Hurricane Delta continues its approach to the Louisiana coast with Cameron Parish in its path. National Weather Service Lake Charles meteorologist Chanelle Stigger says exactly six weeks after Laura clobbered the area, they’re bracing for round two.

Cut 7 (09) “…couple of advisories.”

The storm track has shifted west over the last few days, but landfall in Cameron is more likely now, thus mandatory evacuation orders are in place for Cameron, Allen, Jeff Davis, and Calcasieu Parishes.

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter says he can’t believe another hurricane is set to strike the city again. Hunter says it may seem like a bad dream, but adds that Lake Charles is a resilient community that will get through this.

Cut 12 (09) “…it happens bad.”

Hunter encourages Lake Charles residents to evacuate today.

Voluntary evacuation orders are in place for residents of Acadia and Lafayette parishes ahead of landfall in eastern Cameron Parish. Acadia Sheriff KP Gibson says he’s already seen residents in the flood-prone southern portion of the parishes leaving, and they’re moving inmates out of the parish into facilities in north Louisiana…

Cut 5 (07) “…doing.”

Lafayette Consolidated Government spokesperson Jamie Angelle says if you must stay you can, but Friday likely won’t be pleasant…

Cut 3 (08)  “…area”  

Lafayette will implement a curfew starting at 12PM Friday lasting until 6 AM Saturday morning. Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for Cameron, Allen, Jeff Davis, and Calcasieu Parishes.

As Hurricane Delta continues its approach towards the Louisiana coast, National Weather Service Lake Charles meteorologist Chanelle Stigger says the biggest problem appears to be wind damage with sustained speeds of 90-100 miles per hour, with gusts up to 120, but Delta will bring other issues.

Cut 8 (08) “…threat for tornadoes.”

Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for Cameron, Allen, Jeff Davis, and Calcasieu Parishes.

Voluntary evacuation orders are in place for residents of Acadia and Lafayette parishes. Lafayette Consolidated Government spokesperson Jamie Angelle says the hurricane still has everyone’s attention after what happened to their neighbors just over a month ago…

Cut 4 (06) “seriously”

Lafayette will implement a curfew starting at 12PM Friday lasting until 6 AM Saturday morning.

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter says he can’t believe another hurricane is set to strike the city again, but you can’t let fatigue keep people from taking this storm seriously.  Hunter is urging Lake Charles residents to get out and says the decision to leave is one that needs to be made quickly.

Cut 11 (06) “…today to evacuate.”

Hurricane Delta is expected to make landfall tomorrow nearly in the same location as Hurricane Laura did six weeks ago today. Governor John Bel Edwards says they are still housing six-thousand Hurricane Laura evacuees in hotels mostly in New Orleans.  The governor says Delta has grown in size since hitting the Yucatan Peninsula

Cut 14 (12) “…Port Fourchon”

Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for Cameron, Allen, Jeff Davis, and Calcasieu Parishes.

Most of the Louisiana coast is now under a Hurricane Watch as Delta is on track to make landfall in the state sometime Friday, and approaching the coast as a category three hurricane. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Delta’s biggest threat at the moment appears to be its potential to bring some heavy wind damage deep inland…

Cut 5 (09) “…Alexandria.”

It was just over a month ago that Rapides Parish was roughed up by Hurricane Laura and now the area is in the track on Hurricane Delta. Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Tommy Carnline says the area has a feeling of exhaustion in seeing they may get a second round with the 2020 hurricane season.

Cut 11 (09) “…getting really absurd.”

Delta will be only the third named storm to hit the state in October since 1851.

Legislation granting criminal and civil immunity to those who gather for religious services against state orders during an emergency clears a House committee. Oil City Representative Danny McCormick says his bill is in response to the state’s ban on in-person church services early in the pandemic…

Cut 8 (10)..and well.”

Central Pastor Tony Spell was among those who testified in the hearing.

Delta forces LSU to change Saturday’s game site to Columbia, Missouri. Along with the change in venue comes a change in kickoff time.  LSU Head Football Coach Ed Orgeron says the 11 AM kickoff is to the benefit of the team because a night game would have resulted in the team rolling back into Baton Rouge extremely early Sunday morning, throwing off the circadian rhythm of the team.

Cut 7 (10) “…advantage for us.”

