Bars in a limited number of parishes have begun inviting patrons back for the first time in months. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (28) “I’m Matt Doyle”

As you heard Matt say, restaurants and bars that are allowed to open must serve its last drink by 11 PM. When the Phase 3 order came out last week, 10 PM was last call, but Edwards has announced he’s giving these establishments another hour. Bars must still close at 11 PM.

Sad news report, Remy Hidalgo, the Denham Springs football player who collapsed during practice on Tuesday has died at a New Orleans hospital.

The first day of Fall is Tuesday and it will feel more like fall starting today as a cold front moves through the state, which will lower our temperatures and humidity. But there’s also a Tropical Depression in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. State Climatologist Barry Keim says the forecast models have this system eventually growing into a hurricane, but a Texas landfall seems most likely at this point…
cut 6 (11) “….the next week”

LSU legends Mahmoud Abdul Rauf and Glenn Dorsey are entering the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as they will go in as the Class of 2021. Hall of Fame Chairman Doug Ireland says Dorsey was a two-time All American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2007…
cut 11 (09) “….senior year”
The Saints all-time receiver Marques Colston will also be enshrined in June.

Bars are reopening in select Louisiana parishes that have less than a five percent positivity rate on COVID tests for a two week period. City Bar in Crowley opened Wednesday night. Owner Chad Monceaux (mon-so) says his patrons were ready to return.
Cut 7 (09) “…good stuff.”
Bars have reopened in four parishes, Acadia, Jefferson Davis, St. Landry, and Plaquemines. St. Charles and St. James parish opted in last night.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services reports 12-million dollars in disaster food stamps have been paid out to Hurricane Laura victims and Assistant Secretary of Family Support Shavana Howard says they expected another 100-thousand to apply…
cut 14 (09) “….in and apply”
Residents who lost food as a result of power outages and damages to their home from Hurricane Laura could be eligible for disaster food stamps.

Two of the best to ever play football in the Bayou State will be enshrined into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in Natchitoches. Matt Doyle has more…
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

According to a post from the family of Remy Hidalgo, the Denham Springs football player passed away this morning at a New Orleans hospital. Hidgalo collapsed at practice on Tuesday and his condition continued to deteriorate. His friends have described Remy as a great guy and would give the shirt off his back if someone asked for it.

Governor Edwards has altered the Phase 3 order to allow on-premise sale and consumption of alcohol until 11 PM, instead of 10 PM at restaurants, casinos, and bars in parishes that are eligible to opt in to reopen bars. Bars have been open in Acadia, Jefferson Davis, St. Landry and Plaquemines Parish. The owner of City Bar in Crowley Chad Monceaux says he’s glad to be back, but wonders how long the state will remain in Phase 3…
cut 8 (11) “…families”
St. James and St. Charles parishes voted last night to allow bars to re-open in their parishes.

A cold front moves through the state today. State Climatologist Barry Keim says we’ll see lower humidity and dew points…
cut 5 (08) “….be absolutely fantastic”

The Department of Children and Family Services reports a little over 60,000 have applied for disaster food stamps in Hurricane Laura impacted areas. Barnhart has more…
Cut 3 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart.”

7,600 unemployment claimants received notices that they’d been overpaid due to a technical error with a Louisiana Workforce Commission vendor. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame welcomes  Saints receptions leader Marcus Colston, LSU defensive legend Glen Dorsey, and Former LSU basketball star Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, formerly known as Chris Jackson, into the hall this year.

Hurricane Laura had a substantial effect on the agriculture industry and Monroe pecan farmer Abraham Lincoln says he’s suffered a lot of damage that’s going to cost him a lot of money. The damage is even more detrimental since this year appeared to be a promising harvest. Lincoln says he invested extra care into the crop that would have been harvested by the first of October.

Cut 8 (13) “…what it was.”

Haunted houses can open in Louisiana this year but will be limited to 50 total people in the building and guests will be limited to groups of six with mask-wearing and social distancing enforced. Fire Marshal Butch Browning says each facility will have guidelines to follow.

