Lake Charles

A man struck a woman in the face with a metal tool at a Louisiana store after a dispute involving her dog, according to police. The woman sustained serious facial injuries and was hospitalized. Dwayne Pitre, 39, of Lake Charles, was arrested and charged with aggravated second-degree battery.

Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall for a second time near the Louisiana-Texas border, bringing heavy rains to parts of the Texas coast. The storm, with sustained winds of 45 mph, moved westward at 10 mph, impacting areas including Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Galveston, Texas. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the Gulf Coast from Morgan City, Louisiana, to Sargent, Texas.

Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, with 45 mph winds and is moving west toward the Texas coast, expected to dissipate inland. A tropical storm warning is in effect for parts of Louisiana and Texas.

Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall in Louisiana's St. Bernard Parish and moved west toward Texas, bringing wind gusts up to 45 mph (75 kph) and storm surges of up to 3 feet (1 meter). The storm, which closed Gulf Coast beaches and issued tropical storm warnings from Alabama to Louisiana, was forecast to dissipate in Texas by Friday with minimal widespread damage expected. Southern Louisiana experienced a rare combination of tropical storm and extreme heat warnings.

Louisiana’s economy added 16,700 jobs in a year, reaching a record 2.01 million nonfarm jobs, with construction leading growth by adding 9,300 jobs. Energy and LNG investments, particularly in Lake Charles, and healthcare are also driving employment. GLO Resources connects job seekers with opportunities in these sectors.

A murder suspect was arrested in Louisiana after arriving at a police station to report a stolen vehicle. The suspect, Colby Parker, was charged with second-degree murder and other offenses following the discovery of Jermaric Andrus' body.

Louisiana’s economy reached 2.01 million nonfarm jobs in May 2026, driven by a construction boom that added 9,300 jobs over the past year. Baton Rouge, Monroe, and Lake Charles led job growth, while the state ranked fourth in the South for job and GDP growth, though challenges like lagging new business formation and high insurance costs remain.

A heated exchange between Fitzgerald Darbone of the African American Chamber of Commerce-Lake Charles and Councilman Ronnie Harvey outside Lake Charles council chambers ended without criminal charges. Surveillance video of the incident, which occurred after a June 23 city council meeting, was released following an investigation by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. Both parties declined to comment to 7News.

Baton Rouge’s three casinos generated $28.8 million in May 2025, an 8.6% increase from April and 2.7% higher than May 2024. L’Auberge Baton Rouge led with $14.7 million, Bally’s Baton Rouge saw 22.7% monthly growth to $6.2 million, and the Queen Baton Rouge reported $7.8 million. Louisiana’s 15 riverboat casinos collectively earned $187.2 million, with Lake Charles ($69.5 million) and Shreveport-Bossier ($60.6 million) as top performers.

Tropical Storm Arthur's remnants caused historic rainfall in Louisiana, setting a new 24-hour record of 29.06 inches measured by a CoCoRaHS observer near Cottonport in Avoyelles. The National Weather Service in Lake Charles confirmed the record.

Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, formed in the Gulf of Mexico near the Middle Texas coast. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving northeast, prompting a tropical storm warning from High Island, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana.

Potential Tropical Cyclone One is forming near the Texas coast, prompting a Tropical Storm Watch for parts of Louisiana and Texas. The system is expected to bring 4-8 inches of rain, causing dangerous flooding and potential tornadoes across Louisiana, Texas, and surrounding regions.

A volunteer coach in the Lake Charles area has been charged and detained for producing child pornography involving local minor boys. The incident highlights a serious criminal case involving the exploitation of minors.

Louisiana Judge Kendrick J. Guidry initially ruled against a state law allowing old abuse claims to proceed, favoring the Catholic Church despite a state supreme court upholding the law. He later recused himself after it was revealed he sits on the church's finance committee, creating a conflict of interest.

Jose Lopez-Montoya, a 41-year-old Honduran illegal immigrant in the U.S. since 2011, pleaded guilty to raping and impregnating his 12-year-old relative over two years. He faces 25 to 99 years in prison and an immigration detainer.