December 2020

LA council hears request to abandon property

LAKE ARTHUR — During the town council meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 2, a request was heard to have an extension of Mill Avenue abandoned.

Louisiana expects first coronavirus vaccine doses this month

BATON ROUGE (AP) — Louisiana should receive its first doses of a coronavirus vaccine within weeks if the proposed drug wins federal approval as expected, and frontline hospital workers and nursing home residents and staff should be vaccinated by the early part of January, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Wednesday.

HIV testing down at clinic during pandemic

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A health care worker and an academic in Louisiana are warning that testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections is being neglected during the coronavirus pandemic.

Supreme Court wrestles with non-unanimous juries case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday struggled with whether to require new trials for potentially thousands of prisoners who were convicted by non-unanimous juries before the court barred the practice earlier this year.

House Dems promise some COVID relief before holidays

WASHINGTON (AP) — The No. 2 House Democrat told colleagues Thursday morning that the chamber won’t adjourn for the year without delivering at least some measure of COVID-19 relief, as Democrats show greater flexibility after absorbing losses in last month’s elections.

Phishing ploy targets virus vaccine distribution effort

BOSTON (AP) — IBM security researchers say they have detected a cyberespionage effort using targeted phishing emails to try to collect vital information on the World Health Organization’s initiative for distributing COVID-19 vaccine to developing countries.

Chinese moon probe begins return to Earth with lunar samples

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese lunar probe lifted off from the moon Thursday night with a cargo of lunar samples on the first stage of its return to Earth, state media reported.

Georgia GOP seeks mail-in ballot changes

ATLANTA (AP) — After weathering criticism for certifying President Donald Trump’s narrow election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, Republican officials in Georgia are proposing additional requirements for the state’s vote-by-mail process, despite no evidence of systemic fraud or irregularities.

Farmers in 21 parishes may qualify for hurricane Laura aid

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Farmers in 21 north and central Louisiana parishes may qualify for low-interest loans to cover losses from Hurricane Laura in August.

UN, world leaders meet to forge path to end pandemic

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly president opened the world body’s first special session on COVID-19 Thursday, calling it a historic and overdue moment of reckoning to forge a path to end the pandemic that not only ensures people everywhere have access to vaccines but mobilizes financial resources for “an inclusive and resilient recovery.”