At last: A groundbreaking ceremony for the long-planned Knock Knock Children’s Museum at City Park has been set for noon on Wednesday, April 22, museum officials confirmed today. The museum’s board of directors in January submitted a plan review application to the city-parish Department of Public Works for the roughly 26,500-square-foot museum, which will be located on Dalrymple Drive across from the City Park golf course, near Interstate 10. BREC is partnering with the museum’s board on the project. The groundbreaking will be held at the museum site from noon to 1 p.m. Officials are aiming for an opening next summer.
Seizing the moment: Louisiana’s health advocacy groups see an opportunity this legislative session to get a long-sought cigarette tax hike in a state that has one of the lowest tobacco taxes in the country. The Associated Press reports that as lawmakers look to raise new money to plug a $1.6 billion budget hole, at least 10 tobacco tax measures have been filed for debate. Five health advocacy organizations—including the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association—have rallied behind a bill by Rep. Harold Ritchie, D-Bogalusa, to raise Louisiana’s cigarette tax from 36 cents per pack to $1.54, the national average. The measure, which could generate $250 million annually, is scheduled for consideration in the House Ways and Means Committee next week. Read the full story.
Holding the bag: LSU’s medical schools in New Orleans and Shreveport are struggling to pay millions of dollars in insurance, retiree and maintenance costs left to them from the privatization of the state’s charity hospitals. As The Associated Press reports, university officials outlined more than $56 million in “legacy costs” that they face in the fiscal year that begins July 1. Gov. Bobby Jindal’s budget would leave the health sciences centers in New Orleans and Shreveport to cover costs associated with former hospital employees, the Senate Finance Committee was told today. Millions of dollars in those costs are expected year after year, and medical school leaders say they’ve burned through cash reserves covering the expenses. LSU health care chief Frank Opelka says if no money is provided to cover those costs, they will threaten the medical schools’ viability.
