The state revenue forecast is looking rosy despite the slow recovery of jobs lost to the pandemic thanks to a huge influx of federal support. Earlier this year Legislative Economist Greg Albrecht says the job and economic activity metrics didn’t paint a pretty picture, but due to the passage of the American Rescue Act…

Cut 4 (06)“…rollout.”

The state appears to be in line for more than three billion dollars in federal aid.

Republican State Representative Jack McFarland’s effort to raise the state’s gasoline tax ends before the session even begins. McFarland spent months raising awareness of why a gas tax was needed to fund transportation infrastructure, but now with billions in stimulus funds coming to the state, it’s a tough sale.
Cut 13 (11) “…difficult.”

State officials say the key to enjoying safe and normal crawfish boils and barbecues in the next few months is for you and everyone you know to get vaccinated. Governor Edwards says for the first time in a year friends and family members will be able to safely gather maskless, but only if everyone involved is fully vaccinated.

Cut 10 (10) “…gathering.”

UL Lafayette receives the largest private investment in history. LHC Group– a home health care company, commits $20-million over the next ten years to the university’s nursing program. UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie…

Cut 7 (09)  “…benefit.”

The state revenue forecast is looking rosy despite the slow recovery of jobs lost to the pandemic thanks to a huge influx of federal support.
Legislative Economist Greg Albrecht says the state is still way off of its pre-pandemic expectations and some industries, like mining, continue to see job losses.
Cut 6 (10) “…jobs”

State officials say the key to enjoying safe and normal crawfish boils and barbecues in the next few months is for you and everyone you know to get vaccinated.
Full vaccination is considered to be two weeks after you complete your vaccine series, which means either your second Pfizer or Moderna shot, or only Johnson and Johnson shot.
State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says starting Monday everyone 16 and older is eligible to get the vaccine, so if you make an appointment then you could be good to go by early summer.
Cut 11 (08) “..safely.”

If everyone at a gathering is fully vaccinated individuals from one household who are not fully vaccinated are allowed to attend.
Kanter says another benefit to being fully vaccinated is…
Cut 12 (07) “..symptoms.”

Republican State Representative Jack McFarland’s effort to raise the state’s gasoline tax ends before the session even begins. But McFarland still believes in the need to restructure how transportation trust fund dollars are classified, so they can only be used for transportation infrastructure. McFarland says plans to revise GRIT Act for now without a gas tax.
Cut 15 (10)“…infrastructure.”

A return to some normalcy seems to be right around the corner, but only if people get vaccinated. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 2 (27) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

The state revenue forecast is looking rosy despite the slow recovery of jobs lost to the pandemic thanks to a huge influx of federal support.
The state appears to be in line for more than three billion dollars in federal aid. Legislative Economist Greg Albrecht says the total pandemic job loss picture has come into view. At our lowest point last April we had lost 284,000 jobs for a total unemployment rate of 13 percent. As of January, it sits at 7.6 percent.
Cut 5 (09)“…42-percent.”

UL Lafayette receives the largest private investment in history. LHC Group– a home health care company, commits a $20-million over the next ten years to the university’s nursing program.
LHC Group’s co-founder Ginger Myers says it’s vital to have the infrastructure and educational opportunities in place to address the growing need for healthcare providers as our population ages.
Cut 9 (09) “…more jobs.”

Republican State Representative Jack McFarland’s effort to raise the state’s gasoline tax ends before the session even begins.
McFarland’s GRIT Act, Government Reform In Transportation involved a gas tax that would go towards federal matching dollars to fund $15-billion for the backlog of road and bridge projects and the $13 billion estimate to improve traffic flow. McFarland says without matching dollars the state loses out on additional federal funds.
Cut 14 (08) “…match.”

Legislative Economist Greg Albrecht says the state has an optimistic revenue outlook for the coming fiscal year despite “horrible” economic fundamentals in Louisiana. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

UL Lafayette receives the largest private investment in history. LHC Group– a home health care company, commits a $20-million over the next ten years to the university’s nursing program.
LHC Group’s CEO Keith Myers says the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions produces well-educated and highly skilled health care professionals and their investment is a win-win for both the university and the company.
Cut 8 (10) “…to grow.”

State officials say the key to enjoying safe and normal crawfish boils and barbecues in the next few months is for you and everyone you know to get vaccinated.
Governor Edwards says for the first time in a year friends and family members will be able to safely gather together maskless, but only if everyone involved is fully vaccinated.
Cut 10 (10) “…gathering.”

Republican State Representative Jack McFarland’s effort to raise the state’s gasoline tax ends before the session even begins. McFarland spent months raising awareness of why a gas tax was needed to fund transportation infrastructure, but now with billions in stimulus funds coming to the state, it’s a tough sale.
Cut 13 (11) “…difficult.”

