Rest in peace: Famed Louisiana author Ernest J. Gaines, 86, died today of natural causes, according to officials with the Pointe Coupee Parish Coroner’s Office. Gaines wrote 10 award-winning novels, including A Lesson Before Dying and Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. “It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Ernest J. Gaines, a native Louisianan who used his immense vision and literary talents to tell the stories of African Americans in the South. We are all blessed that Ernest left words and stories that will continue to inspire many generations to come,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards in a news release. Gaines was named one of inRegister magazine’s living legends earlier this year.
Sticker shock: Three months after medical marijuana became available in Louisiana, doctors and clinics say some patients are finding the cost for therapeutic cannabis too high for treatment. Pharmacies say if they get more patients, prices will go down, but at the moment it can cost between $90 and $220 for one bottle of medicine. About 3,500 people have received medical marijuana since the program began, according to the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy. Read the full story.
Fines: AT&T will pay $60 million to settle the government’s allegation that it misled customers of unlimited-data plans by slowing down service for heavy users. The Federal Trade Commission said today that AT&T will automatically provide partial refunds to customers who signed up for unlimited wireless plans before 2011. Read the full story.
