Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes are getting help from an organization that’s among others trying to help Ida storm victims get back on their feet.  More from Dave Brannen.

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Dave Brannen”

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Statewide COVID hospitalizations appear to have peaked in this fourth surged mid-August, but health officials fear Hurricane Ida could reverse the state’s progress. Brooke Thorington explains.

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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The Saints start off the 2021 season with a 38-3 win over the Green Bay Packers. Jeff Palermo has a recap…

Cut 3 (30)  I’m Jeff Palermo” 

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The executive director of the Bayou Community Foundation says the group is focusing its assistance efforts on hard-hit Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.  Jennifer Armand says the organization has raised several million dollars thus far.

Cut 4 (12) “…on the ground.”

Armand says money keeps pouring into the foundation’s fund that has helped pay for fuel, food and the various other needs of residents who remain in recovery mode more than two weeks after Ida slammed the two parishes, including Grand Isle.

Cut 5 (09) “…and year ahead.”

In looking back to last week, Armand says gasoline has been one of the significant needs of those in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes.

Cut 6 (09) “…southern Terrebonne parishes.”

The Bayou Recovery Fund for Hurricane Ida Relief was opened two days before the storm wreaked havoc on southeast Louisiana.  If you’d like to donate to the fund you can visit the website bayoucf.org and click on the banner Bayou Recovery Fund.

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The second of three planned SWEPCO wind farms is up and running in nearby Oklahoma. The Maverick wind farm is expected to generate 287-megawatts of power for the SWEPCO grid in Louisiana and elsewhere. Shreveport area Public Service Commission member Foster Campbell says he’s a proponent of wind energy…:

Cut 7 (12) “…do for Louisiana.”

The Maverick wind farm joins the already complete Sundance facility with a third, called Traverse, to begin operating in 2022. Campbell says the new wind farm represents a $1-Billion savings over a 30-year period compared to other energy resources. He says the wind farm will be good for northern Louisiana because it stabilized the state’s energy base…:

Cut 8 (07) “…in north Caddo Parish.”

The SWEPCO grid will benefit from power generated by the wind turbines of the two wind farms. Campbell says it’s a step in the right direction…:

Cut 9 (12) “…in a forward way.”

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State Health Officer Dr. Joe Kanter says when you look at COVID hospitalizations in the state it appears as if they peaked in mid-August but since a major hurricane has hit the state, he fears things could change.

Cut 10 (11) “…downward trajectory.” 

On Friday 1,755 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, down more than 40-percent since the governor issued his latest statewide mask mandate, and the positivity rate has dropped from 14-percent to 11-percent, which is also encouraging.

Kanter says while he’s grateful for the downward trend in COVID hospitalizations he also understands it could be short-lived given the fact that many families were recently forced to shelter with others outside of their immediate household due to Ida.

Cut 11 (09) “….generator.”

Kanter says the message he wants to send is while the numbers are encouraging, we must remain vigilant with COVID mitigation practices to continue to make progress.

Cut 12 (11) “…future increases.”  

New statewide COVID numbers will be released today at noon.

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More than two weeks after Hurricane Ida tore up southeast Louisiana, for the most part, the lights still aren’t back on for homes and businesses in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes.  Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May, the repairs will be slow going for the time being.

Cut 13 (11) “…get back on.”

May is promising that everyone will eventually get their power back as crews continue to work as fast as possible to do so.

Cut 14 (07)  “…light is on.”

May says the Lafourche and Terrebonne area present a much bigger challenge to get power restored.

Cut 15 (09)  “…what we can.”

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The Saints began the Jameis Winston with a big “W” as New Orleans completely dominated Green Bay 38 to 3. Winston played error free football as he threw for 148 yards and touchdowns. Winston gives credit to the defense for holding Aaron Rodgers to 133 yards passing…

Cut  16 (22) “…football games.”

It was Winston’s first start since 2019, who spent last season learning the Saints offense from Coach Sean Payton and former QB Drew Brees. Linebacker Demario Davis says he’s proud of Winston…

Cut 17 (16) “…what they see.”  

Many are shocked by the Saints dominant performance in Jacksonville. The team has been Fort Worth, Texas, since Hurricane Ida caused massive destruction to New Orleans. Davis says they wanted to win this one for Who Dat nation…

Cut 18 (23)”…adverse times.”

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The LSU Tigers beat McNeese 34-7 on Saturday night, but the Bayou Bengals offense did not look good in the victory. LSU had just 306 yards of total offense and they were just 4-of-16 on third down. Quarterback Max Johnson was also consistently pressured. Coach Ed Orgeron on the offense’s performance

Cut 19 (18)  “….better schemes” 

Orgeron says he’s a little surprised the offense has struggled through the first two games of the season…

Cut 20 (21)  “…change it.” 

