The state’s largest hospital system plans to require all employees to be vaccinated for COVID in the near future. Brooke Thorington has more…
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Governor Edwards will hold a media briefing today at 3 PM to provide an update on the state’s current fourth surge in cases. And at noon, the state health department will announce the second round of winners of Shot at a Million. Two more Louisiana residents will win 100-thousand dollars each, one as a cash prize and one in scholarship money.

The state health department reported 28-hundred new COVID-19 cases yesterday. The number of COVID patients hospitalized is up to 913. That’s an increase of over 600 in two months. And the personal finance website-Wallethub ranks Louisiana as the least safe state in the country when it comes to COVID. Wallethub analyst Jill Gonzales…
cut 4 (13) “…most of them”

A 36 billion dollar settlement with opioid distributors and manufacturers will direct 325 million dollars to Louisiana over the next 18 years to help address the impacts of the opioid epidemic. Attorney General Jeff Landry says the agreement was struck with Johnson and Johnson, McKesson, Cardinal, and AmerisourceBergen.
Cut 7 (07) “…crisis.”
The CDC estimates 841,000 Americans died of an opioid overdose between 1999 and 2019.

Louisiana will receive about 325 million dollars over the next two decades as part of a nationwide settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

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The state’s largest hospital system plans to require all employees to be vaccinated for COVID in the near future. Brooke Thorington has more…

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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The State Republican Party is threatening repercussions for Republican lawmakers who broke rank during the veto session. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Matt Doyle.” 

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Louisiana is seeing rising cases and hospitalizations as it’s going through a Delta-fueled COVID surge and according to the personal finance website WalletHub, Louisiana is the least safe state in the country. WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzales says this is due to Louisiana’s poor performance in five key areas.

Cut 4 (13) “…most of them.”

Gonzales says that Louisiana’s rise in Covid deaths is due to the state’s low number of people getting vaccinated.

Cut 5 (08) “…death rate.”

The state has said 97-percent of COVID deaths since February are from unvaccinated patients. Gonzales also believes that higher vaccination rates could ultimately help the state’s economy.

Cut 6 (08) “…in person.”

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A 36 billion dollar settlement with opioid distributors and manufacturers will direct 325 million dollars to Louisiana over the next 18 years to help address the impacts of the opioid epidemic.

Attorney General Jeff Landry says the agreement was struck with Johnson and Johnson, McKesson, Cardinal, and AmerisourceBergen.

Cut 7 (07) “…crisis.” 

The CDC estimates that nationwide 841,000 Americans died of an opioid overdose between 1999 and 2019. Landry says while the settlement is appreciated…

Cut 8 (07) “…crisis.”

A Landry-backed plan to use the money to fund an expansion in drug courts was vetoed by Governor Edwards. Landry says they’re now looking to work with local governments one on one…

Cut 9 (08) “…addicted.”

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The nation’s largest hospital association is calling for all hospital staff to be vaccinated as COVID cases surge once again across the country. And the state’s largest hospital system, says they plan to follow the recommendation of the American Hospital Association. Ochsner Health CEO Warner Thomas….

Cut 10 (12) “…the FDA.” 

At this time none of the three COVID vaccines used in the U-S have received full approval from the FDA, and it’s unclear when they will be approved. Ochsner says 61-percent of staff are vaccinated and the new restrictions will be added soon for the remaining 39-percent of staff.

Thomas says they are presently forgoing requiring mandatory vaccines for staff for fear of legal repercussions, but once full approval is authorized it will be enforced.

Thomas says, as for their patients, approximately 97-percent of admissions with COVID are unvaccinated.

Cut 11 (06) “…population.”

Ochsner, like other healthcare facilities in the state, has updated their visitation policies amid the surge in cases.  Thomas says as COVID hospitalizations increase, it’s weighing on staff as the facility continues to stay open for Non-COVID patients as well.

Cut 12 (06) “…surge.” 

