Louisiana
Lawmakers advance bill to intervene in land dispute for wealthy drug distributor • Louisiana Illuminator
State lawmakers advanced a bill Tuesday that intervenes in a land dispute and threatens to block construction of an interstate power line at the behest of a small group of north Louisiana landowners, including the wealthy owner of a large pharmaceutical company that made billions during the opioid crisis.
Paul Dickson Sr. is a principal owner and former board chairman of the Shreveport-based Morris & Dickson Co., one of the largest wholesale pharmaceutical distributors in the nation. It was the target of a federal investigation that revealed one of its own agents was secretly negotiating with the company to preserve its federal license.
Senate Bill 108, sponsored by Sen. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport, stands to benefit Dickson in his dispute with a Texas power company. It cleared the House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure without objection and will head to the House floor for consideration.
The bill is tailored in ways that would effectively prohibit a single business from exercising its expropriation rights, which allow governments and certain companies to force the sale of private land for public use. It’s typically used for development of a project that serves a public need, such as a new highway or, as in this case, a power line. In exchange, the owner must be paid, at minimum, fair market value for their land.
Proponents of Seabaugh’s measure tout it as a way to protect landowners from businesses and projects that don’t benefit the people of Louisiana.
“We’re here because of one project,” Seabaugh told the committee.
The project Seabaugh targets — Pattern Energy’s Southern Spirit Transmission line — would deliver electricity to the regional power grid that covers most of the state.
The Southern Spirit Transmission project is a 320-mile line that will begin at a power station in DeSoto Parish and deliver wind power from the Texas grid to a power station in Choctaw County, Mississippi, crossing through North Louisiana. Onshore wind has been the cheapest source of electricity for the past several years in the United States and around the world, according to a study by the financial firm Lazard.
Although the line would end in Mississippi, it would feed electricity into Louisiana by way of the regional Midcontinent Independent System Operator grid. The MISO grid covers most of Louisiana, and Mississippi and spans into a large swath of the Midwest and into Manitoba, Canada.
Dickson told the committee Seabaugh’s bill won’t kill Pattern Energy’s project but will merely give the landowners a better advantage in their negotiations.
“It needs to be negotiated in the private sector,” Dickson said. “It will get done well… Right now, the landowner’s hands are tied behind his back. Senate Bill 108 gives the landowner the ability to negotiate by removing the threat of expropriation.”
Pattern Energy has claimed the project will bring economic development to towns and parishes in North Louisiana, but Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, D-Bossier City, said he hasn’t heard from any of those local officials. Campbell is against the Pattern transmission project but has not taken a position on Seabaugh’s bill.
“I’m troubled by the way they do business,” Campbell said in a phone interview, referring to Pattern Energy. He said it has been difficult to get straight answers from the company.
Seabaugh told the committee the power line would not deliver “one watt of electricity” to Louisiana and that the company would claim lucrative state tax incentives such as the Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP). When it was his turn to testify, Pattern Energy executive Adam Renz failed to give concise answers in response to Seabaugh’s accusations, neither of which were accurate.
Instead, Renz gave lengthy, detailed explanations on the concepts of inter-regional interconnection, the history of the Southern Spirit project and the geography of the MISO grid. His long discourse continued even after lawmakers specifically pointed it out, asking for shorter answers.
Louisiana legislation could jeopardize flow of power from Texas
When Renz finally did say electricity would indeed flow to Louisiana and that “we’re not using ITEP — you have my word,” half of the committee members had long ago left the room.
Pattern Energy land director Shannon Gwen and attorney Scott Keaty were more concise in their testimony. Gwen explained how the company has nearly acquired 60% of the land needed for the project and that it begins land negotiations with offers of at least 120% of market value. Keaty said he had deals worked out with the two landowners until Seabaugh filed his bill.
“We have not taken anybody’s property,” Keaty said. “We have not initiated any expropriation proceedings.”
The company has rerouted the transmission project 11 times at the request of one landowner who is still not satisfied, he said.
Even if Pattern Energy were to initiate expropriation proceedings for the land, it would have to do so through lawsuits filed in the landowner’s parish and would have to show the judge why the project is in the best interest of the public. Gwen said the company also includes value for any timber on the land and even pays the landowner’s legal fees if they hire an attorney to negotiate.
Many others testified against Seabaugh’s bill, including Public Service Commissioners Mike Francis, R-Crowley, and Davanté Lewis, D-Baton Rouge.
Lewis said the bill is a big solution for what is a small contested issue. He said it will have “significant ramifications” for improving Louisiana’s grid and signal to other companies that Louisiana will change the rules on them at the finish line.
The Louisiana-based utility Southwestern Electric Power Cooperative (SWEPCO) currently imports cheap electricity from wind turbines in Oklahoma — in the same way Louisiana would benefit from the Southern Spirit line — through the MISO grid, Lewis said.
“If Oklahoma passed this same law, it would undoubtedly raise the rates for people in Louisiana,” Lewis said.
At the end of Tuesday’s hearing, the committee members who had left the room finally returned, having missed testimony given in support of the project. Even those lawmakers who stayed and voiced some sympathy to Pattern Energy’s position were confronted with one final question from Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Pineville, who had returned to his chair just before the bill’s fate was decided.
