Kits for Kidz is now underway as the Louisiana Correctional Association distributes school supplies to children with incarcerated parents. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Participation in the state’s flood recovery survey is lagging, and state officials are hoping upping their efforts will get more flood victims to apply for federal aid. Halen Doughty has more…
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One year ago, three Baton Rouge law enforcement officers were killed and three injured in a police ambush in Baton Rouge. Michelle Southern looks back with BRPD Chief Carl Dabadie…
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Louisiana Correctional Association’s Kits for Kidz is underway where school supplies are distributed to children of the state’s incarcerated population. Vice President Angela Whittaker says they wanted a way to help these kids because they are at a higher risk of following criminal behavior. She says encouraging education contributes to putting these children on the path to success.
These supply kits are handed to kids who visit state prisons now through the start of school. Whittaker says there are over 64-thousand Louisiana children with an incarcerated parent. She says these kids are full of excitement when handed backpack full of goodies.
15-thousand dollars’ worth of kits will be distributed this year. Whittaker says the offender population has been very involved in this work. She says the parents feel a sense of joy knowing that even behind bars they can help provide for their child.
To donate, visit www.lacorrectional.org.
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State officials are ramping up efforts to boost participation in the flood recovery survey. Pat Forbes with the Office of Community Development says they started with emails and phone calls and moved on to PSA’s and billboards. He says now they’re taking the survey to the ground level and going door to door.
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The survey is the first step for flood victims to receive federal flood recovery dollars. Forbes says flood victims need to complete the survey to see if they’re eligible for the state’s homeowner assistance program. He says enrollment isn’t moving as quickly as they’d hoped.
Forbes says flood victims don’t need any documentation to complete the five to ten minute survey. He says some people have not complete the survey because they don’t think they will qualify, but he says a lot more people will qualify than think they will.
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The survey can be found online at restore.la.gov.
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It was an early Sunday morning one year ago, when the lives of three law enforcement officers were lost and three others were injured in the tragic police ambush in Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge Police Chief Carl Dabadie says leading up to that day, he thought the unrest was about to be over after the protests of the Alton Sterling shooting were settling down. He says everything came crashing down at 8:30 a.m. when he received that phone call.
Dabadie says throughout this catastrophic event, the community has come together in unimaginable ways to support BRPD. He says the department has been working extremely hard to improve relations with the public.
Dabadie says this anniversary is a day of remembrance and reflection for the lives of the three officers lost, Deputy Brad Garafola, Officers Matthew Gerald and Montrell Jackson. He says these families have been to hell and back.
Dabadie says he’s in awe of the tremendous bravery shown by the wives of the fallen officers.
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Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is meeting with Canadian official today to renew the Quebec-Louisiana partnership with the Council on Development of French in Louisiana, or CODOFIL. Nungesser says the partnership helps prepare French teachers for the classroom.
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Nungesser says the CODOFIL agreement is invaluable to Louisiana and its students, and it also has a huge impact on tourism. He says Canadian visitors are Louisiana’s number one foreign market. He says it’s a win-win for the state.
Nungesser and other tourism officials made the trip to Quebec on Sunday. He says they’re thrilled to extend this agreement and grow the French heritage in Louisiana.