07:30 LRN Newscast August 23rd

President Barack Obama visits south Louisiana today to see the damage from the Great Flood of 2016. Don Molino has more…
voicer 2 (28) “…I’m Don Molino”

LSU AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry says the flooding has resulted in a 110-million loss to the state’s ag industry. Soybeans and rice are the two crops hit the hardest and Guidry says hundreds of cattle were lost…
cut 6 (07) “…latest event”

Louisiana’s Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says about 80-percent of the flood victims in the 20 affected parishes did not have flood insurance. Republican Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says they are working on legislation that could provide government aid for homeowners who lost everything…
cut 14 (08) “….core needs”
Graves admits they could get push back from other members of Congress, because three members of Louisiana’s Congressional delegation did not vote for the Hurricane Sandy relief package.

The Humane Society of Louisiana is partnering with animal shelters around the country to help rescue and find homes for pets left behind when the flood waters rose. H-S-L Executive Director, Jeff Dorson, says they are still doing animal rescues in Livingston parish….
cut 10 (09) “….and recover”
Nearly 60 animals rescued from the Baton Rouge area were taken to a shelter in Virginia.

06:45 LRN Sportscast August 23rd

After Saturday night’s loss to Houston in preseason action, Saints Coach Sean Payton expressed his displeasure with the team’s performance, especially on the offensive side of the ball. After looking at the tape, Payton says there were some bright spots….
cut 30 (30) “…quickness”
Payton believes he’ll get better play from the offensive line. He says part of the problem has been shuffling second year pro Andrus Peat between guard and tackle. He says hopefully Peat can settle in, now that tackle Terron Armstead is back healthy.

LSU has confirmed that top rated junior college defensive tackle Travonte Valentine is eligible to play this season. The 350-pounder had to pass a summer intersession class in order to play in 2016. Valentine’s addition to the roster, means quite a battle for playing time at nose tackle in Dave Aranda’s three-four defense. Greg Gilmore is competing with Valentine for that starting spot and he’s been impressed with Valentine’s ability…
cut 29 (22) “….learn from him too”
While LSU has added a defensive lineman to the roster, they’ve lost an offensive lineman. 2015 signee George Brown Junior is reportedly transferring.

06:30 LRN Newscast August 23rd

President Barack Obama visits Louisiana today to see the devastation from the flood first hand. UL-Lafayette political science professor Pearson Cross says from a political standpoint, it would have been better if the President had come sooner…
cut 7 (09) “…do anything”
Republican Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says he plans to speak to the President today about financial aid for flood victims, local businesses, schools and funding for flood protection for that area…
cut 15 (05) “….watershed”
FEMA deputy associate administrator for insurance, Roy Wright, says over 25-thousand claims have been filed with the National Flood Insurance Program and 15-million dollars in advance payments have already been sent out to flooded homeowners.

The Humane Society of Louisiana is still working to rescue animals that were lost in the flood and reunite them with their owners. Halen Doughty has more…
voicer 1 (30) “….I’m Halen Doughty

According to the LSU Ag Center, the flood damage will cost the state’s agricultural industry at least 110-million dollars.

16:45 LRN Sportscast August 22nd

The Saints are back at their training facility in Metairie as training camp continues for the Black and Gold. Veteran cornerback Keenan Lewis is no longer with the team. He’s been released, after knee and hip injuries led to the New Orleans native appearing in just six games last season. Coach Sean Payton says the decision to cut Lewis is based on the fact he couldn’t get on the field…
cut 19 (13) “…wish him well”
Lewis told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that he and new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen didn’t get along from day one.

LSU is ranked fifth in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. It’s the Tigers highest ranking since 2012. The Tigers practice this afternoon. Running back Leonard Fournette did not participate in a scrimmage on Saturday, because of his sprained ankle. But Coach Les Miles back-up running backs Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams looked good.

Louisiana Tech football coach Skip Holtz still has not made a decision on who will start at quarterback for the Bulldogs when they begin the season on September 3rd at Arkansas. Tech held a scrimmage last Saturday and Holtz wasn’t very happy with his receivers…
cut 30 (16) “…we had”

McNeese State football coach Lance Guidry tells Chandler Rome with the American Press that he plans to name a starting quarterback on Wednesday. But Guidry plans to play two in the season opener against Tarleton State. Also, former St. Thomas More kicker Gunnar Raborn is transferring from Alabama to McNeese State.

The Summer Olympics are done. LSU athletics director Joe Alleva says four current and former Tigers earned medals. Former Lady Tigers Seimone Augusuts and Sylvia Fowles won gold medals for the US women’s basketball team.

