Registration is now open for the Shelter At Home Program. Jeff Palermo has more…

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Today is the 11th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and right now south Louisiana is experiencing a similar aftermath and recovery from flooding: Michelle Southern reports…:

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The Governor’s Office announces registration is now open for the Shelter At Home Program. Communications Director Richard Carbo says people can register at ShelterAtHome.la.gov or call 1-800-927-0216. He says the program awards up to $15-thousand for home repairs so that people can get back into their homes quickly.

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Carbo says registering for FEMA does not register someone for the Shelter At Home Program. He encourages everyone to register for federal aid, but reminds people they need to apply for this program separately.

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Carbo says the program covers repairs such as removing debris, replacing water heaters, and making sure there’s a working bathroom and air conditioning. He says people who do not qualify for this program do have other options.

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Tropical Depression 9 is in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and the latest forecast track has the developing storm moving towards Louisiana, but eventually turning and making landfall on Thursday in Florida. State climatologist Barry Keim says the National Hurricane Center has the depression strengthening into a tropical storm, but admits forecasters are having trouble predicting its intensity.

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Keim says the depression could become a tropical storm by the end of today or overnight and it should move into the center of the Gulf by tomorrow. He says it will basically be aimed at Louisiana, but a front should push the storm to the northeast.

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Keim says the storm is being steered by an area of high pressure. He says although it’s not certain yet, it looks like Tropical Depression 9 will be Florida’s problem, not Louisiana’s.

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On this 11th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, many in south Louisiana recall similar storm recovery images of what can be seen on the roads today in the aftermath of The Great Flood of 2016. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser was the Plaquemines Parish President in 2005. He says we’ve learned from Katrina that rushing cleanup is not a good idea…:

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Overall, at least 1,245 people died in Hurricane Katrina and subsequent floods, making it the deadliest US hurricane since the 1928. 13 fatalities have been confirmed following the recent flooding, and Nungesser says it’s incredible that number isn’t higher…:

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Nungesser feels that FEMA is doing a great job this time around of getting to people quickly and providing information needed on what steps to take to make the rebuilding process go as smooth as possible. He says another thing that people can learn from Katrina just by looking at the affected parishes, is how possible it is to come back stronger than ever…:

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Commissioner of Agriculture Mike Strain announces pets that were lost in the flood are being moved from the shelter at the River Center to a new shelter at the Dixon Correctional Institute in Baton Rouge. He says the move comes as a result of a donation from the Humane Society.

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Strain says the River Center shelter was for short-term housing of these pets, and the new shelter will be better for long term care, as there will be a vet hospital on site.

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Strain says shelter residents will still be able to see their pets once they move to the new pet shelter. He says the Department of Transportation will offer rides everyday beginning at 9 am.

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Two people are dead, including a firefighter, after a party bus driven by an illegal citizen slams into several vehicles on Interstate 10 near LaPlace. Jeff Palermo has more…

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Registration information will be announced today for the Shelter At Home Program. Jeff Palermo has more…

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There was a huge population shift from New Orleans to Baton Rouge after Hurricane Katrina and many are concerned that something similar will happen after these historic floods. Emelie Gunn has more…

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Two people are dead and over 30 people injured after a party bus driven by an illegal resident smashed into a fire truck and other vehicles on I-10 in St. John the Baptist Parish near LaPlace. State Police Trooper Melissa Matey says the bus hit a fire truck that responded to an earlier single vehicle wreck…

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Matey says one of the fatal victims was District Chief Spencer Chauvin with the St. John the Baptist Fire Department…

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The bus also hit two other vehicles during the crash. A passenger in of those vehicles was also killed, 21-year-old Jermaine Starr of Moss Point, Mississippi. Matey says the driver of the bus did not have a driver’s license and faces several charges, including negligent homicide…

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Matey the passengers in the bus were headed to the Baton Rouge area seeking work in the flood recovery. Two people, including another fire fighter, suffered critical injuries. The other injuries have been described as minor to moderate.

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The Governor’s Office will announce today where flood victims can go to register for the Shelter At Home program. Julie Baxter Payer says this program seeks to get people back into their own homes as soon as possible.

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Payer says people whose homes had less than two feet of water in them will be eligible, but applications will be assessed on a case by case basis. She says the program awards up to $15-thousand for basic home repairs.

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Payer says this program can be used in conjunction with FEMA assistance, flood insurance, and SBA loans. She says applying for federal aid does not register someone for Shelter At Home.

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Today is the 11 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and some who lost their homes in Katrina are once again dealing with another flood. Trauma psychologist with LSU Health New Orleans Dr. Jennifer Hughes worked at shelter in Baton Rouge earlier this month and spoke with several people, who moved to Baton Rouge and Lafayette after Katrina and they are once again re-living another disaster.