Thomas says the decision to require staff to be fully vaccinated has been influenced by the hospital system’s high rate of unvaccinated patients being admitted with COVID complications.

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Louisiana Republican Party Chairman Louis Gervich threatened that there will be consequences for the failure to override any of the Governor’s vetoes during the recent session.

Gervich threatened recalls and suggested there be electoral challenges against Republicans who broke rank. LSU Shreveport Political Science Professor Jeffery Sadow…

Cut 13 (05) “…2023.”

Three Republican Senators changed their regular session support for “constitutional carry” legislation and one didn’t show up for the vote. On the transgender athlete bill one Republican House member joined with Democrats in voting against the veto override.

Gervich also threatened action against Speaker Clay Schexnayder if he doesn’t immediately replace all Democratic House Committee chairs. Sadow says that may sound extreme, but…

Cut 14 (10) “…unusual.”

Sadow says he’s received impressions from Republicans in the Legislature that removing Schexnayder would be difficult to accomplish, and that the Speaker left the session with more GOP support after having Democrats who committed to overriding the transgender ban veto back out at the last second.

Sadow says the likely outcome from this veto override session is that things will get much more partisan from here on out.

Cut 15 (07)“…Democrats.”

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Southeastern Louisiana is the preseason favorite to win the Southland football title based on the league’s preseason poll. The Lions return senior quarterback Cole Kelley, who won the Walter Payton award last spring which goes to the best player in the FCS. Lions Coach Frank Scelfo says the team’s motto for this season is to be bold…

Cut 16 (14) “…make it happen.”

The Lions received eight first-place votes, while Nicholls received four first-place votes and is expected to finish in second place. The Colonels and are coming off a spring season where they went four and three. Coach Tim Rebowe believes his team has learned from that experience

Cut 17 (13) …guys know.” 

McNeese has been picked to finish fourth, while Northwestern State is projected to finish fifth in the six-team conference.

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Louisiana Tech will have a good battle for starting quarterback when the Bulldogs begin preseason camp. Aaron Allen and Luke Anthony took most of the snaps last season, but Anthony suffered a major leg injury in the final regular-season game. Coach Skip Holtz says Anthony had another surgery, which is when he went out and signed Austin Kendall…

Cut  18 (21)”…experience.”

ULM football coach Terry Bowden made his first appearance at Sun Belt Media Days yesterday. Bowden understands he has a big job in front of him after the Warhawks win winless in 2020, but he’s in it for the long haul…

Cut 19 (25) “..another job.” 

The Ragin Cajuns are picked to win the Sun Belt West Division after winning 10 games last year. But Coach Billy Napier says this is a new season and he has a different team on his hands….

Cut 20 (19)  “…rookie group.” 

The veto session’s failure to override legislation to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports is a victory for the transgender community. President of Louisiana Trans Advocates Dylan Waguespack says when the final vote failed to reach a two-thirds majority in the House he was both excited and relieved.

Cut 3 (08) “…needed.” 

Governor Edwards was open about the full-court press his administration put on to preserve his veto of the transgender athlete ban bill despite complaints from some Republicans and conservative activists. Edwards says he used every tool in his belt because the transgender ban was discriminatory and bad for business in Louisiana.

Cut 13 (09) “…promises”

The House was two votes shy of a two-thirds majority needed to override the veto.

The Rolling Stones will make a special visit to Jazz Fest on Wednesday, October 13^th. Festival producer Quint Davis says the Stones have been itching to play the iconic festival and since the disastrous 1969 show in Altamont, they really haven’t played many…

Cut 10 (10) “..stadium.”

Tickets go on sale next Friday.

The Joint Budget Committee has approved a new naming rights deal for the Superdome. The iconic sports stadium is now the Caesars Superdome. Contract terms are not finalized, but Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt learns that all of the money generated from the new naming rights deal will go to the Saints

Cut 6 (11) “…correct.”

The Saints say all of the money from the naming rights deal will go towards renovations of the state-owned building.

