night on local roads

There were several deadly crashes in and around Baton Rouge on Saturday night into Sunday morning. 

Two crashes just hours apart near Zachary and Gonzales left three people dead, State Police said. Then there was a fatal hit-and-run in Baton Rouge, according to city police.

"Poetry is human history"

One of the country's largest collections of African-American poetry, including a book once owned by Frederick Douglass and a collection of works by 1950 Pulitzer Prize winner Gwendolyn Brooks, is coming to LSU.

We talked to librarians about the new collection and its importance. We also talked to Louisiana's poet laureate — who describes her work as "very Black and without apology" — about efforts to understand and preserve our history through poetry. 

Thanks for reading, and have a great Mardi Gras week!