The man behind “Stelly Plan”, former state lawmaker Vic Stelly, died from COVID over the weekend. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Vaccines began being administered at two VA homes in Louisiana, on Monday, bringing about a sense of hope among residents. Brooke Thorington has more
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Two house fires killed three residents over the weekend in North Louisiana. State Fire Marshal spokesperson Ashley Rodrigue says Saturday a couple in their 60s perished in Shreveport. She says Shreveport firefighters entered through the front door to attack the blaze of the couple’s home.
Rodrigue says a 63-year old man was killed Sunday in an Eros house fire.
Rodrigue says they have not determined the cause of the house fire in Shreveport but it appears it began in the front living room. She says the front door had a deadbolt lock on that was keyed on both sides.
As the weather turns cold again Rodrigue highly encourages residents to practice space heater safety and for families to establish and practice a fire safety escape plan from their home.
Both fires remain under investigation and the identities of the fatalities have not been released.
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Former state lawmaker Vic Stelly, mastermind of the “Stelly Plan” state tax reform of 2002, died over the weekend of COVID-19.
Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says the 79-year-old Stelly had a vision for a new way of funding state government using income taxes instead of sales taxes.
The Stelly plan lowered, then eliminated state sales taxes on certain items like food and utilities in exchange for raising income taxes on upper-income earners. The plan was adopted by voters as a constitutional amendment 51 percent to 49 percent.
Stelly, who was born in Carencro and raised in Zachary, served in the Legislature from 1988 to 2004. Pinsonat says he was one of the hardest working people at the Capitol.
Stelly served on the Board of Regents for higher ed from 2007 to 2013.
The “Stelly Plan” was ultimately largely undone during the Jindal Administration. Pinsonat says that decision didn’t end well for Jindal.
Vic’s wife, Terry Stelly, died of COVID 13 hours after her husband passed away.
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VA homes in Louisiana began rolling out the Moderna vaccine Monday. Spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Brandee Patrick says two of their five facilities began vaccinations…
Studies have shown the Moderna vaccine has fewer side effects among seniors, making it ideal for nursing homes.
They began vaccines at their homes in Jennings and Monroe, Monday, tomorrow in Reserve, and Saturday in Bossier. The rollout in Jackson is still being scheduled.
Patrick says workers and residents are very hopeful that the vaccines will help restore normalcy soon.
Roughly 40-percent of all fatalities from COVID have been in nursing home settings. Patrick says the vaccines are especially welcome news but they will continue to follow CDC and CMS guidelines.
Patrick says residents and workers will receive a second dose of the Moderna vaccine four weeks after the first.
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Cops are packing state roads ahead of New Years’ for the end-of-year Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.
Louisiana Highway Safety Commission spokesperson Mark Lambert says law enforcement officers are actively looking for impaired drivers, and throwing the ones they find in jail.
Lambert says 33 people were killed last December by drunk drivers and they don’t want to see a repeat this year.
December drunk driving injuries and fatalities have been rising since 2017.
Lambert says impairment means both booze and drugs, and he’s hearing anecdotal evidence that drug impairment is becoming as prevalent as alcohol impairment. That includes prescriptions.
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