The Wall Street Journal reports the rise in interest rates has caused lumber prices to fall to pre-pandemic levels. Industry experts say the housing market is already feeling the effects. Marsanne Golsby reports.
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The United Cajun Navy is assisting with rescue efforts after Hurricane Ian devastated portions of the Florida west coast. Brooke Thorington has more
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The Wall Street Journal says lumber prices have fallen to their lowest levels in more than two years, bringing prices back to pre-pandemic levels. Alexandria-based Roy O. Martin is the largest private landowner in the south, with more than half a million acres of timber. Chief Operating Officer Scott Poole says higher interest rates affects home affordability and the demand for building products.
Poole says he and others in the industry were surprised by the surge in demand during the early days of the pandemic—but they didn’t expect it to last indefinitely.
Poole says the housing industry is always a barometer for the rest of the economy. However, his nearly 100 year old company, headquartered in Alexandria is growing.
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The United Cajun Navy says Hurricane Ian is comparable to Katrina. Spokesperson Brian Trascher says overnight they assisted with more than two dozen rescues in the Ft. Myers area and their work is far from over.
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There are about 20 to 25 United Cajun Navy members from the Florida chapter conducting rescue efforts and Trascher says more members are en route to assist. He says their main focus at the moment is moving individuals who’ve been flooded out of their homes to a truck stop so they can be transferred to shelters.
Trascher says if you have friends or family members in the Ft. Myers area that need to be rescued or even a wellness check, he says to do what you can to find the coordinates of their location versus an address.
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In addition to rescues, Trascher says the United Cajun Navy is also doing what they can to clear roads so the National Guard and Army Corps can move in logistics teams of electricians and linemen.
To donate or for volunteer information visit UnitedCajunNavy-dot-org.
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Saints quarterback Jameis Winston did not practice again today as the team continues its preparations for Sunday’s game against the Vikings in London. Winston said on Wednesday he expected to practice today but offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael says a decision was made to keep him on the sidelines again today
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Winston has been playing this season with several fractures in his back, he also has an ankle injury. If Winston can’t go, veteran Andy Dalton will get the start and Carmichael has confidence Dalton will do his job…
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Republican congressional candidate Holden Hoggatt has released a political attack ad against Third District Congressman Clay Higgins. It’s a parody of his old Crime Stopper videos when Higgins worked at the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office. The campaign ad calls Higgins a fraud and says Higgins is wanted for impersonating a congressman. Higgins says he doesn’t pay attention to attack ads…
Hoggatt is one of Higgins’ seven challengers. Higgins is seeking a fourth-term and his biggest challenger appears to be Hoggatt who has most the financial resources to defeat the Republican Congressman. Higgins says he remains focused on serving southwest Louisiana…
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Higgins became well-known for his tough talking Crime Stopper videos, where he would highlight wanted suspects and predict severe consequences once they are arrested. In the Hoggatt ad, a man impersonating Higgins says the former sheriff’s deputy was last seen impersonating a Congressman…
Hoggatt’s campaign spokesperson Mary Patricia Wray says Hoggatt thought it was necessary to release the ad to educate voters about Higgins’ past…