Louisiana has lost one of its favorite governors as Mike Foster has passed away at the age of 90. Kevin Barnhart has more on Foster’s legacy…

Cut 3 (43)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

Today is the last day to register in person or by mail to vote in the upcoming November 3^rd election. 

President Donald Trump remains hospitalized for COVID-19 after receiving his diagnosis for the disease last week. Congressman Mike Johnson says his Republican contacts have indicated that the President’s condition has improved significantly.

Cut 6 (07)“…afternoon”

Reports indicate the President was suffering from some severe symptoms Friday and Saturday and was treated with a cocktail of experimental treatments, Remdesivir, and a powerful steroid.

Tropical Storm Delta is strengthening over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and is expected to become a hurricane on Tuesday.  National Weather Service New Orleans meteorologist Kevin Gilmore says the storm appears to be on track for Friday morning landfall.

Cut 9 (04) “…that may change.”

The state is mourning the death of former two-term Governor Mike Foster, who passed away in Franklin at the age of 90. The Korean War vet and businessman from St. Mary Parish created Louisiana’s Community and Technical College System. His former chief of staff, Stephen Perry, says Foster knew the importance of a two-year college degree…

Cut 3 (12)  “…employable.”  

Foster also rose teacher pay. According to his former press secretary, Marsanne Golsby, during Foster’s eight years in office, the average teacher received 11,500 in raises, a 43-percent increase. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Foster was one of the state’s more popular governors and says when his second term concluded in 2004 that popularity spread across Republicans and Democrats

Cut 11 (08) “…and universities.”

Louisiana teachers earn about 4,000 dollars a year less than their southern regional counterparts according to a new report. Matt Doyle has the story

Cut 1 (28) “   I’m Matt Doyle”

Tropical Storm Delta is strengthening over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and is expected to become a hurricane on Tuesday. Current projects from the National Hurricane Center has southeast Louisiana in the crosshairs of the storm for a Friday morning landfall.

Flags are at half-staff today as the state mourns the death of former two-term Governor Mike Foster. He’s known for helping to create the TOPS program and the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. The small businessman was elected governor in 1995 and Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says Foster ran a fantastic campaign to beat out 15 other candidates…
cut 12 (12) “…public’s imagination”
Foster died from age-related illnesses.

The second week of the special session begins today. La-Politics-dot-com Publisher Jeremy Alford says Republicans in the House and Senate have different opinions on how executive orders during public health emergencies should be handled. Alford says any bill that’s approved could be vetoed…
cut 15 (05) “…executive authority”

A Pennington Biomedical Research Center researcher says a recent study shows uncontrolled blood sugar levels for type 2 diabetics can lead to long-term cognitive issues. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

Eyes will be on the tropics this week as Tropical Storm Delta has formed south of Jamaica. The storm is expected to become a hurricane when it enters the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday and it could make landfall as a Category Two storm on Friday.

Today is the deadline if you want to register to vote in person for the November third presidential election. The online deadline is October 13th.

Former two-term Governor Mike Foster passed away Sunday at the age of 90 at his home in Franklin. Foster started in politics when he was elected as a state senator for St. Mary Parish in 1987 at the age of 57. Eight years later he was elected governor and political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says education was Foster’s main focus…
cut 10 (09) “….community colleges”
According to his former press secretary, Marsanne Golsby, during Foster’s eight years in office, the average teacher received $11,500 in raises, a 43-percent increase.

Today begins the second week of the special session and several bills are advancing that seek curb the governor’s power during a public health emergency. La-Politics-dot-com publisher Jeremy Alford says it remains to be seen which one the Legislature eventually gets behind…
cut 14 (04) “…making”

A new report shows the average pay for Louisiana teachers is four-thousand dollars less than the Southern regional average. Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter says the pay in Louisiana varies significantly from parish to parish…
cut 5 (07) “….doing”
Carter says given the economic climate, it will take federal dollars in order to raise teacher salaries.

A Pennington Biomedical Research Center researcher says type 2 diabetics can improve brain function with consistent control of blood sugar levels versus only losing weight and increasing exercise. Director of Biomedical Imaging, Owen Carmichael says type two diabetes doubles your risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia, including Alzheimer’s.
Cut 7 (11) “…blood sugar”

Former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster has passed away at the age of 90. Foster served two terms from 1996 to 2004 and he’s credited with creating Louisiana’s Community and Technical College System. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says when Foster’s second term ended, he was popular among Republicans and Democrats…
cut 11 (08) “….and universities”
Foster was a small businessman before he was elected as a state senator in 1987.

LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center Professor Owen Carmichael says a recent study has shown that enhancing blood sugar control boosts brain health for people with Type Two Diabetes. Carmichael says every little improvement in blood sugar control was associated with a little better cognition…
cut 9 (06) “…under control”

Louisiana teachers earn about 4,000 dollars a year less than their southern regional counterparts according to a new report. Matt Doyle has the story
Cut 1 (28) “ I’m Matt Doyle”

Tropical Storm Delta has formed over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and it’s expected to strengthen into a hurricane when it enters the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday morning. Delta could be a Category Two hurricane and a landfall is expected Friday anywhere from the Louisiana-Texas line to the Florida panhandle.

Louisiana has lost one of its favorite governors as Mike Foster has passed away at the age of 90. Kevin Barnhart has more on Foster’s legacy…
Cut 3 (42) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

Foster was in hospice care at his home in Franklin when he died yesterday of several age-related illnesses. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

A new report shows Louisiana teachers make an average of 4,000 dollars a year less than their peers in other southern states. Last year the gap was just 2,300 dollars but Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter says nearby states approved significant pay hikes. Now state teachers are stuck with pandemic workloads at low pay.
Cut 4 (09) “people.”
This comes despite a 1,200 dollar pay raise last year.

