8-6-20
THE IBERIA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD VOTED LAST NIGHT TO PUSH BACK THE START OF SCHOOL FROM AUGUST SEVENTEENTH UNTIL SEPTEMBER EIGHTH, THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY. SUPERINTENDENT CAREY LAVIOLETTE SAYS THE DECISION IS BEST FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND THE COMMUNITY. SHE SAYS THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH’S REGIONAL DIRECTOR’S RECOMMENDATION TO NOT START SCHOOL IN AUGUST. THE EVANGELINE PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNOUNCED THEY WILL NOT START SCHOOL UNTIL AUGUST TWENTY-FOURTH, WITH A PROJECTED END DATE OF JUNE SECOND.
THERE WERE FORTY-ONE MORE DEATHS IN LOUISIANA AS THE TOTAL NEARS FOUR THOUSAND. HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TO DECLINE WITH ANOTHER SIXTEEN FEWER PATIENTS. THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS ON VENTILATORS HAS DROPPED BY SEVENTEEN. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYS THERE WERE ALMOST FIFTEEN HUNDRED NEW COVID-NINETEEN CASES IN THE STATE, PUSHING THE TOTAL TO NEAR ONE HUNDRED TWENTY SIX THOUSAND.
ACADIANA RECORDED TEN MORE DEATHS FROM COVID-NINETEEN YESTERDAY. IBERIA AND ST.LANDRY PARISHES EACH HAD THREE, ST. MARY PARISH HAD TWO AND ST. MARTIN AND VERMILLION PARISHES ADDED ONE EACH. THE TOTAL IS NOW FOUR HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO. THERE ARE AN ADDITIONAL ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-TWO CASES FOR THE REGION. THE TOTAL IS TWENTY-THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-NINE.
ONCE AGAIN ALLEN PARISH WAS THE ONLY PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA TO REPORT A DEATH FROM COVID-NINETEEN. THEY ADDED ONE YESTERDAY, WHICH MOVES THE REGIONAL TOTAL TO ONE HUNDRED NINETY-FOUR. THERE ARE SIXTY-EIGHT MORE CASES FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA, INCLUDING FORTY-NINE IN CALCASIEU PARISH. THE TOTAL IS NINE THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED TEN.
BREAUX BRIDGE POLICE CAPTURED A MAN WHO PUNCHED A SEVENTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD WALMART EMPLOYEE YESTERDAY. THIRTY-YEAR-OLD KENDRICK ZENON WAS WEARING A FULL BLACK MASK AND BOXER SHORTS WHEN HE STRUCK THE EMPLOYEE AND THEN TOOK OFF THE BOXER SHORTS, AND ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED A SIXTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD MAN BEFORE FLEEING THE STORE. ZENON WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR EVALUATION. POLICE CHIEF ROLLIE CANTU SAYS ZENON WILL BE CHARGED WITH BATTERY OF THE INFIRM AND OBSCENITY.
Testimony in a lawsuit challenging Gov. John Bel Edwards’ statewide mask mandate and bar restrictions enacted to combat the coronavirus outbreak will go into a second day. Four Jefferson Parish residents are asking Judge Janice Clark to declare the rules null and void and prohibit the Democratic governor from enforcing them. Their lawsuit argues Edwards’ order requiring the masks, banning indoor gatherings above 50 people and limiting bars to takeout and delivery is unconstitutional. Edwards’ administration Wednesday defended the regulations as helping to slow the spread of the virus.
A PROPOSED ORDINANCE BY THE LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL TO SEPARATE CITY AND PARISH PARKS AND RECREATION MONEY MAY VIOLATE THE HOME RULE CHARTER. THAT’S THE LEGAL OPINION OF ASSISTANT CITY PARISH ATTORNEY PAUL ESCOTT BEFORE THE ORDINANCE BY COUNCILWOMEN LIZ HEBERT AND NANETTE COOK WAS INTRODUCED AT A SPECIAL MEETING TUESDAY. CURRENTLY THE PARISH COUNCIL HAS AUTHORITY OVER PARKS AND RECREATION. COOK SAYS SHE HELPED WRITE THE ORDINANCE AFTER THE PARISH COUNCIL STOPPED ALL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CLOSURE OF FOUR REC CENTERS ON THE NORTHSIDE OF LAFAYETTE.
LAKE CHARLES CITY COUNCILMAN JOHN IEYOUB WANTS TO ASK THE GOVERNOR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PHASE THREE OF OPENING THE ECONOMY. HOWEVER, THE REST OF THE COUNCIL DID NOT AGREE AND VOTED TO DEFER HIS REQUEST. IEYOUB EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT, TELLING KPLC TV THAT “WE CAN’T LET BUSINESSES DIE AS WE TRY THIS EXPERIMENT ON HOW TO STOP COVID.” ONE LOCAL PHYSICIAN, DOCTOR DAVID CHANG, TELLS KPLC TV THAT THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN TRENDING DOWN BUT FROM HORRIFYING TO SLIGHTLY LESS HORRIFYING, WHICH IS NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE.
