Governor Jeff Landry’s signature will make Ivermectin available over the counter at Louisiana pharmacies. Jeff Palermo has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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Small business optimism was up in May, according to the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index. Sean Richardson has more.
Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”
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LSU has had a secret weapon in its run to Omaha and the College World Series. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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A bill allowing pharmacies to sell ivermectin without a prescription is on its way to Gov. Jeff Landry for signature. SB19, sponsored by Senator Mike Fesi, permits adults to purchase the drug under a standing order from the Louisiana Department of Health.
Cut 4 (06) “…over the counter.”
Though approved by the FDA to treat certain parasitic conditions, ivermectin is not authorized for COVID-19 treatment, and experts warn that misuse can lead to severe health issues, including liver damage, seizures, and even death. However, Fesi says he personally used the drug for COVID-19 treatment successfully.
Cut 5 (09) “…got better quickly.”
Under the new law, pharmacists must screen for risks and inform patients about proper use. They are shielded from liability if they act in good faith, although insurers aren’t required to cover the drug. The bill passed both chambers with strong Republican support, aligning Louisiana with other GOP-led states.
Cut 6 (05) “…over the counter.”
The law will take effect once signed by the governor.
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Small businesses are optimistic, yet cautious. That’s the big takeaway of the latest NFIB Small Business Optimism Index, which rose slightly last month. The improvement was primarily driven by stronger expectations for sales and better business conditions. However, the Uncertainty Index also increased, indicating that small business owners remain cautious. NFIB State Director Leah Long says taxes were the main concern for business owners.
Cut 7 (10) “…it is uncertain.”
Long says labor and inflation remained pressing issues, though concerns over labor quality fell. In May, 34-percent of owners reported unfilled job openings, and 86-percent of those hiring said qualified applicants were scarce.
Cut 8 (09) “…is super important.”
Long says one reason for the optimism is the administration change with Governor Landry’s sweeping tax reform and attempting to make the state more business-friendly with tax breaks to business owners.
Cut 9 (12) “…optimism increases.”
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It turns out that LSU has had a secret weapon in their march to Omaha and the College World Series. Seven-year-old Caden Templet of Covington is battling Burkitt’s lymphoma and was paired with the Tigers baseball team through Team IMPACT, which matches children facing serious illnesses with college sports teams. Senior Case Manager Lynn LaRocca (la-ROCK-uh) says Caden has been with the team throughout the season.
Cut 10 (09) “…in the stands.”
LaRocca says Caden, however, will not be joining the team in Omaha – not yet, at least.
Cut 11 (13) “…the World Series.”
LaRocca says Team IMPACT has matched more than four-thousand kids battling serious medical issues with college sports teams, and they take several things into consideration, including the kids’ favorite sports and the closest schools to where they live.
Cut 12 (09) “…times per month.”
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Tourism in New Orleans is just about back to pre-pandemic levels. Walt Leger (luh-ZHAY), the president and CEO of New Orleans and Company, says last year, the city welcomed more than 19-million visitors – the highest number since 2019, the year before COVID-19 shut the world down. Leger says they’re expecting 2025 to be another great year, buoyed by the city hosting the Super Bowl.
Cut 13 (13) “…to bring in.”
However, Leger says outside forces are creating some headwinds in international travel.
Cut 14 (10) “…economy right now.”
Leger says what’s especially tough is that many visitors to New Orleans are from Canada, and the rhetoric emerging from the White House, including comments about wanting to make Canada a U.S. state, is forcing Canadians to rethink their travel plans to the U.S.
Cut 15 (09) “…they’ll be back.”
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The LSU baseball team leaves for Omaha this morning where they’ll play Arkansas on Saturday night in the opening round of the College World Series. Coach Jay Johnson says fine tuning their mental preparation is the biggest priority for the players at this moment…
Cut 16 (16) “…in Omaha.”
LSU second baseman Daniel Dickinson has been one of the most consistent players on this Tigers team. Johnson knew when he signed Dickinson out of the transfer portal that he would have a major impact on the program…
Cut 17 (20) “…the statistics.”
LSU will play Arkansas at 6 PM on Saturday. The other two teams on LSU’s half of the bracket are UCLA and Murray State, who has a four-seed in the Oxford Regional has made it to Omaha. Johnson gave a quick breakdown on the teams LSU will have to battle to get to the championship series…
Cut 18 (18) “…what we do.”
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Day one of Saints minicamp is in the books. Head Coach Kellen Moore says he’s impressed by the play of his young quarterbacks, Tyler Shough (“shuck”) and Spencer Rattler.
Cut 19 (16) “…ask for them.”
Moore says the quarterbacks worked on situational football yesterday.
Cut 20 (18) “…through this minicamp.”