5-8-20
A report from Louisiana’s Legislative Auditor says losses to local governments in the state could total more than $1 billion over two fiscal years as a result of the coronavirus fight and an oversupply of oil on the world market. Thursday’s report comes as Gov. John Bel Edwards weighs a variety of factors as he decides whether and how to allow businesses to reopen after May 15. That’s when his current stay-at-home emergency order expires. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Louisiana stands at 30,652 as of Thursday. That’s an increase of 253 from a day earlier. However, statewide hospitalizations — at 1,465 — are down from more than 2,100 in early April. There have been 2,135 deaths as of Thursday. More than 20,000 people are presumed recovered.
THE NUMBER OF CORONAVIRUS CASES IN ACADIANA ROSE BY EIGHTEEN, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST REPORT FROM THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. THE TOTAL IS ONE THOUSAND, SIX-HUNDRED EIGHTY-FIVE. THERE WERE FIVE MORE DEATHS FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW, A TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR. THAT INCLUDES TWO MORE DEATHS IN IBERIA PARISH, WHILE ACADIA, ST. MARTIN AND ST. LANDRY PARISHES HAD ONE MORE DEATH EACH.
THERE WERE ONLY THREE MORE CORONAVIRUS CASES IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, ALL IN CALCASIEU PARISH. THE TOTAL IS AT SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY-ONE. THERE WERE TWO MORE DEATHS, BOTH ALSO IN CALCASIEU PARISH. THE TOTAL IS FIFTY-SIX.
A NEW IBERIA MAN IS PLEADING WITH COVID-NINETEEN SURVIVORS TO HELP GIVE PATIENTS A FIGHTING CHANCE. GERALD GREUNIG HAS MORE.
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RETAIL SALES IN LAFAYETTE PARISH FOR MARCH WERE HIGHER THAN IN FEBRUARY BUT DOWN ALMOST FORTY MILLION COMPARED TO MARCH OF LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO DATA RELEASED WEDNESDAY BY THE LAFAYETTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. SALES FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS WAS ONE-POINT-FOUR-EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS, DOWN FROM THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF LAST YEAR, WHEN THERE WERE ONE POINT-FIVE BILLION DOLLARS IN SALES. GREGG GOTHREAUX OF THE LAFAYETTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SAYS TAXABLE SALES HELD STEADY IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY BUT MARCH BROUGHT A NEW REALITY. HE ENCOURAGED RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THEIR EMPLOYEES IN WHATEVER WAY THEY CAN.
YESTERDAY THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY DISTRIBUTED NEARLY TWENTY THOUSAND MASKS TO AROUND SIX HUNDRED BUSINESSES IN THE PARISH. GOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWARDS REQUIRED EMPLOYEES OF BUSINESSES, WHO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC, TO WEAR MASKS, WHEN HE EXTENDED THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER. ASSISTANT PARISH ADMINISTRATOR DANE BOLIN SAYS THEY HOPE THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE MASKS CAN HELP JUMP START THE LOCAL ECONOMY. BOLIN SAYS THOSE WHO GOT MASKS EXPRESSED APPRECTION FOR GETTING THEM AND THE EFFICIENCY OF THE PROCESS.
AN ACADIA PARISH WOMAN, WHO WAS REPORTED MISSING, HAS BEEN FOUND. THIRTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD HILARY SUIRE MORVANT IS SAFE, ACCORDING TO THE ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE. SHE LIVES OUTSIDE OF CROWLEY AND WAS REPORTED MISSING ON WEDNESDAY. SHE HAD BEEN LAST SEEN TAKING OUT THE TRASH.
