State lawmakers have called themselves into a special session to debate the governor’s coronavirus restrictions, the unemployment trust fund and Hurricane Laura recovery. Jim Shannon has more from the House Speaker…
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The Main Street Recovery Grant program has obligated more than half of its 275 million dollar fund so far. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Louisiana lawmakers will start a special session on Monday to address the state’s unemployment trust fund that’s running out of money, to discuss Hurricane Laura recovery efforts and debate the governor’s coronavirus executive orders. House Speaker Clay Schexnayder says many legislators are concerned with the ongoing COVID restrictions on businesses..
Edwards says he’s relied on public health experts and the White House Coronavirus Task Force to guide the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. He says there’s evidence the measures they’ve taken are working. But Schexnayder says they are not working for everyone.
Schexnayder says the state’s Unemployment Trust Fund is another major priority. He says in March the fund had one-point-one billion dollars, but now has less than 100-million dollars and when it runs out of money, a higher payroll tax on businesses will kick in…
The special session will last 30 days and lawmakers can file and consider bills on 70 items.
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The Louisiana Law Enforcement Association says once all of the facts come out, four Shreveport police officers indicted for negligent homicide in the death of a mentally disturbed man will be exonerated. A grand jury handed down the indictments last week and L-L-E-A director Chris Stewart says Caddo District Attorney James Stewart has mismanaged the case
James Stewart says 44-year-old Tommie McGlothen’s death in April could have been prevented. There’s video evidence of officers wrestling, hitting and tazing McGlothen, who was then left in the back of a police cruiser for 48-minutes, largely unsupervised. Chris Stewart says the public has an incomplete picture of what happened
Because the case has yet to go to trial, Chris Stewart says he can’t provide specific reasons on why the officers will be exonerated, but he’s confident that will be the outcome
The four officers facing charges are 28-year-old Treona McCarter, 27-year-old Brian Matthew Ross, 27-year-old James LeClare and 25-year-old D’Marea Johnson.
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More than 170 million dollars in Main Street Recovery Grants have been obligated so far from the small business assistance program’s 275-million-dollar fund.
State Treasurer John Schroder says within that 275-million-dollar program was a promise to dedicate at least 40 million to women, minority, and veteran owned businesses. They’ve hit that mark, and…
Businesses with fewer than 50 employees that are headquartered in Louisiana, and who suffered economic losses due to COVID can apply for grants worth up to 15,000 dollars. The average payout per business so far has been over 10,000 dollars.
There’s some discussion that funds from the program should be reallocated to the dwindling unemployment trust fund, but Schroder believes they’re set to give away the entire pot by the November 4th deadline.
While 170 million has been obligated to eligible businesses, only about 40 million has been sent out so far.
Schroder says it’s not too late for your business to apply for the free cash…
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Has father time finally caught up to 41-year-old Saints QB Drew Brees? Through two games the legend has looked off, missing throws he used to nail with ease and barely pushing the ball down the field. When asked point-blank about that narrative Brees responded…
Brees passed for 312 yards and one TD with one pick in last night’s 34-24 loss to the Raiders. He had 160 and two TDs in last week’s 34-23 win over the Bucs.
Brees’ “air yards”, the distance his average pass travels before being caught, sits at just 4.8. That’s the lowest of his career through the first two games of a season. Brees says he’s just going to the open man…
That 4.8 air yards per pass is the lowest of any QB through two games since Brett Favre in 2009. Favre would go on to bounce back and make it to the NFC Championship game, losing to the Saints.
The offense has looked troubled through two games, but Brees says they’ll get the usually prolific outfit back on track…
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According to Football Outsiders, the team’s offensive efficiency rating through two games ranks 12th.