COVID numbers are way down but Governor Edwards says the mask mandate will likely be here to stay for a while longer. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”
_______________________________
A federal lawsuit was filed this week on behalf of the family of Tommie McGlothen, Jr, the black man who died after an altercation with Shreveport Police. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
____________________________
The World Meteorological Organization made some big changes to storm naming at their recent meeting. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”
____________________________
Louisiana residents will receive extra time to pay off their high winter power bills after two historic winter storms last month produced a huge demand for heat. Public Service Commission Chairman Craig Greene says this will help customers who are having difficulty.
Cut 4 (08)“…for people.”
The PSC told the state’s utility providers to give customers extra time to pay off their bill from the February freeze.
North Louisiana P-S-C member Foster Campbell says many customers were caught off guard when they received their power bill and are unable to a large payment all at once.
Cut 5 (06)“…for it.”
Campbell says they are working with utility providers to make sure those who received high bills are allowed to spread the payments out over six to 12 months from the February Freeze.
Cut 6 (05) “…can be.”
________________________
The state may be seeing some of the lowest COVID numbers since the pandemic began but Governor Edwards says that doesn’t mean the mask mandate is going away any time soon.
Neighboring Mississippi and Texas have dropped their mandate and instead offered recommendations to mask when necessary. Edwards says that doesn’t work.
Cut 7 (08) “…part.”
The number of new COVID cases has dropped by over 75 percent since mid-January. New daily deaths have also fallen to near average single digits this week after averaging over 50 in mid-January.
Edwards says the state vaccination campaign is going well and our ticket out of the pandemic but until most of the population is fully vaccinated the virus is still a major threat.
Cut 8 (09) “…transmission”
Over 900,000 Louisianans have received at least one dose of a vaccine and over half a million have completed their series.
But Edwards is optimistic that at our current rate of vaccination we will see a fully packed Superdome and Tiger Stadium next fall…
Cut 9 (08) “…it can.”
_____________________________
The attorney representing the family of Tommie McGlothen Jr., the black man who died after an incident with police officers, filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Shreveport, the police chief and officers involved Tuesday. Attorney James Carter says he tried to settle the matter amicably.
Cut 10 (12) “…very end.”
McGlothen who had a known mental condition died last April after his arrest.
Carter is representing McGlothen’s daughter and two sons on behalf of McGlothen’s widow who died this year. Carter says the four officers named in the suit, were charged by a grand jury in Caddo Parish last fall with negligent homicide and malfeasance.
Cut 11 (07) “…oversight.”
Carter says the family is seeking justice and the judicial system speaks to monetary compensation as a form of an attempt to get justice in cases like this.
Cut 12 (08) “…life.”
Carter says he offered the city a settlement of $25-million in October.
_____________________________
The World Meteorological Organization’s Hurricane Committee retired Laura from the storm name rotation and decided the Greek alphabet will no longer be used to name systems.
Along with Laura State Climatologist Barry Keim says the committee retired Dorian, a devastating 2019 storm that hit the Bahamas, and Eta and Iota, two major storms that landed last year in Central America.
Cut 13 (04) “…Louisiana.”
93 names have now been officially retired from the storm name six-year rotation.
Keim says they ditched the Greek alphabet for a number of reasons including that the names being a distraction, the alphabet’s poor translation into other languages, and…
Cut 14 (03) “…letters.”
Only twice in hurricane season history, 2020 and 2005, have there been over 21 named storms resulting in overflow to the Greek alphabet.
A new “overflow” list has been selected instead of the Greek alphabet…
Cut 15 (08)“….the line.”
_________________________________________
The LSU basketball team is staying at a hotel in Indianapolis as they get ready to take on St. Bonaventure on Saturday afternoon in a first-round NCAA Tournament game. Head Coach Will Wade says his team arrived on Monday and had to quarantine for two days and they have been confined to their hotel.
Cut 16 (11) “…for practice today.”
Since the team hasn’t been outside much, Wade says some of his players have turned to video games for entertainment.
Cut 17 (18) “…I have no clue.”
While the bubble is certainly a unique experience, Wade says he rather be in Indy than in Baton Rouge preparing for next season.
Cut 18 (11) “…excited to be here.”