New Orleans Realtors are asking the insurance commissioner to put the brakes on a 64 percent rate hike for 100 thousand Louisiana homeowners that have insurance with Citizens Insurance. Realtor Cody Caudill is part of a coalition trying to stabilize the housing market…:

CUT 06(09)      “…the market.”

They’re asking for 18 months of cushion before the rate hike kicks in, which will give more time for those covered by Citizens to find cheaper, private market insurance.

The National Weather Service in Shreveport says pay attention to the tropical wave off the coast of Venezuela, as it makes it way west and northwest overt the next week. The system has potential to reach named storm status and enter the Gulf, and thus potential to threaten Louisiana.

Because New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell refuses to reimburse the city for her travel expenses to France, Councilman J.P. Morrell and other council members are working on a plan to recoup the more than $43 thousand in expenses…:

CUT 03(09)      “…at the budget.”

Morrell says while the travel to France was in some semi-official capacity for the city, he believes Cantrell could have used a portion of her more than $1 million in campaign funds to finance the trip. A voter effort to recall the mayor is underway.

A West Baton Rouge Parish State Trooper is now on administrative leave after being arrested in connection with a sex crime investigation in South Dakota. 44-year-old LSP Lt. Kirk Thibodeaux is accused of soliciting a prostitute, while in the state on work-related business. His case on South Dakota is pending.