The Governor is asking healthcare students and recent grads along with retired nurses and doctors to volunteer for the fight against coronavirus, and fast-tracking new licenses to get them into the field. Edwards says in addition to more personal protective equipment and ventilators…

Cut 3 (11)  “professionals”  

The need for additional healthcare workers in New Orleans will likely be acute with the state in the process of opening a 1,120-bed facility at the Morial Convention Center.

As part of President Trump’s COVID-19 task force, Dr.  Anthony Fauci has become a household name.  Dr. Fauci was recently a featured guest on a Baton Rouge radio station.  Fauci was asked if New Orleans officials should have acted sooner.

Cut 6 (13) “…the perfect setup.”

COVID-19 is impacting lottery sales to the point where the next time the Powerball jackpot is won and the jackpot resets, it’ll start at 20 million dollars as opposed to 40 million. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says, for example, their March 11^th Powerball Wednesday night drawing generated 265,000 dollars…

Cut 4 (11)_ “…expected.”

35 percent of sales generated by the lotto are used to fund K-12 education.

The Lincoln Parish Sherriff’s deputies are visiting homes in their community, not because they have a warrant, but because they have groceries.  Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Matthew Henderson says they started doing grocery pickup for the elderly this week and have expanded to helping others that are at-risk.

Cut 7 (09) “…Ruston as well.”

Governor John Bel Edwards is urging Louisiana residents to comply with the state’s stay at home order as the numbers of coronavirus cases continue to rise sharply. Edwards says the only way to flatten the curve is to the follow the mitgation orders and practice social distancing…
cut 13 (11) “…to do it’
A pastor in East Baton Rouge Parish has become well known, because he’s defying the governor’s order and holding services with one-thousand people in attendance.

Meanwhile, in New Orleans, the state is moving eleven-hundred beds into the Convention Center as the governor anticipates running out of hospital beds in less than two weeks. He says the New Orleans area could also run out of ventilators by the first week in April. The governor is also concerned about an uptick in cases in Bossier and Caddo Parishes.

Lincoln Parish Sheriff deputies are showing up at residents’ homes with groceries instead of warrants. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart ”

The governor’s order that closes state offices includes the Louisiana Lottery. Spokesperson Kim Chopin says if you’ve won a lottery prize this week greater than 600-dollars than you’ll have to hold on to your winning ticket…
cut 5 (08) “….can”

83 people are dead from the state’s 2,305 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including a 17-year-old from New Orleans, the first minor to die from the coronavirus in Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards says it is a reminder that everyone is at risk.
Cut 10 (11) “…it doesn’t discriminate.”
Orleans Parish has the highest per capita death rate in the U-S as New Orleans has deloped into a coronavirus hot spot. But the governor says he’s also concerned about an uptick in cases in northwest Louisiana…
cut 12 (10) “…a statewide problem”
Edwards says the focus remains on flattening the curve and calls on citizens to do better with social distancing.

The lottery is not immune to the coronavirus pandemic. There are fewer sales for the Powerball so the minimum jackpot has been lowered from 40 to 20-million dollars. Louisiana Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says with state offices closed, they can not produce any more scratch-off games…
cut 6 (10) “…weeks”
Also, if you win a prize of more than 600-dollars, you can’t claim it, because lottery offices are closed.

Lincoln Parish Sheriff deputies have added another task to their job and that’s delivering groceries. L-P-S-O spokesperson Matthew Henderson says deputies began delivering groceries to elderly and at-risk people…
cut 8 (10) “…coming in”
But Henderson says the deputies find the delivery service very rewarding.

Governor John Bel Edwards says the state has yet to flatten the curve after reporting 500 new cases yesterday of COVID-19. The coronavirus has killed 83 people in the state, 676 were hospitalized as of Thursday and 239 were on ventilators…
cut 11 (10) “….as April second”
Edwards says that’s not a scare tactic as New Orleans needs an additional one-thousand ventilators.

