The LSU AgCenter estimates Hurricane Ida produced 584-million dollars in damages to the state’s agriculture industry. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (33) “ …I’m Jeff Palermo” 

______________________________________

There were several tense exchanges during a Joint Medicaid Oversite Committee meeting Friday where lawmakers questioned LDH’s attorney about nursing home evacuations plans. Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 2 (34)…I’m Brooke Thorington”  

______________________________________

A north Larose neighborhood that endured a ten-foot storm surge is dealing with almost a foot of sludge and standing water. Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson says the Industrial Park neighborhood was inundated with muck and mud from marsh waters that made it over the levees.

Cut 3 (06) “…in the back.”

Chaisson says the Corps of Engineers, municipal crews, and private contractors are working to help clear roads, drainage ditches in addition to resident’s yards. He expects it will take another three weeks.

Another issue parish officials are facing is getting answers from FEMA on long-term housing expectations. Chaisson says after posting his frustration on social media he’s now getting feedback.

Cut 4 (08) “…long-term housing.”

After almost four weeks since Ida made landfall, Chaisson says he completely understands that residents are frustrated and tired, but he tries to encourage them to remain hopeful.

Cut 5 (10) “…and better.”

_____________________________________

LSU AgCenter experts say the state’s agriculture industry suffered at least 584-million dollars in damages as a result of Hurricane Ida. LSU AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry says timber was hit the hardest as a total of 168-thousand acres of trees were affected costing the industry more than 300-million dollars

Cut 6 (09) “…salvaged” 

Guidry says about 50-percent of the total estimated volume of damaged timber is in Tangipahoa Parish.

Guidry says about 139-thousand acres of sugarcane or a quarter of the state’s total cane crop are projected to have somewhat lower yields due to storm damage. He says much of the affected sugarcane is recovering, but it will come at a price…

Cut 7 (07) “…35-million dollars”  

Guidry says sugar mills will also lose revenue due to hurricane damage and the interruption in operations.

There is also a lot of fresh produce and ornamental horticulture growers in southeast Louisiana. Guidry says the estimated damage for these producers is 9.5 million dollars as a lot of greenhouse roofs were damaged.

Cut 8 (10) “..to sell”

He says the livestock death toll from Ida is 22, but farm structures and fences need to be repaired and older livestock producers have indicated they are getting out of the business.

_____________________________________

Organizations including Schoolplies are working to help kids get back in school after Hurricane Ida’s devastation in parishes that include Terrebonne and Lafourche.  CEO Allie Casey says, that in partnership with the United Way of South Louisiana, hundreds of school supply kits will be given away this Sunday

Cut 9 (12) “…back to school” 

Classes begin Monday and the weekend event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fletcher Technical Community College along LA-311.

After Sunday’s school kits giveaway, Casey says they will continue to work virtually to get more supplies into the hands of students.

Cut 10 (06)  “…the efforts going” 

Be sure to visit Schoolplies.com on the web for more information where can find out how to donate school supply items or students and parents can receive assistance with school supply needs.

Casey says work to put some 600 school supply kits together with everything from pencils to notebooks and erasers for the first day of school has been made less easy without power to their office.

Cut  11 (10)  “…a crazy time.”  

_________________________

There were several tense exchanges during a Joint Medicaid Oversite Committee meeting Friday where River Ridge Senator Kirk Talbot questioned Louisiana Department of Health Attorney Stephen Russo about nursing home evacuation plans. The meeting came weeks after hundreds of nursing home residents were crammed into a Tangipahoa Parish warehouse resulting in several deaths

Cut 12 (12) “….anywhere there.”  

Russo told the committee to view a nursing home’s evacuation plan they can request to see it through their local emergency preparedness office.

More than 800 patients from seven nursing homes owned by Bob Dean were transported to a warehouse with mattresses on the floor, that took in up to eight inches of water. Talbot questioned Russo as to why patients from the Orleans, Jefferson, Terrebonne, and Lafourche parish nursing homes were sent to Tangipahoa when storm models indicated it was in Ida’s path.

Cut 13 (09) “…advice of counsel.”

LDH and Dean are facing lawsuits filed by family members of and nursing home residents.

