An E Pluribus Unum survey shows a majority of southern whites do not believe blacks have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Matt Doyle has more.
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Governor John Bel Edwards is urging residents to participate in the 2020 US Census. Kevin Barnhart has more.
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Governor Edwards will announce whether or not the state will move into Phase Three this afternoon. Brooke Thorington has the story.
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A Sports Illustrated report says at least 30 LSU football players have been isolated after they either tested positive for COVID-19 or had contact with players who tested positive. Some of the quarantined players admitted they visited nightclubs near LSU’s campus, which has been the source for over 100 new cases. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says players have to stay away from large crowds…
Cut 4 (06)_ “….inexcusable really”
The state health department has received at least 100 reports of patrons and staff from multiple Tigerland bars testing positive for COVID-19. Anyone who visited Tigerland bars that weekend should consider themselves exposed to COVID-19 and self-quarantine for 14 days.
Higgins says LSU put in a lot of effort to provide a safe environment for players to train and Coach Ed Orgeron says maybe forced to tell his players they are prohibited from entering bars…
Cut 5 (11) “ keep you safe”
Numerous other schools have also reported multiple players testing positive for COVID-19. Three Ragin Cajuns athletes have also tested positive. The football season is still more than two months away and Higgins says schools will continue to make the effort to play football this year…
Cut 6 (06) “…I don’t know” (2x)
LSU says the players who have tested positive are showing minor symptoms or no symptoms at all.
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A survey of southerners shows while nearly all whites have heard news about blacks being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, the majority don’t believe it.
GBAO Strategies Pollster Jim Gerstein says over 75% of white respondents reported being previously told by media that blacks suffered disproportionately from the disease…
Cut 7 (08) “…true”
In Louisiana, 53 percent of COVID deaths have been African Americans, who make up just 32 percent of the population.
Gerstein says their survey showed that a majority of respondents feel that blacks suffer worse economic outcomes due to a lack of opportunity rather than poor personal choices.
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Gerstein says that appears to be the first time a majority of whites have expressed that opinion.
Respondents were also asked about the COVID recovery and whether lawmakers should use the opportunity to pursue racial justice reforms in healthcare and education, or just restore the status quo…
Cut 9 (08) “…direction”
The survey was conducted during a seven day period starting the day after the death of George Floyd and was created by E Pluribus Unum.
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Governor John Bel Edwards is encouraging Louisiana residents to be counted as part of the 2020 census. There are three ways to participate: online, by phone, or by mail. Edwards says the state’s response rate is lagging.
Cut 10 (11) “…the deep south.”
The census only happens once every ten years, so Edwards stresses the importance of getting it right. Edwards says the census means more than just a headcount of the population as the data is used to determine the allocation of federal dollars for various programs.
Cut 11 (11) “…you name it.”
Edwards says the data also feeds into the redistricting that takes place once every ten years.
Cut 12 (10) “…information back in.”
Due to COVID-19, the deadline to fill out the census has been extended until October 31st and can be done at My2020Census.gov.
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Governor Edwards is expected to announce whether or not the state will move into Phase Three this afternoon.
Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says Edwards has a lot to consider given our new upward trajectory of case growth…
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A majority of the state’s health regions are seeing a growth in new cases.
Scott says it’s likely state officials knew numbers would creep up once we moved into Phase Two, but they now have to contend with lowering levels of compliance on masks and social distancing.
Cut 14 (10) “…relaxing.”
Scott notes even with the recent spike over the past ten days we’re still nowhere close to overtopping our healthcare capacity.
We don’t’ know exactly what Phase Three will look like in Louisiana but Scott says federal guidelines indicate it would further loosen capacity restrictions and allow for larger crowds at events.
Cut 15 (10) “…Phase Two.”