The Louisiana House has approved a bill that would allow the Senate and House Health Committees strike down COVID public health restrictions that limit in-person visitation at nursing homes. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “  I’m Matt Doyle”  

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Former Louisiana Tech football star Fred Dean has passed away at the age of 68 after losing a battle with COVID-19. Taylor Sharp has more.

cut 2 (31) “I’m Taylor Sharp”  

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The Louisiana House has approved a bill allowing the Legislature to strike down parts of the Governor’s COVID-19 public health orders pertaining to limitations on in-person visitation at nursing homes.

Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala brought the bill after speaking to frustrated constituents and the Alzheimer’s Association…

Cut 3 (10)  “…lost”   

Under the bill, a restriction could be eliminated if both the House and Senate Health and Welfare Committees vote to do so. Any restrictions ordered by federal agencies could not be overturned.

But there were concerns from members like Kenner Representative Joe Stagni that the Legislature is not equipped to make these kinds of decisions.

Cut 4 (08)   “…declared”   

Natchitoches Representative Kenny Cox says the bill may restrict the Governor from re-implementing restrictions on nursing homes should we be hit with another wave of COVID.

Cut 5 (12) “…early”

The measure heads to the Senate for more discussion.

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Louisiana Tech legend and Hall Of Famer Fred Dean has died at the age of 68 from Covid-19.  Dean played for the Bulldogs in the early 70s and had a 12-year NFL career, winning two Super Bowls with the 49ers. Former Tech Sports Information Director Keith Prince remembers Dean’s dominance on the football field.

Cut 6 (13) “…years”

Dean was on the 49ers Super Bowl-winning teams in 1981 and 1984. In 1983, he had 17.5 sacks, six of them came in one game against the Saints. He was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Prince says Dean was an exceptional person as well.

Cut 7 (10) “…anybody”

Even though Dean played out west for the Chargers and 49er’s, Prince says that Dean never forgot where he came from.

Cut 8 (08) “here”

Dean was born in Arcadia and he played at Ruston High in the late 1960s. He once played a football game at Ruston with a bullet in his stomach.

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A plan to bring high-speed internet to fourteen parishes in north Louisiana clears the Public Service Commission. Rural electric cooperatives serving the area received approval from the PSC to enter the internet business.  Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell says the initiative is long overdue.

Cut 9 (11) “records, etc”

The PSC voted unanimously for Campbell’s plan to allow Claiborne Electric in Homer and Northeast Louisiana Power in Winnsboro to use federal grants and low-interest loans to provide high-speed internet from Webster Parish eastward to the Mississippi River. Campbell says it’s a necessity for economic development.

Cut 10 (12) “…..part of the country”

Campbell says currently the electric co-ops provide some of the lowest power rates in the state and he expects them to be able to provide high-speed internet at reasonable rates as well to rural areas of Northern Louisiana.

Cut 11 (04) “…it works”

Campbell predicts high-speed internet availability in the area in 15 months.

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New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell supports the idea of the Saints temporarily playing their home games at LSU’s Tiger Stadium. Cantrell has concerns about having 25-percent fan capacity in the Superdome during the pandemic, so she says playing somewhere outdoors makes more sense.

Cut 12 (08) “…the stadium”

Cantrell says no other NFL facility with a fixed roof is allowing fans to attend their games.

Cut 13 (13) “…at this time”

But there are stadiums with retractable roofs that are allowing fans, such as Dallas, Houston and Atlanta.

It wouldn’t be the first time the Saints played in Tiger Stadium. The Black and Gold played several games in Baton Rouge in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. Cantrell says the city is not where it needs to be in its battle against COVID-19 in order to welcome fans back to the Dome…

Cut 14 (11) “…in game day”

The Louisiana House has approved the Ka’Mauri Harrison bill which was inspired by the story of a fourth-grader in Jefferson Parish suspended for moving a BB gun during a virtual class. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “   I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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LSU’s game versus Florida this Saturday has been postponed after a significant rise in positive COVID-19 tests U-F. Brooke Thorington has more

cut 2 (30) “I’m Brooke Thorington”  

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The Louisiana House has approved the Ka Mauri Harrison Act, which is in response to the six-day suspension a nine-year-old boy in Jefferson Parish received he moved a BB gun during a virtual class. Harrison initially faced expulsion and Jennings Representative Troy Romero says his legislation will ensure due process

Cut 3 (10)  “…necessary”   

Romero says the legislation would also allow students to appeal suspensions to the school board and it requires all 69 school districts to develop discipline policies for online learning…

Cut 4 (06)   “…move forward”   

Ka’Mauri and his father appeared before House Education when that Committee heard the bill. Baton Rouge Representative Rick Edmonds, who is a member of House Ed, says every member on that panel has signed off as a co-author on this bill after hearing Ka’Mauri’s story

Cut 5 (10) “…Louisiana Legislature”

The measure heads to the Senate for more discussion.