The Biden Administration’s plan to require Covid-19 vaccines for companies with more than 100 employees is drawing strong opposition from LABI.  More from Dave Brannen.

Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Dave Brannen.” 

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State Police Colonel Lamar Davis discusses changes made with the agency as his department comes under fire for allegedly not investigating properly cases of excessive force arrests involving troopers. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 2 (34)…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the United States that killed nearly three thousand Americans. Chris Guilbeau, Assistant Deputy Director of Emergency Management at Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, says policies and procedures implemented since 9-11 have made a difference.

Cut 3 (12) “…major incidents.”

Homeland Security overhauled numerous procedures at airports to enhance security and each state also has a fusion center to help investigate potential threats against Americans.

But now Guilbeau says the biggest threat we are facing from terrorists is cyberattacks which can cripple major companies and infrastructure.

Cut 4  (12) “…their knees.” 

Guilbeau says a major help in reducing security threats is the ability for federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to share intelligence, but the best tool we have in thwarting domestic and international terrorists is the public speaking up when they see something out of sorts.

Cut 5 (12) “…little strange.”

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The Biden Administration is getting more blowback on its plan to mandate vaccines for companies with more than 100 employees.  LABI President and CEO Stephen Waguespack opposes the action that would impact about two-thirds of the American workforce and a quarter of LABI members.

Cut 6 (11) “..like this before.” 

Waguespack says he’s been vaccinated and LABI encourages everyone to consult their doctor about whether to do the same.

Waguespack says requiring American companies to mandate Covid vaccinations is clearly not the role of the federal government.

Cut 7 (10) “..should be doing”  

He says the Biden plan has the potential to offshore American companies who fear losing their employees over the vaccine mandate while noting that there is currently a record high number of job openings for the fifth month in a row.

Waguespack says the Biden plan to mandate Covid 19 vaccines for companies with more than 100 employees will put them in a tough position.

Cut 8 (10) “..are subjected to”

He’s imploring the President to reconsider his plan and return a more productive and constitutional effort to improve the vaccination rate through education and access.

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has located more than 100 oiled birds due to a spill from the Alliance Refinery in Belle Chasse. LDWF Restoration Program Manager Jon Wiebe says the spill is associated with Hurricane Ida’s path. He says there’s a fair bit of oil near the levee that surrounds the refinery.

Cut 9 (05) “…if we can.” 

The oiled birds are being transferred to a restoration center in New Iberia. Wiebe says their stay there depends on the condition of the bird.

Cut 10 (05)    than that.” 

Alliance Refinery is assisting with the recovery along with LDWF, the Louisiana Oil spill Coordinators’ Office, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Wiebe says if you find an oiled bird or any animal do not try to rescue it yourself, call LDWF and give them the location of the animal. Wiebe says you can do more harm than good for the animal that is already stressed.

Cut  11 (10) “..these animals.”  

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State Police Colonel Lamar Davis held a lengthy press conference to discuss allegations the agency mishandled a police brutality investigation. Lt. John Clary has been accused of covering up the fatal police beating of Ronald Green in 2019 when he did not hand over his body cam footage to prosecutors. Cleary has been cleared and Davis explains why…

Cut 12 (14) “this finding”  

Davis defended the LSP’s policy of not releasing video excessive force encounters. He says doing so could compromise criminal cases. He also denied an Associated Press report that he personally visited the Union Parish D-A in an effort to make sure the troopers involved in the Greene’s death were not criminally charged…

Cut 13 (08)     into our lives”

Davis says his department takes accusations of excessive force very seriously. He points out that four troopers were arrested in February for using excessive force during arrests in 2019 and 2020. He says they investigated several others and terminated some. He says no one in his department is above the law.

Cut 14 (09) “…  in Natchitoches 

New Orleans Congressman Troy Carter has called on the Department of Justice to conduct a full investigation into State Police practices and patterns. Carter says the Associated Press has found over a dozen instances of misconduct in reporting the use of excessive force.

The American Red Cross is aiding with hurricane recovery. Brooke Thorington has more from the leader of the humanitarian organization.

Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Entergy is reporting more progress in restoring power to the tens of thousands who lost it during Hurricane Ida.  Here’s Dave Brannen with an update.

Cut 2 (30)…I’m Dave Brannen”  

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The American Red Cross is aiding in areas of the state that were heavily impacted by Hurricane Ida. President and CEO Gail McGovern has visited southeast Louisiana herself and seen the widespread devastation. She says they are providing a number of services.

Cut 3 (10) “…and parishes.”

McGovern says at the height of providing shelter, the Red Cross assisted up to forty thousand people.

