4-30-20
President Donald Trump praised Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’ response to the state’s coronavirus outbreak. The Democratic governor met with Trump at the White House on Wednesday to discuss the COVID-19 disease. Back home, Republican state lawmakers are bristling at Edwards’ decision to extend Louisiana’s stay-at-home order through May 15. They’re considering trying to override Edwards’ emergency decision-making about the virus.
THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR NEW CASES OF THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS WERE REPORTED WEDNESDAY BY THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. GERALD GRUENIG HAS MORE.
VOICER B :22
THE SOUTHWEST REGION OF LOUISIANA HAS TEN MORE CORONAVIRUS CASES. THE TOTAL IS FIVE HUNDRED SEVENTY-EIGHT. THERE WAS ONLY ONE MORE DEATH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, WHICH WAS IN CALCASIEU PARISH. THE TOTAL DEATHS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA STANDS AT FORTY-SEVEN.
A LAFAYETTE CLINIC IS OFFERING FREE COVID-NINETEEN TESTING TO EVERYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE TESTED FOR THE VIRUS. RACHEL JONES WITH THE SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HEALTH SERVICES CLINIC SAYS ANYONE CAN GET TESTED. THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS OR AGE LIMITS. THE TESTING IS BEING DONE IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE CLINIC’S PATTERSON STREET LOCATION ON THE WEEKDAYS. TEST RESULTS TAKE BETWEEN TWO TO FIVE DAYS AND THEY WILL CALL THE PATIENTS AND LET THEM KNOW THE RESULTS.
At least four companies in the oil and gas industry in Louisiana said workers were being laid off due to a decrease in demand because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Acadiana Advocate reported notifications to the Louisiana Workforce Commission showed around 600 workers were already let go or expected to be laid off soon. About 180 employees with ASRC Energy Services Omega in New Iberia will lose their jobs. An undisclosed number of workers were being laid off from Valaris in Broussard.
A LIGHTNING STRIKE YESTERDAY MORNING CAUSED A FIRE AT THE CONGREGATION GATES OF PRAYER SYNAGOGUE IN NEW IBERIA. FIREFIGHTERS GOT THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL AND DAMAGE WAS CONTAINED TO THE ATTIC ABOVE THE ALTER. HISTORIC SCROLLS THAT ARE HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD WERE SAVED. MEANWHILE THERE WAS ANOTHER LIGHTNING STRIKE YESTERDAY MORNING THAT IGNITED A TANK FIRE IN ACADIA PARISH ON OLD SPANISH TRAIL BETWEEN MIDLAND AND MERMENTAU. TWO TANKS CAUGHT FIRE THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY HOLDING SALTWATER. ASHLEY LEBLANC OF THE ACADIA PARISH OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SAYS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT WAS MINIMAL AND PRIMARILY CONTAINED TO THE SITE BELONGING TO JENNINGS HOLDINGS.
A SUSPECT, WANTED FOR TWO COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED HOMOCIDE, WAS WOUNDED BY A LAKE CHARLES POLICE OFFICER DURING AN ATTEMPTED ARREST. POLICE MADE A TRAFFIC STOP ON TULIP STREET WHEN THE SUSPECT, TWENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD BRANDON ROBERTS OF LAKE CHARLES, EXITED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE, FIRED A SHOT AT THE OFFICERS AND FLED ON FOOT. HE CONFRONTED ADDITIONAL RESPONDING OFFICERS AND WAS SHOT BY ONE OF THE OFFICERS. ROBERTS WAS TAKEN TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT AND WILL BE BOOKED INTO THE CALCASIEU CORRECTIONAL CENTER UPON HIS RELEASE. STATE POLICE ARE HELPING INVESTIGATE THE SHOOTING.
