The hurricane damage is so extensive in Lake Charles that it will be weeks before people can live there again …

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

____________________________

The number of deaths as a result of Hurricane Laura is up to ten as half of those victims died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. Jeff Palermo has more…

cut 2 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”  

_____________________________

McNeese State hopes it can resume on-campus classes in a few weeks after it was damaged by Hurricane Laura. McNeese spokesperson Candace Townsend says they are still assessing the damage, but they know the school’s new health and human performance complex is banged up.

Cut 3 (06)  “…water intrusion there.”  

Townsend says the school has a newly installed scoreboard at the football stadium that was torn up.

Cut 4 (11)“ …us an assessment.” 

Townsend says the school is committed to finishing the fall semester.

Cut 5 (10)  “…to do so.”

_________________

Lake Charles is devastated and Mayor Nic Hunter warns it could be weeks before some semblance of normality returns.

Gator 99.5 Lake Charles on-air personality Buddy Russ says this is way worse than Hurricane Rita in 2005.

Cut 6 (07) “the ground”

Russ says Laura has changed the face of Lake Charles.

Cut 7 (09) “…recognizable”

The loss of water has led to an evacuation of patients from Memorial Hospital in Lake Charles.

Water lines are destroyed and power is down and there’s no solid estimate on when either will return. Mayor Nic Hunter is asking residents who return to Lake Charles, be prepared to look and leave.

Cut 8 (10) “right now”

Hunter says the city has been devastated by the strongest storm to hit the state in 150 years, but he’s optimistic that they can recover.

Cut 9 (10) “…better”

A curfew is in effect across the city.

______________________________

Governor John Bel Edwards is surveying the damage in central and north Louisiana today. Jackson Parish Sheriff Andy Brown says he’s never seen a storm impact the entire parish like this one

Cut 10 (09) “…without water.”

Brown says the Louisiana National Guard has been handing out water at the Jonesboro Community Center in Jonesboro.

Alexandria Senator Jay Luneau (loo-no) says the lack of water and electricity are major issues for Rapides Parish too…

Cut 11 (14) “…back up.”

Luneau says it’s a difficult time in Rapides Parish, but everyone is trying to stick together

Cut 12 (11) “…very encouraging”

_____________

About 102,000 SWEPCO customers are still without power following Hurricane Laura, down from the peak outage of 136,000.  SWEPCO spokesperson Carey Sullivan estimates most customers in the Shreveport-Bossier area should have power restored by 10 PM Wednesday and Cenla customers by 10 PM Thursday.

Cut 13 (11) “…to address immediately.”

To make matters worse, many residents who are without power and A-C, while dealing with hot temperatures and scattered thunderstorms. Sullivan says over 3,000 workers have come to Louisiana from 14 states and Canada to help in the restoration efforts, but some of that work may be slowed down by the forecast.

Cut 14 (07) “…our restoration time.” 

________________________

Governor Edwards says he’s optimistic that power to most people in north and central Louisiana can be restored in a manner of hours and days, and not weeks which could be the case in the Lake Charles area. In the meantime, he says be careful around downed lines.

Cut 15 (08) “your life” 

The number of water systems not operating statewide has risen to 82, many of them are down as a result of a loss of electricity. Edwards says this is concerning for many health care facilities…

Cut 16 (12) “…fight fires.” 

Louisiana is recovering from the effects of Hurricane Laura, having to dislodge a riverboat casino from the I-10 Bridge in Lake Charles and house nearly 2,000 evacuees in hotels. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

________________________________

Electric companies dispatching thousands of workers to restore power following Hurricane Laura.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

___________________________________________

Central and North Louisiana absorbed an unexpectedly fierce blow from Hurricane Laura. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 3 (31)  “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

______________________________

Now that Hurricane Laura has passed the state is busy surveying damage and sheltering those who lost their homes.

The I-10 Bridge in Lake Charles is currently being inspected after the Isle of Capri riverboat casino barge got loose in the lake and lodged itself under the bridge. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson says they’re working to figure out if the collision did any structural damage.

Cut 4 (111)“…there” 

The bridge was already declared structurally deficient by the US Department of Transportation, a designation Louisiana DOTD disputed.

Governor Edwards says 2,100 people are currently being sheltered by the state, 1,900 of them in hotels and motels. Edwards says it crucial that anyone needing housing be kept out of congregate settings…

Cut 5 (09)  “…space.”

Those needing shelter are encouraged to text LA Shelter to 898-211.

Disaster SNAP assistance is not yet available but Edwards is encouraging residents in impacted areas to pre-register.

Cut 6 (11) “…eligible”

You can pre-register at dcfs.louisiana.gov

Wilson asks people to stay away from the I-10 Bridge until they can confirm the structure is safe.

Cut 7 (03) “…bridge”

___________________________________

Crews are out attempting to restore power throughout the path of Hurricane Laura.  Cleco spokesperson Jennifer Cahill says they are receiving additional manpower to help in their statewide response to restore service to customers.

