Governor Edwards suffered a loss in the courtroom Wednesday as a state appeals court ruled against his executive order that sought to project LGBT state workers from discrimination. President of Louisiana Trans Advocates Dylan Waguespack says the ruling is disappointing, but there has been progress in getting laws adopted to protect the LGBT community:
Cut 8 (09) “to happen”
Attorney General Jeff Landry argued the governor didn’t have the constitutional authority to implement this policy.

Louisiana earned an ‘F’ grade on the latest March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card. Dr. Martha Whyte with the state Department of Health says 60-percent of births in Louisiana are unplanned, and their goal is to work to make sure women are healthy before getting pregnant…:
Cut 6 (11) “as possible”
She says the preterm birth rate in Louisiana is 12.6-percent.

UL Lafayette has fired its highly successful softball coach Michael Lotief, claiming he created a hostile learning and working environment:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

A former sergeant with the Walker Police Department is suing the city and chief for defamation and wrongful termination, after supervisors say Mark Fruge hung a noose in the department’s squad room. Fruge is arguing that the incident was misrepresented as racist, and that the department was looking for a reason to fire him. The chief called the act deplorable.