The President signs a 2.2 trillion dollar stimulus package that will fund a series of corporate bailouts, 1,200 dollar checks to Americans making under 75,000 dollars a year, substantial SBA loans, hospital funding, beefed up unemployment insurance, and direct payments to states to help tackle COVID-19. As a result, Louisiana is set to receive 1.8 billion dollars for coronavirus response.

The state saw a record high in deaths linked to COVID-19 over the past 24 hours at 36. Funeral homes are having to adapt to the new reality of removing the deceased from homes that are contaminated. President of Mothe (Mott) Funeral Homes Boyd Mothe Jr. says funeral homes are in need of more PPE for removal staff….

Cut 11 (11) “…covering”

The Governor is asking healthcare students and recent grads along with retired nurses and doctors to volunteer for the fight against coronavirus, and fast-tracking new licenses to get them into the field. Edwards says having all the beds and equipment in the world doesn’t mean much if you don’t have enough medical workers.

Cut 5 (11)  “…services.”

Volunteers can sign up at COVID-19LAvolunteers.org.

Louisiana Economic Development opens a COVID-19 Help Desk that will provide email and hotline support for businesses impacted by the virus.  LED Secretary Don Pierson says if phone support is needed, they’ve setup a number at 1-833-457-0531.

Cut 14 (11) “…them to us.”

Governor Edwards gave us an update this afternoon on the state of COIVD in Louisiana.

He says after we saw the state’s largest day to day increase in deaths today at 36, it’s clear we are not bending the curve in such a way as to not have a critical lack of ventilators and bed space by next week and the week after respectively.

The Governor says the state has ordered a needed 12,000 ventilators, but so far has only received confirmation it will get roughly 300.

We now know the profile of some the underlying medical conditions for those who’ve died of COVID-19. The top underlying medical conditions were diabetes, kidney issues, and obesity.

Delta is now offering free flights into the state for medical volunteers.

Louisiana will receive 1.8 billion dollars as part of the 2.2 trillion dollars federal stimulus package.

COVID-19 is creating a backlog and delay in the usual process for burying bodies as families find it tough to go through the approval process for burials admidst government shutdowns and quarantine orders. President of Mothe (Mott) Funeral Homes Boyd Mothe Jr…

Cut 12 (10) “…overflowing”

He adds it’s likely at some point both funeral homes and the coroner’s office will also approach capacity.

Louisiana Economic Development opens a COVID-19 Help Desk that will provide email and hotline support for businesses impacted by the virus.  LED Secretary Don Pierson is anticipating a wave of inquiries from businesses on what the federal $2 trillion emergency relief bill means for them.

Cut 15 (07)“…informati

Pierson says businesses can find info online at opportunitylouisiana.com

The state’s COVID-19 death toll surpasses triple digits today, now at 119 fatalities. With 36 deaths in a 24 time period, that’s the largest single-day death increase for Louisiana. The state now has a total of 2,746 cases.

Families who’ve just lost a loved one are now faced with the reality of constrained, socially distant funeral services. Jeff Palermo spoke with the President of Mothe (Mott) Funeral Homes about the situation…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

As part of President Trump’s COVID-19 task force, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci has become a household name.  Fauci was asked on Talk 107-3 in Baton Rouge if New Orleans should have put a shelter in place order sooner.

Cut 6 (13) “…the perfect setup.”

Louisiana Economic Development opens a COVID-19 Help Desk that will provide email and hotline support for businesses impacted by the virus.  LED Secretary Don Pierson says businesses can find info online at opportunitylouisiana.com

Cut 13 (12) “…of our state.”

The state’s COVID-19 death toll surpasses triple digits today, now at 119 fatalities. With 36 deaths in a 24 time period, that’s the largest single-day death increase for Louisiana. The state now has a total of 2,746 cases. 97 new hospitalizations and 31 new patients on ventilators.

Governor John Bel Edwards has a message for all retired healthcare workers, and students and recent grads in healthcare fields…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

As part of President Trump’s COVID-19 task force, the director of the National Institute Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci has become a household name.  During an appearance on Talk 107-3 in Baton Rouge, Fauci says the summer season may help flatten the curve, but adds there are still many unknowns about this virus.

Cut 8 (13) “…there in Louisiana..”

Funerals are never easy, and COVID-19 is making a difficult time a lot tougher for families and friends who are losing loved ones. President of Mothe (Mott) Funeral Homes Boyd Mothe Jr. says funeral homes are no stranger to the emerging lack of PPE…

Cut 10 (11) “daily”

He adds it’s likely at some point both funeral homes and the coroner’s office will also approach capacity.