The state revenue forecast is looking rosy despite the slow recovery of jobs lost to the pandemic thanks to a huge influx of federal support.
Earlier this year Legislative Economist Greg Albrecht says the job and economic activity metrics didn’t paint a pretty picture, but due to the passage of the American Rescue Act…
Cut 4 (06)“…rollout.”

UL Lafayette receives the largest private investment in history. LHC Group– a home health care company, commits a $20-million over the next ten years to the university’s nursing program. UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie…
Cut 7 (09) “…benefit.”

The gasoline tax is off the table now, but the Government Reform in Transportation act still wants to secure transportation infrastructure. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Legislative Economist Greg Albrecht says the state has an optimistic revenue outlook for the coming fiscal year despite “horrible” economic fundamentals in Louisiana. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

_______________________________

A return to some normalcy seems to be right around the corner, but only if people get vaccinated. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (27) “…I’m Matt Doyle.” 

____________________________

The gasoline tax is off the table now, but the Government Reform in Transportation act still wants to secure transportation infrastructure. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 3 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”  

____________________________

The state revenue forecast is looking rosy despite the slow recovery of jobs lost to the pandemic thanks to a huge influx of federal support.

Earlier this year Legislative Economist Greg Albrecht says the job and economic activity metrics didn’t paint a pretty picture, but due to the passage of the American Rescue Act…

Cut 4 (06)“…rollout.”

The state appears to be in line for more than three billion dollars in federal aid.

Albrecht says the total pandemic job loss picture has come into view. At our lowest point last April we had lost 284,000 jobs for a total unemployment rate of 13 percent. As of January, it sits at 7.6 percent.

Cut 5 (09)“…42-percent.”

The retail sector has returned 92 percent of its lost jobs while hospitality has only returned about half.

Albrecht says the state is still way off of its pre-pandemic expectations and some industries, like mining, continue to see job losses.

Cut 6 (10) “…jobs”

Manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, real estate, government, and finance are all sectors that have seen continued job losses past the April 20^th overall low point.

________________________

UL Lafayette receives the largest private investment in history. LHC Group– a home health care company, commits a $20-million over the next ten years to the university’s nursing program. UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie…

Cut 7 (09)  “…benefit.”

LHC Group’s CEO Keith Myers says the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions produces well-educated and highly skilled health care professionals and their investment is a win-win for both the university and the company.

Cut 8 (10) “…to grow.”

LHC Group’s co-founder Ginger Myers says it’s vital to have the infrastructure and educational opportunities in place to address the growing need for healthcare providers as our population ages.

Cut 9 (09) “…more jobs.”

Approximately $9 million will go towards the funding of a new health systems building on the campus estimated at $65 million to complete

__________________________

State officials say the key to enjoying safe and normal crawfish boils and barbecues in the next few months is for you and everyone you know to get vaccinated.

Governor Edwards says for the first time in a year friends and family members will be able to safely gather together maskless, but only if everyone involved is fully vaccinated.

Cut 10 (10) “…gathering.”

Full vaccination is considered to be two weeks after you complete your vaccine series, which means either your second Pfizer or Moderna shot, or only Johnson and Johnson shot.

State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says starting Monday everyone 16 and older is eligible to get the vaccine, so if you make an appointment then you could be good to go by early summer.

Cut 11 (08) “..safely.”

If everyone at a gathering is fully vaccinated individuals from one household who are not fully vaccinated are allowed to attend.

Kanter says another benefit to being fully vaccinated is…

Cut 12 (07) “..symptoms.”

____________________________

Republican State Representative Jack McFarland’s effort to raise the state’s gasoline tax ends before the session even begins. McFarland spent months raising awareness of why a gas tax was needed to fund transportation infrastructure, but now with billions in stimulus funds coming to the state, it’s a tough sale.

Cut 13 (11) “…difficult.”

McFarland’s GRIT Act, Government Reform In Transportation involved a gas tax that would go towards federal matching dollars to fund $15-billion for the backlog of road and bridge projects and the $13 billion estimate to improve traffic flow. McFarland says without matching dollars the state loses out on additional federal funds.

Cut 14 (08) “…match.” 

But McFarland still believes in the need to restructure how transportation trust fund dollars are classified, so they can only be used for transportation infrastructure. McFarland says plans to revise GRIT Act for now without a gas tax.

Cut 15 (10)“…infrastructure.”