President of Louisiana Trans Advocates Dylan Waguespack says while the community is celebrating now he fully expects the Legislature will once again attempt to ban transgender athletes from girls and women’s sports next year. Waguespack says they expect bill author Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell to present the bill again in the next session.

Cut 4 (12) “…a while”

The bill had 68 votes in the House, just two shy of the two thirds needed to overturn the Governor’s veto. Governor Edwards wasn’t shy about celebrating his win, saying Republicans who complained about him pressuring lawmakers into supporting his veto are being hypocritical…

Cut 12 (10) “..politics”

Edwards says he was light on threats but not light on promises.

The Rolling Stones have been added to this year’s already stacked Jazz Fest lineup. Kevin Barnhart has more…

Cut 2 (28)…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

The majority of the state is now in the red zone for COVID community spread as the highly contagious Delta variant fuels a 4^th wave of the pandemic locally. COVID-related hospitalizations are up over 900 now and the graph showing the rate of hospitalizations seems to be sharper than at any time other than the first month of the pandemic. 28-hundred new cases were reported today as well.  

The veto session’s failure to override legislation to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports is a victory for the transgender community. President of Louisiana Trans Advocates Dylan Waguespack says the transgender sports bill, which is being pushed in other conservative states, was just two votes shy of becoming law in Louisiana.

Cut 5 (08) “…so hard.”

Governor Edwards was open about the full-court press his administration put on to preserve his veto of the transgender athlete ban bill. Some Republicans and conservative activists however have complained but Edwards indicated the complaints about his lobbying efforts are hypocritical.

Cut 14 (10) “…today” 

The veto session failed to override any of the governor’s 28 vetoes of GOP authored legislation.

The Joint Budget Committee has approved a new naming rights deal for the Superdome. The iconic stadium is now the Caesars Superdome. During the meeting, lawmakers received a rendering of what signage will look like with Caesar’s name on the Dome. Monroe Senator Katrina Jackson is not a fan

Cut 7 (08) “…cartoony”

Contract terms are not finalized, and the Saints says they will use money from the deal to go towards stadium renovations on the state-owned building.

The Rolling Stones will make a special visit to Jazz Fest on Wednesday, October 13^th. Festival producer Quint Davis says this long-awaited trip to Jazz Fest is two years in the making after the rock and roll legends first had to cancel their planned appearance in 2019…

Cut 9 (13) “…pandemic.”

Tickets go on sale July 30^th.

The House failed to override vetoed legislation banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports on Wednesday. Brooke Thorington has more from an advocate for the transgender community.

Cut 1 (31) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

The Delta-fueled COVID surge continues to get worse with the state reporting another 28-hundred positive cases coming in along with another sharp rise in COVID related hospitalizations, now over 900. 

The Joint Budget Committee has approved a new naming rights deal for the Superdome. Caesars’ naming rights deal is for 20-years and worth an estimated 138-million dollars according to reports. Evans Holmes for ASM Global, which manages the Dome, says those dollars replace the need for a subsidy from the state….

Cut 8 (11) “…state subsidy.”

The Saints say all of the money from the naming rights deal will go towards renovations of the state-owned building.

The Rolling Stones are heading into New Orleans for Jazz Fest, playing a special Wednesday edition of the iconic festival on October 13^th. Festival producer Quint Davis says adding the Stones to this year’s already stacked lineup just elevates the festival to a whole other level nationally and internationally.

Cut  11 (09) “… little bit.” 

Governor Edwards was open about the full-court press his administration put on to preserve his veto of the transgender athlete ban bill despite complaints from some Republicans and conservative activists. Edwards says he used every tool in his belt because the transgender ban was discriminatory and bad for business in Louisiana.

Cut 13 (09) “…promises”

The veto session’s failure to override the veto to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports is a victory for the transgender community. President of Louisiana Trans Advocates Dylan Waguespack says when he heard the final vote in the House Wednesday it was a relief.

Cut 3 (08) “…needed.” 

The house failed to reach a two-thirds majority required for the override by two votes.

