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Lafayette

Published:
Link to theadvertiser.com Gov. Edwards: Lafayette’s failed mask mandate a ‘failure of leadership’

Sounding off to The Washington Post, Gov. John Bel Edwards bemoaned Lafayette’s second failed attempt a local mask mandate a “failure of leadership.” Edwards called the decision “regrettable” and emphasized that the statewide mandate is in effect, despite an apparent lack of enforcement both by the state fire marshal and the open defiance of Mayor-President Josh Guillory.

“It’s unfortunate, because that region of our state, at numerous times throughout the pandemic, has actually had some of the highest positivity rates and case growth and hospitalizations,” Edwards said.

Via the Daily Advertiser

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Link to theadvocate.com Louisiana expanding vaccine eligibility to K-12 teachers, people with health conditions

Beginning Monday, K-12 teachers and school staff and people aged 55-64 with certain health conditions will be eligible to receive Covid vaccines, Gov. Edwards announced Thursday, reported here by The Advocate. The massive ongoing winter event has disrupted already delayed vaccine logistics. Closed roads and offices forced delays in vaccine shipments and providers have had to reschedule both first- and second-dose appointments. LDH officials say that a few days delay on second doses shouldn’t be a problem. Just over a quarter-million people have been fully vaccinated in Louisiana. Hospitalizations have plummeted, however. As of Thursday, the Acadiana region posted fewer than 60 Covid in-patients for the first time since Nov. 2.

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Link to lailluminator.com Freeze delays vaccine shipments and appointments

The winter storm disrupted already delayed vaccine logistics, too. Closed roads and offices forced delays in vaccine shipments and providers have had to reschedule both first- and second-dose appointments. LDH officials say that a few days delay on second doses shouldn’t be a problem. Just over a quarter-million people have been fully vaccinated in Louisiana.

Via Louisiana Illuminator

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Link to theadvocate.com LUS: We’re not out of the woods till Saturday

LUS executed a pair of rolling outages, following orders from the regional grid network that supplies most of the energy that powers Lafayette. The temporary blackouts cut off electricity to about 25% of LUS customers for up to 30 minutes.

The polar vortex event has stressed the nation’s grid infrastructure, and the freezing temperatures will hold until the weekend.

“We won’t be fully out of the woods until Saturday,” LUS electric operations manager Greg Labbé told The Advocate.

Reflections on Race
Tina Shelvin Bingham
Published:

Reflections on Race: Will you be the change?

Being an African American leader in any community is an act of political warfare. We need many people willingly to begin a journey, knowing the path will not be easy. We need more activated leaders to help build and guide the actions needed to continue to advance our community.

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Link to theadvocate.com As expected, Lafayette mask mandate fails

A second effort at passing a local mask mandate failed on a 3-2 vote during a Tuesday emergency meeting of the Lafayette City Council. Losing co-sponsor Nanette Cook ahead of the meeting, the bill was dead on arrival and would have needed four “yes” votes to succeed and overcome a likely veto from Mayor-President Josh Guillory.

More than 3,000 calls flooded the council office, with two-thirds recording opposition. Misinformation about masking and the ordinance itself circulated wildly in the weeks since the effort was announced, though a draft of the ordinance didn’t materialize publicly until Monday.

Councilman Glenn Lazard pressed on despite the foregone failure, emphasizing that the mandate was necessary to force the administration’s hand into enforcement. Late last year, Guillory stood down local efforts to support the state’s mask mandate, and the state’s enforcement is itself virtually nonexistent.

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