Entergy crews are working around the clock to restore power to everyone left in the dark by Francine. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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Coastal parishes hit hard by Wednesday night’s hurricane are working diligently to get life back to normal as quickly as possible. Jeff Palermo reports.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Entergy Louisiana crews are working around the clock to restore power as quickly as possible. VP of Customer Service Michelle Bourg (BORG) says with manpower quadrupled, crews are making great progress.

Cut 3 (09) “…to the storm.”

Bourg says in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas, full restoration will happen even sooner.

Cut 4 (12) “…restored before then.”

But in the coastal parishes including Assumption, Terrebonne and Lafourche, full restoration will likely take a little longer.

Cut 5 (08) “…two to three days.”

Bourg notes that South Louisiana’s geography makes it challenging for crews, with many power poles being located in marshes, swamps and heavily wooded areas. She notes, however, that they have the equipment to effectively navigate those areas, including drones and helicopters.

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Cleanup and recovery continues in the coastal parishes. In Terrebonne Parish, President Jason Bergeron (BAA-zher-on) says one of the biggest challenges is that power poles are in hard to reach areas such as marshes and swamps.

Cut 6 (09) “…and those lines.”

Bergeron says they also had to take time to document the damage so that the parish can be promptly reimbursed.

Cut 7 (10) “…as we go.”

In St. Mary Parish, President Sam Jones says things are almost all the way back to normal.

Cut 8 (09)  “…we’re cleaning up.”

Jones says the progress is incredible given the fact that the parish was among those which took the brunt of the storm

Cut 9 (07)  “…cleaned out already.”

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Second Harvest Food Bank is mobilizing to address the immediate needs of communities in parishes impacted by Hurricane Francine. The organization has provided food, water, and essential supplies to those affected by the storm. President and CEO Natalie Jayroe says Second Harvest aims to ensure that necessities reach those in need as quickly as possible.

Cut 10 (09) “…lives back together.”

Second Harvest is distributing emergency food boxes, hot meals, and bottled water to shelters and community centers in the hardest-hit areas. Jayroe says they have supplied more than 200-thousand pounds of food and nearly three thousand meals and counting…

Cut 11 (12) “…provide snacks there.”

Second Harvest is working to stock food pantries and coordinate long-term relief efforts as the region begins the recovery process. Volunteers and donations are being requested to sustain these efforts in the coming weeks.  Jayroe says volunteers and donations are crucial…

Cut 12 (08) “…for a family.”

Jayroe says Second Harvest remains focused on providing relief and helping families and individuals regain stability after the hurricane.  For more information on how you can donate or volunteer visit no-dash-hunger-dot-org.

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The 16th ranked LSU football team kicks off SEC play on Saturday by facing a confident South Carolina squad, coming off a 31-to-6 road win against Kentucky. Tigers Coach Brian Kelly expects the Gamecocks to use their run game to move the ball down the field…

Cut 13 (12) “…early on.” 

It’s an early kick in Columbia as this one gets underway at 11 AM.

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Saturday is the Southland Conference opener for McNeese as the Cowboys welcome back Stephen F Austin back to the league by hosting the Lumberjacks at 7 PM. Pokes head coach Gary Goff on the S-F-A defense…

Cut 14 (16) “..protection.”

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The Saints looked great in beating Carolina in the season opener, but Dallas is a much a better team. New Orleans visits the Cowboys on Sunday. The Cowboys top playmaker is receiver CeeDee Lamb. Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu says Lamb is one of the top receivers in the NFL…

Cut 15 (12) “…coverages.”

Kick off is at noon.

Entergy Louisiana crews are working around the clock to restore power as quickly as possible. VP of Customer Service Michelle Bourg (BORG) says crews are especially making progress in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas.

Cut 4 (12) “…restored before then.”

In the coastal parishes, full restoration will likely take a couple more days.

Governor Landry, Senator John Kennedy and others took a helicopter tour of Terrebonne Parish to survey the damage left behind by Hurricane Francine. Afterwards, Landry said one purpose is to come up with ways to improve coordination with federal partners like FEMA.

