LRN AM Newscall April 22

LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is studying lifestyle changes as a result of social distancing and COVID-19 restrictions through an online survey.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (32) “I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

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Governor Edwards says he’s not letting any protests change his mind about keeping the stay at home order in place until April 30th. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

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Senator John Kennedy blames Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the delay in replenishing funding for the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (32)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

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LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is studying lifestyle changes as a result of social distancing and COVID-19 restrictions.  Researcher Leanne Redman says a 15-minute online survey includes questions about work changes, physical activity, diet, sleep, and well-being.

Cut 4 (11)_ “…neighborhoods in general.”

Redman says the goal is to get one million responses to the survey and so far they’ve received 6,000 from participants from all over the world.

Cut 5 (06)  “…Norway and Germany.”

Redman hopes the survey will be able to hone in on some of the nuances of the social distancing and stay at home orders that maybe have not been realized before.

Cut 6 (08) “…working at home.”

Redman says anyone over the age of 18 can participate in the survey, just go to pbrc.edu/covid19andyou.

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Senator Bill Cassidy is pushing for a 500 billion dollar relief package in Congress aimed at aiding local and state governments who are facing coronavirus related fiscal cliffs.

Lafayette is expecting to lose 35 percent of its expected revenue for the year, and Monroe and New Orleans are facing one million and 150 million dollar deficits respectively. Cassidy says…

Cut 7 (08) “…that you want.”

The City of Crowley is expecting a 1.3-1.6 million dollar shortfall and announced the layoffs of 15 employees and reduction of hours for remaining city employees via a four-day workweek.

Cassidy says essential services must be propped up at a local level not just to save lives, but to make sure businesses have reliable foundations to reopen under.

Cut 8 (12 ) “…to be controlled.”

The proposal is being pitched with the help of  New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menedez.

Cassidy says the money would be distributed based on how severely a locality has been hit by both the virus and the economic impacts of virus-related shutdowns.

Cut 9 (09) “…for lost revenue.″

Localities with populations over 50,000 would be given the money directly to manage without having to go through state government.

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Louisiana saw small crowds of protesters in the Capital over the weekend calling for the state to end its stay at home order, with more protests apparently set for this weekend.

Governor Edwards says those complaints about the shutdown won’t shake him from the position that the stay at home order will hold until April 30th.

Cut 10 (11) “safety”

But he says if he were a betting man he’d bet a dollar that the statewide restrictions come May 1st will not be the same they are today.

Edwards says the criteria for reopening remain firm: A measured 14 day period of declining cases, increased hospital capacity…

Cut 11 (06) “…illness.”

Edwards made the statements at his daily afternoon press conference. He also announced Popeye’s was donating one million meals to a New Orleans foodbank. He says he called their CEO…

Cut 12 (10) “chicken.”

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The U-S Senate has approved a $483 billion dollar coronavirus aid package. 331-billion dollars will replenish funding for a small business loan program that ran out of money.  Senator John Kennedy blames House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the delay.

Cut 13 (09) “…were not emergencies.”

Kennedy says the one-week delay in replenishing the funding will cost the nation thousands of small businesses and calls Pelosi’s actions wildly irresponsible.

Cut 14 (08) “…my rear end.”

Kennedy says the funding is just a small part of keeping America afloat but adds that if the nation does not kick back into gear soon, it will eventually collapse the state and national economy.

Cut 15 (08)“…so can poverty.”

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The Bengals are expected to select former LSU Q-B Joe Burrow with the number one pick in tomorrow night’s N-F-L draft. If that’s the case, Burrow will play for a franchise that has not won a playoff game since 1991. LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says Burrow will look forward to the challenge in making Cincinnati a winner

Cut 16  (25)  “…at Cincinnati” 

JaMarcus Russell was the last LSU quarterback to be picked number one. The Raiders selected him number one in 2007 and the Alabama native turned out to be one of the biggest flops in NFL history. Oregon expects Burrow to have an outstanding career

cut 17  (14) “…great player” 

Orgeron says he’s tired of watching television and is ready to get back to work. He’s optimistic the Tigers will be back on the practice field in August and says his projected starting quarterback, Myles Brennan, is doing what he can to stay ready

Cut 18  (22) “…is here”   

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Alabama-based Radiance Technologies has agreed to be the title sponsor of the Independence Bowl for the next five years, giving the bowl game in Shreveport stability for the first half of this decade. Independence Bowl Foundation Chairman Frank Auer says Radiance is a technology solutions provider of the highest caliber

cut 19 (22) Radiance Technologies”  

Over the next five years, the Independence Bowl will have games featuring BYU or Army against teams from the PAC-12, American Athletic Conference or Conference USA. The 2020 game will pit Army against a Pac-12 school. Radiance Technologies CEO Bill Bailey says they’ve been looking for the right opportunity to increase their brand awareness nationally and they found it with this partnership

cut 20 (22) “  Independence Bowl”