Louisiana is bracing for Hurricane Delta which will be the fourth named storm to hit the Boot this year. Landfall is expected in southwest Louisiana tomorrow afternoon or early evening. Governor John Bel Edwards says you have until tonight to get your affairs in order and hunker down, no matter where you are in south and central Louisiana.
Cut 7 (12) “ready”
For the second time in 43 days, Calcasieu Parish officials have called for a mandatory evacuation. Parish President Tony Guillory is concerned the unsecured debris leftover from Hurricane Laura and makeshift repairs will make the area more vulnerable to Delta’s damaging winds…
cut 11 (08) “….situation”

A House committee unanimously approves legislation aimed at preventing future scenarios like the one that almost got a Jefferson Parish fourth-grader expelled for moving a BB Gun during virtual instruction. Matt Doyle has the story…
Cut 3 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

Because of Hurricane Delta, the pause button has been hit on the special session as lawmakers will not reconvene until at least Monday. The Saints thought about re-locating to Indianapolis, but they’ll stay in New Orleans. LSU has an unexpected road game at Missouri on Saturday and the Cajuns game against Coastal Carolina has been moved to Wednesday.

Hurricane Delta is a Category Two storm and is expected to become a Category 3 again before making landfall tomorrow in southwest Louisiana. Delta is expected to bring heavy rain and damaging winds to Louisiana’s coast.

Calcasieu Parish residents are bracing for another punch from a powerful storm….
cut 2 (32) “….I’m Kevin Barnhart”

A hurricane warning is in effect for southwest Louisiana and into central Louisiana.

The state’s unemployment trust fund ran out of money yesterday, but Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie says those receiving unemployment benefits will continue to receive them, but Louisiana is now borrowing federal dollars.
Cut 4 (09) “…operating procedures are.”
Employers fund the trust fund, so that means they could have to pay additional payroll taxes. But the governor and the state legislature are trying to address that issue.

The House Education Committee heard from the family of Ka’Mauri Harrison yesterday as there’s a bill heading to the House floor that addresses his situation. Jefferson Parish schools suspended the fourth-grader for six days after he moved a BB gun during a virtual class. The legislation would create a protocol for disciplinary procedures related to online education. Ka’Mauri’s father Nyron Harrison…
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Hurricane Delta is barrelling down on southwest Louisiana at a remarkably fast pace. Matt Doyle has more on what that might mean for its Friday impact.
Cut 1 (27) “ I’m Matt Doyle”

For the second time in 43 days, Calcasieu Parish has issued an emergency evacuation order for its residents who are at the beginning stages of recovering from Hurricane Laura. Parish President Tony Guillory says for those who choose to stay, prepare to rough it for several days…
cut 12 (07) “…water”

The House Education Committee has approved a bill called the Ka Mauri Harrison Act. He’s the fourth-grader in Jefferson Parish who was suspended for six days after moving a BB gun during a virtual class. Harrison now has a weapons violation on his permanent record. Ka Mauri’s father explained to the committee what happened and Baton Rouge Representative Rick Edmonds is flabbergasted…
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The measure, which would give families more options to appeal disciplinary decisions and requiring schools to write policies specifically for online learning, heads to the House floor for more discussion.

Lawmakers wrapped up the last of their business for the week Wednesday before heading out of town ahead of Hurricane Delta.

The fight over the Governor’s public health authority continued with a tense House committee meeting regarding legislation that would provide civil and criminal immunity to those who gather for religious services during a state of emergency, even if such gatherings are banned.

The legislation was approved, but not before Central Pastor Tony Spell, who was arrested for holding services against the state ban, testified and attacked the Governor…

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But Chairman Ted James cut him off…

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House Education heard legislation inspired by the controversial punishment of a Jefferson Parish 4^th grader who briefly had a BB gun in the frame of his camera while taking an online class. The story of Ka’Mauri Harrison sparked nationwide interest when he was nearly expelled for the incident and slapped with a permanent record tag for a weapons violation. The bill would provide for the creation of school disciplinary procedures relative to online instruction, but Harrison’s father, Nyron told the committee it’s just a shame it even had to come to this…

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Harrison was disciplined as if he had brought a weapon onto a school campus.

The state’s unemployment insurance trust fund has now been completely depleted. Workforce Commission executive director Ava Dejoie says those that are receiving benefits will continue to receive them, but Louisiana is borrowing federal dollars to make it happen.

Cut 4 (09) “…operating procedures are.”

The 4 PM advisory on Delta shows max winds down to 85 mph. Forecast to still become a major hurricane in the western Gulf. Landfall forecast along Louisiana coast by Friday afternoon as Cat. 2.State Climatologist Barry Keim says the most likely point of impact right now appears to be somewhere in St. Mary, Iberia, or Vermillion Parishes.

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Hurricane Delta forces the relocation of this Saturday’s Missouri-LSU game.  Instead of taking place at Tiger Stadium, the Tigers will be heading to Columbia, Missouri.  The game was originally set for Saturday night, but with the change in venue comes a change in kickoff time. LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says the 11 AM kickoff will be a benefit, because a night game would have resulted in the team rolling back into Baton Rouge extremely early Sunday morning…

Cut 7 (06) “…advantage for us.”

The Ragin’ Cajuns Saturday game against Coastal Carolina has been postponed to 6:30 Wednesday night at Cajun Field.

