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.

Cut 26 (10) (nats fade)

That’s what it sounded like when Hurricane Francine made landfall late this afternoon. At the time, it was packing maximum sustained winds of close to 100 miles an hour. The storm has weakened since coming ashore; at last check, the winds were down to 75 miles an hour, which is barely above the hurricane threshold. But as Francine is making its way through Southeast Louisiana, it is leaving darkness and destruction in its wake. At last check, there are almost 300-thousand customers without power. Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May says his crews are ready to get the lights back on as soon as possible.

Cut 21 (14) “…this storm on.”

A flash flood warning has been issued for much of Southeast Louisiana, including New Orleans.

Louisiana State Police Superintendent Colonel Robert Hodges says if you don’t absolutely have to venture out onto the roadways, don’t.

Cut 25 (14) “…and remain inside.”

Part of this is to give rescue and recovery crews space to do their jobs. Some 23-hundred Louisiana National Guardsmen are activated, ready to help in the mission. Colonel Jennifer Mumme (“Mummy”) says the guard has resources available to help people stranded and trapped in floodwaters.

Cut 14 (12) “…and other operations.”

The guard is also ready to help with logistical support, including tarps, bottled water and meals ready to eat.

As Hurricane Francine continues to weaken, the number of customers plunged into darkness continues to rise. At last check, there are almost 240-thousand customers across the state without electricity. Obviously, nearly all of them are those in the path of Francine. That includes more than 51-thousand in New Orleans, which is experiencing heavy rains and high winds with the eyewall scraping the city.

Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May says manpower is more than quadrupled, and they’re ready to get to work.

Cut 26 (10) “…take several days.”

As for where Francine stands right now, maximum sustained winds are now down to 75 miles an hour. That’s barely above hurricane threshold. The center of the eye is located about 50 miles west-southwest of New Orleans, and it continues to move northeast at 17 miles an hour. 

The mayor of Morgan City says the scene in his city was surreal. Mayor Lee Dragna says Francine plunged his city completely in the dark.

Cut 4 (10) “…trees are down.”

In fact, Dragna says when he took a drive into town to see the scene for himself, he had to turn around because too much debris was hitting his truck. So he returned home and noticed considerable damage at his place, including his fence being completely gone.

Governor Landry authorized the activation of up to 25-hundred National Guardsmen to help in the aftermath of Francine.

Cut 13 (09)  “…this great state.”

Colonel Jennifer Mumme (“mummy”) says the guard has resources available to help with  search and rescue, as well as logistics, including things like tarps, bottled water and meals ready to eat.

Hurricane Francine has left thousands of residents without power. Many are relying on generators until electricity is restored.  Sean Richardson has some safety tips.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Many homes suffered significant structural damage from Francine.  Now homeowners are starting the insurance claim process.  Sean Richardson has more.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

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Morgan City was among the communities that took the brunt of the storm. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

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The mayor of Morgan City says the scene in his city was surreal. Mayor Lee Dragna says Francine plunged his city completely in the dark.

Cut 4 (10) “…trees are down.”

In fact, Dragna says when he took a drive into town to see the scene for himself, he had to turn around because too much debris was hitting his truck. So he returned home and noticed considerable damage at his place.

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

Mayor Dragna says the storm ripped down trees, which caused further damage.

Cut 6 (11) …the power lines.”

Thousands in St. Mary Parish, which includes Morgan City, had their power knocked out by the storm.

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In the aftermath of Hurricane Francine, thousands are without power. Many are relying on generators. State Fire Marshal’s Assistant Fire Chief Mark Treadway urgers users to keep generators outdoors, away from windows and doors, to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal.

Cut 7 (07) “…and vents.”

Treadway also advised ensuring that generators are properly ventilated and never refueled while running to avoid fires or explosions.

Cut 8 (09) “…wall outlet.”

Treadway says when using a generator always have a Carbon Monoxide alarm to monitor C-O levels in the home.

Cut 9 (07)  “…vent your home.”

While power restoration efforts are underway residents are encouraged to follow safety protocols and stay informed.

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Hurricane Francine left a trail of destruction across Louisiana, damaging numerous homes.  The storm brought flooding, powerful winds, and widespread power outages. Many homes suffered significant structural damage. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the first thing homeowners should…

Cut 10 (09) “…inspect for damage.”

Temple also reminds homeowners to gather essential information like photographs of damage and receipts for emergency repairs, which can expedite claim approval. has stressed the importance of understanding policy details to avoid potential issues in the claims process.

Cut 11 (11) “…as soon as possible.”

