Big economic development news as Amazon plans on building a 100 million dollar fulfillment center in Carencro next year. Matt Doyle has the story.
cut 2 (31) ….I’m Matt Doyle.”

The state health department reports vaccines have been administered to 22-thousand health care workers. The state plans to update that number twice a week on it’s coronavirus dashboard found on the department of health’s website. The governor is holding a COVID-19 briefing at this hour.

Bo Pelini is out after just one season as LSU’s defensive coordinator after the Tigers defense had a historically bad season. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says Pelini also left LSU after 2007, but that was after winning a national title…
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There’s also a report that offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger will retire as an on-field coach and be reassigned to another position.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission says the state last month had 90-thousand fewer jobs than the previous November. The New Orleans metro area is responsible for about half of that number. L-W-C Secretary Ava Dejoie says the city’s job losses are historic…
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Amazon has selected Carencro as the site of its first fulfillment center in Louisiana, with the 500-job facility expected to open a year from now. Governor Edwards says Amazon is investing 100 million dollars in the Lafayette Parish project.

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The state unemployment rate fell 1.1 percent from October to 8.3 percent in November as we continue slowly regaining jobs lost earlier in the pandemic. Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie says the unemployment rate is still just over three percent higher than it was a year ago, but we’re gaining back many of those lost jobs.

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The coaching staff shakeup is underway at LSU as Bo Pelini is out as the Tigers defensive coordinator. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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The Governor is holding a briefing at 2:30 today. The state reported 37-hundred new COVID-19 cases and 51 additional fatalities from the virus. Modified Phase 2 restrictions are set to expire tomorrow. Edwards is expected to discuss the future status of current pandemic restrictions.

The state reports 3,705 new COVID-19 cases today. 51 fatalities have been added to the state death toll and hospitalizations are up with 1,647 reported. Vaccine data has been added to the LDH dashboard with just over 22 thousand administered. Governor Edwards will hold a briefing today at 2:30, the status of Modified Phase 2 restrictions which expires tomorrow is expected to be announced.

When COVID vaccines are more widely available to the public you might wonder who’s paying for them, especially after the pandemic has hurt so many financially.  Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical Director Dr. Jeremy Wiggington says the federal government is paying for the vaccine itself with CARES Act funding, but there is a fee to administer the shot. He says most health insurance companies will pay the fee but if you don’t have insurance you might be charged.

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Vaccines should be widely available to the public next spring.

The state unemployment rate fell 1.1 percent from October to 8.3 percent in November as we continue slowly regaining jobs lost earlier in the pandemic. Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie says every single market except Hammond gained jobs month-to-month…

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Month-to-month the state is up 18,500 jobs from October.

Bo Pelini is out as defensive coordinator. LSU announced last night that Pelini and the school have mutually parted ways with two years left on his contract, which puts his buyout at five-point-two million dollars. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says financial resources might be tight as Coach Ed Orgeron looks for a new defensive coordinator

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The athletic department has already laid off employees and reduced salaries due to the pandemic.

When COVID vaccines are more widely available to the public you might wonder who’s paying for them, especially after the pandemic has hurt so many financially.  Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical Director Dr. Jeremy Wiggington says the federal government is paying for the vaccine itself but there is a fee to administer the shot.

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He says If you do not have insurance you will most likely have to pay the administrative fee.

Included in the $900 billion Pandemic Relief bill are provisions to assist the struggling restaurant industry.  Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris says the bill gives a second round of the Paycheck Protection Program for restaurants that include loan forgiveness and 24-weeks to spend the capital.

Cut 13 (10) “…to borrow.”

A Legislative Auditor’s report raises concerns that lab delays in reporting COVID test results are hampering the state’s contact tracing program. Matt Doyle has the story.

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Governor John Bel Edwards will hold a briefing this afternoon at 2:30. He’s expected to announce the status of Modified Phase 2 Restrictions, which expires tomorrow. Yesterday the state reported 65 new fatalities, the highest daily total since July. New numbers will be released at noon.

UK authorities have put southeast England in a hard quarantine after discovering a new, more infectious strain of coronavirus spreading through the population. LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine Professor Dr. Fred Lopez says with the vaccine rollout underway it’s vital those in the area be tested rigorously…

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Other concerns include fears that current diagnostic tests and antibody treatments may not be as effective against this new strain.