“Sen. Seabaugh, I have just one question, and I don’t think I heard it in your testimony earlier: Do you know if the governor supports or opposes your bill?” Johnson said.
Seabaugh replied that Gov. Jeff Landry “quietly supports it” but admitted he doesn’t “quite know what that means.”
“If he opposed it, he wouldn’t likely be quiet, would he?” Johnson asked.
“I think that’s probably correct,” Seabaugh said.
When committee chairman Rep. Nicholas Muscarello, R-Hammond, asked if anyone objected to moving the bill favorably to the floor, the lawmakers remained silent.
Paul Dickson Sr., who testified at Tuesday’s committee hearing, is a principal owner and former board chairman of the Shreveport-based Morris & Dickson Co., one of the largest wholesale pharmaceutical distributors in the nation and, according to Dickson, the second oldest company in Louisiana. “I ran a company that currently does $5.5 billion a year in sales,” Dickson told lawmakers. “That’s bigger than Pattern [Energy]. I know who makes decisions in companies, and the people who will decide whether or not this power line goes through Louisiana after this bill is passed will make an economic business decision.”
Dickson was president of Morris & Dickson when it mishandled more than 12,000 suspicious large orders of the highly addictive drugs oxycodone and hydrocodone during the height of the nation’s opioid crisis, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
Last year, the Associated Press reported on secretive negotiations between Dickson and top DEA officials. The DEA was investigating Morris & Dickson’s distribution of opioids and filed formal charges against the company in 2018 for violating the Controlled Substances Act.
Dickson had met with a DEA official, Louis Milione, on at least two occasions beginning in 2016 to negotiate a way for the company to stave off punishment and keep its distributor’s license. That following year, Milione left the DEA and received a $3 million consulting contract from Morris & Dickson.
Dickson’s company continued operating under its license for over four years after a judge recommended it be revoked in 2019. The DEA’s decision to stall on the judge’s ruling was highly unusual, according to officials quoted in the AP story. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, a Biden appointee, rehired that same agent in 2021 as her top deputy and continued to stall on the judge’s ruling until the situation made national headlines last year. Milgram revoked the company’s license in May 2023 right after the AP reached out to her for comment on the matter.
The company didn’t stay in trouble for long. In February, the DEA announced it had negotiated a settlement with Morris & Dickson in which the company admitted all wrongdoing, promised not to break the law again and paid a $19 million penalty. In return, Morris & Dickson got its DEA license back.
Dickson also owns Sports South, one of the region’s largest firearm distributors. He is also a major Republican donor, giving $24,999 to Seabaugh and more than $40,000 to Gov. Jeff Landry over the past several years. Landry’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment on this story.
Dickson has also donated smaller amounts totaling $2,000, to Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, D-Bossier City, who opposes the Pattern Energy transmission line project Dickson wants to stop, but he hasn’t taken a position on Seabaugh’s bill.
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BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Questions about Louisiana’s private ankle-monitoring companies are back in the spotlight.
It comes after the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office filed a motion this week to revoke bond for a man who allegedly violated monitoring orders and other requirements.
Prosecutors want a judge to revoke Marcus Washington’s bond after court filings say he violated his conditions when he was arrested in Livingston Parish on drug and gun charges while on ankle monitoring. Washington is accused of firing a gun inside a classroom at a local high school. A judge placed him on house arrest.
The case has renewed attention on Louisiana’s private ankle-monitoring companies.
Monitoring companies lack regulation
“The ankle monitoring companies have never had any regulation about what they can do, what they’re supposed to do,” said District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla, who represents East and West Feliciana.
D’Aquilla said that lack of oversight gained new attention after a separate case where a man violated a stay-away order, killed his wife, then killed himself. In that case, two ankle-monitoring workers were charged and accused of not alerting police when the monitor kept going off. The Louisiana Supreme Court said they can be criminally prosecuted.
“The company is supposed to monitor where they are at any given time,” D’Aquilla said.
Device switched from GPS to phone monitoring
In Washington’s case, the filing says the monitoring agency, Magnolia, reported a charging issue April 7. His monitoring was changed from an ankle GPS device to phone monitoring.
Two days later, prosecutors say his location services were turned off and he was stopped in Livingston Parish, where deputies say they found marijuana, illegal pills and a handgun.
“So that’s been the whole problem all along. It’s like the Wild Wild West. Put an ankle monitor on them, an ankle monitor company doesn’t notify the judge or anybody,” D’Aquilla said.
D’Aquilla said despite legislation combating violation issues, private monitoring companies are not obligated to notify anyone of violations.
“They’re in direct violation of their bond obligation, and they need to be in jail. So we haven’t been doing that,” he said.
The state also noted investigators looked at possible ties to the Mall of Louisiana shooting with Washington, but said a preliminary phone analysis did not put his device near the mall at the time.
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Chris Rogers and Megan Wiley are among 33 finalists selected across a four-state service area
Acadian ambulance outlines transports, services, and divisions
Acadian Ambulance: gold-standard EMS since 1971 — emergency, non-emergency, specialized & air transport; 8 divisions.