The House and Senate are at odds over how to handle the Governor’s public emergency health authority and COVID business restrictions. LaPolitics.com Publisher Jeremy Alford says the first week of the special session showed how each chamber feels about the Governor’s handling of the pandemic…
Cut 13 (09) “…aggressive.”

The House approves a number of items that would significantly limit, if not overturn the Governor’s ability to set pandemic public health restrictions. Matt Doyle has the story.

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Governor Edwards says the current restrictions on bars are necessary to keep COVID-transmission low and save lives. Bars in parishes that can open can only serve until 11 PM, can only do table service, and are limited to 25 percent capacity. Edwards says these aren’t arbitrary rules.

Cut 12 (09) “task force.”

An 11-year old and an 18-year-old are dead after a southbound State Police Trooper rear-ended another vehicle while responding to a separate crash Thursday night in Ouachita Parish on Highway 165. Trooper Michael Reichardt says the trooper involved is the son of State Police Superintendent, Colonel Kevin Reeves.

Cut 9 (07) “…driver’s side door.”

Reeves was en route to an 18-wheeler crash in Caldwell Parish and was not injured in the crash, but the other driver involved, Kenneth Lindsey, was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries.

The 2020 Census deadline has been extended to October 31 and census workers are hitting the streets to cover the remaining 5% of Louisiana households that have not yet responded. Assistant regional census manager Marilyn Stephens says elected officials are emphasizing the importance of this year’s participation because the 2010 census was not looked at as a complete census for Louisiana.

Cut 5 (09) “…a major difference.”

The Louisiana House passes several proposals that would either eliminate Governor John Bel Edwards’ COVID-19 public health orders or give lawmakers more authority. Speaker Clay Schexnayder’s resolution to terminate the pandemic emergency declaration after the session ends won approval. Haughton Representative Doddie Horton…
Cut 6 (10)“…to be”
Supporters of the resolution say the Legislature would then have time to craft their own pandemic public health policy.

Governor Edwards says the current restrictions on bars are necessary to keep COVID-transmission low and save lives. Bars in parishes that can open can only serve until 11 PM, can only do table service, and are limited to 25 percent capacity. Only bars in parishes with lower than a five percent positivity rate on new COVID tests may open. Edwards says that’s because areas with higher rates just have too much community spread.
Cut 13 (10) “…positivity.”
About a third of parishes are still blocked from allowing bars to reopen.

Two are dead after a State Police trooper rear-ends a vehicle in Ouachita Parish. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

The 2020 Census deadline has been extended to October 31st and census workers are hitting the streets to cover the remaining the 5% of Louisiana households that have not yet responded.  Assistant regional census manager Marilyn Stephens says the greatest concentration of homes that have not responded to the census is in the northern portion of the state.

Cut 4 (04) “…into Shreveport..”

The Louisiana House passed several proposals that would either eliminate Governor John Bel Edwards’ COVID-19 public health orders or give lawmakers a bigger say on what restrictions should be in place. One of the proposals is from Abita Springs Representative Larry Frieman. Frieman’s bill would allow the Legislature to either terminate entire emergency orders, or just parts of one.

Cut 8 (08) “in place.”

Governor Edwards says the current restrictions on bars are vital to reducing COVID-transmissions and saving lives. Edwards Administration staff have frequently repeated that bars create environments conducive to the spread of coronavirus, and Edwards says we can’t risk more youth cases with colleges now reopened.

Cut 14 (06) “…cases.”

About a third of parishes are still blocked from reopening bars.

An 11-year old and an 18-year-old are dead after a State Police Trooper rear-ended another vehicle while responding to a separate crash Thursday night in Ouachita Parish. Trooper Michael Reichardt says the trooper, Kaleb Reeves, son of State Police Superintendent Colonel Kevin Reeves, was not injured in the crash, but the other driver involved, Kenneth Lindsey, was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries.

Cut 10 (06) “…were pronounced dead.”

The 2020 Census is less than a month away from its October 31 deadline and census workers are hitting the streets to cover the remaining 5% of Louisiana households that have not yet responded. Assistant regional census manager Marilyn Stephens says there are three ways to participate.

Cut 3 (10)  “…interview by phone.”  

Stephens adds the greatest concentration of homes that have not responded to the census is in the northern portion of the state.

The House made its feelings about the Governor’s public health emergency restrictions known today, approving nine different items that do everything from end the declaration after the session ends to allow the Legislature to get rid of some restrictions they don’t like. Speaker Clay Schexnayder’s resolution to terminate the pandemic emergency declaration after the session ends won approval. Haughton Representative Doddie Horton says it would roll back everything put into place by the Governor.

Cut 6 (10)“…to be”

Abita Springs Representative Larry Frieman brought a bill that would allow the Legislature to either terminate entire emergency orders, or just parts of one. Frieman says this bill was in response to concerns from colleagues that the wholesale elimination of a public health emergency declaration would result in the loss of federal funding.

Cut 8 (08) “in place.”

The House’s more aggressive approach to the Governor’s authority to implement public health restrictions contrasts with the Senate’s idea that the Governor should maintain his authority to do so, but build greater oversight powers that would mandate the Governor discuss why he extended any order.

LaPolitics.com Publisher Jeremy Alford says there’s a major philosophical argument happening in Baton Rouge over whether changes to public health emergencies should be made now, or set into place for the next disaster, as evidenced by the nine different instruments that passed…

23, 9 seconds, approach

Alford says the biggest hurdle House lawmakers have to overturning or limiting the Governor’s authority is the veto pen. He notes that while all public health order legislation passed with a clear majority, it came up just shy of a veto-proof majority. Alford says that’s why so many different approaches have been suggested because lawmakers will need to see what actually makes it past the Governor…

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