Could the near-record high temperatures we are seeing help in the fight to limit the spread of the virus? Our Lady of the Lake infectious disease specialist Doctor Catherine O’Neal says there’s no research to show hot temperatures will limit the spread as it does for the flu…
cut 15 (08) “….winter”

Lincoln Parish Sheriff deputies are showing up at residents’ homes with groceries instead of warrants. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart ”

Toilet paper has been difficult to find as millions of Americans have been ordered to stay at home. A spokesperson for the Georgia-Pacific Port Hudson plant near Zachary says they are producing toilet paper at 120-percent of its normal capacity. The mill is able to produce 40-thousand rolls of toilet paper each hour.

Governor John Bel Edwards continues to describe a grim forecast for Louisiana as the state has yet to flatten the COVID-19 curve. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

The state is reporting 2,305 cases, 83 have died, 676 were hospitalized as of yesterday and 239 were on ventilators. Edwards has also expressed concern about an increasing number of cases in Caddo and Bossier parishes.

It will be another warm day today with near-record high temperatures. Our Lady of the Lake infectious disease specialist Doctor Catherine O’ Neal says there’s no research that shows heat will slow the spread of COVID-19, so our best weapon is social distancing…
cut 16 (10) “…longer”
A cold front moves through the state tomorrow, which will bring a return to normal temperatures.

It’s not a normal time for the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s office, but they are trying to make the most out of it. L-P-S-O spokesperson Matthew Henderson says deputies started this week a grocery delivery program so that the elderly and at-risk residents do not have to leave their homes. Henderson says deputies have enjoyed showing up at homes with bags of groceries, instead of a warrant…
cut 9 (08) “….everybody’

83 people are dead from the state’s 2,305 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including a 17-year-old from New Orleans, the first minor to die from the coronavirus in Louisiana. Governor Edwards says it is a reminder that everyone is at risk.
Cut 10 (11) “…it doesn’t discriminate.”
Orleans Parish has the highest per capita death rate in the U-S and the state is moving beds into the New Orleans convention center as hospitals could soon be overrun by patients.

More near-record heat today across the state. Can the high temperatures slow down the spread of COVID-19? Our Lady of the Lake Infectious disease specialist Doctor Catherine O’Neal says no…
cut 14 (12) “….its own”

You can still buy a lottery ticket, but winners can not claim any prizes over 600 dollars at the moment…
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Lincoln Parish Sherriff deputies are visiting homes, not because they have a warrant, but because they have groceries. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Matthew Henderson says they started doing grocery pickup for the elderly this week and have expanded to helping others that are at-risk.
Cut 7 (09) “…Ruston as well.”

At the county or parish level, Orleans Parish now leads the nation in per capita deaths, more than twice as many as the 2^nd highest county. The 46 coronavirus linked deaths in the parish add up to roughly 1 in 10,000 residents. That’s as the state total rose to 83 fatalities today and 2,305 total positive tests.

That’s led to some like Congressman Ralph Abraham, a doctor currently doing volunteer shifts at a clinic in his native Richland Parish, to call for the expanded use of experimental drugs like the oft-talked about anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine.

Cut 10 (08) “others.”

The President has also touted the treatment, but small scale studies of hydroxychloroquine on COVID-19 patients have yielded mixed results, and a Kaiser Family Foundation director labeled it a “drug of last resort”.

Four people are dead, including a 2-year-old, following crash in Baton Rouge where a vehicle impacted a house, killing one of the home’s residents. Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Don Coppola says he’s not sure why the three people in the vehicle were out driving last night with the governor’s shelter in place order in effect and few businesses open.

Cut 7 (09) “…get through this.”

As the coronavirus forces the economy into a freefall, oil and gas prices continue to drop. Patrick DeHann, Head of Petroleum Analyst with Gas Buddy says while some might see a reduction at the pump as a relief while their personal income has been reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic, however…

Cut 5 (08)  “…low prices.”

The average price for a gallon of gas in Louisiana is currently 1.85, with speculation that the price could drop as much as another 50 cents in the coming year.