Cut 11 (06) “…threat.”

To open each facility will have to check in with the state on OpenSafely.la.gov to get guidance on what they need to do to begin.

A technical issue resulted in 76-hundred unemployment claimants receiving an erroneous message claiming they owed overpayment money to the state and feds. Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie says they are working with their vendor to resolve the issue, and it should be taken care of without most claimants needing to get involved.

Cut 3 (07)  “…contend with.”  

The error resulted in some receiving requests for over ten thousand dollars of back payments.

Haunted Houses will be allowed to open this year but under strict permitting requirements and pandemic health restrictions. Fire Marshal Butch Browning says only 50 people total will be allowed in the building…

Cut 9 (11) “…escort”

Group sizes will be limited to six people.

Hurricane Laura had a substantial effect on the agriculture industry and Monroe pecan farmer Abraham Lincoln says his nuts were severely impacted. Lincoln says the damage to his nuts is even more detrimental since this year appeared to be a promising harvest. On a good year, his operation will move about 3 million pounds of nuts, but this year, he anticipates it will be closer to a quarter-million pounds.
Cut 7 (05) “…on the ground.”
Lincoln says he invested extra care into the crop that would have been harvested by the first of October. Nuts that were knocked out of trees are not salvageable.
Utility provider B-E-C-i says they’ve restored power to 60-percent of their membership as power has nearly been restored to all of their customers in Vernon and Rapides Parishes. The goal of getting power restored to those that can receive it is by the end of the month. Spokesperson Danielle Tilley says in addition to the over 100 employees working in their offices, they still have plenty of boots on the ground to finish the job.

Cut 14 (07) “…area working hard.” 

76-hundred Louisiana unemployment recipients got notices last week that they owed potentially over ten thousand dollars to the state and feds for unemployment overpayments. Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie says that was the result of a technical error by a vendor, and it’s being corrected on their end…

Cut 4 (05)“ …apologize.” 

If you’ve been impacted by this technical error and have questions you are encouraged to email LWC.

Haunted Houses will be allowed to open this year but they’ll have to operate under some strict health protocols to keep the COVID at bay. Only 25 guests and 25 workers will be allowed in the building and State Fire Marshal Butch Browning says those guests will have to be in small groups of only six…

Cut 10 (12) “…report”

Hurricane Laura had a substantial effect on the agriculture industry and Monroe pecan farmer Abraham Lincoln says his nuts were severely impacted.  Lincoln says while there are still some nuts in the trees, there aren’t enough to make it beyond his local customers.

Cut 6 (08) “…nuts for that.”

Louisiana isn’t the only state to see its pecan crops negatively impacted by hurricanes.  Georgia is the nation’s largest pecan producer and they’ve been impacted by Hurricane Sally.

Utility provider B-E-C-i says they’ve restored power to 60-percent of their membership as power has nearly been restored to all of their customers in Vernon and Rapides Parishes. Following the storm, the initial estimate was that full restoration could take four to five weeks.

Cut 13 (04) “…in that estimate.”

That’s spokesperson Danielle Tilley who says restoring power for the remaining customer will be difficult.

Haunted Houses will need to request special permission to open this year in order to operate under COVID restrictions. Matt Doyle spoke with the State Fire Marshal Butch Browning
cut 2 (28) “I’m Matt Doyle”

The state fire marshal’s office is investigating a house fire that killed two people last night in the small town of Husser in Tangipahoa Parish. Authorities say an elderly male and female were found dead inside the completely damaged home. No other details have been released.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission says a technical issue led to nearly 76-hundred unemployed residents receiving a notice telling them they would have to pay back thousands of dollars in unemployment benefits. L-W-C Secretary Ava Dejoie says a vast majority of individuals will not owe anything and they apologize for the confusion…
cut 5 (12) ‘…correction”

Utility provider B-E-C-i says they’ve restored power to 60-percent of their membership as power has nearly restored to all of their customers in Vernon and Rapides Parishes. Spokesperson Danielle Tilley says getting the lights on for the rest of their members who are out will not be easy…
cut 12 (12) “…takes some time”
Following the storm, the initial estimate was that full restoration could take four to five weeks.

