ST. GABRIEL - Iberville Parish says it hopes to reopen bars this weekend after meeting state requirements, possibly making it one of the only places in the capital area to have bars open in time for LSU football.

Parish officials tell WBRZ they are reaching out to the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control for permission to reopen bars as early as this weekend.

Earlier this month, the governor explained parishes that kept their coronavirus positivity rate at five percent or lower for two weeks could reopen bars in phase 3. According to state data, Iberville is the only parish neighboring East Baton Rouge that has kept its rate below that threshold for consecutive weeks through September.

Last week, ATC mistakenly informed St. James Parish that it could reopen bars due to a clerical error. St. James has since recorded a positivity rate of six percent in the latest report from LDH.