Controversial Blue Cross sale plan shelved

BY JESSICA WILLIAMS | Capitol News Bureau Editor ​ ​ ​

Blue Cross deal shelved: Blue Cross Blue Shield has tabled its plan to sell its brand to a for-profit insurer, Stephanie Riegel reports. The move comes amid heavy criticism of the deal's particulars, including Gov. Jeff Landry's push to use the sale to benefit a research institute that employed his top aide. 

Too tough to prove?: Environmental activists have long argued that pollution in the state's Mississippi River parishes unfairly burdened Black residents, but have had trouble in the past year getting courts and regulators to agree. David Mitchell explores why. 

Graves unleashes on GOP: Social media lies have kept U.S. House Republicans from addressing serious issues such as the federal budget and the border, U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, said at a recent event held by a center-right think tank. Mark Ballard has the story.