Louisiana
More covid hearings planned by Louisiana house committee
LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) -More hearings are expected on how the state managed the covid pandemic in 2020. One of the big issues at the house committee is whether citizens need to be better informed on shots or medications allowed during an emergency.
Even after two days of hearings the House Committee on Homeland Security committee members feel more meetings are needed to evaluate how the state handled the covid pandemic in Louisiana.
Some committee members want to assure that doctors feel free to speak and act independently without fear of it jeopardizing their livelihood.
Representative Chuck Owens, R-Rosepine, says some doctors were afraid to appear before the committee in September.
“These people didn’t break any laws, they just did thing the Department of Health wasn’t recommending. Some of these private hospitals and the state were really going after these physicians. And one of them from Monroe, bob Calhoun’s testimony, he treated over four hundred covid patients and did not lose one,” said Owen.
Though he says no licenses were revoked, Owen says some doctors were fired from private hospitals for refusing to take the vaccine and refusing to wear masks.
He says another big concern is whether citizens gave informed consent for vaccines and some treatments.
“The dirty secret is that these vaccines were rushed out. They were not appropriately tried or analyzed. They were still under emergency use authorization which has a monitor of its own as far as what’s supposed to be done. When you’re given an emergency use authorization you’re supposed to be given informed consent, and we didn’t do that on anyone in Louisiana,” said Owen. Owen says the committee also wants to look into how the pandemic affected schools and education,” said Owen.
He says there are many more questions they want answered even if they need to call back former health department employees from John Bel Edwards’ administration.
Owen says they also want to find out more information about those who died after getting a Covid shot. He says they have a litany of questions. No date has been set yet for the hearings.
Copyright 2024 KPLC. All rights reserved.
BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY) — Governor Landry has officially declared Louisiana under state of emergency.
The state emergency declaration covers Avoyelles, Lafourche, Pointe Coupee, St. Landry, St. Tammany and Terrebonne parishes.
The declaration was issued Thursday following the impacts of Tropical Storm Arthur, which brough rainfall and strong storms to parts of the state on June 17 and 18.
Officials said the National Weather Service has confirmed three tornadoes tied to the storm system.
Officials also reported record or near-record rainfall totals in Avoyelles and Pointe Coupee parishes over a 12-hour period.
The order allows the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to coordinate resources and provide assistance to local governments if needed.
Certain state purchasing and bidding requirements have been temporarily suspended to speed up emergency response efforts.
The declaration took effect immediately and will remain in place through July 18 unless it is lifted or extended.
State officials are urging residents to stay weather aware, avoid flooded roadways and follow guidance from local emergency managers.
Latest news
Louisiana
New ATV/UTV task force aimed at reducing the staggering deaths and injuries among young riders
MONROE, La. (KNOE) – The North Louisiana Crime Lab released a June 2026 law enforcement bulletin warning of additional cases tied to cyclorphine, a synthetic opioid the lab says can be significantly more potent than fentanyl.
The bulletin, titled “Cyclorphine Update — Additional Cases & Footprint,” notes that drug evidence submissions testing positive for cyclorphine have been received from multiple parishes in North Louisiana.
What is cyclorphine?
According to the bulletin, cyclorphine is a synthetic opioid in the emerging orphine drug class. The lab said current toxicity data are limited, but laboratory studies indicate cyclorphine may be up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl.
Reported effects
The crime lab said cyclorphine can produce effects similar to other narcotic analgesics, including:
- Central nervous system depression
- Lethargy or stupor
- Respiratory depression with slow, shallow breathing
- Pinpoint pupils
The bulletin said Narcan should be administered to someone suffering from cyclorphine toxicity, and that multiple doses may be needed.
What the bulletin says about trends
The crime lab said national data indicate cyclorphine will likely continue spreading through the region, including becoming more common in seized and submitted drug evidence.
Where cyclorphine has been detected
The bulletin includes a “detection timeline and counterfeit tablet types,” showing evidence submissions tied to specific parishes and dates, including:
- Caddo Parish (Feb. 19; April 14)
- Ouachita Parish (March 18; May 13)
- DeSoto Parish (March 25)
- Natchitoches Parish (May 14)
The lab also noted counterfeit pill types associated with these submissions, including tablets labeled “M30,” “M15,” “K56,” “1259,” and “M367.” Officials warned it may be impossible to know what a pill contains, even if it resembles a known tablet.
The North Louisiana Crime Lab said it will continue tracking trends and sharing updates as additional evidence is submitted.
Copyright 2026 KNOE. All rights reserved.
-
Connecticut1 minute agoSierra Club Connecticut, State Representatives Host Black Lungs Matter: Juneteenth Press Event – CleanTechnica
-
Delaware6 minutes agoFrom blueprint to breakthrough: Tackling affordable housing in Wilmington
-
Florida13 minutes agoWeather Aware Day declared for Friday as heat and strong storms threaten Central Florida
-
Georgia16 minutes agoDHS appears to axe plan to construct immigration detention megacenter in small Georgia town
-
Hawaii21 minutes agoAmbassadors of aloha: Food events aim to boost tourism with unique Hawaii-made products
-
Idaho28 minutes agoIdaho State Police arrest Dillon Thorpe on rape, child enticement charges in Elmore County
-
Illinois31 minutes agoBeecher City farm suffers heavy damage following ‘wicked storm’
-
Indiana36 minutes agoBraun asks regulators to reconsider $71 million AES rate increase
