4-21-20
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, OIL PRICES DIPPED BELOW ZERO TO CLOSE AT NEGATIVE THIRTY-SEVEN-SIXTY A BARREL. GERALD GREUNIG REPORTS.
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THERE WERE NEARLY SIX HUNDRED NEW CASES OF THE CORONAVIRUS REPORTED IN LOUISIANA YESTERDAY. THE TOTAL IS NOW AT TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE. THERE ARE THIRTY-TWO MORE DEATHS FOR A TOTAL OF ONE THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF REDUCED HOSPITALIZATIONS, THERE WAS AN INCREASE YESTERDAY, FORTY-SIX MORE PATIENTS. HOWEVER, THE NUMBER ON VENTILATORS WENT DOWN BY SEVENTEEN.
THE NUMBER OF CORONAVIRUS CASES IN ACADIANA INCREASED BY THIRTY-SIX. THE TOTAL IS NOW AT TWELVE-HUNDRED NINETY-FIVE. THERE ARE TWO MORE DEATHS IN THE REGION, ONE EACH IN IBERIA AND ST. MARY PARISHES. THE TOTAL STANDS AT SEVENTY-EIGHT.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO MORE CASES OF CORONAVIRUS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, ONE EACH IN CALCASIEU AND BEAUREGARD PARISHES. THE TOTAL IS NOW FOUR HUNDRED NINETY SEVEN. THERE ARE NO DEATHS REPORTED. SO THE TOTAL REMAINS AT THIRTY-FIVE.
THE IBERIA PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS ANNOUNCED A TENTATIVE DATE FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS. THEY WILL TAKE PLACE THE WEEK OF JULY THIRTEENTH. MORE DETAILS AND INFORMATION WILL BE RELEASED AS STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR GATHERINGS. INFORMATION ON GRADE COMPUTATIONS FOR SENIORS AND TOPS INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT THE IBERIA PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT’S WEB SITE.
LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH PRESIDENT JOSH GUILLORY WILL ASK THE CITY AND PARISH COUNCILS FOR PERMISSION TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF ISSUING AS MUCH AS FORTY MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE BONDS TO COVER ANTICIPATED SHORTFALLS. CITY PARISH FINANCE DIRECTOR LORRIE TOUPS SAYS THE EFFECTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY HAS NOT AFFECTED THEIR FINANCES YET. HOWEVER, SHE’S ANTICIPATING A THIRTY-FIVE PERCENT DROP IN SALES TAX COLLECTIONS BY THE END OF THE YEAR. SHE TELLS THE ADVOCATE THAT SHE DOESN’T ANTICIPATE ISSUING FORTY MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE BONDS BUT IT’S NECESSARY TO HAVE THE PERMISSION TO DO SO IF THE CITY AND PARISH RUN OUT OF MONEY.
TWO MEN FROM CROWLEY, MICHAEL JOHNSON AND RICK VILLEJOIN, HAVE BEEN HELPING NEEDY FAMILIES IN THE CITY AFTER PUTTING A POST ON FACEBOOK ASKING PEOPLE TO NOMINATE FAMILIES FOR EASTER BASKETS. JOHNSON SAYS THE RESPONSE WAS HUGE AND FOR TEN DAYS THEY’VE BEEN BRINGING EASTER BASKETS AND GROCERIES TO THE NOMINATED FAMILIES. SO FAR TWO HUNDRED FIFTEEN FAMILIES HAVE BEEN HELPED. THE GROCERIES ARE ENtIRELY PAID FOR WITH DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY. THE MEN TELL KLFY TV THE MOST REWARDING PART IS TO SEE THE REACTIONS FROM THE FAMILY WHEN THEY FIND OUT THE COMMUNITY CARES FOR THEM.
A CALCASIEU PARISH INMATE WHO WALKED OFF A JOB DETAIL EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING WAS FOUND AND TAKEN BACK INTO CUSTODY IN THE AFTERNOON. FIFTY-YEAR-OLD SHANE W. CORMIER WALKED OFF THE JOB AT THE CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON EAST BROAD STREET IN LAKE CHARLES. HE WAS FOUND AT A HOME ON NORTH HUDSON STREET IN SULPHUR AT AROUND TWO-THIRTY P-M. OFFICIALS SAY HE WILL BE CHARGED WITH SIMPLE ESCAPE.
