LUY-Development

Author: Imported Author 1980807

  • Governor extends indoor masking for state agencies and health officials highly recommend face masks for holidays

    Baton Rouge / louisianaradionetwork.com

    Governor Edwards extends the state’s public health emergency order requiring face masks to be worn inside state agencies due to the increase in Omicron cases. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol said the CDC recommends indoor masking for everyone regardless of vaccination status in areas with high or substantial community transmission.

    “At least 75% of our parishes, and really what I’m getting at is pretty much our entire state is at one of these two highest levels of transmission,” said Sokol.

    State Health Officials say the significant uptick in COVID hospitalizations and cases are indicative of the beginning of a fifth surge. Sokol said and going into the holidays there are fears it will only make things worse and we need to return to masking.

    “Where we need to be right now is that everyone, you’re fully-vaccinated, partially vaccinated, boosted or completely unvaccinated we need to be masking in indoor public settings,” said Sokol.

    Sokol said if you are attending a private indoor gathering with people outside of your immediate household you should mask to mitigate transmission, especially for those who are more susceptible to the virus.

    “Then it’s a good idea to go ahead and mask in indoor private settings to protect those individuals as well,” said Sokol.

    On Tuesday the state reported 1,729 new COVID cases and 265 hospitalization and three fatalities.  Over the last few days, the state has gone from 207 to the current 265 hospitalizations averaging a daily increase of 19 patients.

    louisianaradionetwork.com/2021/12/21/governor-extends-indoor-masking-for-state-agencies-and-health-officials-highly-recommend-indoor-masking-as-5th-surge-begins/

  • Louisiana ranked among top U.S. states for election integrity

    Louisiana ranked among top U.S. states for election integrity

    Baton Rouge / louisianaradionetwork.com

    Louisiana scores among the Top Ten states in the U.S. for the integrity of its elections. Secretary of state Kyle Ardoin oversees elections and voting. He says the ranking by the Heritage Foundation is a testament to the hard work of his staff and local registrars.

    “So we got perfect scores in restrictions on vote harvesting or trafficking, access of election observers, vote counting practices and registration on the same day, and automatic or mandatory voter registration, which we prevent,” said Ardoin.

    The 2021 Election Integrity Scorecard rated the state for implementing voter ID, management of absentee voting, vote counting practices, and verification of identity and citizenship. Ardoin says it’s pleasing to have both sides of the political fence agree that Louisiana is doing a good job.

    Ardoin says few states are faced with having to overcome election schedule deviations due to natural disasters, but it’s something his people do regularly and well.

    This year’s fall elections were pushed back a month this year due to Hurricane Ida.

    louisianaradionetwork.com/2021/12/21/louisiana-ranked-among-top-u-s-state-for-election-integrity/

  • Renovations underway for group home

    Renovations underway for group home

    Renovations are underway on a house on Claiborne Street that will ultimately become a group home operated by a local non-profit. Seeds Of Change Foundation began work on the house last week after closing on the purchase of the home, and plans to operate it as a shelter for people in need. The organization has been providing food and shelter to the needy in the Miss-Lou for several years, and the group feels the house will fill a need for the homeless. Seeds Of Change hopes to have the work done and begin housing people by late spring or early summer.

  • For the first time ever, a Louisiana-themed float will roll in the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year’s Day

    For the first time ever, a Louisiana-themed float will roll in the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year’s Day

    Baton Rouge / louisianaradionetwork.com

    The Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day will for the first time in its 133-year history feature a Louisiana float. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says Louisiana will be the only state to have a float in the iconic parade and the Louisiana Tourism Float will feature a music ambassador from the Bayou State .

    “We’ll have Laine Hardy, the American Idol winner, he’ll be playing and singing with the Hot 8 Brass Band”, said Nungesser.

    They will perform mid-parade on a stage in front of the Louisiana tourism logo “Feed Your Soul.”

    The float will include representatives who have assisted during the COVID and hurricane crises and will be decorated to depict the spirit of the Bayou State, including moss-covered trees, powdered covered beignets and crawfish.

    “There will be a balcony, a gator, and a swamp scene on the back and some Mardi Gras beads hanging on the trees,” said Nungesser.

    Nungesser says riders of the float will also include teachers, first responders, utility workers, healthcare professionals, and volunteers who gave so unselfishly to help others during the pandemic and the recent storms.

    “We are going to put our first foot forward heading into the new year, honoring all those that do so good, so much everyday to help Louisiana,” said Nungesser.

    The 350-thousand-dollar float will be decorated with 34-thousand roses and handmade magnolias.  Another 200-thousand-dollars in state money will go towards travel and entertainment expenses.

    louisianaradionetwork.com/2021/12/18/for-the-first-time-ever-a-louisiana-themed-float-will-participate-in-the-tournament-of-roses-parade-on-new-years-day/

  • The Saints stun the Super Bowl Champs with a shutout victory in Tampa Bay

    The Saints stun the Super Bowl Champs with a shutout victory in Tampa Bay

    Baton Rouge / louisianaradionetwork.com

    A stunning outcome on Sunday night as the Saints shutout Tampa Bay nine to zip to complete the season series sweep of the defending super bowl champs. New Orleans sacked Bucs quarterback Tom Brady four times, held him to 214 yards passing, also intercepted him once and forced a fumble in which the Black and Gold recovered. The Saints won despite 212 yards of offense. Acting Head Coach Dennis Allen.

    “We protected the football, we did a pretty good job in terms of playing the field position game and I thought defensively we were really good,” said Allen.

    It’s only the third time Brady has been shutout in his career and the first since 2006.

    That’s now seven straight regular season wins over Tampa Bay and improves the Saints record to 7-and-7, which is good enough for the final playoff spot in the NFC.

