Hurricane Katrina came ashore 20 years ago today. The rescue efforts in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina were infamously challenging and chaotic. Here’s  Andrew Greenstein

Cut 3 (45) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Katrina produced catastrophic flooding, not only in New Orleans, but also in Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes. Once the storm passed, the mission was to get thousands of stranded people, some of them living on rooftops, out of the flooded waters and onto dry land. Governor Kathleen Blanco’s communications director at that time, Bob Mann says the federal government was not much help.

Cut 5 (09) “…too late.”

Governor Blanco took a lot of criticism for the state’s response to Katrina and that was a major factor in her decision not to run for re-election.

There is some good news today. This is the lowest gas prices have been for a Labor Day weekend in five years. Triple-A’s Don Redman says the statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $2.79, which is 20 cents lower than a year ago. And he says once we move into September, he expects prices to decline again.

Cut 11 (10) “…rule that out.”

We know what today is. 20 years ago, Katrina made this one of the darkest days in Louisiana history. Bob Mann was the communications director for Governor Kathleen Blanco; and at first, they thought Katrina only produced wind damage. And then the reports starting coming in.

Cut 4 (12) “…somewhere.”

Katrina produced catastrophic flooding, not only in New Orleans.

Katrina made landfall as a Category 3 storm in Plaquemines Parish. Saint Bernard Parish had widespread flooding and devastation, and current Parish President Louis Pomes (Louie POE-mez) was an employee of the parish at the time.

Cut 7 (09) “…of tears.”

Gas prices for this Labor Day weekend are the lowest they’ve been since 2020. Andre Champagne has the story.

Cut 2 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

The Louisiana Department of Insurance is accepting the next round of grants for fortified roofs beginning Tuesday. This round of grants to assist homeowners with the cost of the roofs that are designed to resist hurricanes is for homeowners in the Coastal Zone which includes Lake Charles, Westlake, and Sulphur. 500 grants will be awarded. Recipents will be chosen by lottery from the registrants.

Twenty years ago today, thousands of people entered the Superdome to take shelter from Hurricane Katrina. The next morning on August 29^th, Katrina’s fierce winds peeled off sections of the Superdome roof. Doug Thornton was the general manager of the Dome at the time.

Cut 10 (12) “…helpless.”

On Friday before hurricane Katrina made her destructive landfall on that Monday, forecasters were preparing Florida for the storm, not Louisiana. LSU Public Health Climatologist, Barry Keim says since then predictions more accurate with things like ensemble forecasting using slight variations in initial conditions.

Cut 9 (15)  “…might potentially happen.”

Former Kentwood High star Trey Palmer is now with the New Orleans Saints. Palmer was released by the Buccaneers, but the 24-year-old receiver was picked up by the Black and Gold. Palmer is also a former LSU Tiger and finished his college career at Nebraska. In two seasons in Tampa, Palmer had 51 catches for 557 yards and four touchdowns.

It’s the 90th annual Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City this weekend. Festival President Charlie Solar Jr. says there will be several events through Labor Day, including live music, activities for kids and a shrimp cook-off Saturday morning.

Cut 5 (06) “…do the contest.”

And he says you can enter free to enjoy the fireworks, music, and parade.

State Troopers are looking for the driver and vehicle Involved in a fatal hit-and-run crash yesterday around 1:00 p.m. on I-10 north frontage road just east of Highway 165 in Jefferson Davis Parish. The crash claimed the life of pedestrian 53-year-old Bonnie Fontenot of Jennings, who had previously been reported missing. Fontenot died at the scene. Authorities are working to determine the make, model, and driver of the suspect vehicle, and they’re asking anyone with information to contact LSP Troop D at (337) 491-2511. Information can be reported anonymously through the Louisiana State Police online reporting system by visiting File a Report or calling the LSP Fusion Center Hotline at 1-800-434-8007.

We now know how 12-year-old Bryan Vasquez died. New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick announced yesterday that he died from blunt force due to an alligator and subsequently drowned. Bryan was a nonverbal autistic boy who disappeared from his home on August 14th, 12 days before his body was found. Kirkpatrick says they are looking into the circumstances surrounding Bryan’s disappearance.

Cut 15 (14) “…made aware of.”

Twenty years ago, people in New Orleans were caught off-guard by Hurricane Katrina, with forecasters originally predicting it was going to make landfall several hundred miles east. Andrew Greenstein reports technology has evolved since then.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

The 90th annual Shrimp and Petroleum Festival is this weekend in Morgan City. Festival President Charlie Solar Jr. says there will be live music, activities for kids and a shrimp cook off. And admission is free.

Cut 6 (06) “…a gate charge.”

New Orleans authorities reveal 12-year-old Bryan Vasquez the nonverbal autistic boy who disappeared from his home on August 14th died from blunt force due to an alligator and subsequently drowned. New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick has requested that the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries eradicate nuisance alligators.

Cut 14 (14) “…was going on.”

An arrest has been made in the ongoing investigation into the shooting of  6-year-old Riley Francis in Lafayette Sunday. 21-year-old Daylon Andrus has been arrested and booked into a Lafayette Parish jail on one count of attempted second-degree murder. Riley is listed in stable condition. She is in a critical care unit in a  Baton Rouge hospital.

On this day 20 years ago, New Orleans residents who had no place to go walked into the Superdome to take shelter from approaching Hurricane Katrina. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 2 (43) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says predicting where the storms go and how strong they will be has also gotten a lot more precise in the last two decades.

Cut 8 (10) “…inside the hurricane.”

