LSU’s Troy Middleton Library will be renamed after a unanimous decision by the Board of Supervisors. Matt Doyle has the story.
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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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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. He says it’s critical we stay on top of the virus and testing is a critical step in protecting people who are vulnerable to this disease…
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The state failed to reach its goal to test all nursing home residents and workers by the end of May. Guidry says the virus has shown it’s not slowing down in the summer…
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The LSU Board of Supervisors unanimously approves a resolution to remove Troy Middleton’s name from the school’s library due to the namesake’s vocal support for segregation.
Governor John Bel Edwards spoke strongly in support of the decision to pull the former LSU President’s name from the library.
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Former lawmaker Woody Jenkins spoke on behalf of the Middleton family, who opposes the decision. Jenkins called Middleton an American World War One and Two war hero.
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But Governor Edwards, a former Army paratrooper, says that’s no excuse for Middleton’s views on race.
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During the meeting, a board member read a letter written by Middleton in 1956 where he said “I do not want negro students in LSU, I believe in the segregation of the races, and no matter what may come I shall not associate with negros.”
But Jenkins says Middleton’s support for segregation in the 50s and 60s was just a snapshot of who he was. He says Middleton later worked with the President of Dillard on integration.
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The library was named after Middleton in 1978 after his death in 1976. Crews removed the name from the front of the library on Friday afternoon.
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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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Rovaris says Juneteenth is often confused with being a celebration of the emancipation proclamation. While it is not officially a national holiday, Rovaris feels that may not be far off.
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Rovaris says the celebration of the day can be done like another recognizable summer holiday.
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Governor Edwards says we should use this day to recommit ourselves to the ongoing fight for equity and justice.
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Early voting begins Saturday for the presidential primary election. The voting experience will be different because of COVID-19. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin encourages voters to practice social distancing while at the polls, adding the state will be offering extra spread mitigation efforts.
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This election has been delayed twice due to COVID-19. Ardoin says this early voting day period will be longer in an effort to reduce the risk of large crowds congregating at polling places.
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Ardoin says while mask-wearing is not mandated, it will be encouraged. The state’s famous “I Voted” stickers will not be distributed as an added precaution.
Only registered Republicans can vote in the GOP primary and even though Joe Biden is expected to accept the nomination in August, registered Democrats can select between the 14 candidates up for the Democratic presidential nomination.
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Ardoin says in addition to the presidential primary, voters in 24 parishes will have local items on their ballot.
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For those that qualify for vote by mail, the cut off to request an absentee ballot is July 7th.