The Red Cross is also distributing cleaning supplies to help those who are able to return to their homes and she says more than ninety-five thousand supplies have been given out. The Red Cross also has 80 feeding trucks in the state and they serve approximately sixty-thousand meals a day.

McGovern says they are even providing counseling for residents to meet their mental needs also.

Cut 4  (12) “…clobbered.” 

Despite the fact that the country has been impacted by numerous disasters during the ongoing pandemic from wildfires, floods, and hurricanes McGovern says they are fortunate the public is still engaged with donations to assist, and ninety percent of their workforce consist of volunteers.

Cut 5 (12) “…volunteers.”

McGovern says shelters will remain open until everyone is situated.

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Congressman Steve Scalise says Louisiana’s congressional delegation is on board with likely getting a separate funding package passed to help Ida-ravaged Southeast and Southwest Louisiana.  He says the money needed to effect a massive repair effort will require billions of federal dollars due to the damage.

Cut 6 (08) “..development block grants.” 

Scalise says it’s highly likely that funding for hurricane repairs shouldn’t be coupled with other infrastructure items under consideration.

Cut 7 (05) “..other unrelated things”  

Congressman Scalise, who’s had a first-hand look at the damage doled out by Ida, says he believes Ida packed 190-mile-per-hour winds when it initially came ashore in the Port Fourchon area.

Cut 8 (10) “…the wind was.”

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Entergy Louisiana President Phillip May says the lights are back on for more of the utility’s customers.  He says power has now been restored to more than 90-percent of those who can take it in the greater New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas.

Cut 9 (11) “…of 75-thousand.”  2x

May says so far 682-thousand customers have had their power restored post-Ida of 902-thousand who were left in the dark.  The bad news is that more than 90-percent of Entergy’s customers in Lafourche, St. Charles and Terrebonne parishes still have no power.

May says that Entergy and crews from across the nation will not be resting on their successes to date in getting the power back on for nearly 700-thousand customers over the past 10 days.

Cut 10 (11)    Hurricane Ida” 

Some 26-thousand linemen who converged on the state to get the power restored after Ida hit are drawing praise from Entergy New Orleans CEO Deanna Rodriquez.

Cut  11 (08) “..I would say.”  

Crews have restored 98-percent of the power in Orleans Parish as of today.  Customers in heavily damaged areas that include Venetian Isle, Irish Bayou and the Lake Catherine area that can accept power could have it restored by this Sunday.

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A juvenile was found fatally shot outside of a home in Natchitoches this morning. Natchitoches Police Corporal John Greely says officers responded to the scene on Highland Park Drive just after six o’clock this morning

Cut 12 (06) “gunshot wound”  

Greely says they are asking the public to provide tips that could lead to an arrest.

Cut 13 (10)      offender”

Greely says the shooting occurred in a residential neighborhood…

Cut 14 (09) “…  in Natchitoches 

The fall elections have been pushed back due to hurdles created by Hurricane Ida. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (32) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Southwest Louisiana residents ravaged by Hurricane Laura could receive more federal relief dollars to fund the rebuilding of homes and businesses.  Dave Brannen has more

Cut 2 (35)…I’m Dave Brannen”  

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The October primary in Louisiana is officially postponed to November due to hurdles imposed by Hurricane Ida. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s plan, approved by the Governor, moves the primary from October 9^th to November 13^th and the November 13^th election to December 11^th.

Cut 3 (11) “…and food.”

Ardoin says they are still surveying polling locations for safety and electricity, and some of the hardest-hit areas might not be back online until October. While October 9^th might seem like enough time there are a number of deadlines that fall before an election.

Cut 4  (11) “..an issue.” 

Ardoin says he’s heard from several civic groups in support of postponing the election, but he admits he has received feedback from some candidates and advertisers who are not in favor of the postponement.

Cut 5 (10) “…importance.”

The June primary in 2020 was postponed for COVID mitigation measures and 16 years ago the fall election was also postponed due to Katrina.

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There’s great news today for southwest Louisiana residents awaiting much-needed federal dollars for still ongoing repairs from Hurricane Laura last year.  Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter says the White House is requesting Congress send two-point-three-billion-dollars to the region.

Cut 6 (07) “…huge step forward.” 

But, Hunter says it’ll probably be next year before the funds begin to flow into the Bayou State since there are quite a few hurdles to clear on Capitol Hill before the money wins final approval.

Hunter says the more than two-billion-dollars, if given final approval, should have as a top goal of getting people back in their homes.

Cut 7 (12) “…a top priority”  

Given all those that must sign off on the Biden administration’s disaster relief funding to help post-Laura victims, Mayor Hunter says it’ll be a while before the money spigot is turned on.

Cut 8 (07) “…hits the streets.”

