The pandemic caused many women to miss their annual mammograms and surgeons are seeing the fallout. Brooke Thorington has more.
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A proposal to raise the salary of state lawmakers, starting with next term, was soundly defeated in the House Appropriations Committee. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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When the pandemic disrupted life as we know it, many women fell behind or missed their annual mammograms. LSU Health New Orleans Surgical Oncologist Dr. Shawn McKinney says she, like other surgeons, is seeing the repercussions with more patients who have advanced or later stages of breast cancer.
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McKinney says Louisiana has always been above the national average for diagnosis of breast cancer, especially among the younger African American population presenting with more aggressive breast cancer. Last week U.S. Preventive Services Task Force changed course and advises to begin screenings at 40 years of age instead of 50.
During the pandemic, a gap in health insurance complicated matters for many and annual mammograms fell by the wayside. McKinney says there are several programs to help women pay for mammograms and she urges patients to never let finances be an obstacle and to always tell their healthcare provider about their family history.
McKinney says at any age if you notice something different or find a lump in your breast to call your physician and be evaluated as soon as possible.
For a listing of where you find free mammograms and pap smears visit the Louisiana Breast and Cervical Health Program website at lbchp.org.
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The House Appropriations Committee has stopped an effort to increase the annual salaries of state lawmakers from $16,800 to around 39-thousand dollars. The panel rejected the proposal on a 16-5 vote. New Orleans Representative Jason Hughes voted against the bill…
Hughes believes an independent commission should be established to determine the salary of legislators.
Gretna Representative Joe Marino led the effort to raise the pay of lawmakers. He says being a legislator is time consuming and a higher salary would result in a larger pool of candidates in wanting the job…
The salary for state legislators has not changed since 1980. But Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala says he ran for the job knowing the salary and it will not give lawmakers give themselves a pay raise
The raise would have started next year when a new Louisiana Legislature is sworn in.
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LDWF is investigating the illegal killing of one of the state legacies – the Louisiana Black Bear – found in Lincoln Parish last week. Sgt. John Hattaway says agents and biologists responded to the call of a bear shot on Millie Road.
Black bears remain protected by state laws, which currently do not allow them to be hunted. The Louisiana black bear was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1992. Hattaway says the black bear was delisted in 2016 and their numbers are being restored.
Biologists determined the bear weighed more than 200 pounds. Hattaway says taking a bear during a closed season brings a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail.
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Anyone found guilty of shooting this black bear may also face civil restitution for the replacement value of the illegally taken black bear totaling $10,000.
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Legislation to establish a partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Louisiana advances from House Appropriations. Bogalusa Representative Melinda White’s bill creates the Louisiana Imagination Library Program with dedicated funding for children up to age five to receive free books by mail.
Louisiana ranks 47th in Literacy in the country and when children are read to earlier in life White says it can increase their reading skills and it also helps their parents…
New Orleans Representative Jason Hughes applauds White’s legislation and supports efforts to encourage children and even adults to read more.
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The bill advances to the House floor.