Govt + Politics
Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’ highlighted at congressional forum as an example of pollution’s deadliness
WASHINGTON —Louisiana activists are calling on Congress to bolster environmental justice protections at the federal level, in advance of a key vote in Congress next week. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) heard from the environmental justice advocates at an online forum Thursday on Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley,” part of a virtual “tour” with […]
By ordering a pandemic emergency election plan, federal judge does what Kyle Ardoin should have
Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin should have fought for Louisiana voters who demanded a way to cast their ballots in November and December without risking exposure to the novel coronavirus. Louisiana has been hit particularly hard by that virus and continues to lead the country in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases per capita. […]
Federal judge: Ongoing pandemic means Louisiana must use emergency election plan for November, December elections
Voters who expressed concern that voting in person would put them or their loved ones at risk of getting sick with COVID-19 won a major court victory Wednesday when a federal judge in Baton Rouge ruled that a Republican-supported election plan denying such accommodations imposed an unconstitutional and “undue burden” on the right to vote. […]
Louisiana has 3rd worst census response rate with 2 weeks to go
With two weeks to go until the U.S. Census Bureau ends its 2020 count, 85.4 percent of Louisiana households have been counted, leaving the state tied with Mississippi for the third worst response rate in the United States. That ranking includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Across the United States, […]
LSU Now Allows Students to Quarantine In Their Own Dorm Rooms
LSU has quietly shifted its policy for COVID-19 quarantine on campus. Students are now allowed to quarantine in their own dorm rooms under certain circumstances. They no longer have to go to special quarantine housing offered on campus or to hotel rooms in Baton Rouge. This means some students told to quarantine because they have […]
No vacancies at hotels sheltering hurricane evacuees
Louisiana would struggle to provide shelter to another round of hurricane evacuees without risking the spread of COVID-19, said Gov. John Bel Edwards in back-to-back press conferences Sunday and Monday. The state does not have enough hotel rooms to house many more disaster victims and would likely have to rely on large, communal shelters if […]
Bush administration ethics lawyer slams hiring of DeJoy as postmaster
WASHINGTON — A top ethics lawyer to President George W. Bush on Monday decried Louis DeJoy’s appointment to postmaster general and called for a congressional investigation into allegations of criminal activity. Richard Painter, who served as chief White House ethics lawyer and associate counsel to Bush, said DeJoy should not have been allowed to take […]
Louisiana unemployment trust fund almost out of cash
With Congress unable to come together on a bipartisan coronavirus relief package, Louisiana has almost no money left to pay unemployment claims to residents. The federal Lost Wage Assistance benefit, which provided residents an extra $300 per week, has also been depleted. Near the end of his press conference Monday, Gov. John Bel Edwards said […]
With COVID-19 rate still high, Louisiana enters eat-drink-and-be-merry phase
COVID-19 has been infecting fewer people in Louisiana than it did during a first peak in April or a second peak in July, and Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Thursday that the state was entering Phase 3 of its coronavirus reopening plan. Many Louisianians are probably celebrating the loosening of restrictions, but we’ll likely look […]
Louisiana’s Phase 3 means some bars are open but last call is early
BATON ROUGE — Restaurants, salons, gyms and other establishments, including some bars, will have fewer restrictions as Louisiana transitions to Phase 3 of its coronavirus reopening plan Friday night. Gov. John Bel Edwards announced the new guidelines at a press conference Friday afternoon, stressing that residents should make no significant changes to the cautious routines […]
Louisiana’s Phase 3: Restaurants, retail shops and churches will be at 75 percent capacity
Restaurants, retail shops and churches will be among the venues moving from 50 percent occupancy to 75 percent occupancy under the state’s new Phase 3 COVID-19 rules that will be released Friday afternoon, Gov. John Bel Edwards said in an interview with WWL Radio. The governor is expected to shared the full details of Phase […]
‘We’re not through this’: Governors plead with Congress for emergency assistance
WASHINGTON — Democratic governors on Thursday begged Congress to come to the aid of ailing states, which face unexpected expenses as they attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19 as well as massive revenue shortfalls due to the pandemic. But Republicans at a House hearing rejected their pleas, arguing that states have yet to spend […]