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Ten days into the restoration effort, the Louisiana Public Service Commission reports 345-thousand utility customers in southeast Louisiana are without power. That’s down from more than one million outages after Hurricane Ida roared through the Bayou State. Entergy Louisiana CEO Phillip May says electricity is finally flowing again in Lafourche Parish…

Cut 9 (06) “…been restored” 

Over 94-percent of the utility customers in Lafourche, Terrebonne, St. Charles, and St. John the Baptist Parish are without power. In Tangipahoa Parish, about 50-percent of the customers are without power. May says they have updated restoration times…

Cut 10 (12)    Hurricane Ida” 

May says they hope to make significant progress in St. Charles Parish soon,

Cut  11 (12) “..of power.”  

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Terrebonne Parish does not have a fully functioning hospital since Hurricane Ida came ashore on August 29th. Terrebonne General sustained considerable roof, water and electrical damage and Ochsner Chief Medical Officer Doctor Robert Hart says the Chabert Medical Center in Houma took a significant hit from the storm

Cut 12 (12) “services there”  

Ochsner St. Anne Hospital in Raceland and Lady of the Sea in Galliano are also closed. Hart says St. Mary Hospital in Morgan City has been a success story as they have double the patients…

Cut 13 (11)       St. Mary”

Ochsner Health President Warner Thomas says it will take some time for health care access to improve in the Bayou Region of the state….

Cut 14 (11) “…in Houma”

Lafourche Parish is continuing to struggle to get its power back on and communications back to some semblance of normal.  More from Dave Brannen.

Cut 1 (38) “ …I’m Dave Brannen” 

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The Louisiana Public Service Commission says there are over 430-thousand customers without power, nine days after the storm made landfall. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 2 (30)…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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Power is still out for all of Lafourche Parish.  That’s the word this morning from Sheriff’s Captain Brennen Matherne.

Cut 3 (12) “…spotty at best.”

Matherne says that low water pressure has been also a problem outside the Thibodaux area but most of that has been corrected.

Cut 4  (10) “..in the evening” 

There has been some lawlessness in Lafourche, as is to be expected during a disaster situation.  Matherne notes there have been several looting arrests and nearly 50 others on other charges including curfew violations.

Cut 5 (12) “…by night contractor.”

If you suspect contractor fraud you can report it to a hotline number 985-413-4498.

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The average price per gallon for regular gas in the Bayou State stands at $2.88. AAA spokesperson Don Redman says prices are starting to stabilize but meeting demand has been the biggest hurdle in the state since Ida.

Cut 6 (09) “…$3.00 a gallon.” 

While some gas stations might have fuel they are without a source of power, thus are unable to provide gas to the pumps. Redman says distribution is the problem.

Cut 7 (09) “…areas”  

Redman says he hasn’t heard of any reports of price gouging on gas but advises you to contact the AG’s office if you do see any gouging. He says though it will take time for all the rigs and refineries to get back up and running in Louisiana is anticipates it will be about a month.

Cut 8 (12) “…really healthy.”

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The Louisiana Public Service Commission says over 430-thousand homes and businesses are without power. Power is out for at least 95-percent of the customers in Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Charles, and St. John Parishes. But Entergy Louisiana President Phillip May says electricity is flowing again in LaPlace

Cut 9 (08) “…progress” 

May says they anticipate making a great deal of progress in Tangipahoa Parish, where 60-percent of the customers are still without power.

In Orleans Parish, about a quarter of Entergy customers are without power. Entergy VP for Distribution Operations John Hawkins says restoring power to Algiers and Venetian Isles in New Orleans will take some time. He says Venetian Isles is a total rebuild…

Cut 10 (12)    to be replace” 

Based on Entergy’s restoration times, there are customers in Lafourche Parish, Lower Jefferson Parish, St. Charles Parish, Terrebonne and much of Plaquemines Parish will not see their electricity return until September 29th. May says the goal is to beat that restoration time

Cut  11 (10) “…sooner than that”  

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Over 35-thousand residents of South Louisiana have applied with FEMA for a large tarp, to cover roof damage from the weather. Mike Steele, with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, says amateurs are already putting up tarps of their own, but he advises applying for the professional help…:

Cut 12 (08) “the right way”  

Installations of FEMA Blue Roof tarps begin Wednesday, but there is some rain looming in the southeast Louisiana forecast. Though some have done a good job protecting their roof with a tarp, Steele says contacting FEMA gives you a better chance of fewer leaks while awaiting your roof repairs…:

Cut 13 (08) “..of this program”

The first step in getting a FEMA tarp installed is to contact FEMA at 800-321-3362 (321-FEMA) or go online at “DisasterAssistance.gov”. Steele says don’t delay if you suspect your roof may have been compromised…:

Cut 14 (12) “…another problem””

If you want to donate money or volunteer to help in the Hurricane Ida recovery go to volunteer-Louisiana-dot-gov. Dave Brannen has more…

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Dave Brannen”

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While much of the nation’s focus is on recovery for southeast Louisiana, Governor Edwards keeps reminding others of the dire needs of the southwest region also. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 2 (33) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser is putting out a call for volunteers or donations to assist with storm recovery efforts related to Hurricane Ida.  He’s the leader of Volunteer Louisiana.