Cut 10 (09) “…some weak links.”

Landry says while damage was extensive, it would have been much worse had investments in hurricane safety not been made years earlier.

A Ruston elementary school PE teacher is under arrest after allegedly threatening a third-grade class. Union Parish Sheriff’s Investigators say 70-year-old Robert Mitcham became angry and told the kids he had a gun and would use it. The sheriff’s office says while Mitcham maintains that he wasn’t genuinely threatening the kids, they must take threats seriously – even though it is usually students who make threats and unfortunately, act on them.

The 16th ranked LSU football team kicks off SEC play on Saturday by facing a confident South Carolina squad, coming off a 31-to-6 road win against Kentucky. Tigers Coach Brian Kelly expects the Gamecocks to use their run game to move the ball down the field…

Cut 13 (12) “…early on.” 

It’s an early kick in Columbia as this one gets underway at 11 a.m.

Governor Landry, Senator John Kennedy and others took a helicopter tour of Terrebonne Parish to survey the damage left behind by Hurricane Francine. Senator Kennedy reiterated to those affected by the storm that the state will get the federal money that it’s entitled to under President Biden’s emergency declaration.

Cut 12 (07) “…worry about that.”

Morgan City was hit especially hard by Francine. Franklin Senator Robert Allain says the cooperation of all agencies greatly mitigated the damage.

Cut 9 (09)  “…fund that program.”

Allain says the rain was coming down so hard and so fast there that there was no way that the pumps in the area could keep up. The pumps are designed to stop working when rainfall exceeds ten inches. Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna and a group of volunteers secured two pumps to spare one neighborhood near Lake Palourde of any major flooding..

A Ruston elementary school PE teacher is under arrest after allegedly threatening a third-grade class. Union Parish Sheriff’s Investigators say 70-year-old Robert Mitcham became angry and told the kids he had a gun and would use it. Sheriff Dusty Gates says they must take threats seriously.

Cut 15 (06) “…this way.”

Mitcham has also been barred from the campus.

DOTD is awarded $104 million in redistributed funds by the Federal Highway Administration. DOTD Spokesman Rodney Mallet says the money will help pay for new roadways, bridges, and other large essential projects.

Cut 5 (10) “…funding.”

This redistribution occurs annually, allocating unused federal funds from other states to those that have met certain requirements and can use the funds efficiently.

The state has received an additional 104-million-dollars in federal funds as part of the Federal Highway Administration’s annual redistribution of unused federal transportation dollars. Sean Richardson has the story.

Cut 1 (36) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Morgan City and the surrounding areas have a more extensive cleanup task ahead of them. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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A Downsville Community Charter School teacher has been arrested for allegedly threatening a classroom of third graders. Colleen Crain has the details…

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

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DOTD has been awarded $104 million in redistributed federal funds by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This redistribution occurs annually, allocating unused federal funds from other states to those that have met certain requirements and can use the funds efficiently. DOTD Spokesperson Rodney Mallet says the money will help pay for new roadways, bridges, and other large essential projects…

Cut 4 (09) “…those areas too.”

This year’s redistribution will allow the DOTD to continue making progress on projects that aim to reduce traffic congestion, improve road safety, and promote efficient transportation. Mallett says the funds are needed due to inflationary pressures…

Cut 5 (10) “…funding.”

Mallett emphasized the importance of these additional funds in accelerating critical projects that will enhance the state’s transportation network. The funding will contribute to existing and future infrastructure projects, Like the larger I-10 rehab in Acadia Parish for over $22 million.

Cut 6 (11) …thousands of people.”

This amount represents the second largest allocation ever received by DOTD, only surpassed by last year’s record funding of 210-million-dollars.

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Cleanup will be an extensive process in places like Morgan City, which was hit especially hard by Francine. Franklin Senator Robert Allain says the rain was coming down so hard and so fast there that there was no way that the pumps in the area could keep up.

