Governor John Bel Edwards is asking Louisiana residents to not let their guard down on COVID mitigation efforts just because it’s a holiday.  The state’s Phase Two declaration expires Friday and Edwards says he’ll make a decision on whether to move to Phase Three before then, but a post-holiday spike in cases could complicate that decision…

Cut 4 (10)“ …need your help.” 

The LSU football team is testing new helmet ventilation technology aiming to protect players from the coronavirus. While it is unclear when it could be used in actual gameplay, the technology has been used for the past four weeks by LSU players and CEO the Louisiana-based sports tech startup Tigeraire Jack Karavich says that’s a testament to the tech’s toughness.

Cut 11 (10) “…it’s been battle-tested.”

State Treasurer John Schroder says they’re relaxing some application rules for the Main Street Recovery Program with the aim of getting more businesses to sign up for relief grants worth up to 15,000 dollars. Over 900 grants have been paid out so far for an average of about 3,800 dollars each, leaving the program with another 271.5 million dollars still to distribute. Schroder expects that pace to pick up…

Cut 8 (10) “…intense”

Ron Berry is named as the next president of the University of Louisiana Monroe.  Berry says he was fortunate enough to attend ULM when enrollment was over 10-thousand and he would like to see the student population reach that goal again. Berry wants to see the university expand its strong foundation of health sciences programs.

Cut 14 (08) “…health sciences.” 

Berry is Dean of the Business and Social Sciences Department.

Governor John Bel Edwards is asking Louisiana residents to not let their guard down on COVID mitigation efforts just because it’s a holiday.  Edwards says the state has seen ground lost after other holidays and does not want to see a repeat of that for Labor Day.

Cut 3 (11)  “…just cannot have.”  

The state’s Phase Two declaration expires Friday and Edwards says he’ll make a decision on whether to move to Phase Three before then.

The LSU football team is testing new helmet technology aiming to protect players from the coronavirus.  CEO the Louisiana-based sports tech startup Tigeraire Jack Karavich says the system helps deliver comforting ventilation inside the helmet even though it may have more enclosure to cover the face.

Cut 9 (05) “…over your face.”

For added protection, N95 filter material can be added at the intake.

State Treasurer John Schroder says they’re relaxing some application rules for the Main Street Recovery Program with the aim of getting more businesses to sign up for relief grants worth up to 15,000 dollars.

Schroder says for the first 21 days of the program only businesses who didn’t get previous federal pandemic aid could apply with a “quick-relief” option. That’s not the case anymore.

Cut 6 (10) “…technology.”

Ron Berry is named as the next president of the University of Louisiana Monroe.  Berry, who begins his term next month, is no stranger to the ULM campus, he’s been there for 31 years.

Cut 12 (13) “…serving it.”

Berry is Dean of the Business and Social Sciences Department.Berry replaces Nick Bruno who announced plans to retire in January.

The Main Street Recovery Grant Program is offering businesses a new, much faster way to apply for pandemic relief grants worth up to 15,000 dollars. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

A home fire in Calcasieu Parish kills a man and his dog. Investigators say the blaze broke out in Starks shortly before 7 AM on Sunday, but the cause is currently unknown. Investigators have noted that due to the unreliability of electricity in the area, the man had been using candles for light. As of noon Monday, the victim’s identity had not been released.

The LSU football team is testing new helmet technology aiming to protect players from the coronavirus.  CEO the Louisiana-based sports tech startup Tigeraire Jack Karavich says the system helps deliver comforting ventilation inside the helmet even though it may have more enclosure to cover the face. For added protection, N95 filter material can be added at the intake.  Karavich says the ventilation has won over the players even in a standard helmet.

Cut 10 (11) “…very breathable environment.”

Ron Berry is named as the next president of the University of Louisiana Monroe.  Berry, who begins his term next month, is no stranger to the ULM campus, he’s been there for 31 years. Berry is Dean of the Business and Social Sciences Department. Berry says he wants to focus on student recruitment during his tenure and help students determine their goals, and then reach them.

