1:30 LRN Newscast May 21

Governor Edwards announces a $30-million buyout program for a Calcasieu Parish neighborhood. Police Jury President Brian Abshire says the funds will be used to purchase homes at fair market value in the Greinwich Terrance neighborhood of Lake Charles.

Cut 14 record flood:13

The neighborhood has approximately 300 homes and the buyout program is optional.

Senator Bill Cassidy toured parts of Lake Charles this morning. As for helping southwest Louisiana get more federal assistance. Governor Edwards has requested an additional $3-billion for the area and Cassidy says he’s meeting again with a key decision-maker in the Biden administration.

Cut 8 (10) “…working hard.”

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a disturbance that has a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico. National Weather Service in Lake Charles meteorologist Alex Donato says it’ll likely make landfall in Texas or possibly in southwest Louisiana

Cut 9 (8) “…most likely scenario”

Forecasters say the system could produce heavy rainfall which is why a flashflood watch is in effect through tonight for the western half of Louisiana.

Breeze Airways will begin offering cheap direct flights out of Louis Armstrong in New Orleans into ten mid sizes cities across the Midwest and South. The Louisiana Department of Economic Development estimates the new routes will create 261 new direct jobs and 877 new indirect jobs throughout the region. Breeze Airways CEO David Neeleman

Cut 12 (08)    “…visitors”