This week the state Revenue Department will mail thousands of letters to frontline workers who had problems with their tax rebate applications. Matt Doyle has more…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

The LSU Tigers are also putting the pads on today as they get ready for their season opener on September 26th. Today, the SEC will release each school’s 10-game schedule. Week one games will be revealed at two PM and then the complete schedule comes out at six o’clock.

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry is reaching out to auto insurance companies who are not currently offering coverage in Louisiana to let them know the state has made changes to its civil litigation system for car crashes. LABI President Stephen Waguespack says the tort reform legislation approved in the special session has made the state’s judicial system more transparent and fair.
Cut 6 (10) “…your services here.”
The Louisiana House Democratic Caucus says the tort reform legislation approve in June will not lead to lower rates.
Louisiana will need to begin borrowing money from the feds to fund our unemployment insurance program as of September 7^th. Louisiana Workforce Commission Director Ava Dejoie says even if the state runs out of money in the trust fund, the state is constitutionally mandated to keep paying benefits, so…
Cut 10 (07) “…benefits.”
Dejoie says over 20 states are already borrowing money from the feds to fund their unemployment programs.

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry is reaching out to auto insurance companies who are not writing policies in Louisiana to let them know about changes made to the state’s civil litigation system. LABI president Stephen Waguespack says it will only take a handful of companies to start writing new business to lower rates…
cut 5 (10) “….is no compeitition”

The Louisiana Workforce Commission is beginning the process of having to borrow money from the federal government to replenish the state’s unemployment trust fund. There’s currently 245-million in the fund. It had over one-billion dollars before the pandemic. L-W-C Secretary Ava Dejoie says the state will have to impose a solvency tax on businesses to pay back the loan…
cut 11 (10) “…funds”

The state Revenue Department says they’ve received 240-thousand applications for the 250-dollar payment that’s going out to front line workers who had to work during the governor’s stay at home order. But Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson says there is a problem with many of the applications…
cut 8 (09) “….information”
Robinson says they’ve also received 208 applications from people who are dead.

Based on the latest data from the state department of health, Louisiana continues to show signs it’s seeing a decline in coronavrius cases after experiencing a second surge in June and July. State health officier Doctor Jimmy Guidry on why we saw a second surge….
cut 15 (12) “…this virus spread”
The state reported 77 more COVID-19 deaths over the weekend.

A few weeks from now Louisiana will begin borrowing money from the feds to pay out unemployment benefits. Brooke Thorington has the story.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

The Louisiana Health Department reported another 77 COVID-19 deaths over the weekend to bring the state’s death toll to 4,384. The state also reported another 12-hundred coronavirus cases. COVID-19 patients in the hospital continued to fall. It dropped by another 47 over the weekend to just under 12-hundred.

Based on the latest data, the number of new COVID-19 cases is on the decline after the state experienced a second surge in June and July. So why did Louisiana experience a second surge? State Health Officer Dr. Jimmy Guidry says some of those that tested negative in the spring may have relaxed on their spread mitigation efforts
Cut 13 (12) “…keep our distance.”

The state revenue department says 240-thousand people have applied for the 250-dollar hazard pay check that’s available to workers who were forced to work during the governor’s stay at home order. But Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson says they’ve had problems verifying workers’ information on many of the applications…
cut 9 (10) “…name”

Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie tells lawmakers the state’s unemployment trust fund is set to run out of money on September seventh. Dejoie says the state’s unemployment trust fund was rated as the 17th strongest in the nation before the pandemic…
cut 12 (11) “…million”
Dejoie says in order to keep paying unemployment claims, the state will have to borrow from the federal government and taxes will increase on businesses.

The state is reporting nearly 138-thousand coronavirus cases, almost 87-thousand cases have been confirmed since June 22nd. State health officer Doctor Jimmy Guidry says our hot summer did not slow the spread…
cut 14 (11) “…viruses normally behave”

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry is reaching out to auto insurers who are not doing business in the state to let them know about recent changes to the state’s civil litigation rules in car crash cases…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

A 14-year-old girl from St. Mary Parish died over the weekend in a jet ski accident. Witnesses say the victim and a 15-year-old were operating separate jet skis in Belle River in Lower St. Martin Parish when the two jet skis collided. Hannah Landry of Franklin died at a local hospital, the other girl had minor injuries.

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry is reaching out to auto insurance companies who are not currently offering coverage in Louisiana to let them know the state has made changes to its civil litigation system for car crashes. LABI President Stephen Waguespack says they have sent out more than 1,100 letters…
Cut 4 (07)“ …rates go down.”
But the head of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Louisiana, Jeff Albright, says despite the tort reform law passing this year, Louisiana could still rank number one in auto insurance rates next year.