Cut 8 (12) “…425 line mechanics.”

Cahill says crews are seeing widespread damage with broken utility poles, down wires, and structural damage.

Cut 9 (05) “…start making repairs.”

Entergy Vice President of Customer Service Melonie Stewart says most of the customers that are out are primarily in Calcasieu and Ouachita Parishes.  Stewart says when the winds died down, assessment teams took to the skies to help formulate a plan on the best response.

Cut 10 (08) “…understand the damage..”

Entergy has 6200 workers in the state.  Stewart says some customers may be without power for weeks as restoration has to be prioritized to best benefit the health and safety of communities.

Cut 11 (09) “…to energize first..”

As of 5PM Thursday, SWEPCO says 128,000 customers are without power, which accounts for 94% of their customers.
_________________________

Hurricane Laura cut a path of destruction through Louisiana that stretches from Lake Charles to Ruston.

In Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Chief of Staff Tommy Carnline says they had no idea they’d be hit so hard so far inland.

Cut 12 (12) “…the top.”

A curfew is in effect in Rapides after 9 PM today.

Carnline says Gas pumps are down due to a lack of power and wifi. All traffic lights were knocked out, and over 40,000 lost power. Normally they’d be rushing deputies to south Louisiana, but…

Cut 13 (09) “…here” 

In some good news, there were no severe injuries reported in the parish.

In Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker says they’ve suffered a worse blow than they did during last year’s tornado.

Cut 14 (08) “town”

In Ruston, winds over 70 miles per hour were clocked.

Walker says 95 percent of the city lost power, compared to just 70 percent of the city during the tornado.

Cut 15 (09) “out” 

___________________

Hurricane Laura knocks off 67 water systems throughout Louisiana.  Chief Engineer at the Department of Health Amanda Ames says that is a tremendous amount of systems that can’t produce water right now because of loss of electrical power.

Cut 16 (08) “…a boil advisory..” 

Ames says over 220,000 residents are impacted by the outages.

Cut 17  (11) “…people without water.” 

Ames says some of the systems could be functional again as soon as power is restored, but other factors may result in longer service restoration times.

Cut 18  (07) “…of the damage.”   

Ames says depending on how long water service may be out, bottled water may be delivered to an area.

Hurricane Laura’s fierce winds have left a trail of catastrophic damage. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (33) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

____________________________

Governor Edwards says worst-case projections for Hurricane Laura did not come to pass, but the state still faces a long recovery…

cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

_____________________________

Hurricane Laura made landfall this morning as a Category Four storm, maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour, at 1 AM in Cameron. Lake Charles took a direct hit as they had sustained winds of at least 100 miles per hour. Calcasieu  Police Jury President Tony Guillory spoke with us as he surveyed the damage…

Cut 3 (11)  “…major one”  

Guillory says he’s never seen or felt wind speeds that he experienced when Laura barreled through Lake Charles…

Cut 4 (13)“ …good part” 

Guillory says he remembers Hurricane Rita in 2005, but the damage from this storm is worse

Cut 5 (05)  “…structure damage. ”

_________________

At least four fatalities have been reported in Louisiana as a result of Hurricane Laura. A 14-year-old girl in Leesville died when the fierce winds knocked a tree down on her home. Vernon Parish Sheriff Sam Craft says hundreds of trees are down, so it took a while before his deputies could arrive at the scene

Cut 6 (11) “residence”

The eye of the storm went right over Vernon Parish. Craft believes it spawned a couple of tornadoes and they had wins of over 120-miles per hour…

Cut 7 (10) “…very, very limited”

The other reported fatality happened near Iota in Acadia Parish. Sheriff K-P Gibson says a 68-year-old man died when a tree fell on his home

Cut 8 (12) “under that tree”

Gibson doesn’t believe Acadia Parish suffered the type of damage seen in Calcasieu and Vernon, but it could take a while before power is restored…

Cut 9 (11) “…get em up”

The other fatality that’s been reported occurred in Jackson Parish. A man died when a tree fell on his home.

______________________________

Congressman Ralph Abraham is surveying areas of the state severely impacted by Hurricane Laura. Abraham says he started at daybreak in his vehicle at Lake Charles then drove north to Deridder and on to Alexandria.

Cut 10 (10) “…left untouched.”

While the storm surge was half of what was predicted, Abraham says the state however still suffered extreme damage from Hurricane Laura.

Cut 11 (16) “…lot of damage.”

Governor Edwards tweeted this morning highly discouraging citizens from sightseeing damage caused by Laura at this time because the storm is still very active.  While Congressman Abraham was in Alexandria a tree fell in front of his vehicle and took out several power lines.

________________

Residents of Westlake, Moss Bluff, and Sulphur in Calcasieu Parish are being instructed to stay inside due to a chemical fire at the BioLab plant.  The fire has sent thick smoke into the air that contains poisonous chlorine.  Trooper Derek Senegal says hazmat teams are on the scene tending to the situation.

Cut 12 (13) “…of it reigniting.”

