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Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Lamont Cole's indictment shrinks to 3 counts; Entergy $100 credit opens today

Plus, the Capital Region added 13,700 jobs and a wig is linked to a missing Houston woman.

The Daily Baton Rouge team4 stories15 sources5 min read

City HallTop story

Lamont Cole's corruption indictment has been cut from five counts to three

Cole's counts fell from five to three

Counts by charge

AugustOct. 14
Bribery plot 2Laundering 2Malfeasance 1
1 −50%1 −50%1 0%

Source: WBRZ

View as table
AugustOct. 14Change
Bribery plot21−50%
Laundering21−50%
Malfeasance110%

If you've followed the City Hall corruption probe, here's the latest. A stamped Oct. 14 replaced the original August one against Cole, the East Baton Rouge school superintendent and former Metro Council member. One conspiracy count and one money laundering count are gone.

The attorney general's office said it was "to simply clarify the indictment for the jury." Defense lawyer Lewis Unglesby called it "either a big fluke, or it's a screw-up," and said no one told them. WBRZ reports the lawyers now want the remaining charges dropped.

  • Cole's court date moved to next year
  • The new indictment no longer mentions the $40,000 in bribes
  • Challenge pending: whether the AG needed DA Hillar Moore's recusal

How Cole's case has moved

  1. Aug.Cole is indicted and turns himself in at the parish prison.
  2. Oct. 14A replaces the original, with three counts.
  3. 2027Cole's next court date, moved from this week.

Sources: WAFB, WBRZ

Business

The Capital Region added 13,700 jobs in a year, led by construction

The Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership says the region has record-high employment and the fastest job growth among comparable metros. Its third-quarter report counts 442,500 nonfarm jobs in July, a 3.2% gain over the year.

The region's job numbers hit records

13,700
jobs added over the past year
58,700
construction jobs, a record
3.5%
unemployment in August, the lowest on record

Source: WBRZ

Construction is the engine, with Hut 8's data center in West Feliciana Parish and Hyundai Steel's mill in Ascension Parish. Andrew Fitzgerald of the partnership told the Louisiana Radio Network some workers are moving here, and more locals are training in two-year and certificate programs.

  • Private weekly earnings: $1,236.65, first among Louisiana metros
  • Pay growth: 5.5% over the past year
  • Unemployment claims: down 29% from last year

12,300new construction workers in the Capital Region

Fitzgerald says that's just the construction sector, which now tops 58,000 jobs.

Source: louisianaradionetwork.com

Public Safety

Sources link a wig to missing Houston woman, but state police won't confirm it

WAFB reported Tuesday that a wig found weeks ago near the I-10 crash scene has been linked by DNA to Christina Munn-Holliday, 22, citing sources. The Advocate says Trooper Shelby Mayfield declined to confirm it to protect the investigation.

What's reported and what's confirmed

ItemStatus
Wig DNA matchPer sources; LSP won't confirm
Sandrea Davis, 21Arrested; not tied to disappearance
The searchOngoing

Sources: WAFB, The Advocate

She has been missing since Sept. 30, when a crash was reported on eastbound I-10 near milepost 128 in Iberville Parish. KPEL notes the Iberville and East Baton Rouge sheriff's offices, the Harris County Sheriff's Office and the United Cajun Navy have all joined the search.

  • Tip line: Harris County Sheriff's Office, 713-221-6000
  • Davis was arrested on reckless operation with accident

The case so far

  1. Sept. 30A crash is reported on eastbound I-10 near milepost 128.
  2. Oct. 27WAFB reports, citing sources, that DNA links a wig to Munn-Holliday.
  3. Oct. 27State police decline to confirm specific evidence.

Sources: WAFB, The Advocate

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Your Money

Entergy Louisiana's one-time $100 bill credit applications open at 9 a.m. today

If you're below the federal poverty level or in an household, you can apply through your local United Way starting 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28. In East Baton Rouge and nine nearby parishes, that's Capital Area United Way.

Entergy's credit by the numbers

$100
one-time bill credit for eligible customers
$2 million
in shareholder funding

Source: WBRZ

ALICE means households earning above the poverty level but below the cost of living where they live. Entergy will email potentially eligible customers, and credits last while funds do. Louisiana First says in-person help is at your local United Way.

  • Photo ID: license, state ID or passport
  • Income proof for each earner 18 or older
  • Accepted: 2025 tax return page one, W2, pay stub, SSA 1099 or 1042S, benefit letters

What you need to apply

BringAccepted
Photo IDLicense, state ID, passport
Income proof2025 tax return, W2, pay stub
Benefits proofSSA 1099 or 1042S, letters

Source: KATC

Asked

Tap an answer to see how Baton Rouge answered.

Asked

Will you or someone you know apply for Entergy's $100 credit?

Be the first to answer.

Quoted

Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you.

