The Governor’s budget clears House Appropriations with an amendment barring the state from requiring mandatory participation in the COVID-19 contact tracing program.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

Hammond Police arrest of 26 years old Taylor Cox of Hammond and 18 year old Nathan Anding of Holden, the two suspects accused of starting a Wednesday morning police pursuit that resulted in the injury of two state troopers. One trooper has been treated and released, the other, identified as Trooper George Baker, is in critical condition.

NOAA predicts a busy hurricane season in 2020 with the potential of 13 to 19 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes. During the announcement, FEMA activity deputy administrator for resilience Carlos Castillo assured the public that the agency will be able to respond to a hurricane during the coronavirus pandemic and history shows it can

Cut 7 (13) “…2017 hurricane.”

Louisiana has surpassed 25-hundred COVID-19 deaths as the state reported 21 more fatalities today bringing the death toll to 2,506. LSU Infectious Diseases expert Doctor Catherine O’Neal estimates that it will be early spring before a successful vaccine can be mass-produced. She says that will help protect the vulnerable population, but there will still be a risk

Cut 14 (10) “…seasonal virus”

NOAA warns Louisiana residents to prepare for an active hurricane season this year with 13 to 19 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes. NOAA’s lead hurricane season forecaster Doctor Gerry Bell says a few factors play into this forecast…

Cut 6 (13) “ …African monsoons.”

Bell says they do not anticipate an El Nino forming, which can suppress hurricane activity.

Louisiana has surpassed 25-hundred COVID-19 deaths with potential for the death rate to spike upwards in the next few weeks due to clusters forming in state nursing homes. 67-percent of the people listed as a COVID-19 death were over the age of 70. LSU Infectious Diseases expert Doctor Catherine O’ Neal…

Cut 13 (11) “the hospital”  

House Appropriations Republicans add an amendment to the budget for next fiscal year mandating no funding for contact tracing programs that require the public the participate. Bossier City Representative Raymond Crews…

Cut 11 (11) “…the table”

A Louisiana Department of Health spokesperson told lawmakers they have no plans to arrest or penalize infected people who refuse to answer questions about who they have been in contact with.

There are less than two weeks left in the session and lawmakers are reportedly having difficulty securing the two thirds veto proof majority vote needed in the house for tort reform aimed at lowering auto insurance rates to pass. Governor Edwards says if Republicans are willing to compromise a deal can be reached…

Cut 4 (07)_ “…happen.”

Tort reform legislation aimed at lowering auto rates appears to have majority support in both chambers but may not have the two-thirds majority in the House needed to overturn a veto from Governor Edwards. Despite that Governor Edwards indicated he is open to compromising with Republicans on one of the session’s signature pieces of legislation.

Cut 3 (11)  “…possible.”  

Edwards did not specify what those provisions are.

As is COVID-19 wasn’t enough now NOAA is predicting an above-average hurricane season. NOAA acting administrator, Doctor Neil Jacobs, says we have the potential to see 13 to 19 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes, and to more accurately track them they’ll be upgrading their systems.

Cut 8 (06) “…time frame.”

Louisiana has surpassed 25-hundred COVID-19 deaths as the state reported 21 more fatalities today bringing the death toll to 2,506. LSU Infectious Diseases expert Doctor Catherine O’ Neal says we could see an increase in the death rate in the next couple of weeks, because of COVID outbreaks in nursing homes

Cut 12 (09) “…go down”

The number of people hospitalized by COVID-19 dropped again today and it now stands at 884.

House Appropriations OKs the governor’s budget but adds an amendment ensuring the state will not fund any contact tracing programs that legally require COVID-19 positive residents to provide information on where they have been and who they may have infected to contact tracers. Oakdale Representative Dewith Carrier says his rural constituents are concerned about the program.

