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BATON ROUGE – Louisiana has seen an increase in reported COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in recent weeks. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana urges everyone to take steps to protect their health and the health of others because we are all still at risk.
“As the state moved into reopening, more people have started doing their usual activities, but we are unfortunately not in the clear from COVID-19 yet,” said Blue Cross Senior Medical Director Dr. Dee Barfield. “Right now, there is no vaccine or cure for COVID-19. But, what does work to lower our risk of getting it – and what we can all do – is to make sure we are limiting its spread.”
It’s especially important to be mindful of this heading into the Fourth of July holiday weekend, when many may plan to leave home, take trips or gather to celebrate. See health tips for safely leaving home in this video (1:01).
Steps the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and other health officials recommend people do when leaving their homes to lower their risk of spreading COVID-19 include:
· Wearing a face mask that covers your mouth and nose and fits snugly against the sides of your face
· Staying at least six feet apart from others
· Washing your hands frequently or using hand sanitizer that’s at least 60% alcohol
· Avoiding touching your face – including when you put on or take off your mask
· Checking your temperature frequently and staying home if it’s 100.4 or above, you have symptoms like coughing or sore throat, and/or you have been exposed to COVID-19
Some Louisiana parishes and multiple businesses, including stores and healthcare providers’ offices, require face masks and other precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please be aware of and follow all rules to protect public health when you leave home.
For Louisiana employers, Blue Cross has created an online, multimedia toolkit to address common questions and share information from medical directors as more business reopen and employees return to the workplace.
“We know that the past few months have been very difficult, and people are anxious to get back to their everyday lives and spend time with their extended family, friends and loved ones,” Barfield said. “But, it’s still not safe for us to gather in groups or go to public places without taking these small steps to keep from potentially exposing others to illness.”
For information on what Blue Cross is doing for members during COVID-19, visit www.bcbsla.com/covid19.

CROWLEY — Following the explosive ending to Wednesday night’s city council committee meetings, The Crowley Post-Signal reached out to Police Chief Jimmy Broussard for comment.
During the Revenue and Finance Committee meeting, Chairman Jeff Cavell accused Broussard of, among other things, attempting to “circumvent the system” in the purchase of body cameras for the department. (See related story, this page.)
“The three issues Mr. Cavell brought up were prior to this administration and council and were all rectified prior to the incident at the committee meeting — with the exception of the body cameras,” Broussard said. “I feel Mr. Cavell used the opportunity to make a personal attack on me for possibly some type of personal vendetta he or friends of his may have against me.”
Among Cavell’s accusations was that the city was cited for violating the state bid law because of “extras the chief of police had the dealer add” when a truck was purchased for his use.
“With regards to the truck that is used as my unit, Mayor Greg Jones, in his term, gave me the availability to purchase the vehicle,” Broussard said. “It was discovered later that it exceeded the limits by $2,000, purchased from a local dealership.”
Cavell also alluded to “miscellaneous gas receipts from the CPD transport and taxi service of a parent to a correctional facility for a personal visitation” in his statement.
“With regards to the transportation of a family to see their juvenile loved one at a facility in Minden, the family was poor and did not have transportation, nor were they able to garner transportation,” said Broussard. “Two off-duty reserve officers accepted to take the family there as a public service to the family.
“Though an off-duty, older model Crown Victoria was used, Mr. Cavell failed to mention that the money for the gas was reimbursed by me from my personal account so as not to burden the city, and was considered at that time, hence, rectified.
“Maybe I erred on the side of compassion, but my thoughts were to be of service to the public that we are honored to serve. For as long as I can remember, officers have assisted citizens even at times with transportation here or there. My thought process was the ancient motto of ‘To Protect and to Serve’.”
Finally, Cavell pointed out that Broussard, himself, signed a contract for the purchase of body cameras for the police department, a duty, by state law, reserved for the mayor of a municipality.
“With regards to the body cameras, again two years ago, when Mayor Jones was unavailable, I consulted another member of the administration who, to their knowledge, thought that I had the ability to sign the contract since the money would have come out of my existing budget,” Broussard explained. “I admit my fault in taking at face value and not checking. I was two years into my term and, like many of the present council, I was still learning the ‘ins and outs’ of the position.
“In addition, I had sent a letter to city hall in 2019 requesting a payment be made out of my budget for the cameras, of which emails acknowledging that request and subsequent bills requested were submitted, but they were never paid, because ‘it was still with legal.’
“Mr. Cavell, in his insinuations, compared me to a bank robber. Yes, we do operate on a $3.4 million budget, 65 percent of which goes to salaries and benefits of a 42-person department. Anytime I have approached the council for funding, it has not been for myself but for the officers of this department. I have fought for the officers of this department to get them the equipment that is necessary to perform their jobs in a professional manner.
“The fleet that was purchased for officers was exactly for that, officers. The body cameras, which with all the situations going on today are of an imperative nature, are for the officers. Every issue I have brought before the council has been for the department, not for me personally.
“If that is indicative of a bank robber, then maybe I once again am confused as to the definition of a bank robber, because usually the suspect would have personal benefit in it. The only personal benefit I have in this is the same benefit the citizens of this city have — that is having a professional working police department that has their necessary equipment.
“The law, in addition, says that a crime has to have ‘specific intent or malice’ which, again, was emphatically not the case in any of these.
“Mr. Cavell has made it very public that he believes that police officers are paid too much (Crowley police officers start at $22,000 a year approximately) and we should be cut about 25 percent of our budget,” Broussard concluded. “Mr. Cavell has never sought me out personally to discuss these matters, but rather chose to ‘blast’ me in a public forum.”
During the fracas following Cavell’s statements Wednesday night, it was noted that Broussard was not present for the committee meeting when he had been in the audience earlier in the evening.
“I had an emergency that I had to deal with that evening and had to leave, but was trying to return to the meeting prior to this issue coming up,” the chief explained.

