Governor John Bel Edwards says it would be irresponsible for people to gather in large groups for the carnival season. Jeff Palermo has the story…
Louisiana lawmakers plan to keep a close watch as the state accepts bids for new voting machines. The solicitation for contractors went out last week, and lawmakers are planning a joint hearing of the House and Senate elections oversight committees on Feb. 19 to dig into the details of Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s effort to replace 10,000 decades-old voting machines.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell says starting next Friday and running through Mardi Gras Day on February 16th, all bars indoor and outdoor will be closed and no loitering will be allowed on Bourbon Street. Cantrell says she’s trying to prevent mass gatherings that can turn into a COVID super spreader event.
The number of confirmed UK variant COVID cases in the state has grown to five and 20 additional cases are pending verification with the CDC. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says it takes a while to get these results back.
The CDC predicts the UK variant, which is twice as contagious, will be the dominant strain in the US by mid-March.