Included in the 1.9 trillion dollar Biden relief bill signed yesterday is the 28.6 billion dollar Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Matt Doyle spoke with the Louisiana Restaurant Association about it…
_______________________________
Governor Edwards has declared Sunday a Day of Remembrance in honor of the one-year anniversary since the state reported its first COVID death…
____________________________
As more people are vaccinated, confidence is growing to begin traveling again, but AAA warns it’s not going to be the same. Brooke Thorington explains
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
____________________________
President Biden signs the 1.9 trillion dollar American Rescue Act, a sweeping bill that includes 28.6 billion dollars in assistance to bars and restaurants.
Louisiana Restaurant Association President Stan Harris says after a tough 2020 the Restaurant Revitalization Fund is a welcome relief.
National reports show a 17 percent drop in operating restaurants when comparing the end of 2020 to 2019 and a 16 percent drop in industrywide revenue.
Harris says the fund covers a broad array of food service, bars, taprooms, and even food trucks. Restaurants can receive up to five million dollars in aid per location to a max of ten million.
The amount any one business can receive is based on total lost revenue from February of last year through the end of 2021 minus the amount of PPP aid they may have already received. Priority will be given to smaller establishments and a five billion dollar portion of the fund has been set aside for entities that generated 500,000 dollars or less in revenue last year.
Harris says the fund will save a lot of companies on the brink of failure, but it’s still just a portion of revenue lost since the start of the pandemic.
________________________
Sunday marks the one-year anniversary of the first confirmed COVID-19 death in Louisiana.
Governor Edwards’ communications director Shauna Sanford says Sunday will be a Day of Remembrance and the Governor is calling on all Louisianans to observe a moment of silence and prayer that day in honor of the pandemic’s victims.
The first reported case of COVID-19 in Louisiana came on March 9th, 2020.
Thousands of flags have been placed on the front lawn of the State Capitol ahead of Sunday’s Day of Remembrance. Sanford says each represents a Louisiana life lost to COVID-19.
Sanford says there are 9,828 flags on display, one for each person who has died of COVID since last March.
Sanford says the display has meant a lot to those who’ve lost loved ones.
_____________________________
The state has signed an agreement with NASA’s Michoud (MEE-shoo) Assembly plant that could lead to the creation of the Louisiana Space Campus, a dedicated business park within NASA’s site. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says it’s an opportunity to bring modern facilities to the site.
The proposed space campus would be 50-acres located within NASA’s 829-acre site east of New Orleans. Pierson feels the project could begin construction sooner than later.
Pierson says in addition to meetings with NASA they must define the demand for the space in the new structures and gain commitments from tenants.
NASA celebrates 60-years at the Michoud Assembly Facility this year.
_____________________________
After a year of upended travel AAA says if you’re planning a trip this year understand that it will be a different experience. AAA spokesperson Don Redman says the keyword is “prepare,” so you aren’t caught off guard by mandates along your travels.
As the vaccines boost confidence to travel Redman recommends using a travel advisor for the most up-to-date information on restrictions, including hotels and rental cars. Plan for stops and know what mandates are there as well. Redman says most will travel by car year.
Another reason to use a travel advisor, especially if you travel by air, you might have to carry documentation or even quarantine.
Redman suggests a visit to AAA’s COVID-19 Travel Restriction Map and seek advice from a travel advisor.
_________________________________________
LSU will begin SEC tournament play when they take on Ole Miss/South Carolina tonight. The Tigers are the three seed and earned a double-bye in the tournament. Coach Will Wade is still waiting for his team to play a complete game.
Cut 16 (13) “…make it happen.”
LSU will go almost immediately into the NCAA Tournament bubble in Indiana once the conference tournament concludes. Freshman guard Cam Thomas says Coach Wade’s message is to be excited and energetic for the possibility of making a postseason run.
The Covid-19 pandemic shut down last year’s postseason, so while Trendon Watford is a veteran on the team, he’s new to the postseason. Watford says the main reason he came back for another season was to experience March Madness
Cut 18 (16) “…looking forward to it.”
________________________________________
Nicholls is two wins away from earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament as the Colonels will play tonight in the semi-final round of the Southland Tournament. Nicholls Coach Austin Claunch has told his team they need to stay mentally sharp in order to win the Southland Tournament Championship…
Cut 19 (19) “…two and half hours.”
Nicholls went 14-2 in conference play and won the Southland regular-season championship. They have four players in double figures in scoring led by Ty Gordon, who is averaging 15 points a game. Claunch says they’ve won games by playing as a team this season…