8-12-21
The rapidly escalating surge in COVID-19 infections is once again overwhelming hospitals across the U.S. That is especially true in hot spots such as Louisiana, which hit a record number of coronavirus hospitalizations last week. Nearly 2,900 virus patients have been admitted to hospitals — and state health officials say the number of cases may not peak for several more weeks.
TOP HEALTH OFFICIALS IN ACADIANA SAY THE PANDEMIC IS NOW AT ITS WORST. CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.
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THE GLO IN THE CRO BALLOON FESTIVAL SCHEDULED FOR THE END OF THIS MONTH IN CARENCRO HAS BEEN CANCELLED. IN A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CITY, THEY SAY THE DECISION WAS MADE BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT BE ASSURED OF PROVIDING A SAFE, FUN, FAMILY EVENT. MEANWHILE THE CITY OF SCOTT HAS DECIDED TO RESCHEDULE THE BOUDIN FESTIVAL, ORIGINALLY SET FOR LATE SEPTEMBER, TO THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR. MAYOR JAN-SCOTT RICHARD AND FESTIVAL PRESIDENT DANIEL NOEL SAY BECAUSE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE GOVERNOR, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE SCOTT POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY FEEL THIS DECISION IS THE MOST PRUDENT COURSE OF ACTION.
THE EUNICE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ORGANIZING BLOOD DRIVES AND A FUNDRAISER TO HELP AN OFFICER DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA. SERGEANT ROBERT BRICKLY WILL BE IN THE HOSPITAL FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS UNDERGOING TREATMENTS. BLOOD DRIVES WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AT EUNICE CITY HALL AND A MONETARY DONATION WILL BE MADE TOWARD BRICKLEY’S MEDICAL COSTS FOR EACH PINT OF BLOOD DONATED. A BAKE SALE WILL ALSO BE SET UP DURING THE BLOOD DRIVE WITH PROCEEDS GOING TO PAY BRICKLEY’S MEDICAL BILLS AND EXPENSES.
STATE POLICE HAVE RELEASED THE IDENTITY OF THE MOTORCYCLIST KILLED SUNDAY NIGHT IN LAKE CHARLES. FORTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD JASON COLE OF LAKE CHARLES WAS ON A TWO THOUSAND FIVE SUZUKI MOTORCYCLE TRAVELING EAST ON INTERSTATE TWO-TEN WHEN HE LEFT THE ROADWAY AND STRUCK A GUARDRAIL. COLE WAS EJECTED FROM THE MOTORCYCLE AND PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. THERE HAVE BEEN TWENTY-THREE FATALITIES FROM TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN THE TROOP D AREA THIS YEAR.
Louisiana’s top public schools leader has released a $132 million plan for spending federal coronavirus aid that he hopes will help students recover from the learning losses that occurred when classroom teaching moved online because of the pandemic. Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said Wednesday he intends to use the dollars to expand mental and behavioral health support at schools, boost tutoring and literacy programs, enhance summer learning initiatives and add new training for teachers. He’s pushing for local school districts to use their larger shares of federal relief money to advance the same goals as well. The effort comes after standardized test scores dropped during the pandemic.
AT A SPECIAL MEETING YESTERDAY, THE BAYOU VERMILLION DISTRICT BOARD VOTED FIVE-TO-FOUR TO KEEP DAVID CHERAMIE AS C-E-O DESPITE COMPLAINTS FROM EMPLOYEES. THE ALLEGATIONS INCLUDED SEXUAL HARASSMENT, AGE-RELATED JOKES AND GENDER-RELATED PAY DISPARITIES. THE COMPLAINTS WERE AIRED DURING THE MEETING BUT SOME VOICED THEIR SUPPORT FOR CHERAMIE. HE RELEASED A STATEMENT AFTER THE MEETING SAYING HE WAS THANKFUL FOR THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT AND HE PLEDGED TO WORK WITH THE BOARD TO IMPROVE WORKING CONDITIONS AMONG THE EMPLOYEES.
LAST SATURDAY A SAINT MARY PARISH SHERIFF’S DETECTIVE PULLED OVER SIXTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD JESUS FERNANDEZ OF MORGAN CITY FOR A LANE CHANGE VIOLATION AND HE WAS FOUND TO HAVE DRUGS, DRUG PARAPHERNALIA AND CASH AS WELL AS CAGED CHICKENS. HE WAS ARRESTED ON SEVERAL CHARGES AND RELEASED ON BOND. A FURTHER INVESTIGATION LED TO THE ISSUING OF AN ARREST WARRANT FOR FERNANDEZ ON ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SEVEN COUNTS OF COCKFIGHTING AND ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-ONE COUNTS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY. SHERIFF BLAISE SMITH SAYS ANIMAL CRUELTY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN SAINT MARY PARISH.
