By Bob Warren Jazz Fest ruling appeal: The legal sparring over free Jazz Fest tickets and other perks isn't going away. The foundation that controls the fest has appealed a judge's ruling from last week that allowed a couple of past presidents to continue getting free tix, parking, special stage passes and the like. Medical marijuana expansion: Louisiana legislators have begun a push to expand the state's medical marijuana program. But while there appears to be support for expanding the number of pharmacies that can dispense it, support for expanding the number of growers isn't as clear, Sam Karlin reports. 'Normality restored': Buckle in for the one of the biggest weekends we’ve had in a while. The French Quarter Festival kicks off tomorrow. Or as Keith Spera writes today, “another part of New Orleans normality will be restored.” (Toss in the start of the Zurich Classic golf tourney and the Pelicans playoff game Friday night if you’re looking for even more . . .) Wow, what a win! How awesome was that Pelicans win against the Suns last night? (Rhetorical question! Of course it was totally awesome!) And to return home now with the playoff series tied at one apiece heading into Friday’s game at the Smoothie King Center. Gonna be wild there. Life after the Saints: You might be wondering how Sean Payton is spending his days now that he’s not holed up in some room poring over NFL draft strategies. The former Saints coach is doing quite well, and enjoying his time off, thank you very much. We caught up with him during a celebrity event at the Zurich Classic golf tournament. Hope you enjoyed today’s Lunch Line. Thanks for taking a break with us. And of course, be sure to check out NOLA.com for more news throughout the day. BW |