Senegal says residents need to stay indoors with doors and windows closed and the AC off.

Cut 13 (09) “…as a precaution.” 

According to the CDC, exposure to chlorine may cause burning pain, blurred vision, and difficulty breathing. The cause of the first is still being investigated.

________________________

Governor Edwards says the state is lucky to have avoided the worst-case scenarios projected for Hurricane Laura. Up to 20 feet of storm surge was predicted. Edwards says at most we got 12, and the surge did not push into Lake Charles as expected. Despite this he says at least four lives have been lost, and…

Cut 14 (11) “shelter”

The deaths have been reported in Vernon, Acadia, and Jackson Parishes, in each case it was a tree falling on a home.

The Governor says at least 600,000 Louisianans are without power and that number is expected to climb.

Cut 15 (12) “electricity” 

Laura registered 150 mile per hour winds as a near category five hurricane before making landfall.

Edwards says a record number of power crews and search and rescue first responders are scouring areas in the path of the storm. He asks you not to get in their way.

Cut 16 (10) “…do that.” 

1,500 search and rescue workers are active in the state.

For the first time since 2012, the entire Louisiana National Guard has been mobilized. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

________________________________

 Louisiana will remain in Phase Two until September 11th. Brooke Thorington has more…

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington” 

___________________________________________

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says about 500 Urban Search and Rescue team members are standing by with many from other states ready to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

______________________________

In response to Hurricane Laura Governor John Bel Edwards has mobilized the entire Louisiana National Guard, a decision he says hasn’t been made since Hurricane Isaac in 2012.

Louisiana National Guard Sgt. Denis Ricou (Denny Ree-coo) says more than 3,000 guardsmen are out and ready to support response and recovery efforts.

Cut 4 (12)“…government” 

10 engineer assessment teams and eight engineer work teams have been staged to clear roads and inspect infrastructure. Levee support and security teams are also on hand.

Ricou says those 3,000 plus soldiers will be utilizing the Guard’s extensive search and rescue assets.

Cut 5 (12)  “…efforts.”

Those search and rescue efforts will begin once the storm passes.

Ricou says they’ve got plenty of food and water to take care of people in the aftermath.

Cut 6 (08) “…to eat”

________________________

Governor Edwards officially extends Phase Two guidelines for another two weeks, citing the state’s still high case count and potential super spreading events that could occur due to Hurricane Laura.

Edwards says they’re having to discontinue most community testing this week due to Laura, and the timing couldn’t have been worse…

Cut 7 (13) “…positivity”

Edwards says between the resumption of K-12 education and the start of college classes more than a million Louisianans, whether students or staff, have been reintroduced to the education process.

Mass evacuations out of southwest Louisiana also have Edwards concerned. Hundreds of thousands are leaving for other parts of the state, and he notes the region has the highest positivity in Louisiana. And…

Cut 8 (09) “…shelters”

Edwards says the White House still has Louisiana in the red zone for new cases, and Dr. Deborah Birx noted Louisiana still has more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents.

Cut 9 (06) “…percent.”

The Governor says the next two week period includes Labor Day, and that past holidays have resulted in new surges in cases.

_________________________

Northwest Louisiana is bracing to endure hurricane conditions throughout the day as Laura is projected to maintain strength even as it moves inland.

DeSoto Parish Sheriff Jason Richardson says they dealt with Rita in 2005, but Laura looks set to top that.

Cut 10 (09) “…we’ve seen.”

Richardson says they’ve assembled their first responders group and stood up their emergency operations center in response.

Richardson says the biggest concern will be winds, which could be sustained at over 73 miles per hour, with higher gusts.

Cut 11 (05) “…here”

Six to eight inches of rain are predicted for parts of the region along the storm’s path.

Richardson says it’s unusual for them to have to make hurricane plans. Most of the time when storms strike it’s them sending assets to other areas.

Cut 12 (13) “…case.”

__________________

State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says Urban Search and Rescue teams are on standby to respond to the areas impacted by Hurricane Laura. Browning calls the teams critical in responding to building collapses and people being trapped in buildings.

Cut 13 (08) “…ready to respond.” 

Browning says the outlook is not good and hopes residents have fled coastal areas where massive storm surges are expected.

Cut 14 (10) “of evacuation.”

Browning says much of the state’s Urban Search and Rescue takes place outside of the state and says now many of those states are coming into to return the favor.

