Beginning Saturday any physician in good standing with the state can recommend medical cannabis. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

_____________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards responds to the federal class-action lawsuit filed against him by several bar owners in the Acadiana region. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

___________________________________________

Congressional Republicans and Democrats are at an impasse in discussions over the next round of coronavirus relief. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (29)  “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

______________________________

Beginning Saturday access to medical marijuana will increase dramatically in Louisiana. Legislation passed this year that allows physicians to prescribe without having to obtain a special license. LSU medical marijuana licensee Wellcana CEO John Davis…

Cut 4 (12)_ “…medical condition”

Davis says as, with other medications prescribed in the state, marijuana dispensaries have access to the state’s prescription program to reduce abuse.

Cut 5 (10)  “…monitoring program”

Between August and December, just under 45-hundred patients with less than 200 doctors participated in the state’s cannabis program. But Davis says they are already seeing positive results from the use of medical marijuana.

Cut 6 (12) “…side effects”

Medical cannabis is not currently covered by health insurance, but Davis says Republican Representative Larry Bagley has stated he is working on legislation to change that.

_________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards responds to the federal class-action lawsuit filed against him by several bar owners in the Acadiana region concerning his emergency order banning on-premise alcohol consumption.  Edwards says they have a right to their day in court, but believes his actions are the right thing to do.

Cut 7 (10) “…is absolutely essential.”

The state health department has traced 464 confirmed coronavirus infections to 41 bars.  Edwards says bar closures were a necessity in spread mitigation and have the support of the federal government.

Cut 8 (10) “…number of people.”

Bar owners feel they have been unfairly singled out, but Edwards says data from all over the world further validates the decision.

Cut 9 (12) “…of those unfortunately.”

Edwards banned on premise consumption at bars earlier this month after a spike in cases following their reopening.

______________________

Beginning tomorrow, state law will allow for year around nighttime hunting of feral hogs on private property.  Jonesboro Republican Jack McFarland authored the measure and hopes the move helps reduce the hog population after the problematic swine began to adapt to previous regulations.

Cut 10 (09) “…group of them.”

A hunter would need a basic hunting license and as well as permission from the landowner.  McFarland says the bill would also extend to other damaging species such as armadillos, nutria, beavers, and coyotes.

Cut 11 (09) “…really strange times.”

Hunters would be required to contact the parish sheriff’s office within 24 hours prior to the attempted nighttime take.  McFarland says feral hogs will eat anything and have negative impacts on farmland as well as other wildlife, but adds this measure may help reduce auto insurance rates.

Cut 12 (09) “…up car insurance.”

____________________________

Congressional negotiations are underway over the fifth round of coronavirus relief, with Democrats and Republicans presenting widely different opening offers.

Democrats want to see the expiring 600 dollar a week federal unemployment benefit extended through the year. Republicans balked at that, and Senator John Kennedy explains why…

Cut 13 (13) “…extended.” 

Kennedy backs some form of extension that would guarantee unemployment payments are lower than a person’s pay at their previous job.

Democrats back the expansive three trillion dollar HEROES Act while Republicans want the slimmer, trillion-dollar HEELS Act. Kennedy says both proposals feature a lot of “spending porn”.

Cut 14 (13) “…capital.”

Kennedy notes the Congress has sent roughly 23 billion dollars to Louisiana since the pandemic began.

Democrats want negotiations on one omnibus bill that covers a range of topics, Republicans feel there’s a better chance of negotiating each issue as its own legislation. Kennedy backs that plan…

Cut 15 (08) “…something.” 

Republicans are pushing to pass an unemployment benefits extension and stimulus check bill by itself, but Democrats say they fear that would lose them leverage in discussion over funding for voting and school safety initiatives.

_____________________________________________________

The SEC joins other major conferences in agreeing to only play conference football games this season, with the ten-game season kickoff set for September 26^th.

Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says the decision makes sense from a scheduling and healthcare perspective.

Cut 16 (15) “health-wise” 

The SEC Championship Game will be held on December 19^th in Atlanta.

A revised schedule will be announced at a later date, and Higgins says the start date works well.

