AROUND THE STATE: Louisiana's Zaila Avant-garde named SportsKid of the Year

Louisiana native in Thanksgiving parade

Louisiana native Jon Batiste was selected to perform on the state's float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

The musician is an Academy Award and Golden Globe winner. He also has 11 Grammy nominations this year.

Restaurant chain gives away Coach O merchandise

Raising Cane's, the popular restaurant chain that started near LSU's campus in Baton Rouge, announced it would give away free merchandise ahead of head coach Ed Orgeron's final game at Tiger Stadium.

"Coach O" has been a spokesperson for the chain since 2017.

The restaurant announced the "Coach Eaux" T-shirts, hoodies, and hats would be given to the first 100 dine-in customers who purchase a combo at one of the greater Baton Rouge locations.

Housing program launched

About 15 months following Hurricane Laura, Louisiana has started an $11.3 million program for housing repair and rebuilding for Lake Charles.

Gov. John Bel Edwards and Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter announced the program during a joint press conference.

It will be financed with federal housing and disaster recovery funds available to the state and city through various programs.

Hunter said he expects the program to help with the dire housing situation in the southwestern Louisiana city.

Protection sought for at-risk turtles

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it is proposing threatened status for the Pearl River map turtle.

The change would grant added federal protections to the at-risk species found only in Louisiana and Mississippi.

The agency will also seek protection for the closely-related Pascagoula map turtle, found only in Mississippi, and three other species found in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Louisiana's Zaila Avant-garde named SportsKid of the Year

Zaila Avant-garde has been named the 2021 SportsKid of the Year by the staff of Sports Illustrated Kids.

Avant-garde, who is from Harvey, won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee. The 14-year-old also holds three Guinness World Records for her basketball dribbling skills.

Gov. John Bel Edwards congratulated the teenager in a post to social media.

Adele gives shoutout to Southern band

Singer Adele reacted to the Southern University Human Jukebox's performance at the annual Bayou Classic football game.

The band performed "Easy on Me," which was the lead single on Adele's latest album, "30."