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A Baton Rouge judge on Thursday sided with Gov. John Bel Edwards in a lawsuit seeking to overturn his executive order closing barrooms, requiring masks and limiting indoor gatherings to 50 people to control the spread of COVID-19.
The Jefferson Parish business owners who filed the suit argued the order is unconstitutional, in part because it prohibits bars from providing on-site service but allows restaurants to stay open.
Their suit relied heavily on Attorney General Jeff Landry’s opinion that the mandate is both too vague and too broad. Landry says the order undermines its stated goals with numerous exceptions and turns private businesses into an “enforcement arm” for the governor’s mask mandate. An attorney general’s opinion does not carry the force of law.
But Edwards’ administration says closing bars, limiting crowd sizes and mandating masks are all White House-approved best practices to limit the spread of the new coronavirus in states like Louisiana with high infection rates.
Edwards has pointed to recent statistics that officials say show the measures enacted July 11 are helping to bring down case counts and hospitalizations.
“We have a public health emergency,” Edwards said last week. “I believe at the end of the day, the court will fully understand that not only do I have the authority under the constitution and the laws of the United States to do what I’ve done, but what I’ve done is absolutely essential.”
Other lawsuits seeking to overturn coronavirus restrictions still are pending.
As of noon Thursday, at least 4,028 Louisiana residents with COVID-19 had died, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. There were 1,457 COVID patients in hospitals, and 215 of them were on ventilators.
More than 127,000 cases had been confirmed statewide since the pandemic began, and officials believed more than 89,000 have recovered.

THC wax or edibles showed up again in the local police reports Wednesday, when the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Section made two arrests of Charenton people.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith reported these arrests:
—Trent J. Landry, 33, Pearl Lane, Charenton, was arrested at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of ecstacy and possession of THC wax/edibles with intent to distribute.
Landry was also arrested on a warrant for the charge of computer-aided solicitation of a minor.
No bail has been set.
—Katie Johnson, 40, Pearl Lane, Charenton, was arrested at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday on charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of ecstacy and possession of THC wax/edibles.
No bail has been set.
—Sylvester Louis Lee Francois Jr., 22, Taft Street, Patterson, was arrested at 2:05 p.m. on charges of domestic abuse battery by strangulation and domestic abuse child endangerment law. No bail has been set.
—Aaron Joseph Darcey, 39, U.S. 90 Frontage Road, Jeanerette, was arrested at 8:36 p,m. Wednesday on a charge of abuse battery. Bail was set at $2,500.
—Darryl Gibson, 59, 1 Baronne Street, Baldwin, was arrested at 9:28 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of domestic abuse battery. Bail was set at $2,500.
Morgan City Police Chief James F. Blair reported these arrests:
—Mary Poole, 35, Egle Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:16 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant for three counts of failure to appear.
Officers came into contact with Poole at an address on La. 182.
A warrant check revealed City Court of Morgan City held an active warrant for her arrest. She was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration.
—Ethlin Joy Ann Simmons, 37, Short Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:38 p.m. Wednesday on charges of possession of marijuana (first offense) and possession of drug paraphernalia, and on a warrant for theft under $1,000.
Officers were called to an address on Myrtle Street about an intoxicated individual. They came into contact with Simmons. She was found in possession of suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia. She was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration
Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported this arrest:
—Brian J. Fitter, 38, Kelli Drive, Patterson, was arrested at 8:47 p.m. Wednesday on charges of DWI (third offense), possession of Schedule II drugs (two counts) and careless operation.
Fitter was incarcerated at the Patters Police Department jail with no bond set.

Chevron and the Lafourche Parish government have committed a combined $1 million in support of wetland protection in Lafourche Parish. The completion of the project will help to enhance coastline protection, impacting nearly 390 acres.
“We are pleased to support Ducks Unlimited in its ongoing mission to restore and protect wetlands in coastal Louisiana,” said Leah Brown, Chevron corporate affairs manager. munities we serve.”
The Bully Camp Terrace Project will take place approximately three miles west of Galliano in Lafourche Parish.
The Bully Camp Terrace Project will see the construction and planting of nearly 35,200 linear feet of soil terraces.
These terraces will help to restore emergent marsh and help to protect existing natural marsh adjacent to the terraces.
These structures, a common restoration feature in coastal Louisiana, use soil from the project site to create liner segments of marsh in open water which reduce wave impact to the coast and encourage the growth of aquatic vegetation.
“It is through partnerships like these that we are able to implement projects that help provide community resilience for area residents,” said Bob Dew, director of development for Ducks Unlimited.
The restoration and protection of the marsh terraces will provide enhanced habitat conditions for wildlife and fisheries resources.
“Earthen terraces can provide improved foraging, loafing and nesting habitat for a variety of coastal birds including waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds and secretive marsh birds.” Dew said.
The project is projected to be completed by June 2021.

BATON ROUGE — Routine well-child care and vaccinations have declined dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, as parents avoid medical services to mitigate the transmission of the coronavirus. In recognition of National Immunization Awareness Month, throughout the month of August, Louisiana Healthcare Connections is encouraging parents to contact their child’s physician to schedule vaccinations for young children — especially those less than two years old — to protect against preventable diseases.
Among children aged 5 months, vaccination rates have declined from approximately two-thirds (66.3%) of children during 2016–19, to fewer than half (49.7%) in May 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reports similar trends among older children as well, with non-influenza vaccination rates decreasing by 21.5% for children under 18. These decreased immunization rates may be the result of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, which may have caused parents and caregivers to question the safety of health clinics and the significance of childhood checkups, the CDC reports.
“With lower than normal vaccination coverage among all age groups, children may be at higher risk for vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, whooping cough, chicken pox and more,” said Stewart Gordon, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Louisiana Healthcare Connections. “Even during these uncertain times, it’s important that we continue to encourage everyone to protect themselves, including getting immunizations to protect children from preventable health complications. For National Immunization Awareness Month, we want to focus on encouraging parents and caregivers to contact their physicians to discuss how to keep their children’s immunizations current.”
In Louisiana, in-person visits remain an option, as hospitals and health clinics across the state have been regularly updating safety procedures to help avoid coronavirus transmission. Throughout the pandemic, healthcare workers have continued to support communities with their health needs using personal protective equipment to safeguard themselves and patients, so parents can feel comfortable in scheduling necessary doctor appointments for their children.
“It is absolutely understandable that parents are concerned about keeping their children safe during this pandemic, but as much as possible, children should be kept to their recommended vaccine schedules,” Gordon explained. “Contact your primary care physician’s office to determine the safest, most convenient way to schedule immunizations for your child.”
To help ease the uncertainty of clinic visits, Gordon encourages parents to take the following safety steps to help the entire family prepare for in-person visits:
—Before scheduling a doctor appointment, call the clinic or check its website to find out what is being done to keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Before the day of the doctor visit, parents may receive a call from the clinic asking about any symptoms of COVID-19 across the family.
—Be sure to follow standard precautions during the doctor visit: wear a face mask, wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer, and cover mouth while coughing or sneezing with tissue.
—Practice social distancing by maintaining a distance of at least six feet from others (this may be indicated by markings on the floor).
—Avoid contact with frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, elevator surfaces, and touchpads. Be mindful of the surfaces young children touch and are in contact with.
For information about Louisiana Healthcare Connections services and benefits, visit www.LouisianaHealthConnect.com.