83 people are dead from the state’s 2,305 confirmed COVID-19 cases. The latest fatalities include the state’s first juvenile to die from the virus. Governor Edwards projects the New Orleans area will run out of hospital bed space by April 7^th.
Congressman Ralph Abraham backs the use of experimental, or off-label treatments for COVID-19. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

As the coronavirus forces the economy into a freefall, oil and gas prices continue to drop. Patrick DeHann, Head of Petroleum Analyst with Gas Buddy says prices at the pump for the month of March continue to drop and oil prices are the lowest we’ve seen in eighteen years. DeHaan says even with $1.85 being the statewide average they have seen prices far lower than that in certain parts of the state.
Cut 4 (07)_ “…Baton Rouge.”
Four people are dead, including a 2-year-old, following crash on Progress Road in Baton Rouge.  Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Don Coppola says last night around 9:30, a driver lost control, hit a tree, a fence, then a house, killing three in the vehicle and one occupant of the home. Coppola says the massive loss of life compounds the already tragic situation.

Cut 8 (06) “…you had four.”

Governor Edwards sounds the alarm about the increasingly alarming situation in the New Orleans area, saying current projections show the region’s medical system running out of ventilators by late next week, and out of hospital beds by the week after that.

This information has led him to authorize turning the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans into a stand-up hospital, aiming to eventually house 1,120 beds at the location at peak capacity.

676 COVID patients in the state are in the hospital, 239 on ventilators and Congressman Ralph Abraham says for those at most risk, doctors should start considering experimental treatments…

Cut 9 (10) “…decision″

Abraham singled out hydroxychloroquine as one potentially useful off label treatment. Small scale studies have shown mixed results for the treatment. 

As the coronavirus forces the economy into a freefall, oil and gas prices continue to drop. Patrick DeHann, Head Petroleum Analyst with Gas Buddy says prices at the pump for the month of March continue to drop and oil prices are the lowest we’ve seen in eighteen years. DeHaan gives an update on Louisiana.

Cut 3 (09)  “…a year ago.”  

The statewide average is currently 1.85

Four people are dead, including a 2-year-old, following crash on Progress Road in Baton Rouge.  Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Don Coppola says last night around 9:30, a driver and two passengers were in an Oldsmobile traveling at a high rate of speed when control of the vehicle was lost.

Cut 6 (06) “…a residence.”

The crash claimed the lives of 56-year-old Patrick Dunn, 22-year-old Destiny Nelson, 28-year-old Jamarcus Brown and 2-year-old Jamarcus Brown Jr.

Eighteen more people have died of COVID-19 in Louisiana from yesterday, and the state’s total of cases now sits at 2,305 positive tests. The growing number of cases has led Congressman Ralph Abraham, a doctor, to call for doctors to consider using non-FDA approved “off-label” drugs to treat COVID-19. Abraham says even though experimental drugs like hydroxychloroquine may have side effects, they should be considered for patients in dire situations.

Cut 11 (11) “…with”

Small scale studies of hydroxychloroquine on COVID-19 patients have yielded mixed results.

Gas prices have crated to 1.85 a gallon in Louisiana, and Patrick DeHann, Head Petroleum Analyst with Gas Buddy says drivers shouldn’t celebrate.

Cut 5 (08)  “…low prices.”

Four people are dead, including a 2-year-old, following crash on Progress Road in Baton Rouge that impacted a house.  Baton Rouge Police Sgt. Don Coppola says the investigators continue to search for answers.  Coppola says the massive loss of life compounds the already tragic situation.

Cut 8 (06) “…you had four.”

56-year-old Patrick Dunn, an occupant of the home, and front passenger 22-year-old Destiny Nelson both died at the scene.  The driver, 28-year-old Jamarcus Brown and 2-year-old passenger Jamarcus Brown Jr. died after being transported to the hospital.

Saints QB Drew Brees commits $5 million dollars to help feed Louisiana residents who are struggling financially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Second Harvest Food Bank President and CEO Natalie Jayroe says Second Harvest currently has the ability to crank out 2,000 meals per day and the contribution will help to increase that number.

Cut 14 (07) “…that is hunger.”