Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says his people are scrambling to help homeowners jilted by their property insurers to find new coverage ASAP. Kevin Gallagher reports:
Cut 2 (33) “I’m Kevin Gallagher”

The State Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says 12 boaters across Louisiana were arrested on DWI charges over the 4th of July weekend, including the driver in the boating fatality on Blind River that left a 17-year-old dead. The arrests were a part of LDWF’s Operation Dry Water campaign which emphasizes awareness and enforcement of laws against boating and drinking.

Pharmacists can now prescribe the leading COVID pill to patients under a new U.S. policy announced Wednesday. State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter speaks highly of Pfizer’s Paxlovid (pax-low-vid) which is an oral medication…:
Cut 13 (08) “…as well”
The FDA made the move saying pharmacists have played a crucial role in combatting the pandemic.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held in New Orleans this afternoon to mark the restoration of the famed Dew Drop Inn. Legendary musicians such as Ray Charles, Little Richard and Tina Turner performed there in the late 30s to 1960s. Developer Curtis Doucette Jr. says once renovated the property will have 17 boutique hotel rooms, a retail space, resort-style pool, and a music venue. He says they plan to host a concert with local legends who once performed at the inn…:
Cut 11 (09) “continue the legacy”
He says they hope to have it open by this time next year.

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says they are working to help find new property insurance coverage for homeowners whose policies were dumped by companies who quit the state. He’s optimistic other companies will take on all the new business and in most cases will write policies that are retroactive to the canceled date of the prior coverage…:
CUT 9 (14) “retroactive basis”

Scientists at LSU Health New Orleans have found two new variants of the COVID-19 virus. Head of Genetics Dr. Lucio Miele (ME-lay) says the subvariants have not been reported in the U.S. until now. He says three cases of one and a single case of the other have been detected….:
Cut 5 (07) “keep track of them”
He says they don’t know much about the variants at this time, but stresses the importance of getting vaccinated and boosted.

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson was all smiles Wednesday as the 22 year old officially signed his multi year contract extension on his birthday. The former number one pick expressed his gratitude to the organization during the news conference…:
CUT 16 (12) “multiple championships”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but he was eligible to sign a five-year deal worth 181 million dollars.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held in New Orleans this afternoon to mark the restoration of the famed, long abandoned Dew Drop Inn. Developer Curtis Doucette Jr. says the inn played host to music icons like Ray Charles and Little Richard…:
Cut 10 (07) “Drop Inn”
The legislature allocated $1 million dollars to restore the historic property.

The state Supreme Court has denied a request by Attorney General Jeff Landry to block the restraining order placed on Louisiana’s trigger laws banning abortions. The majority ruling stated the court did not want to get involved in the matter quote “at this preliminary stage.” A state judge blocked enforcement of the triggers until he could hear a lawsuit claiming the law is unclear. That hearing is tomorrow.

Scientists at LSU Health New Orleans have found two new variants of the COVID-19 virus. Kevin Gallagher has more…:
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Kevin Gallagher”

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says his department is doing all it can to find new property insurance coverage for tens of thousands of Louisianans who’ve been dumped by their current coverage. Six companies have quit the state; leaving their customers scrambling to find new plans in a relatively short amount of time. With hurricane season already upon us, Donelon says a Florida-based company has offered to take on a great number of those…:
Cut 7 (09) “called Safepoint”
Donelon says, all-in-all, about 80 thousand will need to arrange new coverage and they’ll have only another 6 to 8 weeks to do it.

AAA says the statewide average for a gallon of regular gas has once again fallen another 2 cents overnight to $4.31. Down over 11 cents from last week.

Attorney General Jeff Landry is petitioning the state supreme court to remove the temporary restraining order that was issued against the state’s trigger abortion laws. Loyola University Law Professor Dan Ciolino says this is most unusual because a hearing is scheduled for Friday in a civil court on the restraining order…:
Cut 10 (10) “appellate court”
The TRO was filed by The Center for Reproductive Rights claiming the trigger laws were vague and unconstitutional.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says almost a quarter of a million Louisiana workers quit their jobs in the first four months this year. But Economist Loren Scott says most of those workers went out and got new jobs which they know because the state’s unemployment rate is 4%…:
CUT 5 (05) “by sixty give hundred”
Scott says if all these people were leaving the workforce, sales tax collections and retail sales would be tanking which they aren’t.

New laws signed by the Governor seek to improve Louisiana’s property insurance environment for homeowners…:
Cut 3 (33) “I’m Kevin Gallagher”

The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office says a high school janitor in Ponchatoula is under arrest for allegedly groping a student attending summer school. They say 40 year old Levon Harris is accused of offering the victim cash for help moving furniture but when she refused he allegedly slid his hand under her shirt. He is booked on a count of sexual battery and fired by the school.

