The state is mourning the death of former two-term Governor Mike Foster, who passed away in Franklin at the age of 90. The Korean War vet and businessman from St. Mary Parish created Louisiana’s Community and Technical College System. His former chief of staff, Stephen Perry, says Foster knew the importance of a two-year college degree…

Cut 3 (12)  “…employable.”  

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

Cut 11 (08) “…and universities.”

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

Cut 1 (28) “   I’m Matt Doyle”

Tropical Storm Delta is strengthening over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and is expected to become a hurricane on Tuesday. Current projects from the National Hurricane Center has southeast Louisiana in the crosshairs of the storm for a Friday morning landfall.

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.

Cut 1 (32) “…Matt Doyle”  

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.”

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 Thursday night in Ouachita Parish on Highway 165. Trooper Michael Reichardt says the trooper involved is 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 and was not injured in the crash, but the other driver involved, Kenneth Lindsey, was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries.

The 2020 Census deadline has been extended to October 31 and census workers are hitting the streets to cover the remaining 5% of Louisiana households that have not yet responded. Assistant regional census manager Marilyn 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.”

The Louisiana House passes several proposals 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.

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. 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.
Cut 13 (10) “…positivity.”
About a third of parishes are still blocked from allowing bars to reopen.

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

cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

The 2020 Census deadline has been extended to October 31st 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 the greatest concentration of homes that have not responded to the census is in the northern portion of the state.

Cut 4 (04) “…into Shreveport..”

The Louisiana House passed several proposals that would either eliminate Governor John Bel Edwards’ COVID-19 public health orders or give lawmakers a bigger say on what restrictions should be in place. One of the proposals is from Abita Springs Representative Larry Frieman. Frieman’s bill would allow the Legislature to either terminate entire emergency orders, or just parts of one.

Cut 8 (08) “in place.”

Governor Edwards says the current restrictions on bars are vital to reducing COVID-transmissions and saving lives. 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.”

About a third of parishes are still blocked from reopening bars.

An 11-year old and an 18-year-old are dead after a State Police Trooper rear-ended another vehicle while responding to a separate crash Thursday night in Ouachita Parish. Trooper Michael Reichardt says the trooper, Kaleb Reeves, son of State Police Superintendent Colonel Kevin Reeves, 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 2020 Census is less than a month away from its October 31 deadline and census workers are hitting the streets to cover the remaining 5% of Louisiana households that have not yet responded. Assistant regional census manager Marilyn Stephens says there are three ways to participate.

Cut 3 (10)  “…interview by phone.”  

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

The House made its feelings about the Governor’s public health emergency restrictions known today, approving nine different items that do everything from end the declaration after the session ends to allow the Legislature to get rid of some restrictions they don’t like. Speaker Clay Schexnayder’s resolution to terminate the pandemic emergency declaration after the session ends won approval. Haughton Representative Doddie Horton says it would roll back everything put into place by the Governor.

Cut 6 (10)“…to be”

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

Cut 8 (08) “in place.”

The House’s more aggressive approach to the Governor’s authority to implement public health restrictions contrasts with the Senate’s idea that the Governor should maintain his authority to do so, but build greater oversight powers that would mandate the Governor discuss why he extended any order.

LaPolitics.com Publisher Jeremy Alford says there’s a major philosophical argument happening in Baton Rouge over whether changes to public health emergencies should be made now, or set into place for the next disaster, as evidenced by the nine different instruments that passed…

23, 9 seconds, approach

Alford says the biggest hurdle House lawmakers have to overturning or limiting the Governor’s authority is the veto pen. He notes that while all public health order legislation passed with a clear majority, it came up just shy of a veto-proof majority. Alford says that’s why so many different approaches have been suggested because lawmakers will need to see what actually makes it past the Governor…

24

The House sends a number of bills to the Senate today that would allow the legislature to either significantly limit, or overturn the Governor’s public health emergency declarations, and restrictions such as mask mandates and stadium capacity limits. One of those bills was from Covington Representative Mark Wright, who’s effort would create an automatic process for the Legislature to approve or reject an emergency declaration extension by the Governor.

