LOUISIANA

“A Harvey fire chief was acquitted and his top deputy found guilty of theft in connection with $325,000 in questionable spending using the fire department’s credit cards and checks. Chief Scott Berthelot was found not guilty of theft and conspiracy to commit theft by Judge Glenn Ansardi of the 24th Judicial District Court.” —Times-Picayune

“Federal prosecutors charged 243 people, including 11 in New Orleans, in health care fraud sweeps around the country announced Thursday (June 18). That includes doctors, nurses and pharmacy owners accused of bilking Medicare and Medicaid.” —Times-Picayune

“Another weekend of road construction is scheduled for a stretch of Interstate 10 through Slidell to near the Louisiana-Mississippi state line, and that means motorists headed to Mississippi and the Gulf Coast should build in extra travel time.” —Times-Picayune

“The Supreme Court has barred Louisiana from executing a convicted killer, saying his intellectual disability precludes capital punishment.” —The Advocate

“It was during a couch routine at the Sho-Bar in New Orleans that Earl Long, governor of Louisiana and younger bother of the populist Huey, first spotted her.” —Washington Post

“It came as a surprise to Zac Person when LSU coach Paul Mainieri delivered the news to the left-handed reliever: You’ll start in the College World Series elimination game Thursday.” —The Advocate

“The embattled director of the Municipal Employee Retirement System resigned Thursday morning, according to multiple news stations.” —The Advocate

“A two-time convicted felon and politically connected Mandeville businessman described by a prosecutor as a “serial fraudster” and “flim-flam con artist” was sentenced Wednesday to more than 11 years in federal prison for billing a group of south Louisiana car dealerships more than $1.2 million for advertising purchases he never made.” —The Advocate

NATIONAL

“During testimony today in a grueling two-hour hearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Katherine Archuleta claimed that she had recognized huge problems with the agency’s computer security when she assumed her post 18 months ago. But when pressed on why systems had not been protected with encryption prior to the recent discovery of an intrusion that gave attackers access to sensitive data on millions of government employees and government contractors, she said, “It is not feasible to implement on networks that are too old.” She added that the agency is now working to encrypt data within its networks.” —ArsTechnica

“McDonald’s also says its milk will soon be without artificial growth hormones, and chicken (McDonald’s sells more of it than of beef) will be free of human antibiotics. All these might be good business decisions and as socially responsible as can be. They certainly pertain to McDonald’s new mantra about being a “modern, progressive burger company,” whatever that means.” —National Review

“An Asian conservative student editor at a major university is under attack from the biggest threat to free speech on American campuses today — leftists claiming their feelings are hurt.” —BizPac Review

“Late last night a white man walked into the traditionally black Emanuel AME Church (though not an exclusively black church) in Charleston, South Carolina, sat for an hour during a Bible study class, then pulled out a handgun and opened fire killing nine churchgoers. The FBI has officially identified the shooter as 21-year-old Dylann Storm Roof of Columbia, SC.” —Right Wing News

“Rather than try to clean this up to make it read more professional, let me share my immediate response last night upon learning that Alexander Hamilton is to be replaced on the $10 bill with an unnamed woman. I sent this to a small group of blogger friends, without even time to reflect:” —National Review

“Let’s Talk Some More About Rachel Dolezal, Media” —Ace of Spades

“The House narrowly passed Trade Promotion Authority Thursday — the first step of many to resurrect President Barack Obama’s trade agenda after his own party torpedoed a combined bill last week.” —Roll Call

“Dylann Roof committed a heinous act on Wednesday night, killing nine at a church in Charleston. His ominous Facebook profile photo is being widely circulated.” —IJ Review

“By now everyone is aware that Rachel Dolezal, the ridiculous and obviously white university professor from Spokane who had to resign as the local NAACP chapter president after her fraudulent claims of hate-crime victimhood induced her parents to debunk her equally fraudulent claim to be African-American, is in the midst of her proverbial famous 15 minutes.” —American Spectator

“Ben Domenech wonders how early America’s most famous self-made man, who fought by Washington’s side in the revolution, who co-wrote the Federalist Papers, who constructed the country’s financial system, and who was decades ahead of his time in opposing the slave trade ended up on the currency chopping block.” —HotAir

“The U.S. Senate rejected an amendment Tuesday that would have directly armed Kurdish fighters battling ISIS. The amendment co-sponsored by Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Senator Barbara Boxer (R-Ca.) failed to reach the 60 vote threshold to break a filibuster.” —Rare