Louisiana expects to receive more than $3 billion from the federal package, and local government agencies are slated to get $1.8 billion. Those dollars could be steered to roads, bridges, and other infrastructure projects

___________________________________________

Junior right-hander Landon Marceaux is the Tigers new Friday night starter as LSU opens a three-game series tonight at ninth-ranked Tennessee. Marceaux has been the team’s Saturday starter while Jaden Hill has been on the mound every Friday night.  Coach Paul Mainieri says he made the move because Marceaux has been the team’s best pitcher all year.

Cut 16 (13) “…Friday night starter.”

Marceaux has not allowed an earned run in 31.1 consecutive innings. Hill will be moved to Saturday.  While Mainieri says each game is equally important, part of the decision to change the rotation was wanting to get off to a good start this weekend.

Cut 17 (16) “…Friday night.”

_______________________________________

21st ranked Louisiana Tech begins Conference USA play tonight with a four-game series at Southern Miss. Each team is playing well, the Bulldogs have won six in a row, while the Golden Eagles have won nine of their last ten.  Tech Coach Lance Burroughs it’s a great way to start conference play…

Cut  18 (14) “…four-game set.”

____________________________________________________

LSU Quarterback Max Johnson says he and the other quarterbacks battling to be the starter in 2021 are coming together and practicing well as they conclude the second week of spring practice. When camp opened, Johnson took the first snaps with the first-team and knows the competition will continue into preseason camp

Cut 19 (14) “…that decision.” 

Johnson says new offensive coordinator Jake Peetz has great ideas on how he wants LSU’s offense to look…

Cut 20 (10) “…of points.” 

A study published in The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology says the COVID vaccine is safe for pregnant women and lactating mothers. Researchers in Massachusetts looked at 131 women who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine – 115 of them were pregnant or lactating. Researchers found they had about the same vaccine-induced antibody levels as non-pregnant women and passed on protective antibodies to their newborns.

Starting Monday, all Louisianans 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter says through the Bring Back Louisiana campaign, the state plans to get vaccines into areas of the state where people are not getting vaccinated…

Cut 4 (08) “…events” 
Just over 1.1 million Louisianans have received at least one vaccine dose.

A former Lafourche parish middle school teacher has been arrested for Felony Carnal Knowledge of a Juvenile after she allegedly had sex with a teenage boy. Lt. Brennan Matherne with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s office says 44-year-old Ashleigh Landry of Raceland was employed as the principal at Lockport Middle School…

Cut 7 (05) “…recently ended.”
Matherne says Landry was booked into the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex and was released after posting a 25-thousand dollar bond.

The National Return to Learn Tracker shows Louisiana public schools rank seventh in the nation for in-person learning. State Education Superintendent Cade Brumley says it’s a combined effort of educators, parents, and students, to achieve the ranking.

Cut 12 (11) “ …proud of.” 70-percent of students in the state attend in-person learning.

A quarter of Louisianans have received at least one vaccine dose so far, good for 40^th in the country per capita according to the CDC. The state health department has launched the Bring Back Louisiana Campaign to get people vaccinated. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says the campaign begins next week with nine pilot sites in parishes across the state.

Cut 5  (05)  “…thereafter”

Attorney General Jeff Landry is leading a multi-state lawsuit against the Biden Administration’s moratorium on new oil and gas leases, but Governor Edwards says the litigation is not needed. Edwards says while new leases have stopped, he’s received word from industry leaders that permitting for existing leases has continued.

Cut 9 (11) “…litigation”

A former middle school principal has been arrested after she allegedly confessed to having sex with a teenage boy. Captain Brennan Matherne, with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, says 44-year-old Ashleigh Landry of Raceland has been charged with Felony Carnal Knowledge of a Juvenile…

Cut 8 (06) “…a teenager”
Landry has posted bond but she’s no longer employed by the Lafourche Parish school system.

Louisiana ranks 7^th in the nation according to the National Return to Learn Tracker for in-person learning.  The CDC recently revised school social distancing guidelines to three feet instead of six. State Superintendent Cade Brumleybelieves it’s a scientific move to allow even more students to return to the classroom.

Cut 14 (12) “…the state.” 

Police issue an arrest warrant for the man they believe shot and killed an 8-year-old girl Monday night. The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office says 23-year-old Davonta Verret shot and killed 8-year-old Treyce Bryant when he was following her mother’s car that Treyce and a male friend of the mother was riding in. Police say Verret opened fire, intending to kill the man inside, but instead killed Treyce.

Louisiana is 40th in the nation in per capita population that has received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.

Cut 1 (32) “ …I’m Matt Doyle.” 

Attorney General Jeff Landry is leading a multi-state lawsuit against the Biden Administration’s moratorium on new oil and gas leases, but Governor Edwards says the litigation is not needed. Edwards says he’s been lobbying the Biden Administration to amend their energy policy, and it appears to be paying off…

Cut 10 (07) “…we’ll see” 

The National Return to Learn Tracker shows Louisiana public schools rank seventh in the nation for in-person learning. State Education Superintendent Cade Brumley says approximately 70-percent of students attend in-person learning and around 20-percent of students are in virtual instruction at the request of their families.

