The state reported nearly six thousand new COVID-19 cases on Friday. Governor Edwards says for the last couple of days 28-percent of all new cases are in children and this is troubling with schools re-opening…
cut 3 (15) “…of last year”

39-year-old Jessica Cooper of Lake Charles is among the nearly three thousand people hospitalized in Louisiana with COVID. The single mom has an eleven-year-old daughter named Justus. Since her child is not eligible to be vaccinated, Cooper made the hard choice for Justus to learn virtually this year…
cut 5 (14) “….breathe”

Flu shots are now available at all Walmart Pharmacies in Louisiana. Walmart Health and Wellness Director Mohamed Salem says even though flu season is still weeks away, now is the time to get protected…
cut 11 (11) “…flu shot”
Salem says you can get the flu shot and the COVID vaccine during the same visit at one of their pharmacies.

Get ready for a hot weekend, with high temperatures in the mid-90s and heat indices reaching 110-degrees for some parts of the state. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a high-pressure system is settling in over the region and it is pushing tropical storm systems away from the Gulf of Mexico.
Cut 13 (11) “…temperatures”

COVID hospitalizations have fallen below 3,000, but COVID-related deaths remain high, another 67 Louisianans were added to the statewide today for fatalities. It was 18 days ago when the Governor reissued a statewide mask mandate.

Ochsner has administered about 9,700 monoclonal antibody treatments to COVID patients across New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and the Northshore. Ochsner Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Hart says they’ve received additional help from paramedics in running their infusion suites and can now offer the treatment within a day or two of qualification.

Cut 7 (08) “…down”  

Ochsner Health CEO Warner Thomas says the treatment has been highly effective.

While there’s lots of focus on being vaccinated for COVID, healthcare professionals are also reminding the public to remember to get their annual flu shot. In order to make the process for both as convenient as possible Walmart Market Health and Wellness Director Mohamed Salem says you can do both at any of their stores.

Cut 9 (10) “…Louisiana.”

Salem says another convivence the store has added is the ability to schedule an appointment for your shots and it’s only a click away.

We’ll see some of the highest heat indexes of the year this weekend with temps around 110 degrees in South Louisiana.

State Climatologist Barry Keim says we’ve been lucky to hate some recent storms keep the temperatures down but that won’t be the case for the next few days.

Cut 12 (12) “…sun” 

Heat indexes in north Louisiana will be lower due to the lack of humidity, but still at or over 100 degrees.

9,700 monoclonal antibody treatments have been administered by Ochsner in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and the Northshore. Of that 9,700 COVID patients only 27 were admitted to the hospital, and while that is an impressive number System Hospital Quality Director Dr. Sandra Kemmerly warns it is not a permanent solution…

Cut 8 (12) “..sustainable”y

At Ochsner’s Lafayette facility about 300 to 400 treatments are administered a week.

COVID may be the dominant virus in Louisiana but the flu is still around, and flu season is on its way. Walmart Market Health and Wellness Director Mohamed Salem says don’t procrastinate, schedule an appointment today.

Cut  11 (11) “…flue shot.”  

The Little League World Series begins today and Lafayette Little League is repping the Bayou State in this year’s 16 team tournament. Lafayette Little’s head coach Steven Menard says the core of this team has been together for years and they’ve grown accustomed to the bright lights and high-level competition.

Cut 14 (11) “…ESPN.”

No international teams will be in attendance at this year’s tournament due to the pandemic. Lafayette takes on South Dakota today at 4 PM on ESPN.

COVID-related hospitalizations declined for the second day in a row now under 3,000 total, but COVID-related deaths remain high, another 67 Louisianans reported dead today. 

A 39-year old single mom who works in disaster recovery is now dependent on healthcare workers as she fights to breathe with COVID at Baton Rouge General. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (387) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

About 90 percent of Louisianans hospitalized with COVID are unvaccinated.

Ochsner has administered about 9,700 monoclonal antibody treatments to COVID patients across New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and the Northshore. Ochsner CEO Warner Thomas says the treatments have been highly effective.

Cut 6 (11) “..vaccinated” 

At Ochsner’s Lafayette facility Thomas estimates they are administering about 300 to 400 treatments a week.

CLECO customers can expect to see higher than average power bills due to a number of factors including last year’s historic hurricane season. CLECO President Shane Hilton says if you need assistance there are several options to help you pay your bill. He encourages you to call CLECO or visit their website.

Cut 12 (11) “…the year.”  

The Saints second preseason game is Monday night and quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill have yet to separate themselves as they battle for the starting job. Winston says the competition has not produced any animosity between the two…
cut 29 (23) “…individually”

LSU cornerback Derek Stingley junior has missed most of training camp with an unspecified injury and because of that Coach Ed Orgeron says any plans to play Stingley on offense has been shelved. Stingley is expected to be ready for the season opener.

The Saints say ticket holders who do not want to attend games this season can get a refund. But the Bond Commission voted to delay 28-million dollars in financing for Superdome improvements. Attorney General Jeff Landry says the franchise should give fans the opportunity to opt-out, just like last year…
cut 30 (10) “…entire time”
Landry disagrees with the vaccine requirement to attend Saints games.

An all-star team out of Lafayette competes in the Little League World Series today. Coach Steven Menard’s squad has won its last four games by a combined score of 29-3…
cut 15 (10) “…coming back”
The Louisiana Little Leaguers will play South Dakota at 4 PM.

