Governor Edwards is encouraging Louisianans to celebrate the New Year with their immediate household and avoid large crowds due to the uptick in cases. Edwards says 95-percent of the parishes are at the highest risk level for COVID-19 transmission and predicts January will be very challenging. He urges the unvaccinated to make getting the COVID vaccine a New Year’s resolution…
The FDA plans to broaden eligibility for Pfizer COVID boosters for teens 12 to 15 in the coming days. Those who are 16 years or older already have access to booster shots. Studies indicate a booster dose increases protection from the Omicron variant which to date is the most transmissible variant of COVID.
Baton Rouge state Representative Ted James has been appointed as the new Regional Administrator of the federal Small Business Administration in the South-Central Region. James, a Baton Rouge native is Chair of the House Criminal Justice Committee and has served in the legislature since 2012.
James will remain in Louisiana and work in the New Orleans office.
The Powerball jackpot for Saturday night’s drawing has reach a half-billion dollars. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says those jackpots are growing much more quickly because of new Powerball policies…:
Cut 10 (09) “…so does that jackpot..”
Powerball tickets will be available until 9 pm Saturday. The half-billion drawing will be at 10.