Air Force C-130s will be spraying for mosquitos in six hurricane-impacted parishes. Mike Steele with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says the spraying will be conducted from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the next six days over Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, and Vermilion parishes.

Cut 4 (11)   “…effective”   

One man is dead and three others suffered gunshot wounds after a robbery Monday night near LSU’s campus. Baton Rouge Police Sgt Don Coppola says three individuals were robbing a home on West McKinley when the shooting broke out. One of the suspects, 20-year old Marcus Hayes Jr was killed.

Cut 6 (12) “with Hayes”

Democrats call for the ongoing special session to wrap up early saying it’s costing the state money and nothing is getting done. The special session was called by Republicans who noted three areas of focus: Hurricane recovery, pandemic response, and the Governor’s public health authority. House Democratic Caucus Chair Sam Jenkins says we’ve hit the logical Legislative endpoint on each of those issues.

Cut 15 (05) “..session”

A bill increasing Legislative oversight of the Governor’s public health orders is stuck in conference committee and a number of House-backed public health bills are awaiting a response in the Senate.

A majority of Delta and Laura refugees who were being housed by the state governments of Louisiana and Texas in mega-shelters and hotels are returning home this week. Emergency Preparedness Director with DCFS Ricky Montet (Mon-tay) says they’re working with refugees who don’t have transportation to get them back to where they need to be.

Cut 13 (08) “them back.”

Air Force C-130s will be spraying for mosquitos in six hurricane-impacted parishes. Mike Steele with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says the spraying will be conducted from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the next six days over Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, and Vermilion parishes.

Cut 4 (11)   “…effective”   

One man is dead and three others suffered gunshot wounds after a robbery Monday night near LSU’s campus. Baton Rouge Police Sgt Don Coppola says three individuals were robbing a home on West McKinley when the shooting broke out. One of the suspects, 20-year old Marcus Hayes Jr was killed.

Cut 6 (12) “with Hayes”

Democrats call for the ongoing special session to wrap up early saying it’s costing the state money and nothing is getting done. The special session was called by Republicans who noted three areas of focus: Hurricane recovery, pandemic response, and the Governor’s public health authority. House Democratic Caucus Chair Sam Jenkins says we’ve hit the logical Legislative endpoint on each of those issues.

Cut 15 (05) “..session”

A bill increasing Legislative oversight of the Governor’s public health orders is stuck in conference committee and a number of House-backed public health bills are awaiting a response in the Senate.

A majority of Delta and Laura refugees who were being housed by the state governments of Louisiana and Texas in mega-shelters and hotels are returning home this week. Emergency Preparedness Director with DCFS Ricky Montet (Mon-tay) says they’re working with refugees who don’t have transportation to get them back to where they need to be.

Cut 13 (08) “them back.”

House Democrats are agitating to end the special session early, saying lawmakers can’t justify charging taxpayers 40,000 dollars a day to continue to tread water. House Democratic Caucus Chair Sam Jenkins penned a letter to the Senate President and House Speaker informing them of the request. He says Republicans laid out three priorities to start the session and we’ve hit the logical end point for all three…

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Jenkins says staying in session all the way until the October 27^th deadline would cost the state two million dollars.

But there’s still some work left to do on one of the session’s most high profile pieces of legislation, the Ka’mauri Harrison Act. That bill was brought in response to the national outcry over Harrison, a Jefferson Parish 4^th grader who was threatened with expulsion and ultimately suspended for several days after briefly handling a BB gun while on camera during an online class.

Jefferson Parish School System representatives came to defend their actions and oppose the bill in Senate Education. Attorney Fred Preis explained why Harrison and Brown were disciplined, and Education Chairman Cleo Fields took issue with the reasoning.

Cut 5 (12) “…property”

River Ridge Senator Kirk Talbot told Preis JP’s best bet was to just clear the records of Harrison and another student who was disciplined for a similar reason. Preis pushed back, saying neither child’s long-term academic future will be impacted, and that set Talbot off…

Cut 7 (13) “move on” (Clipped)

The bill heads to the Senate.

