Govt + Politics
As John Lewis lies in state at the U.S. Capitol, mourners reminded to get in ‘good trouble’
WASHINGTON — The immortal words of the late civil rights leader John Lewis rang out from the U.S. Capitol Monday during a private ceremony in celebration of his life. “You must find a way to get in the way,” he said in a recording of a 2014 commencement speech he gave at Emory University. “You must […]
Louisiana small businesses can now seek reimbursement for pandemic-related costs
Louisiana Treasurer John Schroder announced Tuesday that Louisiana’s small businesses can now apply for grants that the Louisiana Legislature established to help them survive the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Main Street Recovery Program is funded with $275 million the Louisiana Legislature set aside during this year’s regular session to help the state’s small businesses. Republicans […]
If $600 checks from Washington disappear, unemployed workers will have to make do with state’s amount
CORRECTION: A new Illuminator story has been published explaining that self-employed workers in Louisiana are entitled to a fraction of the $600 they’d been getting and, therefore, won’t see their checks fall to zero. Also, the headline of this story has been edited for accuracy. The expiration of the $600 supplement that the federal […]
Even as Louisiana homelessness surges, federal rental assistance ends
The COVID-19 pandemic has not been kind to Natasha Blunt. She has already lost her grandmother and best friend to the disease. Now she may lose her home, too. Blunt lost her job at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center at the start of the pandemic. And now, like tens of thousands of others across […]
Gap in federal unemployment payments all but certain after Senate adjourns without unveiling proposal
WASHINGTON — Democratic leaders slammed Republicans Friday for leaving in the lurch millions of jobless Americans who are relying on enhanced unemployment benefits to stay financially afloat amid ongoing public health and economic crises. Republicans in Congress and the White House were engaged in heated negotiations this week over the details of their party’s proposal […]
Local government coronavirus relief will mostly go to public safety, criminal justice
The bulk of Louisiana’s approximately $500 million in coronavirus relief funding for local governments will go to public safety and criminal justice system costs, unless Congress and President Donald Trump expand the way the money can be used. Louisiana received a total of $1.8 billion in coronavirus relief money, and the federal government required that […]
COVID-19 cases are straining the state’s healthcare capacity, Gov. Edwards warns
As the state of Louisiana reached a grim milestone of more than 100,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, Gov. John Bel Edwards and officials from the two biggest hospitals in Acadiana said Thursday that the surging number of cases, including among health-care workers, is putting Louisiana at risk of running out of staff to treat incoming […]
Louisiana’s congressional delegation can’t stop the Great American Outdoors Act
WASHINGTON — Major environmental legislation sailed through Congress Wednesday while the nation’s political leaders were stuck in intense negotiations over the contours of a fifth coronavirus relief package. The bill would provide $9.5 billion over five years to pay down the National Park Service’s maintenance backlog and provide permanent funding at $900 million per year […]
Louisiana sets a daily coronavirus case record
Louisiana set a new record Wednesday when it reported 2,802 new COVID-19 cases, that is, cases that cannot be significantly attributed to a backlog of old tests. The previous high point had been on April 2, when Louisiana reported 2,726 new COVID-19 cases. The number backs up what Gov. John Bel Edwards and other state […]
Vaccine makers say a COVID-19 shot could be available in early 2021
WASHINGTON — Leaders of the companies working on some of the top candidates for COVID-19 vaccines predict they should have shots available by early 2021, but said they will rely on the federal government to determine how to distribute them. The heads of five biopharmaceutical companies with promising vaccine candidates told members of Congress Tuesday […]
Trump repeats threat to veto defense bill if military bases honoring Confederates are renamed
WASHINGTON — Despite the assertion from leading senators that they have the votes to override him, President Donald Trump repeated his threat to veto the National Defense Authorization Act if it includes a provision to rename 10 U.S. Army bases that were named for Confederates. Those 10 Army bases include Fort Polk in Vernon Parish […]
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards extends coronavirus restrictions
Gov. John Bel Edwards will extend the state’s current coronavirus restrictions — including its face covering mandate, 50-person gathering cap and bar closures — for an additional two weeks Friday. The limitations, commonly referred to as “Phase 2”, will now go until Aug. 7, the day after Louisiana’s public school students are scheduled to resume […]