John Bel Edwards
Reps. Aimee Freeman, D-New Orleans, and Jean-Paul Coussan, R-Lafayette, review bill language on the House floor on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Analysis: Louisiana lawmakers tackle water system upgrades

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 27, 2021 04:00 PM EDT

Patrons dine at City Winery Thursday, June 24, 2021, in New York. Customers wanting to wine, dine and unwind to live music at the City Winery's flagship restaurant in New York must show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to get in. But that's not required at most other dining establishments in the city. And it's not necessary at other City Winery sites around the U.S. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
States hesitant to adopt digital COVID vaccine verification

By David A. Lieb Jun. 26, 2021 11:34 AM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2020, file photo, housing activists erect a sign in Swampscott, Mass. A federal freeze on most evictions is set to expire soon. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
EXPLAINER: Evictions in Louisiana could spike despite aid

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 25, 2021 12:17 PM EDT

LSU urges state to require COVID-19 vaccines at its schools

Jun. 19, 2021 06:19 PM EDT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU's governing board is urging the state Department of Health to add COVID-19 shots to a list of required vaccinations for college...

First lady Donna Edwards, left, and Gov. John Bel Edwards, right, unveil a giant check during a news conference at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge, La., on Thursday, June 17, 2021, to announce that Louisiana will participate in a lottery, giving cash prizes and scholarships to residents who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)
Louisiana giving away $2.3M in prizes to encourage vaccines

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 17, 2021 03:41 PM EDT

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends a media briefing in Downing Street, London, Monday, June 14, 2021. Johnson has confirmed that the next planned relaxation of coronavirus restrictions in England will be delayed by four weeks until July 19 as a result of the spread of the delta variant. In a press briefing Monday, Johnson said he is “confident that we won’t need more than four weeks” as millions more people get fully vaccinated against the virus, which could save thousands of lives. (Jonathan Buckmaster/Pool Photo via AP)
The Latest: Nevada to disburse $5 million in vaccine effort

By The Associated Press Jun. 17, 2021 02:27 AM EDT

FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021 file photo, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards speaks about the state's COVID-19 outbreak and vaccination efforts in Baton Rouge, La. Gov. John Bel Edwards has agreed to turn off federal pandemic unemployment payments at the end of July in exchange for a long-term, modest boost to Louisiana's jobless benefits, announcing Wednesday, June 16, 2021 that he's signed a bill that makes the trade.(AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte, File)
Edwards agrees to July 31 end to federal unemployment aid

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 16, 2021 07:07 PM EDT

The Louisiana State Senate is shown on a TV at a House lawmaker's desk on the last day of the legislative session, Thursday, June 10, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Louisiana steers federal money to infrastructure upgrades

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 15, 2021 05:11 PM EDT

Court orders new look at minister's virus restriction suit

By Kevin Mcgill Jun. 12, 2021 01:27 PM EDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court has revived a Louisiana minister’s lawsuit challenging now-expired coronavirus restrictions on church services. ...

Louisiana state senators surround Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, third from the left, to talk through the remaining financial deals awaiting votes on the legislative session, Thursday, June 10, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Louisiana session ends in flurry of tax and financial votes

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 10, 2021 09:57 AM EDT

Odessa College nursing student Moon Suk Kim prepares doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for use in a vaccination clinic hosted by Odessa College Thursday, June 3, 2021 in Odessa, Texas. (Eli Hartman/Odessa American via AP)
The Latest: Melbourne's 4th pandemic lockdown to end Friday

By The Associated Press Jun. 08, 2021 02:17 AM EDT

FILE - In this Dec. 29, 2020, file photo, Pat Moore, with the Chester County, Pa., Health Department, fills a syringe with Moderna COVID-19 vaccine before administering it to emergency medical workers and health care personnel at the Chester County Government Services Center in West Chester, Pa. Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine strongly protects kids as young as 12. The company released the preliminary findings Tuesday, May 25, 2021, based on testing on more than 3,700 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
Bills striking at vaccine mandate head to Louisiana governor

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 07, 2021 04:38 PM EDT

Supporters of Tony Spell, pastor of the Life Tabernacle Church of Central City, La., listen to speakers outside the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Monday, June 7, 2021. Spell, who flouted coronavirus restrictions last year, prepared Monday to ask the court to revive his lawsuit challenging the restrictions. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Pastor seeks revival of suit challenging virus restrictions

By Kevin Mcgill Jun. 07, 2021 12:04 PM EDT

Reps. Bill Wheat, R-Ponchatoula, from left, Chris Turner, R-Ruston; and Troy Romero, R-Jennings, look through budget documents during a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee on Monday, May 3, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Analysis: Many issues settled as session reaches final days

By Melinda Deslatte Jun. 06, 2021 04:10 PM EDT

Louisiana adds free state park visits to COVID vaccine perks

By Janet Mcconnaughey Jun. 03, 2021 06:32 PM EDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana is adding free entry to all 21 state parks as a perk for getting vaccinated against COVID-19, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday....

Senate Finance Chairman Bodi White, R-Central, left, and Sen. Ronnie Johns, R-Lake Charles, ready for a discussion of the Senate's budget proposal in a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee on Monday, May 24, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Analysis: Lawmakers load Louisiana budget with pet projects

By Melinda Deslatte May. 30, 2021 04:00 PM EDT

From left, economist Stephen Barnes, Senate President Page Cortez, House Speaker Clay Schexnayder and Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, the four members of the Revenue Estimating Conference, talk ahead of the conference's meeting Tuesday, May 18, 2021, in Baton Rouge, La. The conference increased the income forecast for the current and upcoming budget years, giving lawmakers more money to spend. (AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte)
Lawmakers wrap up work early on Louisiana's $38B budget bill

By Melinda Deslatte May. 27, 2021 06:48 PM EDT

Louisiana Senate crafts plan for spending $1.5B federal aid

By Melinda Deslatte May. 25, 2021 06:24 PM EDT
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana would spend more than $1.5 billion in federal coronavirus aid on roadwork, water system improvements, tourism marketing,...

Licensed practical nurse Yokasta Castro, of Warwick, R.I., draws a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine into a syringe at a mass vaccination clinic, Wednesday, May 19, 2021, at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, Mass. A month after every adult in the U.S. became eligible for the vaccine, a distinct geographic pattern has emerged: The highest vaccination rates are concentrated in the Northeast, while the lowest ones are mostly in the South. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Edwards ends virus restrictions, lifts schools' mask mandate

By Melinda Deslatte May. 25, 2021 03:27 PM EDT

San Pedro High School students hold vaccination signs at a school-based COVID-19 vaccination event for students 12 and older in San Pedro, Calif., Monday, May 24, 2021. Schools are turning to mascots, prizes and contests to entice youth ages 12 and up to get vaccinated against the coronavirus before summer break. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
The Latest: Sri Lanka gets 2nd vaccine donation from China

By The Associated Press May. 25, 2021 03:38 AM EDT