Ashley Joseph
Reporter
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Ashley Joseph is excited to report the news in her hometown of Lake Charles, La.
Ashley has loved news and broadcasting since she was a child.
A Cajun girl, she, of course, loves Cajun food. Ashley loves spending time with her family, cooking, reading and writing, listening to music and traveling.
She also loves the Saints and the Seattle Seahawks (although her co-workers aren't sure how that's possible).
Ashley is a 2016 graduate of McNeese State University, where she was part of the National Broadcasting Society (president of the McNeese chapter for one year), the NAACP and the Student Government Association.
Southwest Louisiana holds a very special place in her heart and she loves reporting its news and telling its stories.
Education
Updated: Aug. 20, 2021 at 6:16 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
The battle against COVID-19 is a tough one for all hospitals, but some of those in rural areas are in a desperate search to find open beds, given the recent surge in cases.
Updated: Aug. 19, 2021 at 6:09 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Access to certain healthcare equipment has come into question even more since the onset of COVID-19, as equipment like ventilators have played a critical role in the battle against the virus.
Updated: Aug. 18, 2021 at 8:45 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
With just a few weeks into a new school year, some districts are already reporting positive cases of COVID-19 in schools.
Updated: Aug. 17, 2021 at 7:57 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
This week, many will pay their respects to late Lake Charles Councilwoman Mary Morris who died earlier this month from COVID-19 complications.
Updated: Aug. 16, 2021 at 6:25 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
COVID-19 has, no doubt, put a big strain on healthcare systems nationwide, and the latest surge comes as research into the virus and its symptoms are still ongoing.
Updated: Aug. 13, 2021 at 7:44 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
One of the most anticipated movies of the year hits theaters Friday, and some in the Lake Area may notice a familiar face.
Updated: Aug. 12, 2021 at 6:24 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Simply transporting students safely back to campus this fall amid an ongoing pandemic can be a challenge for many school districts, but before the school year kicks off, we’re getting an inside look at how local districts plan to keep their most precious cargo safe.
Updated: Aug. 11, 2021 at 7:09 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Hurricane recovery efforts are still in full swing at many Lake Area schools, along with the families of thousands of students impacted by the storms.
Updated: Aug. 10, 2021 at 6:04 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
The recently extended eviction moratorium bought more time for hundreds of renters in the Lake Area.
Updated: Aug. 9, 2021 at 6:28 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
The Lake Charles community is mourning the untimely passing of longtime city councilwoman Mary Morris. Family members said she died Sunday from complications due to COVID-19.
Updated: Aug. 5, 2021 at 7:47 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
In just about a week, many parents will be sending their children back to school as this fourth wave of COVID-19 continues to hit the Lake Area.
Updated: Aug. 4, 2021 at 8:22 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
In less than two weeks, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in SWLA has doubled.
Updated: Aug. 3, 2021 at 6:25 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
It’s no secret the pandemic has put a lot of our daily practices into question, and with many businesses and civilians resorting to a virtual lifestyle, hackers have been working nonstop. But how prepared is the Lake Area for a major cyber attack?
Updated: Aug. 3, 2021 at 11:15 AM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
The final day debris removal contractors will be in Lake Charles is Friday, Aug. 27.
Updated: Aug. 2, 2021 at 4:37 AM CDT
|By KPLC Digital Team and Ashley Joseph
FEMA says the deadline to apply for federal assistance for May’s severe storms, tornadoes and flooding is Monday, August 2.
Updated: Jul. 23, 2021 at 6:03 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Growing a movement starts with the initial planting of a seed, and that’s exactly what the Impact Agency has been fostering since its inception three years ago.
Updated: Jul. 22, 2021 at 7:35 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Ronnie Harvey Jr.’s journey to becoming the state’s top high school principal started more than 20 years ago when he was a student at Washington-Marion High School.
Updated: Jul. 21, 2021 at 7:46 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
It’s a growing crime in the Lake Area and takes thieves just minutes to pull off.
Updated: Jul. 16, 2021 at 8:06 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
It’s a family’s worst fear - the unknown. A Vinton man has now been missing for more than 100 days.
Updated: Jul. 15, 2021 at 7:03 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Hurricane recovery has consumed the lives of Southwest Louisiana residents nearly one year after Hurricane Laura made landfall.
Updated: Jul. 14, 2021 at 6:17 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Parents may see some extra money in their bank accounts soon as monthly child tax credit advance payments are set to start going out to eligible parents Thursday, July 15.
Updated: Jul. 13, 2021 at 7:41 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Negotiations in the highly sought-after infrastructure bill are gaining steam in Washington. But with renewed calls at putting an end to the pause on oil and gas leases, some state lawmakers feel that Louisiana has more at stake.
Updated: Jul. 12, 2021 at 7:36 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
The fallout from the latest Louisiana Legislative Session gained new steam last week in Baton Rouge after dozens of law enforcement agencies spoke in opposition to a potential veto override session at the capitol.