Cut 17  (15) “…sense” 

The SEC conference schedule usually holds eight games, and how the newly added two conference games will be handled is a big question.

Plans in the pandemic era have been hard to keep month to month and Higgins says this may be the idea now, but it’s tough to say where we will be in late September.

Cut 18  (11) “…plays out”   

LSU’s home and home series with Texas is being disrupted as a result, and the team will not play Nicholls for their instate small school game as planned either.

___________________

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. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

____________________________

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 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. The state health department has traced 464 confirmed coronavirus infections to 41 bars.

Faircloth points out that’s a small fraction of the total known cases in Louisiana…

Cut 4 (08)_ “there’s not”

Faircloth is asking a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order blocking the governor’s bar order closure. Motions have been filed in both the Western and Eastern districts of Louisiana’s federal court system.

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”

______________________

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.

Republicans say the weekly unemployment benefits should be cut to 200 dollars a week. Power Coalition organizer Kaitlyn Joshua says the payments are badly needed by many

Cut 6 (06) “…suffering.”

Cassidy has said there needs to be a greater focus on moving unemployed people into available jobs. Augustine, an unemployed worker, says he can not find a job that pays the rent.

Cut 7 (06) “…do that’”

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

This is the last week for the 600-dollar weekly unemployment benefit. Joshua says with thousands still unemployed, the program must continue

Cut 8 (10) “Louisiana”

___________________________________________

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…

Cut 10 (05) “…were injured.”

Senegal says the investigation is ongoing, but they know the suspect was armed…

Cut 11 (06) “…of the firearm.”

___________________________

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 said this is a positive sign.

Cut 12 (08) “…trend.” 

It’s been over two weeks since the Governor ordered bars statewide to close and required mask usage while inside businesses.

Unfortunately, while hospitalizations are down deaths have seen a big increase in recent days. Edwards says that’s due to our spike in cases over the past few weeks.

Cut 13 (09) “…so forth” 

42 additional deaths were reported today.

Edwards warned that despite this positive trend downward every parish still has an R0 (R-naught) above one.

Cut 14 (10) “…grow”

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”

_____________________________________

Minden Senator Robert Mills is asking Governor Edwards to allow clergy to enter health care facilities to support the mental health of patients. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

___________________________________________

Governor Edwards addressed the pandemic’s impact on the state’s incarcerated population in his most recent coronavirus press conference. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

______________________________

The state graduation rate declined from 81.4 percent for the class of 2018 to 80.1 percent for the class of 2019.

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 high schools did graduate a record 42,650 students for the class of 2019.

In some good news, the number of students graduating with college credit or industry credentials went up ten percent. Brumley says further increasing that number will be a focus during his tenure.

Cut 5 (11)  “…this state”

Just over half of all students in the 2019 class graduated with college credits or credentials.

Brumley says it’s too early to determine whether the pandemic will result in an even lower graduation rate, that being said…

Cut 6 (11) “…do that”

_________________________

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.

Mills says it’s not just a quality of life issue, but a quality of death issue for those with little time left.

Cut 8 (06) “…hospital.”

A recent lawsuit in Maryland was resolved in favor of allowing clergy to enter healthcare facilities to see patients.

Mills says Governor Edwards could make this happen with a simple executive order, but…

Cut 9 (11) “…out.”

Capital observes estimate that another session will be held sometime in October to reevaluate state revenue.

______________________

Business Facilities Magazine ranks Louisiana Economic Development’s FastStart program as the top workforce development program in the nation for the eleventh consecutive year.  Executive Director of the FastStart program Paul Helton, says there is no secret to the success, they just produce results.

Cut 10 (12) “…delivers on that.”

The magazine also ranks Louisiana number one for best industrial electricity rates, New Orleans number one among logistics leaders, and the Port of South Louisiana number one for imports.

Helton says the program incentivizes business development in the state by providing workforce training, recruitment, and selection services for companies.

Cut 11 (12) “…things like that.”

Helton also credits for the program’s use of innovative methods of training for the high marks.

Cut 12 (09) “…for our clients.”

____________________________

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 recently died from the virus.

Cut 13 (09) “…worker at Angola.” 

