Louisiana’s death toll from COVID19 increases to 5 with another death coming from a New Orleans nursing home. Despite the rising numbers, the threat of spread is not stopping a capital region church from holding services as normal, defying the ban of gatherings of 50 or more people. Rev. Tony Spell says police have shown up after services at the Life Tabernacle Church in Central threatening to disband the next gathering.
Cut 3 (11)  “…enforce upon us.”  
The church had an attendance of over 1,100 on Sunday, which is about normal.
Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy says the federal government is also working to get more testing kits out, so more people can be tested. A drive-thru testing site in Baton Rouge had to suspend operations yesterday after it ran out of testing kits. Cassidy says finding out who has the virus is critical to stopping the spread…
Cut 7 (05) “…get better”

The Department of Children and Family Services has seen a doubling in the usual number of food stamp applications. DCFS Secretary Marketa Garner Walters says part of the surge in applications is likely because people think the program is being expanded like it would in natural disaster. The problem is… it isn’t.
Cut 9 (14) “…SNAP″
SNAP sends benefits to roughly 770,000 Louisiana residents currently.

House Speaker Clay Schexnayder says committee hearing dates are set and bills are ready to move when the legislative session is scheduled to resume on March 31. Schexnayder says he and Senate President Page Cortez have worked on a contingency plan in the event that COVID-19 slows down things even more, but he does not foresee that being an issue.
Cut 13 (04) “people’s jobs done.”