— Jean-Paul Sartre

The Buy

News Notes

Early voting

Ascension Parish cast 16,036 early votes, up from 9,909 in the 2022 midterm. Election Day is Nov. 3. Donaldsonville Chief

Burn ban

West Baton Rouge Parish issued a parish-wide burn ban Tuesday because of dry conditions. It stays until the parish president rescinds it. WAFB

Santa CAAWS

Pets can get photos with Santa from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun., Nov. 15, at the South Branch Library on Glasgow Avenue. Louisiana First News

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Ascension early voting topped 2022

Source: Donaldsonville Chief

View as table
Value
2022 midterm9,909
202616,036

Asked

Tap an answer to see how Baton Rouge answered.

Asked

When do you plan to vote on Nov. 3?

Be the first to answer.

Today’s puzzles

A new puzzle in each one every morning, played right here.

All 13 games

Things to Do

Things to Do

Baton Rouge, LA

Wednesday, Oct. 28

See every Baton Rouge eventFeature your event

Jobs

Jobs

Submit your Job listing

Do you know just the role for our readers? Advertise it on our Jobs board.

The Wrap

Dust off the black eyeliner. Prom Macabre is a one-night reunion of the club scene that shaped a generation of dancers, DJs, and night owls. It's Fri., Oct. 30, at 8:30 p.m. at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center, 233 St. Ferdinand St. Headliner DJ Prep once had residencies at The Kingfish, Shelter, T.Trax, Luna, and Gridlock, and his sets feature dark wave, '80s dance, breakbeat, techno, and trance. Which old club do you miss most?

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Early voting ends today, Southern's lockdown lifts, and jobs hit a record

Read yesterday’s edition

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Every source in this edition15 links · 11 outlets
  1. The Weather Channelweather.com
  2. WAFBwafb.com
  3. WBRZwbrz.com
  4. louisianaradionetwork.comlouisianaradionetwork.com
  5. WBRZwbrz.com
  6. WAFBwafb.com
  7. 96.5 KPELkpel965.com
  8. The Advocatetheadvocate.com
  9. WBRZwbrz.com
  10. KATCacadiananewsfirst.com
  11. brproud.comlouisianafirstnews.com
  12. Donaldsonville Chiefdonaldsonvillechief.com
  13. WAFBwafb.com
  14. Louisiana First Newslouisianafirstnews.com
  15. Baton Rouge events calendardailybatonrouge.com

Past issues

  1. Mon., Nov. 2LSU hosts Alabama Saturday; storms could reach Baton Rouge Election Night
  2. Sun., Nov. 1Xavier Young picks LSU, and storms are forecast for Election Day
  3. Sat., Oct. 31Baton Rouge lands a federal crime grant, and a new poll shows a Senate tie
  4. Fri., Oct. 30Louisiana says it has lethal injection drug ready for Wessinger
  5. Thurs., Oct. 29Early voting tops 520,000 and a judge clears a path for RJ Luis Jr. at LSU
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Daily Baton Rougeto me · Wed., Oct. 286:00 a.m.

Lamont Cole's indictment shrinks to 3 counts; Entergy $100 credit opens today

Plus, the Capital Region added 13,700 jobs and a wig is linked to a missing Houston woman.

The TLDR

  1. Lamont Cole's corruption indictment drops from five counts to three
  2. Capital Region added 13,700 jobs, mostly in construction
  3. Sources link a wig to missing Houston woman; state police won't confirm
Read this edition

More stories this week

From Daily Baton Rouge’s other editions

All the news
LSU FootballLSU hosts Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 7, to start a four-game NovemberIf you're planning your weekend around LSU, the Tigers come off the bye week at 6-2 after a 38-17 win at Auburn. They're still No. 15 in the AP Top 25 poll released Sunday, holding that spot ahead of Week 10 and going into the Alabama matchup. They're also 4.5-point favorites over Alabama, according to BetOnline Sports & Casino. Both teams have two losses, so a third would sting.Today’s editionRead WeatherStorms could arrive late on Election Day, with cooler weather behind the frontIf you're voting Tuesday, we suggest going earlier in the day. WAFB says the latest trend has low pressure moving farther north, leaving a chance of rain and a few isolated severe storms Tuesday night and early Wednesday, mainly north of the I-10/12 corridor.Today’s editionRead LSU BasketballLSU basketball opens Tuesday with five of six players with eligibility questions able to playCoach Will Wade called it a "calculated risk" to build a roster with six players who weren't guaranteed eligibility. It mostly paid off: five of them have nothing preventing them from playing in the season opener against LSU New Orleans on Tuesday, Nov. 3.Today’s editionRead

Around Baton Rouge

From 97.3 The Dawg, WAFB and 4 more newsrooms, gathered by TMI, 6AM City’s local news service.

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  5. Louisiana First News1 hour ago

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  6. The Advocate1 hour ago

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    Also reported byKPLC 7 News