Qualifying has officially closed for the fall statewide elections. In the marquee competition, Governor John Bel Edwards will face two major Republican opponents, Baton Rouge Businessman Eddie Rispone and Congressman Ralph Abraham. Five other candidates populate the ballot. And in what should be the most hotly contested position outside of the Governor’s race, you’ve got 13-year incumbent Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon set to take on fellow Republican Tim Temple.
Mayors from four of Louisiana’s biggest cities joined 200 of their colleagues nationwide in signing a letter to Congress demanding the passage of gun background check and red flag legislation. Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo was one of the signees. He says a rash of recent mass shootings are proof that unless action is taken federally, the violence will not end.
A licensed medical marijuana physician is arrested in Ouachita Parish by State Police. Dr. Benjamin Stage faces five counts of illegally prescribing controlled dangerous substances to a patient that was not one of his own. Trooper Michael Reichardt.
Cut 12 (09) “…arrest him then.”
Depending on the outcome of the case, the medical board may also take action against the doctor.
NOAA has upped it’s hurricane forecast for the year to five to nine hurricanes with two to four major storms. NOAA lead hurricane season forecaster Gerry Bell says all the ingredients are now in place for an above-average hurricane season as part of a high activity era in place since the mid-nineties.
There have only been two named storms so far, with Hurricane Barry impacting the state as a category 1 storm at landfall.