Cut 3 (11)  “…through this time.” 

Nungesser says volunteers will be needed for an extensive period of time and people can find volunteer opportunities at volunteerlouisiana.gov/disaster-services

Cut 4 (09) “…kind of service”

Volunteer Louisiana is asking that volunteers do not self-deploy but wait until they are contacted by the organization’s office.

Nungesser says If you’d like to help out with donations visit https://volunteerlouisiana.gov.donate

Cut 5 (11) “…those people out.”

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After the President’s visit to Louisiana to tour devastation left in the path of Hurricane Ida, Senator Bill Cassidy says Biden has pledged assistance to both southeast and southwest Louisiana.

Cut 6 (09) “…to both.”

Cassidy says 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.”

Cassidy says he also talked with former New Orleans Congressman Cedric Richmond, who works with the Biden Administration. Cassidy says their meeting left him hopeful the current administration will assist with the recovery.

Cut 8 (12) “…say that.”

Last January, Louisiana requested $3 billion to address unmet recovery needs after Hurricane Laura.

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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.”

President Biden says he will include that block grant funding in his federal budget that will be voted on by Congress before the next fiscal year begins October first.

Hurricane Ida not only jolted southeast Louisiana, but its journey north has also claimed over 45 lives in the Northeast.  With national attention on the hurricane, Edwards hopes it will rally Congress to approve funding for both areas of the state.

Cut 10 (10) “…in Congress.” 

Edwards says the state has supported southwest Louisiana as much as fiscally possible but the bulk of the funding the area desperately needs for permanent housing must be approved by Congress

Cut 11 (08) “…southwest Louisiana.”

Ida is now the fifth hurricane to impact the Bayou State during the pandemic and the fifth most powerful hurricane to hit the U-S.

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Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry says his office is launching its own investigation into the deaths of several nursing home residents who were evacuated to a warehouse in Tangipahoa Parish that was not equipped to house over 800 residents. Landry says he wants to know the facts that led to these deaths

Cut 12 (07) “…the movement”  

The state health department reports six nursing home residents evacuated to the Tangipahoa facility have died. All of the nursing home residents came from facilities operated by Bob Dean who told a Baton Rouge TV station they did a good job of taking care of the people. Landry says there are a lot of unanswered questions

Cut 13 (15) “…deaths occur.”

Landry says both Tangipahoa Sheriff Daniel Edwards and Independence Police Chief Frank Edwards both said an investigation was not needed. Landry says they are brothers of Governor John Bel Edwards. Governor Edwards’ administration is conducting an investigation.

Landry is also concerned his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Unified Command Group were never notified of patient abuse or neglect when the governor’s office was first notified

Cut 14 (12) “…nursing home patients”

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The LSU Tigers were pushed around in a 38-27 season opening loss to the UCLA Bruins in Pasedena on Saturday night. UCLA had 470 yards of total offense as they hit on several big plays, while LSU never established a running game, rushing for just 49 yards. After the game, Tigers Coach Ed Orgeron took responsibility for the loss

Cut 15 (22)“…get better.”

UCLA is not known as a physical football team, but they won the battle in the trenches as the Bruins rushed for 210 yards. Orgeron was asked about the Bruins being the more physical team…

Cut  16 (15) “…we weren’t ”

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The 23rd ranked Ragin Cajuns were unable to pull of the upset in Austin as U-L Lafayette fell to the 19th ranked Texas Longhorns 38-18. Even though the Cajuns had more first downs than Texas, the Longhorns were betteron third down U-L Lafayette could not get a ground game going. Cajuns Coach Billy Napier says they did some good things, but there were some opportunities they missed

Cut 17 (26) “…our chances”  

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Louisiana Tech blew a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost to Mississippi State 35-34. La Tech forced four turnovers, Trey Baldwin had a pick six and quarterback Austin Kendall played well in his Bulldog debut, but they couldn’t finish. Coach Skip Holtz…

Cut 18 (25)”…of football”

We’re still seing LONG lines at the few gas stations with gasoline available. what’s behind the shortage? Kevin Gallagher has more…:

Cut 1 (30) “ …I’m Kevin Gallagher” 

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Entergy has announced preliminary estimated times of power restoration. Jeff Palermo has the details…

Cut 2 (31)…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

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 The damage assessments keep coming in from Hurricane Ida, and the power of the storm is becoming clearer in descriptions such as this passed on by State Representative Tanner Magee of Houma.

