New reported COVID cases have been below 2,000 for the third straight day and hospitalizations have also seen their third consecutive decline, but deaths are up significantly over the past few days. Governor Edwards says that’s due to our spike in cases over the past few weeks.

Cut 13 (09) “…so forth” 

Bar owners have filed a federal lawsuit in an effort to get a federal judge to block Governor Edwards’s order that limits bars to takeout and delivery orders.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

A handful of protesters rallied outside Senator Bill Cassidy’s Baton Rouge office demanding that the federal government continues to pay unemployed individiduals 600-dollars a week. This is the last week for the 600-dollar weekly unemployment benefit. Power Coalition organizer Kaitlyn Joshua says with thousands still unemployed, the program must continue

Cut 8 (10) “Louisiana”

The Democrat-backed HEROES Act would extend the 600 dollar payments through the year, Republicans back a 200 dollar a week effort, but a House Democratic leader recently said the caucus is not “600 dollars or bust”.

State Police is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that happened last night in Lake Charles after an alleged high speed chase. Trooper Derek Senegal says the suspect has been identified as 37-year-old William Joseph Latour the Third…

Cut 10 (05) “…were injured.”

SEC presidents approve a plan that would reduce the football schedule from 12 regular-season games to a ten-game season against conference opponents. According to Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, the ten-game schedule would begin on September 26th and the SEC title game will be held on December 19th.

Protestors caravanned in cars around Senator Bill Cassidy’s Baton Rouge office demanding the Senator back an extension of the expiring 600-dollar a week federal unemployment payments. Matt Doyle was there…

cut 2 (31) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

Several bar owners in Acadiana have filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Governor Edwards over his emergency order that bans onsite consumption at bars. Attorney Jimmy Faircloth is representing the plaintiffs and he says several of these bar owners met with the governor to find out why casinos are allowed to remain open, but a small bar owner can’t have ten patrons inside their establishment

Cut 5 (10)  “…for you”

For the third day in a row, the state reports under 2,000 new COVID cases, and the number of COVID patients declined for a third consecutive day. At his coronavirus briefing, Governor Edwards warned that despite this positive trend downward every parish still has an R0 (R-naught) above one.

Cut 14 (10) “…grow”

42 additional deaths were reported today.

New COVID numbers for the state show an increase in cases by 17-hundred. Hospitalizations decreased for the third day in a row, today, down by 20. Vent also decreased, down by 16. Fatalities increased by 42.

Governor John Bel Edwards will hold a briefing today at 2:30.

Bar owners have filed a federal lawsuit in an effort to get a federal judge to block Governor Edwards order that limits bars to takeout and delivery orders. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

A handful of protesters took up positions outside Senator Bill Cassidy’s office demanding a full extension of 600-dollar a week enhanced unemployment benefits. Congressional Republicans are backing a 200 dollar a week extension. Power Coalition organizer Kaitlyn Joshua helped put on the event and says an amount that low risks mass evictions.

Cut 6 (06) “…suffering.”

The state eviction moratorium has expired and the federal moratorium is set to expire this month.

State Police is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that happened in Lake Charles last night. Trooper Derek Senegal says Lake Charles police responded to an alleged carjacking, which led to a pursuit and ended when the suspect, 37-year-old William Joseph Latour the Third, crashed into a house.

Cut 10 (05) “…were injured.”

The investigation is ongoing.

The Department of Health releases new COVID-19 numbers for the day and the state reports an increase in cases by 17-hundred. The percentage of new tests that are positive is at 7 percent. Fatalities increased by 42. Hospitalizations decreased by 20. It’s the third day in a row hospital have reported a decline in cases.

The high school graduation rate saw a slight decline from 2018 to 2019, but Louisiana schools did graduate a new record number of students. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

State Police is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that happened last night in Lake Charles. Trooper Derek Senegal says Lake Charles police officers responded to an alleged carjacking and when officers located the vehicle, a pursuit ensued and ended when the suspect crashed into a house

Cut 9 (07) “…suspect.”

Senegal says the suspect has been identified as 37-year-old William Joseph Latour the Third

Several bar owners in Acadiana have filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Governor Edwards over his emergency order that bans onsite consumption at bars. Attorney Jimmy Faircloth is representing the plaintiff and says several of these bar owners met with the governor to find out why casinos can remain open, but a small bar owner can’t have ten patrons inside their establishment

Cut 5 (10)  “…for you”

Several bar owners in Acadiana have filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Governor Edwards over his emergency order that bans onsite consumption at bars. Attorney Jimmy Faircloth is representing the plaintiffs and he says bar owners have been signaled out.
Cut 3 (06)  “…to why”  
A spokesperson for Edwards says the governor has taken both legal and necessary action to protect the health of Louisiana residents by prohibiting on-premise consumption at bars.

A Minden Senator is asking the Edwards administration to allow clergy members into healthcare facilities to tend to sick and/or dying patients. The current public health emergency bars family from entry, but Robert Mills says clergy should be considered mental health support personnel.

Cut 7 (10) “…community.”

This would include nursing homes, hospitals, and adult residential facilities.

Governor Edwards addressed concerns about COVID-19 among the state’s incarcerated population during his most recent coronavirus press conference.  Edwards says another corrections officer, Sgt. Rosa Thomas who worked at Angola for nearly 13 years, recently died from the virus.As of Tuesday, Edwards says two inmates are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.

