Over 184-thousand Louisianans signed up for insurance through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Marketplace Director and CEO Kevin Counihan says they are very pleased with how things are going…

cut 7 (08) “easier and simpler”

Nationwide, about 11.4 million Americans selected Marketplace plans or automatically re-enrolled by Sunday’s deadline.

Due to mid-year budget cuts, Secretary of State Tom Schedler announces reduced days of operation for 14 state museums. In addition to the reduced hours of operation, 24 Secretary of State employees will be laid off. Schedler says if there’s group or individual that wants to provide financial resources, his door is open…

cut 15 (11) “those discussions”

He says the reduced hours could be in place for the foreseeable future.

A doctoral candidate in LSU’s College of Engineering believes he’s come up with a unique way to control mosquito-borne diseases. Charles Malveaux’s idea is to use drones for mosquito control. Malveaux says the concept is pretty straightforward…

cut 4 (06) “can be targeted”

Malveaux’s plan would use drones to treat breeding areas with larvicide, preventing mosquitoes from hatching.

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says the severe insect pest Emerald Ash Borer, or EAB, has been detected in Louisiana. The EAB attacks ash trees and has been confirmed in Webster Parish. Strain says the EAB was discovered last year in southern Arkansas and they think it got there from someone who brought firewood from another state…

cut 11 (07) “from where you buy it”

He says the EAB could be devastating to the trees.