On a Friday afternoon twenty years ago, no one expected Hurricane Katrina would upend lives by Monday. That’s because Katrina’s original forecast track showed landfall over Pensacola, Florida. A sudden westward shift brought her widespread destruction to New Orleans, southeast Louisiana and coastal Mississippi. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says forecasting technology has improved in the last two decades.

Cut 7 (08) “…of the storm.”

Keim says now drones fly into the hurricanes to gather more data than the airplanes.

We now know how Bryan Vasquez died. New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick made the announcement about the nonverbal autistic boy who disappeared from his home on August 14th.

Cut 13 (14)  “…then subsequently drowned.”

At her request, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has begun work to eradicate nuisance alligators.

Is tonight the night that Northwestern State football wins its first game since November of 2022? Andre Champagne has the story.

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

The 90th annual Shrimp and Petroleum Festival gets underway this evening in Morgan City. It’s a celebration of two of Louisiana’s biggest industries; but last year, genetic testing done at five vendors that claimed to be selling local shrimp found that four of them were selling imported shrimp. Festival President Charlie Solar Jr. says this year, all shrimp is required to be domestically caught, and organizers will make sure of that.

Cut 4 (07) “…their shrimp from.”

In response to the massive recall of potentially radioactive shrimp from Indonesia that was being sold at Walmart in 13 states, including Louisiana. Lieutenant Governor Nungesser says people need to know what they’re eating.

Cut 12 (10) “…eating Louisiana.”

Louisiana law requires restaurants and suppliers clearly indicate whether their seafood is imported or not. Nungesser would also like to see a 10-cent per pound inspection fee be imposed on importers.

The Secretary of State’s Office is demonstrating six potential voting systems to replace the state’s outdated system. Joel Watson with the Secretary of State’s Office says all the systems are a significant improvement over the state’s current voting system.

Cut 6 (10) “…our elections safe.”

Public demonstrations of the systems run today through September 18 at the old governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge.

As we look back 20 years ago this week when Hurricane Katrina ravaged southeast Louisiana. U-S Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Renee Poche says it’s still possible for a strong hurricane to overtop the system, but flooding can still be minimized…

Cut 9 (10)  “…water out”

Poche says work continues on providing even more flood protection as construction is ongoing on a one-billion dollar project to protect the River Parishes.

The Saints began making cuts to get to the 53-man roster by 3:00. Veteran running back Cam Akers was part of the first cuts after showing promise in preseason camp. Head coach Kellen Moore says it was a tough move, but he likes the depth the Saints have at running back.

Cut 19 (19) “…group there.”

20 years ago this week New Orleans was devastated when the levees broke. Since then, two different administrations from two different parties directed Congress to appropriate 14.5 billion dollars to rebuild the levees in metro New Orleans. U-S Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Renee Poche says the design started in 2007 and construction was finally completed in 2018 on all of the storm barriers, flood walls, levees and pumps.

Cut 8 (08) “…see today.”

He says flood protection work continues with ongoing construction on a one-billion dollar project to protect the River Parishes.

Clean up continues after the explosion at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland rocked Tangipahoa Parish Friday. Governor Landry says people in the affected area should have nothing to worry about at this time.

Cut 14 (12) “…a big mess.”

The 450 displaced employees are encouraged to visit the mobile unit from Louisiana Workforce in Hammond.

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser is urging President Trump and Louisiana’s congressional delegation to impose a ten-cent-per-pound inspection fee on all imported seafood. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 3 (33) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

Louisiana is replacing its 35-year-old voting system. Joel Watson with the Secretary of State’s Office says all six of the voting systems being tested and demonstrated are currently being used elsewhere.

Cut 5 (08) “…across the country.”

Starting today, the Secretary of State’s Office will be demonstrating the systems at the old governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge.

Louisiana is one of 13 states where potentially radioactive imported shrimp was recalled from Walmart. Lieutenant Governor Nungesser says infected shrimp from overseas is ending up on American’s dinner plates far too often.

Cut 11 (13) “…this seafood.”

The explosion that destroyed Smitty’s Supply Friday also destroyed the livelihoods of hundreds or people. 450 people were working there before the explosion. Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller says the state is making resources available to them.

Cut 15 (09) “…available to them.”

One of the toughest lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina was the need for an improved flood protection system. Jeff Palermo reports the federal government reacted by spending 14.5 billion dollars…

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”

Starting today, the Secretary of State’s Office will be demonstrating several voting systems as it prepares to replace the outdated system in use for the past 35 years. Joel Watson with the Secretary of State’s Office says six systems are being tested, and all of them have a paper element to them.

Cut 4 (10) “…auditability of paper”

When Hurricane Katrina’s fierce winds caused extensive damage, it was the storm surge that led to breaks in the levee system that produced catastrophic flooding. U-S Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Renee Poche says a much better flood protection system in place now…

Cut 7 (12) “…Lake Pontchartrain.”

He says more flood protection is in the works with a one-billion dollar project in the River Parishes.

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser is renewing his call for President Trump and Louisiana’s Congressional delegation to impose a ten-cent-per-pound seafood inspection fee.

Cut 10 (09) “…imported seafood.”

This is in response to the massive recall of potentially radioactive shrimp imported from Indonesia that was being sold in Walmart stores in 13 states, including Louisiana.

Starting today, the Secretary of State’s Office will be demonstrating new voting machines. Andre Champagne reports.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Andre Champagne.”

Since the explosion Friday afternoon the Department of Environmental Quality has continuously monitored air quality around Smitty’s Supply in Roseland. Monday, Governor Landry spoke at a news conference.

Cut 13 (14)  “…was udderly toxic.”