LRN PM Newscall September 28

Tonight’s your last chance before early voting to hear from five of the six major gubernatorial candidates in a statewide televised debate. Brooke Thorington has more.

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Officials are discussing building a freshwater pipeline that can dilute salt water as it enters water treatment facilities in Jefferson and Orleans Parishes. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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The last gubernatorial debate before early voting airs tonight on Louisiana Public Broadcasting. Council for a Better Louisiana and LPB are hosting the debate featuring five candidates and CABL President Barry Erwin says this debate will focus on their plan for the future of the Bayou State.

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Erwin says with many undecided voters in the state, this is a great chance for the public to get to know the candidates better and…

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Because CABL is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, Erwin says their forums focus on issues that impact residents, not political rhetoric.

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Front-runner Attorney General Jeff Landry is not participating in tonight’s forum.

The one-hour debate will air on LPB at 7 o’clock tonight and available for streaming afterwards on LPB’s YouTube channel and some public radio stations will also broadcast the forum.

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According to the AARP Scorecard, Louisiana ranks 45th in the nation for long-term care services and support for older Americans. Director of Advocacy Andrew Muhl says only 22 percent of Louisiana’s Medicaid spending goes toward home care service.

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In nursing homes and institutional care, the scorecard shows only two percent of the state’s aging population live in a high-rated facility. The report also shows gaps in workforce and equity which result in persistent problems in care.

Muhl says nursing home quality falls below the national average. And one of the biggest myths is that people in nursing homes receive 24-hour care…

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In family caregiving, the state also shows a 10 percent decline in adult day services and access to home health aides. Muhl hopes the new governor along with lawmakers will rebalance long-term care for older adults. 

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As saltwater continues to move up the lower Mississippi River, plans are underway to build a pipeline that would take fresh river water from past Kenner and transport it to drinking water treatment plants in Orleans and Jefferson Parish to dilute the salt. New Orleans’ director of homeland security and emergency preparedness Collin Arnold

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Arnold says costs estimates for the project are 100-to-250 million dollars and construction could begin in a week.

Current forecasts call for the salt to reach New Orleans’ Carrollton plant, which serves the city’s east bank around October 28th. Arnold says the duration of this event could last into next year

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Arnold says if the pipeline is not finished by the time the salt arrives at the Carrollton water treatment plant in late October, the city is preparing to distribute bottled water…

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