5-11-20
With his stay-at-home order set to expire at the end of the week, Gov. John Bel Edwards is expected to announce if he’ll lift restrictions designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The current statewide stay-at-home order expires May 15, and the governor has said that he’s “hopeful” he will be able to announce today that Louisiana will move into the first phase of reopenings on May 16. The governor has come under increased pressure from Republicans and business owners to reopen the economy. State economists warn the economic damage from the virus and the oil price decline will exceed Hurricane Katrina’s financial hit.
GERALD GREUNIG HAS THE LATEST FIGURES CONCERNING THE CORONAVIRUS IN LOUISIANA.
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SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ADDED FIFTEEN NEW CASES OF CORONAVIRUS. THE TOTAL IS SIX HUNDRED NINETY-NINE. THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ADJUSTED THE NUMBER OF DEATHS DOWN IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA BY ONE. ON FRIDAY, THEY REPORTED CALCASIEU PARISH WITH THIRTY-EIGHT DEATHS BUT ON SUNDAY THAT NUMBER WAS THIRTY-SEVEN. SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAS FIFTY-SIX TOTAL DEATHS.
The extent of how deeply the coronavirus outbreak has ravaged Louisiana’s government finances will soon start to come into focus. The state income forecasting panel meets Monday to try to put the first official number on the budget problem. Estimates set by the Revenue Estimating Conference will be used to craft next year’s budget and determine if any cuts are needed before the current budget ends June 30. Lawmakers expect a decline in state financing anywhere from $500 million to as much as $1.5 billion.
A MAN WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN NEW IBERIA AND TWO CHILDREN WERE INJURED BY STRAY BULLETS. THE MAN, WHOSE NAME HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED, WAS SHOT IN THE FOUR HUNDRED BLOCK OF SILVER STREET AT AROUND ELEVEN-THIRTY SATURDAY NIGHT AND DIED LATER AT THE HOSPITAL. THE CHILDREN, AGES SIX AND THIRTEEN, WERE IN A NEARBY HOME. THEIR WOUNDS WERE NOT LIFE THREATENING.
LAFAYETTE POLICE ARE TRYING TO FIND A MAN WHO SHOT ANOTHER MAN IN THE STOMACH SATURDAY. SERGEANT WAYNE GRIFFIN SAYS A VERBAL ALTERCATION LED TO THE SHOOTING, WHICH HAPPENED AT AROUND FIVE-THIRTY SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN THE FOUR HUNDRED BLOCK OF LOURDES STREET. HE SAYS AN ACTIVE WARRANT IS OUT FOR CHAD CREDEUR, WHO IS WANTED FOR ATTEMPTED SECOND DEGREE MURDER. THE VICTIM WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CONFIRMED A TORNADO TRAVELED FOURTEEN MILES THROUGH BEAUREGARD PARISH LAST TUESDAY NIGHT. THE F-ONE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR SOUTH BEAUREGARD HIGH SCHOOL, ABOUT TWO MILES SOUTH OF LONGVILLE NEAR HIGHWAY ONE SEVENTY-ONE. IT TRACKED SOUTHEAST TO ABOUT THREE MILES NORTHEAST OF GILLIS. ALONG THE PATH, TREES WERE SNAPPED AND SHINGLES WERE PULLED FROM HOMES WHILE OUTBUILDINGS AND CARPORTS WERE DAMAGED.
TWO PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED SATURDAY NIGHT AFTER SHOTS WERE FIRED AT A HOUSE ON TOWNHOME DRIVE IN EUNICE. THE FIRST VICTIM, TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD DAMARQUIS “K-K” ROBINSON OF EUNICE, IS STILL HOSPITALIZED, WHILE THE SECOND VICTIM, TWENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD BRANDON NDUBUEZE (IN duh byoos) OF EUNICE, WAS FOUND HIDING IN A WOODED AREA BY POLICE HOURS INTO THEIR INVESTIGATION. HE WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL AND IS BEING HELD IN THE CITY JAIL. EUNICE POLICE CHIEF RANDY FONTENOT SAYS THAT HOUSE HAS BEEN THE TARGET OF SHOOTINGS SINCE LAST YEAR, THE SUBJECT OF SEARCH WARRANTS RESULTING IN ARRESTS AND THE SCENE OF VARIOUS OTHER ACTIVITIES.
