Senate Insurance Chairman Kirk Talbot says he will propose a bill to have the state Insurance Commissioner appointed instead of elected. This comes nearly two weeks after longtime Commissioner Jim Donelon announced he was not running for re-election. Talbot says the individual selected should be qualified and ready to fight for the consumers.
Cut 4 (10) “…that office.”
Talbot’s bill is one of several insurance industry reform measures expected to be heard in the upcoming legislative session.

St. Landry Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says his deputies have made the largest fentanyl confiscation in the history of the parish as over five pounds of fentanyl was found inside the home of Benjamin Pittman in the Sunset area…
cut 11 (11) “….1.5 million people”
Pittman faces several charges.

Voters in Ouachita Parish have approved a property tax increase to fund the continued operation of an animal shelter and health unit as well as construction of a new shelter. Louisiana Humane Society President Jeff Dorson is glad to see voters approve the proposal, because there are a lot of parishes that do not even have an animal shelter…
cut 8 (11) “….or services”

A petroleum company, Placid Refining, is moving its headquarters from Dallas to Baton Rouge. West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce Director Anna Johnson says Placid Refining is also investing million of dollars to upgrade its Port Allen refinery…
cut 14 (11) “…end of the year”
The establishment of new corporate offices in Baton Rouge will create 20 new jobs.