The DEA is holding its 21st Drug Takeback event this Saturday, a time when you can clear your home of unwanted prescription drugs. More from Brooke Thorington.
Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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Louisiana Treasurer John Schroder wants to see the legislative leadership make a decision on how the state plans to contribute financially to the proposed improvements to the Superdome. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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Saturday marks the 21st edition of the DEA’s Drug Takeback event. Brian Singleton of the agency says you’ll be able to drop off a variety of unwanted prescription drugs at the time, no questions asked.
Singleton says the collection points will not be accepting illegal drugs, such as marijuana, and syringes and liquids will not be accepted either. The Drug Takeback event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Visit www.takebackday.dea.gov for a list of locations.
Singleton talks about the kind of prescription meds and one other thing that you’ll be able to turn in during the Drug Takeback event.
Singleton says turning in unwanted opioids could help avert someone else getting their hands on them.
Cut 5 (11) “…for these opioids.”
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A planned 450-million-dollar renovation to the Ceasars’ Superdome in the Big Easy is at least temporarily hobbled financially. The state has only committed two-point-five-million of 90-million dollars in funding for the project, leaving State Treasurer John Schroder looking for direction from the legislature.
He says so far there’s no definitive answer to that question, though the door was left open earlier by the Edwards administration to funnel that much state money into the project.
Schroder says it’s been difficult on the Superdome funding issue for a variety of reasons, including whether the facility is even a state asset.
Schroder says that although the 90-million-dollars isn’t needed just yet from the state for the Superdome upgrades, the clock is ticking before the project may have to be scaled back due to the possible decrease in state funding.
Cut 8 (09) “…them some direction.”
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Louisiana is the only state where the percentage of Blacks vaccinated for COVID is higher than whites. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation 51-percent of Blacks are vaccinated compared to 49-percent of whites. Assistant Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health Kim Hood says their hard work to remove barriers for minorities to get vaccinated has shown results.
When vaccines were first available there was much hesitancy among minorities, so outreach was focused to change that but while Hood says they are celebrating a victory, their work is far from over due to the state’s low overall vaccination rate.
Hood says it’s going to take multiple conversations to change the mind of an individual who’s hesitant about the vaccine and they are working on a person-by-person approach versus changing a demographic.
Cut 11 (11) “…step of the way.”
The October breakdown of 43 states by the Kaiser Foundation indicates 49% of Whites are vaccinated in Louisiana, 51% of Blacks, 56% of Hispanics, and 84% of the Asian population are vaccinated.
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Congressman Garret Graves is calling out the Biden Administration as gas prices continue to increase across the nation. Graves says it makes no sense with the President asking OPEC and other oil-exporting nations to increase production instead of here at home.
In terms of a resolution with the Biden Administration on energy production in general, Graves feels they are very far off because the administration is more focused on renewable energy at the moment.
Graves says they continue to work with the Biden Administration and demonstrate that the facts behind their energy policy of focusing on renewable energy are not in the best interest of the country right now.
Graves also criticized the Biden Administration for canceling the Keystone pipeline in North America but at the same time supporting efforts for the Nord Stream Pipeline in Russia.