 BY DOUG GRAHAM | Staff writer As a new tool to battle litter and blight around Baton Rouge, the Metro Council has passed an ordinance aimed at abandoned signs. The measure targets temporary signs that can litter the city after events and elections, as well as more permanent signs affixed to buildings or the ground that are left behind when a business closes. Councilman Rowdy Gaudet said the effectiveness of the ordinance will largely depend on residents reporting abandoned signs to the city-parish 311 line.
A computer problem hobbled state agencies on Thursday, blocking residents from many services, from getting a driver's license to registering a boat to working with Medicaid. The outage, caused by a hardware failure of a firewall, affected all state cabinet-level agencies. The outages were not caused by a cyberattack, officials said, and things were expected to be repaired during the night. Here's more on the agencies affected.
If you are among those who think rodents roam the halls of the State Capitol, you certainly were right this week. Neuty, the orphaned infant nutria adopted by a loving Bucktown family, made a guest appearance at the historic 34-story structure, sweeping onto the floors of both the Senate and House of Representatives. “Believe it or not, he didn’t pee on anybody,” caretaker Denny Lacoste said laughing. | 
