Over 230,000 Entergy customers still remain without power due to Hurricane Zeta with over 21,000 of those outages located in the New Orleans Metro area.  With Election Day coming up this Tuesday, Governor John Bel Edwards believes some polling stations in the southeast will be without power.  Edwards says they are working to identify every polling station that will not be in service Tuesday so they have an opportunity to select alternate locations.

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Louisiana’s congressional delegation request for a 100-percent Federal Cost Share of debris removal from Hurricane Laura receives approval from President Trump. Senator Bill Cassidy says both COVID and two hurricanes have exhausted several communities with recovery efforts. Cassidy says this is great financial news for those areas devasted by Laura.

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Despite sustaining 200-million dollars in damages from two hurricanes, McNeese State plans to have students back on campus for the 2021 spring semester. Jeff Palermo has the story…

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LSU will travel to the plains to take on Auburn today at 2:30 as they look for a win against their rival, which would improve their record to 3-2.  Louisiana Tech will also be looking for a win as they will try to snap a two-game losing streak when they host UAB at 2:30.  The Ragin Cajuns are on the road again this week after their big road win against UAB, today they will play at Texas State.  ULM will be in action today as well, they will play host to the Appalachian State Mountaineers.

A New Orleans Police Officer is in serious but stable condition after getting shot in the face yesterday afternoon in the French Quarter at the intersection of Royal and St. Phillips. N-O-P-D says a supsect is in custody. Authorities say a man in a pedicab started shooting the officer unprovoked while dozens of innocent bystanders were in the area. Chief Shaun Ferguson says the officer has a bullet lodged in his skull below his left eye.

Officials anticipate a majority of customers will have their power back in southeast Louisiana by the end of the weekend but some areas might still be out through Tuesday. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Louisiana’s congressional delegation request for a 100-percent Federal Cost Share of debris removal from Hurricane Laura receives approval from President Trump. Senator Bill Cassidy says this isn’t the first time Trump has approved a 100-percent cost share, it was also done for Florida in 2018 for Hurricane Michael…
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Cassidy says the federal government has agreed to pick up the entire cost for Hurricane Laura debris removal for a 30-day period determined by the state.

LSU will look for its fourth straight win over Auburn this afternoon at 2:30. The Tigers will start freshman QB TJ Finley for a second straight game. Louisiana Tech is looking to snap a two-game losing streak as they host U-A-B at 2:30. Senior running back Israel Tucker on what it will take to beat the Blazers…
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Also today ULM hosts Appalachian State, while Ragin Cajuns are at Texas State.

Officials are optimistic that the power won’t be out for much longer in southeast Louisiana for most customers. Entergy CEO Phillip May says crews have been working around the clock and they now have a good estimation as to when you should have your lights back on…

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According to the Public Service Commission 318,000 customers are still without power.

Louisiana’s congressional delegation request for a 100-percent Federal Cost Share of debris removal from Hurricane Laura receives approval from President Trump. Senator Bill Cassidy says both COVID and two hurricanes have exhausted several communities with recovery efforts. Cassidy says this is great financial news for those areas devasted by Laura.

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When residents are picking up the pieces after a hurricane, “storm chasers” as they are known routinely descend upon the area to take advantage of homeowners. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says always get a written contract of work to be performed with a separate break out of labor cost and cost of materials.

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McNeese State plans on students returning to campus for the 2021 spring semester. President Daryl Burckel says as they rebuild the campus, student housing is a top priority

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Total damage to the entire university when you also combine water damage from Hurricane Delta is 200-million dollars.

Governor Edwards says there may be polling stations in southeast Louisiana that do not have power restored before Tuesday. He says they are working to identify every polling station that will not be in service Tuesday so they have an opportunity to select alternate locations…

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Louisiana’s congressional delegation request for a 100-percent Federal Cost Share of debris removal from Hurricane Laura receives approval from President Trump. Senator Bill Cassidy says this will take the burden off local communities.

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Before the request was amended by Congressional members, cities and parishes were required to pay 25-percent of debris removal.

McNeese State plans on students returning to campus for the 2021 spring semester. President Daryl Burckel says Hurricane Laura alone produced 77-million dollars in damages to the academic portion of the campus and multiple contractors have been hired so at least 30-percent of classes will be face-to-face instruction in January…

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When residents are picking up the pieces after a hurricane, “storm chasers” as they are known routinely descend upon the area to take advantage of homeowners. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says before you sign a contract, make sure they are a licensed contractor with the state licensing board for contractors and check with the Better Business Bureau.

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Donelon also recommends asking the contractor’s insurance carrier to mail a certificate of coverage directly to you.

Zeta slammed into Louisiana as an unexpectedly strong category two, near three hurricane and a near half million households in the state are still without power.

