A special election will be held in November as a result of Secretary of State Tom Schedler’s resignation. Jeff Palermo has more.
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Gnats are overstaying their welcome this year as a result of the abnormally cooler temperature. Matt Doyle has more.
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A bill heading to the US Senate could help out thousands who were denied disaster relief funds after the 2016 floods. Michael Farrar has the story.
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First Assistant Kyle Ardoin will take over the agency that handles elections starting May 8th . Ardoin is replacing Secretary of Secretary Tom Schedler, who submitted his resignation papers in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal. Ardoin knows he’s been put in charge during a pivotal time for the department.
The resignation will trigger a fall special election for the position.
Ardoin says “At this moment I’m interested in running the office, not for the office.” He says it’s a department that means a lot to him.
LaPolitics.com publisher Jeremey Alford says the statewide elected post opening gives lawmakers an opportunity to move up the ladder.
Alford says expect some big names in the legislature to potentially throw their hat into the ring come fall.
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Cooler weather this year has extended the usually brief gnat season, making trips out to the river a bit unpleasant for some. If you’re looking to make an outdoors trip, LSU Ag Center entomologist Sebe Brown says understand these pests don’t work like mosquitos.
For those looking to brave gnat infested rivers, Brown has a non-scientific, but country tested protection plan.
Brown says some folks might even find gnat bites are more of a problem than being swarmed by mosquitos.
Brown says as the temperature starts averaging 80 degrees, the gnats will go away, only to be replaced by mosquitos.
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The US House passed a bill that would allow Louisiana residents impacted by the 2016 floods to become eligible for grant money, even if they received low interest loans to help with their recovery. Baton Rouge US Representative Garret Graves, the bill’s sponsor, says this opens up recovery money to thousands.
Graves says current recovery grant rules punish homeowners who didn’t want to wait for the feds to come through.
Graves says they also managed to fix a few other issues from the 2016 flood with this legislation.
The bill received near unanimous support in the House. Now they wait to see if the Senate approves.
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Legislation to give voters an opportunity in November to decide if fantasy sports gambling should be legal in their parish is one step away from final passage. A Senate committee approved River Ridge Representative Kirk Talbot’s proposal.
If the legislation is approved, the gaming control board would regulate fantasy sports gambling. Talbot says another bill would be introduced next year to determine how it will be taxed
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The vote in Judiciary B committee was four to one in favor. New Orleans Senator Karen Carter Peterson, who did not explain her objection, was the lone no vote. Houma Senator Norby Chabert says he’s received a lot of calls in support…