There’s the potential for severe weather today as 2020 wants to take one last jab at the state. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Governor John Bel Edwards is holding a media briefing at 10 AM on Louisiana’s response to COVID-19. It comes one day after the state health department reported 6,754 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day total of cases reported during the pandemic so far, without neither a backlog nor two day’s worth of cases.

The showdown between Governor Edwards and House Republicans over COVID restrictions was the defining political fight of 2020 in Louisiana. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 3 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

There will be two Congressional elections in the spring, one to fill Cedric Richmond’s seat as the Democrat is joining the Biden Administration and the one to fill the seat left vacant from Congressman-Elect Luke Letlow’s death. Qualifying would take place next month and the special election would be March 20th.

Condolences for Congressman-elect Luke Letlow poured into the state yesterday after news of his Tuesday evening death from COVID-19. Letlow was only 41 and won his runoff race less than a month ago. We spoke to him just prior to that win and he said he was looking forward to pushing Congress for the funds needed to take on one of the 5^th’s most pressing issues…

Cut 9 (09) “… the world.”

Letlow was set to be sworn-in Sunday.

Most of the state is under an enhanced severe weather threat today with chances for tornadoes and heavy winds and heavy rainfall. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the higher amounts of rainfall will be seen in Northwest Louisiana as opposed to Southeast Louisiana.

Cut 6 (12) “…through 2021.”

The showdown between Governor Edwards and House Republicans over his COVID restrictions topped a busy year in state political news. House Republicans uncovered a little known, and as of this year unused petition process that would allow only one chamber of the Legislature to override a gubernatorial emergency order. The constitutionality of the process was in question, and ultimately rejected by the courts. UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross says House Republicans’ biggest hurdle was that their Senate colleagues did not back their attempt…

Cut 12 (10) “…then”

Road travel was down 24 percent, air travel down 60 percent, and train travel down nearly 90 percent for Christmas by AAA spokesperson Don Redman says experts are growing confident that our travel numbers will rebound in 2021.

Cut 15 (10)“…going in.”

Outdoor New Year’s Eve plans aren’t looking so good as most of the state is under an enhanced severe weather threat for the final day of 2020. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a tropical cyclone will push bad weather across the state from Texas towards the Mississippi Delta…

Cut 5 (11) “…going on.”

Good news is the threat will be over by New Year’s Day.

State leaders are still in shock at the surprising COVID-related death of 41-year-old Congressman elect Luke Letlow, who won the 5^th district runoff just earlier this month. We spoke with Letlow just prior to his win and he spoke highly of his former boss and mentor, retiring Congressman Ralph Abraham, and said it was Abraham who pulled him back into public service in 2014 while he was working for a Denver energy company.

Cut 8 (09) “…up in Congress.”

The vitriolic battle between House Republicans and Governor Edwards over COVID restrictions was the top story in state politics for 2020. UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross says Louisiana became just another battleground in a nationwide partisan battle that was playing out during the Presidential election…

Cut 11 (05) “…well.”

Road travel was down 24 percent for Christmas but that still means an estimated 81 million people traveled by car for the holiday. That’s not the same story for air travel, where AAA spokesperson Don Redman says only three million Americans traveled by air for the holidays, a whopping 60 percent decrease from last year.

Cut 14 (07) “…percent.” 

Governor Edwards will hold a 10 AM press conference today addressing concerns about the state’s slow rollout of vaccinations as national reports indicate just a fraction of all vaccines have actually been administered.

The Saints take on Carolina Sunday for the final game of the regular season. The team is a lock for the playoffs but is holding out hope that the dominos fall just right and the Packers lose their final game of the year to Bears and Seattle tops San Fran, along with a win over Teddy Bridgewater’s Panthers. The Saints have a rare opportunity to sweep the entire division this year with a win.

It’s another meeting with Bridgewater who had a perfect record during limited starts for the Saints last year. This year? Not so much. He’s tossed 15 TDs and nine picks in 14 games played for the Panthers on only 3557 yards passing but does sport a nifty 70 percent pass completion percentage.

The Pelicans continue their early-season tonight hoping to climb back over .500 against the struggling Oklahoma City Thunder. The pels took a brutal beating from Pheonix two nights ago but play a OKC team that’s basically cleaned house for a full-on rebuild and is not close to the same outfit that made the playoffs last year.