As of Tuesday, Edwards says two inmates are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.

Cut 14 (07) “…who have died.”

Edwards says coronavirus testing is being done with both staff and inmates at all facilities.

Cut 15 (11) “…our parish jails.” 

_____________________________________________________

LSU Football Coach Ed Orgeron says he’s preparing his team for the season to start on time with the season opener in Tiger Stadium versus U-T-S-A on September 5th. Orgeron says if the schedule changes, they will not blink…

Cut 16 (11) “…pasture” 

Orgeron made the comments during a Facebook Live Interview with the Baton Rouge Rotary Club. The SEC is expected to make an announcement soon on what the upcoming college football season might look like. Orgeron says when the players returned to campus in June they had a cluster of coronavirus cases

Cut 17  (16) “…the country” 

_______________________________________________

Saints Coach Sean Payton says he would not be surprised if there are NFL games suspended this season because of a coronavirus outbreak. Each team has to follow social distancing guidelines at their facilities and players could also be fined if they do something that puts themselves in jeopardy of getting infected. But Payton says that’s probably not enough to prevent an outbreak

Cut 18  (19) “…this year”   

The players will need to test negative for COVID-19 three times in a four-day period. If they do, they will undergo a physical this weekend. Even though there was no offseason conditioning program, Payton expects the players will be in great shape

cut 19 (24) “…liviliehood”  

Next week will be a lot of weight training and conditioning. Starting August 12th the entire team can get on the field for practice, but padded practices do no start August 17th. Payton says they can’t allow the protocols that are in place to be an excuse for not getting ready to play

cut 20 (30) “  of the season”  

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”  

____________________________

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.”  

_____________________________

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…

Cut 4 (09)_ “its seeds”

Strain says if you receive the seeds 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”

______________________

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is optimistic that football and Mardi Gras will not have to be canceled due to the pandemic, and is celebrating yet another record weekend for state parks.

Nungesser says the recent slowing in new cases is likely due to the mask mandate and closing of bars, and if this keeps up he expects football to be a go for the fall and Mardi Gras to be back next year.

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.

Nungesser says if the recent trend holds he’s hopeful that the state is set to move to Phase Three in three or four weeks and not impose additional restrictions.

Cut 7 (10) “…we won’t’”

The state has now seen two consecutive days of cases under 2,000 after last week’s numbers averaging clear over 2,000 a day.

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.

___________________________________________

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 benefit of the extra help would be widespread.

Cut 9 (12) “…are shored up.”

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.

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 calls it a historic contribution.

Cut 12 (08) “…received.” 

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

Verret says representatives of the anonymous donor requested that the funds be used to create a tuition endowment.

Cut 13 (10) “…ability” 

Verret says the donor understands the importance of institutions like Xavier and the role they play in helping to bridge the nation’s achievement gap.

Cut 14 (06) “…country”

Four businesses have seen their bar permits suspended after failing multiple compliance checks. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

_____________________________________

The 600-dollar a week federal unemployment benefits are coming to an end Friday. Matt Doyle spoke with the Louisiana Workforce Commission about what that means for those without a job…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

___________________________________________

The Department of Revenue is still accepting applications from frontline workers to receive $250 Hazard Paychecks. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 3 (31)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington  

______________________________

Republicans introduced their opening offer for the next round of COVID economic stimulus, a trillion-dollar plan that reduces federal enhanced unemployment and issues another stimulus check.

Federal unemployment beneficiaries have been receiving 600 dollars a week, under the GOP plan that number would drop to 200-bucks. Senator Bill Cassidy says that number would be revisited soon.

Cut 4 (05)_ “…after that”

House Democrats back the three trillion dollar HEROES Act, which  would extend the current 600 dollars a week benefits through the end of the year.

Cassidy says in the Senate GOP proposal the business aid is more targeted this time, with specific language aimed at helping out struggling sit-down restaurants.

Cut 5 (10)  “…resturants.”

Cassidy says the GOP offer also includes new funding for testing, COVID research, and school safety.

Cut 6 (10) “…governors”

The stimulus check would be another 1,200 dollar offer that would be administered based on the same guidelines as the first stimulus check.

