Louisiana has surpassed 50-thousand COVID-19 cases and three-thousand deaths. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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Tulane researchers develop a potential synthetic antibody treatment that could provide COVID immunity for one to two weeks at a time. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

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A Senate-approved bill that would provide an 83-million dollar tax break over five years for the state’s casinos and race tracks moved closer to final passage as the House Ways and Means Committee approved it today. Crowley Representative John Stefanski voiced his support for the bill and the gaming industry

Cut 3 (11) ”…good idea”  

Lake Charles Senator Ronnie Johns’ legislation would allow each casino to give customers five-million dollars in free promotional play wagers without having to pay state taxes on those amounts. Johns says such a move will help attract people back to casinos, which would lead to more tax revenue from the gaming industry

Cut 4 (08)_ “…we’re doing”

The bill passed the Senate last week on 26-8 vote. There are some lawmakers who oppose tax breaks for businesses because the state is experiencing a decline in revenues. But Johns says providing a tax break on promotional play wagers will help the gaming industry bounce back from the COVID shutdown

Cut 5 (10)  “…state revenue”

The measure heads to the full House for more discussion.

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The Department of Health is aiming to prevent crisis situations with the launch of the Behavioral Health Recovery Outreach Line. Assistant secretary of the Office of Behavioral Health Karen Stubbs says this line is aimed at relapse prevention in those struggling with stress during the pandemic.

Cut 6 (12) “…or co-occurring disorders.”

Louisiana does have other crisis lines and Stubbs says the hotline model is one that has proven to be an effective resource for those with mental health disorders. Calls received range from those having a tough day to those self-identifying the warning signs of mental or emotional changes.

Cut 7 (07) “…to the caller.”

Stubbs says those working the line are also equipped with the general information about COVID-19.

Cut 8 (06) “…lack of information.”

The phone number is 1-833-333-1132.

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Saturday was the first day of early voting for the July 11th Presidential Preference Primary and election officials say they’ve already received 48-thousand mail-in ballots. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin says for this election, Louisiana has expanded the acceptable reasons for eligible voters to request an absentee ballot

Cut 9 (09) “…career”

Pollster John Couvillon says the 48-thousand mail-in votes is the highest first-day mail in volume dating back to 2008.

Anyone who is at a high risk of severe illness from COVID-19, caring for a high-risk person, or experiencing COVID symptoms, can also request an absentee ballot. He says more than 116-thousand absentee ballots have been requested…

Cut 10 (08) “…July 10th.”

Louisiana’s presidential primary is not the only item on the ballot for the July 11th. There are also local races in 24 parishes and party committee positions. Ardoin says returning your mail-in ballot is simple…

Cut 11 (04) “…voters office.”

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Tulane researchers develop a synthetic antibody treatment for COVID-19 that’s shown promising results in lab mice. Tulane Internal Medicine Chair Dr. Jay Kolls says their protein, MDR504, is able to get into the lungs and neutralize coronavirus in the place where it is most likely to do damage.

Cut 12 (06) “…cells”

Kolls says the treatment is similar to antibody treatment for RSV, a respiratory illness most commonly seen in preterm infants.

Kolls says this treatment is not cost-effective enough to replace a vaccine, but…

Cut 13 (10) “…canidates.”  

Data from the study indicates patients would receive a dose of the antibody every one to two weeks to maintain immunity.

Kolls says the hope is to get this treatment into human trials sometime in the fall, which is impressive considering they started work on MDR504 in March…

Cut 14 (08) “…project”

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Governor Edwards announces the state will not move into Phase 3 of reopening its economy and it will remain in Phase 2 for another 28 days. Edwards says Louisiana is one of 23 states experiencing an increase in cases and hospitalizations are also on the rise…

Cut 15 (13) “…be hospitalized.” 

Health officials say there are 41 more people hospitalized compared to the day before. That’s the single biggest jump since April 20th.