BATON ROUGE — A member of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ team tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening, the Governor’s office disclosed on Thursday morning. The individual is currently asymptomatic and will be in self-quarantine for 14 days, as will staff members with close contact to this person.
The person was at a media briefing and other internal meetings at the State Capitol recently, but 12 other staff members who epidemiologists consider to have had “close contact” at the State Capitol were notified of their exposure on Wednesday night and advised to self-quarantine. The office will monitor those who are in self-quarantine and will offer testing and support where appropriate. Should other team members test positive, additional people may be advised to self-quarantine. Further, complete contact tracing will take place today so that all individuals having close contact with the staff member who tested positive will be so advised, asked to self-quarantine and tested if appropriate.
Based on discussions with epidemiologists, Gov. Edwards is not currently considered a close contact of the person who tested positive. Close contacts are those who likely had exposure within six feet of a person who is infected for at least fifteen minutes.

Gov. Edwards said:
“Throughout this crisis, I have pledged transparency with the public, which is why I am disclosing today that a member of my team, who works in the State Capitol, tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday. So far, this person is asymptomatic and will be in self-quarantine, as will a dozen members of my staff, in alignment with the recommendations of the Louisiana Department of Health. Anyone in our circle that we believe had close contact with this person was notified on Wednesday night and advised to self-quarantine.”
“We are monitoring our team and, should it become necessary, will be offering testing to our staff members and tracing their contacts to determine who needs to self-quarantine and who could be at risk. The coronavirus has already had a devastating impact on my team, as we lost April Dunn just three months ago, and we are working hard to protect others from this illness. Our staff takes precautions, including wearing masks, to protect each other, and we are hopeful that by aggressively self-quarantining, and working remotely, we can reduce the likelihood that anyone else will be exposed. I am deeply grateful that this person did the right thing and quickly notified us so that we could take swift action.”
“As I have said over and over again, COVID-19 is alive and well in Louisiana, and all of the people of our state need to take this illness very seriously. Please wear a mask when you are in public, stay home if you feel sick or have been directly exposed to someone who is confirmed to have COVID-19, wash your hands frequently and keep at least six feet of social distance from other people when you are in public.”
“I am praying for the health and safety of all those who have tested positive for COVID-19, that they will recover quickly without great suffering. I am also praying that the people of Louisiana will take this illness seriously and redouble their efforts to slow the spread and prevent others from becoming sick.”

ERATH — Funeral Services for Mrs. Annette Mergist Benoit, 66, will be held at David Funeral Home of Erath on Friday, July 3, 2020 at 11:00AM with Father Metrejean officiating.
Visitation will be held at David Funeral Home of Erath from 8:30AM until time of services.
A native of Erath, Mrs. Annette passed away on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. She enjoyed playing BINGO and going to casinos on occasion. She loved the color purple and spending time with her family and friends.
She is survived by her son, Aaron Gaspard and his husband John of Tyler Town, Mississippi; her daughter, Andrea Gaspard of Baton Rouge; her grandchildren, Brooklyn Richard, Jace Gaspard, Layla Gaspard, Derrian Nolan, Adia Gaspard, and Brylee Gaspard; her brothers, Adam Benny Mergist and his wife Dot, and Bradley Mergist and his wife Barbara; her sisters, Ruth Mergist Landry and her husband Calvin, Connie Mergist Leblanc and her husband Francis, and Genevieve Mergist Touchet and her husband Timmy.
She is preceded in death by her parents; Adam Mergist and Eunite Hebert; her children, Angelique Gaspard and Adam Gaspard; her brother, Paul S. Mergist; and her sister, Georgia Mergist.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the Intensive Care Unit of Abbeville General Hospital and to the staff of Maison du Monde Living Center.
You may sign the guest register book and express condolences online at www.davidfuneralhome.org
David Funeral Home of Erath 209 E. Putnam St. (337) 937-0405 will be handling the arrangements.