FEMA is encountering a lot of problems trying to get manufactured homes set up for flood victims. Jeff Palermo has more…:
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Hermine is forecast to become a hurricane before hitting Florida tonight. The National Hurricane Center says it should happen shortly after midnight tonight, but the impacts will be felt much sooner. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Suwanne River to Mexico Beach Florida. Hurricane Watches are also posted in surrounding regions.

The Senate Homeland Security Committee will once again hear from disaster response agencies in the hopes of getting some answers for flood victims. Chairman and Baton Rouge Senator Bodi White says the Commissioner of Insurance is also expected to attend to answer questions about flood insurance for these homes in the future…:
Cut 5 (08) “flood insurance”
He says they still don’t know whether or not houses that received damage worth more than half the value will have to be elevated before they are rebuilt.

The Northwestern State band donated equipment to the St. Amant High program — as the Ascension Parish school lost everything. Northwestern Director of Bands Dr. Jeff Mathews says they are pleased to have the opportunity to help another marching band…:
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Craig Millet is the St. Amant Director of Bands and says they can’t put into words how much this gesture means.

The Senate Homeland Security Committee is set to get some answers from the agencies involved in the flood recovery today. Halen Doughty has more…:
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An unrestrained teenager from New Roads died in a two-vehicle crash when State Police say the car she was traveling in was hit as the driver failed to stop at a red light. Investigators say 23-year-old Kelsey Moore, who also had five juvenile passengers in the rear seat aged 1-6, faces many charges including Negligent Homicide. Her front seat passenger, 16-year-old Shafteanna Williams died at the scene.

The FEMA manufactured homes are not being set up the way folks anticipated. So far, only one of the temporary housing units has been provided to a flood victim. FEMA Coordinating Officer Gerard Stolar says there is a lot of red tape when it comes to setting up on private property, and it would be quicker to put a bunch of units on a large piece of land..:
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The post-Katrina FEMA trailers were highly criticized, but some lawmakers say these larger manufactured homes are not practical either.

About 12-hundred purple and gold fans are headed to Lambeau Field this morning with the LSU Alumni Association to watch LSU take on the Wisconsin Badgers for the 2016 season opener. Spokesman for the group, Rhett Butler:
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The game kicks off at 2:30.

The Senate Homeland Security Committee will once again hear from disaster response agencies in the hopes of getting some answers for flood victims. Chairman and Baton Rouge Senator Bodi White says they still don’t know whether or not homeowners whose houses received damage worth more than half the value of their home will have to elevate their house before they rebuild…:
cut 4 (08) “to do”
He suggests homeowners write down everything a FEMA agent tells you and date it.

So what about those hard to get FEMA manufactured homes? FEMA Coordinating Officer Gerard Stolar told legislators a lot goes into setting up this temporary housing…:
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Only one FEMA mobile home has been installed on a flood victim’s property.

In the Florida panhandle, a Hurricane Warning is in effect for some areas, and watches and Tropical Storm Warnings in other areas as Tropical Hermine approaches. The National Hurricane Center says on the forecast track, the center of Hermine will be near the Florida coast in the warning area tonight or early tomorrow.

St. Amant High School lost everything during the floods, including their band equipment. The St. Amant Gators got a surprise this week when the Northwestern State band loaned them nine snare drums, four sets of tenor drums, and five bass drums. Northwestern Director of Bands Dr. Jeff Mathews says they wanted to help others during this difficult time…:
Cut 10 (10) “these drums”
Craig Millet is the St. Amant Director of Bands and says they can’t put into words how much this gesture means.

Today in the House Homeland Security Committee meeting, lawmakers grilled a FEMA administrator on why it’s taking so long to get flood victims assistance. FEMA Coordinating Officer Gerard Stolar says 111-thousand home inspections have been ordered but only 56-thousand have been conducted.
Cut 7 (09) “hundred”

Stolar says there are 23-hundred FEMA personnel working on this disaster.

Today, State Treasurer John Kennedy told lawmakers the one-cent increase in the state sales tax should be suspended for flood victims, even if it means calling a special session, which upset New Orleans Senator JP Morell. Kennedy says Morrell is entitled to his opinion.

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Morrell says the tax code doesn’t allow them to suspend taxes on the fly.

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation has donated over 1.6 million dollars in flood relief and plans to give even more. Michelle Southern has the story…

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Louisiana federal prosecutors have indicted six officials with Explo Systems Incorporated for leaving 78-hundred tons of explosives at a Louisiana National Guard Facility. The indictment alleges the officials lied to get a contract to demilitarize the explosives then improperly stored them at Camp Minden, and all six are charges with criminal conspiracy.

