Protected species: The Pearl River map turtle had its day in court—and won. After 14 years and multiple lawsuits, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has granted federal protection as a threatened species to the turtle that inhabits the Pearl River, along the Mississippi and Louisiana state line. Only about 22,000 Pearl River map turtles and the similar looking Alabama, Barbour’s, Escambia and Pascagoula map turtles currently exist in the wild. Read more from Louisiana Illuminator.
Lasting effects: A nationwide phone outage caused by Hurricane Beryl has led to multiple connectivity issues in Louisiana with medical systems, state departments and, in some areas, 911 services. Read more from WBRZ-TV.
Fewer filings: The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits dropped more than expected last week, but volatility associated with the Fourth of July holiday makes it harder to get a clean read on the labor market. Read more from Reuters.
