The Governor’s budget clears House Appropriations with an amendment barring the state from requiring mandatory participation in the COVID-19 contact tracing program.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

Hammond Police arrest of 26 years old Taylor Cox of Hammond and 18 year old Nathan Anding of Holden, the two suspects accused of starting a Wednesday morning police pursuit that resulted in the injury of two state troopers. One trooper has been treated and released, the other, identified as Trooper George Baker, is in critical condition.

NOAA predicts a busy hurricane season in 2020 with the potential of 13 to 19 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes. During the announcement, FEMA activity deputy administrator for resilience Carlos Castillo assured the public that the agency will be able to respond to a hurricane during the coronavirus pandemic and history shows it can

Cut 7 (13) “…2017 hurricane.”

Louisiana has surpassed 25-hundred COVID-19 deaths as the state reported 21 more fatalities today bringing the death toll to 2,506. LSU Infectious Diseases expert Doctor Catherine O’Neal estimates that it will be early spring before a successful vaccine can be mass-produced. She says that will help protect the vulnerable population, but there will still be a risk

Cut 14 (10) “…seasonal virus”

NOAA warns Louisiana residents to prepare for an active hurricane season this year with 13 to 19 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes. NOAA’s lead hurricane season forecaster Doctor Gerry Bell says a few factors play into this forecast…

Cut 6 (13) “ …African monsoons.”

Bell says they do not anticipate an El Nino forming, which can suppress hurricane activity.

Louisiana has surpassed 25-hundred COVID-19 deaths with potential for the death rate to spike upwards in the next few weeks due to clusters forming in state nursing homes. 67-percent of the people listed as a COVID-19 death were over the age of 70. LSU Infectious Diseases expert Doctor Catherine O’ Neal…

Cut 13 (11) “the hospital”  

House Appropriations Republicans add an amendment to the budget for next fiscal year mandating no funding for contact tracing programs that require the public the participate. Bossier City Representative Raymond Crews…

Cut 11 (11) “…the table”

A Louisiana Department of Health spokesperson told lawmakers they have no plans to arrest or penalize infected people who refuse to answer questions about who they have been in contact with.

There are less than two weeks left in the session and lawmakers are reportedly having difficulty securing the two thirds veto proof majority vote needed in the house for tort reform aimed at lowering auto insurance rates to pass. Governor Edwards says if Republicans are willing to compromise a deal can be reached…

Cut 4 (07)_ “…happen.”

Tort reform legislation aimed at lowering auto rates appears to have majority support in both chambers but may not have the two-thirds majority in the House needed to overturn a veto from Governor Edwards. Despite that Governor Edwards indicated he is open to compromising with Republicans on one of the session’s signature pieces of legislation.

Cut 3 (11)  “…possible.”  

Edwards did not specify what those provisions are.

As is COVID-19 wasn’t enough now NOAA is predicting an above-average hurricane season. NOAA acting administrator, Doctor Neil Jacobs, says we have the potential to see 13 to 19 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes, and to more accurately track them they’ll be upgrading their systems.

Cut 8 (06) “…time frame.”

Louisiana has surpassed 25-hundred COVID-19 deaths as the state reported 21 more fatalities today bringing the death toll to 2,506. LSU Infectious Diseases expert Doctor Catherine O’ Neal says we could see an increase in the death rate in the next couple of weeks, because of COVID outbreaks in nursing homes

Cut 12 (09) “…go down”

The number of people hospitalized by COVID-19 dropped again today and it now stands at 884.

House Appropriations OKs the governor’s budget but adds an amendment ensuring the state will not fund any contact tracing programs that legally require COVID-19 positive residents to provide information on where they have been and who they may have infected to contact tracers. Oakdale Representative Dewith Carrier says his rural constituents are concerned about the program.

Cut 10 (13) “…they do”

Governor Edwards indicates he is open to compromising with the Legislature on tort reform legislation aimed at lowering auto insurance rates.But on his monthly radio program Ask the Governor, Edwards expressed disappointment over legislation that was rejected in the Senate he feels would have been effective in lowering rates.

Cut 5 (12)  “…record.”

NOAA predicts a busy hurricane season in 2020 with the potential of 13 to 19 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes. During the announcement, FEMA activity deputy administrator for resilience Carlos Castillo assured the public that the agency will be able to respond to a hurricane during the coronavirus pandemic and history shows it can

Cut 7 (13) “…2017 hurricane.”

House Appropriations passes the Governor’s budget for the next fiscal year with an amendment that blocks state funding for COVID contact tracing programs that require mandatory participation. Amendment sponsor, Erath Representative Blake Miguez says he’s been bombarded by constituents demanding…

Cut 9 (09) “…manner.”

Governor John Bel Edwards highlights a milestone this week in the state’s fight against COVID-19 as hospitalizations have dropped below 1000 for the first time since March 28^th.  The state has been in phase one of the economic reopening for less than a week and Edwards says more time is needed to gather data on how spread mitigation efforts are going before entering the conversation about moving into phase two.

Cut 12 (13) “…get the data.”

