Severe weather is putting a damper on Mardi Gras parades. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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Authorities have made at least one arrest in a shooting that wounded five people after Mardi Gras parade in Franklinton last night. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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Mardi Gras parades will not be rolling in Jefferson Parish tomorrow. Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng says that’s because the high winds in the forecast will make conditions unsafe.
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President Sheng says if those wind speeds are high enough to keep buses and Entergy crews off the roads, they’re certainly high enough to make conditions for a parade unsafe.
Cut 4 (14) “…tents, chairs, tarps.”
Sheng says this is not a decision that she wanted to make, but the weather forecast left her with no other choice.
Cut 5 (14) “…work with us.”
Parade times have been moved up in the towns of Kaplan, Crowley, New Roads and Franklin.
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The state is forecast to have its first major potential spring weather event; and unfortunately, it arrives on Fat Tuesday. Meteorologist Matt Hemingway with the National Weather Service in Shreveport says the severe weather threat begins tomorrow morning.
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Hemingway says most severe weather is forecast to move across North Louisiana, but could possibly extend south into Central Louisiana.
Cut 7 (05) “…south of I-10.”
Hemingway says to expect sever weather to move into northwest Louisiana around 9 a.m.
Cut 8 (11) “…through sunset.”
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Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain met with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollands on how to deal with the effects of bird flu and how to get egg prices under control.
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Strain also says they will temporarily allow the import of eggs into the United States to help decrease egg prices and allow poultry farmers to increase the egg supply.
Cut 10 (15) “…rebuild the population.”
Strain says there is not an overnight solution but is confident that in time egg prices should be back under control, and back to normal.
Cut 11 (03) “…gonna be riots.”
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While parades in Jefferson Parish are cancelled tomorrow due to the high winds, New Orleans is working to fit in its parades. The Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club and the Krewe of Rex will still hold their parades – Zulu at 7 a.m. and Rex at 9 a.m. Marching krewes and truck floats will not be allowed, and all parades must wrap up by noon. Collin Arnold, New Orleans’ director of homeland security and emergency preparedness, says the city made the most of a tricky situation.
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Arnold says while Mayor LaToya Cantrell certainly has input and influence, she’s not the final decision-maker in this instance.
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Arnold says not all floats are able to withstand high winds.
Cut 14 (12) “…wind as others.”