Tag Archives: Louisiana

The Hill reports: A Louisiana man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly running a car into a police officer who had asked him to wear a mask while inside of a Walmart. Ricky Taylor, 64, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting an officer and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle upon a peace officer, according to a West Monroe …

The Baton Rouge Advocate reports: Amid spiraling coronavirus infections and steadily-increasing hospitalizations, Gov. John Bel Edwards late on Saturday said he is issuing a statewide mask mandate and closing bars, making Louisiana the latest Southern state to ratchet restrictions back up after months of reopening. Starting Monday, people will be required to wear masks when entering establishments or outdoors if …

The Monroe News-Star reports: A Louisiana lawmaker said people who refuse to wear masks during the coronavirus pandemic are being treated like Jews in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. State Rep. Danny McCormick, R-Oil City, posted a Facebook video Tuesday railing against mask mandates as an assault on liberty. It was triggered by a mask mandate issued by Shreveport Mayor …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …

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 …

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. …

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 …

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 …

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 …