Alexandria Representative Lance Harris’ bill that would allow the Legislature to withhold construction funds from municipalities that reduce their police budgets by ten percent or more is stalling out in Senate Finance. The Louisiana Municipal Association is actively opposing the measure that Harris says is a response to the “Defund the Police” movement. A compromise is reportedly being worked on.

JMC Analytics publisher John Couvillon says Louisiana Democratic voters are following a nationwide trend of very high early voting participation and appear to be highly enthusiastic about the upcoming Presidential Election. Dems only makeup 40 percent of registered voters but comprised 53 percent of first-day voters on Friday…

Cut 7 (10) “…night”

Couvillon predicts total turnout in the state will hit 74 percent by the end of November 3^rd voting.

Minorities have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and Auburn researchers are working to look at just how crucial public health information is being communicated to minority communities in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Research leader Dr. Kelly Dunning says foreign language speakers will be asked…

Cut 10 (12) “…..view messages”

Studies show it is possible to get COVID-19 more than once. Journals have noted many incidents of people getting sick, testing positive, recovering, testing negative, and then about two months later getting sick again and testing positive. LSU Health New Orleans Professor of Clinical Medicine Dr. Najy Masri says he treated a nurse who had the same problem, and there are two possibilities on why some people may come down with the virus more than once.

Cut 13 (07) “issue.”

But he notes it is not very common and of the 40 million confirmed cases worldwide very few people have gotten it twice. The real ramifications of this data will impact vaccine development. Masri says One possibility is that you’ll need a booster shot, and the other possibility is…

Cut 15 (07) “…shot”

The state reports 202 new COVID cases today.

Lawmakers are catching some heat for including 22 million dollars of funding for a series of 113 local projects in a supplemental budget bill that’s headed to the Governor’s desk.

Critics like Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott say things like refurbishing a lighthouse, park beautification, and sports complex construction can wait until after the state’s pandemic budget woes end…

Cut 12 (10) “…governments” PM

House Appropriations Chair Jerome Zeringue disagrees saying that money covered a lot of crucial items like funding for public defenders and more…

Cut 14 (11) “…parishes” PM

Governor Edwards indicated he may line-item veto expenditures he finds questionable.

Last year lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment for this year’s November ballot, one covering the topic of abortion.

That amendment will be the first on the ballot this year, and asks voters to decide whether or not there should be a right to an abortion, or funding for abortions in Louisiana. Scott says this would mostly kick in should Roe vs. Wade be overturned by the US Supreme Court.

Cut 4 (10) “…of abortions”

Again that is amendment number one on your November 3rd ballot. 

This afternoon Senate Education will meet and among other topics take up legislation inspired by the suspension of a Jefferson parish 4^th grader who had a BB gun in the frame of his web camera during class. That bill would create an appeals process for some school discipline issues and flew through the House last week with little to no opposition.

Early voting has begun in Louisiana at select locations. Early voting stations are open 8 AM to 7 PM Monday through Saturday. The lines may look long when you show up, and the pandemic has slowed down the process a good bit and keep in mind you need to wear a mask while in line or you could get an earful like this voter did yesterday at the State Archives Building in Baton Rouge…

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Senator Bill Cassidy and Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins tied in fundraising for the last quarter of the Senate race, but UL-Lafayette Poli-Sci Professor Pierson Cross says Cassidy’s warchest is much bigger and Perkins only reports having 680,000 on hand…

Cut 8 (12) “…second-term”

Cassidy reported having $4.57 million on hand as of September 30^th, greatly outspending his opponents.

There’s some controversy over 22 million dollars for 113 projects approved in a supplemental budget bill by the Legislature. Public Affairs Research Council President Robert Travis Scott blasted it as old-school pet project legislation that covers items like lighthouse refurbishment, park beautification, and sports complex construction at a time when the state budget has been crushed by COVID…

Cut 13 (12) “…projects”

House Appropriations Chair Jerome Zeringue says those criticisms are not accurate and the bill funds crucial services.