_________________________

Louisiana is ranked number one in per capita COVID-19 cases.  Governor John Bel Edwards says it has been clear the state’s trajectory in new COVID cases was going to land the state the distinction if things didn’t improve.

Cut 7 (07) “…this pandemic is.”

Edwards says there are metrics that are showing a move toward flattening the curve again.  Tuesday’s numbers showed a daily percentage of positive tests to be below 7 percent.  The additional restrictions of mask mandates and bar closures have been in place for about two weeks.  Edwards says it is never easy putting restrictions on any business.

Cut 8 (12) “…the economy open.”

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says his office has conducted over 5,000 compliance checks on businesses since the beginning of Phase Two and most usually come into compliance after one visit.

Cut 9 (09) “…is actually complying.”

Browning says despite the multiple chances to come into compliance, four business have had bar permits suspended including Sand Dollar Tiki Bar in Grand Isle, Frosty Factory in Lake Charles, Pelican Pub in Gonzales, and Wo-de’s Chill Spot in Harvey.

Cut 10 (12) “…those four licenses.”

Hearings are scheduled for August 5 and 6 which could result in a suspension period of up to 30 days.

____________________________

The last 600-dollar weekly enhanced unemployment benefits are being sent out Friday, and the Louisiana Workforce Commission is encouraging those set to miss out to apply for a new job on the LWC website. Secretary Ava Dejoie says there’s something for everyone right now.

Cut 11 (10) “…living.”

Congress is currently debating whether to renew the benefits. Republicans are seeking to reduce it to 200 dollars a week, Democrats want to extend the 600 for the rest of the year. Governor Edwards has requested the Congressional Delegation back a full extension.

Dejoie says you may be unemployed now but this could be an opportunity to advance your career.

Cut 12 (09) “…salary.”

Unless the feds renew the enhanced benefits people receiving state unemployment will be capped at 247 dollars a week, and those receiving PUA assistance will be capped at 107 dollars a week.

Dejoie recommends putting in your application now before everyone else on unemployment starts applying as well.

Cut 13 (07) “…company.” 

Those looking for a job should visit laworks.net

_______________________________

The Louisiana Department of Revenue is busy reviewing applications and prepping to send out the first $250 frontline worker checks this week. Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue Kimberly Robinson says if you are eligible you should still apply.

Cut 14 (12) “…made available.”

A variety of workers are eligible, for example, grocery clerks, garbage collectors, and healthcare workers, people who worked during the stay at home order and make less than $50-thousand a year.

Robinson says the first round of checks is being processed.

Cut 15 (07) “…coming days.” 

As of Tuesday, the department says they’ve received approximately 205-thousand applications for the Hazard Pay Rebate.

Robinson says if you did not receive a receipt of your application contact the department.

Cut 16 (11) “…an email.” 

Funds are being distributed on a come first serve basis and applications are being accepted until October 31^st. For more info go to https://frontlineworkers.la.gov/.

_________________________________________

Extended wait times for COVID-19 testing results become the latest hiccup in the state’s fight against the coronavirus. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

____________________________

The American Federation of Teachers says “safety strikes” are on the table is more is not done to ensure teacher and student safety before schools reopen. Matt Doyle spoke with the Louisiana Branch…

cut 2 (28) “I’m Matt Doyle.”  

_____________________________

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff deputies have charged two teens with the murder of a 53-year-old Lake Charles man found lying in the road last week. Sheriff Tony Mancuso says they believe a 16-year-old used a stolen gun to shoot Anthony Bennett

Cut 3 (10)  “…car burglary”  

A 16-year-old and a 13-year-old have been charged in Bennet’s murder which happened at around 11:00 last Thursday night. Mancuso says this is an example on why parents need to be involved in teenagers lives

Cut 4 (10)_ “tolerating this”

Mancuso says the whole country is seeing these types of incidents, children committing violent crimes. The sheriff says there are parents who need to take back control of their kids

Cut 5 (10)  “…discpline.”

______________________

In an effort to stop runaway youth COVID transmission, the governor’s office releases a PSA featuring half a dozen young people describing the serious symptoms they had as a result of COVID-19.

