The Louisiana Fire Marshals are helping the city of Mexico Beach get back on it’s feet after a devastating hit from Hurricane Michael. Matt Doyle has more.
__________________________________
Legislation is on the president’s desk that will lead to some major changes in flood protection projects and the Corp of Engineers. Matt Doyle has more.
__________________________________
Louisiana State Police have arrested a Baton Rouge man after he threatened to kill troopers and other law enforcement officers during a traffic stop. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.”
_________________________________________
The State Fire Marshal’s team is on the scene just east of Panama City, where the eyewall of Hurricane Michael came ashore, bringing untold amounts of devastation. Fire Marshal Butch Browning says much of the work is just getting people out of their storm surge ravaged homes and over to shelter.
The team is working with a task force comprised of first responders from Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida.
Browning says the team has honed in on one city in particular that reportedly took on almost 14 feet in storm surge.
Browning says the damage is extensive, and the storm took out most of the vital utilities that are needed to run a modern city.
Michael was nearly a category five when it made landfall.
_________________________
Tiger Stadium is sold out as LSU and Georgia meet for the first time since 2008. Georgia has sold all of its 6,000-ticket allotment for the game making Saturday one of the largest game day crowds ever on campus. LSU Sports Information Director Michael Bonnette recommends fans arrive early in the morning to reduce traffic…
Parking will likely be a hurdle for attending fans but Bonnette says there are plenty of opportunities for those who don’t have a parking pass…
The showdown between the Tigers and Bulldogs will kick off at 2:30 PM. The early start means the game will end around 6:30 PM and Bonnette offers a solution to avoid heavy congestion on the roads…
____________________
The Corp of Engineers is about to be on the path to some major changes under new legislation that’s nearly been set into law. The America’s Water Infrastructure act reforms the Corp, and gives states the option to take more direct controls of flood prevention and hurricane protection projects. Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says this could speed up nearly 100 billion in backlogged projects.
The law has been sent to the President’s desk, and he’s expected to sign it soon.
Under the bill, the Corp will be moved out of the Department of Defense and turned into a civilian agency tasked with administering massive domestic projects. Graves says it’s nothing against the DoD, but they’ve got a lot of overseas concerns these days.
The Republican from Baton Rouge also noted that the legislation will allow local governments a lot more say so in the construction of vital protection projects, projects that have a decades-old backlog.
___________________
Louisiana State Police have arrested a Baton Rouge man after he threatened to kill troopers and other law enforcement officers during a traffic stop. 42-year-old Melvin Amar, Jr. was pulled over when he was observed driving a pickup truck with no tag and he was not wearing a seatbelt. Trooper Bryan Lee says during the course of the stop, Amar started making threats.
Lee says after the initial threat, Amar was cuffed and put in the back of the patrol car, but he kept up with the threats.
Cut 14 (06) “…and his family.”
Lee says Amar also made threats against law enforcement by referencing the 2016 Baton Rouge Police shooting that left three officers dead during an ambush.
Cut 15 (08) “…safety of others.”
Amar was transported to the East Baton Rouge Parish Jail and was found to be in possession of marijuana and Xanax.
_______________________________________________________
The Ragin Cajuns host New Mexico State on Saturday for homecoming. The Aggies are coming off a bye week and they have won their last two games, after dropping their first four games of the season. UL Lafayette Coach Billy Napier says New Mexico State has some good skill position players on offense
The Cajuns snapped a three-game losing streak last Saturday with a 42-27 win over Texas State. UL Lafayette rushed for 327 yards in that game. Napier would like to see that kind of production again tomorrow…
_______________________________________________
LSU looks to knock off unbeaten Georgia on Saturday. Tigers Coach Ed Orgeron onthe keys to victory….
Georgia leads the SEC in rushing, averaging 245 yards a game. Orgeron says it will be a tough task trying to slow them down…
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow threw his first two interceptions of the season in the loss to Florida last week, but Orgeron expects a bounce back performance from his QB…