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Hughes says the images of this latest flood could be sparking symptoms of PTSD from current New Orleans area residents who are having flashbacks and hypervigilance. She says if anyone feels depressed, the first thing they need to do is reach out to family and friends.

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Hughes says the Capital Area Human Services District provides services to people dealing with PTSD, and community support will also help. She says for those who are personally impacted by these two devastating and life changing floods, this can be traumatizing.

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After Hurricane Katrina there was a huge population shift from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, will we see this trend again after the Great Flood of 2016? Demographer Greg Rigamer expects flood victims to try and rebuild where they lived prior to the flood.

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Rigamer says in the short term, we’ll see an influx of workers, some will be from out of state. But Louisiana won’t see any population gain because the oil industry continues to struggle.

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Livingston Parish was the hardest hit by the flood with close to 90-percent of the homes in the parish suffered flood damage. Rigamer says the recovery of Livingston will depend largely on what kind of government assistance flood victims can receive.

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Game week arrives for the 5th ranked LSU Tigers as they are set to face Wisconsin in Green Bay at historic Lambeau Field. It’s the first time the legendary venue will host a college football game featuring two Division One teams. LSU safety Jamal Adams is excited to play in a stadium that has been home to some of the best players in football..

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When Packer players score touchdowns at their home stadium, they leap into the stands and celebrate with their fans. It’s called the “Lambeau Leap” and Adams says he might do the Lambeau Leap if he returns an interception for a touchdown..

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Wisconsin was 10-3 in 2015. The Badgers are not known for their passing attack, but their ground game is traditionally one of the best in college football. Adams calls Wisconsin a smart, well coached football team…

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There’s one more week left in the preseason and there’s still a lot to work on for the Saints. The team fell to 0-3 in exhibition action with a 27-14 loss to Pittsburgh on Friday. Coach Sean Payton says the play of offensive and defensive lines has him most worried..

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The Saints have one more preseason game and that’s Thursday night at home against Baltimore. Payton says they have two weeks left before the first regular season game and there’s still time to correct the mistakes that are being made…

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The massive flooding not only displaced thousands of families but ruined hundreds of millions of dollars worth of crops. Don Molino has more…

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If you had uninsured property destroyed by floodwaters this year, you’re entitled to a refund of the state sales tax on those items. Michelle Southern reports…:

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Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge was a shelter for displaced flood victims and now one of its properties near the movie studios has become a multi-agency disaster warehouse. Mike Steele with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says people making large donations should call ahead of time to make sure that someone is there to help unload.

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Steele says people can call 225-800-2227 to arrange a drop off any day between 9am and 5pm. He says they really need snow shovels, which are good for removing debris, but they are accepting a wide variety of items.

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Steele says they also need blankets, cleaning supplies, flashlights, batteries, and new kitchen items. He says right now they do not need any new or used clothes.

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Steele says people can find a complete list of needed items at emergency.la.gov, as well as an address to ship donations.

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Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies are now in the southern part of the state to assist officers after the historic flooding. Lt. Dave Faulk says they’ve been helping throughout the disaster by bringing in amphibious vehicles and boats. He says they want to help their fellow officers during a difficult time.

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The flooding has impacted the homes of deputies in East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes, with many patrol cars flooded out. Faulk says they are really hurting for manpower right now…

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Faulk says the deputies will patrol areas where there has been looting.

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The historic flooding in the southern part of the state not only destroyed thousands of homes but greatly affected the agriculture business. Ag Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain says farming is a 13 billion dollar industry in Louisiana and 28 to 30 parishes were hurt by the massive rainfall.

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Strain says those are preliminary numbers and expects total losses to be anywhere from $150 to $200 million, if the rain stops now. He says some farmers have crop insurance, but not all commodities or parishes allow insurance.

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Strain says livestock and crawfish are not covered under crop insurance. He says they don’t have the exact numbers on how many livestock died during the flooding, but they have aircraft working to connect lost livestock with their owners. The commissioner says the flooding has also caused a severe increase in the mosquito population.

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If you had uninsured property that was destroyed by floodwaters this year, you’re entitled to a refund of the state sales tax on those items. State Treasurer John Kennedy says this applies to the parishes that were federally declared disasters during the March and August floods…:

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To learn more, visit latreasury.com and click on Sales Tax Disaster Relief. Kennedy says it may not seem like much, but every little bit helps and the money will really add up…:

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Claims should be filed with the Louisiana Department of Revenue. Kennedy says the secretary of that department can waive documentation requirements if original receipts are not available. He says right now people need all the help they can get…:

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Tropical Wave 99-L remains poorly organized as it moves toward south Florida, but forecasters are concerned it could possibly develop into a named storm if it reaches the Gulf of Mexico. Alek Krautmann is with the National Weather Service in Slidell…

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It’s possible the tropical wave could fall apart. But Krautmann says it’s worth keeping an eye on, especially if the cluster of thunderstorms can stay together as it continues to move in northwest direction…

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