The State Bond Commission voted to pause funding on a 28 million dollar line of credit for renovations to the Superdome due to the Saints’ vaccination policy. This morning the Saints backtracked on not allowing refunds for unvaccinated season ticket holders, but if fans cancel they lose their season ticket position. Attorney General Jeff Landry says he won’t support releasing these funds until that policy is changed.

Cut 9 (08) “…were in.”

Cut 9, 8 seconds, were in

The commission also voted in favor of withholding financing for any New Orleans construction projects tapped for funding by the Legislature in retaliation for the citywide vaccine proof mandate. Governor Edwards’ Executive Counsel Matthew Block voted against, noting it’s not just the city that isn’t getting paid….

Cut 12, 11 seconds, moment

Casinos will likely be able to start offering sports betting sometime in mid-September after an emergency ruling by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. A month ago, Chairman Ronnie Johns was named chairman of the Gaming Control Board and the number one question he’s been asked is when legal sports betting is coming to Louisiana.

Cut 7 (06) “…it’s coming”  

The ruling takes effect Monday, but it will likely take a few weeks for applications to be vetted.

5,500 new COVID cases and 58 new COVID relates deaths were reported today but hospitalizations slightly fell and there’s some evidence this 4^th COVID surge is slowing down. Ochsner CEO Warner Thomas says we’re not out of the woods yet, and there’s still a troubling trend…

Cut 5 (12) “…seen there”

The state reports 5,550 new COVID cases today and a slight decrease in those hospitalized with COVID-related issues, the count now stands at 3,013, down from nine from Wednesday. 91-percent of the current patients are unvaccinated.  The state also noted 58 more COVID fatalities.

Even with a slight decline in hospital patients, Ochsner Health CEO Warner Thomas says nonemergency surgeries are still having to be postponed but they aren’t all elective, they are procedures impacting those with cancer and heart disease and those needing organ transplants.

Cut 4 (09) “…our system” 

Thomas says they have had to redeploy approximately 800 staff throughout the system to handle the influx of COVID patients which is another reason for postponing surgeries.

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board approves emergency rules that would allow casinos to offer sports betting to their patrons starting on Monday. Chairman Ronnie Johns says the goal all along was to make sure legal sports wagering in Louisiana was up and running prior to the start of the football season…

Cut 6 (10) “…this quickly” 

The emergency rules approved by the board will give riverboat and land-based casinos and racetracks the ability to take sports bets starting on Monday.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is canceling National Hunting and Fishing Day events that were scheduled across the state for September 25^th. LDWF spokesperson Ed Pratt says the current COVID situation caused them to cancel the event, but he hopes that next year we will be in a much better situation.

Cut 9 (08) “…good time.”

The Saints change course on their refund policy, now saying that people who refuse to be vaccinated or COVID tested before games can get a refund for their season tickets. Those seeking a refund have until August 24^th at 4 PM to reach out to a ticket representative to request a refund.

Healthcare experts say the drug Ivermectin should not be used to treat COVID because it’s ineffective against the disease. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”

The Biden Administration says they will pull federal funding from nursing homes that don’t have fully immunized staff. AARP State Executive Director Denise Bottcher applauds the president’s decision in an effort to protect residents and other staff members from COVID exposures from unvaccinated employees.

Cut 13 (10) “…nursing home”

The Louisiana Nursing Home Association released a statement saying that once CMS releases the guidance, facilities will comply, as doing so is required to continue caring for residents who qualify for Medicare and Medicaid.

Oschner CEO Warner Thomas says we’re starting to see a slight dip in the number of COVID-related hospitalizations, as they have 1,028 COVID patients currently in beds across their system.

Cut 3 (12) “…in New Orleans.” 

Governor John Bel Edwards says there are now ten times as many people in the hospital with COVID today than there were to start July. The over 3,000 hospitalized is about the size of his hometown of Amite.

Cut 11 (07) “…for me.”

The just under 12,000 total statewide COVID deaths would be enough to all but wipe out cities like Mandeville, Crowley, Bogalusa, Minden, or Morgan City. The governor made the comments on his monthly call-in radio show.

President Biden says nursing homes could lose federal funding if they do not make it mandatory for staff to be vaccinated against COVID. Louisiana AARP director Denise Bottcher applauds the decision…

Cut 14 (11) “…lives.”