Cut 3 (12) “…into the Gulf.”

Magee says the property damage in Terrebonne Parish is extensive.

Cut 4 (9) “…are completely damaged” 

Magee says those that choose to return to Terrebonne need to be ready for what they’ll face.

Cut 5 (12) “..sweat a lot.”

Noting the importance of Terrebonne and Lafourche, Magee says people are going there every day to bring gas and seafood to this nation or do all kinds of things and it’s sad to him we lose those stories for now because of Ida.

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FEMA has approved Transitional Sheltering Assistance for residents who’ve been displaced by Hurricane Ida. FEMA spokesperson Nate Custer the first step to qualify for any assistance is to register with FEMA by calling 1-800-621-3362 or online at DisasterAssistance.gov.

Cut 6 (12) “… transitional assistance.” 

Custer says if you’ve been displaced from your home since Ida, residents will have to locate their own hotel room and lodging has been extended across the deep south.

Cut 7 (10) “…hotel room.”  

The eligible states for hotel lodging include Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

Custer says FEMA transitional housing only covers lodging expenses.

Cut 8 (09) “…so forth.”

The TSA program is for eligible survivors with a damaged dwelling address within the federally designated parishes of Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana.

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President Joe Biden received a first-hand look at the devastation from Hurricane Ida in southeast Louisiana today and met with state and local officials leading the response efforts. Biden pledged that the federal government will stand with Louisiana as it rebuilds…

Cut 9 (10) “…gets done 

It will take billions of dollars to rebuild. Biden says the hurricane recovery is an example of why Congress needs to pass an extensive infrastructure bill so that the state can build back better

Cut 10 (10)     better way.” 

Governor John Bel Edwards says the billions of dollars spent on shoring up levees after Hurricane Katrina is an example of building back better. Edwards says this could have been a much more expensive storm…

Cut  11 (11) “…would have happened.”  

_______________________

Entergy believes much of metro New Orleans will see power return by Wednesday. Entergy CEO Phillip May says they are still working on developing restoration estimates for the River Parishes along with Terrebonne, Lafourche, and lower Jefferson Parish

Cut 12 (10) “…coming days”  

At its peak, Entergy had 950-thousand customers without power. That number is down to 699-thousand. Entergy’s vice president of distribution operations, John Hawkins, says the damage done to their system is enormous…

Cut 13 (12) “..this storm”

Mays the restoration process is complex but they expect to make a lot of progress this weekend…

Cut 14 (11) “…been made”

Cleco says it has restored power to over 38-thousand of the roughly 97-thousand customers.

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Despite the heartache and devastation, Hurricane Ida caused in Louisiana this week, there are thousands of LSU fans in the Los Angeles area getting ready for Saturday night’s big game against UCLA in the Rose Bowl Jim Dumigan says he organized a charter flight to L-A that left Thursday from Baton Rouge

Cut 15 (12) “…especially one” 

Dumigan says he did not have any last-minute cancellations because of Hurricane Ida. He says based on the number of LSU fans who traveled from Louisiana and LSU grads on the west coast, there’s a chance Tiger Nation will outnumber UCLA fans…

Cut 16 (09) “…Rose Bowl.” 

The damage reports from Grand Isle are extremely dire after Jefferson Parish officials visited what was once the state’s only habitable barrier island before Hurricane Ida. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (38) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

____________________________________

 Progress is being made to get the lights back on in Louisiana, Dave Brannen has the details.

Cut 2 (32)…I’m Dave Brannen.”  

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The reports out of Grand Isle are catastrophic. Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng says she’s received dismal news from site visits of the barrier island, which was the state’s only habitable barrier island.

Cut 3 (13) “…are damaged.”

Sheng says the only people on the island are the mayor, the police chief, and some first responders. Because there is no means of communication on the island right now,  Sheng says they will be setting up a system to relay information to the residents of Grand Isle who she knows are anxious to receive word.

Jefferson Parish Councilman Ricky Templet says they’ve found 15 breaches in Burrito Levee that need to be addressed immediately because we are at the height of hurricane season. Despite the total devastation of Grand Isle, Templet says there is some bright news.

Cut 4 (12) “…all of this” 

Templet says there are updates on Jefferson Parish Facebook page, and he encourages residents to check for updates.

Jefferson Parish Director of Fire Services Bryn Adams wants to discourage any sightseers from visiting the area because it hinders responders’ ability to enter and exit the island. Adams says due to the lack of water on the island they are also unable to respond to any fires and there is a strong odor of natural gas on Grand Isle.  Adams says it will be several years before the island recovers.

