Progress continues to be made in getting the power restored after Hurricane Ida. But many are asking why can’t utility companies just move the infrastructure to distribute power underground. Don Molino reports it’s not that easy
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Don Molino.”

The Louisiana Public Service Commission says over 430-thousand customers are still without power. Power is out for at least 95-percent of the customers in St. John, St. Charles, Lafourche, and Terrebonne Parishes.

The Louisiana Department of Health is still in its early stages of an investigation into the evacuation of over 800 nursing home residents to a facility in Tangipahoa Parish that could not handle that many residents and conditions quickly deteriorated once generators started failing. Governor John Bel Edwards…
cut 9 (09) “…every turn”
There have been seven deaths linked to this particular evacuation.

FEMA says it has approved more than 158-thousand applications for disaster assistance and nearly 171-million dollars to help Louisiana residents recover. FEMA spokesperson Patrick Boland says if you were impacted by Hurricane Ida, you should register at disasterassistance.gov…
cut 12 (11) “….register anyway”
You can also register at 1-800-621-FEMA.

If you live in a parish impacted by Hurricane Ida, you might be eligible for $500 from FEMA. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

FEMA is also reimbursing people who bought chainsaws and generators as a result of Hurricane Ida. FEMA says applicants could get up to 800-dollars for generators and 250-dollars for chainsaws. But if you use insurance money to purchase a chainsaw or generator, then you are not eligible.

The state health department and the Louisiana Attorney General’s office are looking into the evacuation of over 800 nursing home residents from seven different facilities to a warehouse in Tangipahoa Parish. Even though L-D-H approved plans to evacuate nursing home residents to that site, state health officials say the plan was not properly executed. Governor John Bel Edwards says it’s not easy to evacuate a nursing home, but dozens of facilities did it successfully…
cut 8 (10) “….safely”

Food stamp recipients who live in parishes that experienced major power outages will receive an automatic 55-percent increase in their monthly allotment. Shavana Howard with D-C-F-S says the U-S-D-A recognized a lot of families lost food when the power went out for several days…
cut 15 (07) “…their families”
Howard says food stamp recipients should receive the extra allotment by Saturday.

Many people who are registering for disaster aid with FEMA are receiving 500-dollars in what is called critical needs assistance. FEMA spokesperson Patrick Boland says they are distributing the money to help pay for water, food, first aid, medical supplies, and fuel…
cut 10 (12) “….unmet needs”
Anyone who has been impacted by Ida should register with FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA or through the FEMA app. There’s also disaster-assistance-dot-gov.

The Times-Picayune and The Advocate reports the Louisiana Department of Health approved Bob Dean’s plans to evacuate as many as 700 nursing home residents to a warehouse in Independence, but L-D-H says the plan was not properly executed for Hurricane Ida. Governor John Bel Edwards had this to say about the situation…
Cut 7 (09)…we should”
The state health department says there have been seven nursing home deaths connected to the evacuation.

The extensive and lengthy power outages from Hurricane Ida have spurred talk of moving power lines below the surface and building an electrical grid system underground. Public Service Commission Chairman Doctor Craig Greene says the cost would be enormous
ut 4 (12) “…basis is.”
President Biden says there are dollars available to make the state’s power system more resilient in the infrastructure bill that’s waiting for Congress’ approval.

SNAP recipients in 18 parishes impacted by Hurricane Ida will receive automatic additional benefits due to power outages that affected at least half the residents in the parish. Assistant Secretary for the Division of Family Support at Department of Children and Family Services, Shavana Howard says the USDA approved the waiver.
Cut 13 (11) “…month of August.”

Many Hurricane Ida storm survivors are receiving 500-dollars from FEMA after registering for disaster aid…
cut 11 (09) “…advantage of this”
FEMA spokesperson Patrick Boland says critical needs assistance goes to individuals displaced from their primary residence to help pay for life-sustaining items, like water, food, infant formula, medicine, and fuel.

Entergy says more than 51-percent of their customers have power again and CLECO says its restoration percentage is 90-percent. There are some who say why don’t utility companies bury the electricity infrastructure underground. Public Service Commissioner Doctor Craig Greene says it’s an idea that should be looked at, but it’s expensive and it might not prevent all power outages…
cut 5 (06) “….panacea”

SNAP Recipients in 18 parishes will see an increase in their benefits to help with food replacement lost during Hurricane Ida. Brooke Thorington has more
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

The tropics are not a concern for Louisiana right now and a cold front will move through the state later this week.

The Louisiana Health Department says the operator of the nursing home homes that evacuated over 800 patients to a warehouse in Tangiaphoa Parish failed to communicate with the state about the dire situation and failed to ask for help. Attorney General Jeff Landry is also pointing the finger at the Edwards Administration. Landry says his Medicaid Fraud Unit was never notified…
cut 14 (12) “…nursing home Patients”
Six nursing home residents evacuated to that facility in Tangipahoa Parish have died.

Financial resources are needed to help out people suffering as a result of Hurricane Ida’s devastation. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says you can provide donations at volunteer-louisiana-dot-gov-back-slash-donate…
cut 5 (11) “…those people out”
While much of the nation’s focus is on recovery for southeast Louisiana, Governor Edwards keeps reminding others of the dire needs of southwest Louisiana also…
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Forecasters are monitoring a tropical disturbance just west of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, but the National Hurricane Center is giving the tropical wave a low chance of developing into a tropical depression over the next five days. A cold front that will drop our humidity levels this week will push the system towards Florida.

While southeast Louisiana is in dire need of power, fuel, and housing for displaced residents, it’s been over a year for southwest Louisiana residents who still need permanent housing after hurricanes Laura and Delta. Governor John Bel Edwards says it’s disappointing…
Cut 9 (09) “…we need.”
Senator Bill Cassidy says President Biden told him he’s committed to providing home repair dollars for Hurricane Laura and Delta victims in the next federal spending bill that needs to be approved by October 1st.

Cassidy says he also spoke with Biden about the proposed infrastructure bill, which has billions dedicated to helping mitigate the power hurdles the state is facing.
Cut 7 (12) “..from power lines.”

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry says his office is launching an investigation into the evacuation of hundreds of nursing home residents from seven different facilities to a warehouse in Tangipahoa Parish that was not equipped to house over 800 patients. The Advocate newspaper reports the Louisiana Department of Health approved the evacuation plan but the nursing home owner Bob Dean did not execute the plan properly. Landry says he has to find out more…
cut 13 (15) “…deaths occur”

If you want to donate money towards the Hurricane Ida response or volunteer, Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says go to volunteer-Louisiana-dot-gov…
cut 3 (11) “…through this time”