December 2020

Former lawmaker and wife died of COVID-19 on the same day

MOSS BLUFF (AP) — A former Louisiana state lawmaker and his wife died the same day from complications of COVID-19.

Medicare Covers the Flu Shot

This year, it’s more important than ever to get a flu shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many people with Medicare are at greater risk for serious complications from flu. A flu shot is your best protection from getting and spreading the flu, and Medicare covers it at no cost to you if you get it from an in-network provider. Protect yourself and others – visit your doctor, pharmacy or other local provider and get your flu shot today.

US stocks open broadly higher as trading for 2020 winds down

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street, putting the market back on a positive footing following a modest pullback the day before. The S&P 500 rose 0.4 percent in the early going Wednesday. Small-company stocks again outpaced their larger rivals, as they have been doing all month. That’s a sign that investors are feeling more optimistic about the economy. Investors were encouraged to see that Britain had authorized a coronavirus vaccine from Oxford University and AstraZeneca which is easier to handle than others. European markets were slightly lower and Asian markets ended broadly higher. Treasury yields held steady.

Louisiana Supreme Court Museum named after retiring justice

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana’s high court is naming its museum after retiring Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, the first Black and second female to serve in that role on the court.

Biden criticizes pace of vaccine rollout, vows to accelerate

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden criticized the Trump administration Tuesday for the pace of distributing COVID-19 vaccines and predicted that “things will get worse before they get better” when it comes to the pandemic.

Cloverbuds open to young students

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Second and third grade students have the opportunity to join a 4-H program that leaders say offers cocurricular activities that stimulate self-learning and reinforce positive behaviors.

Protect Your Medicare Card and Help Fight Fraud

Don’t let your guard down. Here are a few important steps you can take to protect your identity and help fight Medicare fraud.

BBB: Release of stimulus checks results in new scams

LAKE CHARLES – The new pandemic relief bill includes stimulus checks (or direct deposit) for most Americans, and scammers are already taking advantage of the news. BBB is getting reports of con artists claiming that you need to either pay for your stimulus check or provide personal information to receive it. Watch out for scam calls as this new government initiative rolls out.

Thomas’ career-high 32 points sends LSU past Texas A&M

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Cameron Thomas scored a career-high 32 points and Darius Days scored 18 with 10 rebounds, and LSU beat Texas A&M 77-54 on Tuesday night in a Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

Belarus, Argentina start vaccinations with Russian shots

MOSCOW (AP) — Belarus and Argentina launched mass coronavirus vaccinations with the Russiandeveloped Sputnik V shot on Tuesday, becoming the first countries outside Russia to roll out the vaccine, which has faced criticism over the speed with which it was approved.