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August launch: Amtrak announced on Tuesday that it will start offering twice-daily service connecting New Orleans with Mobile, Alabama, beginning Aug. 18. A ticket will cost $15 one way. The Amtrak Mardi Gras Service will also include stops in Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay Saint Louis in Mississippi. Read more from The Center Square.
Hands-free calls only: It will become illegal next month to use a phone while driving in Louisiana unless it’s for hands-free calls or navigation. On Monday, Gov. Jeff Landry signed House Bill 519 by Rep. Brian Glorioso, R-Slidell, that bans most cellphone and other wireless communication use while operating a motor vehicle. The new law prohibits phone use during driving except for voice calls on hands-free systems, including wrist-worn devices such as the Apple Watch, and looking at a hands-free navigation system. Read more from Louisiana Illuminator.
Better than expected: Ford sales rose 14.2% during the second quarter over the year-earlier period, about 10 times the estimated 1.4% industry increase, the automaker said Tuesday. New vehicle sales for the second quarter totaled 612,095, led in part by gains in its F-Series trucks and “electrified” vehicles, which includes hybrids and EVs. Read more from CNBC.
