Louisiana teachers earn about 4,000 dollars a year less than their southern regional counterparts according to a new report. Matt Doyle has the story

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A Pennington Biomedical Research Center researcher says a recent study shows uncontrolled blood sugar levels for type 2 diabetics can lead to long-term cognitive issues. Brooke Thorington has more.

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Louisiana has lost one of its favorite governors as Mike Foster has passed away at the age of 90. Kevin Barnhart has more on Foster’s legacy…

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A new report shows Louisiana teachers make an average of 4,000 dollars a year less than their peers in other southern states. Last year the gap was just 2,300 dollars but Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter says nearby states approved significant pay hikes. Now state teachers are stuck with pandemic workloads at low pay.

Cut 4 (09) “people.”

This comes despite a 1,200 dollar raise passed last year. Carter says while Louisiana was busy catching up other nearby states were busying pushing further ahead.

Carter says there’s real reason to be concerned that the pay gap will result in Louisiana teachers leaving. He says we already see it within the state where pay varies significantly from parish to parish.

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Carter says given the current economic climate it will be difficult to close that gap unless the feds come through with another pandemic bailout package for states…

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A Pennington Biomedical Research Center researcher says type 2 diabetics can improve brain function with consistent control of blood sugar levels versus only losing weight and increasing exercise. Director of Biomedical Imaging, Owen Carmichael says type two diabetes doubles your risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia, including Alzheimer’s.

Cut 7 (11) “…blood sugar”

Carmichael says many people think once you are diagnosed with diabetes it’s just a matter of taking medication, but in reality, it’s a lifestyle change, and controlling your blood sugar is not as easy as it sounds.

Cut 8 (08) “…get as well”

Carmichael says this news is imperative to reducing the long-term cognitive issues and losing weight and exercising after cognitive issues have begun might not restore verbal learning skills and overall memory.

Cut 9 (06) “…under control”

The study examines 11-hundred participants and cognitive tests were conducted between 8 and 13 years after they started the study.

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Former two-term Governor Mike Foster passed away Sunday at the age of 90 at his home in Franklin. Foster started in politics when he was elected as a state senator for St. Mary Parish in 1987 at the age of 57. Eight years later he was elected governor and political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says education was Foster’s main focus…

Cut 10 (09) “…community colleges”

Foster also rose teacher pay. According to his former press secretary, Marsanne Golsby, during Foster’s eight years in office, the average teacher received 11,500 in raises, a 43-percent increase.

Pinsonat says Foster was one of the state’s more popular governors. He says when his second term concluded in 2004 that popularity spread across Republicans and Democrats

Cut 11 (08) “…and universities.”

Foster was one of 16 individuals who ran for governor in 1995. The ballot also included former Governor Buddy Roemer, future U-S Senator Mary Landrieu and at that time Congressman Cleo Fields. But Pinsonat says Foster ran a fantastic campaign

Cut 12 (12) “…public’s imagintion.

Foster died from age-related illnesses. Funeral details have not been announced.
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The House and Senate appear to be at odds over how to handle the Governor’s public health authority and business restrictions just one week into the special session.

LaPolitics.com Publisher Jeremy Alford says the first week showed how each chamber is feeling about the Governor’s handling of the pandemic…

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The Senate passed legislation that would require the Governor to notify Legislative leaders seven days ahead of time of any public health emergency extensions, and explain why it was necessary. The House has passed everything from a complete repeal of his declaration to bills allowing lawmakers to pick and choose what restrictions should be upheld.

The Senate passed one signature bill addressing public health authority last week, but Alford says the House approved nine different items tackling questions of gubernatorial emergency powers…

Cut 14 (04) “…making.”

Alford says there’s a mix of resolutions and bills that would strip the Governor of his public health powers in play, but the resolutions are only temporary, and any bills are likely to be rejected…

Cut 15 (05) “…authority.” 

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Despite missing several starters because of injuries, COVID-19 concerns in the middle of the night and falling behind 14-0 early, the Saints still came away with a victory in Detroit beating the Lions 35-29. Quarterback Drew Brees threw an early interception but played well the rest of the way to snap a two-game losing streak

cut 16 (24) “..close it out”

Brees threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns. Emmanual Sanders had six catches for 93 yards.