Cut 7 (12) “…over 20 inches.”

Some neighborhoods, however, were spared major damage. Senator Allain says Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna and a group of volunteers secured two spare pumps to spare the Lakeside subdivision near Lake Palourde of any major flooding.

Cut 8 (09) “…into Lake Palourde.”

Allain says he was very impressed with how well all agencies worked with one another.

Cut 9 (09)  “…fund that program.”

The storm ripped down power lines, leaving nearly the entire area in the dark.

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Governor Landry, Senator John Kennedy and others took a helicopter tour of Terrebonne Parish to survey the damage left behind by Hurricane Francine. Afterwards, Landry said one purpose is to come up with ways to improve coordination with federal partners like FEMA.

Cut 10 (09) “…some weak links.”

Landry says while damage was extensive, it would have been much worse had investments in hurricane safety not been made years earlier.

Cut 11 (18) “…in this area.”

Senator Kennedy reiterated to those affected by the storm that the state will get the federal money that it’s entitled to under President Biden’s emergency declaration.

Cut 12 (07) “…worry about that.”

Kennedy also expressed his appreciation for FEMA’s cooperation during and after the storm.

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A Downsville Community Charter School PE teacher was arrested Thursday after allegedly threatening a third-grade class. Union Parish Sheriff’s Investigators say 70-year-old Robert Mitcham became angry and told students he had bullets for his gun, and he would bring it to the school and shoot, adding, some of the students would not survive. Sheriff Dusty Gates…

Cut 13 (12)  “…Ruston, Louisiana.”

A parent of one of the frightened students reported the incident to the Union Parish Sheriff’s office Tuesday. Mitchem told authorities he was overwhelmed and wanted the children to settle down. He said he wasn’t threatening them, but Gates says the arrest was appropriate.

Cut 14 (12) “…terrorizing.”

Gates says they must take threats seriously though it is usually students who make threats and unfortunately, act on them.

Cut 15 (06) “…this way.”

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LSU will leave for South Carolina today as the Tigers will kick-off SEC play on Saturday against the Gamecocks. LSU has yet to get its run game on track, but offensive tackle Emery Jones says it’s a point of emphasis

Cut 16 (11)   “…better at it”

This is a big game for the Tigers. They can not afford to start the season 1-and-2 and lose their conference opener. Jones says every game is a pivotal one..

Cut 17 (18) “…win a game”

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Louisiana Tech looks to knock off  a Power Four school when it visits North Carolina State at 11 AM. The Wolfpack are led by quarterback Grayson McCall, who was a dominant signal caller in the Sun Belt when he played at Coastal Carolina. Bulldogs coach Sonny Cumbie says this McCall’s fifth year playing college football…

Cut 18 (16)  “…sums thatup.”

N-C State also features a talented receiver in K-C Concepion. Cumbie is interested to see how his defense matches up with last year’s A-C-C Rookie of the Year…

Cut 19 (19) “….different ways” 

Governor Landry and other officials flew over Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Mary parishes this afternoon. Those three parishes took on the brunt of Francine which made landfall as a Category two storm in Terrebonne. Landry says there’s property damage but he says the bayou parishes were spared from major flooding.

Cut 7 (09) “…doing works.”

Francine knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of customers. Entergy Louisiana has been working around the clock to assess and repair the damage. President and CEO Phillip May says the challenge ahead is restoring power.

Cut 9 (11)  “…restore power.”

May emphasized Entergy’s commitment to getting electricity back to affected communities as quickly as possible while ensuring the safety of both residents and repair crews.

Hurricane Francine came ashore with 100 mile per hour winds, but it will likely be remembered for the flash flooding it caused in southeast Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

We now know the name of the pilot who died when his small plane went down in a golf course in Lafayette. The fire department there says he’s 73-year-old Greg Manuel. The plane departed from Lafayette Regional Airport late this morning and crashed in Oakbourne Country Club, directly outside the airport. Manuel was pronounced dead at the scene.

