A lot of insurance companies are balking at an order issued by Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon that requires them to pay Hurricane Ida evacuation expenses whether a mandatory evacuation was issued or not by a civil authority. More from Dave Brannen.
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FEMA is helping those impacted by Hurricane Ida with critical needs and transitional housing. Brooke Thorington has more.
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Burreuax the young Baton Rouge Zoo giraffe named after LSU’s Heisman Trophy Winner has died. Brooke Thorington has more.
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Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is ordering insurance companies to pay the evacuation expenses of policyholders who fled their homes during Hurricane Ida whether a mandatory evacuation order was issued or not.
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Donelon says State Farm has said it would not cough up the expense money to evacuees who left their homes during Ida and incurred expenses even though a civil authority had not issued an evacuation order. He says Hurricane Ida “was a clear and present danger.”
Commissioner Donelon says some companies have agreed to waive the mandatory evacuation order provision of their policies at the request of President Biden that came prior to Donelon’s order this week.
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Donelon says his order for insurance companies to pay evacuation expenses to policyholders won’t likely be met with firms like State Farm automatically rolling over to his demand for them to pay up.
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Donelon says his order covers more than two dozen parishes in Louisiana.
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The hot summer that those involved in storm recovery efforts have been enduring since Hurricane Ida is about to ease. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a cool front is sweeping into southeast Louisiana.
Keim says the nicer weather will be short-lived, but remain around through most of the weekend giving Ida victims, and crews repairing the damage, some relief at least until next week.
The effects of a cool front moving into the Bayou State will be quite noticeable to those rocked by Ida and still working to repair the massive destruction that many sustained. State Climatologist Barry Keim.
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When it comes to getting repairs done after Ida, Keim says much of the weekend will be a more ideal time weather-wise to do it.
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While some parts are the state have regained power other parts remain uninhabitable. FEMA is on the ground providing assistance to residents with immediate needs. FEMA Spokesperson John Mills some residents may qualify for funding for critical needs assistance.
Mills says FEMA is also able to provide expedited rental assistance for those who are unable to live in their home due to Ida.
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If your home requires a FEMA inspection, Mills says they will have proper ID and they will never charge you for an inspection.
Mills says that FEMA is also providing transitional housing, like a hotel, for those displaced from their homes and they will make that determination after you apply.
By law, FEMA cannot provide duplicate assistance so Mills says to contact your insurance carrier before you file for assistance with the government. If you have any questions, he encourages you to call 1-800-621-3362…
FEMA is also offering reimbursement for chainsaws or generators purchased between Aug. 26th and Sept. 25, 2021
You can register online with FEMA at DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621 FEMA (3362).
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The Baton Rouge Zoo released sad news Wednesday about the passing of 20-month-old giraffe Burreaux. The young giraffe, named after Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, was born December 26 in 2019, the same year the LSU Tigers went undefeated. Zoo Director Phil Frost says Burreaux died early Wednesday morning after a sudden onset of a severe cough and agitation Tuesday.
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Zoo veterinarian Dr. Michael Warshaw says the plan was to observe the young giraffe overnight and schedule an immobilization Wednesday morning with the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. But early Wednesday things took a turn.
As for a cause of death, a necropsy was performed by the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and the zoo’s medical staff. Results should be available in 30 days. Warshaw says at this time they don’t want to surmise that the young giraffe had COVID.
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The Baton Rouge Zoo has a long history of giraffe births, Burreaux was the twentieth and his young sister was born at the zoo a week ago.
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The Saints continue their preparations for Sunday’s season opener in Fort Worth, Texas. New Orleans will open the season on Sunday in Jacksonville against the Packers, a favorite to win the NFC. Saints Coach Sean Payton says Green Bay does a lot of the little things well…
Saints wide receiver Marquez Callaway says the re-located to Fort Worth, Texas might help the team…
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LSU players explained on Wednesday what went wrong in the season-opening loss to UCLA. Offensive guard Ed Ingram blames mental errors for the problems along the o-line…
Ingram also believes the injuries that took place during preseason camp had an impact on the loss to the Bruins. He says some players were not in game shape. Ingram also says the change in offensive line coaches in the offseason from James Cregg to Brad Davis may have played a factor
LSU senior defensive end Andre Anthony says it was a tough loss, but they can’t let it define their season…