Most of the Louisiana coast is now under a Hurricane Watch as Delta is on track to make landfall in the state sometime Friday, and potentially as a category three hurricane. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Delta is currently only forecasted to bring about four to eight inches of rain to the state…

Cut 4 (07) “like that”

The NWS storm surge forecast calls for seven to eleven feet of surge from Pecan Island to Port Fourchon and four feet of surge elsewhere along the coast.

Hurricane Delta forces the relocation of this Saturday’s Missouri-LSU game.  Instead of taking place at Tiger Stadium, the Tigers will be heading to Columbia, Missouri.  LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says the team is adapting to the last-minute shakeup.

Cut 6 (09) “…practice in Missouri.”

The game was originally set for Saturday night, but with the change in venue comes a change in kickoff time. Kickoff is now 11am.

A bill addressing the suspension of a 4^th grader in Jefferson Parish for having a BB Gun in his bedroom during virtual class passed this morning in the House Education Committee. The author of the proposal, Jennings State Representative Troy Romero, believes the Jefferson Parish School Board overreacted to the situation.

Cut 9 (09) “I’m concerned”

Parents of the 4^th Grader also testified this morning before the committee.

And Former Governor Mike Foster is being laid to rest today in his hometown of Franklin. He passed away Sunday he was 90 years old.

The latest update from the National Hurricane Center has Hurricane Delta as a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds at 105 mph moving Northwest at 17 mph, it’s moving more to the west now with the eye of the storm arriving to the Northern Gulf Coastline midday Friday. A hurricane watch is now in effect from High Island, Texas to Grand Isle. Re-strengthening is forecast when the hurricane moves over the southern and central Gulf of Mexico, Delta is expected to become a major hurricane again, however some weakening is expected before it reaches the northern Gulf coast on Friday

Governor John Bel Edwards admits it’s another difficult challenge for the state, but that should not prevent us from getting prepared

Cut 6 (13) “right now”

And LSU will play in Missouri Saturday, kickoff is at 11am.

A bill addressing the suspension of a 4^th grader in Jefferson Parish for having a BB Gun in his bedroom during virtual class will go before the House Education Committee today. The author of the proposal, Jennings Representative Troy Romero, wants to establish a separation between the classroom and home.

Romero says on a school campus the school has full control of the environment, but in a virtual setting, which can include a private home, there are differences.

Cut 8 (11) “…that distinction”

Louisiana’s 53^rd governor, Mike Foster, is being laid to rest today in his hometown of Franklin.  Foster was at the helm of the state for two terms from 1996 through 2004.  Former Governor Bobby Jindal served in the Foster administration and says he recently met with Foster when it became clear that he was nearing the end of his life.

Cut 15 (11) “…to lose weight.”

The National Hurricane Center is now anticipating Hurricane Delta will be a Category Three storm as it approaches the Bayou State on Friday.  Delta will cross over the Yucatan today and National Weather Service New Orleans Director Ben Schott says once it gets past the peninsula, the forecast models should have a better idea of a potential landfall. Schott says forecasters do expect the storm to weaken as it approaches the Gulf Coast, but

Cut 5 (13) “…life-threatening impacts”

Governor John Bel Edwards admits Delta is another difficult challenge for the state, but that should not prevent us from getting prepared

Cut 6 (13) “right now”

Delta will likely raise anxiety levels for many as the storm approaches. LSU Health New Orleans Clinical Psychologist Doctor Michelle Moore says a way to decrease the anxiety is to prepare…

cut 7 (10) “….anxious feelings”

This is the sixth time Louisiana has been in the cone of uncertainty during this busy hurricane season.

Private funeral services for Former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster will take place tomorrow morning at his Oaklawn Manor Home. A public military graveside service will be held afterward. Foster was not a career politician as he says in this 2010 interview, he waited until his late 50s before he ran for the state senate

Cut 13 (11) “…I ran”

Foster died on Sunday, he was 90 years old.

The National Hurricane Center is now anticipating Hurricane Delta will be a Category Three storm as it approaches the Bayou State on Friday. National Weather Service New Orleans Director Ben Schott says the impacts of Delta when it comes onshore will be significant

Cut 4 (12) “surge”

2020 continues to be an extremely difficult year for most and an active hurricane season is another straw to the camel’s back for Louisianans. LSU Health New Orleans Clinical Psychologist Dr. Michelle Moore says understanding that an increased level of stress is a normal reaction is the first step towards coping.

