Articles by Kevin McGill

Lawsuit Over U.S. Wage Rule Focused on Louisiana Crawfish Processors

Federal regulators are using an illegally adopted rule and unreliable research in allowing Louisiana crawfish processors to hire foreign workers at “depressed and stagnated wages” — wages that also hold down the rates of pay available to U.S. citizens doing …

$25M Lawsuit Blames Energy, Boat Companies in Deadly Liftboat Capsizing

The offshore oil industry boat that overturned in a deadly Gulf of Mexico disaster last week was ordered to sea in dangerous conditions by an energy company that put “money over safety,” a pair of $25 million lawsuits assert. The …

$50M Suit Alleges Retaliation over Allegations Against Former LSU Coach

In a $50 million federal racketeering lawsuit, an associate athletic director at Louisiana State University accuses university officials of retaliating against her for reporting racist remarks and inappropriate sexual behavior by former head football coach Les Miles. Sharon Lewis’ lawsuit …

Louisiana AG Backs $100M Deal in Freeport McMoRan Coastal Damage Suit

Attorney General Jeff Landry has said he’s backing a $100 million settlement between a dozen coastal parishes and mining corporation Freeport McMoRan to end a lawsuit over damage to Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, in what could become a landmark agreement. The …

Louisiana Bars Lose Appeal in Fight Against Forced COVID-19 Closures

Louisiana bar owners fighting coronavirus-related closures of their businesses lost an appeal at a federal appeals court. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Jan. 13 upheld rulings from two lower court judges who last year refused to block …

Zeta’s Impact on Louisiana Island: ‘Like a Bomb Was Dropped’

Mark Andollina remembers stinging rain and a howling wind that peeled the roof off part of his Cajun Tide Beach Resort on Grand Isle, the Louisiana barrier island town where residents were among the first to feel the ferocity of …

Zeta Leaves Southeast Louisiana Reeling Before Heading Northeast

A fast-moving Zeta weakened to a tropical storm as it barreled northeast on Oct. 29 after ripping through Louisiana and Mississippi where storm-weary residents were advised to stay indoors overnight while officials assessed the havoc the storm had wrought. The …

Wetlands Loss Suits Against Oil Companies to Stay in Louisiana State Courts

Oil companies facing lawsuits that blame them for coastal wetlands loss in Louisiana have lost an attempt to move the suits to federal court. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Aug. 10 upheld a decision …

After Crashing onto Louisiana Coast, Cristobal Moves Up Mississippi River Basin

Tropical Storm Cristobal weakened into a depression early on June 8 after inundating coastal Louisiana and ginning up dangerous weather along most of the U.S. Gulf Coast, sending waves crashing over Mississippi beaches, swamping parts of an Alabama island town …

New Orleans Universities, Archdiocese Named in Katrina Aid Lawsuit

Two New Orleans universities, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans and a government contractor are defendants in a whistleblower lawsuit alleging fraud involving more than $100 million in Hurricane Katrina aid. The 2016 federal lawsuit was unsealed on June …