Cut 13 (07) “…better lives.”

Berry replaces Nick Bruno who announced plans to retire in January.

Over 21,000 applications for Main Street Recovery Grants have been filed, with about 900 grants being distributed to far. State Treasurer John Schroder says they’re working hard to distribute the fund’s cash but so far they’ve found a surprising lack of interest from eligible businesses. He suspects it’s partly due to a misunderstanding.

Cut 7 (11) “…money”

Any business with fewer than 50 employees can apply.

Governor Edwards is set to announce whether the state moves into Phase Three this week, but before that he warns we have to make it through Labor Day safely, and without another surge in spread. Edwards says be responsible today…

Cut 5 (10)  “…you feel ill.”

Louisiana based sports technology firm Tigeraire develops a new ventilation system for football helmets that can keep players cool on a hot practice days, and filter out air particles that could be carrying coronavirus. CEO Jack Karavich says their small ventilation system only weighs 12 ounces and is Tiger-tough…

Cut 11 (10) “…it’s been battle-tested.”

The new devices leverage the passive air vents in the helmet and make them active with small battery-driven fans attached to flexible tubing and can be used in combination with almost any off-the-shelf protective helmet.

ULM has a new President, Dean of the Business and Social Sciences Department Ron Berry, a 31 year veteran of ULM. Berry says his priority is integrating other curriculums into their strong foundation of health sciences programs.

Cut 14 (08) “…health sciences.” 

Governor John Bel Edwards is expected to announce whether the state will move into Phase Three this week as the Phase Two Declaration expires Friday. The Governor asks that you make this decision easier by not acting irresponsibly today during your Labor Day celebrations.

Cut 4 (10)“ …need your help.” 

Over 900 Main Street Recovery Grants have been paid out so far for an average of about 3,800 dollars each, leaving the program with another 271.5 million dollars still to distribute. State Treasurer John Schroder expects they’ll begin giving out a lot more of the fund in the coming weeks…

Cut 8 (10) “…intense”

Schroder encourages any business with fewer than 50 employees to apply for the pandemic relief grants.

The LSU football team is testing new helmet technology aiming to protect players from the coronavirus.  CEO the Louisiana-based sports tech startup Tigeraire Jack Karavich says the system helps deliver comforting ventilation inside the helmet even though it may have more enclosure to cover the face.

Cut 9 (05) “…over your face.”

For added protection, N95 filter material can be added at the intake. 

Ron Berry is named as the next president of the University of Louisiana Monroe.  Berry, who begins his term next month, is no stranger to the ULM campus, he’s been there for 31 years.

Cut 12 (13) “…serving it.”

Berry is Dean of the Business and Social Sciences Department.

We’re expecting a final decision on the fate of high school football Wednesday from the LHSAA but all signs point to the season being ready to begin October 8^th. LHSAA executive director Eddie Bonine says a detailed plan has been drawn up, and he warns player’s parents that capacity at games will be limited to 50 percent…

Cut 4 (10)“ …diligently with that.”  (PM)

The Saint’s brief flirtation with star free agent defensive end JaDeveon Clowney is over as the former Seahawk and Texan signs a long term contract with the Titans. The Saints made an aggressive push last week to secure his services, with Coach Sean Payton reportedly even having the player over for dinner. Unfortunately, the cap-strapped Saints just couldn’t make enough room to bring the player in after having a proposed “sign and trade” deal involving Cleveland be rejected by the league.

Former Tiger and now Buffalo Bill cornerback Tre’Davious White is reportedly finalizing a major four-year contract with the team that will score him 55 million dollars guaranteed and an 82 million dollar total that will make him the highest-paid CB in the league. White is reportedly considering opting out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns.

Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Brock, who played for Southern and the St. Louis Cardinals, passed away Sunday at 81. When Brock retired in 1979 he was the single-season and all-time leader in stolen bases. Brock was a revered member of the Cardinals and won the World Series with the team in 1964, the first player from an HBCU to win a World Series. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1985.

