Some items still tough to get at local markets

A stroll down local supermarket aisles won’t give many hints that there’s a public health emergency — until you get to the bread shelves or the place where bathroom tissue would normally be.
Local groceries say they’re scrambling to keep some items on the shelves as people cope with the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
“It’s nationwide,” said Steve Domangue at Cannata’s Supermarket in Morgan City. “Warehouses can’t keep up.”
While some items can be hard to get, there is no nationwide food shortage, reports Supermarket.com. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it’s monitoring the flow of goods to market and relaxing some rules that may slow deliveries.
Domangue said that every time the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer new information about the spread of COVID-19, customers step up their purchases.
“Manufacturers can’t produce enough,” Domangue said. “Warehouses can’t get enough stuff.”
So far, Domangue said, the transportation part of the supply chain doesn’t appear to be a problem.
Stores here haven’t followed the lead of markets elsewhere that offer senior-only hours to help minimize their possible exposure to COVID-19.
The region is approaching the end of the first week of unprecedented precautions against the spread of the novel coronavirus. Under executive orders and proclamations from Gov. John Bel Edwards, bars and casinos have been closed and restaurants are limited to takeout service.
Public gatherings of more than 50 people have been prohibited. K-12 schools have suspended classes, and colleges are turning to online instruction.
At 5:30 p.m.Staff Report
A stroll down local supermarket aisles won’t give many hints that there’s a public health emergency — until you get to the bread shelves or the place where bathroom tissue would normally be.
Local groceries say they’re scrambling to keep some items on the shelves as people cope with the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
“It’s nationwide,” said Steve Domangue at Cannata’s Supermarket in Morgan City. “Warehouses can’t keep up.”
While some items can be hard to get, there is no nationwide food shortage, reports Supermarket.com. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it’s monitoring the flow of goods to market and relaxing some rules that may slow deliveries.
Domangue said that every time the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer new information about the spread of COVID-19, customers step up their purchases.
“Manufacturers can’t produce enough,” Domangue said. “Warehouses can’t get enough stuff.”
So far, Domangue said, the transportation part of the supply chain doesn’t appear to be a problem.
Stores here haven’t followed the lead of markets elsewhere that offer senior-only hours to help minimize their possible exposure to COVID-19.
The region is approaching the end of the first week of unprecedented precautions against the spread of the novel coronavirus. Under executive orders and proclamations from Gov. John Bel Edwards, bars and casinos have been closed and restaurants are limited to takeout service.
Public gatherings of more than 50 people have been prohibited. K-12 schools have suspended classes, and colleges are turning to online instruction.
At 5:30 p.m. Wedn-esday, the Louisiana Office of Public Health reported 280 positive tests for the virus in Louisiana after 703 tests by the state lab. Since that report, officials announced at a late-night press conference that two people had tested positive in Lafayette, that parish’s first cases.
St. Mary, St. Martin and Assumption have reported no positive tests. Terrebonne and Lafourche have reported three cases each.
Orleans Parish accounts for 196 of the positive tests and six of the deaths. The seventh death was in Jefferson.
Other COVID-19 developments:
—A special St. Mary Parish Council meeting, scheduled for Wednesday to talk about Consolidated Gravity Drainage No. 2, was called off. Officials cited COVID-19 restrictions.
—For the first time in nearly two decades, oil is trading below $21 per barrel. While the country is dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, the oil and gas industry is facing the additional challenge of plummeting energy prices. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) traded as low as $20.80 Wednesday.
“The oil and gas industry is facing a perfect storm,” said Gifford Briggs, President of the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association. “While the COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed the country and rapidly reduced the demand for energy, Russia and OPEC are ramping up production. This combination of unprecedented events has led many experts to predict that oil prices will remain below $35/BBL for the foreseeable future. These are serious times.”
—The St. Mary Parish school system continued preparations for Monday’s launch of a feeding program for parish young people 18 and younger.
Grab ‘n’ Go breakfasts and lunches will be distributed curbside 10:30 a.m.-noon each weekday at Morgan City Junior High, Patterson Junior High and Franklin Junior High. Cafeterias will not be opened.
—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana “is continuing operations, while working to mitigate risks to individual employees and the general public,” the office said
State and city courts have put off new proceedings.
—The Louisiana National Guard, as directed by Edwards, has activated over 155 soldiers and airmen so far, not to include full-time Guardsmen, to assist with the COVID-19 response. “The number of Guardsmen activated and equipment utilized is anticipated to increase until the situation is stabilized,” the National Guard said in a press release.
The Guard troops will be used for medical support, engineering assessment support, shelter security, traffic control point and drive-through testing site support and liaison with parish emergency operations centers.
—Stage stores have reported reduced hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.
—Edwards announced LA Wallet, the state of Louisiana’s official digital driver’s license, will be made available to residents free of charge. The all-digital identification and driver’s license app will suspend its fee in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thursday morning, the Louisiana Office of Public Health reported 347 positive tests for the virus in Louisiana after 803 tests by the state lab. Positive tests have now been reported in 17 parishes. Eight people have died: six in Orleans, one in Jefferson and one in St. James.
St. Mary, St. Martin and Assumption have reported no positive tests. Terrebonne and Lafourche have reported three cases each.
Other COVID-19 developments:
—A special St. Mary Parish Council meeting, scheduled for Wednesday to talk about Consolidated Gravity Drainage No. 2, was called off. Officials cited COVID-19 restrictions.
—For the first time in nearly two decades, oil is trading below $21 per barrel. While the country is dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, the oil and gas industry is facing the additional challenge of plummeting energy prices. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) traded as low as $20.80 Wednesday.
“The oil and gas industry is facing a perfect storm,” said Gifford Briggs, President of the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association. “While the COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed the country and rapidly reduced the demand for energy, Russia and OPEC are ramping up production. This combination of unprecedented events has led many experts to predict that oil prices will remain below $35/BBL for the foreseeable future. These are serious times.”
—The St. Mary Parish school system continued preparations for Monday’s launch of a feeding program for parish young people 18 and younger.
Grab ‘n’ Go breakfasts and lunches will be distributed curbside 10:30 a.m.-noon each weekday at Morgan City Junior High, Patterson Junior High and Franklin Junior High. Cafeterias will not be opened.
—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana “is continuing operations, while working to mitigate risks to individual employees and the general public,” the office said
State and city courts have put off new proceedings.
—The Louisiana National Guard, as directed by Edwards, has activated over 155 soldiers and airmen so far, not to include full-time Guardsmen, to assist with the COVID-19 response. “The number of Guardsmen activated and equipment utilized is anticipated to increase until the situation is stabilized,” the National Guard said in a press release.
The Guard troops will be used for medical support, engineering assessment support, shelter security, traffic control point and drive-through testing site support and liaison with parish emergency operations centers.
—Stage stores have reported reduced hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.
—Edwards announced LA Wallet, the state of Louisiana’s official digital driver’s license, will be made available to residents free of charge. The all-digital identification and driver’s license app will suspend its fee in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.