8-19-20
THERE WERE SIX HUNDRED FORTY NEW CASES OF COVID-NINETEEN IN YESTERDAY’S REPORT FROM THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. THE TOTAL IS ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-NINE THOUSAND, ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE. THE STATE ADDED TWENTY-EIGHT MORE DEATHS, MOVING THE TOTAL TO FOUR THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE. THE NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS, DROPPED BY TWENTY-TWO. HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS INCREASED BY THREE.
ACADIANA HAD SEVEN MORE DEATHS. TWO WERE IN ST. LANDRY PARISH, WHILE ACADIA, LAFAYETTE, ST. MARTIN, ST. MARY AND VERMILLION PARISHES ADDED ONE EACH. THE TOTAL IS NOW AT FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE. THERE WERE SEVENTY-ONE MORE CORONAVIRUS CASES IN THE REGION, INCLUDING TWENTY-NINE IN LAFAYETTE PARISH. THE TOTAL IS NOW TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-NINE.
SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ADDED SIXTY-SIX MORE CORONAVIRUS CASES, WITH THE MOST BEING IN CALCASIEU PARISH, WITH FORTY-EIGHT. THERE ARE TEN THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED THIRTY-THREE TOTAL CASES. THE REGION RECORDED TWO MORE DEATHS INCLUDING THE VERY FIRST DEATH IN CAMERON PARISH AND ONE IN BEAUREGARD PARISH. THE TOTAL IS TWO HUNDRED FORTY-NINE.
New leadership is ahead for St. Landry parish after its president announced his resignation yesterday. St. Landry Parish President Bill Fontenot said he’s stepping down to focus on his health. Earlier this year, Fontenot was diagnosed with skin cancer. KLFY-TV reports Fontenot’s last day will be on Friday.
Louisiana should start issuing checks for $300 in weekly federal coronavirus unemployment aid next week. But as many as 87,000 people on state unemployment may not be eligible for the federal assistance. Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday the state expects to receive federal funds by the end of this week to start paying the enhanced federal unemployment benefits. About 417,000 people in Louisiana are expected to be eligible for the federal aid.
Authorities said 14 inmates and a former inmate were arrested and accused of distributing drugs and contraband inside a Louisiana correctional center. The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office said 15 people were charged with racketeering for activities that include manufacturing and distributing Schedule I and IV narcotics. Sheriff Office spokeswoman Capt. Ginny Higgins said deputies discovered an elaborate drug ring inside the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center that was carried out by “working inmates” and general population inmates. Authorities said the investigation uncovered narcotics, synthetic marijuana and make-shift weapons.
MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY HAS ISSUED A STATEMENT EXPRESSING THEIR OPPOSITION TO A PROPOSED ECONOMIC BOYCOTT OVER THE CALCASIEU PARISH POLICE JURY’S DECISION NOT TO REMOVE A CONFEDERATE STATUE AT THE COURTHOUSE. IN A STATEMENT ON FACEBOOK, THE UNIVERSITY SAID THEY SUPPORTED A FACULTY MEMBER’S RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE SOUTH DEFENDER’S MEMORIAL MONUMENT AT THE POLICE JURY MEETING. THEY SAY DISCUSSION BEGAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO BOYCOTT BUSINESSES, EMPLOYERS AND HOUSES OF WORSHIP ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THE POLICE JURORS. MCNEESE STATE OFFICIALS SAID IN THE STATEMENT THAT THEY DO NOT BELIEVE “THE PATH TO BEING HEARD IS FOUND IN MALICIOUS COMMENTS OR THE ATTEMPTS TO HURT BUSINESSES OR THE LIVELIHOOD OF ANY PARTICIPANT IN THEIR DISCUSSION.
A CROWLEY MAN HAS BEEN INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY ON TWO COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE HOMOCIDE. CROWLEY POLICE CHIEF JIMMY BROUSSARD SAYS ON JULY THIRD, TWO MALE SUBJECTS, WALKING HOME FROM A CONVENIENCE STORE, WERE APPROACHED BY THREE MEN WHO ATTEMPTED TO ROB THEM. ONE OF THE VICTIMS THREW COFFEE AT THE MEN IN AN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE AND WAS SHOT IN THE BACK. THE GRAND JURY FOUND THERE WAS ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO INDICT JONTEYVAN MARKS, WHO IS BEING HELD IN THE ACADIA PARISH JAIL ON A TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR BOND.