Cut 6 (12) “…taste.”

Eighteen to 29-year-olds have the highest number of infections of any age group recorded by the Louisiana Health at 24-thousand, six thousand higher than the next highest age group.

Those in the video discussed some of the misconceptions about how youth are allegedly “unaffected” by the virus.

Cut 7 (12) “…spread it”

The recent wave of cases has been driven by community spread amongst young adults, compared to the first wave which had a much higher percentage of cases coming from congregate settings of older people.

The PSA ends with the young folks imploring their friends to mask up.

Cut 8 (12) “…down”

___________________________________________

Louisiana’s COVID-19 testing has hit another hurdle with the turnaround time on getting results.  Early in the pandemic, there was a lack of nasal swabs to conduct tests, but now Assistant Health Secretary Dr. Alex Billioux says some labs are struggling with the supply chain for the reagents needed to get results.

Cut 9 (10) “…shorter turnaround times.”

Billioux says the timeliness in getting a result makes the difference in being useful data in stopping the spread and just adding numbers to the stats.

Cut 10 (08) “…probably not useful.”

Billioux says the strain put onto the state’s testing capabilities could soon have an impact on who is eligible to be swabbed at community testing sites.

Cut 11 (11) “and drive-up sites.”
___________________________

The American Federation of Teachers threatens to back “safety strikes” in certain areas of the country if more is not done to assure the safety of teachers and students when fall classes resume.

Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter says in hotspots across Louisiana union members are having active conversations about potentially staging safety strikes.

Cut 12 (09) “…schools.” 

The AFT earlier this month adopted a resolution backing the reopening of schools only in areas where the positivity rate for tests was under five percent. Over the past few weeks, the rate has hovered around ten percent but has recently dropped under eight percent.

Two weeks ago when we spoke with Carter he said safety strikes were not being considered, but Carter says since then the situation has deteriorated.

Cut 13 (10) “…community” 

Carter says any such strikes would be an option of last resort, but so far they’re not convinced many schools are safe to open next month, and not happy about the lack of progress being made to do so.

Cut 14 (10) “…safe.”

The demands are for more funding for PPE, guarantees that teaching spaces will allow for adequate social distancing, and for more strict protocols should an outbreak occur at a school.

A rise in chronic conditions is putting more Louisiana residents at risk for colorectal cancer.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (33) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

_____________________________________

The Main Street Recovery Program application process opens at 9 AM today and State Treasurer John Schroder encourages small business owners not to wait on their chance at up to 15,000 dollars…

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

___________________________________________

The Imperial Heath Urgent Care Center in Moss Bluff is seeking COVID-positive patients to participate in a nationwide clinical trial testing the effectiveness of a new COVID treatment. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Matt Doyle  

______________________________

According to a study from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, a rise in chronic conditions is putting more Louisiana residents at risk for colorectal cancer.  Medical Director at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Dr. Jeremy Wigginton says there has been a substantial uptick in cancer cases for those with inflammatory colon conditions.

Cut 4 (11)_ “…of the nation.”

Diabetes and diagnosed obesity are also contributing factors and Louisiana saw significant increases in all of these major risk factors in the study period between 2014 and 2018.

Wigginton says someone with a history of such conditions should talk to a doctor about when to get screened.  Wigginton adds that the screening process has become much easier in recent years and people just need to get it done.
Cut 5 (10)  “…not getting screened.”

Wigginton says early detection is key, and many times during colonoscopies, preventative measures can be taken during the screening.

Cut 6 (13) “…even becomes cancer.”

_________________________

Starting at 9 AM today businesses with fewer than 50 people can begin applying for Main Street Recovery Grants through the State Treasurer.

Eligible businesses can receive up to 15,000 dollars in no-strings-attached cash, but Treasurer John Schroder expects the limited fund will be exceeded in seven days.

Cut 7 (11) “…Louisiana.”

Applicants should visit Louisianamainstreet.com.

Schroder says this is different from the PPP Loans handed out by the feds earlier in the pandemic…

Cut 8 (10) “…that black”

Businesses must have a brick and mortar location, and only businesses that did not receive federal assistance will be given money during the first 21 days.