Committee members stated after the tragic evacuation to the warehouse in Independence and questions over the approval process, along with the decision to move patients to an area within the storm’s projected path inland will need to be addressed with legislation.

Abbeville Senator Bob Henssgens…

Cut 14 (03) “….the problem” 

While in DC meeting with lawmakers about disaster relief for 2020 and 2021 Governor Edwards was asked about what’s being done to address immediate housing needs for those impacted by Ida. Brooke Thorington has more

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

___________________________________

The Louisiana National Guard is still busy at work helping those victimized by Hurricane Ida almost four weeks ago.  More from Dave Brannen.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Dave Brannen.” 

_________________________________________

A federal grand jury indicts former Monroe area State Police trooper Jacob Brown for the May 2019 flashlight beating of a man during an arrest. More from Kevin Gallagher.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.” 

___________________________________________

Louisiana State Police are taking part in this Saturday’s national program to check child passenger seats. Sergeant James Anderson says the event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon.

Cut 4 (11) “…they’re installed properly.”

Officials say that 75-percent of children are in a safety seat that’s the wrong size or type or improperly installed.  The National Seat Check is being held in nine locations around the state.

Trooper Anderson says the focus will be on helping participants with the proper installation of a child seat.

Cut 5 (12) “…to be installed.”

Sergeant Anderson says that in many cases the child seats are not being correctly utilized.

Cut 6 (11) “…not being used”

Locations for the free car seat inspection can be found on the website, www.lsp.org.

________________________________________

Hurricane Ida left an estimated eight thousand homes unlivable and some of those individuals are living in tents and rubble where their homes once stood. Thousands of others are displaced. Governor John Bel Edwards says his administration is pushing FEMA to speed up the decision-making on long-term housing for these individuals…

Cut 7 (09) “…available to that.”

Edwards says it’s not as if FEMA isn’t helping because the agency is currently assisting 25,000 with transitional shelter via hotel rooms and there’s also essential lodging for those in impacted areas. Edwards says FEMA will decide on the next phase and it could be a combination of structures.

Cut 8 (09) “…and barges?”

Edwards says FEMA is currently housing 25-thousand displaced Hurricane Ida survivors in hotels away from home. He understands many of those would like temporary housing set up on their property, but will be FEMA’s decision.

Cut 9 (11)  “…look like (x2).”

____________________________________________

Thousands of Louisiana National Guard members are still on the job helping victims of Ida in the southeast coastal communities. Spokesperson Noel Collins tells us what some of the citizen-soldiers are doing to assist in the recovery.

Cut 10 (09)  “…generator support missions.” 

Collins says many of the guard members have been working to get commodities to those in need.

Cut 11 (11) “…bags of ice.”

More than three weeks after Ida made landfall, the guard is still helping out in many ways, but the number of soldiers still on duty has diminished significantly according to Collins.

Cut 12 (11) “…thousand service members.”

She says the guard still has 12 points of distribution for meals, water, ice, and tarps operating in four parishes, down from 80 pods at the start statewide.

___________________________________________

A federal grand jury indicts a former Monroe area State Trooper for excessive force in the May 2019 roadside beating of arrestee Aaron Bowman. Jacob Brown’s bodycam footage shows his striking Bowman 18 or more times with his MagLite. Legal analyst Tim Meche says it’s important to remember a federal indictment is not for committing a violent crime.

Cut 13 (09) “…jurisdiction over that.”

Brown’s indictment is for “deprivation of rights under color of law”. Meche says the prosecutor will need little more than the video to convince a jury of Brown’s guilt, but there are avenues Brown’s legal counsel could take to clear him.

Cut 14 (10)  “…a mile long.”

If convicted of the deprivation of rights charge, Brown could face up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250-thousand. Meche says this is a great example of how cops wearing body cameras leads to more and better transparency. He says Brown’s defense has its work cut out for it.

Cut 15 (13)  “…gonna be the key.”

_________________________________________

LSU’s defense has spent this week getting ready for Mississippi State’s air raid offense. The Bulldogs threw for an SEC-record 623 yards against the Tigers in last year’s season opener. After missing the last two games with an injury, safety Jay Ward is expected to play. Defensive end BJ Ojulari says having Ward on the field means a lot for the Tigers…

Cut  16 (16) “…him back.”

