Just over 120-thousand customers are without power from Hurricane Francine. Entergy Louisiana Vice President of Customer Service Michelle Bourg (BORG) says with manpower quadrupled, crews have been very effective thus far.

Cut 3 (15) “…Hurricane Francine’s landfall.”

Bourg says residents in St Bernard, St. Martin and Plaquemines Parish should be restored today.

The Federal Highway Administration is sending the state an additional 104 million dollars that will help the state pay for construction projects that have gone over budget because of inflation. DOTD spokesperson Rodney Mallett says 22-million dollars will go to the I-10 rehab project in Acadia Parish…

Cut 6 (06) “…thousands of people”

A Downsville Community Charter School PE teacher was arrested Thursday after allegedly threatening a third-grade class. Union Parish Sheriff’s Investigators say 70-year-old Robert Mitcham became angry and told students he had bullets for his gun, and he would bring it to the school and shoot, adding, some of the students would not survive. Sheriff Dusty Gates…

Cut 13 (12)  “…Ruston, Louisiana.”

Mitchem told the authorities he was overwhelmed and wanted to say something to settle the children down.

LSU is at South Carolina tomorrow. The Tigers have yet to get their run game on track, but offensive tackle Emery Jones says it continues to be a point of emphasis

Cut 16 (11)   “…better at it”

Kick off is at 11 AM.

Hurricane Franciene left behind damage, but it could have been worse. During a press conference in Terrebonne Parish. Governor Jeff Landry credited the millions of dollars in federal and state investments into hurricane and flood protection…

Cut 11 (18) “…in this area”

State and local officials also acted as the storm was approaching. Franklin Senator Robert Allain says Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna and a group of volunteers secured two pumps to spare the Lakeside subdivision near Lake Palourde of any major flooding.

Cut 8 (09) “…into Lake Palourde.”

In the River Parishes, an estimated 300 homes were flooded as nine inches of rain fell in St. Charles Parish.

The state has received an additional 104-million-dollars in federal funds as part of the Federal Highway Administration’s annual redistribution of unused federal transportation dollars. Sean Richardson has the story.

Cut 1 (36) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

A Lafayette businessman was killed in a plane crash yesterday morning. The private aircraft went down on the golf course at Oakbourne Country Club, shortly after takeoff from Lafayette Regional Airport. The owner of Manuel Companies, Greg Manuel, was the lone occupant and died in the crash.

The cleanup from Hurricane Franciene will be extensive in places like Morgan City, where landfall was 30 miles south of the St. Mary Parish city. Franklin Senator Robert Allain says the rain was coming down so hard and so fast that there was no way the pumps could keep up.

Cut 7 (12) “…over 20 inches.”

St. Mary Parish President Sam Jones says Francine was not a massive storm, but it will force many homeowners to repair their roofs and fences.

Governor Jeff Landry along with other state officials surveyed the damage in Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Mary parishes by airplane yesterday. Landry says they were joined by FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell…

Cut 10 (09) “…some weak links”

The biggest need right now is power for those who do not have electricity, 123-thousand customers are without power. The P-S-C says at the storm’s peak there were 450-thousand people in Louisiana.

A Downsville Community Charter School teacher has been arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot a group of third graders. Colleen Crain has the details…

Cut 3 (34) “…I’m Colleen Crain.”

The Avoyelles Parish Courthouse was evacuated yesterday after a Florida man entered the building with fake plastic guns, carrying packages and bags and wearing items to cover his face. It turned out he did not have any explosives. Avoyelles Parish Sheriff deputies say Jaymes Baker of Mulberry, Florida is upset with civil proceedings in a child custody matter.

125-thousand utility customers remain without power because of Hurricane Francine. It could be until Monday before the power comes back on for some customers in Lafourche, Terrebonne and Assumption parishes. But residents and businesses in St. Bernard, St, Martin and Plaquemines should get their power back today.

Morgan City and surrounding areas have an extensive cleanup ahead of them. Andrew Greenstein reports.

Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”

A P-E teacher at Downsville Community Charter School in Union Parish has been arrested after he allegedly got angry with several third-grade students and threatened to shoot them. Union Parish Sheriff Dusty Gates says 70-year-old Robert Mitcham of Ruston admitted to deputies he got overwhelmed and wanted the children to settle down…

cut 14 (06″…very lightly”

Gates says as part of his bond Mitcham is barred from returning to Downsville Community Charter School.

DOTD has been awarded $104 million in redistributed federal funds by the Federal Highway Administration. This redistribution occurs annually, allocating unused federal dollars from other states to those that have met certain requirements and can use the money efficiently. DOTD Spokesperson Rodney Mallet says the dollars will be distributed throughout the state
cut 4 (07) “…areas too”

The New Orleans metro area is drying out after Francine dumped several inches of rain in a short amount of time. Jefferson Parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng says the East Bank received seven to nine inches of rain in just a couple of hours, some areas eleven inches. Canals overflowed in Kenner causing significant flooding.

Flash flooding was also an issue in Thibodaux. Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson says emergency responders had to rescue several people trapped due to rising water…

Cut 5 (09) “…our shelter.”

Governor Landry and other officials plan to flyover Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Mary parishes this afternoon. Those three parishes took on the brunt of Francine which made landfall as a Category two storm in Terrebonne. Landry says there’s property damage but he says the bayou parishes were spared from major flooding…

Cut 7 (09) “….doing works”

Around 360-thousand customers are without power. Many are relying on generators until electricity is restored.  Sean Richardson has some safety tips.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Sean Richardson.”

If you sustained damage from Franciene. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says document damages as soon as possible and review your  insurance policies…

Cut 12 (12) “….dollarwise to you”

Francine is moving through Mississippi after damaging and flooding homes in southeast Louisiana. The Category Two hurricane made landfall yesterday afternoon near Morgan City. Mayor Lee Dragna says Francine’s 100 mile per hour winds toppled numerous trees…

Cut 6 (11) “…the power lines”

Francine moved through the New Orleans area as a Category One storm and dumped as much as eleven inches of rain on the East Bank of Jefferson Parish. Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng says how many homes took in water is a big question…

Cut 4 (06) “…for me to tell”

Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley says the flooding he saw compared to Hurricane Katrina.

Flash flooding in Thibodaux led to the rescue of 26 people in housing units on Lasseigne Road.

There are an estimated 375-thousand customers without power as a result of Francine. Many of those without power turn to portable generators. State Fire Marshal Assistant Fire Chief Mark Treadway says the generator should be stationed outside, away from windows and doors and never refuel a generator when it’s running…

Cut 8 (09) “….wall outlet”

25-hundred Louisiana National Guard soldiers have been activated to help with recovery efforts. Colonel Jennifer Mumme says they are hand to help with debris removal and the clearing of roads and logistical support…

Cut 15 (08) “…tarps, sandbags”

A State Police trooper was injured when a tree fell on the trooper while attempting to remove downed trees from Interstate 10 near Sorrento. The trooper was taken to the hospital and the injuries have been described as minor.

Cleanup begins today from Hurricane Francine after it landed on Louisiana’s coast yesterday afternoon with maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour near Morgan City. We spoke with Mayor Lee Dragna as the storm was moving through…

Cut 5 (09) “…considerably blowing”

Francine’s eye wall pushed through the New Orleans area producing flooding rains. Jefferson Parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng says the east bank took on seven to nine inches of rain, some areas got 11 inches which led to flooding…

Cut 3 (06) “…put down on us”

Kenner police chief Keith Conley says the widespread flooding compares to Hurricane Katrina. The good news….no reported fatalities.

According to the website power-outage-dot-us, nearly 390-thousand customers are without power from Francine. Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May says manpower is more than quadrupled, and they’re ready to get to work.

Cut 21 (14) “…this storm on.”

May warns that fully restoring power to everyone could take several days.

Hurricane Francine produced flood and wind damage to numerous homes. Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says if you sustained damage, homeowners should…

Cut 10 (09) “…inspect for damage.”

Temple says take photographs of the damage and keep the receipts for emergency repairs, which can expedite claim approval.