Jeff Palermo covered a thrilling end to the High School Football championships…

Most of Louisiana is under an enhanced severe weather threat for the final day of 2020. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a cyclone is expected to form along the Texas coast this morning and travel northward into Oklahoma bringing severe weather to the Bayou State.

Cut 4 (11) “…high wind.”

Temperatures will be cooler once the rain passes through with lows on New Year’s day in the mid-30s for North Louisiana and mid-40s to low 50s in the southern part of the state.

Despite calls from state and federal officials for folks to stay home for Christmas an estimated 81 million people still took to the roads, but AAA spokesperson Don Redman says road travel was down 24 percent from 2019’s record numbers. Locally…

Cut 13 (05) “…by car.”

It was a busy year in state politics but it’s clear the defining fight of 2020 was that between the Governor and House Republicans over COVID restrictions and the public health emergency. House Republicans attempted to override the Governor’s restrictions using a little known petition process but have been, so far, denied by the courts. UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross…

Cut 10 (10) “…magnified.”

Baton Rouge Judge William Morvant rejected the effort, which was brought to court by Attorney General Jeff Landry, in November but last week was ordered by the State Supreme Court to revisit the case in 2021.

The state is still in shock over the surprising COVID-related death of 41-year-old Congressman-elect Luke Letlow Tuesday evening. LRN spoke with Letlow just before his December 5^th runoff victory…

Cut 7 (07)  “…hurricane.”

Louisiana has the potential for severe weather today as 2020 wants to take one last jab at the state. Brooke Thorington has more.

 Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

_______________________________

Congressman-elect Luke Letlow’s surprising COVID-related death at 41 cut short the life of one of the state’s fastest climbing young political figures. Matt Doyle spoke with Letlow earlier this month ahead of his 5^th District runoff win…

Cut 2 (26) “…I’m Matt Doyle.” 

 __________________________________________

The showdown between Governor Edwards and House Republicans over COVID restrictions was the defining political fight of 2020 in Louisiana. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (29)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.”  

____________________________________________

Most of Louisiana is under an enhanced severe weather threat for the final day of 2020. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a cyclone is expected to form along the Texas coast this morning and travel northward into Oklahoma bringing severe weather to the Bayou State.

Cut 4 (11) “…high wind.”

Keim says the dicey weather will move across the state from Texas towards the Mississippi Delta as we close out the year.

Cut 5 (11) “…going on.”

Outdoor plans are not ideal today with rainfall amounts of one to five inches expected. Keim says the higher amounts of rainfall will be seen in Northwest Louisiana as opposed to Southeast Louisiana.

Cut 6 (12) “…through 2021.”

Temperatures will be cooler once the rain passes through with lows on New Year’s day in the mid-30s for North Louisiana and mid-40s to low 50s in the southern part of the state.

__________________________________________

The state is still in shock over the surprising COVID-related death of 41-year-old Congressman-elect Luke Letlow Tuesday evening.

LRN spoke with Letlow just before his December 5^th runoff victory. He said he was excited to head to Washington and get things done with his good friend and fellow Congressman Garret Graves.

Cut 7 (07)  “…hurricane.”

Letlow won the December runoff against Alexandria lawmaker Lance Harris with 62 percent of the vote and was set to be sworn-in Sunday.

Letlow spoke highly of his former boss and mentor, retiring Congressman Ralph Abraham, and said it was Abraham who pulled him back into public service in 2014 while he was working for a Denver energy company.

Cut 8 (09) “…up in Congress.”

Abraham endorsed Letlow at the start of his campaign for the 5^th District, a boost that made him a strong early favorite for the seat.

Letlow said he was looking forward to pushing Congress for the funds needed to take on one of the 5^th’s most pressing issues…

Cut 9 (09) “… the world.”

_______________________________________________

It was a busy year in state politics but it’s clear the defining fight of 2020 was that between the Governor and House Republicans over COVID restrictions and the public health emergency.

House Republicans attempted to override the Governor’s restrictions using a little known petition process but have been, so far, denied by the courts. UL Lafayette Poli Sci Professor Pearson Cross…

Cut 10 (10) “…magnified.”

Baton Rouge Judge William Morvant rejected the effort, which was brought to court by Attorney General Jeff Landry, in November but last week was ordered by the State Supreme Court to revisit the case in 2021.

Cross says the incredibly vitriolic battle over COVID restrictions in Louisiana was a reflection of the greater partisan battle playing out nationally at that time, and…

Cut 11 (05) “…well.”

