The Bayou State received an F letter grade on the latest March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card. Emelie Gunn has more…
______________________________________________
Louisiana’s 1st Circuit Court of Appeal strikes down Governor Edwards executive order that sought to protect LGBT individuals who work for state government from discrimination. Kelley Ray has more…
______________________________________
UL Lafayette has fired its highly successful softball coach Michael Lotief, claiming he created a hostile learning and working environment. Jeff Palermo has more….
___________________________________________________
Louisiana earned an ‘F’ grade on the latest March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card. Dr. Martha Whyte with the state Department of Health says the preterm birth rate in Louisiana is 12.6-percent. She says this is a trend we’ve seen in Louisiana for some time and contributes it to the high levels of poverty.
Cut 4 (11) “your neighborhood”
Caddo Parish has the highest number of premature births in the state with 17 out of every 100 babies born preterm. Whyte says African American women also have more premature babies in the Bayou State.
60-percent of births in Louisiana are unplanned. Whyte says changing this failing grade starts with addressing chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity. She says they have made it a goal to make sure women are healthy before getting pregnant and start planning their reproductive life.
_________________________________________________________
A three-judge panel of Louisiana’s 1st Court of Appeal has ruled against Governor Edwards’ non-discrimination executive order protecting the LGBT community from discrimination in state employment. The President of Louisiana Trans Advocates Dylan Waguespack says the ruling is disappointing because gays and transgendered people are discriminated in the workplace at an alarming rate…
Waguespack says even though he is disappointed by the ruling, he notes there has been progress in getting laws adopted to protect the LGBTQ community…
Attorney General Jeff Landry applauds the ruling. He says his concern is with Governor Edwards and how he is overstepping his bounds…
Landry says any change in law needs to come from the state legislature, not Governor Edwards and the Court of Appeals upheld the law as he interprets it…
Cut 10 (08) “the legislature.”
Edwards released a statement that said, “Discrimination in state government and by state contractors is wrong, makes us weaker and is bad for business and economic development.” He also cites President Trump’s executive order that remains in place and was identical to his order.
______________________________________________________
UL Lafayette has fired its highly successful softball coach, claiming that Michael Lotief created a hostile learning and working environment. Lotief was placed on administrative leave in early October. Attorney John McElligott says university administrators didn’t like how Lotief fought for more support for women athletics
In a news release, the university says Lotief violated school policies by subjecting student-athletes and coworkers to violent, vulgar language and verbal and physical assault. Lotief admits he has a loose tongue in compeititve situations, but it shouldn’t result in his firing…
Lotief holds a record of 729-174 and led the Lady Cajuns to the Women’s College World Series three times. While speaking from his lawyer’s office, his former players surrounded him and said the allegations against him are unfounded…
Lotief has not made a decision on whether he’ll sue the university. Athletics Director Doctor Bryan Maggard says a national search for a new head softball coach will begin immediately.
________________________________________________________
The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services reports a record number of children were adopted form the state’s foster care system in a one year period ending September 30. 764 children were adopted up from the record of 735 the previous year. Child Welfare manager Shannon Catanzaro (cat-an-zaro) says even with the record numbers there are children waiting to be adopted…
So why the increase in adoptions? Catanzaro says it starts with better awareness of what is involved in adopting and some family members are making the decision to adopt their own kin…
November is Adoption Awareness Month so the state will increase it’s efforts to help 140 children who are in need of a permanent home…
DCFS will host a statewide advocate awards show on November 16 at the Governor’s Mansion.
_________________________________________________________