Acadian Ambulance has named paramedic Chris Rogers and EMT Megan Wiley as its Southwest Louisiana finalists for Medic and EMT of the Year.
The company selects 33 finalists annually from across its four-state service area based on peer nominations for patient care, work ethics and professionalism, according to a news release. Winners will be announced May 19 in Lafayette, according to Acadian Companies.
Paramedic Rogers and EMT Wiley represent the company’s Southwest Louisiana service area.
Acadian Ambulance has operated in Southwest Louisiana since 1973, when it began serving Jeff Davis and Acadia parishes, the release said. The company has nearly 200 employees in the region, which encompasses Calcasieu, Jeff Davis and Acadia parishes.
Chris Rogers, Paramedic
Rogers, based in Calcasieu Parish, has served with Acadian Ambulance for 10 years and is also an Associate Quality Improvement Coordinator (AQIC) for the Southwest Louisiana region.
A graduate of Acadian’s National EMS Academy, Rogers is recognized for his work ethic, advanced paramedic skills, and the respect he commands among his peers for his positive attitude and strong leadership.
He leads by example, encouraging his teammates to uphold the highest standards of patient care. His upbeat demeanor and energy make every shift more productive and collaborative, the release said.
In his role as AQIC, Rogers helps ensure that Southwest Louisiana team members deliver patient care and prepare new hires for success in emergency medical services. A natural problem solver, he is dependable, professional, and a pleasure to work alongside, Acadian Companies said.
Every patient interaction reflects his commitment to excellence and the highest standards of Acadian Ambulance.
Megan Wiley, EMT
Wiley, also based in Calcasieu Parish, began her career with Acadian Ambulance in March 2025. She is known as a patient care provider, anticipating the needs of her paramedic partners and ensuring a smooth, high-quality ride for patients to the hospital. Her professionalism, skill and dedication make every call safer and more efficient.
She is currently enrolled in the paramedic program at the National EMS Academy, and she serves as an adjunct EMT course instructor at the Academy’s Lake Charles campus, helping train the next generation of EMTs. She has made an impact as an EMT, instructor and student and she is a valued member of the Southwest Louisiana team.
Aaron Gonsoulin is the General Assignment/Trending Reporter for The Daily Advertiser. Contact him at AGonsoulin@theadvertiser.com.
Louisiana
LIV Golf may postpone Louisiana event scheduled for the end of June to avoid World Cup clash
LIV Golf may postpone its Louisiana event scheduled for June due to concerns the FIFA World Cup could impact attendance and viewership.
Issues such as high temperatures and course conditions are also factors in the decision.
The Saudi-funded circuit has been working in coordination with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s office and economic officials to find a new date for the tournament in either September or October, the sources with knowledge of LIV Golf operations said.
The tournament is currently scheduled for June 25-28 at Bayou Oaks at City Park.
The World Cup takes place in the US, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
LIV Golf, Landry and the Louisiana Economic Development are expected to issue a statement on the matter on Tuesday.
The sources’ comments come less than two weeks after LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said the breakaway circuit’s 2026 season would proceed as planned amid reports that the series is at risk of losing its funding.
The Louisiana event is the only LIV tournament on the schedule during the World Cup.
LIV Golf Virginia at Trump National Golf Club is scheduled to begin May 7 in Washington, DC.
PGA CEO considering pathways to reinstate LIV Golfers
Brian Rolapp says the PGA Tour is considering opening up more pathways to acquire LIV Golf players in the future
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp says the American circuit is thinking about establishing new pathways to reinstate LIV Golf players, amid speculation over the breakaway league’s future.
Rumours have swirled in the past weeks that LIV Golf could lose its financial backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), after the breakaway league was not mentioned in its four-year investment strategy.
McGinley: It’s not going to be plain sailing for the LIV guys
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Paul McGinley discusses LIV’s future, what it means for the players and why the concept hasn’t resonated
Sky Sports Golf analyst Paul McGinley believes LIV players interested in returning to the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour could face multiple “roadblocks” on their way to regaining membership, adding that the landscape on both circuits has vastly changed since LIV’s inception.
“Over the last four years since LIV has been going, all of the spots these 56 players have had on the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour have been filled,” McGinley said during Sky Sports Golf’s coverage of the final round of The RBC Heritage.
“You can’t just muscle your way back into what is going to be smaller fields than the bigger fields that they left.
“It’s not going to be an easy way back in, should they be allowed to do so.
“Also, there are a lot of roadblocks in the way. There would be suspensions, there would be fines, all the kinds of things that have been talked about in the last few years would have to remain in place in order to be equitable and fair to the guys who remained with the main tours over the last four years.
“There’s a lot of negotiation to be done between the main tours and the LIV players, if LIV is going to fold, in terms of what the future may be.
“It’s not going to be plain sailing for the LIV guys.”
Watch the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, majors and more live on Sky Sports, with the PGA Championship (May 14-17), US Open (June 18-21) and The Open (July 16-19) all exclusively live on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.
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