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The Senate unanimously passes legislation allowing clergy members access to patients in a hospital during a public health emergency.

The bill by Minden Senator Robert Mills requires the state Health Department to create rules for facilities to do so, and require healthcare facilities to follow them.

Cut 6 (12) “…cases”

The bill also grants healthcare facilities immunity from most lawsuits by those clergy members should they be infected with coronavirus while visiting.

Mills says the legislation was inspired by the resolution of an incident that happened earlier this year.

Cut 7 (12) “…got involved”

Earlier in the pandemic, most nursing homes were completely shut off to visits from anyone outside the facility, and hospitals were highly restricted but those rules have since been relaxed.

Mills said his bill protects the religious liberties of patients and families should they want to have a clergy member visit a loved one.

Cut 8 (08) “need”

The legislation moves to the House.

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Saturday’s LSU-Florida game has been rescheduled for December 12th in Gainesville because of a coronavirus outbreak with the Gators football team. Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin says 21 players have tested positive and they have less than 50 scholarship players available to play for Saturday

Cut 9 (06) “this weekend”

Stricklin says the players, coaches, and staff members who have tested positive report mild symptoms or they are asymptomatic. The Florida A-D believes last week’s trip to Texas A-and-M may have helped spread the virus within the team

Cut 10 (12) “……headache”

LSU coach Ed Orgeron says in cases like this. player safety is top priority…

Cut 11 (06) “…play”

It appears LSU could use a weekend off anyway. Orgeron says starting quarterback Myles Brennan has not practiced this week because of a shoulder injury…

Cut 12 (12) “…the week”

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The House approves legislation barring the state from penalizing religious leaders and their congregation who gather for in-person services against orders during a declared emergency.

The bill by Oil City Representative Danny McCormick was brought in response to the Governor’s restrictions on all gatherings during the pandemic, which includes religious activities.

Cut 13 (06) “…emergency”

Shreveport Representative Alan Seabaugh says religious institutions should remain open during emergencies because they provide more than just spiritual support…

Cut 14 (10) “…situation”

The bill was partially inspired by the arrest of Central pastor Tony Spell who held services against the gathering ban. Seabaugh says the bill undoes those charges by clarifying that state law was misinterpreted in cases like that…

Cut 15 (2) “this way” 

The bill joins a growing list of other instruments limiting the Governor’s public health authority that await hearings in the Senate.

The Louisiana House gives approval to a resolution that would suspend the state Fire Marshal’s ability to enforce Governor Edwards coronavirus orders on businesses. Jim Shannon has the story….

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New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell warns lawmakers steep cuts in local government services are likely due to pandemic revenue losses. Matt Doyle has more.

cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

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The Louisiana House votes for a resolution that would suspend the Fire Marshal’s authority to enforce coronavirus restrictions. Erath Representative Blake Miguez says fire marshal deputies are checking businesses to make sure they are following capacity restrictions and it’s the fire marshal who helped develop the capacity limits at high school and college football games

Cut 3 (11)  “…Texas A-and-M fan”   

Miguez says his legislation is part of an overall effort from Republican lawmakers who are trying to rein in the coronavirus emergency orders that have been established by the Edwards administration…

Cut 4 (10)   “…allows that to happen” 

The state Fire Marshal is not the agency that issues penalties. The state Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control and the state Health Department handle those duties. Metairie Representative Stephanie Hilferty argued her interactions with State Fire Marshal Butch Browning have all been positive…

Cut 5 (10) “…nefarious actor”

The Resolution passed on a 62-33 vote and heads to the Senate for more discussion.

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Governor John Bel Edwards received his flu shot today. Edwards is encouraging all Louisiana residents to do the same

Cut 6 (10) “…soon”

Edwards received his vaccination at the Our Lady of the Lake North Baton Rouge Clinic. O-L-O-L Family Medicine Specialist Doctor Joshua Clark says the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself from getting the flu, which could lead to other complications

Cut 7 (07) “…ventiliation”

The flu causes about 500 deaths and nearly three-thousand hospitalizations each year. Clark says the best way to avoid a flu outbreak is if everyone gets the vaccine…

Cut 8 (06) “community”

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New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell told the House Appropriations Committee that the Crescent City faces a 150 million dollar shortfall because of the coronavirus pandemic. Cantrell says they’ve been granted less than 60 million dollars in federal CARES Act money by the state, and that’s just not enough…

Cut 9 (10) “feeling it”

Through those CARES Act funds, some one-time dollars, and a variety of other efforts the city has cut that deficit down to 41 million dollars. To close the gap employees are being encouraged to retire early, contracts are being cut and vacant positions are being left open.

The city is furloughing its entire 4,000 person workforce for one day per pay period through the end of the year to save an estimated six million dollars. Cantrell says they had no choice.

Cut 10 (09) “…table”

Cantrell says there’s no way local governments will be able to restart their economies next year with budgets deep in the red…

Cut 11 (11) “…can”

Republican legislators told the mayor that the city could start to see more tax revenue if she loosened the restrictions on bars and restaurants. The mayor says bars will open to outside patio services this Friday.

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As of Tuesday afternoon, the number of customers in Louisiana without power as a result of Hurricane Delta has dropped to 95-thousand. About a third of the outages involve Entergy Louisiana customers. Entergy spokesperson David Freese says their crews are making steady process

Cut 12 (06) “…major hurricanes”

After Laura roared through, it took weeks in some cases for the power to come back on. But Freese says Delta was not as destructive

Cut 13 (11) “…electric grid”

Freese says they anticipate most of their customers will have power back by Thursday. He says the hardest areas from Lake Charles to the east of Lafayette may have to wait until Saturday

Cut 14 (13) “…backyards”

A bill that would have increased the state unemployment benefit from a maximum of 247 dollars to 347 dollars a week was rejected in a House committee. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “   I’m matt Doyle”

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Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter says residents are “despondent, frustrated, and emotional” after suffering a blow from yet another named storm. Matt Doyle spoke with the Mayor…

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

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A bill that would result in a loss of construction funding for local governments who decide to reduce their police department’s budget by ten percent advances out of the House. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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The House Labor Committee has rejected legislation that would have increased the state unemployment benefit from 247 to 347 dollars a week.

The panel heard testimony from struggling unemployed workers. Montrell McGraw is a furloughed hotel worker and says at 247 dollars a week he has to make tough choices.

Cut 4 (10) “…down to”

McGraw says under the 600 dollar federally boosted benefits he made ends meet while waiting for his employer to call him back in.

Latoya Howard is a furloughed New Orleans Convention Center worker who says she’s played by the rules and worked her whole life but now can’t pay her bills.

Cut 5 (12) “…system.”

The legislation came as the state is having to borrow money from the feds to keep the unemployment trust fund afloat. Jim Patterson, vice president of governmental relations at Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, says we can’t afford this right now.

Cut 6 (12) “…up there”

Without federal intervention, it is likely that payroll taxes will be hiked on businesses starting next year to replenish the fund.

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Just six weeks after Lake Charles was battered by Laura’s extreme winds the city endured over a foot of rainfall from Hurricane Delta flooding many homes.

Mayor Nic Hunter says Delta was two categories weaker than Laura but a much wetter storm.

Cut 7 (08) “water”

Hunter says the mood in the city is not great as people try to recover from yet another punch, many of whom have yet to even agree to insurance settlements regarding Hurricane Laura.

Cut 8 (11) “…right now”

Hunter says his city needs volunteers and charitable donations, but most of all it needs a promise from the feds that FEMA will reimburse the city for 100 percent of the damages it has suffered this season, just like it did for the Florida Panhandle in 2018 after Michael.

Cut 9 (10) “if not more”

Hunter encourages you to donate to the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana or the United Way to help out.

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The Louisiana House approves a bill that would give the state the authority to take construction funds away from a local government that defunds its police department’s budget by more than ten-percent. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris says cuts to law enforcement will lead to an increase in crime…

Cut 10 (06) “…not sky rocketed.”

An opponent of the legislation, Baton Rouge Representative Ted James, says the defund the police movement has not happened in Louisiana, plus there’s a task force is looking at ways to improve police practices

Cut 11 (10) “…these issues”

Harris responded to James’ argument by telling the House, this bill will make a city or parish think twice before defunding its police department

Cut 12 (10) “..future”

Harris’ measure passed on a 61-26 vote and heads to the Senate for more discussion.

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Today is the last day to register to vote in the November 3^rd election and your only option to do so is online at Geaux-Vote-Dot-Com.

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin says time is quickly running out and if have any changes to make, or first-time voter registration to do now is the time to do it.

Cut 13 (11) “dot com.”

Once you are registered Ardoin encourages you to download the GeauxVote Mobile App which provides registration info along with voting locations and ballot information.

Ardoin says changing your registration couldn’t be faster or easier, and registering for the first time doesn’t take long.

Cut 14 (11) “…possible”

Ardoin says we’ve seen a spike in registration that indicates a lot of enthusiasm for the November ballot…

Cut 15 (12) “interest”

Early voting for the November 3^rd election starts Friday and runs through October 27^th from 8 AM to 7 PM.

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The Saints fell behind 20-3 but clawed back to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 30-27 in overtime. New Orleans tied the game at 20 early in the fourth quarter on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Jared Cook. Coach Sean Payton says that was one of several big plays

cut 16 (23) “the win”

After the TD pass to Cook, the Chargers scored again when when Justin Herbert hit a wide open Mike Williams on a 64-yard touchdown pass. But the Saints came back to tie on a Taysom Hill 8-yard touchdown run. The Chargers could have won it in regulation, but Michael Badgley hit the upright on a 50-yard field goal try.