There was a concern the game would be postponed because fullback Michael Burton tested positive for COVID-19, but it turned out to be a false positive. However, several players were up into early Sunday morning waiting on another round test results. Sanders says they would not use that false-positive test as an excuse…

cut 17 (17) “.we did”‘

Coach Sean Payton says no one was going to feel sorry for them

cut 18 (18) “..did that” 

New Orleans next game is a week from tonight against the Los Angeles Chargers, who lost to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers are still in first place in the NFC South with a 3-1 record. The Saints are 2-and-2.

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LSU played much better on Saturday night and it resulted in a 41-7 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores. Quarterback Myles Brennan looked more decisive and comfortable and he ended up throwing 337 yards and four TD passes. Brennan credits a lot of drill work leading up to the game

cut 19 (14) “.saw improvement’

The defense also had a much better showing. The Commodores were held to 266 yards of offense and intercepted Ken Seals twice and sacked him three times. Safety Jacoby Stevens had eleven tackles

cut 20 (19) “..good game”

The House approves a number of items that would significantly limit, if not overturn the Governor’s ability to set pandemic public health restrictions. Matt Doyle has the story.

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Two are dead after a State Police trooper rear-ends a vehicle in Ouachita Parish. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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The 2020 Census is less than a week away from its October 5^th deadline and census workers are hitting the streets to cover the remaining the 5% of Louisiana households that have not yet responded.  Assistant regional census manager Marilyn Stephens says there are three ways to participate.

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Stephens says the greatest concentration of homes that have not responded to the census is in the northern portion of the state.

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Stephens says elected officials are emphasizing the importance of this year’s participation because the 2010 census was not looked at as a complete census for Louisiana.

Cut 5 (09) “…a major difference.”

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The Louisiana House passed several proposals today that would either eliminate Governor John Bel Edwards’ COVID-19 public health orders or give lawmakers more authority.

Speaker Clay Schexnayder’s resolution to terminate the pandemic emergency declaration after the session ends won approval. Haughton Representative Doddie Horton…

Cut 6 (10)“…to be”

Supporters of the resolution say the Legislature would then have time to craft their own pandemic public health policy.

Covington Representative Mark Wright’s bill would create an automatic process for the Legislature to approve or reject an emergency declaration extension by the Governor.

Cut 7 (12) “…to us.”

30 days after the declaration is first made if either the Upper or Lower Chamber rejects the extension or aspects of the extension, it would not go into place.

Abita Springs Representative Larry Frieman brought a bill that would allow the Legislature to either terminate entire emergency orders, or just parts of one.

Cut 8 (08) “in place.”

Frieman says this bill was in response to concerns from colleagues that the wholesale elimination of a public health emergency declaration would result in the loss of federal funding.

None of the bills approved had enough votes to override a governor’s veto. The resolution to suspend the governor’s order doesn’t need the governor’s signature.

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An 11-year old and an 18-year-old are dead after a southbound State Police Trooper rear-ended another vehicle while responding to a separate crash last night in Ouachita Parish on Highway 165. Trooper Michael Reichardt says the trooper involved in the crash is Kaleb Reeves, the son of State Police Superintendent, Colonel Kevin Reeves.

Cut 9 (07) “…driver’s side door.”

Reeves was en route to an 18-wheeler crash in Caldwell Parish.

Reichardt says the trooper was not injured in the crash, but the other driver involved, Kenneth Lindsey, was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries.

Cut 10 (06) “…were pronounced dead.”

The deceased have been identified as 11-year-old An-Janne Lindsey and 18-year-old Kajenne Lindsey, both of Monroe.

Reichardt says it has not yet been determined if Trooper Kaleb Reeves will be put onto administrative leave.

Cut 11 (08) “…two young individuals.”

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Governor Edwards says the current restrictions on bars are necessary to keep COVID-transmission low and save lives.

Bars in parishes that can open can only serve until 11 PM, can only do table service, and are limited to 25 percent capacity. Edwards says these aren’t arbitrary rules.

Cut 12 (09) “task force.”

Those under 21 are now not allowed to enter bars.

Only bars in parishes with lower than a five percent positivity rate on new COVID tests may open. Edwards says that’s because areas with higher rates just have too much community spread.

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About a third of parishes are still blocked from allowing bars to reopen.

Edwards Administration staff have frequently repeated that bars create environments conducive to the spread of coronavirus, and Edwards says we can’t risk more youth cases with colleges now reopened.

Cut 14 (06) “…cases.”