District 6 Congressman Garret Graves is feeling pressure to announce whether he will or will not run for Governor this fall. Kevin Gallagher has more…:
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”
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LABI reacts to Governor John Bel Edwards’ proposed budget. Teiko Foxx has more…
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Pineville Police have added a state-of-the-art drone to their force. Brooke Thorington explains.
Cut 3 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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The latest AARP COVID dashboard indicates the early wave of coronavirus cases in nursing homes appears to have peaked. Louisiana AARP Director of Advocacy Andrew Muhl says that’s good news, especially for this most vulnerable age group.
Which historically will lead to an uptick in cases days later.
Muhl says because of the anticipated post-Mardi Gras community spread if you have loved ones in long-term care facilities it’s important that you stay up to date on your vaccinations. He says it’s also important to ask the facility what their COVID protocols are and do they have enough PPE.
The most recent dashboard which covered the four-week period ending on January 22, also showed a spike in nursing home staff COVID cases. Muhl says staff cases rose from 533 to 847.
Resident cases during the same period in Louisiana went from 1,007 to 1,355. COVID deaths among residents increased from 13 to 19.
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Baton Rouge area Congressman Garret Graves says he is “feeling pressure” to run for governor, but will not commit one way or the other. So, will he run or not? “LAPolitics.com” publisher Jeremy Alford has watched many political campaigns unfold and says Graves is employing a pretty smart strategy by playing coy on the race…:
Cut 7 (12) “…bit of theatrics here”
By not immediately jumping into the governor’s race and keeping everyone guessing, Graves is also keeping his name out in front of political discussions and speculations. Alford says this could work brilliantly for Graves…:
Alford says Graves could jump in late and still be able to raise enough money to compete with deep-pocketed competition like Jeff Landry, who seems assured of a victory. Alford says a recent chat he had with Senator John Kennedy during DC Mardi Gras indicates that may not be so…:
Cut 9 (11) “…about Garret Graves.”
Graves can run for Governor this fall, and simply return to Congress should he not win. Alford says the suspense is helping Graves’ “brand” and a little “political theatre” in the race is kind of fun.
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LABI reacts to the 2023-24 budget proposed by Governor John Bel Edwards. The total cost of the budget is around $45.7 billion. The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry President and CEO, Stephen Waguespack says it’s imperative to have a fiscal balance.
Edwards is asking lawmakers to approve a $2,000 raise for certified teachers and $1,000 raise for staff. The governor also proposed- firefighters, police, and deputy sheriffs receive an additional $100 a month in supplemental pay. Waguespack says…
A one-cent sales tax was implemented in 2016 to help fund the $2 billion deficit the state was facing. Waguespack says…
The regular legislative session begins on April 10.
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Pineville Police are taking to the skies in an effort to curb crime. Chief Darrell Basco says their newest drone won’t require an operator to be called in when needed and it’s accessible for the patrol division 24/7. And it’s not your average drone, he says it allows them to see things in real-time.
Cut 13 (09) “…consumer drone.”
The newest member of the force also has infrared and thermal capabilities and can arrive at the scene before officers allowing them to assess a situation before they respond.
Basco says the drone will increase their coverage when a patient goes missing from either the Pinecrest Developmental Center or Central State Hospital. Before the drone, Basco says they would have to send up to four cars to grid and block a search area.
Cut 14 (08) “…piece of equipment.”
The drone can be used to assist in searches for missing children as well.
Basco says they want to use as much technology that’s available to law enforcement to help them solve crimes quicker…
The drone is valued at $12,000