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Louisiana nursing home employees lag behind with COVID-19 vaccine boosters
Employees at Louisiana nursing homes are not far off the national pace for COVID-19 vaccinations, but they lag well behind when it comes to obtaining the boosters health experts recommend.
COVID-19 outbreaks at Louisiana nursing homes infect nearly 1,200 staff members
Coronavirus outbreaks at nursing homes last week have infected more than a thousand nursing home staff members across Louisiana and 44% of the residents at one facility, state health statistics show. Adding to those concerns is the low rate of vaccine boosters administered to nursing home residents and staff at some sites. According to the […]
Louisiana Supreme Court rules in favor of Ochsner COVID-19 vaccine mandate
The Louisiana Supreme Court issued a pair of rulings Friday that uphold Ochsner Health’s employee COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The rulings come as the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments from states and private sector plaintiffs that oppose President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for large employers and most health care employees. The state’s high court ruled […]
Another Louisiana COVID-19 record is short-lived; 14,000 new cases reported Thursday
Louisiana set a new single-day record with 14,077 new COVID-19 cases reported Thursday, and state health officials said they have seen no signs that the virus is slowing down. Gov. John Bel Edwards announced the record-breaking case count at an afternoon press conference but stopped short of implementing any mitigation measures — such as the face mask […]
Homer Plessy pardon attempts to remove historic ‘stain’ of Jim Crow laws
In what he described as an effort to correct a historic injustice from over a century ago, Gov. John Bel Edwards on Wednesday posthumously pardoned Homer A. Plessy, a mixed-race Creole arrested 130 years ago and convicted for sitting in a “whites only” section of a train in New Orleans. The court case led to […]
New year brings new laws to Louisiana
The beginning of 2022 brought with it several new laws. Among the changes are new tax rates for individuals and businesses, a shorter deadline for how long prosecutors can detain a suspect for a misdemeanor offense, and greater access to medical marijuana. In November, Louisiana voters changed a provision in the state constitution to allow an […]
Louisiana Public Service Commission awards contracts to man with suspended law license
The Louisiana Public Service Commission has given $220,000 worth of government contracts to a consultant with professional and personal connections to one of its commissioners, even after the consultant’s law license was suspended in 2019. The commission awarded Scott McQuaig two contracts in 2020 worth nearly $180,000 total for consulting work on 5G utility pole attachments […]
Biden appoints Louisiana Legislature Black Caucus Chair Ted James to Small Business Administration
President Joe Biden has appointed state Rep. Ted James (D-Baton Rouge) to serve as a regional administrator in the U.S. Small Business Administration. James was among six others appointed to what the White House called “key regional leadership roles.” As the SBA’s Region 6 administrator, James will oversee district offices in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, […]
Louisiana distributing Johnson & Johnson vaccine ‘upon request’ after CDC change
Louisiana will continue to distribute the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, though the Centers for Disease Control announced last week that Americans should receive Pfizer or Moderna shots over J&J if possible. The J&J vaccine can cause rare, but serious, blood clots and the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines appear to be more effective, according to […]
Louisiana governor’s new health order doesn’t include statewide mask mandate
Faced with signs of a fifth coronavirus surge in Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a new emergency health order Tuesday that requires face masks to be worn in many state-owned buildings and recommends – but does not require – face masks elsewhere in public in an effort to decrease the spread of the virus’ […]
Louisiana Supreme Court suspends Lafayette judge for racist remarks
The Louisiana Supreme Court announced Friday it has suspended Lafayette City Court Judge Michelle Odinet from serving on the bench as it investigates a recording in which she uses the n-word. According to the Supreme Court ruling, Odinet is “disqualified from exercising judicial functions, without salary, during the pendency of further proceedings in these matters.” […]
Louisiana’s top election official says holiday shopping makes December elections difficult
Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin wants to get rid of December elections because, he said, holiday shopping causes a severe shortage of delivery trucks that can transport voting machines. “December elections are almost becoming impossible,” Ardoin told the Louisiana House and Governmental Affairs Committee Thursday. “We’re competing with Amazon and FedEx to get trucks.” Ardoin’s […]