Cut 15 (10) “shelter” 

___________________

Louisiana could see massive flooding along the coast as a result of storm surge and heavy rainfall from Hurricane Laura. Jeff Palermo has more…

Cut 1 (35) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

____________________________

Governor Edwards tells southwest Louisiana residents who do not evacuate to stay in their homes once Laura makes landfall. Matt Doyle has the story.

cut 2 (28) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

_____________________________

Hurricane Laura is an extremely dangerous Category Four storm as it eyes a landfall in Cameron Parish early Thursday morning. Joel Cline with the National Hurricane Center says Laura will produce catastrophic storm surge…

Cut 3 (11)  “…unsurvivable”  

Once Laura makes landfall it will continue to head north along the Louisiana-Texas state line. Cline says the storm will produce heavy rainfall, a half a foot could fall in a short amount of time…

Cut 4 (10)“ …flash flooding” 

Laura’s maximum sustained winds are 125 miles per hour and the storm is expected to maintain hurricane strength as it moves over Toledo Bend. Benjamin Schott with the National Weather Service says hurricane-force winds will be felt in Alexandria and south of Shreveport…

Cut 5 (12)  “…this forecast. ”

Schott says a lot of structures, power lines, and trees will be knocked down.

_________________

The National Weather Service warns up to 20 feet of storm surge is possible in parts of southwest Louisiana due to Hurricane Laura.

Congressman Garret Graves says unlike southeast Louisiana, southwest Louisiana does not have an extensive network of levees.

Cut 6 (12) “harm’s way”

Governor Edwards warns this level of storm surge is “unsurvivable”.

Southwest Louisiana is bracing for historic damage and Graves says the feds are preparing to rush in financial aid to businesses who are already on the brink.

Cut 7 (07) “…back”

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, much of the city was underwater for days. Graves says that will not happen in southwest Louisiana because the abundant wetlands will allow the floodwaters to recede much faster.

Cut 8 (11) “Mexico”

Graves did warn that Hurricane Rita, which landed a similar blow in 2005, did wipe out large portions of the region’s wetlands.

______________________________

Entergy is finalizing plans to respond to power outages from Hurricane Laura. The power company has strategically placed crews and equipment and will begin restoration work as soon as the storm passes. Entergy CEO Phillip May…

Cut 9 (09) “…in Louisiana.”

May says if you are worried about the food in your refrigerator, there are settings you can change on that appliance that will help before the power goes out…

Cut 10 (06) “…colder.”

He also suggested freezing bottles of water and placing them in your freezer and refrigerator to help preserve food longer.

May says the outages will not be limited to just southwest Louisiana. He says Laura is expected to damage power lines across a large portion of the state, as it heads north after landfall…

Cut 11 (09) “…this storm.”

________________

Governor Edwards warns Hurricane Laura is projected to bring devastation not seen in southwest Louisiana since Hurricane Audrey in 1957.

Laura is now a category four hurricane that Edwards says is likely to create two-story-high storm surge.

Cut 12 (11) “…parish”

Flood projections show nearly all of Cameron Parish will be underwater.

180 miles of roads are expected to flood in Cameron Parish alone, and Edwards warns I-10 is likely to be overtopped in many areas in the southwest. He also warns many structures will be flattened.

Cut 13 (11) “…long time” 

The Louisiana National Guard has been fully mobilized for the first time since Hurricane Isaac in 2012.

Edwards says the window to evacuate will likely close by this afternoon. By then if you’re still in the storm’s path, do not leave your house once it makes landfall because trying to escape in the dark will be extremely dangerous. 

Cut 14 (10) “leave now”

Projections show sustained winds over 100 miles per hour will extend far inland, and low lying areas even above the I-10 will be in danger of flooding.

Calcasieu Parish officials say 70 percent of areas south of I-10 in the region may flood and are pleading with residents to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Laura…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

________________________________

NOAA predicts Laura will still be a hurricane by the time it makes it up to the Bossier-Shreveport area. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

___________________________________________

Hurricane Laura is expected to make landfall in less than 24 hours near the Louisiana/Texas border as a strong Category 3 storm. Kevin Barnhart has more.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

______________________________

A mandatory evacuation order has been called for Calcasieu Parish ahead of Hurricane Laura’s expected landfall early tomorrow morning.

Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter was unequivocal in his message that anyone who has the means of doing so needs to get out of the area as soon as possible.

Cut 4 (06)“…to do” 

Those who lack the means to evacuate themselves are being directed to Burton Coliseum via city busses to be transported to a safe area. Due to COVID complications, officials aren’t sure where that is yet.

Laura is projected to be a category three when it makes landfall near the Texas-Louisiana line. Hunter warned it is highly likely the area will see severe damage to critical infrastructure.

Cut 5 (11)  “…services.”

An estimated 70 percent of areas south of I-10 in the region are expected to flood.

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso has ordered a full evacuation of the jail.

Cut 6 (07) “…parish”

Mancuso says until the storm passes there will be a zero-tolerance policy on illegal behavior, and those arrested will have to ride out the storm and subsequent days in the jail.

The region hasn’t seen a storm like this since Rita in 2005, and Mancuso says that’s led some to forget important lessons from the past. With that in mind…

Cut 7 (09) “…help you”

Storm surge in Cameron and Calcasieu is projected to reach 13 feet, which according to region officials would be higher than that seen from Hurricane Rita.

______________________

Cajun Navy Relief is activating its team of volunteers to assist in rescues, recoveries, and clean up from Hurricane Laura.  From boat crews to chainsaw crews, founder of Cajun Navy Relief Colleen Udell says it’s all hands on deck.