The state reports 1,188 new COVID-19 cases, but only 506 of them appear to be from recent tests and the rest are from a testing backlog.
Total cases: 36,504. Total fatalities: 2,506… an increase of 21. Ventilator usage: 103, down by 3. Hospitalizations: 884, down by 47.

Governor Edwards indicates he is open to compromising with the Legislature on tort reform legislation aimed at lowering auto insurance rates. Edwards made the comments on his monthly talk show Ask the Governor. The regular session ends June 1^st but Edwards is confident something can be passed to lower Louisiana’s 2nd highest in the nation auto insurance rates.

Cut 4 (07)_ “…happen.”

NOAA predicts the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season will be a busy one. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

With less than two weeks remaining in the regular session the budget for next fiscal year is finally set to be taken up Thursday morning in House Appropriations. Between federal funding and the use of rainy day funds, the budget deficit for the next fiscal year has shrunk to only 80 million dollars from an initial projection of nearly a billion.

Despite that easier to handle fiscal situation political analyst Bernie Pinsonat believes it is a safe bet that a special session will need to be called.

Cut 7 (10) “…budget.

The regular session ends June 1^st and a budget must be passed before July 1^st.

An attempt to lower the state’s 247 dollar a week unemployment benefit is shelved after Louisiana Workforce Commission Executive Director Ava Dejoie testifies against the move…

30

Representative Gerald Beaullieu admitted to not consulting with LWC before filing the legislation.

And a bill significantly expanding medical marijuana access is nearing final passage.

Under the legislation any condition a doctor considers “debilitating to an individual patient” would be eligible to receive medical marijuana. New Iberia Senator Fred Mills says the current limitations are too strict.

Cut 13 (06) “…not me” 

The legislation lifts the requirement that a doctor is specifically licensed to prescribe medical marijuana. 

Cut 14 (12) “…issue”

Two State Police Troopers are injured after being dispatched to assist Hammond Police with a pursuit around 2:15 this morning. A tire deflation device was deployed, disabling the suspect’s vehicle, and upon the troopers’ retrieval of the device, they were struck by a Hammond Police unit involved in the pursuit. One trooper has been treated and released, the other, identified as Trooper George Baker, is in critical condition. Troopers are asking for blood donations at the North Oaks Diagnostic Center in Hammond.
The state’s top school board selects Jefferson Parish Schools superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley as the state’s new education superintendent. Brumley will fill the position once occupied by John White. The Sabine native was one of 21 applicants and during his interview, he described a team effort to improve public education
Cut 12 (11) “…those things”

Brumley has led Jefferson Parish Schools since 2018

The feds award Louisiana 190 million dollars to expand COVID-19 testing and establish antibody testing in the future once the FDA approves a procedure. Governor Edwards has expressed optimism the state will move into Phase Two in June. Congressman Garret Graves says this funding ensures we have the testing capacity to meet the federal benchmarks to do so.

Cut 10 (11) “…program”

Casinos are experiencing a promising start to reopening after being closed since mid-March.  Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Jones says players are showing up and are not pushing back against virus spread mitigation efforts of wearing masks and social distancing.
Cut 6 (09) “ …the virus hit.”

Jones adds that people were lined up at the doors waiting on the casinos to reopen on Monday.

The state’s top school board selects Jefferson Parish Schools superintendent Cade Brumley as the state’s new education superintendent. He will replace John White as the new superintendent. Dr. Brumley on what he would like to see from teachers in the classroom…

Cut 14 (14) “…child faces”

Louisiana has been awarded 190 million dollars from the federal government to expand COVID-19 testing. Early on in the pandemic, it could be hard to get a test even if you thought you were exposed, but Congressman Garret Graves says once this funding is applied that will no longer be the case.

Cut 9 (09) “…tested.”

The money will also be used to establish antibody testing in the future once the FDA approves a procedure.

The number of COVID-19 patients in Louisiana hospitals has dropped below 1,000 for the first time since late March. On his monthly call in radio show today Governor John Bel Edwards noted that just over a month ago the state recorded 2,134 individuals were hospitalized for COVID-19 and today the number is 931. Vent usages is also down by two to 110, the lowest since March 25^th.

Following closures since mid-March, casino guests are excited to get back on the gaming floor. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

The state’s top school board selects Jefferson Parish Schools superintendent Cade Brumley as the state’s new education superintendent. Brumley has led Jefferson Parish Schools since 2018. Dr. Brumley says early childhood education is very important to him…

Cut 13 (13) “early brain”  

The Department of Health is investigating a COVID-19 outbreak that’s infected about 100 people at three Acadiana crawfish farms. Crawfish Promotion Board Chairman David Savoy says the migrant workers live in communal spaces where social distancing is not possible, and he does not believe the industry could have done anything differently to avoid the outbreaks.

Cut 5 (09)  “…cost.”

Louisiana reports 27 new COVID fatalities and 278 new confirmed cases but drops below a thousand hospitalizations for the first time since March 28^th, continuing the general declining curve of coronavirus spread.  Current hospitalizations are at 931 and those on vents are down two at 110.

Louisiana scores 190-million dollars from the feds to significantly expand COVID-19 testing capacity. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle”