300-dollar federally boosted unemployment benefits resume tomorrow with a 900-dollar check that will be retroactive to August 1^st. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (26) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

____________________________

Governor Edwards says Phase Two of the economic reopening will likely be extended.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

cut 2 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

_____________________________

Hurricane Laura is expected to strike southwest Louisiana as a Category Three storm. There’s a mandatory evacuation for Cameron Parish, but Cameron’s assistant emergency preparedness director Ashley Buller says many people started leaving last weekend

Cut 3 (11)  “…around here”  

The National Hurricane Center is forecasting a storm surge as much as 13 feet from Sea Rim State Park in Texas to Intracoastal City, Louisiana. The highest surge will be near and east of center. Buller says storm surge is their number one concern…

Cut 4 (11)“ …and water.” 

In 2005, Hurricane Rita flattened nearly every structure in Cameron Parish. Buller says that storm is still fresh in many peoples’ minds

Cut 5 (12)  “…the best”

_________________

300 dollar federally enhanced unemployment benefits will be sent out to qualifying unemployment recipients tomorrow.

Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie says this first payment is retroactive to August 1^st, so expect a much larger than usual payment Wednesday.

Cut 6 (08) “payments”

Starting next week the enhanced benefits will only be an additional 300 dollars a week on top of what you already receive from the state.

Dejoie says over 400,000 people will receive the benefits, but about 87,000 unemployed will not qualify, most of them because they don’t earn enough in-state benefits.

Cut 7 (10) “…plus up.”

Dejoie says that decision was a Labor Department ruling, and not a state decision.

About 20,000 receive over 100 a week from the state but are ineligible because they did not mark down that their unemployment is COVID-related. Dejoie says it could be an oversight on their part.

Cut 8 (08) “email”

The benefits are being funded by FEMA emergency response dollars, and Governor Edwards projects that pot will last about five to six weeks.

______________________________

Governor Edwards says he will likely extend Phase 2 restrictions but the exact details are not known. The current Phase 2 order expires Friday and it keeps most businesses at 50% capacity, bars closed, and masks mandatory.  Edwards says the start of a new school year is one reason for this decision…

Cut 9 (11) “…into contact.”

Edwards says the state will not have the same level of information and data they normally would due to the impact of Marco and Laura on drive-up testing facilities and adds emergency response could result in more viral spread.

Cut 10 (08) “…of super spread.”

Edwards says while the state has seen modest gains, the White House Coronavirus Task Force still believes Louisiana’s COVID metrics are a major concern.

Cut 11 (12) “…expressed some concerns.”

The current order is set to expire on Friday.  Edwards first confirmed the decision during an interview with Brian Haldane on Baton Rouge radio station Talk 107.3.

________________

Hurricane Laura is moving through the Gulf of Mexico with its eyes set for southwest Louisiana, southeast Texas coastline. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Laura is expected to ramp up to a category three storm with maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour…

Cut 12 (08) “…wind shear”

A hurricane warning is in effect San Luis Pass, Texas to Intracoastal City, Louisiana. Hurricane conditions are expected to arrive in this area tomorrow night and Keim says that’s when the heavy rainfall will start as well…

Cut 13 (09) “…southwestern Louisiana” 

Keim says wind speeds at landfall are expected to surpass 100-miles per hour at landfall. The storm is expected to keep moving north at landfall and remain a tropical storm Thursday night in northwest Louisiana.

Cut 14 (10) “ high gusts”

Governor Edwards warns the state to be ready for one of the strongest storms that Louisiana has seen in nearly 15 years.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

________________________________

LSU students are set to begin classes today under the New Normal. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

___________________________________________

Could Tropical Storm Laura impact drivers at the pump? Experts indicate the potential is there. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

______________________________

Governor Edwards warns that Laura could make landfall in Louisiana as a strong Cat 2 hurricane or even a Cat 3.  Edwards says Laura could pack a punch in more than one way as it moves toward the coast.

Cut 4 (07)“…be rain impact.” 

The storm is currently expected to make landfall in southwest Louisiana in the early morning hours of Thursday.

Edwards says the storm has parallels to one of the state’s most historic storms and could be the strongest seen in nearly 15 years.

Cut 5 (09)  “…to Hurricane Rita.”

Edwards says residents need to take the threat seriously and says hurricane parties were already a bad enough idea in years past…

Cut 6 (09) “…their time preparing.”

______________________________

LSU students start classes today, with many returning to in-person education for the first time since March.

LSU Interim President Thomas Galligan says when students walk into their first class they’ll notice a six and a half foot tall Plexiglas shield on the podium separating them from their instructors.

Cut 7 (09) “…protection”

All instructors and students are mandated to wear face coverings while anywhere on campus.

Galligan says the Rec Center is back open at a limited capacity, as is the Student Union and dining options.

Cut 8 (08) “…careful.”

LSU is deploying four COVID testing pods on campus with the aim of providing 24 hours turnarounds on 5,000 tests a day. Galligan says efforts like that prove the administration is serious about safety, but still…

Cut 9 (08) “…reverse.”

Currently, a third of all classes will be all in person, a third will be hybrids, and a third will be online only.

____________________

Most models now have Hurricane Laura heading straight for Cameron Parish and moving directly inland to Lake Charles early Thursday morning.

This development has led to voluntary evacuation recommendations in the region. Calcasieu Emergency Preparedness director Dick Gremillion says it’s not the winds that have them most concerned…

Cut 10 (11) “…ago.”

Gremillion pointed to the flooding that occurred during Hurricane Ike in 2008 and Hurricane Rita in 2005 as possibly similar scenarios.

Lake Charles may not be on the coast but Gremillion says the storm surge still threatens the city due to the marshland to the south, and…

Cut 11 (10) “…Gulf.”

A hurricane watch is in effect for the southwest and south-central state coastline, with a tropical storm watch extending to the mouth of the Mississippi.

Models show Laura sitting just shy of category three strength upon landfall. Gremillion says category threes usually trigger mandatory evacuation orders but…

Cut 12 (10) “…steady.”

Gremillion says if you reside in a travel trailer, unsecured mobile home, or a storm surge area you need to seek other shelter.

_________________________

The drivers may soon feel the impact of Tropical Storm Laura at the pump.  Gas Buddy Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan says the price might inch up in the region and if evacuation orders are issued, that might cause some scarcity.

Cut 13 (11) “…to go around.” 

DeHaan says it could be a matter of days before a noticeable uptick in price hits the pump.  DeHaan adds that wholesale gas prices went up about a nickel per gallon yesterday for most of the country since the states of Texas and Louisiana are home to many of the nation’s refineries.

Cut 14 (09) “…48 hours or so.”

DeHaan says in the event that scarcity does become an issue in the days following the storm, the Gas Buddy app may be able to help in locating operational fuel sources.

Cut 15 (10) “to find fuel.” 

________________________

It may have been a chaotic offseason but Saints Coach Sean Payton says his players are getting back into the groove of normal training camp activities. He says the past few days the emphasis has been less on-field training and more on football IQ.

Cut 16 (18) “…situations” 

Saints rookie interior lineman Cesar Ruiz is locked into a position battle with last year’s second-round selection Erik McCoy over who will get to man the center of the line and who will get kicked out to right guard. Payton says they don’t have a clear idea yet on who will play what position.

cut 17  (11) “…combination” 

The position battle opened up after the Saints released veteran right guard Larry Warford after drafting Ruiz.

McCoy says he’s enjoying the competition and is open to moving to right guard from his native center. He also remarked on how third-string QB, former Tampa star Jamies Winston is adapting to the new playbook and expectations.

Cut 18  (10) “…now”   

The Saints start the season September 13^th at home against the new look Brady-led Bucs.

The competitive race for the 5^th district Congressional seat held by a retiring Congressman Ralph Abraham sees its first TV ad buy. Brooke Thorington has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”  

____________________________

Governor Edwards responded to the new outlook for Marco and Laura, along with good pandemic news at his 1130AM press conference today. Matt Doyle has more…

cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

_____________________________

Louisiana has caught a break with Marco as it’s barely a Tropical Storm as it’ approaches Louisiana’s coast National Weather Service Meteorologist Freddie Zeigler says wind shear and dry air has pushed all of the thunderstorm activity to Florida and Alabama…

Cut 3 (11)  “…activity”  

The forecast calls for Marco to move into Plaquemines and Lower Jefferson Parish this afternoon and then into LaFourche Parish as it continues to weaken.

Zeigler says the bigger concern is with Tropical Storm Laura which is near Cuba. Laura is expected to strengthen as it develops into a Category Two hurricane this week and make landfall along the Lousiana-Texas coast on Wednesday night, Thursday morning. Zeigler says Laura could produce a dangerous storm surge…

Cut 4 (12)“ …Gulf coast.” 

Zeigler says they also expect Laura to be a big storm, which means a large portion of the region could be impacted…

Cut 5 (08)  “…wind field”

_________________

Retiring Congressman Ralph Abraham’s former Chief of Staff Luke Letlow is the first candidate in the 5^th Congressional District race to hit the TV airwaves with ads.

Letlow is reporting a strong 500,000 dollars raised so far in the race. ULM Poli Sci Professor Joshua Stockley says its certainly early for a campaign to start TV ads…

Cut 6 (07) “…risk”

Nine candidates are contending for the vacant seat in the ruby-red district that encompasses large swaths of the northeast and central portions of the state.

Letlows two major Republican opponents are state lawmaker Lance Harris and Police Juror Scotty Robinson. Stockley says Letlow is flexing his frontrunner status.

Cut 7 (12) “…their own.”

The three are likely contending to be the strong favorite in a run-off race with a Democratic candidate.

Stockley says there is some risk in running ads so early in the season considering everyone is distracted by hurricane season, the pandemic, and the Presidential Election.

Cut 8 (11) “October”

The race is on the November 3^rd Presidential ballot, and a likely run-off is set for December 5^th.

______________________________

A police pursuit on LA Highway 82 in St. Mary Parish ends in a fatal crash, leaving two people dead. A Patterson Police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 39-year-old Joseph James of Franklin, but Trooper Thomas Gossen says the driver fled, reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.

Cut 9 (11) “…in the hospital.”

46-year-old Warren Joe Hines and 17-year-old Markqel James, both of Franklin were identified as the passengers. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

A toxicology sample was obtained from the driver. Gossen says it is unclear what motivated James to evade police.

Cut 10 (09) “…with disastrous consequences.”

Gossen says the crash is a grim reminder of the importance of being properly restrained.

Cut 11 (07) “…important as well.”

________________

Governor Edwards says Louisiana is set to dodge the first of what was thought to be a one-two punch from Marco and Laura.

Edwards says projections of strong tropical storm conditions from Marco in southeast Louisiana appear unlikely to become reality.

Cut 12 (08) “…Florida”

Some storm surge along the southeast coast is still expected but rain totals and heavy winds from Marco are projected to be at best localized.

Edwards says with Marco fizzling the state is turning its attention to Laura and taking the storm very seriously ahead of its projected Wednesday night landfall in southwest Louisiana.

Cut 13 (13) “…aircraft” 

Laura is projected to be a strong category two at landfall, but Edwards warns conditions are ripe for it to develop into a major category three hurricane.

The Governor did have some good news: last week the state saw the positivity rate of COVID tests continue to drop.

Cut 14 (09) “left”

Despite the recent decline in COVID transmission Edwards says Louisiana is still around 15^th in the nation for cases per capita and positivity.

Edwards says those bracing for impact from Laura in southwest Louisiana need to recognize the virus is still very much present as they make their plans.

Cut 15 (10) “shelter” 

Lafayette saw multiple large demonstrations over the weekend against the Lafayette Police shooting of 31-year-old Trayford Pellerin. The protests erupted after a witness video of the incident was released…

Cut 1 (32) “I’m Matt Doyle”

_____________________________________

President Trump signs a federal emergency declaration for Louisiana ahead of an expected one-two punch from Tropical Storm Marco and Hurricane Laura this week. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (28) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

___________________________________________

Entergy Louisiana has 3,400 storm workers in place across the state’s coastal areas ready to restore power following the impacts of Marco and Laura.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

______________________________

There were multiple large protests in Lafayette over the weekend against the Friday night police killing of 31-year-old Trayford Pellerin.

A video shows officers following and shooting Pellerin, who was walking with a knife. NAACP Lafayette President Mardja Broussard says there had to be a better way for police to handle this…

Cut 4 (06)“ .person” 

The video appears to show Lafayette police shouting for Pellerin to stop before they begun tazing him to no effect. As he began entering a convenience store at least ten shots were fired, seemingly into Pellerin’s back.

Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory has released a statement in support of the officer’s actions. Broussard calls Guillory a racist mayor.

Cut 5 (08)  “…community”

The incident is now being investigated by State Police.

Broussard notes this is the third Lafayette Police officer-involved shooting in the last five months.

Cut 6 (08) “…front yard”

State Police say the officers were responding to reports of a disturbance at a nearby convenience store when they first approached Pellerin and attempted to taze him. They say he then fled half a mile to the next store before the final, fatal confrontation.

______________________________

Governor Edwards warns Louisiana is set to take a one-two punch from Tropical Storm Marco and Hurricane Laura.

Edwards says the timing of these two storms will create a uniquely difficult search and rescue and power restoration scenario.

Cut 7 (07) “…hours”

Edwards says if your power goes out work to begin restoring it may not be able to begin until later this week.

Edwards thanked President Trump for signing off on his request for a federal emergency declaration.

Cut 8 (10) “…support.”

Edwards cautioned that the Hurricane Center now says Laura could be a category three hurricane when it makes landfall Wednesday afternoon, and the cone of uncertainty covers all of southwest and central Louisiana.

Cut 9 (12) “…images.”

Marco is set to begin impacting the southern portion of the state Monday afternoon, and the effects of Laura are expected to be felt Wednesday.

____________________

Entergy Louisiana has put teams in place across the state’s coastal areas as residents brace for the impacts of Marco and Laura.  Customer Service Vice President Melanie Stewart says there are many complexities that come with preparing for different scenarios with a double storm impact.

Cut 10 (13) “…3400 restorations workers..”

Stewart says with the abundant amount of variables, their team is going to be working twice as hard and customers may need to practice some patience if power is lost.

Cut 11 (09) “…a lot of patience.”

Stewart says there are also logistical challenges that come with COVID-19 spread mitigation measures being incorporated into response operations that may slow things down.

Cut 12 (10) “…and for hours..”

Stewart says call and report a downed powerline and never try to handle it yourself as the line may still have electricity going to it.

_________________________

The Louisiana coast is preparing for the double impact of tropical cyclones this week with the first landfall expected later this evening from Tropical Storm Marco.  State Climatologist Barry Keim says this storm may have weakened in wind intensity last night, but it’ll still be bringing with it storm surge and possible severe weather in outer bands.

Cut 13 (10) “…tomorrow afternoon.”

Keim says we should have a better idea of what to expect from Laura after its interaction with land as it moves through the Carribean.

Cut 14 (13) “…on Wednesday evening.”

Keim says with two storms impacting within such close proximity, the weather community has had quite a challenge in developing forecasts for these storms as well as figuring out how they might influence each other.

Cut 15 (08) “…things like that.”

________________________

Louisiana Tech football coach Skip Holtz calls the three-way battle for starting quarterback a healthy competition. Holtz is impressed with how much respect Aaron Allen, Luke Anthony and Westin Elliot have respect for each other as they compete. Redshift sophomore Aaron Allen says they push each other to get better

Cut 16 (18) “…perform better” 

Senior Westin Elliot has been on campus since 2017 and says whoever wins the job will be able to lead the Bulldogs to victories…

cut 17  (19) “…to win” 

Luke Anthony a graduate transfer from Abilene Christian is the third quarterback in the competition. The Dallas native was a three-year starter for the Wildcats and says he had interest from Power five schools, but knew La Tech was for him…

Cut 18  (20) “…my fit”   

____________________________________________________

The Saints are less than three weeks from the season opener against Tampa Bay and so far so good when it comes to keeping COVID-19 out of the building. Coach Sean Payton says he’s even surprised that the team has stayed virus free

cut 19 (17) “…good way”  

Drew Brees did not practice yesterday. The 41-year-old worked on throwing the deep ball during the offseason with his personal trainer, Todd Durkin. Payton says he’s seen a difference

cut 20 (25) “  throwing motion”  

Colleges and universities will publicly report on-campus COVID-19 case data each week with the total weekly tally of cases appearing on the state’s COVID-19 dashboard. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

____________________________

The National Hurricane Center is forecasting two hurricanes will be in the Gulf of Mexico next week. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

_____________________________

Colleges and universities will publicly report on-campus COVID-19 case data each week. Assistant Health Secretary Dr. Alex Billioux says the main goal is to pinpoint where outbreaks occur in an effort to mitigate further spread.

Cut 3 (11)  “…early as possible.”  

Billioux says it will be a challenge to handle college outbreaks in the same way of dealing with certain types of business or buildings as on a campus, you’ve got both on-campus and off-campus living, sprawling buildings, and a variety of places that could be linked to outbreaks.

Cut 4 (11)“ …to the public.” 

Some colleges, including LSU, are doing their own contact tracing and surveillance efforts. Billioux says state officials are working with school officials to answer any questions they may have and give them policy recommendations.

Cut 5 (10)  “…being paid for.”

The total weekly tally of cases reported by universities will appear on the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.

_________________

An Ochsner anti-body survey of the Baton Rouge region uncovers some unsettling data about COVID-19.

Ochsner Research Scientist Dr. Amy Feehan says they discovered 61 percent of those who tested positive for a contagious infection were not showing symptoms and likely didn’t know they were carrying the virus.

Cut 6 (04) “…or not”

The survey says a demographically representative sample of 2,100 people in the roughly 550,000 person region were tested. The survey provided data similar to what was found in a New Orleans region study that Blacks were three times as likely as whites to get infected.

Feehan says those who reported the loss of smell and taste were eight and a half times more likely to test positive for COVID-19, and it’s no simple allergy season kind of sensory loss…

Cut 7 (10) “…severe.”

During the summer second wave Baton Rouge became a nationally recognized hotspot of COVID transmission, but Feehan says despite that only about 10 percent of the population has antibodies…

Cut 8 (05) “area”

______________________________

There’s the potential for two hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico next week. State Climatologist Barry Keim says one of the storms is expected to enter the Gulf on Sunday after moving over the Yucatan Penisula. Keim says the official forecast track calls for this system to develop into a hurricane as it approaches the Louisiana-Texas coastline

Cut 9 (08) “…very good”

Keim says southwest Louisiana needs to be on guard and so does southeast Louisiana as that part of the state is in the cone of uncertainty for Tropical Storm Laura which will most past south Florida on Monday

Cut 10 (07) “…successive days.”

Weather experts say it’s been since 1933 since there have been two named storms in the Gulf of Mexico.

Laura is expected to make landfall as a hurricane on the northern gulf coast on Wednesday while the other storm system could make landfall in Louisiana or Texas on Tuesday.

Cut 11 (08) “…both of them.”

Heavy rainfall is the greatest threat to the area, with two to six inches forecasted Monday through Thursday. Strong winds and elevated tides are also possible.

________________

A Baton Rouge man who killed a woman in a high-speed wreck last summer after he says God told him to kill himself is found not guilty by reason of insanity. 19-year-old Jack Jordan’s attorney, James Manasseh, says three medical experts observed his client and said he was not of sound mind at the time of the incident, and the district attorney agreed.

Cut 12 (10) “…that time”

Stephanie Payne was idling at a Baton Rouge intersection on July 22^nd when Jordan slammed his vehicle into hers at over 90 miles per hour.

Manasseh says it’s the definition of a tragedy and one no one saw coming from Jordan who was described as a good student on his way to college.

Cut 13 (08) “…tragedy” 

Jordan does not appear to have had a history of drug or alcohol use or a criminal record.

Manasseh says Jordan’s next court hearing is in October.

Cut 14 (11) “…released”

Manasseh says his client is responding well to medication and therapy and has acknowledged that he does have a severe mental illness.

_____________________

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is bracing for the potential of two tropical systems impacting Louisiana next week.  GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele says conference calls with coastal parishes have already begun

Cut 15 (13) “at that time.” 

Steele says the storms are a reminder that it is important for residents to develop a plan of action and shore up their hurricane supply kits with enough supplies to sustain every member of the family for at least three days.

Cut 16 (11) “…things become strained.” 

The 2020 US Census is in its final months, but the Bayou State is in danger of being undercounted due to lack of response. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

_____________________________________

Local governments across the state are suffering big budget shortfalls and the Louisiana Municipal Association says cities and towns are going to need more federal aid before the end of the year. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

___________________________________________

Governor Edwards feels the latest metrics are encouraging, indicating the state is trending in the right direction in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

______________________________

As the deadline to complete the 2020 Census looms, the Bayou State is falling short in responses, which could put the state in danger of losing future funding and possible representation in Congress. U-S Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says the national response rate to the Census is 64-percent and Louisiana is at 58-percent.

Cut 4 (12)“ ..ten years.” 

Ross says if your community is 5-percent undercounted it could be a loss of $15 million over the next decade.

Being undercounted could adversely affect funding for schools, roads, and hospitals and Ross says it could also affect Congressional representation.

Cut 5 (09)  “…that seat.”

You are required by law to answer the Census and Ross says the questionnaire takes 10 minutes to complete, if you do not, you will be personally visited by a Census worker.

Cut 6 (12) “…send it in.”

Census enumerators take a lifelong oath of office and it is a Federal Offense to reveal any personal information obtained during the Census.

______________________________

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin gave emotional and at times teary-eyed testimony at a Senate Committee Thursday over his controversial fall election plan that rolls back the summer’s mail-in balloting options.

Governor Edwards has outright rejected the plan on public health grounds. Ardoin says his plan needs Legislative and Executive support to be implemented or it will head to the courts…

Cut 7 (08) “…this plan.”

Under Ardoin’s the only COVID-related reason for requesting an absentee ballot is if you test positive for the virus during early voting or before Election Day. Edwards says that makes no consideration for those susceptible to the virus, or those ordered to quarantine.

Ardoin says he wishes the Legislature and Governor would agree to a compromise and accept another plan, but until then he feels this proposal has the best chance to be implemented.

Cut 8 (07) “…passed”

There are 74 days until the November Presidential Election and Ardoin says the state can’t afford a protracted partisan dispute over election rules.

Cut 9 (13) “my state”

____________________

The Louisiana Municipal Association calls on Congress to include aid to struggling local governments in the next pandemic relief package.

Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says they’ve been hammered by dual disasters in last year’s tornado and the pandemic. To survive this period they need federal aid.

Cut 10 (10) “…this.”

The National League of Cities estimates 90 percent of municipalities will not be able to meet their budgets. Preliminary figures show a 20-30 percent loss of sales tax revenue nationwide and a 13 percent decline in overall revenue for the current fiscal year.

Woodworth Mayor David Butler says small towns like his are already are tight budgets with little room to cut. They’ve seen a 10-12 percent drop in sales tax revenue, and declining franchise fees.

Cut 11 (10) “…already”

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter expects sales tax revenue to be down 6-12 percent, and gaming revenue, which makes up a large portion of the budget, to be down by up to 15 percent.

Cut 12 (07) “…Lake Charles.”

In Kenner Mayor Ben Zahn says he’s worried about a 20 million dollar shortfall they are facing. He says it is largely due to declining sales tax revenue which makes up 70 percent of the budget.

Cut 13 (12) “badly” 

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor in May estimated 1.1 billion dollars in lost local sales tax revenue.

________________________

Governor Edwards feels the latest metrics are showing the state is trending in the right direction in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.  The state overall has seen its daily percentage of positive tests drop below 10 percent.  Broken down by region, Edwards says four out of nine are testing below that mark.

Cut 14 (11) “…of the state”

On Thursday, the state reported the largest single-day drop in COVID hospitalizations in three months as the total falls to 1,087, down by 73, and marks the first time since July 9^th it has been below 1100.  Edwards says the state has come a long way since the peak hospitalization of 1600 in the last week of July.

Cut 15 (11) “…we currently do” 

With colleges now open across the state, Edwards says it is vital to be transparent and as timely as possible with the accurate reporting of COVID data.

Cut 16 (06) “…by those institutions.” 

_________________________________________________

Saints Safety Malcom Jenkins is trying to win his third Super Bowl ring as he begins his second stint with the Black and Gold. New Orleans drafted Jenkins in 2009 and he won a Super Bowl to cap off his rookie season. He also won a Super Bowl in Philadelphia in 2017. Jenkins says there’s enough talent on this Saints team to win the Lombardi Trophy

cut 17  (21) “…and grow” 

The chemistry of the Saints was challenged in the offseason when Quarterback Drew Brees said he could never agree with anyone who did not stand for the national anthem. Brees later apologized for those comments and Jenkins, who originally said he was hurt by Brees’ comments, says his discussions with Brees brought the team closer

Cut 18  (15) “…no exception”   

____________________________________________________

After watching the Big 10 and PAC 12 suspend football to the fall, LSU safety Jacoby Stevens is cherishing the opportunity to play. Stevens credits Shelly Mullenix, LSU’s Health and Wellness Coordinator for putting a plan in place so the Tigers can take the field next month…

cut 19 (15) “…their system”  

Stevens says he’s been impressed with rookie tight end Arik Gilbert, who was the nation’s number one tight end coming out of high school

cut 20 (20) “  at you”  

American Airlines will suspend flights to 15 smaller US cities starting October 7^th. Matt Doyle spoke with the Lake Charles Regional Airport Director about their inclusion on the list…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

____________________________

Two tropical depressions should have the attention of residents along the Gulf Coast. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

cut 2 (28) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

_____________________________

American Airlines is suspending flights out of Lake Charles from October 7^th through November 3^rd.

American says it the first step in an evaluation of their network, but Lake Charles Regional Airport Director Heath Allen says it’s surprising considering how strongly they’ve bounced back.

Cut 3 (11)  “…percent”  

American has also canceled flights to 14 other smaller US cities through the same period.

Allen says their data indicates they had been filling American flights out of Lake Charles at 70 percent, which is a healthy number right now.

Cut 4 (09)“ …the fall.” 

American received ten billion dollars in federal stimulus funds on the condition that flights and their workforce were maintained. That requirement ends September 30^th. American reported losses of more than two billion in the last quarter.

Allen says thankfully they still have United providing flights to Dallas, but the loss of access to the American network will be difficult to recover from.

Cut 5 (05)  “…away”

_________________

Eight SEC teams have announced their plans for fans at football games this season, with all of them having capacities somewhere between 20 and 25 percent. Governor Edwards expects we will know the situation at Tiger Stadium in the next ten days…

Cut 6 (09) “…26th”

LSU opens the season in Baton Rouge on September 26^th against Mississippi State.

Edwards says the capacity limits won’t just be based on how safely you can space people out in the stadium, but how safely you can move people around the stadium.

Cut 7 (12) “…the game.”

Face coverings will also be mandatory at all SEC games.

Edwards says he is also waiting on plans from ULM, UL Lafayette, and La Tech as well as LSU. He’s confident their proposals will be adequate.

Cut 8 (08) “look like.”

______________________________

All eyes are on the tropics as two tropical depressions are expected to form into named storms today.  State Climatologist Barry Keim says the closest system to Louisiana is tropical depression 14 and is currently getting organized in the Western Caribbean.

Cut 9 (13) “…cone of uncertainty.”

The storm is expected to peak at tropical storm strength.

Keim says the tropical depression 13 is also gaining steam but is about 750 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands in the Atlantic.

Cut 10 (10) “…as a hurricane.”

Keim says both storms are likely to impact the US and Louisiana could be a landing spot for either or both.

Cut 11 (10) “…both of them.”

A tropical wave coming off of Africa is a third area of concern.

________________

The Louisiana Treasury Department announces they returned a record 63-million dollars in unclaimed property for the fiscal year that ended June 30th. State Treasurer John Schroder says the previous record was 52-million dollars, which was set during the previous fiscal year

Cut 12 (11) “…keeps climbing”

Each year millions of dollars in unclaimed cash, such as payroll checks, royalties, and life insurance proceeds are turned over to the State Treasurer’s Office. Schroder says this past year his office returned more than two million dollars to a family in New Orleans and he has another great example

Cut 13 (08) “…$268,000 too” 

Schroder says he’s pleased to set a new record during a pandemic

Cut 14 (10) “…better timing”

About one in four Louisiana students lack access to the internet according to a new report. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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Governor Edwards announces nursing homes will be receiving fast-results tests that should allow more visitation in the next few weeks. Brooke Thorington has more…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington” 

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A court showdown over a proposed fall election plan is getting more likely after a House Committee approves a plan that Governor Edwards has called woefully inadequate. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

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A new report estimates about a quarter of Louisiana students do not have access to the internet to participate in virtual classes.  Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell says the findings are deeply concerning, adding that in her district, it’s about 46% who are without internet.

Cut 4 (09)“ …it move forward.” 

Additionally, 42% of students are without high-speed broadband access that would allow for multiple users in a home to do virtual learning.

Among the ways school districts have attempted to patch the lack of internet access is through the distribution of Wi-Fi hotspots that work off of cellular data.  Mizell says the hotspots puts the state in a much better position than it was at the beginning of the pandemic, but it’s not a reliable long-term solution…

Cut 5 (07)  “…solution?  Absolutely not.”

Mizell says the lack of rural broadband has a much wider impact that stretches beyond virtual education.

Cut 6 (13) “…have no broadband.”

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Governor Edwards expects in a few weeks it will be a lot easier to see your loved ones in nursing homes once new, fast-acting testing equipment is delivered.

Edwards says in the near future nursing homes will be able to more easily accept visitors thanks to the new equipment.

Cut 7 (08) “…visitation.”

Nursing homes have been mostly locked down to non-staff and medical personnel since the pandemic began.

Edwards says the process has already begun, but he doesn’t have an exact date on when your local nursing home will have the capability to conduct these tests.

Cut 8 (11) “…weeks”

Edwards says he understands the strain this has placed on nursing home residents and their family but until the testing equipment is available…

Cut 9 (10) “circumstance”

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Governor John Bel Edwards signs an executive order that sets the state’s goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by 28% by 2025, 50% by 2030, and achieve net-zero by 2050. Policy director for Audubon Louisiana Brent Newman says it’s a historic moment

Cut 10 (10) “…the executive order.”

He says the plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is a doable feat and a new Climate Initiatives Task Force will lead the way.

Cut 11 (10) “…own unique strategy.”

Without action, experts estimate Louisiana could lose as much as 4,000 square miles of coastal land over the next 50 years, based on the rates of sea-level rise, which is indirectly influenced by rates of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Newman says it will be important to get industry on board.

Cut 12 (11) “…of the solution.”

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Louisiana’s guidelines for the fall election are appearing more likely to have to be settled in court after a House committee passes a plan Governor Edwards vows to reject.

Barry Ivey was the lone Republican to vote against the plan Wednesday in committee. He warns if the Governor and Legislature can’t agree it could lead to messy litigation.

Cut 13 (13) “is now” 

Under the plan submitted by the Secretary of State and approved 8-6 by House and Governmental Affairs, the only COVID-related reason for requesting an absentee ballot is if you test positive for the virus during early voting or before Election Day. Edwards says that makes no consideration for those susceptible to the virus, or those ordered to quarantine.

Ivey says instead of sending the issue to court the Legislature needs to cease advancing the Secretary of State’s plan and negotiate a deal with the Governor, or the end result is inevitable.

Cut 14 (04) “…to me”

Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s plan needs approval by the House, Senate, and Governor to be put into place.

Ardoin says his proposal probably isn’t the best plan, but it was the only one that could pass the Legislature. Ivey says it fails the basic legal requirement to provide a safe voting environment.

Cut 15 (12) “…the law”

The issue will next be taken up Thursday in a Senate committee. There are only 75 days until the November 3^rd Presidential Election.

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Myles Brennan finally gets his chance to lead LSU’s offense. Brennan has been with the Tigers since 2017. Since that time there’s been a new head coach, three different offensive coordinators and now COVID-19. But Brennan says having Steve Ensminger, a former LSU quarterback, as his offensive coordinator is reassuring

Cut 16 (19) “ really nice” 

Brennan stands at six-foot-four, 220 pounds as he enters his junior season. The Mississippi native says he’s added 45 pounds since his freshman season.

In today’s college football, many quarterbacks look to transfer if they don’t play right away, but Brennan says he knew he would eventually get his chance with the purple and gold

cut 17  (25) “…that position” 

Brennan becomes one of the leaders of the team since he’s taking over as starting quarterback. He says it’s a role he gladly accepts

Cut 18  (25) “…whole time”   

Governor Edwards addresses spread mitigation concerns related to students heading back to school. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (27) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

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Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin went before the House Governmental Affairs Committee today and defended his fall election plan that the Governor says he will reject because it doesn’t go far enough. Matt Doyle has more.

cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

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The reopening of schools and colleges is expected to further complicate managing the spread of COVID-19. Governor Edwards says the Louisiana Department of Health is working closely with the Department of Education on monitoring the coronavirus by creating a COVID-19 reporting system.

Cut 3 (12)  “…districts and principles.”  

Edwards says the schools are not the only reporting entities that are important in the spread mitigation efforts and encourages parents to monitor children for symptoms.

Cut 4 (10)“ …is absolutely false.” 

Edwards says his message to college students is clear and asks them to be careful in how they celebrate the new school year. Edwards encourages them to take into consideration spread mitigation efforts that may or may not be happening at a gathering and really think it over if it isn’t safe.

Cut 5 (07)  “…to be safe.”

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Two former LSU students told USA Today that former Tigers running back Derrius Guice raped them in 2016 when the Baton Rouge native was a freshman. LSU beat reporter Glen Guilbeau for the USA Today Network says the investigative story found that the women reported the allegations to multiple people at LSU, but…

Cut 6 (07) “…charges”

The story by Nancy Armour and Kenny Jacoby claim two coaches, an athletics administrator and nurse were told about the alleged assault. Guice’s attorney says the accusations are not true.

The Washington Football Team recently released Guice after he was arrested on domestic violence charges. Guilbeau says the USA Today reporters were working on this investigative piece before Guice was arrested…

Cut 7 (08) “…that happened.”

Guice was a second-round pick in 2018 by Washington. He’s only played in five games in the NFL because of injuries. But Guilbeau says Guice might not football play again

Cut 8 (09) “…that much longer.”

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The Legislature is considering Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s election plan for the fall elections that Governor Edwards calls woefully inadequate. The proposal scales back the vote by mail options compared to what the state had for the summer elections. Ardoin on why this election plan is different…

Cut 9 (12) “…be it”

Under Ardoin’s plan, the only COVID-related reason for requesting an absentee ballot is that if you test positive for the virus during early voting or before Election Day.

Edwards says the proposal does not allow people who have to quarantine to receive a mail-in a ballot or make any consideration for individuals who are susceptible to the virus.

Bogalusa Representative Malinda White believes Ardoin should have worked  with Governor Edwards on an election plan that protects public health.

Cut 10 (08) “…court”

White noted that the Secretary of State did not report any instances of fraud stemming from the mail-in ballot policies of the summer elections. Ardoin says only two percent of absentee ballots cast in the July election were from voters who used COVID-19 as a reason.

Ardoin says he’s been pressured by both sides to change the plan implemented in the summer, and he feels this is a compromise.

Cut 11 (13) “…i do?.”

White questions whether Ardoin wants a plan that has consensus support.

Cut 12 (13) “….finished”

Ardoin says he’s not changing his election plan and Governor Edwards doesn’t support it, so Louisiana’s election guidelines for this public health emergency could be decided by the courts.

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Total jobs lost in the first half of this year are nearly double the number the state saw after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. That’s according to U-L Lafayette Economist Gary Wagner, who says the total number of jobs has dropped by more than 10-percent in 2020.

Cut 13 (11) “…significant number” 

On a positive note, Wagner says he does expect to see job growth in the second half of 2020, but not enough to offset the job losses for the first half of the year.

Cut 14 (06) “…half of the year”

Louisiana’s economy has seen one of the sharpest drops in the nation, only Michigan, New York, Nevada, and Hawaii have seen larger economic downturns. As for a return to a pre-COVID-economy in Louisiana, Wagner has a prediction.

Cut 15 (06) “if not later” 

Today and tomorrow, lawmakers will discuss Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s plan for the November Presidential election and December run-offs. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (33) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

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The new round of federally enhanced unemployment checks are expected to go out next week but 87,000 unemployed Louisianans will not be eligible. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

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Small businesses that received previous federal aid can now receive funds through the Louisiana Main Street Recovery Program. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Brooke Thorington”  

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The House Governmental Affairs Committee meets today to discuss Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s plan for the November Presidential election and December run-offs. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Sam Jenkins of Shreveport says he does not like that the plan has greater restrictions on who can vote by mail from what was allowed during the summer elections.

Cut 4 (08)“ ..the present stage.” 

The only COVID-related reason for requesting an absentee ballot for the November and December elections is that if you test positive for the virus during early voting or before Election Day.

Governor Edwards says he will reject Ardoin’s plan as he calls it woefully inadequate. Edwards says it does not expand mail-in balloting options for individuals who have to quarantine or those who are vulnerable to the disease.

Jenkins also does not like that Ardoin’s plan calls for ten days of early voting, when there were 13 days fo early voting for the summer elections.

Cut 5 (09)  “…should be going.”

Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt, chairwoman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, does not see any issues with Ardoin’s proposal.  Hewitt says elderly voters, who are the most susceptible to poor health outcomes from COVID, have always been allowed to request an absentee ballot.

Cut 6 (11) “…voting in person.”

Louisiana already allows people 65 or older to use mail-in voting. People who are hospitalized can also request an absentee ballot.

Hewitt says constituents have told her they felt safe with the way in-person summer elections were handled and says the current plan would account for spread mitigation efforts that would encourage more in-person voting.

Cut 7 (08) “…vote in person.”

The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee will consider the proposal on Thursday.

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The slogan for the Democratic Party virtual National Convention is “Build Back Better.” Louisiana Democratic Party Executive Director Stephen Handwerk says it’s a roadmap to a better economic system.

Cut 8 (11) “…right now.”

The Louisiana GOP says the Biden-Harris ticket is too left-wing to be allowed to win. Handwerk says they’ are pitching the two this week as moderates, not progressives.

Cut 9 (10) “not”

Former President Bill Clinton was the headline speaker last night. Former President Barack Obama will headline tonight. The nominee and former VP Joe Biden will speak Thursday night.

The party has passed its 2020 policy platform, including stronger language affirming a woman’s right to access an abortion. Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards chose not to sign the platform for that reason

Cut 10 (06) “…Democrat”

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In a reversal, the Trump Administration is now excluding 87,000 of the state’s 450,000 unemployment recipients from the upcoming round of 300-dollar federally enhanced weekly benefits.

Governor Edwards says each recipient must now receive at least 100 dollars in weekly unemployment from the state to qualify.

Cut 11 (06) “…right now”

Last week Edwards told reporters that the Labor Department had ruled that as long as the state averaged over 100 dollars of weekly benefits per recipient everyone would qualify.

Edwards wants it to be known that this was not the state’s decision to exclude those 87,000.

Cut 12 (08) “now.”

The Governor expects the first of those federally enhanced benefit checks will be sent sometime next week.

Cut 13 (10) “…certain.” 

The benefits are being funded by FEMA emergency response dollars and are expected to last six weeks at most.

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All qualifying small businesses can now receive grant money from the Main Street Recovery Program. State Treasurer John Schroder says there has been some confusion about the grant program which can provide up to $15,000 in reimbursement for COVID-19 related losses.

Cut 14 (09) “…are true.”

The Legislature set aside $275 million from the CARES Act for the Louisiana Main Street Recovery Program and small businesses that had not received previous funding were prioritized. That restriction was lifted this week.

Schroder says small businesses can apply for a Quick Relief grant of up to $5,000 or an Itemized Cost Reimbursement grant of up to $15,000.

Cut 15 (11) “…any back.”

Schroder says while the grants are being distributed on a first come first serve basis, he expects to receive enough applications by the end of the week that would distribute approximately half of the $275 million.

Cut 16 (09) “ our hotline” 

For more information go to  www.louisianamainstreet.com

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LSU football Coach Ed Orgeron says a couple of his players tested positive for COVID-19 when the team began preseason camp on Monday. Orgeron says the infected players must isolate at least 10 days after a positive test before they can return. Orgeron credits LSU’s director of wellness, Shelly Mullenix, for putting a solid COVID-19 mitigation plan in place

cut 17  (16) “…proper care” 

Orgeron says he’s confident they’ll play this season and he says it’s the right thing to do. He’s also excited to see the students back on campus

Cut 18  (20) “…play football”   

Orgeron says the Tigers are prepared as the offense and defense have been installed. He says during quarantine he spent many nights alone at the LSU football operations in disbelief with what was going on…

cut 19 (20) “…for sure”