Good morning, Lake Charles.

SWLA held a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 25 to honor fallen service members as veterans and families gathered at a local memorial in Lake Charles.

Today, 1,265 flags are raised at Orange Grove-Graceland Cemetery on Broad Street for the annual Avenue of Flags display in honor of Memorial Day, with flags set to be retired at 5:00 p.m. A Memorial Day ceremony is held at 11 a.m. at the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Jennings.

Local leaders are fueling Lake Area business growth — Dr. Khan joined Ochsner Christus Health, Dr. Orsot became executive director at McNeese State University’s Office of Enrollment Management, ReCon launched an HR division, and Megan Majors was promoted to lead Dynamic Dimensions Fitness Centers.

A local broadcast honored a hometown hero in a Memorial Day special that aired on Monday, May 25.

The program celebrated the hero’s service and brought community members together in a touching tribute (organizers offered additional details).

Louisiana motorists faced fuel costs above $4.00 per gallon on Memorial Day, with prices averaging $4.05 on Friday - 50 cents less than the national average.

Experts explained that international trade factors drove the higher prices, which may remain for several more months.

Lake Charles students earned academic honors this spring at several institutions; Caleb Blankenship made Delta State’s president’s list while Reese Manuel joined an honors program and local seniors received Sasol scholarships and dean’s list recognition.

Governor Jeff Landry signed House Bill 286 into law with unanimous bipartisan support from the Legislature — the law requires K-12 schools to offer early career exposures, such as surveys and guest speakers, to help students explore in-demand fields in our community.