LSU Student Body President Stone Cox sent a letter to Interim President Thomas Galligan, suggesting monthly COVID-19 testing for all students in order to move into Phase Three.
Cut 1 (30) “ I’m Taylor Sharp”
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Voters wrapped around the State Archives Building for the first day of early voting. Matt Doyle spoke with a few of them as they waited in the chilly weather.
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LSU Student Body President Stone Cox has sent a letter to University Interim President Thomas Galligan suggesting that all students participate in mandatory monthly Covid-19 testing in order to move the school into phase 3. Cox says that moving into phase 3 would be a big step in the right direction.
What exactly would be allowed on campus if LSU moved into phase three? Cox says student-led organizations would find it beneficial
Some students may be concerned about testing positive and having to quarantine but Cox says having larger events may be an incentive for students to get tested.
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Campaign finance reports indicate U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy has raised as much money in the last quarter as his main Democratic challenger, Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins. But overall, Cassidy’s war chest is much larger. UL-Lafayette Poli-Sci Professor Pierson Cross says the numbers indicate Perkins is appealing to both state and national democrats.
Cassidy raised $1.4 million July 1st through Sept 30th increasing his total to $10.67 million. Perkins raised $1.33 in the same period, after announcing his candidacy July 23rd.
Cross says if Perkins can force Cassidy into a run-off, it greatly increases his chances of more campaign contributions.
Cut 7 (09) “…national recognition”
Perkins reports having 680-thousand dollars on hand, Cross says that’s not enough to make an impact.
Cassidy reported having $4.57 million on hand as of September 30th, greatly outspending his opponents.
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It’s the first day of early voting and a long, socially distanced line wrapped around the State Archives Building in Baton Rouge as voters braved the chilly weather to cast Louisiana’s first votes in the November 3rd election. A frequent early voter says when she first saw the long line she turned around but decided to come back…
Interest is high in the Presidential election and these voters say they’re eager to cast their ballot despite the wait and some of the pandemic hassle.
Despite the wait, this voter says showing up to cast a ballot is certainly worth it.
Early voting ends October 27th and is available at select locations Monday through Saturdays from 8 AM to 7 PM.
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State legislators have approved a supplemental budget bill that contains 22-million dollars for 113 projects that some say is old-school pork-barrel legislation. HB 39 contains funding for lighthouse improvements in Madisonville, construction of a sports complex in Central, and other small-ticket items. Public Affairs Research Council head Robert Travis Scott says it’s disappointing…
Other items included $500,000 for the Louisiana Leadership Institute, $639,000 for fire hydrants in Assumption Parish, and $500,000 for Opelousas parks.
Scott says the bill didn’t receive a public hearing and most lawmakers only had minutes to review it after it was presented on the House and Senate floor.
The bill passed the Senate unanimously and cleared the House on a near-unanimous vote despite some concerns that lawmakers had no idea what was in the legislation. House Appropriations Chair Jerome Zeringue says those criticisms are not accurate and the bill funds crucial services.
Zeringue also highlighted the bill sends millions of dollars in funding to various entities to help them pay for their COVID response, and three million dollars to help address public defenders’ current budget woes.
Governor Edwards says he’ll take a look at the appropriations bill before signing it and he could use his line-item veto pen. Zeringue countered…