Medical marijuana patients will soon enjoy cheaper treatments. Matt Doyle has the story.
____________________________
The state reported 882 more coronavirus cases today, one day after Louisiana reported over 13-hundred new cases. Jeff Palermo has more…
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”
_____________________________
The family of a gay teenager stabbed in the neck and wrists believes 18-year-old Holden White of Kaplan is the victim of a hate crime. But Lafayette Police is not pursuing hate crime charges. Legal analyst Franz Borghardt says the evidence has to be clear that the attack occurred because White is gay…
Police have arrested 19-year-old Chance Seneca and charged him with attempted second-degree murder, but no hate crime charges have been added. Borghardt says police officers and prosecutors sometimes do not want to pursue hate crime charges, because it makes the case more complicated
Lafayette Police say the evidence shows there are other motives on why the attack occurred. White reportedly met Seneca on a gay dating app and police say the two got into an argument which led to Seneca stabbing White. Borghardt says a hate crime is a very serious charge…
White is in intensive care, but his family says his condition is improving.
_________________________________________________
The state’s only current medical marijuana grower announces it will lower its prices as a result of a new law that greatly expands access to the treatment.
Wellcana CEO John Davis says the price reductions will allow pharmacies to sell the product at the average price for the nation’s more mature markets.
Currently, patients have to pay hundreds of dollars a month to afford their medical marijuana prescriptions. Medical marijuana is not covered by health insurance because it’s still illegal under federal law.
Davis says the price reduction will hit their bottom line, but they believe by lowering the price they can significantly expand the market.
In addition to lowering the price, Wellcana will soon begin offering a concentrated product that can be blended into food and drinks.
Davis says the soon-to-be law makes up to three million adults potential customers.
The law expanding access goes into effect on August 1st.
_____________________________________________________
The Acadiana region is outpacing other regions of the state in new COVID-19 cases. The region’s case count of Tuesday was the highest on record and Dr. Tina Stefanski, regional medical director of the Office of Public Health in Acadiana, believes the area is just late to see the first wave.
Cut 9 (09) “…experiencing such increases.”
On Tuesday, 354 cases came from the region, making up more than a quarter of the state’s total case count, nearly double the share of the next highest region.
Of the tests taken in the region, 11.1% came back positive, higher than the federal recommendations in moving forward in economic reopening. Stefanski says the age groups that are the most problematic are the younger demographics.
Stafanski hopes that young adults will begin to heed the advice of health officials by avoiding crowds and limiting activities, as it will help protect those most at risk for poor outcomes.
Cut 11 (12) “…maintain a distance.”
The region’s hospitalizations have increased by 40% in four days.
_________________________________________________________
The House approves legislation protecting public and private schools from civil suits by students or teachers who say they got COVID on school grounds.
Amite Representative Robby Carter says a school board superintendent told him this bill was vital to actually having students back in classrooms come fall.
The vote was 82-17.
But New Orleans Representative Gary Carter feels the legislation would allow schools to violate COVID health regulations and be shielded from repercussions.
Supporters of the bill say it still allows for suits in cases of demonstrable gross negligence.
But bill sponsor, Denham Springs Representative Buddy Mincey contends it’s needed because it’s impossible to prove exactly where students or teachers get their COVID infections.
The bill is retroactive to March 11th and applies to all K-12, charter, and public and private schools along with all public and private colleges and universities.
____________________
A proposal that will result in many of Louisiana’s essential workers receiving a 250-dollar check from the state continues to make its way through the legislative process. The Senate Revenue Fiscal Affairs committee approved the bill Shreveport Representative Sam Jenkins
Grocery store workers, first responders, nurses, bus drivers, and others who were forced to work during the first few weeks of the pandemic would receive the stimulus check if they make less than 50-thousand dollars. New Orleans Senator Troy Carter complimented Jenkins on the legislation
Cut 16 (12) “ won’t allow that…
The money will come from the one-point-eight billion dollars the state received in federal coronavirus relief funding.