At least three parishes will buck the governor altogether, challenging Gov. John Bel Edwards’ reach and resolve. Working to find flexibility where he can, Lafayette’s Republican mayor-president isn’t going that far.
It’s an understatement to say it’s been a whirlwind since Dr. Henry Kaufman accepted the position of interim chief medical officer at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in early April.
According to the prior findings of social scientists, Lafayette — once famously declared the “happiest city in America” — may be uniquely positioned to come out of all this with its social and emotional landscape intact.
Racial disparities among coronavirus cases statewide has spurred a growing number of community leaders and organizations to ramp up and combat the crisis.
The governor plans to begin phase one of a gradual reopening of the state’s economy on May 16, which will allow restaurants to offer dine-in services at a 25% occupancy rate. Restaurant owners had mixed feelings on Monday’s news.
The latest WARN update from the state includes 36 layoffs at Halliburton in Broussard, 180 losses at ASRC Omega’s Port of Iberia operations, 350 cuts at Turner Industries in Port Allen and an undisclosed workforce reduction for ENSCO’s Gulf of Mexico operations.
We asked our readers how safe they felt, and 270 weighed in. Most aren’t ready yet to go back out into the world.
Majority African-American areas in Lafayette Parish account for just 14% of the parish population, but they house 27% of the parish’s COVID-19 cases.
Source: City’s African-American areas are concentrated with coronavirus cases
Housing advocates say it’s a testament to the swift action taken to stand up emergency housing, isolate people at risk, rearrange facilities to allow for social distancing and communicate the threat to the people they work with.
It’s a bit surprising yet reassuring, but labor and delivery seems to be going smoothly at Lafayette hospitals amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Even if the coronavirus wasn’t causing a global depression, Lafayette’s city and parish general funds would be in rough shape. But now shortfalls in revenue are going to force some painful cuts.
Louisiana Department of Revenue Secretary Kim Robinson said the governor’s new directive will delay collecting the tax for two months until June 25. Legislative action would be required to suspend or forgive the tax permanently.
Source: Coronavirus: Edwards delays severance tax payments to help oil and gas industry
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