12:30 Newscast, August 31st, 2016

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation has given over 1.6 million dollars to help those affected by the historic flooding that tore through south Louisiana. Director of Communications Mukul Verma says they’ve given dozens of grants to local nonprofits working in the field of flood relief. He says most of these donations have been made online by people throughout the country…:
CUT 3 (10) “million”
Donations can be made online at braf.org.

State Treasurer John Kennedy told lawmakers today that they should consider suspending the one cent sales tax increase for flood victims rebuilding their homes. He said the state should not reap a financial windfall from people’s tragedy. But New Orleans Senator JP Morrell, who chairs the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee, calls this a half-baked idea that shouldn’t be presented as feasible on the fly because it’s not.

Lawmakers slammed FEMA today saying aid is not getting to flood victims fast enough. 200 households have been approved for FEMA manufactured homes, but only one has been set up in Louisiana. Gonzales Representative Clay Schexnayder told FEMA today during the House Homeland Security Committee meeting that he doesn’t care how it happens, but the process needs to be expedited…:
CUT 9 (08) “at all”
FEMA responded saying that this recovery is going to be long due to the concentration and scale and scope of the damage.

Louisiana native and five-time Grammy nominee Hunter Hayes has been added to the lineup of the flood relief concert, “Louisiana Rising.” The benefit, which will be produced for broadcast and is not open to the public, is taking place on Labor Day in Baton Rouge and will be hosted by Randy Jackson and Harry Connick Jr — also both Louisiana natives.