Schroder says while the program isn’t coming directly from the federal government, the cash is.

Cut 9 (10) “…million.”

The program was controversial when first proposed in the Legislature. Opponents noted it took money away from funds designated to help local governments.

__________________________

If you have COVID and you live in the Lake Charles area the Imperial Heath Urgent Care Center in Moss Bluff would like you to participate in a clinical trial for an experimental new treatment.

Facility Director Dr. Jason Morris says if you present at the urgent care with COVID-like symptoms you’ll be given a quick test and if positive asked to join the trial. If you do…

Cut 10 (07) “…paitent.”

The initial infusion will take about an hour, and you’ll be monitored for several hours afterward.

Morris says you’ll then be enrolled in an 85-day trial and asked to monitor your symptoms and be available to have blood work done on you.

Cut 11 (07) “…commitment.”

Morris says several patients have already seen positive outcomes from the treatment at Imperial.

Morris says they want to really nail down how much of the treatment they need to administer for it to be effective.

Cut 12 (07) “…around.”

The study has already enrolled 20 of the 40 participants it is seeking.

_______________________

The Acadiana area is seeing the addition of nearly 400 new jobs as educational software company SchoolMint announces it will be moving their headquarters from San Francisco to Lafayette.  Governor John Bel Edwards was on hand for the announcement has says this is further evidence of the state’s economic growth for the 21^st century.

Cut 13 (12) “…ecosystem for Louisiana.” 

The move comes following SchoolMint’s acquisition of Lafayette-based Smart Choice Technologies in 2019.  The company will retain the 13 existing jobs at the Lafayette office as well as consolidating offices located in New York and Miami to the area.

Edwards says SchoolMint will create 178 direct new jobs.

Cut 14 (10) “…indirect new jobs.”

The company will make a capital investment into new facilities at just over a half-million dollars.

Edwards says the decision to come to Lafayette is based on several factors.

Cut 15 (12) “…of local talent.” 

_________________________________________

Veterans on the Saints report for training camp today but it will be a few days before they get on the field. Players must pass three COVID tests during a four-day period before they can enter the team’s training facility in Metairie. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says the Saints are positioned well to handle this unique season

Cut 16 (25) “…have to handle.” 

The NFL and its players’ association have agreed to an extensive list of health and safety protocols and players will be tested often. But Detllier says there will be hiccups along the way and players will still test positive

Cut 17  (17) “…in the NFL” 

There will be no preseason games this year and training camp rosters are 80 players, instead of 90. Detillier says it will be harder for coaches to evaluate players on their own team and they also don’t have tape on players from other teams…

Cut 18  (29) “…that now”   

Padded practices will not start for the Saints until August 17th.

Louisiana small businesses can begin applying for a grant worth up to 15,000 dollars tomorrow as part of the Main Street Recovery Program. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle  

____________________________

Former Vernon Parish Sheriff and former State Representative Frank Howard has died at the age of 81 due to complications from COVID-19. Jeff Palermo has more.

cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo.”  

_____________________________

Application for a state-run grant program for small businesses impacted by the pandemic begins tomorrow.

Eligible businesses can receive up to 15,000 dollars in reimbursement for expenses incurred during the shutdown. State Treasurer John Schroder calls it no strings attached, and expansive…

Cut 3 (06)  “…operate”  

Businesses must have a brick and mortar location and fewer than 50 employees to be eligible.

The program kicks off tomorrow at 9 AM. Schroder says the application process is online only.

Cut 4 (10)_ “dot com”

The money will be sent out on a first-come-first-served basis.

Schroder says the 275 million dollar program isn’t a lot of money in a state of 457,000 small businesses…

Cut 5 (10)  “…interest.”

For the first 21 days, the program will only disburse funds to businesses that did not receive federal assistance or insurance payments.

______________________

The Department of Agriculture and Forestry is warning residents of mystery seeds being delivered through the mail that may contain some sort of plant pest or disease.  Ag Commissioner Mike Strain says the seeds have been received via unsolicited packages by people across the US, including Louisiana.

Cut 6 (08) “…appears eastern Europe.”

