Beauregard Electric Co-op customers can expect to be without power for at least four weeks. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (29) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

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Lake Charles is going to need a lot of outside help if it’s going to recover from Hurricane Laura. Jeff Palermo has the story…

cut 2 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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Louisiana’s death toll from Hurricane Laura is up to 14 and more than half of the fatalities are from carbon monoxide poisoning from portable generators. State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says gas-powered generators produce carbon monoxide which is odorless and colorless

Cut 3 (11)  “…really ill.”  

Browning says when using a generator, it should be at least 20 feet away from your home…

Cut 4 (12)“ …be open.” 

Browning says it’s also important to avoid trying to refuel a generator when it’s still hot…

Cut 5 (11)  “…that generate cool.”

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Beauregard Electric Co-op tells its customers to be prepared to be without power for at least the next four weeks.  Co-op spokesperson Danielle Tilley says they’ve brought in 500-600 additional storm restoration workers to cut trees, reset poles and make repairs to more than 5,700 miles of line.

Cut 6 (13) “…meters are running.”

Tilley says substations and transmission lines will be repaired first and then service lines, but substations will not be able to receive power until its larger transmission lines are functioning again.

Cut 7 (11) “…as of now.”

Tilley says with the level of damage received from the storm, some customers may be out of power even longer than four weeks.

Cut 8 (11) “…to prepare for.”

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Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter says his city will need a lot of outside help to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Laura. Hunter is calling for people from across the nation to donate to causes aimed at helping the city and its residents.

Cut 9 (12) “…sisters”

He says most of all the city will need a tremendous amount of federal aid.

Early estimates say it could take four weeks for power to be restored to Lake Charles. Hunter feels even that is a bit optimistic.

Cut 10 (04) “…weeks.”

Hunter did note a silver lining to this tragedy: it appears the people of his city took the mandatory evacuation order very seriously.

Cut 11 (08) “…get out”

Hunter made the comments on Talk Louisiana.

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52,500 homeowners so far have applied for FEMA assistance in the six parishes currently designated for relief.

FEMA Region Six Administrator Tony Robinson says the first step in the road to recovery for homeowners is to seek assistance from your insurance company.

Cut 12 (09) “…insurance”

Those in Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Vernon, Allen, and Beauregard Parishes can apply currently, with the list of eligible parishes expected to grow in the near future. So far FEMA has conducted over 200 inspections on homes, resulting in over 650,000 dollars in assistance.

Robinson says after you contact your home insurer and get your settlement documentation, upload that in the FEMA app, or send it in via the method that was provided to you when you registered.

Cut 13 (10) “…eligible.”

Robinson says some people have already begun receiving denials. He says that is linked to a lack of proper documentation from your home insurer, or lack of documentation proving your identity.

Robinson says there’s a number of ways to submit your application for FEMA aid.

Cut 14 (06) “app.” 

That toll-free number is 1-800-621-FEMA.

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About 44,000 northwest and central Louisiana SWEPCO customers are still without power, but the timeline for restoration has been moved up a day.

Swepco spokesperson Carey Sullivan says restoration for nearly all Bossier City and Haughton residents is expected tonight by 10 PM, with Shreveport and Mansfield expected back online by tomorrow night.

Cut 15 (10) “estimated” 

Hornbeck, Natchitoches, and Logansport customers will have to wait until Thursday night.

Sullivan says about 10,000 customers in the Shreveport-Bossier are without power along with 34,000 in central Louisiana.

Cut 16 (11) “…reparied.” 

136,000 of their customers were without power during the peak of the post-Laura period.

Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser wants you to lend a hand and help with recovery efforts following Hurricane Laura. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Brooke Thorington”

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Governor John Bel Edwards says the recovery from Hurricane Laura will be long and it will take a lot of effort. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (45) “…I’m Jeff Palermo” 

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It appears wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s brief but spectacular career at LSU is over. Kevin Barnhart has the story…

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

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In response to Hurricane Laura, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser urges Louisianans to volunteer to help rebuild areas damaged by the Category 4 storm. Nungesser is confident the state will recover because citizens came together in 2016 after the flood and rebuilt 15 years ago after Hurricane Katrina.