Cross says House Republicans’ biggest hurdle was that their Senate colleagues did not back their attempt, which is why he suspects Governor Edwards was never worried about it.

Cut 12 (10) “…then”

_________________________________________________________

Despite calls from state and federal officials for folks to stay home for Christmas an estimated 81 million people still took to the roads, but AAA spokesperson Don Redman says road travel was down 24 percent from 2019’s record numbers. Locally…

Cut 13 (05) “…by car.”

Redman says only three million Americans traveled by air for the holidays, a whopping 60 percent decrease from last year.

Cut 14 (07) “…percent.” 

On the bright side, Redman says experts are growing confident that our travel numbers will rebound in 2021 as COVID vaccines become more readily available.

Cut 15 (10)“…going in.”

The 5^th Congressional District mourns the passing of Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, a career public servant. Matt Doyle has the story…

cut 2 (37) ….I’m Matt Doyle.”  

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi spoke of Letlow at a briefing today…

Cut 11 (12) “…to anyone.”

With Phase One of COVID vaccinations underway to frontline healthcare workers, nursing home staff and residents, many are wondering who’s next up to get their shots in 2021.

Governor Edwards says those with end-stage renal disease who receive regular dialysis treatments have already begun receiving the vaccine ahead of their CDC recommended schedule.

Unfortunately, Kanter says we can’t pinpoint an exact date yet for when the state will move out of Phase One vaccinations and into Phase 1B.

Cut 12 (06) “…we get.”

Medicaid enrollment increased by 208-thousand in Louisiana this year alone and now approximately 1.8 million receive Medicaid benefits or 39-percent of the state’s population. Louisiana Budget Project Executive Director Jan Moller says beside historic job losses, another reason more people are on Medicaid because early in the pandemic Congress passed The Families First Coronavirus Relief Act.
Cut 5 (10) “…coverage.”

Louisiana’s newly elected Congressman Luke Letlow has passed away at the age of 41 from COVID-19. Letlow was set to be sworn in Sunday to represent Louisiana’s 5th district, a mostly rural district that covers northeast, central Louisiana and also St. Landry Parish and parts of the Florida parishes. Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says Letlow would have been a great Congressman…

Cut 4 (13) in Congress” 

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi expressed her condolences for Luke Letlow at a briefing this morning. Pelosi was visibly emotional when she spoke of Letlow’s wife Julia and two children Jaqueline and Jeremiah.

Cut 12 (11) “…their daddy.” 

Medicaid enrollment increased by 208-thousand in Louisiana this year alone and now approximately 1.8 million receive Medicaid benefits or 39-percent of the state’s population. Louisiana Budget Project Executive Director Jan Moller says the pandemic’s effect on the economy forced many to seek coverage.

Cut 4 (09) “…insurance.” (AM)

With Phase One of COVID vaccinations underway to frontline healthcare workers, nursing home staff and residents, many are wondering who’s next up to get their shots in 2021. A CDC advisory committee suggests group 1B should cover frontline essential workers and those over 75. Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says the state is crafting its own plan, but…

Cut 10 (04) “…recommended.” (AM)

The state reported 6,754 new COVID-19 case today and 51 fatalities.

Louisiana’s newly elected Congressman Luke Letlow has passed away at the age of 41 from COVID-19. He was set to be sworn in Sunday to replace his former boss Ralph Abraham. Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says he’s known Letlow for 20 years…

Cut 3 (10)  “…fight for Louisiana.”

Baton Rouge Radio Personality Michelle Southern graduated from Ouachita Christian in Monroe with Letlow in 1998. Southern says Letlow was an excellent debater and made quite an impression in high school on her and the other 51 people in their close-knit graduating class.

Cut 6 (13) “…United States.”

News of Congressman-elect Luke Letlow’s passing from COVID at such a young age has sent shockwaves across the state and nation. ULM Political Science Professor Dr. Joshua Stockley says his death is a stark reminder of the reality of the pandemic.

Cut 8 (11) “…world.”

Letlow reportedly had no pre-existing health conditions.

Letlow leaves behind his wife Dr. Julia Letlow and their two children Jaqueline and Jeremiah.

Accolades and condolences have rolled in from across the political spectrum since news of Letlow’s passing last night, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Governor John Bel Edwards, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, and more.

Governor Edwards has confirmed that a special election to fill Letlow’s seat will be held sometime in March, it’s also the expected date to fill the congressional seat of Cedric Richmond who’s leaving to work in the Biden White House.