Attorney General Jeff Landry is petitioning the state supreme court to remove the temporary restraining order against the state’s trigger abortion laws, despite a hearing scheduled for Friday…:
Cut 2 (33) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

A Slidell family is mourning the loss of the 17 year old who was killed in a boating accident on Blind River July 4th, and a Denham Springs man operating the vessel is facing up to 30 years in prison. Madison Bradley fell off the boat when it hit a wake, went underneath and was struck by the propeller. 33-year-old David Crowe was booked with vehicular homicide, DWI, and reckless operation.

Louisiana’s homeowner insurance laws have tightened up following a package of bills passed in this year’s session. House Insurance Committee Chairman Mike Huval of Breaux Bridge says his chamber passed a bill requiring insurers to have a Catastrophic Response Plan in place and submitted for approval with the Insurance Commissioner. Huval is excited about another new House-passed law that funds grants for those who want to modify their homes to better weather storms…:
Cut 9 (11) “in the longer term”

In an effort to get a better idea of the state’s turkey population, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is asking the public to report in an online survey when they spot one. Wild Turkey Program Manager Cody Cedotal says they depended on volunteers, foresters, biologists, and turkey hunters to supply data..:
Cut 14 (07) “that survey”
The website can be found on LDWF’s website just search for the LA Turkey Survey.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says almost a quarter million Louisiana workers quit their jobs to start the year. But one economist says not so fast..:
Cut 1 (33) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

The recently hired Grambling State University Volleyball Coach whose first move was to cut the entire team, has been fired. Chesley Lucas had been heavily criticized by parents and the student-athletes who were granted scholarships. Grambling says the move was the result of an internal investigation. Lucas says she plans to tell her side of the story in court.

We’re now just over a month into the 2022 Hurricane Season, and Louisianans are in a much better spot now that the state has new laws in place to protect insurance policyholders. Senate Insurance Committee Chairman Kirk Talbot of River Ridge says one of them is called the “Three Adjuster Rule”; targeting companies who slow-walk homeowners’ storm damage claims by assigning new adjusters over and over:
Cut 8 (12) “simplify that process”

A hearing is scheduled for Friday in New Orleans Civil District Court on the temporary restraining order filed June 27th to stop Louisiana’s trigger laws banning abortions. The TRO claims that the trigger laws were vague and unconstitutional. Loyola University Law Professor Dan Ciolino says he expects the court will rule against the restraining order..:
Cut 12 (10) “be effective”

Attorney General Jeff Landry is petitioning the state supreme court to remove the temporary restraining order that was issued against the state’s trigger abortion laws. Loyola University Law Professor Dan Ciolino says this is unusual because a hearing is scheduled for Friday in a civil court on the restraining order…:
Cut 11 (07) “any action”
The restraining order filed by The Center for Reproductive Rights claims the trigger laws were vague and unconstitutional.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says around 244-thousand Louisiana workers quit their jobs in the first four months this year, 16-percent more than those who quit during the same period in 2021. But Economist Loren Scott says the numbers can be misleading:
Cut 4 (07) “another job”
He says that evidenced by Louisiana’s record low 4% unemployment rate.

Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says new Catastrophe Reform laws will enhance protections for policyholders and help rebuild the insurance market in Louisiana. Donelon says one new law requires all insurance carriers to up their cash reserves to cover storm claims; from $3-million to $10-million….:
Cut 7 (10) “on the table”
Several insurance carriers have quit business in the state due to insolvency. Donelon says the new laws should help homeowners with current and future damage claims and improve then state’s overall insurance environment.

Today’s check on gas prices: the statewide average for a gallon of regular fell another 2 cents overnight to $4.33; down almost a dime from the prior week. The same trend is being seen nationally and AAA says the primary reason is lower demand at the pump, but that could end with the arrival of the summer driving season.

With the 2022 midterm elections closing in, could a GOP wave be forming? All but 2 states – Louisiana and Delaware – have qualified candidates. JMC Analytics pollster and political analyst John Couvillon says there’s been relatively little increase in newly registered Democrats, but…:
Cut 11 (11) “…independent registration.”
He says the GOP is galvanized against the Biden administration and its policies.

The Louisiana National Guard has officially ended its COVID response, after 27 months of community support. Service members assisted in more than 636 thousand COVID tests. Task Force COVID Commander Brig. General Cindy Haygood says they also stepped up to help with vaccines…:
Cut 5 (09) “medical course”
Service members administered more than 234-thousand vaccinations.

Louisiana’s economy is in the midst of a steep decline as the GDP fell by 4-point-3 percent, a rate almost three times worse than the US, during the first quarter of 2022. UL-Lafayette economist Gary Wagner says prior to the pandemic, Louisiana had the slowest growing economy in the entire nation…:
Cut 9 (12) “on average”
Numbers indicated that 46 of 50 states are seeing a decline in economic activity.

UL-Lafayette’s online summer continuing education courses kick off today, and course registration remains open for anyone interested in expanding or changing their career. Martha Bryant, director of the Office of Professional and Continuing Education, says in August she says they’ll be launching a cyber security certification course.
Cut 14 (08) “that course”
Visit ce.louisiana.edu for more details.