330 PM LRN News

69 more Louisianans are reported to have died from COVID-19, but our case count continues to come in lower than last week, with a notable decline in hospital bed usage after weeks of continual escalation. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says if we can keep up this rate of declining case growth the state could move to Phase Three in a few weeks.

Cut 7 (10) “…we won’t’”

Nungesser made the comments on Talk Louisiana.

Governor Edwards asks the Congressional Delegation to push for funding of state unemployment insurance trust funds as Louisiana is nearing depletion of the once flush account. Edwards says if the fund gets to the point where it needs to borrow money from the feds, that borrowing is available interest-free, but a mechanism has to be set up to pay it back.

Cut 11 (09) “…and their payroll.”

A mystery philanthropist makes a 20 million dollar donation to Xavier University, a historically black college in New Orleans. Xavier President Dr. Reynold Verret says representatives of the anonymous donor requested that the funds be used to create a tuition endowment.

Cut 13 (10) “…ability” 

The Associated Press suggests the donation may have been made by MacKenzie Scott, the recently divorced former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The state Agriculture Department has received about 300 calls from Louisianans who’ve received mystery packages of seeds from China and Eastern Europe. Commissioner Mike Strain says its part of some kind of nationwide plot.

Cut 4 (09)_ “its seeds”

If you get a package, do not open it and call the Ag department.