    New Orleans was able to pull off the upset, despite head coach Sean Payton watching from home after testing positive for COVID. Allen says it took a team effort to win.

    “That comes from the way that our head coach prepares us, he does a great job of leading us, and so we knew what was exactly expected of us, coaches, players, everybody and we just went out and did our job, just like we would have if he was standing on the sideline,” said Allen.

    The Saints playoff positioning could improve if the Bears beat the Vikings on Monday night and if the Washington Football Team gets a win over the Eagles on Tuesday, since New Orleans owns the tiebreaker over WFT and does not against Philadelphia.

    New Orleans next game is next Monday night at home against Miami. They finish the regular season by hosting Carolina and then visiting Atlanta.

    louisianaradionetwork.com/2021/12/19/the-saints-stun-the-super-bowl-champs-with-a-shutout-victory-in-tampa-bay/

  • Upgrades to Vidalia water plant

    Upgrades to Vidalia water plant

    Upgrades to the Vidalia water plant move into the design phase. The board of alderman voted unanimously to press forward with the project, which would double how much water the town can treat as well as provide backup options if the system fails. The hope is that improved water treatment capacities will help to attract industrial development. The new, independent water treatment plant would be in addition to refurbishment of the existing one, with a total price tag on the project estimated at $8.3 million

  • Natchez – one of the top 10 Christmas towns in the US

    Natchez – one of the top 10 Christmas towns in the US

    A new article names Natchez one of the top 10 Christmas towns in the US. A FoxNews.com piece highlighted cities “that really outdo themselves in the Christmas spirit department.” The piece highlights the Christmas In Natchez tree lighting event, the self-guided tour of the filming sites for Hallmark Channel’s “Every Time A Bell Rings” which was shot locally, and the Do You See What I See? and Jeweled Christmas Tours. Also on the list – Oxnard, California; Branson, Missouri; Dahlonega, Georgia; and Kennebunkport, Maine, among others.

  • United Cajun Navy responding to weekend tornados in Kentucky and surrounding areas

    United Cajun Navy responding to weekend tornados in Kentucky and surrounding areas

    Baton Rouge / louisianaradionetwork.com

    Brian Trascher with the United Cajun Navy said their field team arrived in Madisonville, Kentucky on Sunday which is about 90 miles away from Mayfield and near other areas that were devastated by tornados overnight Friday. Trascher said the immediate needs are tarps and water and unlike a hurricane when you can prepare days in advance…

    “Assuming you heard the warning you had 12 minutes and you didn’t know exactly where it was going so that’s kind of how this thing came up, it’s really, really bad,” said Trascher.

    Trascher said the devastation is hard to describe and he’s posting photos from team members that are onsite to their Facebook page. He said right now those in Mayfield and surrounding towns need your prayers first and foremost.

    “There are entire towns or sections of towns that are leveled. We’re used to seeing hurricane damage, this is like someone who’s used to seeing a dumpsite it looks more like that,” said Trascher.

    The United Cajun Navy is setting up distribution sites at churches they are working with between Bowling Green and Mayfield, Kentucky. Trascher said they’ve also deployed a K-9 search and rescue team to assist Illinois State Police and they are looking at sending a drone team also.

    “It’s very chaotic and the local people are obviously very shellshocked and there’s a lot of death, so their heads aren’t in the game, yet you know,” said Trascher.

    You can visit the United Cajun Navy’s FB for donation sites and photos of the devastation.

    louisianaradionetwork.com/2021/12/13/united-cajun-navy-responded-to-weekend-tornados-in-kentucky-and-surrounding-areas/

  • Sentencing set for February for bank fraud and money laundering

    Sentencing set for February for bank fraud and money laundering

    Sentencing is set for February for one of two men accused of fraudulently getting loans to buy a home in Jayess, The Briars historic home in Natchez, plus the Hotel Vue and a Super 8 Motel. 54-year old Duane Dufrene was set to go to trial late next month, but struck a deal with prosecutors. He agreed to plead guilty to one count each of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and money laundering. His partner in the scheme, Ryan Mullen, has not struck a deal. Prosecutors claimed the inflated loans were also used to buy upwards of two dozen high-end cars, and several of those have been seized by the federal government.

  • Biden Infrastructure Bill Includes Pilot Program To Lower Minimum Age Of Interstate Truckers

    Biden Infrastructure Bill Includes Pilot Program To Lower Minimum Age Of Interstate Truckers

    Baton Rouge / louisianaradionetwork.com

    At least a partial answer to the truck driver shortage is contained in President Biden’s new pilot Drive-Safe Act which would allow 18-year-olds to start driving big-rigs across state lines. Renee Amar, executive director of the Louisiana Motor Transport Association, favors the change. “If you were stationed out of Lake Charles with a company, you couldn’t drive from Lake Charles to Beaumont, which is roughly about a one-hour drive, you don’t have the ability to cross state lines currently,” said Amar.

    Younger drivers can now haul goods within the state, but have to be 21 to take on interstate assignments, possibly contributing to the driver shortage if individuals are looking for long-haul work with a company.

    Amar says under the pilot program of the Drive Safe Act contained in the infrastructure bill the number of drivers 18 to 20 would be limited in number to interstate assignments. She says, “What they passed in the bill was that they would do a pilot program for 3,000 slots across the nation, FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association) I’m assuming under the Department of Transportation, is going to have to figure out how they allocate those slots for each state.”

    Amar says supply chain issues and driver shortages nationwide are being exacerbated by the ongoing COVID pandemic, something lowering the age for interstate truckers could help with. “The numbers we were looking at before were roughly about 60,000 across the nation and currently were sitting around 80,000 short across the nation,” said Amar.

    louisianaradionetwork.com/2021/12/08/biden-infrastructure-bill-includes-pilot-program-to-lower-minimum-age-of-interstate-truckers/