Ojulari believes they are better on defense this year

Cut 17 (15) “…same page.” 

______________________________________________________

Louisiana Tech looks to rebound from a tough loss last weekend when they host North Texas in the Conference USA opener. The Bulldogs fell to 1-and-2 on the season when SMU hit on a Hail Mary pass on the final play of the game to beat Tech last Saturday. Bulldogs Coach Skip Holtz says it was a gut punch, but hopefully something they can learn from

Cut 18 (23)”…get better.”

Holtz says North Texas is an explosive team on offense…

Cut 19 (13)  “…corp.” 

Governor Edwards says there are two measures in the works in both chambers of Congress to fund disaster relief. Brooke Thorington has more from his DC trip.

Cut 1 (31) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

______________________________________

Hurricane Ida delivered another devastating blow to the state’s seafood industry. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30)…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

______________________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards has been in DC this week meeting with lawmakers in hopes of getting disaster relief funding for the state. He says he feels it’s been a productive week and measures have been introduced in both chambers for disaster relief for the nation as a whole for 2020 and 21.

Cut 3 (11) “…which state.”

Edwards says there’s significant help in the bills and not just in Community Development Block Grant dollars for housing needs. He says there’s also funding for the Corps of Engineers, emergency work on highways and bridges, fisheries, and money for crop and timber losses

Cut 4 (11) “…grant portion.”

The governor says the main focus of this trip is to secure funding for unmet housing needs after the 2020 hurricanes and while there he’s also laying the foundation for Ida needs as well.

Cut 5 (07) “…Louisiana.”

The governor has been meeting with decision-makers since Monday and today is his last day in DC

_____________________________________

Hurricane Ida delivered another blow to the state’s seafood industry, which annually produces millions of pounds of fish, shrimp, crabs, and oysters. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says Ida’s 150-mile per hour winds on the southeastern coast of Louisiana caused major damage to boats and docks

Cut 6 (12) “…damaged” 

Restaurants are reporting a lack of oysters as oyster beds are closed. Nungesser says the state health department needs to test the waters, so hopefully, they will open soon. He says shrimpers could face a longer recovery…

Cut 7 (06) “…were sunk”  

Nungesser says fishermen will need federal assistance in order to bounce back from this destructive hurricane.

Cut 8 (11) “..the most”

_____________________________________

The state department of transportation has re-opened the westbound lanes on the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge in Lake Charles, but eastbound lanes remain closed as a result of an 18-wheeler catching on fire last night. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says it’s been a busy week of bridge inspections…

Cut 9 (12) “…as we speak” 

Wilson says the eastbound lanes of the bridge will remain closed until further notice to complete an inspection of the bridge.  Meanwhile, DOTD has temporarily opened two lanes to I-10 East to the East flyover ramp and two lanes to the I-210 eastbound to I-10 westbound flyover to help ease the severe traffic congestion.

The DOTD Secretary suspects that the damage was confined mostly to the deck of the bridge compared to an earlier fire near I-310 in southeast Louisiana.

Cut 10 (08)  “…burn as long” 

Wilson says fire damage to the I-10 Calcasieu Bridge is being checked out by inspectors.

Cut  11 (09)  “…it back up.”  

_________________________

Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell is taking the state’s GOP congressmen to task. He said they voted earlier this week against a continuing resolution to keep the government running with a higher debt ceiling even though the legislation included 28-billion-dollars in emergency relief for Louisiana and elsewhere.

Cut 12 (09) “….all against it”  

Campbell says the Republican members voted three times in favor of raising the debt ceiling when Trump was president, and he believes helping Louisiana recover from the state’s destructive hurricanes is more important than party loyalty.

Campbell says he doesn’t believe hurricane victims, including those in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes slammed by Ida, would tell you at this time that they care about party politics, they just want help

Cut 13 (09) “…the Republican Party.”

The spending bill containing billions for hurricane relief and other disasters around the nation passed the House on Tuesday night. Campbell lambasts the Louisiana GOP delegation for their “no” votes given the number of people hurting from hurricane devastation in the state.

Cut 14 (09) “….have to do”