Hundreds of families are without a home in Ouachita Parish today after Sunday’s severe storm system that spawned a tornado damaging an estimated 250 to 300 homes in the Monroe area. The airport sustained major damage and is closed, but no fatalities have been reported.

Business owners are feeling the pressure of the halted economy. Oil City Republican Rep. Danny McCormick feels that businesses need to reopen sooner than later. McCormick says small business owners have reached out to him indicating the state absolutely must start to get back to normal on May 1st
Cut 7 (11) “…government overreach approach.”
The governor’s stay at home order is effective until April 30th, a decision on whether to extend it has not been made.

The state reported 34 more COVID-19 deaths yesterday, bringing the total number of fatalities to 840 and the state has surpassed 20-thousand cases.

LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor Doctor G-E Ghali is encouraging those who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate their plasma because it can be used to treat critically ill patients. Ghali says they’ve already seen encouraging results from this type of treatment…
cut 11 (08) “….months away”
Ghali says the antibodies counteract with the antigens of the virus to help the body fight off coronavirus.

A statewide survey on the impact of COVID-19 on Louisiana child care providers finds that 78-percent of them have experienced a loss in revenue, with collective losses totaling almost one-point-seven million dollars. Louisiana Policy Institute for Children Executive Director Libbie Sonnier-Netto says most childcare providers are seeking grants to help them out…
cut 14 (11) “….retain their workforce”