Utility providers are prepping for yet another hurricane in an area still compromised by Laura just six weeks ago. Brooke Thorington has more.
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Those in the projected path of Hurricane Delta are not taking the storm lightly. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
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Hurricane-force winds are expected to impact wide swaths of the state tonight. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Power restoration for areas of the state that were impacted by Hurricane Laura area once again in Delta’s path. Entergy CEO Phillip May says they completed repairs for most customers that were able to accept service last week in the Lake Charles area, but crews are still performing grid work.
May says approximately 75-percent of towers and transmission systems have been replaced with equipment to now withstand winds of 140-150mph, versus the previous 120mph winds.
Cut 5 (09) “…Hurricane Delta.”
Hurricane Delta is the second Hurricane to hit Celco’s service territory in six weeks. Celco Spokesperson Jennifer Cahill says they are prepared to respond for anticipated outages.
Cahill says trees that were not damaged during Hurricane Laura are still vulnerable and with Delta trailing so close behind they might not survive a second storm. Cahill says repair crews are on standby and ready to relocate for outages.
Cut 7 (06) “beginning repairs”
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Cameron Parish is just hours away from impact from Hurricane Delta and Sheriff Ron Johnson says the community is preparing for a wide variety of problems that can come with a storm.
Johnson says the message to leave the parish has been one that the residents have taken extremely seriously with this storm. Most have chosen to find other accommodations this weekend.
The storm is still expected to pack a punch as it cuts across the state and into Mississippi. Avoyelles Parish GOHSEP director Joey Frank says it is potential flooding issues that have caught the attention of the locals.
Frank asks that people refrain from cruising the streets during or immediately after the storm.
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Hurricane Delta is on track to make landfall in Cameron Parish around 7 PM Friday night.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Ben Schott warns that the system is growing in size and it is likely we will see hurricane-force winds stretching from Lake Charles to Baton Rouge.
Storm surge could be as much as 11 feet in Vermillion Bay, and five to ten inches of rain could fall across southwest Louisiana, with pockets of up to 15 inches possible.
The current track has the storm hitting eastern Cameron Parish before curving to the northeast and passing near Alexandria before exiting through the Delta Parishes as a tropical storm. Schott says that means everyone in the state needs to pay attention…
The system is expected to move at a brisk 15 to 17 mile per hour pace once it makes landfall and Schott says that means we won’t be suffering for long…
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Governor Edwards extends the current Phase Three COVID public health restrictions until November 6th.
Edwards says at this point there’s not much more loosening that can be done until a vaccine is publicly available.
In one slight change alcohol sales are now allowed at sporting events in parishes that are eligible to open bars. 40 parishes have met the COVID test positivity rate to reopen bars. A process has begun to allow fairs and festivals to resume on a case by case basis, but all such events will be limited to 500 people at a time.
Edwards’ extension comes as there is an aggressive legislative effort to strip him of all or most of his public health authority. He says his orders are supported by the White House and not up for debate with lawmakers.
Bills that would reduce his public health authority have obtained majorities, but not veto-proof majorities, and a series of non-vetoable resolutions doing the same that have passed are likely to have to be resolved in court.
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After getting blown out by 31 points on the road against 22nd ranked BYU last Friday, La Tech returns to Joe Aillet Stadium tomorrow night to host Conference foe UTEP. Bulldogs coach Skip Holtz is looking for a bounce-back performance…
After battling through a COVID outbreak a month ago, Holtz says they head into Saturday’s home game as healthy as they’ve been
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LSU is gearing up for a so-called home game in Missouri tomorrow as they face a Tigers team that is off to an 0-2 start. Mizzou is averaging just 16 points a game. LSU Safety Jacoby Stevens says Missouri tries to confuse opposing defenses…
LSU’s offense performed well in last week’s 41-7 win over Vanderbilt. Senior Jontre Kirklin caught two TD passes and hopes to contribute more…