Temple emphasizes the importance of homeowners being prepared to file insurance claims promptly. He urged residents to review their policies and document damages as soon as possible to ensure a smoother claims process. Temple notes that being “insurance-ready” is critical in the wake of such disasters.

Cut 12 (12) “…dollarwise to you.”

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Governor Landry authorized the activation of up to 25-hundred National Guardsmen to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Francine.

Cut 13 (09)  “…this great state.”

Colonel Jennifer Mumme (“mummy”) says the guard has resources available to help people stranded and trapped in floodwaters.

Cut 14 (12) “…and other operations.”

Colonel Mumme says they are also ready to provide logistical support.

Cut 15 (08) “…tarps, sandbags.”

The number of Guardmen activated could increase depending on the need.

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LSU Coach Brian Kelly said the plan is to give sophomore linebacker Whit Weeks more playing time, possibly make him a starter. Weeks is one of the team leaders in tackles with 12 and he’s coming off a six tackle performance against Nicholls. Kelly says Weeks is playing to well for him to be a platoon player…

Cut 16 (18)   “…linebacker position.”

LSU is preparing for its SEC opener at South Carolina on Saturday. There’s an 80-percent chance of rain in Columbia. Kelly says before Francine made landfall, they practiced outside yesterday so they can get a feel of playing in the rain…

Cut 17 (15) “…on Saturday”

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The Saints can make a huge statement with a win over Dallas on Sunday. New Orleans won by 37 points over Carolina in the season opener. Linebacker Demario Davis says they need to follow up that win with another one….

Cut 18 (19)  “…embrace it.”

Coach Dennis Allen is impressed with Dallas defense, which sacks Browns quarterback DeShaun Watson six times last week…

Cut 19 (21) “….back end” 

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Louisiana Tech is preparing to play a North Carolina State offense led by Quarterback Grayson McCall, who was a three-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year at Coastal Carolina. Bulldogs defensive back Cedric Woods talked about the game plan

Cut 20 (15) “…third and long.”

Kick off is at 11 AM.

As Hurricane Francine continues making its way inland, it continues to weaken. It came ashore in Terrebonne Parish late this afternoon packing maximum sustained winds of close to 100 miles an hour. Those winds are now down to 85 miles an hour, and it’s expected to continue to weaken. As of seven this evening, the eye of the storm was located about 20 miles east-southeast of Morgan City and about 55 miles west-southwest of New Orleans. It’s continuing to move northeast at 17 miles an hour, as it has been for the last several hours.

Power outages continue to increase – I’m now seeing that more than 134-thousand people have lost power. Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May says they have more than quadrupled their normal manpower to get power back up and running as quickly as possible.

Cut 22 (10) “…it’s morning light.”

Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes have nearly 50-thousand people combined without power.

The Louisiana National Guard is mobilized, ready to support rescue and recovery operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Francine. Colonel Jennifer Mumme (“mummy”) says they’re ready to help.

Cut 14 (12) “…and other operations.”

The guard also provides logistical support with tarps, water and meals ready to eat.

With electrical and rescue crews fanned across the affected areas, DOTD Secretary Joe Donahue is urging you to please stay off the roads.

Cut 24 (12) “…keep safety first.”

And if you have damage to your property, the first thing you should do, once it’s safe to do so, is to take pictures and document the damage to make the insurance process go more smoothly.

The eye of Hurricane Francine is now inland. It made landfall late this afternoon in Terrebonne Parish as a Category Two hurricane. Fortunately, Francine has started to weaken. Maximum sustained winds are now down to 90 miles an hour, downgrading it to a Category One storm. It’s still maintaining that northeasterly track at 17 miles an hour, so the storm should pass through the state very quickly.

The power outages are soaring – more than 81-thousand people are now without power. Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May says his crews are ready to get the lights back on as soon as possible.

Cut 23 (14) “…this storm on.”

Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes have almost 20-thousand people in the dark each.

If you’re using a portable generator, keep it outdoors, away from windows and doors, to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal.

Governor Landry can’t stress enough – please stay off the roads.

Cut 21 (10) “…your daily lives.”

Many homes will sustain significant structural damage from the storm. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says the first thing those homeowners should do…

Cut 10 (09) “…inspect for damage.”

Temple also reminds homeowners to gather essential information like photographs of damage and receipts for emergency repairs, which can expedite claim approval process.

Tangipahoa (TAN-jee-pa-HOE-ah) Parish is preparing for Francine by learning lessons from past storms like Hurricane Ida. Parish President Robbie Miller says Entergy has invested millions making the infrastructure more robust…

Cut 15 (07) “…able to handle it.”