The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is experiencing a welcome break this week due to the presence of dry, dusty air from the Sahara Desert, known as the Saharan Air Layer (SAL). Sean Richardson has more.
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Thanks to federal dollars, Louisiana is set to launch it’s largest broadband expansion in the history of the state. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is experiencing a lull due to the presence of dry, dusty air from the Sahara Desert, known as the Saharan Air Layer. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says this phenomenon, which occurs regularly during summer months, has drastically suppressed storm development in the Atlantic.…
Cut 3 (09) “…relatively quiet”
The Sahara Air Layer carries dust particles across the ocean, creating a stable environment that hinders the formation of hurricanes by drying out the atmosphere and increasing wind shear, both unfavorable for tropical cyclone development. Keim says we are moving closer to the peak of the hurricane season…
Louisiana residents are urged to remain cautious and prepared, as the absence of storms this week does not necessarily indicate a quiet season overall. Keim says stay informed about potential developments in the coming weeks.
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Governor Landry says the state is embarking on the largest broadband expansion program in the state’s history with the launch of Gumbo 2.0. This program will distribute one-point-three billion dollars in federal money to expand broadband. Director of the Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity Veneeth Iyengar predicts the digital divide will be eliminated in the next couple of years…
Cut 6 (07) “…be the first to do it.”
GUMBO 2.0 is designed to accelerate the deployment of high-speed internet across the state by providing additional funding, resources, and streamlined processes for internet service providers. Iyengar says Gumbo 2.0 will put into action the one-point-three billion dollars to expand broadband access to 100-thousand homes, most of those in rural parishes.
Iyengar emphasized the importance of reliable broadband access for education, healthcare, and economic development in rural areas that have historically lacked sufficient connectivity. GUMBO 2.0 introduces enhanced grant opportunities, new partnerships with local governments, and a focus on leveraging federal infrastructure funds to maximize impact.
Senator Bill Cassidy says GUMBO 2.0 will create eight to ten thousand new jobs, increase the state’s GDP by $1.3 billion, and generate $2 to 3 billion in new revenue for Louisiana companies.
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Louisiana’s 57 delegates to the Democratic National Convention are in Chicago where they’ll formally nominate Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee. New Orleans Congressman Troy Carter says there is an electricity in Chicago as every walk of life is attending the D-N-C
Carter says with this Democratic National Convention, the party is looking to further a democracy that protects social security, troops and veterans and women’s reproductive rights, among other things. He says the convention is about making sure everyone knows they have a seat at the table…
The convention will feature speeches by former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, and current president Joe Biden, who speaks tonight. Carter supported Biden’s campaign for a second term, but says he’s proud to support Harris for president, since she was next to Biden during his presidency.
The D-N-C runs until Thursday the 22nd.
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Authorities are investigating an offshore explosion on Saturday night in south Plaquemines Parish that killed one person. Sgt. Kate Stegall with Louisiana State Police says they got a call that a natural gas pipeline had exploded in a marshy area near Venice, and 40-year-old Joshua Nichols of Lake Charles was missing…
Cut 12 (12) “…Mr. Nichols’ body.”
Nichols died in the incident, and his body was recovered. Police believe he was working on the pipeline at the time of the explosion. No one else was injured in the explosion or resulting fire. Stegall says the pipelines have been blocked off, as one of them is still burning the reserve natural gas in the line.
Stegall says the fire doesn’t pose a threat to the public. The cause of the explosion and the incident are under investigation.