14:30 LRN Newscast August 22nd

It’s estimated it will take at least one year to recover from the historic floods. That’s according LSU economist Jim Richardson, who says the biggest issue is housing for those who lost their homes, which cannot be solved overnight…
cut 13 (10) “…availability”
Richardson says many victims of the flooding did not have flood insurance, which will force some to go into debt to restore their home.

The state estimates 60-thousand homes were damaged by floods, which is leading to a housing crunch in the Capital City area. Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors president Tiffany Palmer says if families are able to find rentals, they could run into leasing problems, because most landlords want to sign leases for at least six months….
cut 4 (09) “…have one”

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says volunteers are needed to help flooded homeowners get the muck out of their homes. GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele says many flood victims are elderly and not able to repair the damage….
cut 11 (09) “…large area”
Steele says you can sign up to volunteer at volunteer-louisiana-dot-gov.

The Amite River, which contributed to much of the flooding in southeast Louisiana is expected to fall below flood stage later today. But Freddie Zeigler, senior forecaster at the National Weather Service in Slidell, says the flood event is not over as backwater remains a problem in some areas…
cut 16 (06) “…drain out”
The state estimated at least 40 highways remain flooded.

LRN PM Newscall August 22nd

Flood victims who have been displaced may have trouble finding a new home. Don Molino has more…

CUT 1 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

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LSU Economist Jim Richardson estimates it will take at least a year to recover from the historic flood damage. Jeff Palermo has more…

CUT 2 (30)  “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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State officials estimate 60-thousand homes were damaged in the Great Flood of 2016, and many displaced residents are now looking for new places to live. Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors president Tiffany Palmer says unfortunately there’s a low inventory of homes, especially for apartments…

CUT 3 (09)  “and Southern”

Palmer says she doesn’t expect people to flee the area completely, but many will look for homes in areas that did not flood. She says if families are able to find rentals, they could run into leasing problems, because most landlords want to sign leases for at least six months.

CUT 4 (09)  “have one”

The already short supply of available homes has dwindled, as some were flooded or taken off the market. Palmer says those looking to buy new homes may not be able to find their dream home, because of the limited availability.

CUT 5 (09)  “perfect one”

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The evacuation order has been lifted in the Vermilion parish town of Gueydan (GAY-dahn). Vermilion Emergency Preparedness director Rebecca Broussard says they avoided major flooding in Gueydan thanks to the Louisiana National Guard.

CUT 6 (09) “in that area”

An evacuation order for the town of Gueydan was issued when the levee along Highway 713 was breached Wednesday, but the breach was contained Sunday after hundreds of 4-thousand pound sandbags were dropped along the levee. However, Broussard says they still had over 11-hundred homes flooded throughout the parish.

CUT 7 (07) “a process”

Broussard says some homes in Vermilion Parish had water up to the roof, and several roads are still underwater. She says usually flooding in Vermilion is the result of storm surge from hurricanes, but that’s not the case this time.

CUT 8 (07) “insurance” 

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The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says volunteers are needed to help flooded homeowners get the muck out of their homes. Mike Steele with GOHSEP says until this difficult cleanup is done, people cannot start to rebuild.

CUT 9 (08) “urgent need”

Steele says the damage from this flood is similar to what they saw in the New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina.

cut 10 (10)  “deal with”

Steele says people who want to help can sign up at VolunteerLouisiana.gov. He says many people whose home were damaged are elderly and not able to repair the damage.

Cut 11 (09) “large area”

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It’s estimated it will take at least one year to recover from the historic floods. That’s according to LSU Economist Jim Richardson who says Livingston Parish, which was the hardest hit, will need a while to get back to some kind of normalcy. He expects big national businesses should be back on their feet quickly, but it may take smaller businesses longer.

cut 12 (10) “business loans”

Richardson says in the short-term, this event could boost the economy with flood victims purchasing new furniture, flooring, and sheet-rock. He says the biggest issue is housing for those who lost their homes, which cannot be solved overnight.

Cut 13 (10)  “availability” 

Richardson says many victims of the flooding did not have flood insurance, which will force some to go into debt to restore their home.

cut 14 (10)  “be in”

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The Amite River, which contributed to much of the flooding in southeast Louisiana should finally fall below flood stage today. Freddie Zeigler, senior forecaster at the National Weather Service in Slidell, says the Amite is still above flood stage at French Settlement in Livingston Parish, but that should change by tomorrow

cut 15 (05) “four-point-four”

Zeigler says even though the Amite should be below flood stage by tomorrow, the flood event is not over as backwater remains a problem in some areas…

cut 16 (06) “drain out”

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13:30 LRN Newscast august 22nd

The Amite River, which contributed to much of the flooding in southeast Louisiana should finally fall below flood stage today. Freddie Zeigler, senior forecaster at the National Weather Service in Slidell, says the Amite is still above flood stage at French Settlement in Livingston Parish, but that should change by tomorrow…
cut 15 (05) “…four-point-four”
But Zeigler says the flood event is not over as backwater remains a problem in some areas.