Most of the damage appears to be wind related but three breaches have been reported in the Burrito Levee in Grand Isle. CPRA is on the scene assessing the damage. Governor Edwards surveyed the damage by air this morning and says…

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1,940 National Guardsmen have been activated in support of emergency operations in the state.

Zeta ripped through the state at 25 miles an hour, maintaining category one strength as far inland as St. Tammany Parish. Parish President Mike Cooper says his residents took a beating…

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An LSU-Health Sciences Center study shows more women in the state are receiving breast cancer diagnoses sooner due to Medicaid expansion. Brooke Thorington has more.

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Hurricane Zeta has made landfall in Louisiana near Cocodrie as a category two storm with 110 mile per hour winds, just one mile an hour shy of category three major hurricane strength. This is the record fifth named storm to strike the state this year, and presents a real concern for residents of New Orleans who are just 60 miles away from the system that’s moving at a blistering 25 mile an hour pace.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says if you’re in the southeast stay put, stay safe, and don’t leave your home until later tonight…

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We’re not expecting this to be a major rain event and storm surge appears to be at manageable levels but 100 plus mile an hour winds are likely going to knock out power for many, many residents according to Shawn O’Neil with the National Weather Service….

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Governor Edwards says 5,500 workers are staged to restore power quickly.

The head of State Police, Colonel Kevin Reeves, is retiring on Friday, while a federal investigation is ongoing into the death of a Black man while in State Police custody. Jeff Palermo has the story

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Governor Edwards has vetoed a bill supported by Republican legislators that would have given lawmakers more authority over the governor’s emergency orders. The governor wrote in his veto letter that the bill allows for legislators to cast votes on life or death decisions from their homes via text message, which he says doesn’t represent a serious approach to responding to a public health emergency.

Parts of southeast Louisiana could get up to eight feet of storm surge this evening as Hurricane Zeta bears down on the state. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is set to ride out the storm in Plaquemines Parish, where he used to be president. He’s asking anyone in the area to take this seriously and leave now if you can, because in another hour you’ll need to just hunker down.

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The family of a Shreveport man who died after an incident with Shreveport police is seeking 25 million dollars and has given the city until Thursday to respond or a civil suit will be filed. Tommie McGlothen Jr. died April 5^th and video shows him handcuffed and being severely beaten by four officers who now face negligent homicide charges. Family attorney James Carter hopes the city won’t drag this out…

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The head of State Police, Colonel Kevin Reeves, is retiring on Friday, while a federal investigation is ongoing into the death of a Black man while in State Police custody. Jeff Palermo has the story

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Tropical Storm, and projected soon-to-be Hurricane Zeta is headed towards the southeast coast looking likely to make landfall somewhere in or right near Terrebonne Parish as a category one Wednesday evening. Zeta is expected to blitz through the state at over 20 miles an hour delivering little rain but some potential hurricane-force winds. Director of Emergency Preparedness for St. Bernard Parish John Rahaim says he expects a wide variety of damage to be present in the area.

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St. Bernard is not the only parish preparing for the storm, Lieutenant Brennan Matherne with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office says that Lafourche parish is expecting significant winds to be the biggest impact from this storm.

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The National Guard 1,030 guardsmen ready to respond to Zeta.

LSU police have arrested a member of the cleaning crew at Tiger Stadium after he allegedly mugged a fan and then bragged about the attack…

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As expected Governor Edwards has vetoed HB 4, the only piece of legislation to make it to his desk that would allow the Legislature to limit his public health authority. House GOP members anticipated the veto, leading to Friday’s signing of a petition that claims to have suspended the Governor’s public health powers.

Tropical Storm Zeta is about 450 miles south of the Mississippi River right now continuing it’s brisk 14 mile per hour pace towards southeast Louisiana with an expected landfall as a category one hurricane Wednesday night.

Lieutenant Brennan Matherne with the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office says residents could see up to 90 mile per hour winds, so tie down any loose furniture around your home.

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State Climatologist Barry Keim says we’re starting to get a better picture of just where the system will make landfall…

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As expected Governor Edwards has vetoed HB 4, the only piece of legislation to make it to his desk that would allow the Legislature to limit his public health authority

Metairie native Amy Coney Barrett has been sworn in as the newest justice on the US Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed her on a 52-48 vote. Senator John Kennedy says Judge Barrett will be a fair justice and she’s a person of good character

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Democrats assailed the Justice, citing concerns over her views on gay marriage, abortion, and climate change, saying no nomination should take place until after the election.

Residents impacted by Hurricane Laura now have another month to register for FEMA disaster assistance. FEMA Spokesperson Melissa Wilkins says homeowners and renters can apply for aid which includes temporary housing, rental assistance and to repair or replace damage to property

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