Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta will hold a Town Hall meeting in Tangipahoa  Parish on Thursday, April 18, from 5-6 p.m. at the Tangipahoa Parish Public Library, 314 East Thomas St., in Hammond.
This meeting is being held as a courtesy to the citizens of Tangipahoa Parish to voice their concerns about any issues related to utility companies operating in the area.  Consumers who are experiencing difficulties with a utility company are encouraged to attend.   Skrmetta and his staff will be on-hand to answer questions.
Skrmetta holds monthly Town Hall meetings, …

Mandeville City Councilman David Ellis (R-Dist. 1) is asking his constituents to sound off on preferred projects to be included in the budget for the coming fiscal year.
At its last meeting, the City Council worked with Mayor Donald Villere to begin the budgeting process slightly earlier than in previous years. The somewhat accelerated timeline, designed to give more time for Council review and citizen input, has the Administration meeting with Council members soon to discuss budget priorities and requests.
“Although I have my own ideas about priorities for City …

For Immediate Release
Thursday, February 7, 2013
PEARSON FILES LEGISLATION TO BAN 25-I
State Rep.Kevin Pearson (R-Slidell) yesterday pre-filed House Bill 10, which would ban hallucinogenic substances such as “25-I” in Louisiana.
In November, Pearson announced he would author legislation to prohibit the drugs after three people in New Orleans were hospitalized after taking the drug, 25-I; one of them died. After he drew attention to the issue, Secretary of Health and Hospitals Bruce Greenstein issued an executive order providing a temporary prohibition on the substance, but legislation is required to make the ban …

Mandeville City Councilman David Ellis (District I) said he agreed tonight to cover 100 percent of employee healthcare costs, but cautioned municipal workers to be prepared for increased insurance premium costs in coming years.
At tonight’s Council meeting, Ellis joined the other four members in asking the administration to cover a $44,000 increase in health insurance costs by utilizing funds made available by a decrease in Worker’s Comp premiums. But Ellis said the practice is unsustainable in the long term, and is also a risky proposition even now.
“As it …

The likelihood of Mandeville City employees having to pay increased costs for health insurance was averted tonight after the City Council asked Mayor Donald Villere to maintain benefits without raising costs.
A pending proposal presented to the Council at the Jan. 10 meeting would’ve increased employee costs by $11 per paycheck and dependent coverage by as much as $46 per month. City employees are paid twice monthly, and the City pays the entire cost of health insurance for its workers.
The shortfall in the budget for employee benefits would’ve been approximately …