The Joint Budget Committee has approved a new naming rights deal for the Superdome. The iconic sports stadium is now the Caesars Superdome. Contract terms are not finalized, but Slidell Senator Sharon Hewitt learns that all of the money generated from the new naming rights deal will go to the Saints

Cut 6 (11) “…correct.”

The Saints say all of the money from the naming rights deal will go towards renovations of the state-owned building.

The Rolling Stones will make a special visit to Jazz Fest on Wednesday, October 13^th. Festival producer Quint Davis says the Stones have been itching to play the iconic festival and since the disastrous 1969 show in Altamont, they really haven’t played many…

Cut 10 (10) “..stadium.”

Tickets go on sale next Friday.

President of Louisiana Trans Advocates Dylan Waguespack says the transgender community is celebrating the defeat of the transgender athlete ban, but is aware that this is a conflict that likely will not be going away. Waguespack says they expect bill author Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell to present the bill again in the next session.

Cut 4 (12) “…a while”

The override failed by just two votes in the House and Governor Edwards was not shy about all the work that went into making sure that happened.

Edwards was asked about complaints from conservative activists that he unfairly pressured lawmakers into supporting his veto…

Cut 12 (10) “..politics”

Edwards says he was light on threats but not light on promises.

The Rolling Stones have been added to this year’s already stacked Jazz Fest lineup. Kevin Barnhart has more…

Cut 2 (28)…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

The state’s 4^th surge continues in full swing with Louisiana reporting 2,843 new COVID cases and now 913 COVID-related hospitalizations.

The veto session’s failure to override legislation to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports is a victory for the transgender community. President of Louisiana Trans Advocates Dylan Waguespack says when the final vote failed to reach a two-thirds majority in the House he was both excited and relieved.

Cut 3 (08) “…needed.” 

Governor Edwards says the bill unfairly targets children who are going through unique challenges and offers solutions to an issue that does not exist in Louisiana.

But Louisiana Family Forum President Gene Mills says transgender athletes pose a threat to women’s sports and he’s disappointed House members did not rise to the occasion and remedy the issue.

Cut 16 (09) “…(x2) away.”

The Senate vetoed the bill with a two-thirds majority vote, but the House missed a two-thirds majority by two votes.

The Joint Budget Committee has approved a new naming rights deal for the Superdome. The iconic stadium is now the Caesars Superdome. During the meeting, lawmakers received a rendering of what signage will look like with Caesar’s name on the Dome. Monroe Senator Katrina Jackson is not a fan

Cut 7 (08) “…cartoony”

Contract terms are not finalized, and the Saints says they will use money from the deal to go towards stadium renovations on the state-owned building.

The Rolling Stones will make a special visit to Jazz Fest on Wednesday, October 13^th. Festival producer Quint Davis says this long-awaited trip to Jazz Fest is two years in the making after the rock and roll legends first had to cancel their planned appearance in 2019…

Cut 9 (13) “…pandemic.”

Tickets go on sale July 30^th.

The veto session is over and state lawmakers did not override any of the governor’s 28 vetoes from the 2021 legislative session. An effort to overturn the governor’s rejection of a transgender sports ban bill failed by two votes in the Louisiana House. Seventy votes were needed. Louisiana Family Forum President Gene Mills…
cut 14 (10) “….back home”
There were six Democratic lawmakers and one Independent legislator who voted against the override after voting for the bill during the regular session. Political analyst Clancy Dubos says this historic veto override session established an expectation that finding 26 votes in the Senate and 70 in the House will be difficult for Republicans.
Cut 11 (10) “…veto sessions.”

Starting in August unemployed Louisianans will no longer get 300 dollar federally boosted unemployment payments. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

The state health department reported 5,388 new coronavirus cases yesterday. Director of Infection Control and Prevention at Ochsner Doctor Katherine Baumgarten says 94-percent of the cases and 97-percent of the deaths since February are from unvaccinated patients…
cut 7 (09) “….they’re our family members”