There are signs the state’s economy is recovering quicker than anticipated from the pandemic. Brooke Thorington talks with an LSU economist.
Cut 1 (31) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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President Joe Biden met with Senator Bill Cassidy and nine other Republicans last night to begin discussing the possibility for a compromise COVID relief bill. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Economic indicators show the state is recovering quicker than first predicted from the pandemic. LSU Economist Dr. Loren Scott says they compared unemployment numbers from April of 2020 to the latest numbers in December and unemployment has recovered by 69%.
He predicts things will continue to improve once the vaccine is more widely available.
As for the leisure and hospitality industry, it’s improved since April, but far from a recovery. What has rebounded is the retail sector; they have more jobs now than this time last year.
Scott says unfortunately the oil and gas sector is worse off than it was in December of 2019 and the outlook is bleak. He says the Biden Administration’s moratorium on new leases in the Gulf of Mexico is very concerning.
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Shreveport Police has arrested a 27-year-old man who went inside Ochsner LSU Health and wounded two individuals with a large knife. Sergeant Glen Heckard says one of the victims was the mother of the suspect, Zaokoye Chatman,…
Heckard says Chatman fled the hospital after the attack, but later surrendered to authorities. He says there are reports that New Orleans homicide detectives are looking to see if Chatman committed a fatal machete attack at a New Orleans gas station on Sunday because the suspect in both cases drove a similar green S-U-V
Heckard says they do not know why Chatman attacked the two workers at Ochsner LSU Health…
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Two Texas residents and 21-year-old woman from Alexandria are facing human trafficking charges after a traffic stop in Bunkie. Louisiana State Police Senior Trooper Casey Wallace says during the traffic stop it was determined a missing 15-year-old juvenile was located in the vehicle
The suspect from Louisiana under arrest has been identified as 21-year-old Areona Ardoin of Alexandria. She has been charged with human trafficking and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. The victim who was being sexually exploited is from Texas and Wallace says it’s likely the suspects connected with the 15-year-old through the internet
Wallace says the officers who conducted the traffic stop should be commended for realizing that this was a case of human trafficking…
Cut 11 (07) “…what was going on.”
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Senator Bill Cassidy was one of ten Republican Senators to meet with President Biden last night to discuss the next round of COVID relief.
Biden backs a 1.9 trillion dollar plan while Cassidy and company prefer a 618 billion dollar bill. Cassidy says the two sides began a dialog.
Some of the key differences: in Biden’s plan federally boosted unemployment would be extended through September at 400 dollars a week, while Republicans prefer 300 a week through June. Biden supports 1,400 dollar stimulus checks for those earning 75,000 a year and under, Republicans back 1,000 dollar checks from those making 50,000 a year and under.
Another major sticking point: Biden’s “American Rescue Plan” includes 350 billion in aid for state and local governments, but Cassidy says those entities have only seen a one percent decline in revenue.
Cassidy’s one percent revenue loss number is cited from a recent JP Morgan analysis.
Democrats have threatened to pass the 1.9 trillion without Republican support in the newly slim Blue majority Congress. Cassidy says…
Cut 14 (09) “..rammed through.”
Without ten Republicans in support Democrats would have to pass the package through a process known as reconciliation, which can only be attempted a limited number of times a year.