It was just over a month ago that Rapides Parish was roughed up by Hurricane Laura and now the area is in the track of Hurricane Delta.  Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Tommy Carnline says the area has a feeling of exhaustion in seeing they may get a second round with the 2020 hurricane season.

Cut 11 (09) “…getting really absurd.”

Carnline says deputies are already preparing to clear the roads for utility restoration teams as well as first responders.

Legislation granting criminal and civil immunity to those who gather for religious services against state orders during an emergency clears a House committee. The legislation also aims to retroactively void charges like those against Central Pastor Tony Spell, but Chairman Ted James says even if this is signed into law it can’t be applied to past cases.

Cut 10 (06) “…retroactive.”

The bill heads next to the House where a series of efforts restricting or overturning the Governor’s public health orders have passed.

There was a tense moment in a Committee hearing about legislation that would grant immunity to those who gather for religious services against state orders during an emergency. Brooke Thorington has the story…

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Hurricane Delta is expected to bring some strong winds to parts of the state Friday, but State Climatologist Barry Keim says only four to eight inches of rain…

Cut 4 (07) “like that”

Hurricane Delta forces the relocation of this Saturday’s Missouri-LSU game.  Instead of taking place at Tiger Stadium, the Tigers will be heading to Columbia, Missouri.  LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says the team is adapting to the last-minute shakeup.

Cut 6 (09) “…practice in Missouri.”

LSU currently sits at 17 in the Top 25.

It was just over a month ago that Rapides Parish was roughed up by Hurricane Laura and now the area is in the track of Hurricane Delta.  Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Tommy Carnline says deputies are already preparing to clear the roads for utility restoration teams as well as first responders.

Cut 12 (09) “…it happens bad.”

Carnline says the message to residents is to prepare now. 

A Hurricane Watch is up from High Island, Texas to Grand Isle, Louisiana as Hurricane Delta has made its way into the Southern Gulf of Mexico. Delta is moving northwest at 17 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour. A landfall in southwest Louisiana is most likely at this moment. Rain and storm surge predictions for Delta are not that severe, but we could see heavy wind damage well inland…
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Based on the latest forecast track for Delta, it will maintain its hurricane strength as it moves into central Louisiana on Friday night. Rapides Parish Cheif of Saff Tommy Carnline says his message for residents is to prepare for the potential of more power outages…
cut 13 (11) “…days and food”

A Louisiana House committee approved a bill today that would prevent emergency orders from impacting churches. Pastor Tony Spell in East Baton Rouge parish faces several charges for holding large church services during the stay a home order…
cut 9 (12) “..Godless Governor”
The bill heads to the floor after the six-three vote in favor.

Most of the Louisiana coast is now under a Hurricane Watch as Delta is on track to make landfall in the state sometime Friday, and approaching the coast as a category three hurricane. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Delta’s biggest threat at the moment appears to be its potential to bring some heavy wind damage deep inland…

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It was just over a month ago that Rapides Parish was roughed up by Hurricane Laura and now the area is in the track on Hurricane Delta. Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Tommy Carnline says the area has a feeling of exhaustion in seeing they may get a second round with the 2020 hurricane season.

Cut 11 (09) “…getting really absurd.”

Delta will be only the third named storm to hit the state in October since 1851.

Legislation granting criminal and civil immunity to those who gather for religious services against state orders during an emergency clears a House committee. Oil City Representative Danny McCormick says his bill is in response to the state’s ban on in-person church services early in the pandemic…

Cut 8 (10)..and well.”

Central Pastor Tony Spell was among those who testified in the hearing.

Delta forces LSU to change Saturday’s game site to Columbia, Missouri. Along with the change in venue comes a change in kickoff time.  LSU Head Football Coach Ed Orgeron says the 11 AM kickoff is to the benefit of the team because a night game would have resulted in the team rolling back into Baton Rouge extremely early Sunday morning, throwing off the circadian rhythm of the team.

Cut 7 (10) “…advantage for us.”

Most of the Louisiana coast is now under a Hurricane Watch as Delta is on track to make landfall in the state sometime Friday, and potentially as a category three hurricane. State Climatologist Barry Keim says Delta is currently only forecasted to bring about four to eight inches of rain to the state…

Cut 4 (07) “like that”

The NWS storm surge forecast calls for seven to eleven feet of surge from Pecan Island to Port Fourchon and four feet of surge elsewhere along the coast.

Hurricane Delta forces the relocation of this Saturday’s Missouri-LSU game.  Instead of taking place at Tiger Stadium, the Tigers will be heading to Columbia, Missouri.  LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says the team is adapting to the last-minute shakeup.

Cut 6 (09) “…practice in Missouri.”

The game was originally set for Saturday night, but with the change in venue comes a change in kickoff time. Kickoff is now 11am.

A bill addressing the suspension of a 4^th grader in Jefferson Parish for having a BB Gun in his bedroom during virtual class passed this morning in the House Education Committee. The author of the proposal, Jennings State Representative Troy Romero, believes the Jefferson Parish School Board overreacted to the situation.

Cut 9 (09) “I’m concerned”

Parents of the 4^th Grader also testified this morning before the committee.

And Former Governor Mike Foster is being laid to rest today in his hometown of Franklin. He passed away Sunday he was 90 years old.