7-21-20
COMMUNITY LEADERS MET ON THE CAMPUS OF U-L LAFAYETTE TO ANNOUNCE THE ACADIANA SAFE MOVEMENT. CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.
VOICER Q :43
LOUISIANA HAD AN ADDITIONAL TWENTY-NINE DEATHS FROM COVID NINETEEN IN YESTERDAY’S REPORT FROM THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TO RISE WITH THIRTY-NINE MORE AND THERE ARE FIFTEEN EXTRA PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS. THERE WERE MORE THAN THREE THOUSAND POSITIVE CASES IN THE REPORT, BUT THAT INCLUDES FIFTEEN HUNDRED PLUS COLLECTED BETWEEN MAY EIGHTEENTH AND JULY THIRTEENTH. THE TOTAL IS NOW NEARING NINETY-FIVE THOUSAND.
THERE ARE SEVEN MORE DEATHS IN ACADIANA FROM COVID-NINETEEN. THAT INCLUDES THREE IN VERMILLION PARISH, TWO EACH IN ACADIA AND ST. LANDRY PARISHES AND ONE IN LAFAYETTE PARISH. ST. MARTIN PARISH’S DEATH COUNT WAS ADJUSTED DOWN BY ONE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. THE TOTAL IS NOW THREE HUNDRED FOURTEEN. ACADIANA ADDED SIX HUNDRED SIXTY-FOUR MORE POSITIVE CASES. LAFAYETTE PARISH’S TOTAL COUNT HAS SURPASSED FIVE THOUSAND. THE TOTAL FOR THE REGION IS THIRTEEN THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED SEVEN.
SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA SAW FIVE MORE DEATHS FROM COVID-NINETEEN. FOUR ARE IN CALCASIEU PARISH AND THE OTHER IS IN JEFF DAVIS PARISH. THE TOTAL IS ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR. THE REGION SAW MORE THAN FOUR HUNDRED ADDITIONAL POSITIVE CASES, INCLUDING TWO HUNDRED FIFTY IN CALCASIEU PARISH. THE TOTAL IS SIX THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED TWENTY-SEVEN.
THE OPELOUSAS BOARD OF ALDERMAN VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO FIRE POLICE OFFICER TYRON ANDREPONT, WHO IS ACCUSED OF BEATING A MAN IN A HOSPITAL BED LAST OCTOBER. ANDREPONT DIDN’T ATTEND THE MEETING EFFECTIVELY WAIVING HIS RIGHT TO DEFEND HIMSELF, ACCORDING TO CITY ATTORNEY TRAVIS BROUSSARD. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN VIEWED VIDEO EVIDENCE OF THE BEATING IN A PRIVATE SESSION BEFORE THE VOTE. LAST MONTH, ANDREPONT WAS CHARGED WITH FIVE COUNTS OF MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE.
Louisiana suspended an emergency rent assistance program to help with the economic slowdown caused by COVID-19 after more than 40,000 people started filling out applications in less than four days. The Louisiana Housing Corporation set aside $24 million of federal money for the program and says it will try to find more money after the flood of applications. The agency estimated they had enough money to help about 10,000 tenants, paying the aid directly to landlords. When the program was announced Thursday, housing advocates said it was a good start, but was far too little money, especially with the boosted $600-per-week federal unemployment payments expiring at the end of the month.
A CAR WAS DRIVEN INTO THE DILLARD’S STORE AT THE PRIEN LAKE MALL IN LAKE CHARLES. IT HAPPENED SHORTLY AFTER NINE LAST NIGHT WHEN THE CAR ENTERED THE SIDE OF THE STORE. THE HUSBAND AND WIFE IN THE VEHICLE WERE SHAKEN UP BUT OTHERWISE OK, ACCORDING TO KPLC TV. THERE IS NO FURTHER WORD YET ON WHAT HAPPENED.
LAST NIGHT THE VERMILLION PARISH SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED A BACK TO SCHOOL PLAN THAT WILL PUT STUDENTS IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL INTO TWO GROUPS. THE GROUPS WILL ALTERNATE PHYSICALLY ATTENDING SCHOOL. WHICH WILL BEGIN ON AUGUST TWENTY-SEVENTH. THE MEETING WAS MUCH CALMER THAN A CONTENTIOUS THURSDAY MEETING THAT LASTED FIVE HOURS. THE BOARD USED THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY THAT HAD SIX THOUSAND RESPONSES TO HELP THEM IN FORMING THE BACK TO SCHOOL PLAN.
