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Sen. Bret Allain said Thursday at a St. Mary Chamber of Commerce function that a wellness center will be built for Franklin Foundation Hospital.
He said the hospital is in the process of interviewing two architects.
The wellness center reportedly would be on the current campus, and include education sections, a gym, and swimming pools.
Allain is a member of the hospital board, and believes the wellness center will be an asset to the area.

BULLETIN

The Louisiana Department of Health has two new presumptive positive cases of COVID-19, commonly called the coronavirus, bringing the total presumptive positive cases in the state to three, the Governor's Office.

Gov. John Bel Edwards will hold a meeting of the Unified Command Group Wednesday afternoon, followed by a news conference at 4:30 p.m.

Gov. Edwards said, “Currently, we have three presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in Louisiana, all in the New Orleans area. While we investigate the cases and travel of the individuals, we cannot disclose any additional information about these patients at this time. It is important that the public take measures to protect their health and reduce the spread of illness, including avoiding going out in public when you are sick, washing your hands, social distancing and disinfecting commonly used surfaces. Additionally, older people may consider additional measures like avoiding any kind of unnecessary airline travel and reducing their public interactions to avoid their potential exposure to illness. We know testing for COVID-19 is expanding this week as commercial labs come on board. We expect to see more presumptive positives in the coming days and weeks and I am asking all Louisianans to remain vigilant as we work to contain the spread of this and other illnesses.”

As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, the CDC report 647 confirmed U.S. cases and 25 deaths in 35 states plus the District of Columbia.

Original story

The spread of the coronavirus came a little closer to home Monday with the news that Louisiana has its first positive test for the COVID-19 virus.
The Governor’s Office confirmed Monday that Louisiana has its first presumptive case of COVID-19, widely known as the coronavirus.
The patient who tested positive for the disease is a Jefferson Parish resident who is hospitalized in Orleans Parish.
The presumptive finding means the patient tested positive for the virus in an initial test.
Confirmed cases are those which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have tested.
“While today is the first time that we can confirm that we have a presumptive positive coronavirus case, Louisiana has been preparing for this moment for many weeks,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a news conference. “The CDC still believes the risk to the general public is low, but we will work quickly and decisively to assess the risk to those around this patient.”
Louisiana will send the presumptive positive test to the CDC for final confirmation of COVID-19. Because of the reliability of the test, Louisiana will move forward as if the test is an actual positive and take actions to contain the illness and assess the risk of spread, the
The Office of Public Health’s epidemiology team will begin an investigation of people who have come in close contact with the patient, including health care workers, to determine the risk of spread.
OPH will administer additional COVID-19 tests to determine if more people have been infected. Some people at risk may be quarantined for 14 days, even if their initial test is not positive.
The governor said last week that 40 Louisiana people who had returned from areas known to have high rates of coronavirus infection had self-quarantined in their homes for the 14 days required to see if they’ll show symptoms.
As of 11 a.m. Monday, the CDC reported 423 total U.S. cases in 34 states plus the District of Columbia. Fourteen people have died.
The international coronavirus situation had an impact on at least one facet of economic life in St. Mary: the price of oil.
Fears of a disease-related slump in demand plus a looming production war between Saudi Arabia and Russia pushed the price of West Texas Intermediate crude down 25% to near $32 a barrel. Media reports say the price drop is putting pressure on energy companies heavily in debt to finance shale deposit oil production.
The price of oil rebounded 10% in early trading Tuesday.
The CDC offered this advice for prevention:
—Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
—Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
—Stay home when you are sick.
—Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
—Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
—Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask. CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others.
—Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
On Monday, The Unleash Local Coalition called on the Louisiana Legislature to lift the state ban on local paid sick leave laws Monday, following reports of the state’s first case of COVID-19.
Louisiana currently does not require private sector employers to provide any paid sick leave and does not allow parish or municipal governments to set their own paid sick leave laws.
Vitalant, the company that accepts blood donations in Morgan City, put out a statement saying that giving blood is safe.
Public health officials are enacting a number of measures to limit COVID-19, and Vitalant supports these initiatives, the organization said.
Blood centers have always required individuals to be in good health to donate blood, and the blood collection process follows policies established by the Food and Drug Administration to ensure the health and safety of donors and patients.
“Hospitals will be extremely challenged if COVID-19 infections increase. The last thing we want them worrying about is having enough blood for trauma victims and cancer patients. That’s why it’s imperative that healthy individuals donate blood at drives and blood donation sites now,” said Dr. Ralph Vassallo, Vitalant’s chief medical and scientific officer.
Representing all blood banks, the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) Interorganiza-tional Task Force on Domestic Disasters and Acts of Terrorism recently urged healthy individuals to make and keep donation appointments — and ensure blood drives continue.
Currently, all blood types and components are needed, with a significant need for platelets and type O blood donations. Platelets have a very short shelf life — only five days. Type O-negative blood is the universal blood type, frequently used in traumas, that can help stabilize all patients.
Vitalant strives to maintain a four-day supply of blood just to provide what patients need, and currently they are at less than half that for many blood types.

Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards on Monday addressed a group of lawmakers who may be more conservative and more independent of the governor than ever.
Republicans hold a veto-proof supermajority in the state Senate and are only two seats short of that two-thirds threshold in the House of Representatives. Former Senate President John Alario, a Democrat-turned-Republican who often was an Edwards ally, was forced out by term limits and replaced by Lafayette Republican Sen. Page Cortez.
Rep. Clay Schexnayder, an Ascension Parish Republican, was elected House speaker when the minority Democrats voted for him as a block. But while some conservatives worry he will be beholden to Democrats and the governor, Schexnayder stood with Cortez to block the administration’s preferred revenue projection for the coming fiscal year.
The state still doesn’t have an official revenue projection, which dictates how much money lawmakers have to spend. But both sides say they expect to have one soon and express optimism about being able to work together. Edwards has even suggested the large crop of new lawmakers might be more receptive to some administration initiatives that were shot down during the last term, such as raising the minimum wage.
“I do believe there is plenty of common ground,” Edwards said recently.
Cortez, for his part, says he would prefer to send Edwards bills the governor would be willing to sign, rather than trying to override vetoes.
This year’s regular session is non-fiscal, which means legislators cannot raise taxes. But there are still plenty of potentially divisive issues that could test the limits of bipartisanship, including:
Legal climate
Tort reform, which this session means changing the civil justice system to limit the ability to file lawsuits or restrict the amount of money a plaintiff can receive, is the top priority for the state’s business lobby and many Republicans who say it could improve the state’s economy. Democrats tend to be more skeptical, saying such changes benefit big business while limiting citizens’ access to the courts.
Under current law, a civil case has to be worth at least $50,000 to guarantee a jury trial, by far the highest threshold in the nation. Several bills would reduce or eliminate the threshold or expand the types of evidence admissible in court. Another would limit civil damages to $500,000.
Rep. Raymond Garofalo, a Chalmette Republican, has filed a wide-ranging bill that would make multiple changes to the state’s legal system that proponents say could lead to lower automobile insurance rates, which in Louisiana are among the highest in the nation. But Sen. Barrow Peacock, a Republican who represents the Shreveport-Bossier City area and chairs a Senate judiciary committee, says he would rather consider bills that address one issue at a time.
Auto insurance
Lawmakers wary of tort reform are taking on the auto insurance directly, seeking to stop insurance companies from basing rates on factors other than safe driving. Edwards is backing three bills by Sen. Jay Luneau, an Alexandria Democrat, that would ban using credit score, military deployment, or status as a widow or widower as risk factors.
Spending
Rep. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, wants to restrict state spending to 98 percent of the official revenue forecast. A similar effort failed during the last term. Proponents say the change would provide some room for error, since revenue tends to be unpredictable, while opponents note that lawmakers already are free to appropriate as little or as much of the official forecast as they want.
Other measures would prevent lawmakers from spending unclaimed property money, limit the amount of spending growth allowed from one year to the next, and restrict the use of state capital outlay dollars for local projects.
Wages
Several bills seek to establish a state minimum wage that is higher than the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour. Edwards is backing one that would establish a $10 minimum and tie future increases to inflation, while the most ambitious bill filed so far would increase the minimum to $15 an hour over time.
The governor also wants to guarantee employees’ right to discuss their pay and ban employers from asking about pay history in hopes of combating pay discrimination and closing the wage gap between genders.
Efforts to establish a state minimum wage, which proponents say would benefit the working poor while reducing the need for public assistance and boosting the state’s economy, have been shot down repeatedly in recent years. Business lobbyists say the change would hurt low-skilled workers by making them more expensive to employ and object to what they see as government interference in the private sector.
Taxes
Several bills would tweak the state’s controversial property tax break for manufacturers or establish new tax incentives. Some lawmakers want to prevent the Department of Transportation and Development from using gas tax revenue for employee salaries. Schex-nayder and Cortez both support establishing a single sales tax collector for the entire state, rather than allowing local officials to continue collecting their own taxes.
Marijuana
Though it’s a long shot, voters may get a chance to legalize marijuana for recreational use in their parishes or statewide. Smokeable pot may also be added to the list of the types of cannabis permitted through the state’s medical marijuana program.

