The Louisiana Department of Health reports 4,700 new cases of COVID today and hospitalizations increased by 135 to 1,524. The state’s positivity rate is 13.2 percent the highest since December of 2020. Ventilator usage also increased by 17 to 144.

Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise received his first vaccine shot last week, today he talks about his decision to get vaccinated. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 2 (31)…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will soon begin accepting applications for financial assistance for those who have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Wildlife and Fisheries Biologist Administrator Jason Froeba says anyone within the fishing industry that lost at least 35 percent of their revenue is eligible.
Cut 6 (08) “….fishing capacity.”
The total financial assistance is over 12 million dollars and LDWF begins taking applications August ninth.

Nicholls State University is receiving nearly 500 thousand dollars in grant money that will go towards coastal research. Nicholls Dean of Sciences and Technology Dr. John Doucet says they will specifically look at how coastal ridges can help in the fight against land loss…
Cut 12 (11) “…on those ridges”
The research will start this fall and continue through 2023.