FEMA came under fire from state lawmakers today for not getting assistance to flood victims quickly. But FEMA Coordinating Officer Gerard Stolar says there are 23-hundred FEMA personnel working on this disaster.

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Stolar says 131-thousand people have registered for federal aid, and $315 million has been approved for FEMA.

State Treasurer John Kennedy told lawmakers they should suspend the one cent increase on the state sales tax for flood victims. But New Orleans Senator JP Morrell says this is not something that Kennedy should be proposing, because it’s not feasible.

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Kennedy says the increase in the sales tax should be revisited, even if it means calling a special session.

A former employee at an assisted living facility has been arrested for rape. Mandeville Police Officer Becky White says 58-year-old Jerry Kan worked as cook at Beau Provence Memory Care. She says he was booked after authorities received a call about inappropriate behavior between Kan and a 78-year-old resident.

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White says Kan has worked at Beau Provence since April of this year.

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation has given over 1.6 million dollars to help flood victims. BRAF Communications Director Mukul Verma says they’ve given dozens of grants to local nonprofits working in the field of flood relief. He says a lot of the money is donated from people around the country through online platforms.

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Verma says companies around the region have donated about a million dollars to BRAF.

A frustrated Ascension parish lawmaker wants to know why it’s taking so long to get temporary housing for flood victims. FEMA Coordinating Officer Gerard Stolar says 2-thousand flood survivors are still in hotels, and more than 15-hundred are in shelters. Gonzales Representative Clay Schexnayder says FEMA is not moving fast enough…

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The Baton Rouge Area foundation is raising money for flood victims. Director of Communications Mukul Verma says companies around the region have donated about a million dollars to BRAF. He says 600-thousand dollars have been distributed to schools and education organizations to assist with new classroom supplies and restoring water logged schools.

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State Treasurer John Kennedy told lawmakers today the one-cent increase in the state sales tax should be suspended for flood victims, even if it means calling a special session, and the comment upset New Orleans Senator JP Morell. Kennedy says Morrell is entitled to his opinion.

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Morrell says Kennedy has been in government for years, and he should know that the state’s tax code just doesn’t allow lawmakers to immediately suspend a tax for certain people.

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Tropical Storm Hermine has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm is expected to pick up speed and intensity as it moves towards the Florida coastline. At this point, forecasters do not expect any impact on Louisiana.

Legislators questioned a FEMA administrator today in the House Homeland Security Committee meeting trying to determine why it’s taking so long to get flood victims assistance. FEMA Coordinating Officer Gerard Stolar says 111-thousand home inspections have been ordered but only 56-thousand have been conducted.
cut 7 (09) “hundred.”

Legislators told Stolar that there needs to be more of an emphasis to set up manufactured homes for flood victims.

Mandeville police have arrested a former cook at an assisted living facility for first degree rape. Officer Beck White says 58-year-old Jerry Kan was arrested after authorities received information about inappropriate behavior between Kan and a 78-year-old resident.
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White says Kan was a cook at Beau Provence Memory Care since April and the incident occurred on August 21st.

 
The Baton Rouge Area Foundation has donated over 1.6 million dollars in flood relief and plans to give even more. Michelle Southern reports.
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The Tropical Depression in the Gulf of Mexico is now Tropical Storm Hermine. The National Hurricane Center says maximum sustained winds are about 40 miles per hour and the storm is moving north at around 2 miles per hour. Forecasters believe the area of low pressure will continue to move towards Florida and increase speed tomorrow.

An Ascension Parish lawmaker wants FEMA to move faster in providing manufactured homes for flood victims. Halen Doughty has more…:
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The Mandeville Police Department is investigating the disturbing case of a former nursing home kitchen worker who is accused of raping a 78-year-old resident. They say 58-year-old Jerry Kan, who was the Beau Provence cook, allegedly went inside the Memory Care Facility room of the elderly victim and forced sexual intercourse upon her. Kan is booked with first degree rape.

State Treasurer John Kennedy told lawmakers today that they should consider suspending the one cent sales tax increase for flood victims rebuilding their homes. He said the state should not reap a financial windfall from people’s tragedy, when they’ll have to pay an extra penny on items needed to rebuild their lives…:
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But New Orleans Senator JP Morrell, who chairs the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee, say this is not something that Kennedy should be proposing as feasible on the fly, because it’s not…:
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He says all Kennedy is trying to do is makes a good sound bite.

Hurricane Hunters have found that Tropical Storm Hermine has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. The system is in the Central Gulf of Mexico and looks scary for Louisiana and Mississippi as it’s moving north, but forecasters say a sharp turn toward the northeast with increasing forward speed is expected on Thursday.