The three day qualifying period for the November 4th election is now one month away. Thus far the US Senate race between the incumbent Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu and Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy has been an extremely close one according to most polls. LSU Political Science Professor Dr. Wayne Parent says it’s a toss up.
CUT 7 (14) “strong candidate”
Qualifying begins August 20th.

Baton Rouge firefighters say the deadly fire on Saturday likely happened because of an electrical malfunction involving a power strip. Investigators say 90-year-old Steve Paxton died in the blaze on Bay Street. They conclude the fire broke out in a back bedroom where an air conditioner was plugged into a power cord. Paxton’s wife, Helen, was also at home at the time of the fire and has been released from the hospital.

State Farm has announced the hurricane deductible for home owner policy holders will go up from 2 to 5 percent. Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon met with State Farm officials and requested that they allow policy holders in Louisiana the option to buy back down to the two percent deductible in their policy by paying a higher insurance premium…:
CUT 4 (10) “in our state”
He says higher hurricane deductibles became prevalent in every coastal state after Hurricane Katrina. State Farm says they are considering Donelon’s request.

A Shreveport researcher has a grant to help produce a potentially cancer preventing gum. Dr. Cherie-Ann Nathan, with the LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport, was awarded a $50,000 grant from the LSU System’s LIFT2 Program. Nathan says she will use the funds to help produce a gum that contains curcumin…:
CUT 10 (08) “prevention of cancer”
She says, once the gum is manufactured, they will enroll 16 healthy volunteers for a clinical trial.