Louisiana’s COVID-19 death toll surpasses triple digits today with 119 fatalities. The state now has a total of 2,746 cases.
The Governor is asking healthcare students and recent grads along with retired nurses and doctors to volunteer for the fight against coronavirus, and fast-tracking new licenses to get them into the field. Edwards says LSU Health Shreveport was able to accelerate the timeline for getting residents into healthcare facilities, and he wants LSU Health New Orleans to do the same.
Cut 4 (12)_ “…professionals.”
Volunteers can sign up at COVID-19LAvolunteers.org.

As part of President Trump’s COVID-19 task force, Dr.  Anthony Fauci has become a household name.  During an appearance on Talk 107-3 in Baton Rouge, Fauci says the testing shortage is becoming less of an issue.
Cut 7 (10) “…many more tests.”

Funerals are never easy, and COVID-19 is making a difficult time a lot tougher for families and friends who are losing loved ones. Funeral services used to bring hundreds of people together, but President of Mothe (Mott) Funeral Homes Boyd Mothe Jr. says keeping fewer than ten people in a room is not easy…

Cut 9 (11) “…come in″

The Governor is asking healthcare students and recent grads along with retired nurses and doctors to volunteer for the fight against coronavirus, and fast-tracking new licenses to get them into the field. Edwards says in addition to more personal protective equipment and ventilators…

Cut 3 (11)  “professionals”  

The need for additional healthcare workers in New Orleans will likely be acute with the state in the process of opening a 1,120-bed facility at the Morial Convention Center.

As part of President Trump’s COVID-19 task force, Dr.  Anthony Fauci has become a household name.  Dr. Fauci was recently a featured guest on a Baton Rouge radio station.  Fauci was asked if New Orleans officials should have acted sooner.

Cut 6 (13) “…the perfect setup.”

COVID-19 is impacting lottery sales to the point where the next time the Powerball jackpot is won and the jackpot resets, it’ll start at 20 million dollars as opposed to 40 million. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says, for example, their March 11^th Powerball Wednesday night drawing generated 265,000 dollars…

Cut 4 (11)_ “…expected.”

35 percent of sales generated by the lotto are used to fund K-12 education.

The Lincoln Parish Sherriff’s deputies are visiting homes in their community, not because they have a warrant, but because they have groceries.  Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Matthew Henderson says they started doing grocery pickup for the elderly this week and have expanded to helping others that are at-risk.

Cut 7 (09) “…Ruston as well.”

Governor John Bel Edwards is urging Louisiana residents to comply with the state’s stay at home order as the numbers of coronavirus cases continue to rise sharply. Edwards says the only way to flatten the curve is to the follow the mitgation orders and practice social distancing…
cut 13 (11) “…to do it’
A pastor in East Baton Rouge Parish has become well known, because he’s defying the governor’s order and holding services with one-thousand people in attendance.

Meanwhile, in New Orleans, the state is moving eleven-hundred beds into the Convention Center as the governor anticipates running out of hospital beds in less than two weeks. He says the New Orleans area could also run out of ventilators by the first week in April. The governor is also concerned about an uptick in cases in Bossier and Caddo Parishes.

Lincoln Parish Sheriff deputies are showing up at residents’ homes with groceries instead of warrants. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart ”

The governor’s order that closes state offices includes the Louisiana Lottery. Spokesperson Kim Chopin says if you’ve won a lottery prize this week greater than 600-dollars than you’ll have to hold on to your winning ticket…
cut 5 (08) “….can”

83 people are dead from the state’s 2,305 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including a 17-year-old from New Orleans, the first minor to die from the coronavirus in Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards says it is a reminder that everyone is at risk.
Cut 10 (11) “…it doesn’t discriminate.”
Orleans Parish has the highest per capita death rate in the U-S as New Orleans has deloped into a coronavirus hot spot. But the governor says he’s also concerned about an uptick in cases in northwest Louisiana…
cut 12 (10) “…a statewide problem”
Edwards says the focus remains on flattening the curve and calls on citizens to do better with social distancing.

The lottery is not immune to the coronavirus pandemic. There are fewer sales for the Powerball so the minimum jackpot has been lowered from 40 to 20-million dollars. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says with state offices closed, they can not produce any more scratch-off games…
cut 6 (10) “…weeks”
Also, if you win a prize of more than 600-dollars, you can’t claim it, because lottery offices are closed.

Lincoln Parish Sheriff deputies have added another task to their job and that’s delivering groceries. L-P-S-O spokesperson Matthew Henderson says deputies began delivering groceries to elderly and at-risk people…
cut 8 (10) “…coming in”
But Henderson says the deputies find the delivery service very rewarding.