Tag Archives: Louisiana

Pastor Names Congregants That Are Skipping Church During Pandemic: I’m Trying To Get You Into Heaven

The Christian Post reports: A Louisiana pastor is drawing criticism online for calling out his members by name during his sermon Sunday for skipping in-person church services despite ongoing fears about the new coronavirus. Pastor Tim Deason of Sugartown United Pentecostal Church in Sugartown, Louisiana, told his congregants Sunday that he doesn’t mind if people go on vacations. He just …

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BREAKING: SCOTUS Strikes Down Anti-Abortion Law

The Daily Beast reports: In a highly anticipated decision, the Supreme Court reversed a Louisiana abortion law that opponents say would close all but one abortion clinic in the state and have lasting repercussions for reproductive rights across the country. The 5-4 decision in June Medical Services v. Russo, written by Justice Breyer, will have effects far beyond Louisiana. Abortion …

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Mayor: New Orleans Bars To Reopen At 25% Capacity

The Associated Press reports: New Orleans will let the good times roll in casinos and bars again beginning Saturday, with restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Wednesday. That means bars and casinos in the city can open — although only at 25 percent capacity, Cantrell said during a “Town Hall” broadcast on WBOK. Food-serving …

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Court Boots Branch Covidian’s Lawsuit Against Gov

The Baton Rouge Advocate reports: A federal judge has rejected Central pastor Tony Spell’s lawsuit claiming that the stay-at-home order Gov. John Bel Edwards implemented to stop the spread of the coronavirus was unconstitutional. Meanwhile, Spell, who drew international attention for defying the order by continuing to hold services at Life Tabernacle Church, has been released from house arrest. Spell …

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Branch Covidian: I’ll Comply When Popsicles Sell In Hell

Baton Rouge’s NBC News affiliate reports: While on house arrest, Pastor Tony Spell put a short video together titled, “Change of Heart.” Pastor Spell says, “we will never comply with the governor’s orders to move church services outside.” As of midnight, churches are allowed to have indoor services at 25% of their State Fire Marshal capacity. Pastor Tony Spell replied …

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Louisiana Gov To Let Stay-At-Home Order Expire Friday

NBC News reports: Louisiana, one of the states hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, will allow its stay-at-home order to expire on Friday and will loosen other lockdown restrictions this weekend, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced on Monday. The first phase of the state’s reopening on Friday will draw back certain restrictions currently impacting churches, restaurants, salons and gyms, officials …

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Branch Covidian Pastor Sues Dem Louisiana Governor

Baton Rouge’s ABC affiliate reports: Rev. Tony Spell wants a federal judge to block authorities in Louisiana from enforcing bans on gatherings against him. He’s also asking to be paid for what his attorney said are “unconstitutional restrictions” and “unconstitutional punishments.” These requests are made in a federal lawsuit filed by Spell’s attorney on Thursday, May 7. Among the claims …

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Louisiana GOP State Reps Seek To Overturn Lockdown

Baton Rouge’s Fox News affiliate reports: A tense battle is brewing at the capitol, where the Republican majority in the House of Representatives is looking at a way to overturn the governor’s current stay-at-home order, which expires on May 15. “We’re trying to advocate a balanced approach to safely open that protects both lives and livelihoods,” said Rep. Blake Miguez, …

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LOUISIANA: Police Swamped With Calls After Mother Of Branch Covidian Pastor Posts Their Emergency Number

The Baton Rouge Advocate reports: People dialing the Central Police Department are reportedly having difficulties getting through after supporters of an arrested pastor have flooded the lines, according to a post from the agency. Central Police Chief Roger Corcoran said that the mother of arrested Central pastor Tony Spell posted the agency’s phone number on her Facebook page and encouraged …

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Baton Rouge Paper: Lock Up Branch Covidian Pastor

From the editorial board of the Baton Rouge Advocate: The Rev. Tony Spell’s services, during a highly contagious outbreak of a deadly disease, make the church a tabernacle of death. The many summonses and misdemeanor counts — few of the clergy are accused of trying to use a church bus to run down a protester outside services — have failed …

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LOUISIANA: No Jail For Defiant Branch Covidian Pastor Tony Spell, Judge Is Worried He Might Infect Prisoners

TMZ reports: Tony Spell showed up yesterday and falsely claimed his congregations were practicing social distancing — in fact, the video clearly shows the congregants were packed in. Spell also displayed his ankle bracelet as an act of defiance to the judge who ordered him to wear it after getting arrested for allegedly trying to run over a protester. Now, …

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Branch Covidian Pastor Defies Court, Holds Services

The Baton Rouge Advocate reports: The pastor of a Central church who has defied state orders to limit the size of crowds at his worship service violated another order Sunday — preaching from the pulpit despite a judge’s directive that he stay at home under house arrest. Wearing an ankle monitor attached after he was accused of threatening to run …

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Branch Covidian Pastor Placed Under House Arrest

Baton Rouge’s ABC News affiliate reports: Rev. Tony Spell has been placed on house arrest, East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore said. A judge on Friday, April 24, asked Spell if he’d comply with state orders that limit the number of people who can gather in one place at the same time. Spell replied by quoting a bible …

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Branch Covidian Pastor Cuffed Outside Police Station

NBC News reports: A Louisiana pastor who has defied state orders against large gatherings was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly backing his church bus dangerously close to a protester. Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church in the city of Central, near Baton Rouge, was charged with aggravated assault in connection to the incident that was caught on tape, police said. …

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Branch Covidian Pastor Won’t Surrender On Warrant

The Washington Post reports: A megachurch pastor in Louisiana who has defied orders intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus by holding large worship services is facing criminal charges for driving a church bus backward toward a protester outside the church, authorities said Monday. Spell wrote in a text message that he would not surrender and that authorities would …

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Branch Covidian Pastor Wanted On Assault Charge

Baton Rouge’s ABC News affiliate reports: Police have issued an arrest warrant for the controversial pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Central, Louisiana. The warrant accuses pastor Tony Spell of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, the Central Police Department says. Police in Central say Spell allegedly backed up a church bus into the direction of a person protesting in …

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Attendance Craters At Branch Covidian Church After Death Of Parishioner, Pastor Says Head Count Is A Lie

The Baton Rouge Advocate reports: Attendance at a Central church headed by a pastor who has defied Louisiana’s attempts to restrict crowd size appears to be shrinking from recent weeks, police said Sunday, as the pastor brushed off law enforcement head counts as untrue. ” Sunday’s service at Life Tabernacle Church attracted about 130 people, down from nearly 500 who …

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Parishioner At Branch Covidian Church Dies Of COVID

The Baton Rouge Advocate reports: A 78-year-old man who attended a Central church that has bucked state stay-at-home restrictions has died from the illness tied to the novel coronavirus. The East Baton Rouge Parish coroner said Harold Orillion, a parish resident, died from the COVID-19 respiratory illness on Wednesday. Three sources told The Advocate that Orillion had ties to the …

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Branch Covidian’s Lawyer Hospitalized With COVID

The Baton Rouge Advocate reports: A Baton Rouge lawyer who is part of the legal team representing a Central church and its pastor defying state social distancing orders during the coronavirus pandemic has been hospitalized because of the coronavirus. The lawyer, Jeff Wittenbrink, attended two events at Life Tabernacle Church — an April 2 news conference and an April 5 …

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New Orleans Mayor: No Large Events For Rest Of 2020

CBS News New Orleans reports: New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell today said she does not expect any large events to take place in the city for the remainder of 2020. While discussion has begun about how to re-start the economy and more normal activities when the coronavirus pandemic ends, the mayor said it is likely that a certain amount of …

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