Louisiana trees under attack: Louisiana House lawmakers are convening an emergency panel to deal with widespread beetle attacks on pine trees across the state. Tiny bark beetles, namely the Ips engraver and southern pine varieties, have been killing millions of trees across Louisiana and Mississippi after a severe drought last year left forests and woods weakened and susceptible to the insect. On April 10, a Pineville woman was killed after a beetle-infested tree fell onto her camper during a thunderstorm. Learn more from Louisiana Illuminator.
Fizzling out: Imports of fireworks reached a peak at nearly $600 million in 2022, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission. But experts estimate that fireworks imports will reach only about $350 million in 2024. So why has there been such a dramatic decline? The answer lies in the pandemic. Read more from Governing.
Ticking up: Ford sales rose 1% during the second quarter over the year-earlier period, led by a 5% gain in truck sales, the automaker said Wednesday. The update comes a day after rival General Motors reported second-quarter sales that rose 0.6% from a year earlier. But even the modest sales increases for both Ford and GM outpace expectations for the overall market. Read more from CNBC.
Editor’s note: Daily Report will not be published tomorrow, Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. Daily Report will return on Friday, July 5.
