Several roads across North Louisiana are impassable as a result of yesterday’s freezing rain. Jeff Palermo reports several vehicles have slid off the roadway on Interstate 20…
Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Jeff Palermo.”
_______________________________________
K-12 teachers in Louisiana are still not eligible to receive a COVID vaccine but Governor Edwards says that is likely to change “relatively soon”. Matt Doyle has the story.
cut 2 (31) …I’m Matt Doyle”
_____________________________
State Police says I-20 is a solid block of ice and it’s resulted in jack-knifed 18-wheelers and several vehicles sliding off the highway. Trooper Brent Hardy says thankfully no serious injuries have been reported
Cut 3 (11) “…roadway”
Hardy says the two winter storms have produced a four to five-inch block of ice and even Troopers who train to drive in these conditions are struggling…
Cut 4 (09) “…stay off.”
Hardy says many of the motorists that have been stranded after sliding off the road, said they were driving around to look at winter scenery
Cut 5 (09) “…in jeopardy”
________________________
After days for thousands of customers without power and frigid temperatures Entergy Louisiana Spokesperson Brandon Scardigli says they hope to have power restored for Baton Rouge customers by the end of the day. As for customers in North Louisiana that received a bout of freezing rain last night…
Cut 6 (09) “…customers.”
Residents in Louisiana are seasoned to power outages due to hurricanes, but not lengthy outages when freezing temperatures are involved. Scardigli says restoration with an ice storm is much different because ice accumulation involves individual lines and poles that are pulled down by ice and trees.
Cut 7 (12) “…at once”
Entergy, along with CLECO and SWEPCO, are asking customers to conserve power to avoid overloads, due to historic demand. Utility providers have also conducted rolling blackouts to reduce usage this week. As the frigid temperatures continue, Scardigli says more rolling blackouts are possible.
Cut 8 (10) “…the line”
_______________________
Governor Edwards says he will make an announcement “relatively soon” on expanding COVID vaccine eligibility to K-12 teachers and staff.
Teachers unions are demanding teachers be vaccinated, but Edwards says the current priority groups are federal recommendations based on our demographics.
Cut 9 (12) “…we have”
In the Southeast US only Arkansas and Alabama have made teacher’s fully eligible to receive the vaccine.
Edwards says making teachers eligible right now wouldn’t mean they would immediately get vaccinated given our low supply. He compared the current situation to a funnel.
Cut 10 (12) “…prioritized”
528,000 Louisianans have received at least their first COVID vaccine dose.
Edwards is optimistic teachers won’t have to wait for much longer.
Cut 11 (08) “…increasing.”
This week’s vaccine allocation has been delayed due to the winter weather.
_____________________________
The winter storm has passed but freezing cold temperatures are here to stay for the next few days.
National Weather Service Shreveport forecaster Gary Chatelain says tomorrow morning the I-20 corridor will once again break record lows with temps in the teens.
Cut 12 (09) “ …you know”
A hard freeze warning is in effect from tonight into tomorrow morning as far south as I-10.
Chatelain says roads across north Louisiana are still an icy mess but we’ll be treated to some dry weather and sunshine even if temps remain in the thirties into the weekend.
Cut 13 (09)“…sun”
Chatelain says temperatures will begin rising once this blanket of frigid air gets pushed out east.
Cut 14 (11) “…weekend”