Edwards made the announcement on the day Louisiana surpassed 50-thousand COVID-19 cases and three-thousand deaths

Cut 16 (10) “…COVID-19”

An E Pluribus Unum survey shows a majority of southern whites do not believe blacks have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (28) “I’m Matt Doyle”

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Governor John Bel Edwards is urging residents to participate in the 2020 US Census.  Kevin Barnhart has more.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

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Governor Edwards will announce whether or not the state will move into Phase Three this afternoon. Brooke Thorington has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington”  

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A Sports Illustrated report says at least 30 LSU football players have been isolated after they either tested positive for COVID-19 or had contact with players who tested positive. Some of the quarantined players admitted they visited nightclubs near LSU’s campus, which has been the source for over 100 new cases. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says players have to stay away from large crowds…

Cut 4 (06)_ “….inexcusable really”

The state health department has received at least 100 reports of patrons and staff from multiple Tigerland bars testing positive for COVID-19. Anyone who visited Tigerland bars that weekend should consider themselves exposed to COVID-19 and self-quarantine for 14 days.

Higgins says LSU put in a lot of effort to provide a safe environment for players to train and Coach Ed Orgeron says maybe forced to tell his players they are prohibited from entering bars…

Cut 5 (11)  “ keep you safe” 

Numerous other schools have also reported multiple players testing positive for COVID-19. Three Ragin Cajuns athletes have also tested positive. The football season is still more than two months away and Higgins says schools will continue to make the effort to play football this year…

Cut 6 (06) “…I don’t know” (2x)

LSU says the players who have tested positive are showing minor symptoms or no symptoms at all.

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A survey of southerners shows while nearly all whites have heard news about blacks being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, the majority don’t believe it.

GBAO Strategies Pollster Jim Gerstein says over 75% of white respondents reported being previously told by media that blacks suffered disproportionately from the disease…

Cut 7 (08) “…true”

In Louisiana, 53 percent of COVID deaths have been African Americans, who make up just 32 percent of the population.

Gerstein says their survey showed that a majority of respondents feel that blacks suffer worse economic outcomes due to a lack of opportunity rather than poor personal choices.

Cut 8 (09) “…groups”

Gerstein says that appears to be the first time a majority of whites have expressed that opinion.

Respondents were also asked about the COVID recovery and whether lawmakers should use the opportunity to pursue racial justice reforms in healthcare and education, or just restore the status quo…

Cut 9 (08) “…direction”

The survey was conducted during a seven day period starting the day after the death of George Floyd and was created by E Pluribus Unum.

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Governor John Bel Edwards is encouraging Louisiana residents to be counted as part of the 2020 census. There are three ways to participate: online, by phone, or by mail. Edwards says the state’s response rate is lagging.

Cut 10 (11) “…the deep south.”

The census only happens once every ten years, so Edwards stresses the importance of getting it right. Edwards says the census means more than just a headcount of the population as the data is used to determine the allocation of federal dollars for various programs.

Cut 11 (11) “…you name it.”

Edwards says the data also feeds into the redistricting that takes place once every ten years.

Cut 12 (10) “…information back in.”

Due to COVID-19, the deadline to fill out the census has been extended until October 31^st and can be done at My2020Census.gov.

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Governor Edwards is expected to announce whether or not the state will move into Phase Three this afternoon.

Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott says Edwards has a lot to consider given our new upward trajectory of case growth…

Cut 13 (12) “…making.” 

A majority of the state’s health regions are seeing a growth in new cases.

Scott says it’s likely state officials knew numbers would creep up once we moved into Phase Two, but they now have to contend with lowering levels of compliance on masks and social distancing.

Cut 14 (10) “…relaxing.”

Scott notes even with the recent spike over the past ten days we’re still nowhere close to overtopping our healthcare capacity.

We don’t’ know exactly what Phase Three will look like in Louisiana but Scott says federal guidelines indicate it would further loosen capacity restrictions and allow for larger crowds at events.

