2-10-21
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana joined Democrats in voting against ending Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, a surprise reversal. Cassidy said the former president’s lawyers were doing “a terrible job” of arguing their case. He was among six Republican senators who sided with Democrats on the question of whether a former president can be tried after leaving office. The Louisiana senator’s position was a switch from January, when he voted to end the proceedings on the grounds that they were unconstitutional.
Gov. John Bel Edwards has received his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. His vaccination came Tuesday, a day after he expanded access to the shots to include Louisiana government officials involved in pandemic response work. The 54-year-old Democrat got his Pfizer shot along with Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin and several other state officials who are newly eligible under Louisiana’s latest criteria. Edwards, meanwhile, announced Tuesday that he’s maintaining Louisiana’s current coronavirus restrictions and statewide mask mandate through March 3. Otherwise, the rules would have expired Wednesday.
A MASK MANDATE WILL NOT BE ENFORCED BY THE LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT. GERALD GRUENIG HAS MORE.
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LOUISIANA HAD ANOTHER DECREASE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS WITH FORTY-SIX FEWER IN TODAY’S REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. THAT PUTS THE TOTAL BELOW ELEVEN HUNDRED. THE STATE SAW THIRTY FIVE MORE DEATHS DUE TO COVID-NINETEEN. THERE WERE ONLY THREE HUNDRED SEVENTEEN NEW CASES, BUT THE LOW NUMBER IS DUE TO A SERVER ISSUE THAT LED TO AN INCOMPLETE COUNT OF CASES.
BOTH ACADIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAD TWO MORE DEATHS. THEY WERE IN LAFAYETTE AND CALCASIEU PARISHES. THE NEW CASE COUNT IS LOW BUT, AGAIN, THAT’S DUE TO A SERVER AREA AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. ACADIANA HAD TWENTY EIGHT CONFIRMED NEW CASES WHILE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA’S TOTAL WAS ADJUSTED DOWN BY FIVE.
Authorities say they’ve made an arrest in connection with the disappearance and death of a Black teen whose body was found days after he was reported missing late last year. Iberia Parish Sheriff Tommy Romero said in a news release that Janet Irvin was arrested Tuesday on charges of felony failure to report a missing minor and contribution to juvenile delinquency. Quawan “Bobby” Charles’ family reported him missing on Oct. 30. His body was found last Nov. 3.
THE JEFFERSON DAVIS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE HAS CANCELLED A PLANNED OUTAGE FOR MONDAY. THE OUTAGE WAS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN MONDAY MORNING AT EIGHT AT THE HACKET SUBSTATION AND LAST AROUND FOUR HOURS. THEY DECIDED TO RESCHEDULE BECAUSE OF THE FORECAST OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES. THE HACKET SUBSTATION SERVES GRAND LAKE, SWEET LAKE, DEATONVILLE, PINE PASTURE AND BELL CITY.
THE CLERK OF COURT FOR THE VILLAGE OF MORSE, BIRDIE TOUCHET, HAS BEEN SUSPENDED BY MAYOR RAY RICHARD. IN AN EMAIL SENT TO KLFY TV, RICHARD SAYS HE SUSPENDED TOUCHET BECAUSE SHE INSTALLED AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF RECORDING DEVISES IN CITY HALL WHERE TAX RECORDS AND OTHER MATTERS THAT ARE NOT PUBLIC RECORD ARE DISCUSSED. TOUCHET RESPONDED THAT RICHARD KNEW ABOUT THE SECURITY CAMERAS BECAUSE HE WATCHED HER INSTALL THEM. THREE CITY ALDERMEN SAY THEY GAVE HER PERMISSION AFTER SHE FILED REPORTS WITH THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE CLAIMING SHE WAS HARASSED AND THREATENED IN THE OFFICE.
