Louisiana has dropped one spot from last year’s position in America’s health rankings, with the state landing 50th for overall health. Kevin Barnhart has more.
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Despite a reputation as a food Mecca, a report out of Loyola shows large areas of the state have trouble accessing, or affording good, healthy food. Matt Doyle has more.
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A former Louisiana Republican Congressman says the trade war is failing, and is starting to drag down the Louisiana economy. Matt Doyle has the story.
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For the 13th time since 1990, Louisiana has been ranked 50th in America’s health rankings. The state has never been higher than 47. Thirty-five different areas of health are factored in to determine the overall ranking. Dr. Rhonda Randall with the United Health Foundation says among the areas of concern, child poverty, where Louisiana ranks last.
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Randall says the research also found a high prevalence of frequent mental distress.
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Tobacco use was also a major factor that brought down the state. Randall says while the rest of the country is seeing a drop in smoking, down to about 17% of adults smoking, Louisiana is higher than the national average.
Randall added there was some areas with encouraging numbers, including Louisiana’s immunization rates.
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A report out of Loyola says Louisiana has the second highest rate of food insecurity in the country, a result of the state’s substantial poverty, and proliferation of food deserts where residents don’t have access to, or can afford healthy food. Jesuit Social Research Institute Director Father Fred Kammer says those food deserts aren’t restricted to one area of the state.
New Orleans and Baton Rouge were noted for having large food deserts.
Kammer says the existence of those food deserts exacerbates the already extensive pressures placed on Louisiana’s poorest residents.
The report noted that equal access to quality food is also an issue in Louisiana along racial lines, where African Americans are already disproportionately affected by poverty. Kammer says you are more likely to find food deserts in low income, minority neighborhoods.
The report calls for the state to increase incentives for grocery stores to operate in under-served communities, including refrigeration tax breaks for small grocers to allow them to bring in healthier food.
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Former Congressman Charles Boustany says the trade war with China is failing, and Louisiana is beginning to pay the price to the tune of over 100 million dollars in costs to Bayou State businesses and consumers this year, nearly 20 million in October alone. Boustany says the trade war is a hurricane, and we’re starting to feel the first bands of bad economic weather…
Boustany, spokesman for Tariffs Hurt the Heartland, says the effects of steel and soybean tariffs have begun to work their way down the economic supply chain from agriculture, to the shipping industries in coastal cities.
Supporters of the tariffs say the economic conflict with China is the best way to force the global superpower to the table, to renegotiate a trade relationship that is growing increasingly imbalanced. But the former southwest Louisiana Republican Congressman says it’s obvious the tariffs are backfiring.
Boustany is advocating a new approach to the Chinese trade deficit, built around assembling a trade coalition to generate better leverage on the far-east superpower.
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Controversial Carolina Quarterback Cam Newton calls a gift he received from Saints defensive Cam Jordan “disrespectful.” Jordan sent Newton a broom, a reference to New Orleans sweeping the season series versus the Panthers last season. The three victories included a win in the postseason. Newton says he’s used the broom as motivation
The NFC South Rivals meet Monday night in Charlotte and then in the regular season finale. Newton says if the Panthers win those two games, he’ll send the broom back to Jordan. New Orleans has won back-to-back division titles, but Newton says the Saints franchise has more of a history of losing than winning…
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UL-Lafayette and Tulane will meet for the 29th time in football when the two teams play each other Saturday in Cure Bowl in Orlando. The Green Wave is a slight favorite as they’ve played well since former LSU quarterback Justin McMillan started directing the Green Wave offense. Cajuns Coach Billy Napier says McMillan is an effective passer…
The Cajuns won their last three regular season games to clinch the Sun Belt West Division. A win on Saturday and UL-Lafayette will secure a winning record after three straight non-winning seasons. Napier on he wants to end the year…
The Green Wave’s defense is much better than a season ago, which is a big reason why they are in a bowl game this year. Tulane Coach Willie Fritz gives credit to his defensive coordinator Jack Curtis…