Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter and other community leaders will officially launch a unified effort today to advocate for appropriate federal disaster aid in the wake of Hurricanes Laura and Delta.
In addition to two hurricanes, southwest Louisiana has also been impacted by two other federal disasters, the February winter storms and the May 17th flooding this year.
Edwards says the state has demonstrated $3 billion of unmet needs and he’s spoken with state congressional members and others at the White House. Edwards says he’s very disappointed the area still does not have a disaster appropriation yet.
Cut 6 (08) “…the storm.”

Three children have died and a fourth is critically injured in a one-vehicle wreck just south of Grambling in North Louisiana, Lincoln parish authorities report. The accident happened around 2:45 Monday afternoon. None of the kids were wearing seat belts when the car crashed and ejected the victims from the vehicle. The injured child was flown to Shreveport, more information is expected later this morning.

Longtime Lake Charles Senator Ronnie Johns has been appointed as Commissioner to the Gaming Control Board. Johns says the commission has conducted itself with honor in the past and he plans to keep that tradition, but the position does have its challenges with gaming competition from neighboring states and the possible movement of a license from Bossier to St. Tammany Parish, which voters will decide in November.
Cut 9 (07) “…move the license.”

Bienville Parish in northwest Louisiana will be the home to a new 240-million dollar sawmill. It’s a joint venture between Hunt Forest Products located in Ruston and Canadian-based Tolko Industries. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says Hunt Forest Products and Tolko also developed a 115-million dollar lumber Mill in LaSalle Parish. He says that the three-year-old facility employs 120 workers…
Cut 12 (08) “…to work.”