Ethan Tuttle

Twenty-five years ago today, the world watched as the September 11th attacks unfolded. Today, that day is still not forgotten.

Ceremonies were held across the country, including here in Louisiana, where the Baton Rouge Fire Department and the St. George Fire Department both paused to remember.

"That's what it's about, never forgetting. It's important to us here in the city of Baton Rouge because that could've happened anywhere in the United States," Kimble said.

For Mike Lamana, remembering isn't limited to one day a year.
"Every day is a missing of Scotty," Lamana said.

His son, Michael "Scott" Lamana, was serving in the military when an assignment took him to the Pentagon. He was there on September 11th when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building, killing him and 124 others inside.

Lamana still remembers their last conversation, when Scott told him about his new car and that he was two months from earning his MBA at Maryland.

Today, Scott's legacy lives on. The St. George Fire Department station where he worked bears his name, LSU shared photos of a display honoring him inside its military museum, and his elementary school held a service in his memory.

"It just shows what he did throughout his life and the impression he made on other people and what impression he made on the fire department," Lamana said.

Lamana's message 25 years later: don't let the lessons of that day slip away.

"We have to take the lessons that we should've learned and still apply them today and not let them get away from us," Lamana said.

A stormy, rain-delayed season opener couldn’t dampen fans’ appetites at Tiger Stadium, where LSU set a new school record for concession sales in a single game.

LSU announced that net concession sales totaled $2.3 million during Saturday night’s game against Clemson.

A business owner near LA-30 in Gonzales says a state road construction project has cost the area at least $20 million in lost sales.

"Collectively it's been terrible," said business owner Wesley Robert.

"Several businesses have closed, some are looking to close."

The $30 million DOTD project started in 2024 and is meant to improve traffic flow and safety in the area, including new roundabouts. But since work began, nearby businesses say they've seen sharp declines.

A statement from a PR firm representing Tanger Outlet Mall says the project has created "very real challenges," and the mall has cut hours due to traffic impacts. Employees there report sales down 30-60% this past month.

Muhammad Khan, whose brother owns a Mooyah Burger off LA-30, says the restaurant has seen a 43-45% drop in foot and car traffic.

"The numbers have hit us so hard that it's very hard to keep the help that my brother needs in the store," Khan said.

Robert says legal action against those involved in the project is now being discussed among business owners.

DOTD has not given a firm completion date, but says liquidated damages could cost the contractor up to $12,000 a day if enforced.

Football is back, and so is WAFB’s Weekend Kickoff! 🏈

Matt Venezia and Ethan Tuttle are back this Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and they’re kicking things off with a blind ranking of popular Louisiana tailgate foods. 👀

What would make your top 5? Drop your rankings in the comments.

🏈 100 GALLONS OF PAINT PER COLOR. 100,000+ SCREAMING FANS. ZERO ROOM FOR ERROR.

Have you ever wondered what it actually takes to get the legendary turf at Tiger Stadium ready for Saturday night under the lights?

Behind the iconic look of Death Valley is a highly meticulous, high-pressure operation run by the LSU Grounds Crew. It’s a job that Director of Athletic Fields and Grounds Jeremy Tredway describes as "instant gratification" when the paint first pops—but the road to kickoff is anything but easy.

"Every eye in college football is going to be here, so it adds a lot of pressure to this," says Jack Simmons, who started with the crew five years ago and now runs the show when it comes to laying down the paint.

Getting the field ready requires more than a dozen workers spraying, lining, and using physical boards to guarantee every single line is absolutely flawless.

"This paint job is to the detail. We don't want any squiggly lines," Tredway says. "We board everything to make sure the lines are as crisp as possible. I mean, that's the standard that's been set here and we want to continue to build off that."

For Simmons, who has spent all summer baking in the Louisiana heat to prepare the venue, the payoff comes when 102,000 fans flood the stands and the team takes the field.

"It's challenging, don't get me wrong, and it's really hot—but it's really rewarding, especially when they come out here tomorrow night," Simmons says. "We'll kind of see how the field plays... hopefully it does, and it's really exciting."

👇 What is your favorite memory under the lights at Death Valley? Let us know in the comments below!

⚖️🏈 Is the courtroom overshadowing the college gridiron?

