If marijuana boom is real, and it lasts, how long will Louisiana, other states resist?

Council member Tara Wicker, left, listens as colleague Matt Watson addresses his concerns regarding confusion behind the proposed marijuana ordinance during a meeting of the metro council, Wednesday, February 28, 2018, at City Hall in Baton Rouge, La. Council member Tara Wicker, left, listens as colleague Matt Watson addresses his concerns regarding confusion behind the proposed marijuana ordinance during a meeting of the metro council, Wednesday, February 28, 2018, at City Hall in Baton Rouge, La.

Analysis: Weed? No. Ita s the smell of money at pot expo

It was like any other big meeting you might see at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans: the attire was "business casual" and the conversations involved packaging, marketing, entrepreneurship, investment and growth in what is, literally, a budding industry. But there were no free samples at the product booths and there were explicit warnings in the convention program that possession and use of the featured product was strictly prohibited; a sensible stricture given that - even when the Marijuana Business Conference & Expo NEXT is in town - recreational use of marijuana remains illegal in Louisiana.

Calling All Canna-Bosses: Save the Date for This Summer’s Economic Forum

GREENSBORO, N.C: This summer, look for the city of Greensboro to become a shade greener as movers and shakers from throughout the cannabis industry gather at the Koury Convention Center for three days of eye-opening talks. Igniting its inaugural event with exciting speakers, the Cannabis Economic Forum aims to shine a light on the societal benefits of this expanding market while also creating a network of leaders who will work together to better serve communities through philanthropic endeavors.

FDA lets vaping flourish as it eyes crackdown on cigarettes

FDA officials say the goal is to spur innovation of products that may be less harmful for adults, but health advocates are skeptical. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is giving wide leeway to electronic cigarettes as it attempts to push people away from traditional tobacco products.

USDA Announces Financial Support For Specialty Crop Industry

USDA ANNOUNCES FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR SPECIALTY CROP INDUSTRY May 1, 2018 Source: USDA news release The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the funding of $7 million to support 11 projects in six states to develop solutions to challenges affecting the specialty crop industries that cross state boundaries. The awards are managed through the Specialty Crop Multi-State Program administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service .

What’s next for Facebook?

Now that the cameras have gone, the booster cushion has been removed from the witness chair, and Mark Zuckerberg is comfortably back in in Palo Alto, having survived his marathon two-days of testimony in front of a somewhat confused Congress, what's next? Following the revelations that a political marketing firm, Cambridge Analytica, improperly obtained personal information from approximately 87 million Facebook user profiles , Congress has more support than ever to regulate Facebook and other social media tech. On his 'apology tour,' and in congressional testimony, Zuckerberg has said he is open to some form of oversight.

Republicans Wouldn’t Need a Balanced Budget Amendment if They Had Self-Control

As much as I love the idea of a constitutional amendment that requires supermajorities in Congress to balance the budget every year, congressional Republicans' efforts to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment are nothing but a marketing ploy to distract voters from Republicans' many failures. Even with majorities in both houses of Congress, Republicans have failed to deliver on their core promises to repeal Obamacare and control spending, and passing a BBA won't renew conservatives' trust in the party.

One Democrat, Two Republicans Want Kennedy’s Seat

A few weeks after Ted Kennedy, Jr. surprised many by announcing he wouldn't be seeking re-election to the 12th Senate district seat, one Democrat and two Republicans have expressed interest in replacing him. Kennedy, a Branford Democrat who currently holds the seat, said he wasn't running for another term because he wanted to spend more time in his role as chairman of the American Association of People with Disabilities.

Trump: a Big price to paya for Syria chemical attack

An image grab taken from a video released by the Syrian civil defence in Douma shows an unidentified volunteer holding an oxygen mask over a child's face at a hospital following a reported chemical attack on the rebel-held town on April 8, 2018. A suspected chemical attack by Syria's regime sparked international outrage, after rescue workers reported dozens killed by poison gas on rebel-held parts of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus.

BOC files smuggling charges at DOJ vs 2 importers, customs brokers

Smuggling charges have been filed against two importers and customs brokers for gross undervaluation of millions worth of motorcycle shipments and large-scale agricultural products today by the Bureau of Customs . Charged at the Department of Justice were owners and customs brokers of Granstar Premiere Sports Corporation and Seven Myth Marketing.

Sudden Consumer Data Outrage In The Age Of App Madness Is Bizarre And Dumb

According to reporting by The New York Times , Cambridge Analytica - a voter-profiling firm - amassed information on 50 million Facebook users in an attempt to predict people's personalities and psychological profiles. The company secured the data from a Cambridge University researcher named Aleksandr Kogan, who harvested it from a personality quiz app.

United wins bid for Presque Isle air service

The U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding United Airlines a federally-subsidized contract to serve Northern Maine Regional Airport with flights to Newark. Starting this July, United will provide 12 round-trip flights per week between Presque Isle and Newark Liberty International Airport with a 50-seat jet, replacing that Boston-Presque Isle service that PenAir has provided since 2012.

Do bulletproof backpacks work?

With school safety a hot topic around the country, some parents are turning to bulletproof backpacks to send their students to class with extra protection. The backpacks can be pricey, so with the help of the Jones County Sheriff's Department, we put the backpacks to the test.

Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill says drug giant is “stonewalling” her opioid investigation

The world's largest generic drug maker, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, has refused to fully cooperate with a Senate investigation into whether major opioid manufacturers contributed to the deadly drug epidemic, according to Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who is leading the Senate probe. Teva has answered some of McCaskill's questions, providing the Senate committee with general information about its efforts to track and report suspicious orders for its opioid prescriptions, according to a series of letters between McCaskill and the company.

Independents challenge 2-party system with Washington pick

A group of political independents that includes Alaska Gov. Bill Walker has endorsed a candidate for the Washington state Legislature, part of a plan to mount a national challenge to the two-party system at this year's midterm elections. Unite America, formerly known as the Centrist Project, said it has raised $3 million to help re-elect Walker and fund gubernatorial candidates in Maine and Kansas, Senate candidates in Missouri and Maryland, in addition to state legislative hopefuls in Colorado and Washington.

USDA opens new office in Vietnam to help facilitate increasing agricultural trade

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently opened a new office in Hanoi, Vietnam. The office will play a vital role in helping expand the United States' $2.5 billion agricultural export market in Vietnam.