Strain says he’s been in contact with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service about the issue.  He adds if you receive a mystery package, don’t hesitate to contact authorities.

Cut 7 (07) “…Ag and Forestry..”

Strain says authorities will come to you to handle the disposal of the mystery seeds.

Cut 8 (05) “…up these seeds”

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New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell orders all locations of Willie’s Chicken Shack closed due to violations of the city’s ban on to-go drinks.

Cantrell says the there was ample evidence of non-compliance at the locations and a task force was dispatched to investigate.

Cut 9 (12) “…that’s it”

Willie’s released a statement saying patrons refused to comply with the order and they support the city’s public health efforts.

Details were limited but the Mayor indicated it will be a lengthy closure for the non-compliant business.

Cut 10 (10) “…there”

Cantrell says the shutdown sends the message that the city is serious about enforcing its COVID health guidelines and orders.

Cut 11 (07) “comply”

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Former Vernon Parish Sheriff and former State Representative Frank Howard has died at the age of 81 due to complications from COVID-19.  Howard was Sheriff for 24 years.  Current Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft remembers his predecessor as one to constantly be involved in the community.

Cut 12 (09) “…best he could.” 

Following a few years of retirement from law enforcement, Howard was elected to be a state representative and served three terms in that position before being termed out in 2019.  Craft says Howard became a fixture in the area’s political circle.

Cut 13 (11) “…in our area.” 

Craft says Howard had a soft spot in his heart for the elderly community.  As Sherrif, Howard started the triad program to assist seniors with their health transportation needs.

Cut 14 (12) “…for the public.”

Governor Edwards will order flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Howard at the State Capitol and other state buildings the day he is laid to rest.

If you feel a law enforcement officer treated you unfairly based on your race, the ACLU would like to hear from you. Matt Doyle has more…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

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A study indicates more than one in six Louisiana workers hate their boss.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

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 NFL players report for training camp this week and plan to kick-off the regular season on time. But what about college football?  Kevin Barnhart has more…

Cut 3 (29)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart  

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The ACLU is looking for Louisianans who feel they were the victim of racist policing to help them file lawsuits challenging discriminatory policies. ACLU Louisiana Legal Director Nora Ahmed says due to the statute of limitations they’re seeking individuals who’ve suffered that kind of incident on or after May first…

Cut 4 (10)_ “some way”

This includes racially motivated traffic stops, searches, seizures, detainments, and incidents where police dogs were used to assault people on racial grounds.

Ahmed says they’re looking to compile data and to use those racially-based law enforcement interactions to challenge discriminatory departments in court.

Cut 5 (12)  “…policing”

The recruitment initiative is part of ACLU Louisiana’s Justice Lab project that includes the participation of 35 law firms and 14 law schools working together to challenge racist criminal justice policies.

Ahmed says if you are concerned about coming forward because it could lead to retaliation from law enforcement, your initial statement will remain confidential…

Cut 6 (09) “..fears”

Interested participants can reach out via email at Justicelab@LAACLU.org.

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With schools set to resume soon, state health officials are concerned many children are not up to date on their vaccinations. During the early portion of the pandemic, many elective medical procedures were put on hold and State Immunization Director Dr. Frank Welch says that dropped the rate of vaccinations.

Cut 7 (05) “…had a pandemic.”

Back to school time means the need for vaccines is going up.  Welch says not every kid needs a vaccine every year and the best thing to do is to ask your child’s pediatrician what may be needed.

Cut 8 (06) “…up to date”

Welch says at the start of the school year gets closer, expect to see more reminders about the importance of staying up to date.

Cut 9 (11) “…of routine care.”

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A study from the career website Zippia polled 2,000 people nationwide to find out how likable their bosses are and the top things they hate about their bosses.  Head of content at Zippia Kathy Morris says in Louisiana, 18-percent of workers disliked their boss.

Cut 10 (10) “…bosses in Louisiana..”

Nationally, the most disliked traits about bosses were micromanaging, never being available, and incompetence.

Morris says 59% of workers have quit a job because of a bad boss, which is one of the biggest expenses in hiring and adds Louisiana has one of the higher monthly quit rates in the nation.