Cut 6 (11)“…that stress”

Still too early to say the exact impacts Hurricane Delta will bring to Louisiana, but state and local governments are getting prepared. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

Shreveport police are investigating a triple homicide that happened just before midnight Monday. Police say the bodies of three men were found outside of a vacant house in the 1500 block of Garden Street. Deputy Police Chief Antoine White says all three victims were shot in the head. No arrests have been made.

Hurricane Delta is now a Category 4 storm and once again it appears a major hurricane is headed towards Louisiana National Weather Service New Orleans meteorologist Kevin Gilmore says the impacts of the storm extend beyond storm surge.

Cut 5 (10) “…of the storm.”

The current forecast shows it weakening to a Cat 2 before the projected landfall in southeast Louisiana.

2020 has brought about multiple ongoing complex issues from COVID, to job losses, and political bickering, and now the stress of yet another major approaching hurricane.  LSU Health New Orleans Clinical Psychologist Dr. Michelle Moore says we shouldn’t forget that hurricanes incorporate a sense of resolution.

Cut 8 (10)…unknowns to the hurricane.”

Still too early to say the exact impacts Hurricane Delta will bring to Louisiana, but state and local governments are getting prepared. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

The St Landy Parish Sheriff’s Office confirms an additional victim has died in Monday night’s drive-by shooting in Morrow. 20-year old Ladarious Keller died while being transported to the hospital and 29-year old Michael Thomas died at the scene. A third victim 19-year old Emmerick Simon underwent surgery and is listed in stable condition.

Hurricane Delta is now a Category 4 storm and once again Louisiana is in the crosshairs of a major hurricane.  National Weather Service New Orleans meteorologist Kevin Gilmore says before it becomes an issue for the northern Gulf Coast on Saturday, it’ll make an initial landfall in Mexico.

Cut 3 (09)  “…it is now.”  

Former Governor Mike Foster will be laid to rest tomorrow in his hometown of Franklin after passing away on Sunday at the age of 90. He’s credited for creating the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. L-C-T-C-S president Monty Sullivan says prior to 1998, the state had four community colleges and one technical college. That has since grown to a system of twelve.

Cut 12 (11) “…last 20+ years.”

Lawmakers sparred Monday in a House committee over legislation that would potentially strip state funding from localities and universities that cut police budgets by 10 percent or more.  Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala says the state is already one of the most crime-ridden in the nation and cutting police budgets would just exacerbate that.

Cut 6 (10) “for me”

The bill would require municipalities and schools to submit an annual report to the Joint Legislative Committee of the Budget detailing the status of their police budgets.

Bastrop representative Frederick Jones says the bill is insulting to African Americans. He says while he disagrees with the “Defund” movement…

Cut 7 (11) “crying out”

The bill is authored by Alexandria representative Lance Harris and head to the full House next.

Hurricane Delta reaches major hurricane status as a category 4. The most recent update indicates Delta is moving across the western Caribbean Sea at 16mph, and continued strengthening is expected before reaching the Yucatan Peninsula and then crossing into the southern Gulf of Mexico. Delta is expected to make landfall along the US coastline late Friday early Saturday. Governor Edwards is expected to give an update at 3 pm this afternoon.

A resolution that would suspend the State Fire Marshal’s ability to enforce COVID health guidelines on businesses clears a House committee Civil Division director Angelique Freel says the Legislature has not given the Fire Marshal the authority to shut down businesses for non-compliance.

Cut 9 (10) “in it”

Governor Edwards has tasked the Fire Marshal with COVID code enforcement, citing his broad authority during a declared public health emergency.

Lawmakers sparred in a House committee Monday over legislation that would potentially strip state funding from localities or universities that cut their police budgets by ten percent or more. Alexandria Representative Lance Harris authored the bill and says the “Defund the Police” movement risks the safety of more than just the people living in areas that cut police budgets…

Cut 4 (11) “safety”

Entities that cut more than ten percent of police budgets must prove it would not have a “significant and harmful effect on public safety” or risk being ineligible for future funding. New Orleans representative Gary Carter says if cities feel it is right to move money to services like mental health to help lower crime, they should be able to…

Cut 5 (10) “…Congress”