Cut 14 (07) “…who have died.”

The Louisiana High School Graduation rate for the Class of 2019 was 80-percent. That’s down from 81-percent for the previous graduating class. New Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley says it’s a disappointing development after years of gains in the graduation rate.
Cut 4 (08)_ “…direction”
Louisiana public high schools graduated 42,650 students for the class of 2019, which is a state record.

Sports Illustrated reports SEC Athletics Directors have agreed to join the Big Ten and PAC 12 in moving to a conference only schedule for the upcoming college football season. The plan is not set in stone yet though as school presidents must approve it. They are scheduled to meet virtually tomorrow to discuss the proposal.

Governor John Bel Edwards is calling on Louisiana’s Congressional Delegation to provide funding for states to replenish their unemployment insurance trust funds. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

cut 2 (28) “I’m Kevin Barnhart.”  

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says Louisianans are pouring into state parks in numbers never before seen. After breaking records earlier in the pandemic Nungesser is celebrating the fact that last weekend was the biggest attendance weekend in Louisiana State Park history.

Cut 8 (09) “safely”

Attendance records were first recorded in 2008.

The state Agriculture Department has received about 300 calls from Louisianans who’ve received mystery packages of seeds from China and Eastern Europe. Commissioner Mike Strain says its part of some kind of nationwide plot.

Cut 4 (09)_ “its seeds”

If you get a package, do not open it and call the Ag department.

Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reports that the SEC athletic directors support the idea of a ten-game conference-only football schedule. Dellenger has learned SEC presidents will meet virtually tomorrow to consider the proposal. But a vote might wait until next week.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says the recent slowing case growth is making him confident that fall football will be played. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (27) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

The Louisiana Department of Agricultural says since Friday its office has received about 300 calls from people who say they received a mysterious package of seeds. The seeds have a mailing address from either China, United Arab Emirates, or Uzbekistan. Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says this could be brushing scam
Cut 3 (10)  “…seeds”  
Strain says the packages have arrived in mailboxes across the country…

Governor John Bel Edwards is calling on Louisiana’s Congressional Delegation to consider funding Louisiana’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund in the current proposal for COVID-19 relief legislation.  Edwards says the state’s unemployment was 17^th strongest in the nation before the pandemic took a toll on the fund.
Cut 10 (11) “…the solvency.”
Louisiana law mandates the Louisiana Workforce Commission impose a surtax on businesses up to 30% on taxable payroll.

69 more Louisianans are reported to have died from COVID-19, but our case count continues to come in lower than last week, with a notable decline in hospital bed usage after weeks of continual escalation. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says if we can keep up this rate of declining case growth the state could move to Phase Three in a few weeks.

Cut 7 (10) “…we won’t’”

Nungesser made the comments on Talk Louisiana.

Governor Edwards asks the Congressional Delegation to push for funding of state unemployment insurance trust funds as Louisiana is nearing depletion of the once flush account. Edwards says if the fund gets to the point where it needs to borrow money from the feds, that borrowing is available interest-free, but a mechanism has to be set up to pay it back.

Cut 11 (09) “…and their payroll.”

A mystery philanthropist makes a 20 million dollar donation to Xavier University, a historically black college in New Orleans. Xavier President Dr. Reynold Verret says representatives of the anonymous donor requested that the funds be used to create a tuition endowment.

Cut 13 (10) “…ability” 

The Associated Press suggests the donation may have been made by MacKenzie Scott, the recently divorced former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The state Agriculture Department has received about 300 calls from Louisianans who’ve received mystery packages of seeds from China and Eastern Europe. Commissioner Mike Strain says its part of some kind of nationwide plot.

Cut 4 (09)_ “its seeds”

If you get a package, do not open it and call the Ag department.

The state’s unemployment insurance trust fund is nearing depletion after historic levels of need following the pandemic shutdown. Because of that Governor John Bel Edwards is calling on Louisiana’s Congressional Delegation to consider funding the trust as part of the next wave of COVID economic stimulus.

Cut 9 (12) “…are shored up.”

We’ve now seen two straight days with COVID case counts below 2,000 after dealing with average counts clear over 2,000 all of last week. That recent slowing in case growth has Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser confident that fall football can proceed in Louisiana.

Cut 6 (06) “…months.”

He also added he is meeting soon with the Sugar Bowl Committee and is committed to holding the bowl game in New Orleans at the start of next year.

A mystery philanthropist makes a 20 million dollar donation to Xavier University, a historically black college in New Orleans. Xavier President Dr. Reynold Verret says it’s the largest single donation in school history and was told by representatives of the donor that they appreciate the importance of institutions like Xavier and the role they play in helping to bridge the nation’s achievement gap.

Cut 14 (06) “…country”

The Associated Press suggests the donation may have been made by MacKenzie Scott, the recently divorced former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The Louisiana Department of Agricultural says since Friday its office has received about 300 calls from people who say they received a mysterious package of seeds. Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says if you receive the seeds, usually from shippers in China and Eastern Europe, call the state department of agriculture’s office and do not take them out of the bag or throw them away and most importantly do not plant them…

Cut 5 (07)  “…our crop”