The following are the radio dispatch logs from the Morgan City Police Department. To report unlawful or suspicious activity, call the police department at 985-380-4605.
Friday, March 6
9:06 a.m., 6300 block of La. 182,disturbance
9:18 a.m., 1100 block of Victor II, alarm
10:04 a.m., Welcome Center, utilities
10:20 a.m., 300 block of Third, medical
10:58 a.m., MCPD,complaint
11:52 a.m., 800 block of Florence, alarm
11:58 a.m., 1900 block of Victor II, escort
12:50 p.m., MCPD,complaint
1:19 p.m., 500 block of Roderick, loud music
1:19 p.m., MCPD, complaint
4:46 p.m., 2100 block of Maple, medical
5:09 p.m.,700 block of Fourth, disturbance
5:19 p.m., Sixth and Levee, loud music
6:09 p.m., 10 block of Glenwood, loud music
6:23 p.m., 700 block of Bush, animal complaint
7:05 p.m., 2600 block of Sixth, loud music
7:08 p.m., 3000 block of Catherine, theft
7:21 p.m., U.S. 90 West, traffic incident
8:14 p.m., Allison and Roderick, assistance
8:36 p.m., 700 block of Gen. Hodges, arrest
9:09 p.m. ,900 block of Seventh, patrol request
11:04 p.m., 600 block of Brashear, disturbance
11:39 p.m., 700 block of Myrtle, suspicious vehicle
Saturday, March 7
12:04 a.m., 6700 block of La. 182 ,disturbance
12:07 a.m., 500 block of Bowman, medical
12:11 a.m., 7400 block of La. 182, arrest
12:14 a.m., 100 block of Mallard, assistance
12:14 a.m., 300 block of Patton, suspicious subject
12:46 a.m., 900 block of Fifth, loud music
3:05 a.m., 1100 block of Victor II, alarm
9:27 a.m., Vine and Walnut, accident
11:02 a.m., 300 block of Egle, juvenile problem
11:38 a.m., 7200 block of La. 182,theft
12:01 p.m., 500 block of Roderick, alarm
12:10 p.m., 3000 block of Allison, hit and run
2:16 p.m., 1000 block of Railroad, theft
2:20 p.m., Chennault Street, disturbance
4:03 p.m., 400 block of Everett, medical
4:47 p.m., MCPD, civil matter
4:52 p.m., U.S. 90 East, animal complaint
5:10 p.m., 700 block of Myrtle ,complaint
5:23 p.m., McDermott and Francis, patrol request
5:35 p.m., 1000 block of Victor II, 911 hang-up
5:57 p.m., 600 block of Gen. Patton, loud music
6:31 p.m., 1400 block of Chatsworth, arrest
7:29 p.m., 700 block of Hilda, arrest
7:36 p.m., 300 block of Garber, medical
7:42 p.m., 700 block of Fourth, loud music
8:23 p.m., 7500 block of La. 182, suspicious vehicle
8:54 p.m., 6400 block of La. 182, ,complaint
9:18 p.m., 300 block of Egle, standby
9:33 p.m., 1000 block of Onstead, animal complaint
Sunday, March 8
2:25 a.m., 1100 block of Victor II, alarm
4:43 a.m., 3300 block of Youngs, complaint