Louisiana will have to borrow money from the feds to fund the state’s unemployment trust fund starting on September 7th. Louisiana Workforce Commission Director Ava Dejoie says even if the trust fund runs dry, the state is constitutionally mandated to keep paying benefits, so…
Cut 10 (07) “…benefits.”
454-thousand people are receiving unemployment from the state.

The Louisiana Revenue Department says 69-thousand checks worth 250-dollars a piece have been sent to essential workers who had to work during the governor’s stay at home order. Secretary Kimberly Robinson says 240-thousand people have applied for the tax rebate since July 15th
Cut 7 (14) “…testing”
17-million in payments have gone out and the program still has 23-million available dollars, so the state is still accepting applications at frontlineworkers.la.gov.

Today is election day in 38 parish. Polls opened at 7am and close at 8pm. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin encourages everyone to vote today and he also wants to remind voters due to COVID-19 some polling places have been relocated. To find you polling place you can use the Geaux Vote mobile app or geauxvote-dot-com that’s g-e-a-u-x vote.

Three women who allegedly assaulted a Baton Rouge Chili’s worker for asking them to social distance have been arrested. A video of the event sparked national outrage, and Baton Rouge Police Sgt Don Coppola says the case rightfully had the public’s interest…

Cut 4 (10)“ ..Crime Stoppers 

A gofundme account for the victim, 17-year old Kelsy Wallace has raised close to $60 thousand to help pay for college. Wallace plans to attend Xavier University and major in pre-med.

Governor John Bel Edwards says once flu shots are available folks need to line up and get one or our healthcare capacity could be pushed to its limits in the upcoming fall season due to COVID-19.

Cut 7 (07) “…care delivery system..”

Louisiana scores another 205 million dollars from BP oil spill money to help address coastal land loss and ecological issues.  Executive Director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Bren Haase says over $25 million will be put toward oyster-related projects, including the construction of two brood reefs in St. Bernard Parish. The reefs will be closed to harvesting but are located near open harvesting areas.

Cut 13 (10) “…can eat them.” 

Haase says $3 million will be going toward a system that is in place to respond to injured marine mammals

48-year old Tammy Dabney, 27-year old Rodneka Dabney, and 46-year old Erica Dabney have all been charged in the assault of a Baton Rouge Chili’s hostess that was caught on camera. The incident allegedly began when the victim, 17-year old Kelsy Wallace asked the group the women were a part of to follow social distancing requirements. Baton Rouge Police Sgt Don Coppola says the young girl had to be treated at a local hospital for minor injuries.

Cut 5 (10)  “this happens”

A GoFundMe account has been set up for Wallace.

Governor Edwards pleads with residents to get a flu vaccination this year to preserve medical capacity for fall COVID patients. Edwards says this year’s vaccination is not yet available, but when it is, you’ll hear about it.

Cut 8 (06) “…shot this year.”

The fate of New Orleans Mardi Gras parades in 2021 is still up in the air after krewes met Thursday and came to no definitive decision on the matter. The heart of the season is set for early-mid February next year, but there’s no indication a vaccine will be widely available by then. Mardi Gras Guide publisher Arthur Hardy says there’s been some suggestions addressing that problem…

Cut 10 (06) “…weeks”

Fat Tuesday is February 16^th in 2021.

The husband of Nancy Parker, the New Orleans news anchor who was killed in a plane crash a year ago tomorrow is suing the FAA for $23 million. Glen Boyd claims that the FAA was negligent when it approved the flight that crashed on Aug. 16, last year killing Parker and pilot Franklin J.P. Augustus. The lawsuit alleges FAA officials allowed the flight to proceed even though the plane had a history of mechanical issues and had maintenance problems that delayed the flight the day of the crash.

Today is election day in 38 parishes. Polls opened at 7 am and close at 8 pm. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin encourages everyone to vote today and he also wants to remind voters due to COVID-19 some polling places have been relocated. To find your polling place you can use the Geaux Vote mobile app or geauxvote-dot-com that’s g-e-a-u-x vote.

New Orleans Mardi Gras Krewes met to discuss next year’s season, with the result being a clear message that no one knows if it will actually happen. Mardi Gras Guide publisher Arthur Hardy says there’s not a lot of optimism about having large scale parades in the Crescent City, but he cautions…

Cut 9 (11) “…parades.”

He also adds that funding for the creation of floats is up in the air as some krewes are having difficulty securing membership dues do to the uncertainty.

The state is receiving another $205 million in BP oil spill money for a variety of projects to help recover from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. Executive Director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Bren Haase says $176 million will be used to build marshland in the upper Barataria Basin

Cut 12 (11) “…the Mississippi River.”

Governor John Bel Edwards expresses concern over the upcoming flu season.  Edwards says the message is clear about the flu vaccine this year.

Cut 6 (06) “…past or not.”

Edwards says the combination of having spikes in both COVID and flu cases at the same time could be detrimental to medical facility capabilities.