At odds: Louisiana state senators Wednesday backed a $3.8 billion public school formula that includes all financing increases sought by Gov. John Bel Edwards. Support for the K-12 spending plan came in a 37-1 vote that puts the Senate at odds with House Republicans, who stalled the same proposal in their chamber. The formula that won Senate passage includes $140 million in increases: a $1,000 teacher pay raise, $500 raise for school support workers and $39 million in new block grant money for school districts. House Republicans want $122 million in increases: a $1,200 teacher pay raise, a $600 support worker raise and no block grant boost. Read the full story.
Banished: The New Orleans City Council will consider banning “whole-home” short-term vacation rentals in much of the city at its meeting today. The proposed ban has brought strong opposition from some property owners and managers. But opposition to short-term rentals has been especially strong in historic neighborhoods where residents say short-term rentals have driven up housing prices while driving away full-time residents. Read the full story. Â
Allergy alert: Â A Houston-based vendor is recalling select salads, wraps and salad bar trays sold through Whole Foods markets in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. In a statement Wednesday, GHSW LLC said it had decided on a recall over concerns that product labels failed to declare soy as a sub-ingredient of the mayonnaise used in the products. Consumers allergic to soy face the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they ate the products. However, no illnesses or injuries have been reported. Read the full story. Â