Cut 5 (09) “…to where it was so.”

Sheng is encouraging those who are still in Jefferson Parish to leave and the parish remains under a 6 pm to 6 am curfew.

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After Hurricane Ida left New Orleans completely in the dark, power is slowly being restored.  Entergy President and CEO Deanna Rodriquez says the partial restoration took place at one this morning with the repair of a transmission line from Slidell…

Cut 6 (14) “… New Orleans east” 

More than 11,500 Orleans Parish customers had the lights back on by mid-morning today and that number is expected to keep increasing…

Cut 7 (11) “..Orleans Fire Department”  

Rodriquez and Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Philip May both say this is a first step in getting the power back on, May noting it’s a huge first step…

Cut 8 (12) “..Terrebonne Parish”

May says in the coming days  He expects to see a lot more progress as Entergy seeks to restore power to every last customer.  He says outside of New Orleans, the utility has restored power to more than 100,000 customers, most of that number in the Baton Rouge area.

The total number of outages has fallen below one-million and it’s now 989-thousand customers without electricity. That’s 44-percent of all Louisiana utility customers.

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Finding fuel is a difficult task in southeast Louisiana as many stations are out and there are long lines at stations that do have fuel. Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre says the local refineries that usually supply his agency and surrounding gas stations with fuel are not at the moment…

Cut 9 (13) “..we are” 

Webre says he can’t get answers on why local refineries are not up and running. He imagines they have to follow certain protocols

Cut 10 (12)     this storm” 

Webre says he’s been working storm recovery ever since Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and he can’t remember such a fuel shortage. He says if they can’t get any gasoline from the local refineries, they may need to look out of state…

Cut  11 (06) “…other refinieries”  

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Congressman Garret Graves says southeast Louisiana took a heck of a hit from Hurricane Ida. Graves’ district extends down into Thibodaux and lower Terrebonne Parish and he’s amazed by the widespread destruction the Category Four storm produced from storm surge to damaging winds

Cut 12 (14) “…and trees”  

Graves says he’s amazed by the damage in LaPlace…

Cut 13 (12) “..of the hurricane”

Fuel shortages are also a problem as Ida has created production and distribution issues. Graves says power is not the only issue refineries are facing and it’s a topic he’s discussed with the White House…

Cut 14 (11) “…sources of energy””

If you experienced damage from Hurricane Ida, you may be eligible for FEMA assistance. Brooke Thorington has more.

Cut 1 (32) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.” 

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Governor John Bel Edwards is touring Hurricane Ida storm damage today. Jeff Palermo has more from one of the governor’s stops…

Cut 2 (35)…I’m Jeff Palermo.”  

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If you suffered damage from Hurricane Ida, FEMA says to reach out to your insurance carrier first before applying for federal assistance.  FEMA cannot legally cover any damage that is already covered by your current insurance. FEMA spokesperson John Mills…

Cut 3 (12) “…or not.”

Mills says more than 13-hundred FEMA employees have been deployed to the state for response to Ida.

FEMA may be able to provide grants for basic home repairs so homeowners can restore their homes to a habitable condition. Mills says FEMA can also help residents who need to relocate temporarily.

Cut 4 (12) “…next steps.” 

In addition to home repairs and relocation costs, Mills says FEMA may also be able to assist with other expenses not covered by insurance.

Cut 5 (12) “…assistance.”

Mills says the fastest and easiest way to apply is by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov

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The 40 or so people who decided to ride out Hurricane Ida at Grand Isle have all been accounted for and are safe. The coastal town in Jefferson Parish experienced wind speeds of 140-miles per hour. Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng says she has spoken with Grand Isle Mayor David Camardelle

Cut 6 (09) “…on steroids” 

Sheng says Camardelle believes as many as 85-percent of the structures on the island sustained some sort of damage

Cut 7 (07) “..wind event”  

Sheng is advising Jefferson Parish residents who evacuated to stay away as they are without water. Parish officials are also looking to bus people out of the parish who are living without any running water or air conditioning. She says these are difficult times…

Cut 8 (12 “..not be broken”

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Governor Edwards says he saw catastrophic damage following a flyover of hurricane-stricken southeast Louisiana. Edwards spoke briefly with reporters in LaPlace, a city that experienced substantial flooding…

Cut 9 (12) “..St. John the Baptist Parish” 

With homes and businesses empty there are concerns some will take advantage and attempt to loot. St John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre had this message for looters..

Cut 10 (10)        by yourself” 

Tregre says 9-1-1 service is spotty, which means residents who have stayed behind will take matters into their own hands if they come across someone trying to commit a crime against them.

