Louisiana receives an additional $58 million in fishery disaster funding to offset the impacts of the 2019 Bonnet Carre Spillway opening. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”
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Legislation passes the House urging Governor Edwards to reconsider his order limiting businesses to 25 percent occupancy during Phase One. Matt Doyle has more.
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Louisiana receives an additional $58 million in fishery disaster funding. Congressman Garret Graves says the money will be used to offset the impacts of the 2019 Bonnet Carre Spillway opening on the seafood industry.
Cut 3 (12) “…the United States.”
Earlier this month, the state had received $14.7 million allocated to Louisiana fisheries to relieve the hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which Graves had previously called abysmal due to the fact that it was only 4.9% of the total $300 million for nationwide relief.
Graves says of the three states receiving funding from the Bonnet Carre Spillway opening, Louisiana is receiving 2/3 of the allocated $88 million.
Cut 4 (07)_ “…clearly represents that.”
There is an additional $12 million to be allocated at a different time.
Graves says some in the state’s seafood industry are on their last leg and need the money fast, adding that if the local industry goes away, there will be a bigger reliance on inferior, imported seafood.
Cut 5 (08) “…around the country.”
Mississippi will be receiving $21 million and Alabama received $8.6 million.
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Governor Edwards is optimistic Louisiana can move to phase two of reopening of the economy in early June. Edwards says they are watching COVID-like symptoms being reported to emergency rooms, the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and testing capacity
Edwards says he plans to announce a decision as early as June 1st. He says the public will play a huge role in that decision…
Under the White House’s Phase two plan, large venues can operate under moderate physical distancing protocols, bars can re-open with maximum occupancy restrictions, and schools and organized youth activities can resume.
Edwards says they’ll use two weeks of data to determine if Louisiana is still doing a good job in stopping the spread of COVID-19
Cut 8 (10) “…easing of restrictions”
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Legislators spar over a resolution that would urge the Governor to reconsider his 25 percent occupancy limitation for businesses in Phase One.
Alexandria Representative Lance Harris says the limit is crippling struggling businesses.
Social distancing guidelines call for businesses to space households out six feet away from other households and plot out table seating that leaves ten feet of space.
Harris says the success essential businesses had during the stay at home order and regulations allowing casinos to have 50 percent of gaming positions open undercuts the Governor’s position.
The request to urge the Governor to reconsider the limit was successfully amended onto a resolution that passed the House.
Amite Representative Robby Carter opposed the amendment. He says the guidelines are in place to save lives.
Carter cited comments by Governor Edwards indicating the state is currently on track to lift the 25 percent limit in Phase Two which may take effect in early June.
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Forbes Magazine reports Mercedes Benz will not renew its naming rights deal with the Superdome when it ends in 2021. UNO Senior Associate Dean and Marketing Professor, Paul Hensel, says during these tough economic times it will not be easy to find a new naming rights sponsor, but a company will emerge that believes it’s a good investment
The Mercedes Benz Superdome is scheduled to host its next Super Bowl in 2024. But it will have a different name by then. Hensel says it’s tough to say what corporation would like to put its name on the side of the iconic sports arena
Hensel says many stadiums have naming rights deals with insurance and major financial companies. He says Superdome officials wish the economic climate was different as they searched for a new naming rights sponsor
Mercedes-Benz became the Superdome’s first naming rights sponsor in 2011 and the 10-year deal is worth a reported 50-to-60 million dollars.
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