Insured losses from the 2020 hurricane season have reached $10.6 Billion in Louisiana. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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Centenary College in Shreveport has not had a football team since 1941, but that change will soon. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30)…I’m Jeff Palermo.”  

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A subdued confirmation Tuesday that Mardi Gras 2022 will happen in New Orleans is drawing criticism from the likes of Arthur Hardy, publisher of the annual Mardi Gras Guide. A mayoral spokesman made the announcement, but Hardy says a big deal should have been made of the fact.

Cut 3 (11) “….out of this.”

Mardi Gras was canceled in the Big Easy last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns of the parades being super-spreaders of the virus.

Hardy says the question will remain until next year just where the parade routes will be as New Orleans deals with the status of COVID then and police availability.

Cut 4 (11) “…or we can.”

Hardy says he expects strong efforts will be made to ensure that the major parades, such as Endymion, are allowed to use their traditional routes

Cut 5 (11) “…be done safely.”

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The most recent tally on insured losses from the 2020 hurricane season in Louisiana has reached $10.6 billion to cover claims from hurricanes Laura, Delta, and Zeta. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says it was one for the record books.

Cut 6 (11) “…$27 billion.” 

The $10.6 billion figure for 2020 is what insurers have paid or in reserve to pay to cover claims. Donelon says they receive reports quarterly and over 325,000 claims have been filed.

Cut 7 (08) “….$9 billion.”  

Followed by Delta and then Zeta.

This is the last quarterly report of claims paid, and reserves that will have to be submitted for 2020 damage to the state. Donelon says they have had to field about 1800 formal complaints against insurance companies.

Cut 8 (08) “…small percentage.”

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Centenary College hasn’t played a football game since 1941, but today the Shreveport school announced plans to return to the gridiron and compete on the football field in 2024. Centenary School president Christopher Holman says they’ve already received fantastic support…

Cut 9 (10) “..(applause)”

Centenary played its first football game in 1894 and over the next couple of years they’ll make improvements to Mayo Field so that it can host football games. Athletics Director David Orr says one of the first steps they’ll take is finding a leader for the football program…

Cut 10 (11)  “…early in 2022.”

Also, applications to join a conference will begin immediately. Centenary will celebrate its bicentennial in 2025 and Board of Trustees Chairman Archer Frierson says bringing back football will only enhance the higher education experience at Centenary…

Cut  11 (11)  “…the community.”  

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Entergy Louisiana is looking to increase its green power-generating portfolio. Jonathan Bourg, director of resource planning for the utility, says Entergy will seek to purchase several hundred megawatts of solar power by around 2024.

Cut 12 (10) “…located in Louisiana.”  

Bourg says that will be in addition to the 50 megawatts of solar the company is already purchasing through the Capital Region Solar plant in West Baton Rouge. Those four solar facilities will need construction approval from the state Public Service Commission.

Bourg says the four new solar facilities are important in Entergy’s efforts to provide clean energy.

Cut 13 (07) “…an affordable manner.”

The new solar facilities will be located in Allen, St. James and Washington parishes.

The goal of purchasing 475 megawatts of power will rely on regulatory approval from the PSC to construct the four solar facilities.

Cut 14 (09) “..service in 2024.” 

Entergy Louisiana says it currently has about 240 megawatts of renewable power which began delivering power to its grid in October of last year.

Former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain was found is guilty on all charges and faces a mandatory life sentence for raping and molesting multiple children Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (34) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

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The vote count is in for early voting ahead of this Saturday’s November 13^th election and, as Dave Brannen reports, they are somewhat surprising.

Cut 2 (30)…I’m Dave Brannen.”  

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Former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain faces a mandatory life sentence after it took five hours for a jury to convict him on eight charges of sex crimes involving several juveniles dating back to the 1970s. District Attorney Warren Montgomery credited his staff for their hard work…

Cut 3 (05) “….prosecution”

A jury of six men and six women found him guilty of four counts of aggravated rape, two counts of aggravated incest and one count of sexual battery, and one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile.

The jury deliberated for more than five hours yesterday over the charges the former sheriff of 20 years faced. Montgomery says the guilty verdict is important because it reminds the public that everyone must be held accountable.

Cut 4 (09) “…works.”

Montgomery says has as hard the trial process was for the prosecutors, the jury to hear the evidence, and especially the five victims who testified, he hopes the verdict will bring Strain’s victims peace.

Cut 5 (10) “…their lives.”

Strain will be formally sentenced on January 18^th however the charges that he’s been found guilty of require a mandatory life sentence.

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Some surprising numbers from early voting in Louisiana for the November 13^th election.  Pollster John Couvillon tells us the figures far exceed those of 2017.

Cut 6 (06) “…or by mail.” 

He says almost exclusively driving this increase is those choosing the mail-in option of voting. Couvillon says at this point four years ago only 92-thousand votes had been cast in early voting for that election, the mail-in volume almost triple what it was in 2017.

Couvillon says that while early voting numbers are significantly higher than four years ago, he doesn’t expect that to translate to an overall turnout increase for the election in the same percentage.

Cut 7 (11) “….read them literally.”  

All in all, Couvillon does not expect an overall rush to the polls statewide this Saturday since in most cases the only thing on the ballot in many parishes are the four constitutional amendments.

Cut 8 (08) “…the same time.”

He expects the statewide turnout to total about 16 percent of the state’s registered voters, while the turnout in Orleans Parish alone should be in the ballpark of 35 percent.

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Northwestern State University’s new president, Marcus Jones, has now dropped the interim title he had held since July after the UL System Board of Supervisors appointed him Monday permanently to the post. Jones seems humbled by the move and looking forward to moving the school forward.

Cut 9 (10) “…to the institution.”

He says he owes part of his success to being able to compromise after being reared in a family where he was the 18th of 20 siblings.

Jones has a goal of further globalization of Northwestern State’s educational efforts for its students.

Cut 10 (08)  “…through student exchanges.”

Jones says as Northwestern State’s 20^th president and first African-American to lead the school he would like to be known for his progressive leadership, and just not in a global way, but in service to the community it serves.

Cut  11 (08)  “…of the region.”  

UL System President Jim Henderson calls Jones a leader possessing character, integrity and vision.

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Construction is underway on the Houma Navigation Canal Lock Complex in Terrebonne Parish. It’s part of the state’s effort to provide Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes with 100-year storm surge protection. Terrebonne President Gordon Dove says the H-N-C Lock complex will be critical during storm surge and high water events…

Cut 12 (08) “…Terrebonne Parish.”  

The project will consist of dredging over one-million cubic yards of material which will create 178 acres of marshland. He says actual construction on the structure will take place next spring

Cut 13 (11) “…five years.”

State officials have also announced the construction of the 147-foot Grand Bayou Floodgate has been completed. Dove says there’s now a continuous levee segment stretching 47 miles from Gibson in Terrebonne Parish to the town of Lockport in Lafourche Parish

Cut 14 (11) “..not flooding.”