Edwards says he spoke with Entergy for two hours last night discussing the lack of power in southeast Louisiana. In St. Charles Parish, officials there say it may take at least one month before power is restored. Edwards is hopeful some hurricane victims will get power before then

Cut  11 (10) “…being restored”  

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Even though Hurricane Ida is long gone, flooding is still a concern in Tangipahoa Parish. Parish President Robby Miller says the Tangipahoa River is expected to crest well above flood stage at 25 feet at Robert during the overnight hours

Cut 12 (10) “…people flooded 

Miller says homes along the Tangipahoa River are already starting to flood…

Cut 13 (12) “…more people.”

Hammond officials say the city is completely out of gas.

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As many residents remain without power due to Hurricane Ida, a heat advisory has been issued with high temperatures expected to reach into the mid-90s today and tomorrow. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the advisory is due to the high temps and humidity.

Cut 14 (11) “…and Friday.”

Keim says because several residents are unable to cool off with a lack of air conditioning, they are advising you to stay out of the sun during the heat of the day and to delay clean up around your home until temperatures cool down to avoid heatstroke.

Cut 15 (09) “…smart about it.”

Catastrophic is the word local officials use as initial damage assessments come in from where Hurricane Ida came ashore as a Category Four storm. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (32) “ …I’m Jeff Palermo” 

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Hurricane Ida left New Orleans damaged and without power, but Mayor LaToya Cantrell says the community and first responders held the line. Erik Piccoli has the story.

Cut 2 (32)…I’m Erik Piccoli.”  

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Hurricane Ida has left New Orleans powerless, but the worst-case scenario has been avoided because the levees held preventing another Katrina-like flood event. Mayor LaToya Cantrell says today is a day of assessment to determine what the actual impact of the storm is as city agencies make the rounds…

Cut 3 (9) “…has been left out”

So far the city has noted collapsed buildings and fires but no extensive damages. Cantrell reports only one death directly caused by the storm.

Cut 4 (14) “…is still too many” 

New Orleans residents who have evacuated the city have been asked to remain where they are if they can. The mayor says Entergy is working on the power and AT&T is trying to restore mobile service. Cantrell has called on businesses with generators to be good neighbors…

Cut 5 (12) “…no doubt about it”

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Coastal parishes of southeast Louisiana are reporting catastrophic damage from Hurricane Ida. Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s office Captain Brennan Matherne says he rode out the storm in Galliano and experienced Ida’s wrath for several hours. He says the eye of the storm crossed over the town of Lockport

Cut 6 (09) “…southern area” 

Matherne says the good news is that their levee systems held up to the storm.

Cut 7 (12) “..in Lafourche Parish”  

Matherne says Ida was worst for Lafourche, than hurricanes Betsy, Gustav and Katrina…

Cut 8 (06) “…before”

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Jefferson Parish officials have told its residents that it will take 21 days for 90-percent of Entergy customers in that parish to receive power. A major transmission tower that feeds electricity to Orleans and Jefferson Parishes was knocked into the river last night. Jefferson Parish councilman Scott Walker has been in contact with Entergy…

Cut 9 (11) “..be a process” 

Walker says they have also been told the parish will be without water for five days. He says they are asking residents to be patient as basic services are restored…

Cut 10 (12) “…this before”

The Jefferson Parish coastal town of Grand Isle took the brunt of Hurricane Ida. Walker says before the gauge broke, wind speeds in excess of 130 miles per hour were recorded…

Cut  11 (13) “…this morning”  

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Ochsner reports many of their facilities experienced roof damage as a result of Hurricane Ida’s strong winds. Ochsner Health President Warner Thomas says there was so much damage at their hospitals in Houma and Raceland that the patients at those locations have been taken elsewhere

Cut 12 (11) “…blow in” 

The emergency rooms at St. Anne Hospital in Raceland and Chabert Medical Center in Houma remain open. A total of 65 patients were transferred.

Thomas says Ida”s destruction has not stopped them from providing quality care to their patients…

Cut 13 (13) “…emergent.” (2x)

Some areas of southeast Louisiana could be without water for days and electricity for weeks. But Thomas says they prepare for these difficult situations…

Cut 14 (15) “..ready to go”

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Tangipahoa Parish President Robby Miller says they are trying to get emergency crews out to answer 9-1-1 calls that came in last night but before first responders can venture out, they have to get clearance from Entergy due to the number of down powerlines. Miller encourages residents to be mindful as well.

Cut 15 (13) “…enegrized” 

Miller says so far, they have not had any reports of major injuries in the parish. Overall he says they do have lots of trees and powerlines down. But Miller says they do have reports of some homes flooding as a result of flash flooding on from the river.

Cut 16 (12) “…clear us.” 

As for electricity Miller says you might as well say the parish is 100-percent without power.