Cut 8 (07) “…as we speak.”

Cajun Navy Relief has been instrumental in helping with other natural disasters.  Udell says this response is going to be a little different as some COVID-19 spread mitigation efforts will be implemented into their operations.

Cut 9 (10) “…these critical rescues.”

The group of volunteers work without pay using their personal equipment to provide immediate rescue and relief.  For those in the path of the storm that are in need of assistance, Udell recommends calling 911 first, then reach out to the organization need be.

Cut 10 (07) “…help.cajunnavyrelief.com.”

Udell says those interested in contributing time or other resources to the mission can find information on how to do so at their website, cajunnavyrelief.com.

____________________

Laura is now forecast to maintain hurricane strength through Thursday afternoon as it makes its way into northwest Louisiana.

National Weather Service is projected four to six inches of rain in Natchitoches, Homer, and Shreveport. Caddo Emergency Preparedness Deputy Director Robert Jump says they could see up to eight inches of rain in isolated areas.

Cut 11 (07) “…tough.”

The region could see sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or more, a highly unusual situation that far from the coast. Jump says people need to prepare…

Cut 12 (10) “…wind.”

Jump says Caddo hasn’t seen this kind of storm since 2005 when Rita took a very similar path to Laura. 

Cut 13 (03) “…time” 

___________________

Southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas are bracing for the impact of a Category 3 hurricane with the landfall of Laura around 1 AM Thursday morning. Governor John Bel Edwards says while the forecast has remained pretty consistent, the forecasted track has taken a slight shift to the east.

Cut 14 (07) “…Louisiana even further.”

Edwards says the storm continues to show parallels to Hurricane Rita in 2005.

Edwards urges all of coastal Louisiana to brace for storm surge.

Cut 15 (08) “…be most pronounced.” 

Edwards encourages residents to be where they will ride out the storm by noon today. Edwards says for the first time, the state is focusing on pre-landfall non-congregant shelter and has booked hundreds of rooms at hotels and motels for sheltering needs.

Cut 16 (08) “…appreciative of that.” 

_____________________________

LSU is 31 days away from its season opener against Mississippi State. The Tigers are not only getting ready to defend their national championship, but they also must take steps to avoid a coronavirus outbreak within the team. Coach Ed Orgeron says the players have to make a sacrifice if they want to play

cut 17  (30) “…careful” 

LSU began preseason camp last week and Orgeron says one of the more impressive players is linebacker Jabril Cox, who was a two-time All-American at North Dakota State. Orgeron says he likes how Cox goes about his business

Cut 18  (29) “…complete linebacker”   

Cox is expected to be one of the Tigers top players on defense, while Myles Brennan will lead the offense. Two freshmen are battling it out to be Brennan’s backup. Orgeron says TJ Finley and Max Johnson are talented and they have great character and smarts…

cut 19 (20) “…calm in the pocket”  

Orgeron says wide receiver Koy Moore, a freshman from Rummel High, has really been impressive during camp.

300-dollar federally boosted unemployment benefits resume tomorrow with a 900-dollar check that will be retroactive to August 1^st. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 1 (26) “…I’m Matt Doyle”  

____________________________

Governor Edwards says Phase Two of the economic reopening will likely be extended.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

cut 2 (30) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

_____________________________

Hurricane Laura is expected to strike southwest Louisiana as a Category Three storm. There’s a mandatory evacuation for Cameron Parish, but Cameron’s assistant emergency preparedness director Ashley Buller says many people started leaving last weekend

Cut 3 (11)  “…around here”  

The National Hurricane Center is forecasting a storm surge as much as 13 feet from Sea Rim State Park in Texas to Intracoastal City, Louisiana. The highest surge will be near and east of center. Buller says storm surge is their number one concern…

Cut 4 (11)“ …and water.” 

In 2005, Hurricane Rita flattened nearly every structure in Cameron Parish. Buller says that storm is still fresh in many peoples’ minds

Cut 5 (12)  “…the best”

_________________

300 dollar federally enhanced unemployment benefits will be sent out to qualifying unemployment recipients tomorrow.

Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie says this first payment is retroactive to August 1^st, so expect a much larger than usual payment Wednesday.

Cut 6 (08) “payments”

Starting next week the enhanced benefits will only be an additional 300 dollars a week on top of what you already receive from the state.

Dejoie says over 400,000 people will receive the benefits, but about 87,000 unemployed will not qualify, most of them because they don’t earn enough in-state benefits.

Cut 7 (10) “…plus up.”

Dejoie says that decision was a Labor Department ruling, and not a state decision.

About 20,000 receive over 100 a week from the state but are ineligible because they did not mark down that their unemployment is COVID-related. Dejoie says it could be an oversight on their part.

Cut 8 (08) “email”

The benefits are being funded by FEMA emergency response dollars, and Governor Edwards projects that pot will last about five to six weeks.