Healthcare experts say Ivermectin should not be used to treat COVID as it is wholly ineffective against the disease. LSU Health New Orleans Chief of Community Medicine Dr. Ben Springgate says don’t take it unless you got parasitic worms.

Cut 4 (09) “…humans.”

The use of Ivermectin for COVID has been propagated by social media.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has opted to cancel National Hunting and Fishing Day events scheduled for September 25^th. LDWF spokesperson Ed Pratt says it was a tough decision to make but one that was in the best interest of the public to do so.

Cut 8 (12) “…workers.” 

Prat says they are hopeful the event can take place in 2022.

Governor John Bel Edwards says it is frustrating to hear that some people are not taking the vaccine because it is still under emergency use authorization. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”

Attorney General Jeff Landry believes the state should withhold state funding to the Saints because of the team’s ticket policy. The NFL franchise is not offering ticket holders refunds or the ability to opt-out if they refuse to get vaccinated or get a negative COVID test before attending games in the Dome.

President Biden says nursing homes risk losing federal money if they do not mandate the COVID vaccine for their employees. State AARP Director Denise Bottcher says this is good news for those who have loved ones in Louisiana nursing homes…
cut 15 (09) “…be in”
The Louisiana Nursing Home Association says once C-M-S releases the guidance, facilities will comply, in order to care for residents who have Medicare and Medicaid.

Health care officials are encouraging the public not to take Ivermectin to either treat or prevent COVID. Some COVID patients have turned to Ivermectin, which is used to treat parasitic worms in people. But LSU Health New Orleans Chief of Community Medicine Doctor Ben Springgate says Ivermectin is not designed to treat COVID…
cut 6 (10) “…see that”

The Biden Administration says they will pull federal funding among nursing homes that do not have staff fully vaccinated for COVID. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The state health department reports that over two thousand children reported to their school between August ninth and Sunday that they contracted the coronavirus. The previous high was 17-hundred in the first week of January. The data also indicates 32-percent of 12 to 17 year-olds have received at least one shot.

COVID has caused yet another event to be canceled in the Sportsman’s Paradise. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is canceling National Hunting and Fishing Day events that were scheduled across the state for September 25th. LDWF spokesperson Ed Pratt says it was a tough decision to make.
Cut 7 (08) “….we’re in.”
And the state department of corrections has announced the prison rodeo at Angola in West Feliciana Parish has been canceled for a second consecutive year.

There’s less than a month to go before LSU football’s home opener. Governor Edwards’s mask mandate is only for indoor places, but he recommends wearing a mask at Tiger Stadium…
cut 12 (10) “….be done”
Masks will be required to be worn in the Rose Bowl when LSU faces UCLA for the season opener.

With COVID hospitalizations surpassing three-thousand this week, Governor Edwards says there are now ten times as many people in the hospital with COVID than there were at the start of July. L-D-H says 91-percent are unvaccinated. Edwards says there are some waiting for full authorization from the FDA to take a vaccine. But he warns if you get hospitalized with COVID you’ll be treated by therapeutics under emergency use authorization…
Cut 10 (10) “…go there.”

President Biden says nursing homes could lose federal funding if they do not make it mandatory for staff to be vaccinated against COVID. Louisiana AARP director Denise Bottcher applauds the decision…
Cut 14 (09) “…lives.”

Healthcare experts say the drug Ivermectin should not be used to treat COVID because it’s ineffective against the disease. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education was set to discuss masks in schools yesterday, but the meeting ended early when a group of anti-maskers refused to wear a mask inside a state building…
cut 30 (no more masks, no more masks”
This means the governor’s indoor mask mandate is in effect for schools.

The Biden Administration says they will pull federal funding from nursing homes that do not have fully immunized staff. AARP State Executive Director Denise Bottcher applauds the president’s decision to protect residents and other staff members from COVID exposures from unvaccinated employees.
Cut 13 (10) “…nursing home”
According to AARP’s most recent dashboard, since July 28th the state has recorded 30 more deaths from COVID among nursing home residents. There were only three nursing home deaths from June 2nd to July 21st.

Health officials are alerting the public that Ivermectin should not be used to treat COVID. LSU Health New Orleans Chief of Community Medicine Doctor Ben Springgate says Ivermectin is effective when treating parasitic worms, not COVID. He says Ivermectin also has some nasty side effects…
cut 5 (10) “…death”

Governor Edwards says it is frustrating to hear that some people are not taking the vaccine because it is still under emergency use authorization. Matt Doyle has more.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”