At a discount: Louisiana’s Sales Tax Holiday starts today and runs through Saturday. According to the Louisiana Department of Revenue, purchases on most tangible personal property will only be subject to a 3% state sales tax, instead of the full 5%. School supplies, electronics, furniture and most retail items are subject to the discount on the first $2,500 of the purchase price on each eligible item. The holiday does not apply to meals, vehicles subject to title and licenses and taxable services such as hotel stays; laundry, telecommunication and printing services; leases and rentals; repairs; storage; or admission to athletic, amusement or recreational facilities and events.
Bug repellent: In an attempt to prevent cases of Zika, Louisiana’s Medicaid program will pay for mosquito repellant for women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, The Associated Press reports. Babies born to women who are infected with the virus—a mosquito-borne infection—can have severe birth defects. Doctors who treat Medicaid patients in Louisiana will be able to prescribe mosquito repellant to their patients, so the government-financed program can cover the costs. Some health plans that cover Medicaid patients already have started reimbursing for repellant. The Louisiana Department of Health says no locally transmitted cases of Zika virus have been found in the state, but there have been 17 travel-related cases.
No thanks: Niantic, the company behind Pokémon Go, has removed the Parc Lafayette mixed-use retail and lifestyle center’s as a hotspot for the game at the management’s request. The Advertiser reports the glow of the game’s many stops and the gym at Parc Lafayette dimmed just before sunrise Thursday. Until then, the development had been known by Lafayette Pokémon Go players as one of Acadiana’s hot spots for game play. At peak hours, dozens of players trekked through the development. Some business owners enjoyed an increase in customers, but others complained about loitering, littering, parking issues and property damages, the newspaper reports. Read the full story.
