The last word: Gov. John Bel Edwards hosted his tenth and final budget meeting with business leaders and elected officials on Wednesday in Lake Charles. Edwards has traveled the state in recent months to get input on how to stabilize the Louisiana’s budget and avoid the $1 billion fiscal cliff looming next year. Edwards in a statement says he’s more confident than ever that a budget solution can be pieced together and meaningful fiscal reform can happen in Louisiana. See a list of attendees. Today, the governor and Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee are among those at the White House to attend a listening session on the nation’s opioid crisis at the invitation of President Donald Trump.
Continuing negotiations: Breach-of-contract allegations against the manager of two state-owned north Louisiana charity hospitals won’t be resolved by this week’s deadline, as negotiations continue for Ochsner Health System to take over some management duties. Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration is hoping Ochsner will take over hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe after repeated disputes with current manager, BRF. The Edwards administration and LSU sent “notice of breach” letters to BRF in September, starting a 45-day clock to correct noted issues. That period ends this week, but Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne said Wednesday that all the parties involved agreed to carry on with negotiations past the deadline, particularly because the conversations are continuing with Ochsner. The Associated Press has the full story.
Earnings report: Baton Rouge-based H&E Equipment Services posted third quarter profit of $8.5 million, or 24 cents per diluted share, down from $11.7 million, or 33 cents per diluted share in the third quarter of last year. The company’s operating third-quarter results include a $25.4 million charge off and $8.7 million in income resulting from the termination of the H&E’s merger with Neff Corporation. Read the full report.