Cut 13 (06)“…their kids.”

Brumley hopes the number of students in the classroom will continue to go up as more people are vaccinated.

Everyone in Louisiana over the age of 16 will be eligible to sign up for a vaccine appointment come Monday. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

_______________________________

State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says he’s worried that overall the state’s progress in fighting the spread of COVID-19 has stalled. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.” 

____________________________

More than 70 percent of dentists report an increase in patients with teeth grinding and clenching issues. Brooke Thorington talks to the Chair of Endodontics at the LSU School of Dentistry.

Cut 3 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”  

____________________________

Beginning Monday everyone in Louisiana over the age of 16 will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Governor Edwards says this means any Louisianans over 16, regardless of occupation or health status, can make an appointment to get vaccinated Monday.

Cut 4 (11)“…week.”

Louisiana is one of nine states where anyone over 16 is eligible.

Edwards says this final expansion of criteria for adults and older teens is the result of a significant increase in the number of vaccines being sent here by the feds.

Cut 5 (07)“…doses.”

As of now, 16 and 17-year-olds are only eligible to receive a Pfizer vaccine.

Governor Edwards says we can really see the light at the end of the tunnel now and the only hurdle remaining is making sure everyone actually takes the vaccine.

Cut 6 (07) “…wants one.” (x2)

The state’s weekly allocation has more than doubled since it first started getting the vaccine in late December.

________________________

Louisiana’s progress in lowering the spread of COVID has stalled out and begun to slowly tick back up, largely due to increased community spread in the Lake Charles region.

State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter says Region Five has nearly doubled its percent positivity rate, which is now over ten percent, and has seen average new daily cases increase for five straight weeks.

Cut 7 (08)  “…state.”

Kanter says he’s worried the increase is being driven by the prevalence of the more infectious and deadly UK variant.

Cut 8 (08) “…five area.”

Kanter says he knows Lake Charles residents have had an incredibly difficult past 12 months, and COVID may not be at the top of their priority list, but…

Cut 9 (09) “…vaccinated.”

Region Five has the lowest vaccination rate in the state at only nine percent.

__________________________

An American Dental Association survey finds more than 70 percent of dentists are reporting an increase in patients with teeth grinding and clenching problems. LSU School of Dentistry Chair of Endodontics Dr. Mark Odom says it is an emotional response to an increase in stress from the pandemic.

Cut 10 (07) “…doing.”

Odom says some grind their teeth or clench their jaws in their sleep and in addition to possibly cracking or chipping teeth they can experience headaches and soreness in their jaw.

Cut 11 (10) “…and issues.”

Odom says if you are experiencing symptoms see a dentist about being fitted for a guard or splint that you can wear to ease pressure before you chip or crack a tooth. In the meantime, you can also put hot-cold compresses on your jaws.

Cut 12 (08) “…bites.”

Sometimes side effects of medication to help you deal with stress can cause muscle tension which Odom says can lead to teeth clenching.

____________________________

In response to mishandlings of sexual misconduct incidents on college campuses, the Louisiana Board of Regents discussed their responsibility to help keep students safe. Higher Education Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed says they also sent a letter to all the board chairs of the management boards.

Cut 13 (08) “…misconduct.”

Reed says the Board of Regents is very concerned and disheartened after reading the Husch Blackwell Report of LSU’s failure to handle sexual misconduct incidents and when one university fails, we all fail.

Cut 14 (10) “…practices.” 

Earlier this month the Louisiana Legislative Women’s Caucus held a hearing to allow universities and victims to speak about sexual misconduct. Reed says they made a list of things they heard did a review of their own policy.

Cut 15 (07)“…right.”

Reed says this is an opportunity to see where there are gaps in Title IX offices and correct them in addressing sexual misconduct.

___________________________________________

The La Tech basketball team will take on Conference USA rival Western Kentucky in the NIT tonight at 9 p.m.  These teams played each other in early January, which each team winning once during a two-game series in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Tech coach Eric Konkol says the familiarity should make for a good game.

Cut 16 (10) “…great matchup.”

Guard Taveion Hollingsworth leads the Hilltoppers in scoring at 17 points per contest.  Konkol says his team needs to prevent Hollingsworth from getting to the foul line.

Cut 17 (13) “…away from it.”

When the Bulldogs and Hilltoppers battle it out on the hardwood, it will be broadcast on ESPN 2.  Konkol says playing on a big-time stage is a great opportunity

Cut  18 (16) “…represent everybody.”