Cut 4 (13)“…our neighbor” 

Nungesser is encouraging you to visit Volunteer Louisiana Dot Gov and help out.

Cut 5 (09)  “…the recovery.”

Nungesser says volunteering is one way those who were affected by the flood in 2016 can return the favor and those who lost a loved one in Katrina can pay tribute to their memory.

Cut 6 (11) “…after Katrina”

You can also follow Volunteer Louisiana on Facebook and Twitter. Non-profit and faith-based organizations in need of volunteers can contact VolunteerLouisiana@crt.la.gov

www.VolunteerLousiana.gov

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Getting the electricity back on in southwest Louisiana will be a long process. Governor John Bel Edwards says the Louisiana Public Service Commission’s initial damage estimate in the Lake Charles area found 172 towers damaged or destroyed

Cut 7 (12) “…or destroyed”

Edwards says the state went from a peak of 600-thousand outages following Hurricane Laura to 375-thousand as of noon Sunday. The governor reports there are over 17-thousand people from 29 states working on getting the power restored.

Residents in Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis and Vernon Parish can apply for disaster aid through FEMA by going to disaster-assistance-dot-gov, calling their 1-800-621-FEMA or through the FEMA app. Edwards says so far more than 52-thousand people in Louisiana have applied and he expects additional parishes will become eligible

Cut 8 (11) “…those determinations.”

The number of Laura related fatalities is up to 14. Eight of the deaths are due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Edwards says for those residents who do not have power, he’s pleading with them not to run generators in their home…

Cut 9 (13) “…the window.”

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Tulane researchers are awarded a 150,000 dollar grant to begin making a second-generation COVID-19 vaccine.

The first generation vaccine may not be available yet, but Tulane Microbiologist Dr. Lisa Morici says the sooner version 2.0 is available the better.

Cut 10 (12) “…itself”

Morici’s work will involve adding bacteria-based adjuvants to vaccines that are already in development with the goal of strengthening those existing vaccines.

The top first-gen vaccine candidates are all designed to produce coronavirus antibodies, but Morici warns those antibodies may not last long. That’s why 2.0 is needed…

Cut 11 (07) “…doses.”

Morici points to polio as an example of another disease that required more than just one round of vaccines for maximum effectiveness.

Cut 12 (08) “…vaccine.”

The grants are being funded by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

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LSU’s big play receiver Ja’Marr Chase has reportedly decided to opt out and instead of playing for the Tigers in 2020 he’ll get ready for the 2021 NFL draft. Draft analyst Mike Detillier says it’s not a surprise to see Chase come to this decision…

Cut 13 (11) “…season.”

Chase won the Biletnikoff Award last season which goes to the nation’s best wide receiver. He set LSU and SEC records with 1,780 yards receiving, 20 touchdowns and 84 catches. Detillier says the Tigers will miss this playmaker…

Cut 14 (09) “…for LSU.”

CBSsports-dot-com was the first to report Chase’s decision. Detillier says Chase is likely to be first wide receiver taken in the 2021 drart and possibly a top five pick.

Chase’s departure means Terrace Marshall Junior and Racey McMath will be LSU’s top two receivers. Detillier says there are some young wide receivers who will also be asked to step up

Cut 15 (13) “…Jontre Kirklin.”

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Saints held their first practice in the Superdome on Saturday in what was a dress rehearsal for the season opener on September 13th against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There were no fans in the stands for the practice and there will be no fans in the Dome for the season opener. Coach Sean Payton says he’s not sure what it will feel like on game day with no fans

Cut 16 (25) “…you love.” 

The season opener is less than two weeks away and so far the team has been able to avoid any COVID cases since training camp started. Payton hopes that will continue

Cut 17  (14) “…understand that.” 

On Saturday during the seven on seven period, Quarterback Drew Brees connected with wide receiver Michael Thomas on a couple of long passes. Payton says it appears Brees’ arm strength is stronger this year

Cut 18  (16) “…of his”