The state estimates 60-thousand homes were damaged by historic flooding, which is forcing some displaced residents to look for new housing. But Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors president Tiffany Palmer says there are not that many homes or apartments available…
cut 5 (09) “…perfect one”
As of July, there were 33-hundred homes on the market in the Baton Rouge metro area.

The City of Walker is suing the state for I-12 construction that’s believed to have worsened the flooding. Halen Doughty has more…
voicer 2 (30) “…I’m Halen Doughty”

Disaster food stamps are available in eight parishes today. They are East Feliciana, Iberia, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. Landry, Tangipahoa and Vermilion. Only individuals with a last name that begins with A-to-D are eligible to receive the federal assistance today. For more information go to the department of children and family services website.

12:30 LRN Newscast August 22nd

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says volunteers are needed to help homeowners get the muck out of their homes. Mike Steele with GOHSEP says until the cleanup is done, people cannot start to rebuild….
cut 9 (08) “….urgent need”
Steele says individuals or goups who want to help can sign up at volunteer-louisiana-dot-gov.

State officials estimate 60-thousand homes were damaged in the Great Flood of 2016, and many displaced residents are now looking for new places to live. Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors president Tiffany Palmer says this is putting a strain on the market because there’s a low inventory of homes, especially for apartments….
cut 3 (09) “…and Southern”
Palmer says she doesn’t expect people to flee the area completely, but many will look for homes in areas that did not flood.

Here are the latest numbers on the Great Flood of 2016. Over 28-hundred people remain in shelters, an estimated 60-thousand homes damaged, over 106-thousand people have registered for federal disaster aid and there’s 40 state highways closed.

The evacuation order has been lifted in the Vermilion parish town of Gueydan (GAY-dahn). Vermilion Emergency Preparedness director Rebecca Broussard says they avoided major flooding in Gueydan thanks to quick work by the Louisiana National Guard.
CUT 6 (09) “in that area”
However, Broussard says they still had over 11-hundred homes flood throughout the parish.

11:40 LRN Sportscast August 22nd

The Saints continue training camp this afternoon in Metairie as they will hold an open practice to the public at the team’s training facility, starting at 3:30 PM. The first big roster cut will take place after Friday night’s preseason home game against Pittsburgh and wide receiver Brandon Coleman is fighting for a job. Coleman led the Saints in receptions with six catches for 47 yards on Saturday night against Houston, but had a chance to make several big plays and couldn’t hang on to the football. Payton says Coleman has had a “pedestrian like” camp…
cut 18 (17) “…seen better”
The Saints will also hold open practices on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both will start at 9:30 AM.

The LSU Tigers begin the season ranked fifth in the preseason AP Top 25. Alabama is number one, followed by Clemson, Oklahoma and Florida State. Six SEC teams made the poll. And if the season started today, Coach Les Miles says his starting offensive line would look like this…KJ Malone and Toby Weathersby are the starting tackles, Will Clapp and Josh Boutte (Boo-tee) will start at guard and Ethan Pocic is your starting center.

At Louisiana Tech’s scrimmage, Union parish fullback Bobby Holly had 61 yards on seven carries. Offensive lineman O’shea Dugas injured his leg, but it’s NOT considered serious.

11:30 LRN Newscast August 22nd

Flood victims who have been displaced may have trouble finding a new home. Don Molino has more…
CUT 1 (30) “I’m Don Molino”

A Livingston Parish mother allegedly slashed the throat of her eight-year-old daughter and also attempted to take her own life. That’s according to Sheriff Jason Ard, who says 30-year-old Chritine Courtney faces first-degree murder charges. Detectives do not believe this alleged murder is tied to the devasting flooding.

The city of Walker says they’ll begin putting together a lawsuit today to seek damages against the state for how they widened Interstate 12. They say it contributed to the massive flooding there. Attorney Joe Bruno filed a similar suit against the Army Corps of Engineers for work they did in St Bernard parish that led to more flooding there after Katrina, but it was unsuccessful because the Corps had immunity. He says Walker could run into a similar problem….
cut 10 (11) “…to do so”
The state department of transportation denies that the concrete median added to the flooding woes in Livingston parish.

Disaster food stamps are available to flood victims in eight parishes starting today. Governor Edwards says those locations will only serve individuals with the last names that begin with the letters A-to-D…
cut 14 (09) “…be patient”