______________________________

Governor Edwards says he will likely extend Phase 2 restrictions but the exact details are not known. The current Phase 2 order expires Friday and it keeps most businesses at 50% capacity, bars closed, and masks mandatory.  Edwards says the start of a new school year is one reason for this decision…

Cut 9 (11) “…into contact.”

Edwards says the state will not have the same level of information and data they normally would due to the impact of Marco and Laura on drive-up testing facilities and adds emergency response could result in more viral spread.

Cut 10 (08) “…of super spread.”

Edwards says while the state has seen modest gains, the White House Coronavirus Task Force still believes Louisiana’s COVID metrics are a major concern.

Cut 11 (12) “…expressed some concerns.”

The current order is set to expire on Friday.  Edwards first confirmed the decision during an interview with Brian Haldane on Baton Rouge radio station Talk 107.3.

________________

Hurricane Laura is moving through the Gulf of Mexico with its eyes set for southwest Louisiana, southeast Texas coastline. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Laura is expected to ramp up to a category three storm with maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour…

Cut 12 (08) “…wind shear”

A hurricane warning is in effect San Luis Pass, Texas to Intracoastal City, Louisiana. Hurricane conditions are expected to arrive in this area tomorrow night and Keim says that’s when the heavy rainfall will start as well…

Cut 13 (09) “…southwestern Louisiana” 

Keim says wind speeds at landfall are expected to surpass 100-miles per hour at landfall. The storm is expected to keep moving north at landfall and remain a tropical storm Thursday night in northwest Louisiana.

Cut 14 (10) “ high gusts”

Governor Edwards warns the state to be ready for one of the strongest storms that Louisiana has seen in nearly 15 years.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “I’m Kevin Barnhart”

________________________________

LSU students are set to begin classes today under the New Normal. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

___________________________________________

Could Tropical Storm Laura impact drivers at the pump? Experts indicate the potential is there. Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

______________________________

Governor Edwards warns that Laura could make landfall in Louisiana as a strong Cat 2 hurricane or even a Cat 3.  Edwards says Laura could pack a punch in more than one way as it moves toward the coast.

Cut 4 (07)“…be rain impact.” 

The storm is currently expected to make landfall in southwest Louisiana in the early morning hours of Thursday.

Edwards says the storm has parallels to one of the state’s most historic storms and could be the strongest seen in nearly 15 years.

Cut 5 (09)  “…to Hurricane Rita.”

Edwards says residents need to take the threat seriously and says hurricane parties were already a bad enough idea in years past…

Cut 6 (09) “…their time preparing.”

______________________________

LSU students start classes today, with many returning to in-person education for the first time since March.

LSU Interim President Thomas Galligan says when students walk into their first class they’ll notice a six and a half foot tall Plexiglas shield on the podium separating them from their instructors.

Cut 7 (09) “…protection”

All instructors and students are mandated to wear face coverings while anywhere on campus.

Galligan says the Rec Center is back open at a limited capacity, as is the Student Union and dining options.

Cut 8 (08) “…careful.”

LSU is deploying four COVID testing pods on campus with the aim of providing 24 hours turnarounds on 5,000 tests a day. Galligan says efforts like that prove the administration is serious about safety, but still…

Cut 9 (08) “…reverse.”

Currently, a third of all classes will be all in person, a third will be hybrids, and a third will be online only.

____________________

Most models now have Hurricane Laura heading straight for Cameron Parish and moving directly inland to Lake Charles early Thursday morning.

This development has led to voluntary evacuation recommendations in the region. Calcasieu Emergency Preparedness director Dick Gremillion says it’s not the winds that have them most concerned…

Cut 10 (11) “…ago.”

Gremillion pointed to the flooding that occurred during Hurricane Ike in 2008 and Hurricane Rita in 2005 as possibly similar scenarios.

Lake Charles may not be on the coast but Gremillion says the storm surge still threatens the city due to the marshland to the south, and…

Cut 11 (10) “…Gulf.”

A hurricane watch is in effect for the southwest and south-central state coastline, with a tropical storm watch extending to the mouth of the Mississippi.

Models show Laura sitting just shy of category three strength upon landfall. Gremillion says category threes usually trigger mandatory evacuation orders but…

Cut 12 (10) “…steady.”

Gremillion says if you reside in a travel trailer, unsecured mobile home, or a storm surge area you need to seek other shelter.

_________________________

The drivers may soon feel the impact of Tropical Storm Laura at the pump.  Gas Buddy Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan says the price might inch up in the region and if evacuation orders are issued, that might cause some scarcity.

Cut 13 (11) “…to go around.” 

DeHaan says it could be a matter of days before a noticeable uptick in price hits the pump.  DeHaan adds that wholesale gas prices went up about a nickel per gallon yesterday for most of the country since the states of Texas and Louisiana are home to many of the nation’s refineries.

Cut 14 (09) “…48 hours or so.”

DeHaan says in the event that scarcity does become an issue in the days following the storm, the Gas Buddy app may be able to help in locating operational fuel sources.

Cut 15 (10) “to find fuel.” 