The New Orleans area is drying out from the torrential rains of Hurricane Francine. Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng says the east bank took on seven to nine inches of rain, some areas got 11 inches which led to flooding…

Cut 3 (06) “…or down us.”

The police chief in Kenner says the flooding from Francine is as bad as it was for Hurricane Katrina.

A Union Parish charter school teacher is arrested for allegedly telling his third grade students that he was going to shoot them. Investigators say 70-year-old Robert Mitcham of Ruston became angry at his students and was trying to settle them down. Mitcham taught at Downsville Community Charter School and has been barred from the campus. He’s charged with terroristic threat.

The pilot of a small plane is killed in a crash in Lafayette. The fire department says the plane crashed upon takeoff near Oakbourne Country Club, which is immediately northeast of Lafayette Regional Airport. The pilot was pronounced dead at the scene. At this time, it’s unclear why the aircraft went down.

Entergy Louisiana is still trying to assess the damage caused by Francine before giving an ETA on restoration in the hardest hit areas.  

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

Governor Landry publicly thanked a good Samaritan in New Orleans for saving the life of a driver who almost drowned as his pickup truck was sinking in floodwaters. The daring rescue was shown on live TV. The driver went around barriers at the Canal Street Underpass. Landry says, don’t do that.

Cut 15 (07) “…kinds of situations.”

Hurricane Francine came ashore with 100 mile per hour winds, but it will likely be remembered for the flash flooding it caused in southeast Louisiana. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

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Francine has left hundreds of thousands in southeast Louisiana without power and Entergy is still trying to assess the damage before giving an ETA on restoration in the hardest hit areas.  Sean Richardson has the story.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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The New Orleans metro area is drying out after Francine dumped several inches of rain in a short amount of time. Jefferson Parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng says the east bank took on seven to nine inches of rain, some areas got 11 inches which led to flooding…

Cut 3 (06) “…or down us.”

Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley says the flooding from Francine is as bad as it was for Hurricane Katrina….

Cut 4 (10) “…in time.”

Numerous homes have been flooded.

Flash flooding was also an issue in Thibodaux. Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson says emergency responders had to rescue several people trapped due to rising water…

Cut 5 (09) “…our shelter.”

Most of Lafourche is without power. But Chaisson is optimistic power will be restored sooner than later…

Cut 6 (15) “…what we thought.”

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Governor Landry and other officials flew over Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Mary parishes this afternoon. Those three parishes took on the brunt of Francine which made landfall as a Category two storm in Terrebonne. Landry says there’s property damage but he says the bayou parishes were spared from major flooding

Cut 7 (09) “…doing works.”

State officials are trying to get a number on how many households and businesses sustained damages from Francine. It’s believed there’s more water damage than wind damage. Landry says the state has been through this before and its people will respond…

Cut 8 (09)  “…back in order.”

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Hurricane Francine has caused widespread power outages across southeast Louisiana, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without electricity. Entergy has been working around the clock to assess and repair the damage.  President and CEO of Entergy Louisiana Phillip May says the challenge ahead is restoring power.

Cut 9 (11)  “…restore power.”

May emphasized Entergy’s commitment to getting electricity back to affected communities as quickly as possible while ensuring the safety of both residents and repair crews. May explained that the process might take several days due to the extensive damage, especially in hard-hit areas along the coast.

Cut 10 (02) “…category 2 storm.”

May urges patience and assures residents that crews are working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. While some progress has already been made, full restoration efforts will continue until all residents have power again.

Cut 11 (07) “…in the field.”

May also remind people to stay away from downed power lines and report any emergencies immediately.

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Louisiana is getting assistance at the federal level after President Biden approved an emergency declaration for the state. Senator John Kennedy has been working to secure the money needed to help in the recovery effort.

Cut 12 (07) “…we pay taxes.”

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell says even though the storm has passed, there are still hazards out there that people need to be aware of.

Cut 13 (09) “…sure they’re safe.” 