Updated: Jul. 9, 2021 at 7:55 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Blighted and abandoned properties have, somewhat, become a thing of the norm across parts of Southwest Louisiana. In Welsh, the new mayor is wasting no time in cleaning up the town.
Updated: Jul. 7, 2021 at 8:14 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
The West Calcasieu Cameron Community Health Center, a newly created independent clinic, is set to officially open Thursday in Sulphur.
Updated: Jul. 6, 2021 at 8:41 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
An act of solidarity was displayed this week for a local Cajun Navy volunteer still recovering from an alleged attack in the Lake Area.
Updated: Jul. 6, 2021 at 8:06 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
For weeks, health officials across the country have been sounding the alarm on the delta variant of the coronavirus. But, just how worried should people in Southwest Louisiana be?
Updated: Jul. 5, 2021 at 7:32 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Nearly a year and a half later, and the burdens of COVID-19 are still disrupting the supply chain.
Updated: Jul. 2, 2021 at 8:36 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
The Fourth of July holiday can be one of the deadliest times on Louisiana roads.
Updated: Jul. 1, 2021 at 8:20 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Calls are growing for a veto override session at the Louisiana State Capitol. This all surrounds Governor John Bel Edward’s rejection of several high-profile bills during the recent legislative session.
Updated: Jun. 30, 2021 at 7:59 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
For years, we’ve heard talk of lakefront development in Lake Charles, but Wednesday, there was action.
Updated: Jun. 29, 2021 at 6:04 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
A common virus is popping up at uncommon times across Southwest Louisiana.
Updated: Jun. 28, 2021 at 6:15 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
It’s a challenging time right now for anyone looking to buy a home, especially in Southwest Louisiana.
Updated: Jun. 25, 2021 at 7:43 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
School may be out for the summer but plans to bring more educational options to Lake Area students are just beginning.
Updated: Jun. 24, 2021 at 5:58 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
We’re nearing the 10-month mark since Hurricane Laura left a path of destruction across Southwest Louisiana, and sadly, many people are still without a home or even a roof.
Updated: Jun. 23, 2021 at 6:23 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Post-traumatic stress disorder, often known as PTSD can affect people in many different ways. Here at home, healthcare workers are seeing an increase in anxiety-driven hospital visits.
Updated: Jun. 22, 2021 at 6:12 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
The quest to move the USS Orleck Navy Ship, which has called the Lake Area home for the last 11 years, is back on schedule for its move to Jacksonville, Florida.
Updated: Jun. 21, 2021 at 7:41 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
The voluntary buyout program that was announced last month for Terrace residents is gaining new steam and will be the topic of discussion at two open house sessions Tuesday.
Updated: Jun. 18, 2021 at 6:12 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Explaining the history of local Juneteenth celebrations and efforts to better research and share information about the newly-declared federal holiday.
Updated: Jun. 17, 2021 at 7:39 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
As forecasters continue monitoring a broad low-pressure system in the Gulf, the city's administrator says they’re working to expedite drainage needs in flood-prone areas.
Updated: Jun. 16, 2021 at 6:25 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down, in a lot of ways, robots came to the rescue.
Updated: Jun. 15, 2021 at 7:07 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
COVID-19 has taken a mental and emotional toll on healthcare workers across the U.S., and even more so in Southwest Louisiana as doctors and nurses have worked through the pandemic and numerous natural disasters.
Updated: Jun. 14, 2021 at 7:39 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
We were not designed to work 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Is taking some time off to recharge and relax really the best medicine?
Updated: Jun. 10, 2021 at 7:40 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, some local summer camps have had to downsize a lot of the programs they offer in addition to implementing routine temperature checks and deep cleaning.
Updated: Jun. 9, 2021 at 7:46 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
With about 80,000 vaccines distributed so far throughout the region, it may seem as though testing isn’t needed anymore.
Updated: Jun. 9, 2021 at 2:55 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
The Lake Charles Recovery Expo is being held in the Prien Lake Mall parking lot Saturday, June 12, and Sunday, June 13.
Updated: Jun. 8, 2021 at 7:51 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
With the recent floods and ongoing calls for drainage improvement, state lawmakers say the clock is ticking.
Updated: Jun. 7, 2021 at 7:51 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
After an almost two-year absence, the Salvation Army is kicking off its 14th annual Empty Bowl Fundraiser.
Updated: Jun. 4, 2021 at 7:30 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
Storm debris has been a big part of everyday life for local residents since the hurricanes. The recent flood only added to an already growing pile of challenges for local residents.
Updated: Jun. 3, 2021 at 7:17 PM CDT
|By Ashley Joseph
With so many people living in campers following last year’s hurricanes, the Houston River Fire Chief says now is the perfect time to remind locals of the safety precautions.
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