________________________

It may have been a chaotic offseason but Saints Coach Sean Payton says his players are getting back into the groove of normal training camp activities. He says the past few days the emphasis has been less on-field training and more on football IQ.

Cut 16 (18) “…situations” 

Saints rookie interior lineman Cesar Ruiz is locked into a position battle with last year’s second-round selection Erik McCoy over who will get to man the center of the line and who will get kicked out to right guard. Payton says they don’t have a clear idea yet on who will play what position.

cut 17  (11) “…combination” 

The position battle opened up after the Saints released veteran right guard Larry Warford after drafting Ruiz.

McCoy says he’s enjoying the competition and is open to moving to right guard from his native center. He also remarked on how third-string QB, former Tampa star Jamies Winston is adapting to the new playbook and expectations.

Cut 18  (10) “…now”   

The Saints start the season September 13^th at home against the new look Brady-led Bucs.

The competitive race for the 5^th district Congressional seat held by a retiring Congressman Ralph Abraham sees its first TV ad buy. Brooke Thorington has the story…

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Brooke Thorington”  

____________________________

Governor Edwards responded to the new outlook for Marco and Laura, along with good pandemic news at his 1130AM press conference today. Matt Doyle has more…

cut 2 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”  

_____________________________

Louisiana has caught a break with Marco as it’s barely a Tropical Storm as it’ approaches Louisiana’s coast National Weather Service Meteorologist Freddie Zeigler says wind shear and dry air has pushed all of the thunderstorm activity to Florida and Alabama…

Cut 3 (11)  “…activity”  

The forecast calls for Marco to move into Plaquemines and Lower Jefferson Parish this afternoon and then into LaFourche Parish as it continues to weaken.

Zeigler says the bigger concern is with Tropical Storm Laura which is near Cuba. Laura is expected to strengthen as it develops into a Category Two hurricane this week and make landfall along the Lousiana-Texas coast on Wednesday night, Thursday morning. Zeigler says Laura could produce a dangerous storm surge…

Cut 4 (12)“ …Gulf coast.” 

Zeigler says they also expect Laura to be a big storm, which means a large portion of the region could be impacted…

Cut 5 (08)  “…wind field”

_________________

Retiring Congressman Ralph Abraham’s former Chief of Staff Luke Letlow is the first candidate in the 5^th Congressional District race to hit the TV airwaves with ads.

Letlow is reporting a strong 500,000 dollars raised so far in the race. ULM Poli Sci Professor Joshua Stockley says its certainly early for a campaign to start TV ads…

Cut 6 (07) “…risk”

Nine candidates are contending for the vacant seat in the ruby-red district that encompasses large swaths of the northeast and central portions of the state.

Letlows two major Republican opponents are state lawmaker Lance Harris and Police Juror Scotty Robinson. Stockley says Letlow is flexing his frontrunner status.

Cut 7 (12) “…their own.”

The three are likely contending to be the strong favorite in a run-off race with a Democratic candidate.

Stockley says there is some risk in running ads so early in the season considering everyone is distracted by hurricane season, the pandemic, and the Presidential Election.

Cut 8 (11) “October”

The race is on the November 3^rd Presidential ballot, and a likely run-off is set for December 5^th.

______________________________

A police pursuit on LA Highway 82 in St. Mary Parish ends in a fatal crash, leaving two people dead. A Patterson Police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 39-year-old Joseph James of Franklin, but Trooper Thomas Gossen says the driver fled, reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour.

Cut 9 (11) “…in the hospital.”

46-year-old Warren Joe Hines and 17-year-old Markqel James, both of Franklin were identified as the passengers. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

A toxicology sample was obtained from the driver. Gossen says it is unclear what motivated James to evade police.

Cut 10 (09) “…with disastrous consequences.”

Gossen says the crash is a grim reminder of the importance of being properly restrained.

Cut 11 (07) “…important as well.”

________________

Governor Edwards says Louisiana is set to dodge the first of what was thought to be a one-two punch from Marco and Laura.

Edwards says projections of strong tropical storm conditions from Marco in southeast Louisiana appear unlikely to become reality.

Cut 12 (08) “…Florida”

Some storm surge along the southeast coast is still expected but rain totals and heavy winds from Marco are projected to be at best localized.

Edwards says with Marco fizzling the state is turning its attention to Laura and taking the storm very seriously ahead of its projected Wednesday night landfall in southwest Louisiana.

Cut 13 (13) “…aircraft” 

Laura is projected to be a strong category two at landfall, but Edwards warns conditions are ripe for it to develop into a major category three hurricane.

The Governor did have some good news: last week the state saw the positivity rate of COVID tests continue to drop.

Cut 14 (09) “left”

Despite the recent decline in COVID transmission Edwards says Louisiana is still around 15^th in the nation for cases per capita and positivity.

Edwards says those bracing for impact from Laura in southwest Louisiana need to recognize the virus is still very much present as they make their plans.