Cut 11 (12) “…soon in Louisiana.”

Morris says the study also indicates physical proximity is a factor as the further away a boss is, there is an increased chance that a worker will dislike them.

Cut 12 (10) “…hate your boss.”

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SEC presidents and athletic directors will hold a series of virtual meetings this week to discuss fall sports plans. College football insider Brett McMurphy says because so many states are struggling to contain the coronavirus, it’s unlikely the college football season will kick off Labor Day weekend

Cut 13 (07) “…early October” 

Voluntary workouts for college football teams began in June and some teams were hit with an initial cluster of cases, while other schools have reported very few cases among their student-athletes. But McMurphy says there’s a concern for community spread when students return to campus

Cut 14 (09) “…live in a bubble.”

The PAC-12 and Big 10 have already made the decision to play conference only football schedules this season. The SEC has said they plan to make a decision in late July. McMurphy expects the ACC, Big 12 and SEC to decide on a shorter schedule, filled mostly with conference games

Cut 15 (08) “…to ten” 

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said earlier this month that the league will make an announcement in late July on whether it can start the season on time.

The state’s senior Senator was in Baton Rouge today signing up to run for a second six-year term in office. Matt Doyle was there…

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle  

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Hospitals in Louisiana are facing staffing shortages due to COVID-19 and having trouble filling the void. Brooke Thorington has more.

cut 2 (30) “I’m Brooke Thorington”  

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Tropical Storm Hanna is eyeing a landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas tomorrow, but it’s helping to produce showers and thunderstorms across south Louisiana. But State Climatologist Barry Keim is not expecting significant flooding

Cut 3 (11)  “…handle it.”  

Hanna will produce numerous thunderstorms and some rain bands in Louisiana. Keim says it will hinder some outdoor activities….

Cut 4 (10)_ “activity .”

A coastal flood advisory is in effect until tonight as minor coastal flooding is expected. Tides will also be one to two feet above normal levels. Keim says coastal parishes will also see the highest rain totals

Cut 5 (12)  “…possible.”
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Senator Bill Cassidy filed his papers today in Baton Rouge to run for a second term in office.

Cassidy’s opponents took turns digging at this record since qualifying began Wednesday, but the state’s senior Senator says he’ll stand behind his work over the past six years.

Cut 6 (11) “…debate that”

The state Democratic Party and Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins have slammed the Senator, accusing him of being M-I-A during the pandemic. Cassidy says he’s been in daily contact with constituents.

Cut 7 (10) “received it”

Perkins is the most prominent opponent to sign up to run against Cassidy. He has reportedly received backing from national Democrats and is hiring a professional campaign team.

The Senator says he plans to connect with voters during his campaign, even though there will not be a lot of personal interaction…

Cut 8 (08) “…people”

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As hospitals across the state reach capacity with COVID-19 patients, some healthcare facilities have enough beds, but they are having staffing issues to provide adequate care for patients.  Governor John Bel Edward asked FEMA for approximately 700 healthcare workers.

Cut 9 (09) “…their staff.”

Louisiana received zero hits from FEMA in its staffing request.

As daily case counts continue to set records across the state with community spread, Our Lady of the Lourdes C-M-O Doctor Henry Kaufman in Lafayette says they are seeing their staff contract COVID as a result.

Cut 10 (07) “…our physicians.”

Kaufman says the public needs to understand when a healthcare worker contracts COVID it creates a large absence in the workplace.

Cut 11 (07) “than that”

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New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announces that starting on Saturday bars and restaurants will be prohibited from selling takeout alcoholic beverages. Cantrell says this means bars will be closed throughout Orleans Parish…

Cut 12 (09) “…large gatherings” 

The city is also reducing the size of indoor social gatherings to no more than 25 people. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 people. New Orleans Health Director Doctor Jennifer Avegno says the city has seen an unfavorable trend when it comes to its COVID-19 data

Cut 13 (12) “…community transmission” 

Avengo says shutting down bars completely and limiting social gatherings is a necessary step to slow the spread of COVID-19 community transmission

Cut 14 (10) “…back to school”