Cut 14 (11) “…parishes”

Zeringue also highlighted the bill sends millions of dollars in funding to various entities to help them pay for their COVID response, and three million dollars to help address public defenders’ current budget woes.

Voters were lined up around the side of the State Archives Building for the first day of early voting Friday and many are lining up again today to cast an early ballot for the November 3^rd election. It’s a bit chilly out but these voters say don’t let the cold keep you from voting…

Cut 10 (06) “…..do”

Early voting ends October 27th and is available at select locations Monday through Saturdays from 8 AM to 7 PM.

LSU Student Body President Stone Cox asks the administration to implement mandatory monthly COVID testing so that the school could move into Phase Three of the reopening.

Cut 3 (13)  “…Now”   

Cox says this would allow for student organizations to hold larger events.

Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins, ties Senator Bill Cassidy in fundraising for the last quarter of the Senate race. UL-Lafayette Poli-Sci Professor Pearson Cross says it’s an uphill battle for Perkins, but if he can force Cassidy into a run-off, it greatly increases his chances of more campaign contributions.

Cut 7 (09) “…national recognition”

Overall Cassidy’s warchest is still much larger.

State legislators have approved a supplemental budget bill that contains 22-million dollars for 113 projects. The Public Affairs Research Council has labeled the 22 million “pet-projects” and the Governor has indicated he may use his line-item veto authority on some of the expenditures but House Appropriations Chairman Jerome Zeringue says there are quite a few vital projects on that list…

Cut 15 (08) “state” 

State legislators have approved a supplemental budget bill that contains 22-million dollars for 113 projects that some say is old-school pork-barrel legislation. HB 39 contains funding for lighthouse improvements in Madisonville, construction of a sports complex in Central, and other small-ticket items. Public Affairs Research Council head Robert Travis Scott says it’s disappointing…

Cut 12 (10) “…governments”

Other items included $500,000 for the Louisiana Leadership Institute, $639,000 for fire hydrants in Assumption Parish, and $500,000 for Opelousas parks.

The bill passed the Senate unanimously and cleared the House on a near-unanimous vote despite some concerns that lawmakers had no idea what was in the legislation. House Appropriations Chair Jerome Zeringue says those criticisms are not accurate and the bill funds crucial services.

Cut 14 (11) “…parishes”

LSU Student Body President Stone Cox sent a letter to Interim President Thomas Galligan, suggesting monthly COVID-19 testing for all students in order to move into Phase Three.

Cut 1 (30) “  I’m Taylor Sharp”  

41-year-old Kendrick Myles of Baton Rouge has been charged with 1st-degree murder and other offenses after an alleged spree of crimes that began with the kidnapping of a nine-year-old who was reportedly Myles nephew and at one point involved the shooting of a two-year-old who later died at a hospital.

The House approves another bill that seeks to limit the Governor’s authority to enact public health restrictions. This time it’s legislation allowing the Legislature to overturn certain limits on in-person visitation at nursing homes while the COVID pandemic is still active. The legislation passed but back in committee, there were some concerns that the Legislature is not equipped to make these kinds of decisions.

Cut 4 (08)   “…declared”   

That’s Kenner Representative Joe Stagni who ultimately voted for the legislation.

A plan to allow rural electric co-ops to bring high-speed internet to fourteen parishes in North Louisiana clears the Public Service Commission. PSC Commissioner Foster Campbell says currently the electric co-ops provide some of the lowest power rates in the state and he expects them to be able to provide high-speed internet at reasonable rates as well to rural areas.

Cut 11 (04) “…it works”

Former Louisiana Tech football star Fred Dean has passed away at the age of 68 after losing a battle with COVID-19. Taylor Sharp has more.

cut 2 (31) “I’m Taylor Sharp”  

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell backs the idea of the Saints playing home games in Tiger Stadium for the time being. Cantrell says that’s cause Tiger Stadium is outdoors..

Cut 12 (08) “…the stadium”