12:30 LRN News Sept 9

Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May says the lights are back on for more of the utility’s customers.  He says power has now been restored to more than 90-percent of those who can take it in the greater New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas.

Cut 9  (11)   “…of 75-thousand.”  (2x)

He says so far 682-thousand customers have had their power restored post-Ida of 902-thousand who were left in the dark.  The bad news is that more than 90-percent of Entergy’s customers in Lafourche, St. Charles and Terrebonne parishes still have no power.

Congressman Steve Scalise says Louisiana’s congressional delegation is on board with likely getting a separate funding package passed to help Ida-ravaged Southeast and Southwest Louisiana.  Scalise, who’s had a first-hand look at the damage doled out by Ida, says he believes Ida packed 190-mile-per-hour winds when it initially came ashore in the Port Fourchon area.

Cut 8  (10)   “…the wind was.”

The American Red Cross is aiding with hurricane recovery. Brooke Thorington has more from the president and CEO.

Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.”