A Legislative Auditor’s report raises concerns that COVID test results are not getting reported to the Department of Health fast enough for effective contact tracing. Data Analytics Manager Chris Magee says a recommendation from the report is that LDH to better identify who the slow reporting labs are…

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LDH says they already have such measures in place.

After a historically bad season for the LSU defense, Bo Pelini is out as defensive coordinator. The school announced last night that Pelini and LSU mutually parted ways with two years left on his contract, which puts his buyout at five-point-two million dollars. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says a change had to be made

Cut 3 (11)  “…somewhere”

LSU says Pelini has accepted a one-time payment, but an exact amount was not given.

Included in the $900 billion Pandemic Relief bill are provisions to assist the struggling restaurant industry.  Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris says this bill offers enhanced access to PPP for companies with less than 300 employees which focuses relief on smaller eating establishments on the verge of bankruptcy.

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Harris says the pandemic has forced 1 in 6 restaurants to close their doors.

Governor John Bel Edwards will provide a COVID-19 update today and with the current modified Phase 2 order set to expire Wednesday, the governor is expected to announce what restrictions will be in place for the next month. With the state still reporting a significant number of cases, Edwards has said he does not expect a loosening of restrictions.

A new, more infectious strain of coronavirus is spreading in England. Matt Doyle spoke with an LSU Health New Orleans professor about the concerning news…
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A Legislative Auditor’s report raises concerns that COVID test results are not getting reported to the state Health Department fast enough for effective contact tracing. Data Analytics Manager Chris Magee says laboratories are not reporting all results to LDH within the legally mandated 24 hour time period…
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The report did discover that the COVID numbers on the LDH dashboard are accurate and not being over-reported.

From 10 AM until noon at the Lake Charles Civic Center, the Second Harvest Foodbank will hand out holiday meals. Second Harvest Food Bank spokesperson Natasha Curley says Calcasieu and Cameron Parish families have been through a lot and they can use this food…
cut 6 (10) “…very devasting”
Curley thanks Chevron for providing 50-thousand dollars to make today’s food distribution a reality.

A Legislative Auditor’s report raises concerns that lab delays in reporting COVID test results are hampering the state’s contact tracing program. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

The Louisiana Supreme Court has sent a legal dispute between Governor John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana House of Representatives over COVID restrictions back to district court. The state’s highest court says Judge William Morvant should have had a full hearing before ruling on the constitutionality of a House petition that seeks to cancel the governor’s mask mandate, business restrictions, and limits on crowd size.

The 900-billion dollar pandemic relief bill approved by Congress last night contains money for struggling businesses, including restaurants. Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris says the bill gives a second round of the Paycheck Protection Program for restaurants that include loan forgiveness and 24-weeks to spend the capital.
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The legislation also includes increased unemployment benefits and a 600-dollar stimulus check for most people.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Southwest Louisiana will hand out holiday meals to struggling families in Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes at the Lake Charles Civic Center from 10 AM to noon today. Second Harvest Food Bank spokesperson Natasha Curley says a 50-thousand donation from Chevron made today possible…
cut 5 (12) “….challenging times”

A new audit from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office has found the state health department’s Coronavirus dashboard is not overreporting cases or deaths, but many labs are not reporting their data on a timely basis. Data analytics manager Chris Magee says the late reporting and inadequate information to identify positive patients is hampering contact tracing…
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Flights from London are still landing in the United States even though health officials in the U-K has found a new strain of the coronavirus that is 70-percent more infectious. LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine Professor Doctor Fred Lopez says there’s a good chance this strain makes its way into the United States…
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While reports indicate it is at least 70 percent more infectious, it does not appear to be any more deadly.

The latest COVID relief bill from Congress adds extra provisions to assist a struggling restaurant industry. Brooke Thorington has more.
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This latest federal stimulus package is also expected to provide Louisiana colleges and public schools with more federal aid. According to the Advocate, the state could be in line for one-point-six billion dollars, with one-point-one billion dollars for public schools and 385-million dollars for higher education.