8-18-20
THERE WAS A SHARP DROP IN THE NUMBER OF NEW COVID-NINETEEN CASES IN YESTERDAY’S REPORT FROM THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. THERE WERE FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN MORE CASES, AS THE TOTAL APPROACHES ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED. THE STATE ADDED NINETEEN MORE DEATHS, MOVING THE TOTAL PAST FOUR THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED. AFTER MORE THAN TWO WEEKS OF DECREASING HOSPITALIZATIONS, THE NUMBER WENT UP YESTERDAY BY THIRTY. HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS DECREASED BY FIVE.
ACADIANA HAD SIX MORE DEATHS. FOUR WERE IN EVANGELINE PARISH, WHILE IBERIA AND ST. MARTIN PARISHES ADDED ONE EACH. THE TOTAL IS NOW AT FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO. THERE WERE EIGHTY-THREE MORE CORONAVIRUS CASES IN THE REGION, INCLUDING TWENTY-NINE IN LAFAYETTE PARISH. THE TOTAL IS NOW TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-EIGHT.
SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA HAD ONLY NINE MORE CORONAVIRUS CASES, WITH THE MOST BEING IN ALLEN PARISH, WHICH HAD FOUR. THERE ARE TEN THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN TOTAL. THE REGION RECORDED FOUR MORE DEATHS INCLUDING TWO IN BEAUREGARD PARISH AND ONE EACH IN ALLEN AND CALCASIEU PARISHES. THE TOTAL IS TWO HUNDRED FORTY-SEVEN.
The Louisiana governor’s office says a meat processing company plans to renovate a former garment factory. Gov. John Bel Edwards’ Monday news release says Cajun Traditions will make a $2.85 million capital investment in the Church Point facility to convert it into a meat processing plant. The project will lead to 35 new jobs that will have an average annual salary of $25,505, plus benefits. Cajun Traditions purchased the former garment manufacturing site from the town of Church Point earlier this year.
Louisiana’s elections chief has proposed a scaled-back emergency plan for this fall’s elections that would modestly expand early voting amid the coronavirus outbreak, but still require most people to cast ballots in person. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin sent the proposal to the governor and lawmakers Monday. It recommends a more limited adjustment in voting rules for the Nov. 3 presidential election than the plan used for Louisiana’s summer elections. The plan needs approval from Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and lawmakers.
A JUDGE HAS POSTPONED A COURT HEARING ABOUT THE REMOVAL OF THE ALFRED MOUTON STATUE, WHICH STANDS AT THE INTERSECTION OF JEFFERSON STREET AND LEE AVENUE IN DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE. CAROLINE MARCELLO HAS MORE.
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A 26-year-old man has died in a Lake Charles jail. Authorities say they do not suspect foul play in the death of Dynell Dise, of Westlake. The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Monday that Dise’s body was found during a head count Sunday evening. Dise was in jail on charges of contempt of court, carrying of weapons during a crime, and two counts of drug possession.
NEXT WEEK, THE VERMILLION PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL BEGIN DISTRIBUTING CHROME BOOK COMPUTERS TO STUDENTS WHO ARE CHOOSING TO DO CLASS ONLINE, BUT THE QUESTION IS WILL THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO GO AROUND. SUPERINTENDENT TOMMY BYLER TELLS KLFY TV THAT CHROME BOOKS ARE BACK-ORDERED UNTIL PROBABLY OCTOBER AND THEY’VE HAD TO BORROW FROM THEIR DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT. SOME STUDENTS WILL BE ON A WAITING LIST UNTIL MORE CHROME BOOKS BECOME AVAILABLE. BYLER SAYS STUDENTS HAVE A TWO WEEK WINDOW TO DECIDE IF THEY’LL ATTEND CLASSES IN PERSON OR ONLINE.