With kickoff just days away, a mounting legal battle is taking center stage as LSU fights to bring back players the NCAA says are out of eligibility. On campus, Tigers are deeply split. Some Baton Rouge undergrads are applauding the university for finding a legal loophole to help athletes make a living, while others argue it's unfair to field older, former professional players.

Some on campus worry the legal drama is ruining the spirit of Saturday nights in Death Valley, calling the lawsuits an unnecessary distraction from the purity of the game.

👇 Should LSU keep fighting in court, or is this legal battle hurting the game? Let us know.

A fire killed 22-year-old Lauren Carter and her 6-year-old son, Layton, according to officials.

Neighbor Jamison Marshall says he was on scene and tried to help the two escape the flames.

"We tried, we couldn't get to the baby, the smoke was heavy. The door was hot, the smoke was too thick like we couldn't even get to the baby," Marshall said.

The cause of the fire is still unknown and the State Fire Marshal is investigating.

Marshall says Carter and her son didn't deserve to go the way they did.

"She would go to work, take care of that little boy. She wouldn't mess with nobody like she quiet, you wouldn't even know she stay back here man," he said.

The Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office says 10 to 15 residents will be displaced after the early-morning fire.

Marshall says nothing like this happens in Maringouin.

"No, no, not at all. Like, this is Maringouin, this the country, like no," he said.

A tight-knit Iberville Parish community is grieving after an unimaginable early-morning tragedy claimed the life of a woman who had just returned home to care for her family.

Around 4:30 a.m. Thursday, deputies responded to Sparks Lane in Maringouin after a massive tree came crashing down on a camper. Inside was 33-year-old Cindy Perritt, who was trapped underneath the tree and died from her injuries.

For responding deputies, the tragedy hit incredibly close to home. Iberville Parish Sheriff's Captain Hosea Anderson grew up with Perritt's family, making the rescue and recovery efforts deeply personal.

"I know the family, I grew up with them, we went to school together, we ate at each other’s dinner tables," Capt. Anderson said. "It’s hard when you come and see something like this here and actually find someone that you know."

Investigators say Perritt had recently traveled back to Maringouin to care for a relative. While officials say the tragedy was completely unpreventable, the small town of Maringouin is already stepping up to ensure her family does not have to grieve alone.

"This community is a small community so we know each other," Capt. Anderson said. "We might not be connected by blood, but we’re connected by love because we’re such a tight-knit community."

🚗 300,000 miles. All 50 states. One family car that's not going anywhere.

For LSU senior Tavion Fielder, his 2003 Honda Pilot isn't just a way to get to class — it's a rolling record of his entire life.

"5-6 years old, I remember my dad getting it for my mom," Fielder said. "Since then I always remember it being in the driveway, always remember riding it to practices, to school, my mom driving me."

Now, that same Pilot has more than 300,000 miles on it — roughly the equivalent of 100 trips coast to coast.

As a military family, the Fielders have moved at least eight times, and the Pilot towed trailers and boxes along the way. It's even been shipped to Hawaii so the family could drive it there.

"As a military family we've moved a lot so it's towed big trailers, boxes," Fielder said.

Despite the wear and tear, selling it isn't on the table.

"We love this vehicle," Fielder said. "I don't think we'll ever sell it."

So what's next for the family's high-mileage companion? Fielder's already looking ahead to the next big number.

"Yes, I definitely think it's going to hit 500," Fielder said.

From a 5-year-old riding in the backseat, to a college senior behind the wheel — this Pilot has seen it all. 🛣️

Global retail giant Gap directed its spotlight entirely onto Southern University’s legendary Human Jukebox. 🌟
Band Director Dr. Kedrick Taylor was stunned when the multi-billion-dollar company reached out. "They were like, 'Well look, we'll just come to your campus. Your band has a brand, you guys will be our artists.' And I was like, wow."
What followed was a full Hollywood-scale production right inside Southern's football stadium. Participating students got a true taste of the professional grind—running scenes over and over to nail every detail—and they were compensated to the tune of $500 to $3,000 each.
For the reigning ESPN "Band of the Year," matching that meticulous Hollywood standard was second nature. The final product is a stunning global campaign highlighting the hard work, precision, and dominance of the Human Jukebox.
While the students went home with invaluable experience and exclusive custom Gap jackets, Dr. Taylor laughed about missing out on the swag: "I wanted me one, but it was for the students. But I thought that was a nice jacket to wear to one of the football games, right?"
Read the full story on WAFB.com.