Cut 10 (13) “…they do”

Governor Edwards indicates he is open to compromising with the Legislature on tort reform legislation aimed at lowering auto insurance rates.But on his monthly radio program Ask the Governor, Edwards expressed disappointment over legislation that was rejected in the Senate he feels would have been effective in lowering rates.

Cut 5 (12)  “…record.”

NOAA predicts a busy hurricane season in 2020 with the potential of 13 to 19 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes. During the announcement, FEMA activity deputy administrator for resilience Carlos Castillo assured the public that the agency will be able to respond to a hurricane during the coronavirus pandemic and history shows it can

Cut 7 (13) “…2017 hurricane.”

House Appropriations passes the Governor’s budget for the next fiscal year with an amendment that blocks state funding for COVID contact tracing programs that require mandatory participation. Amendment sponsor, Erath Representative Blake Miguez says he’s been bombarded by constituents demanding…

Cut 9 (09) “…manner.”

Governor John Bel Edwards highlights a milestone this week in the state’s fight against COVID-19 as hospitalizations have dropped below 1000 for the first time since March 28^th.  The state has been in phase one of the economic reopening for less than a week and Edwards says more time is needed to gather data on how spread mitigation efforts are going before entering the conversation about moving into phase two.

Cut 12 (13) “…get the data.”

The state reports 1,188 new COVID-19 cases, but only 506 of them appear to be from recent tests and the rest are from a testing backlog.
Total cases: 36,504. Total fatalities: 2,506… an increase of 21. Ventilator usage: 103, down by 3. Hospitalizations: 884, down by 47.

Governor Edwards indicates he is open to compromising with the Legislature on tort reform legislation aimed at lowering auto insurance rates. Edwards made the comments on his monthly talk show Ask the Governor. The regular session ends June 1^st but Edwards is confident something can be passed to lower Louisiana’s 2nd highest in the nation auto insurance rates.

Cut 4 (07)_ “…happen.”

NOAA predicts the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season will be a busy one. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

NOAA predicts a busy hurricane season in 2020 with the potential of 13 to 19 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to six major hurricanes. NOAA’s lead hurricane season forecaster Doctor Gerry Bell…
cut 6 (13) “….African monsoons”
Bell says they do not anticipate an El Nino forming, which can suppress hurricane activity.

For the first time since March 28th, the state has fewer than one-thousand COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Governor John Bel Edwards…
cut 10 (11) “….to go down”
As of Wednesday’s Department of Health report, there are 931 COVID-19 hospitalizations. 110 patients are on ventilators, down from a peak of 571 on April 4th.

Governor Edwards indicates he is open to compromise with the Legislature on tort reform legislation aimed at lowering auto insurance rates. Edwards made the comments on his monthly talk show Ask the Governor. He says River Ridge Senator Kirk Talbot’s bill has some merits…
Cut 3 (11) “…possible.”
Edwards did not specify what those provisions are.

Former longtime Angola prison warden Burl Cain has been named as the new head of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. The 77-year-old received national attention for dramatically reducing inmate violence at Angola, but he abruptly retired in 2015 as he was the subject of multiple investigations looking into whether prison employees did work on his personal home and used public funds for personal use. Cain has denied any wrongdoing.

For the first time since March 28th, COVID-19 hospitalizations in Louisiana have dropped below one-thousand. Governor John Bel Edwards says it’s another positive sign in the state’s coronavirus fight…
cut 11 (10) “…turned that around”
Edwards is optimistic the state can possibly move into phase two of the reopening. An announcement will be made on June 1st.

NOAA believes we’ll see a busy hurricane season in 2020 with the potential of 13 to 19 named stormes, between six and ten hurricanes and three to six major hurricanes. Federal forecasters say there are multiple climate factors that indicate above-normal activity, State Climatologist Barry Keim says sea surface temperatures is one of those factors…
cut 4 (08) “….for the storms’

A bill that would allow doctors to prescribe medical marijuana for any reason they see necessary is close to final legislative passage. Senate Health and Welfare Chairman Fred Mills says the measure would also allow any doctor in good standing to authorize the treatment…
cut 14 (12) “… issue”
The measure has already passed the House and is awaiting final legislative approval on the Senate floor.