Cut 15 (10) “…Phase Two.”

LSU’s Troy Middleton Library will be renamed after a unanimous decision by the Board of Supervisors. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

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Early voting for Louisiana’s presidential primary begins on Saturday. Jeff Palermo reports election officials are taking extra precautions because of COVID-19…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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Louisiana health officials say about a third of the nursing homes in the state are not regularly testing their staff and residents. State health officer Doctor Jimmy Guidry says facilities who fail to follow the state’s testing guidelines could be hit with sanctions…

Cut 3 (08) ”…withholding payment”  

Guidry says they are asking nursing homes to conduct weekly tests on all of their residents and staff if there are known COVID cases in the facility. He says it’s critical we stay on top of the virus and testing is a critical step in protecting people who are vulnerable to this disease…

Cut 4 (06)_ “…answer the question”

The state failed to reach its goal to test all nursing home residents and workers by the end of May. Guidry says the virus has shown it’s not slowing down in the summer…

Cut 5 (11)  “…not worse.”

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The LSU Board of Supervisors unanimously approves a resolution to remove Troy Middleton’s name from the school’s library due to the namesake’s vocal support for segregation.

Governor John Bel Edwards spoke strongly in support of the decision to pull the former LSU President’s name from the library.

Cut 6 (09) “…worthy”

Former lawmaker Woody Jenkins spoke on behalf of the Middleton family, who opposes the decision. Jenkins called Middleton an American World War One and Two war hero.

Cut 7 (12) “…Bastogne”

But Governor Edwards, a former Army paratrooper, says that’s no excuse for Middleton’s views on race.

Cut 8 (11) “…beliefs” (2x)

During the meeting, a board member read a letter written by Middleton in 1956 where he said “I do not want negro students in LSU, I believe in the segregation of the races, and no matter what may come I shall not associate with negros.”

But Jenkins says Middleton’s support for segregation in the 50s and 60s was just a snapshot of who he was. He says Middleton later worked with the President of Dillard on integration.

Cut 9 (09) “…career”

The library was named after Middleton in 1978 after his death in 1976. Crews removed the name from the front of the library on Friday afternoon.

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Today is Juneteenth, a commemoration of a milestone in the ending of slavery in the United States.  The date is getting more recognition this year.  LSU Chief Diversity Officer Dereck Rovaris says today is a celebration of the final group of enslaved African Americans learning of their emancipation.

Cut 10 (10) “…rejoicing and celebration.”

Rovaris says Juneteenth is often confused with being a celebration of the emancipation proclamation.  While it is not officially a national holiday, Rovaris feels that may not be far off.

Cut 11 (12) “…for the employees.”

Rovaris says the celebration of the day can be done like another recognizable summer holiday.

Cut 12 (08) “…Americans from slavery.”

Governor Edwards says we should use this day to recommit ourselves to the ongoing fight for equity and justice.
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Early voting begins Saturday for the presidential primary election. The voting experience will be different because of COVID-19. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin encourages voters to practice social distancing while at the polls, adding the state will be offering extra spread mitigation efforts.

Cut 13 (08) “…gloves as well.”  

This election has been delayed twice due to COVID-19. Ardoin says this early voting day period will be longer in an effort to reduce the risk of large crowds congregating at polling places.

Cut 14 (08) “…and early vote.”

Ardoin says while mask-wearing is not mandated, it will be encouraged. The state’s famous “I Voted” stickers will not be distributed as an added precaution.

Only registered Republicans can vote in the GOP primary and even though Joe Biden is expected to accept the nomination in August, registered Democrats can select between the 14 candidates up for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Cut 15 (05) “…from the race.” 

Ardoin says in addition to the presidential primary, voters in 24 parishes will have local items on their ballot.

Cut 16 (13) “…not on all”

For those that qualify for vote by mail, the cut off to request an absentee ballot is July 7th.