Cut 15 (10) “shelter” 

Lafayette saw multiple large demonstrations over the weekend against the Lafayette Police shooting of 31-year-old Trayford Pellerin. The protests erupted after a witness video of the incident was released…

Cut 1 (32) “I’m Matt Doyle”

_____________________________________

President Trump signs a federal emergency declaration for Louisiana ahead of an expected one-two punch from Tropical Storm Marco and Hurricane Laura this week. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 2 (28) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

___________________________________________

Entergy Louisiana has 3,400 storm workers in place across the state’s coastal areas ready to restore power following the impacts of Marco and Laura.  Kevin Barnhart has the story.

Cut 3 (30)  “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”  

______________________________

There were multiple large protests in Lafayette over the weekend against the Friday night police killing of 31-year-old Trayford Pellerin.

A video shows officers following and shooting Pellerin, who was walking with a knife. NAACP Lafayette President Mardja Broussard says there had to be a better way for police to handle this…

Cut 4 (06)“ .person” 

The video appears to show Lafayette police shouting for Pellerin to stop before they begun tazing him to no effect. As he began entering a convenience store at least ten shots were fired, seemingly into Pellerin’s back.

Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory has released a statement in support of the officer’s actions. Broussard calls Guillory a racist mayor.

Cut 5 (08)  “…community”

The incident is now being investigated by State Police.

Broussard notes this is the third Lafayette Police officer-involved shooting in the last five months.

Cut 6 (08) “…front yard”

State Police say the officers were responding to reports of a disturbance at a nearby convenience store when they first approached Pellerin and attempted to taze him. They say he then fled half a mile to the next store before the final, fatal confrontation.

______________________________

Governor Edwards warns Louisiana is set to take a one-two punch from Tropical Storm Marco and Hurricane Laura.

Edwards says the timing of these two storms will create a uniquely difficult search and rescue and power restoration scenario.

Cut 7 (07) “…hours”

Edwards says if your power goes out work to begin restoring it may not be able to begin until later this week.

Edwards thanked President Trump for signing off on his request for a federal emergency declaration.

Cut 8 (10) “…support.”

Edwards cautioned that the Hurricane Center now says Laura could be a category three hurricane when it makes landfall Wednesday afternoon, and the cone of uncertainty covers all of southwest and central Louisiana.

Cut 9 (12) “…images.”

Marco is set to begin impacting the southern portion of the state Monday afternoon, and the effects of Laura are expected to be felt Wednesday.

____________________

Entergy Louisiana has put teams in place across the state’s coastal areas as residents brace for the impacts of Marco and Laura.  Customer Service Vice President Melanie Stewart says there are many complexities that come with preparing for different scenarios with a double storm impact.

Cut 10 (13) “…3400 restorations workers..”

Stewart says with the abundant amount of variables, their team is going to be working twice as hard and customers may need to practice some patience if power is lost.

Cut 11 (09) “…a lot of patience.”

Stewart says there are also logistical challenges that come with COVID-19 spread mitigation measures being incorporated into response operations that may slow things down.

Cut 12 (10) “…and for hours..”

Stewart says call and report a downed powerline and never try to handle it yourself as the line may still have electricity going to it.

_________________________

The Louisiana coast is preparing for the double impact of tropical cyclones this week with the first landfall expected later this evening from Tropical Storm Marco.  State Climatologist Barry Keim says this storm may have weakened in wind intensity last night, but it’ll still be bringing with it storm surge and possible severe weather in outer bands.

Cut 13 (10) “…tomorrow afternoon.”

Keim says we should have a better idea of what to expect from Laura after its interaction with land as it moves through the Carribean.

Cut 14 (13) “…on Wednesday evening.”

Keim says with two storms impacting within such close proximity, the weather community has had quite a challenge in developing forecasts for these storms as well as figuring out how they might influence each other.

Cut 15 (08) “…things like that.”

________________________

Louisiana Tech football coach Skip Holtz calls the three-way battle for starting quarterback a healthy competition. Holtz is impressed with how much respect Aaron Allen, Luke Anthony and Westin Elliot have respect for each other as they compete. Redshift sophomore Aaron Allen says they push each other to get better

Cut 16 (18) “…perform better” 

Senior Westin Elliot has been on campus since 2017 and says whoever wins the job will be able to lead the Bulldogs to victories…

cut 17  (19) “…to win” 

Luke Anthony a graduate transfer from Abilene Christian is the third quarterback in the competition. The Dallas native was a three-year starter for the Wildcats and says he had interest from Power five schools, but knew La Tech was for him…

Cut 18  (20) “…my fit”   

____________________________________________________

The Saints are less than three weeks from the season opener against Tampa Bay and so far so good when it comes to keeping COVID-19 out of the building. Coach Sean Payton says he’s even surprised that the team has stayed virus free

cut 19 (17) “…good way”  

Drew Brees did not practice yesterday. The 41-year-old worked on throwing the deep ball during the offseason with his personal trainer, Todd Durkin. Payton says he’s seen a difference

cut 20 (25) “  throwing motion”