On Thursday the state reported 3,013 COVID hospitalizations and 91-percent of those patients are unvaccinated. 5,550 new COVID cases were also added to the tally along with 58 new fatalities.

One of those patients that’s is hospitalized is 39-year-old Jessica Cooper.  She works in disaster relief for the 2016 floods, Cooper is in the ICU at Baton Rouge General. She’s a single mom from Lake Charles and wasn’t vaccinated because it would require her to be off medication for several weeks in order for the vaccine to be effective.

Cut 4 (12) “…attacks quick.”

Cooper encourages those who are able to get vaccinated and do so as soon as possible. Governor John Bel Edwards will hold his weekly COVID press conference today at 1:30.

A long-term study of the impacts of just one year of early childhood education shows getting four-year-olds in pre-K programs can have a huge impact on their academic success. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.” 

The Little League World Series kicks off today and Lafayette Little’s head coach Steven Menard says they’re a resilient team that really came together after a tough game in the State Championship against South Lake Charles.

Cut 13 (08) “…for us.”

Lafayette’s first game will be at 4 PM against South Dakota.

Governor Edwards provides another COVID-19 briefing at 1:30 today. There are over three thousand hospital beds in Louisiana occupied by COVID patients. 39-year-old Jessica Cooper is one of them…
cut 6 (10) “…the vaccine”

A Council for a Better Louisiana study shows just one year of early childhood education can substantially boost long-term academic success. CABL President Barry Erwin says they compared the effects of just one year of pre-K compared to no pre-k and saw a big difference.
Cut 7 (07) “….high school.”
The study shows pre-k students consistently outperformed other children on standardized tests, scored higher on the ACT and 88-percent graduated high school, well above the state average.

The Saints say ticket holders who do not want to attend games this season can get a refund. But the Bond Commission voted to delay 28-million dollars in financing for Superdome improvements. Attorney General Jeff Landry says the franchise should give fans the opportunity to opt-out, just like last year…
cut 30 (10) “…entire time”
Landry disagrees with the vaccine requirement to attend Saints games.

The Lafayette Little League All-Stars are in the Little League World Series. Matt Doyle has the story ahead of their first game…
Cut 3 (28) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

39-year-old Jessica Cooper of Lake Charles is among the three thousand people hospitalized in Louisiana with COVID. The single mom has an eleven-year-old daughter named Justus, who she has not seen in two weeks. Since her child is not eligible to be vaccinated, Cooper made the hard choice for Justus to learn virtually this year…
cut 5 (14) “….breathe”

Governor John Bel Edwards visited the U-L Lafayette campus yesterday to get an update on the state’s Shot for 100-dollar COVID-19 vaccine initiative. The first 75-thousand college students who get vaccinated on a college campus receive a 100-dollar VISA card. Edwards says it’s very important to get this age group vaccinated…
cut 23 (11) “…too”

A long-term study of the impacts of just one year of early childhood education shows getting four-year-olds in pre-K programs can have a huge impact on their academic success. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

An all-star team out of Lafayette competes in the Little League World Series today. Coach Steven Menard’s squad has won its last four games by a combined score of 29-3…
cut 15 (10) “…coming back”
The Louisiana Little Leaguers will play South Dakota at 4 PM.

A 39-year old single mom who works in disaster recovery is now dependent on healthcare workers as she fights to breathe with COVID at Baton Rouge General. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (37) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

For the first time in 16 days, the state health department has reported a drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations. It’s a small decline, nine fewer patients, but there’s been an increase in patients who are on ventilators. It’s up to 476, the highest that number has been since April 2020.

A new study released by the Council for a Better Louisiana shows how one year of early childhood education can produce better education outcomes compared to students who did not receive Pre-k education…
cut 9 (11) “…high school”
CABL President Barry Erwin says the data shows students who had one year of pre-K education outperformed other children on standardized tests, achieved higher ACT scores and a higher percentage graduated high school on time.

CLECO is explaining to its customers why they are seeing higher utility bills. President Shane Hilton says a rate increase went into effect July first…
cut 10 (11) “…equation”
Hilton says CLECO is also having to pay for costs to repair their infrastructure after last year’s hurricanes and this year’s ice storms.

Instead of helping others with disaster aid from the 2016 floods, 39-year-old Jessica Cooper finds herself in an ICU bed at Baton Rouge General suffering from COVID. Cooper is a single mom from Lake Charles. She wasn’t vaccinated because it would require her to be off medication for several weeks in order for the vaccine to be effective.
Cut 4 (12) “…attacks quick.”
For the first time in 16 days, the state health department yesterday reported a small decline in the number of COVID patients in the hospital statewide. It’s still above three thousand. The number of patients needing a ventilator to breathe increased by 28 to 476. The state reported 58 more deaths and the death toll has reached 11,851.

In 2001, the Louisiana Legislature created the LA 4 Early Childhood program and now in 2021, data shows attending at least one year of pre-k can help a student even into their high school years….
cut 8 (12) “….kids”
That’s Council for a Better Louisiana President Barry Erwin who says all students, regardless of race or gender, showed long-term benefits by participating in LA 4.

CLECO is explaining why their utility bills are higher than usual this summer. CLECO President Shane Hilton says a rate increase went into effect July 1st and the utility provider is paying for the costs associated the damage done by ice storms and last year’s hurricanes and there’s no federal mechanism to recover those costs…
cut 11 (08) “…our customers”