8-20-20
LOUISIANA SAW TWENTY-EIGHT MORE DEATHS FROM COVID-NINETEEN, ACCORDING TO THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN THEIR REPORT TODAY. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS NOW STANDS AT FOUR THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED NINETY-SIX. THERE ARE SEVENTY-THREE FEWER COVID NINETEEN PATIENTS THAT ARE HOSPITALIZED. THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS HAS INCREASED BY THREE. THERE ARE NINE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN MORE COVID-NINETEEN PATIENTS. THE TOTAL POISTIVE TESTS EXCEEDED ONE HUNDRED FORTY THOUSAND, WITH A TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED FORTY THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE.
ACADIANA HAS ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN NEW CASES IN THE REGION, THIRTY-SIX IN LAFAYETTE PARISH. THE TOTAL HAS MOVED TO TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO NEW CASES. ACADIANA HAS TWO MORE DEATHS, ONE IN EACH OF ACADIA AND IBERIA PARISHES. THE TOTAL IS NOW AT FIVE HUNDRED FORTY-ONE.
THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL DEATHS FROM COVID-NINETEEN IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, BOTH IN CALCASIEU PARISH. THAT PUTS THE TOTAL FOR THE REGION AT TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-SIX. SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ADDED FIFTY-SEVEN MORE CASES, FORTY IN CALCASIEU PARISH. THE TOTAL IS TEN THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-SIX CASES.
A ST. LANDRY PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTY WAS ARRESTED AND FIRED FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING A DEPARTMENT CREDIT CARD FROM THE PARISH JAIL WHERE HE WORKED. TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER WAYNE SPENCER IS ACCUSED OF USING THE CARD TO FUEL HIS PERSONAL VEHICLE THIRTEEN TIMES OVER A FORTY-ONE DAY PERIOD, CHARGING MORE THAN FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS. ON AUGUST THIRTEENTH, AN ATTEMPTED TRANSACTION WAS DENIED WHICH LED AN ADMINISTRATOR AT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO DISPATCH DEPUTIES TO FIND OUT WHO WAS USING THE CARD. INVESTIGATORS INTERVIEWED SPENCER ON TUESDAY AND HE REPORTEDLY CONFESSED TO THE THEFT.
Louisiana lawmakers are plowing ahead with a contested emergency plan to run the state’s fall elections during the pandemic despite Gov. John Bel Edwards’ intention to jettison the plan if it reaches his desk. Republicans on the House and Governmental Affairs Committee voted in a near-bloc Wednesday to advance the emergency plan offered by GOP Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin to the full House for consideration. It eliminates most of the coronavirus-related reasons for a person to request an absentee ballot. The rules have little chance of being used for the Nov. 3 presidential election or a Dec. 5 state election because Edwards, a Democrat, intends to block it.
THREE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SUBMITTED BIDS TO OPERATE RECREATION CENTERS IN NORTH LAFAYETTE. MAYOR PRESIDENT JOSH GUILLORY ASKED FOR PROPOSALS AFTER HE LAID OFF THIRTY-SEVEN EMPLOYEES AND CUT FUNDS TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. IN JULY GUILLORY ANNOUNCED HE WAS CLOSING FOUR RECREATION AND ACTIVITY CENTERS IN NORTH LAFAYETTE, RESULTING IN AN OUTCRY FROM RESIDENTS IN THE AREAS. ONLY ONE OF THE THREE PROPOSALS IS TO OPERATE ALL FOUR CENTERS.
A FIRED WORKER ALLEGEDLY ATTACKED AND THREATENED HIS FELLOW CO-WORKERS IN JENNINGS EARLY YESTERDAY. ONE PERSON AT THE CONSTRUCTION SITE ON FARM SUPPLY ROAD CONTACTED THE JEFF DAVIS SHERIFF’S OFFICE. THEY SAY TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD JEROME GERARD MCDOUGLE OF LAKE CHARLES USED A PIPE, BOARD AND BOLT CUTTERS TO THREATEN AND ATTACK THE OTHER EMPLOYEES. MCDOUGLE WAS CHARGED WITH FOUR COUNTS OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND ONE COUNT OF AGGRAVATED BATTERY.
CROWLEY MAYOR TIM MONCEAUX SAYS THAT IF THE COUNCIL FAILS TO PASS A BUDGET BY AUGUST THIRTY-FIRST, THE CITY WILL, BY LAW, BE REQUIRED TO OPERATE ON FIFTY PERCENT OF LAST YEAR’S BUDGET. HE SAYS THAT WILL MEAN A FREEZE ON BIG TICKET PURCHASES, THE FURLOUGHING OF SOME CITY EMPLOYEES AND DRASTIC SPENDING CUTS. THE COUNCIL LAST NIGHT FAILED TO AGREE TO HOLD A HEARING ON THE BUDGET. ONE COUNCILMAN, BRAD CORE, SAYS THEY LEARNED THAT CITY CLERK ERIN CRADEUR PREPARED THE BUDGET WITHOUT INPUT FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS.