At Southern Brock played left field and helped the Jags secure the first NAIA Championship for an African American team in 1959.

Governor John Bel Edwards is asking Louisiana residents to not let their guard down on COVID mitigation efforts just because it’s a holiday.  Edwards says the state has seen ground lost after other holidays…

Cut 3 (11)  “…just cannot have.”  

The state’s Phase Two declaration expires Friday, a Phase Three decision is expected soon.

State Treasurer John Schroder says they’re relaxing some application rules for the Main Street Recovery Program with the aim of getting more businesses to sign up for relief grants worth up to 15,000 dollars. Schroder says for the first 21 days of the program only businesses who didn’t get previous federal pandemic aid could apply with a “quick-relief” option. That’s not the case anymore.

Cut 6 (10) “…technology.”

New tech to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread is being tested on the helmets of LSU football players. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

The Calcasieu Parish communities of Toomey and Stark are the first two in the parish to get the lights back on just over a week after Hurricane Laura devastated the region’s electrical infrastructure. Still according to the Public Service Commission 97 percent of all customers in the parish don’t have power, and for most it could be another two weeks before they do. Elsewhere in the state nearly all of central Louisiana now has power restored.

The LHSAA appears to have a plan in place to restart the high school football season October 8^th. Executive director Eddie Bonine says they’ve consulted with other states who already began play and will limit attendance to 50 percent of capacity, and in the event that enough players are told to quarantine or isolate to the point where they do not have an adequate roster to compete, the inability to play a game will not be counted against them as a forfeit.

Cut 5 (07)  “…move this forward.”

Yesterday a CDC moratorium on evictions for non-payment of rent took effect. To gain protection under the moratorium a tenant must sign a declaration attesting that removal from their home would put them at great risk of contracting coronavirus. Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center spokesperson Maxwell Ciardullo says you can get the form, useable statewide, at ready.nola.gov…

Cut 7 (06) “…covered”

When it comes to Laura evacuees the state still doesn’t have an exact number of people from Louisiana who fled to Texas and are being sheltered by the State of Texas, but Governor Edwards did say the number is likely in the thousands and mostly in Houston or Beaumont. He says they’re being moved…

Cut 14 (11) “…area” 

Edwards also announced SNAP restrictions on the purchase of hot and prepared food from grocery stores have been lifted. SNAP recipients still can’t use their benefits at restaurants, but they can use it to buy an expanded list of items at a grocery.

The death toll for Hurricane Laura rises to 23 as another two people die from heat-related illnesses and another fatality is reported from a work-related incident where a man was struck on the head by a falling tree limb. 

High school football appears good to go for a scheduled start date of October 8^th after testimony from LHSAA executive director Eddie Bonnie yesterday in a House committee. Bonine says he has consulted with other states who are already playing football to form the standards.  From that, stadiums will operate at half-capacity for spectators.

Cut 4 (10)“ …diligently with that.” 

A Trump Administration ruling through the CDC to prevent evictions for non-payment of rent took effect yesterday. The ruling does not absolve renters of paying their rent, it just pushes the due date back to January. Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center spokesperson Maxwell Ciardullo warns this sets the stage for mass evictions to start 2021…

Cut 8 (11) “their homes”

So far in New Orleans alone since the moratorium ended June 15th there have been 730 eviction filings.

Governor Edwards announces Louisiana has received a SNAP waiver allowing benefits to be used to purchase hot or prepared food for the month of September, but adds you can’t use these benefits at restaurants.

Cut 13 (09) “…whatever”

That’s a big help for the people of southwest Louisiana seeing as just about every customer in Calcasieu, Beauregard, and Cameron is still without power, and about a quarter to half of customers in Winn, Natchitoches, Rapides, Allen, Jeff Davis, Vernon, and Sabine lack power.

Just over one in five Louisiana households still need to fill out their census forms.  Assistant regional census manager Marilyn Stephens says when census takers show up at your door, they will have an official photo ID and be practicing virus spread mitigation efforts.

Cut 10 (07) “…from the doorway.”