The House Appropriations Committee is discussing a proposed budget for next fiscal year that will be filled with federal recovery dollars and rainy day money. Under the governor’s proposal, the spending plan for next fiscal year would contain 80-million dollars in cuts. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says it will likely take a special session to pass a budget, because the regular session is set to end June 1st…
cut 9 (05) “…cut”

The number of COVID-19 patients in Louisiana has fallen below one-thousand. Governor Edwards says just over a month ago, we had 21-hundred individuals in the hospital with COVID-19. Yesterday’s number was 931. It was last Friday when the governor loosened restrictions on businesses and he says it’s too early to tell if it’s led to an increase in total cases…
cut 12 (13) “….get the data”
Edwards plans on announcing on June first if the state will move into phase two of reopening the economy.

The NCAA Division One council has reportedly voted to allow football and basketball players to begin voluntary workouts on college campuses starting on June 1st. LSU officials hope to get football players back on campus next month and SEC campus leaders are set to vote on Friday whether their schools can reopen their facilities in early June.

A bill that would significantly expand medical marijuana access nears final legislative passage. Patients are only currently eligible for the treatment if they are impacted by a significant disease or disorder, but Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley says this legislation would authorize therapeutic cannabis for any condition that a doctor considers debilitating…
cut 15 (08) “….access”
The bill easily passed the House and is awaiting final legislative approval in the full Senate.

NOAA releases its hurricane forecast for the upcoming season in the next hour. State Climatologist Barry Keim expects the federal forecasters to predict an above-average season, because of warm sea surface temps and the lack of an El Nino or La Nina…
cut 5 (11) “…does the opposite”

For the first time since March 28th, the state has fewer than one-thousand COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Governor John Bel Edwards…
cut 10 (11) “….to go down”
As of Wednesday’s Department of Health report, there are 931 COVID-19 hospitalizations. 110 patients are on ventilators, down from a peak of 571 on April 4th.

Today at 10:00 NOAA releases its hurricane forecast for 2020. We’ve already seen one named storm. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Tropical Storm Arthur grazed North Carolina’s coast before heading back out to sea this week…
cut 6 (09) “….had one”
Colorado State researchers have already called for an above-normal season.

The House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to discuss a budget for next fiscal year, but time is running out to approve a spending plan before the regular session ends…
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Former longtime Angola prison warden Burl Cain has been named as the new head of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. The 77-year-old received national attention for dramatically reducing inmate violence at Angola, but he abrutly retired in 2015 as he was the subject of multiple investigations looking into whether prison employees did work on his personal home and used public funds for personal use. Cain has denied any wrondoing.

The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations has fallen below one-thousand…
cut 3 (30) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

A State Trooper is fighting for his life after he was hit by a Hammond Police car early Wednesday morning during a car chase. Authorities say George Baker and another trooper were retrieving a tire deflation device in the road when they were struck by the police unit. Baker is in critical condition, the other trooper suffered minor injuries. One of the suspects in the vehicle that was being pursued is in custody, the other remains on the run.

A bill significantly expanding medical marijuana access is nearing final passage. Under the legislation any condition a doctor considers “debilitating to a patient” would be eligible to receive medical marijuana. New Iberia Senator Fred Mills says the current limitations are too strict.
Cut 13 (06) “…not me”
This legislation needs Senate approval for final passage. And it would allow any doctor in good standing to prescribe this treatment.

The House Appropriations Committee will discuss the governor’s budget proposal this morning that uses federal money and rainy day dollars to cover up most of an expected billion dollar revenue shortfall. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says approving a budget will probably wait until a June special session. He says that would give lawmakers a chance to override a potential veto of tort reform legislation and a coastal lawsuit bill involving oil and gas companies…
cut 8 (09) “…apple”