Cut 7 (12) “…to us.”

Governor Edwards defended his public health orders, especially the bar limitations, saying they’re saving 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.”

State Police Superintendent Colonel Kevin Reeves’ son, Kaleb Reeves, allegedly rear-ended a car while responding to a call last night, killing an 11-year-old and an 18-year-old. Trooper Michael Reichardt says it has not yet been determined if Trooper Reeves will be put onto administrative leave.

Cut 11 (08) “…two young individuals.”

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 5% of Louisiana households that have not yet responded.  Assistant regional census manager Marilyn 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.”

The Louisiana House passed several proposals today that would either eliminate Governor John Bel Edwards’ COVID-19 public health orders or give lawmakers a bigger say on what restrictions should be in place. House Speaker Clay Schexnayder’s resolution that would terminate the pandemic emergency declaration after the session ends won approval in the House. Haughton Representative Doddie Horton…

Cut 6 (10)“…to be”

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.

727 people died on Louisiana highways in 2019, the lowest rate the state has seen since records were first kept. Executive Director Lisa Freeman says last year’s numbers were down 46 fatalities from 2018, reversing a five year trend of more deadly wrecks…

Cut 10 (08) “…incredible news.”

Freeman credits higher compliance on seatbelt usage, and safer cars for the downward trend.

38 percent of hotel jobs in Louisiana have been lost due to the pandemic according to the American Hotel and Lodging Association.  Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says it’s been a tough year, but some of the damage has been blunted by an increase in in state travel.

Cut 13 (09) “…around the state.”

Nearly 900 new COVID-19 cases are reported today, along with 26 additional deaths.

Governor Edwards expressed frustration with Legislative criticism that he doesn’t speak with lawmakers before extending public health orders. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

An 11-year old and an 18-year-old are dead after a State Police Trooper rear-ended another vehicle while responding to a separate crash last night in Ouachita Parish. The Trooper involved in the crash has been identified as Kaleb Reeves, the son of State Police Superintendent, Colonel Kevin Reeves. The deceased have been identified as An-Janne Lindsey and Kajenne Lindsey, both of Monroe.

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.
Cut 3 (10)  “…interview by phone.”  
The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission says new data out of LSU shows the state’s highway fatality rate dropped to a record low in 2019. L-H-S-C Director Lisa Freeman credits two factors, safer cars and more motorists are buckled up…
Cut 11 (08) “…that’s huge.”
Pedestrian fatalities also dropped 26-percent from 2018 to 2019, stopping an upward trend since 2006.

Louisiana registered its all-time lowest motor vehicle fatality rate in 2019, despite the number of severe crashes remaining virtually the same. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 3 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington”  

Two people are dead after a State Police Trooper rear-ended another vehicle while responding to a separate crash last night in Ouachita Parish. WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge is reporting the Trooper involved in the crash is the son of State Police Superintendent, Colonel Kevin Reeves. The names of the two people killed have not been released.

At his Thursday press conference, Governor Edwards responded to Legislative efforts to limit his public health authority and criticisms that he doesn’t communicate with lawmakers. A Senate-approved bill would require him to consult with Legislative leaders before extending a public health emergency, but Edwards says he already does, they just don’t like what he says.

Cut 7 (07) “…being made”

Edwards says if legislation makes it to his desk that he believes would hamper pandemic public safety, he will veto it.

The Louisiana Housing Corporation says the emergency rental assistance program has been streamlined to process applications faster and get more money out to struggling low-income renters. LHC director Keith Cunningham says they’re hosting public events across the state, and set up a call center to connect with applicants and help them clean up their paperwork so they can begin getting their rent help.

Cut 6 (11) “assisted”