Criswell also urges homeowners to fully document the damage to their properties, including taking photos, and to call their insurance companies as soon as possible to get the claim process started.

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Governor Landry took time this morning to publicly praise the good Samaritan who on live TV rescued a driver whose pickup truck was rapidly getting submerged by flood waters in New Orleans.

Cut 14 (16) “..Miles for that.”

At the same time, Landry, in an indirect way, chided the driver for driving around the barricades at the Canal Street Underpass, putting himself in the predicament in the first place.

Cut 15 (07) “…kinds of situations.”

The TV footage showed that Crawford acted in the nick of time; had he not, the driver would have likely drowned.

Francine is out of the state. Now, the arduous task of cleanup and recovery is underway. Francine dumped several inches of rain in greater New Orleans in a short amount of time. Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley says the flooding from Francine is as bad as it was for Hurricane Katrina….

Cut 4 (10) “…in time.”

Most of Lafourche Parish is without power. But Parish President Archie Chaisson (CHASS-in) is optimistic power will be restored sooner than later…

Cut 6 (15) “…what we thought.”

In Jefferson Parish, the east bank took on seven to nine inches of rain, some areas got 11 inches which led to flooding.

Entergy Louisiana has been working around the clock to assess and repair the damage. President and CEO Phillip May says the challenge ahead is restoring power.

Cut 9 (11)  “…restore power.”

May says crews will restore power as quickly as possible while ensuring the safety of both residents and workers.

Many homes suffered significant structural damage. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple stresses the importance of understanding policy details to avoid potential issues in the claims process.

Cut 11 (11) “…as soon as possible.”

Temple urged residents to review their policies and document damages as soon as possible.

The worst may be over for Francine. Now comes the task of getting the lights back on and cleaning up the mess it left behind. Francine was downgraded to a tropical storm at ten o’clock tonight, with its maximum sustained winds decreasing to 70 miles an hour. As of that advisory, the storm was located about 35 miles west-northwest of New Orleans and was moving northeast at 16 miles an hour.

The storm has plunged hundreds of thousands of customers into darkness. The number of customers who lost power has steadily increased throughout the night; at last check, that number is now approaching 375-thousand. Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May says manpower is more than quadrupled, and they’re ready to get to work.

Cut 21 (14) “…this storm on.”

May warns that fully restoring power to everyone could take several days.

With hundreds of thousands without power, many are relying on generators until electricity is restored. Sean Richardson has some safety tips.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

There was a daring rescue that unfolded on live television. A driver went around barricades at the Canal Street Bridge in New Orleans, and his pickup truck went underwater. A good Samaritan broke a window and pulled the man out just before the truck became submerged.

Francine is downgraded to a tropical storm, but not before leaving darkness and destruction in its wake. Francine made landfall late this afternoon as a Category Two hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of close to 100 miles an hour. Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna took a drive into town to see the scene for himself, but he had to turn around because too much debris was hitting his truck. He returned home and noticed considerable damage at his place.

Cut 5 (09) “…is considerably blowing.”

The winds uprooted trees, ripped down powerlines and tore roofs off buildings. The storm surge also submerged marinas along the coast.

As for where Francine stands right now – again, it is now a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds down to 70 miles an hour. It’s located about 35 miles west-northwest of New Orleans and is moving northeast at 16 miles an hour.

A dramatic rescue in New Orleans, and it all unfolded on live TV. Jonah Gilmore was doing a live shot on New Orleans TV station WDSU from the Canal Street Underpass as a pickup truck that went around barricades was becoming submerged in floodwaters. The driver was still inside, and a good Samaritan got him out in the nick of time.

Cut 23 (12) “…there it is.”

Miles Crawford was the man who broke the window and pulled the driver to safety.

Cut 24 (04) “…save lives, right?”

If you’re driving and you encounter high waters, do not chance it. Turn around, don’t drown. A flash flood warning remains in effect for much of southeastern Louisiana, including New Orleans.

The number of people without power continues to climb. At last check, that number is now up to almost 350-thousand customers.