Officials say the first coronavirus vaccine doses will arrive later this month. Health officials will work to vaccinate frontline hospital workers and nursing home residents first. US Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Admiral Brett Giroir on the effectiveness of the vaccines that are close to federal approval…
cut 13 (10) “…COVID disese”

Health systems are preparing to distribute the vaccines. Vice President of Pharmacy at Ochsner Health, Debbie Simonson, says the Pfizer vaccine must be stored at negative 80-degrees, so they have subzero freezers in Shreveport, Lafayette and New Orleans. She says the vaccine can be kept at normal refrigerator temps for up to five days and each vial contains five doses…
cut 9 (10) “…there”

The Louisiana Workforce Commission says the state added over 29,000 jobs from September to October. LWC Secretary Ava Dejoie says those numbers are in large part due to the Hurricanes.
Cut 4 (12) “…Lake Charles region.”
The state ended October with 1-point-eight million jobs. That’s down 112,000 jobs from the same time last year.

A photo has gone viral that shows Governor John Bel Edwards not wearing a mask while out in public. A spokeswoman for the governor says the photo was taken last month as Edwards was eating at the Baton Rouge Country Club. The governor’s office says Edwards stood up without a mask on to speak to another person when the photo was captured. Edwards says he did not violate his own mask mandate…
cut 3 (11) “…today’s rules”

Governor John Bel Edwards says nursing home residents and frontline health care workers will receive the COVID vaccine soon…
cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

US Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Admiral Brett Giroir on why a second shot is necessary.
Cut 12 (07) “…protection.”
Giroir says based on the studies, the vaccines are also safe to take.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission says the state added 29-thousand jobs from September to October. But nonfarm employment is still 112-thousand jobs less than what it was in October of 2019. L-W-C Secretary Ava Dejoie says future job growth is dependent on residents continuing to mask up and social distancing….
cut 6 (08) “….effect”

Louisiana Tech finally returns to the football field tonight to face North Texas. It’s the Bulldogs first game in 33 days after four of their games were either postponed or canceled because of COVID-19 related issues in November. Coach Skip Holtz admits this is like playing a season opener again…
cut 17 (16) “…of the game”
Kick-off is at 5 PM.

COVID vaccines are set to be deployed across Louisiana within the next two weeks. Governor John Bel Edwards anticipates all frontline healthcare workers and nursing home residents will be vaccinated by mid-January. Edwards says the state will receive 40,000 doses of the vaccine in the first week after it is approved.
Cut 10 (08) “…behind that.”
The Pfizer vaccine is set to be reviewed for approval next Thursday with approval likely a few days later.

The Pfizer vaccine requires ultra-cold storage at minus 80-degrees. System Vice President of Pharmacy at Ochsner, Debbie Simonson, says Pfizer has developed cold shippers to keep the vaccine viable during delivery and Ochsner will initially receive vaccines in New Orleans and then distribute….
Cut 8 (07) “…come in.”
Simonson says their thermo-freezers will be located in Shreveport, Lafayette and New Orleans.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission reports employment rose in September to October by 29,000 jobs. Brooke Thorington has more
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The fall special session cost taxpayers one-point-one million dollars. That’s according to information provided by the House and Senate. During the session, lawmakers spent a lot of time debating legislation that sought to give legislators more of a say in coronavirus restrictions, but none of those bills became law.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission reports nonfarm employment grew by 29-thousand jobs from September to October. L-W-C Secretary Ava Dejoie says they’ve seen growth in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans regions and some of that growth is hurricane-related..
cut 5 (10) “…..New Orleans”
But this latest jobs report also shows the state had 112-thousand fewer workers in October of 2020 compared to the previous October.

Governor Edwards believes Louisiana will receive 40-thousand doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine later this month and they’ll use those initial doses to vaccinate hospital workers and nursing home residents and staff. Both Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines are expected to receive emergency approval from the feds this month and Edwards says both vaccines require a booster shot…
cut 11 (08) “…nursing homes”

Distributing the Pfizer COVID vaccine requires several steps, including storing it at very low temperatures, to keep the two-dosage vaccine viable. Brooke Thorington tells us how Ochsner Health has prepped.
Cut 2 (28) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Organizers of a swingers convention in New Orleans say 41 of their 250 attendees have tested positive since the annual Naughty Nawlins convention concluded last month. New Orleans Communications Director Beau Tidwell says they met with convention officials before the event and discussed safety protocols…
cut 5 (11) “….spreader event”
It’s been reported that one of the 41 individuals who tested positive had to be hospitalized.

The US Supreme Court heard arguments today over whether inmates in Louisiana who were convicted by a non-unanimous jury verdict prior to 2019 should have a new trial. Louisiana Solicitor General Liz Murrill argued on behalf of the state that a ruling against non-unanimous juries previously made by the highest court should not be retroactive…
cut 7 (08) “….verdict”
If the Supreme Court says its previous ruling is retroactive, it could lead to hundreds of inmates receiving a new trial.

An Ohio homicide suspect was killed during a shootout with federal authorities and a woman he’s accused of abducting was found safe at a Pineville hotel yesterday. Special FBI agent John Fortunado credits good law enforcement work in tracking down 47-year-old James Edward Hawley…
cut 12 (11) “…they could”
Authorities believe Hawley killed the mother of the woman he abducted.

Entergy Louisiana is on track to produce enough power from solar plants to fuel 60,000 homes within the next three years. Entergy Louisiana Director of Resource Planning Jonathan Bourge says that started with a solar plant in West Baton Rouge Parish.
Cut 13 (11) “… sources”
Bourge southeast Louisiana is the hub for this effort, housing six of the seven solar farms planned.