Early voting for Louisiana’s presidential primary begins on Saturday. Jeff Palermo reports election officials are taking extra precautions because of COVID-19…

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In the first update in two days, Louisiana reports the removal of 1,666 duplicate cases from the state’s total case count, bring the total down to 48,515. Total fatalities… 2,972, up by 22. Hospitalizations… 561, down by 18 with ventilator usage falling to 75, down by 8.

Today is Juneteenth, a commemoration of a milestone in the ending of slavery in the United States.  The date is getting more recognition this year.  LSU Chief Diversity Officer Dereck Rovaris says today is a celebration of the final group of enslaved African Americans learning of their emancipation.

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While it is not a federally recognized holiday, Rovaris feels that may not be far off.

Louisiana health officials say about a third of the nursing homes in the state are not regularly testing their staff and residents. State health officer Doctor Jimmy Guidry says facilities who fail to follow the state’s testing guidelines could be hit with sanctions…

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Guidry says they are asking nursing homes to conduct weekly tests on all of their residents and staff if there are known COVID cases in the facility.