Will Lutz kicked a 36-yard field goal in O-T and cornerback Marshon Lattimore ended the game when he tackled Williams just shy of the first down marker.

The Saints head into the bye week with a 3-2 record and Payton says they have time to clean up some mistakes

cut 17 (14) “after the bye”

The Saints next game is October 25th versus the Panthers.

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LSU has five days before its next game to fix a defense that’s allowing nearly 500 yards a game. Coach Ed Orgeron has asked his defensive coaches to simplify the defense in the hopes of eliminating the big plays they gave up in their two losses

cut 18 (24) ” all that is” 

The Tigers are coming off a four-point loss to Missouri in a contest that saw the two teams combine to score 86 points. LSU is at Florida this Saturday. The Gators lost last Saturday at Texas A-and-M 41-38. A lot of points are being scored in the SEC this season, but Orgeron says that’s not an excuse for his defense…

cut 19 (22) “.missed assignments”‘

LSU has also struggled to get the running game going. They only rushed for 49 yards against Missouri. But Orgeron says they are still averaging 39 points a game…

cut 20 (25) “.run the football”

A federal judge rules that a high school senior in Washington Parish can repaint a picture of President Donald Trump on school grounds. Jim Shannon has more…

Cut 1 (30) “   I’m Jim Shannon”  

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An 11-year-old took a school bus on a joy ride through north Baton Rouge Sunday morning. Matt Doyle has the story.

cut 2 (29) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

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A federal judge has ruled in favor of a high school senior at Pine High School in Washington Parish after the school board decided to paint over his painting of President Donald Trump at his assigned parking spot. Attorney Yigal Bander represents Ned Thomas and says he’s not surprised by the ruling

Cut 3 (12)  “…United States”   

The painting is part of the school system’s Senior Paint Your Space” program and it received initial approval from the principal at Pine High School. Bander says the superintendent was concerned the painting would create controversy but he says the real controversy started when the picture was painted over with grey paint

Cut 4 (08) “was a problem”

The painting of President Donald Trump had him wearing a stars and stripes bandana and sunglasses. Bander believes the school system got some bad advice on how to handle this…

Cut 5 (10) “…straight forward.”

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Cameron Parish residents are back cleaning up the streets and surveying storm damage for the second time in six weeks. Police Jury VP Scott Trahan says so far it appears Delta was not nearly as destructive as Laura, and any new damage appears to be limited.

Cut 6 (06) “…had.”

Delta made landfall Friday around 6 PM in the small community of Creole.

Trahan says his mom lived 48 years in Cameron before she ever saw a major storm make an impact, that being Rita in 2005…

Cut 7 (08) “…telling”

Louisiana has suffered a record four named storm landfalls this hurricane season. Nationally we’ve had ten named storms make landfall, a record as well.

Trahan says a lot of folks say they’ll be moving back to Cameron despite the storm damage but he’s hearing from some who are still undecided.

Cut 8 (08) “do it”

As of 2019, Cameron had an estimated population of about 7,000 people.

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An 11-year-old Baton Rouge boy faces several charges, including theft of a motor vehicle and aggravated flight, after stealing a school bus and taking it for a joyride. Baton Rouge Police Sergeant L’Jean McKneely says the young boy saw two buses sitting at Progress Head Start in Scotlandville yesterday

Cut 9 (12) “joy ride”

When asked why he did it, McKneely says to boy told detectives he wanted to take it for a ride. He says they were first told about the rogue driver around 9:45 Sunday morning

Cut 10 (12) “…crash”

The bus hit three vehicles, caused one minor injury before it crashed into a tree and a gas line in the city of Central. McKneely says thankfully the kid didn’t do a whole lot of damage.

Cut 11 (09) “…injuries”

The child also faces an aggravated assault charge, because he allegedly tried to strike a vehicle.

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A priest has been arrested and removed from ministry after allegedly having sexual relations with two women at the alter at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Pearl River. A witness captured video of the incident the reportedly involved a half-naked priest and two women in corsets and heels. There were also stage lights and sex toys involved. New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond…

Cut 12 (08) “…actions.”

The former priest, 37-year-old Travis Clark, and the dominatrices, 41-year-old Mindy Dixon a “Satanatrix”   and 23-year-old Melissa “Empress Ming” Cheng were charged with obscenity.

Aymond says he personally consecrated a new altar for the church.

Cut 13 (04) “…burned”

Clark was ordained in 2013 and had been named chaplain of Pope John Paul II High.

This is the second scandal to hit the New Orleans Catholic church in the past few weeks. The other involved another case of priest sexual abuse. Aymond calls the situation challenging.

Cut 14 (11) “…priests”