7,600 unemployment claimants received notices that they’d been overpaid due to a technical error with a Louisiana Workforce Commission vendor. Jeff Palermo has the story.

Cut 1 (31) “…I’m Jeff Palermo”  

The state reports 500 new COVID-19 cases out of just over 9000 tests. Total fatalities increase to 5,143, up by 17. Statewide hospitalizations are at the lowest point since June at 663, down by 15 since yesterday, with 106 of those patients on ventilators.

Haunted Houses will be allowed to open this year but under strict permitting requirements and pandemic health restrictions. Fire Marshal Butch Browning says each facility will have guidelines to follow.

Cut 11 (06) “…threat.”

To open each facility will have to check in with the state on OpenSafely.la.gov to get guidance on what they need to do to begin.

Hurricane Laura had a substantial effect on the agriculture industry and Monroe pecan farmer Abraham Lincoln says his nuts were severely impacted. The damage to his nuts is even more detrimental since this year appeared to be a promising harvest. Lincoln says he invested extra care into the crop that would have been harvested by the first of October.

Cut 8 (13) “…what it was.”

Hurricane season also hasn’t been friendly to Georgia, the nation’s largest pecan producer, as they’ve been impacted by Hurricane Sally.

A technical issue resulted in 76-hundred unemployment claimants receiving an erroneous message claiming they owed overpayment money to the state and feds. Louisiana Workforce Commission Secretary Ava Dejoie says they are working with their vendor to resolve the issue, and it should be taken care of without most claimants needing to get involved.

Cut 3 (07)  “…contend with.”  

The error resulted in some receiving requests for over ten thousand dollars of back payments.

Haunted Houses will be allowed to open this year but under strict permitting requirements and pandemic health restrictions. Fire Marshal Butch Browning says only 50 people total will be allowed in the building…

Cut 9 (11) “…escort”

Group sizes will be limited to six people.

Hurricane Laura had a substantial effect on the agriculture industry and Monroe pecan farmer Abraham Lincoln says his nuts were severely impacted. Lincoln says the damage to his nuts is even more detrimental since this year appeared to be a promising harvest. On a good year, his operation will move about 3 million pounds of nuts, but this year, he anticipates it will be closer to a quarter-million pounds.
Cut 7 (05) “…on the ground.”
Lincoln says he invested extra care into the crop that would have been harvested by the first of October. Nuts that were knocked out of trees are not salvageable.
Cameron Police Jury Vice President Scott Trahan estimates over half of the homes in the storm-ravaged parish were completely destroyed by Hurricane Laura. At the Sacred Heart Graveyard, 150 caskets floated away from their tombs. Trahan says after having similar incidents in recent storms it’s time the parish starts filling caskets with concrete…
Cut 15 (11) “…go anywhere”
A Cemetery Task Force has been formed to help hunt down, identify, and rebury the lost caskets.

A federal judge orders Louisiana to go back to using the summer election plan for the upcoming fall elections. Matt Doyle has the story.

Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle” 

Hurricane forecasters are tracking six disturbances, with one likely to develop into a tropical depression or storm in the Gulf. Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center indicate it’s premature to determine if the Gulf system, or another disturbance in the Atlantic could impact Louisiana.   The four other systems are not expected to be a threat to the Bayou State.

Hurricane Laura had a substantial effect on the agriculture industry and Monroe pecan farmer Abraham Lincoln says his nuts were severely impacted.  Lincoln says while there are still some nuts in the trees, there aren’t enough to make it beyond his local customers.

Cut 6 (08) “…nuts for that.”

Lincoln says the damage to his nuts is even more detrimental since this year appeared to be a promising harvest.

Cameron Police Jury Vice President Scott Trahan estimates over half of the homes in the storm-ravaged parish were completely destroyed by Hurricane Laura. Standing water sat across much of the parish for over a week after the Laura made landfall. Trahan says a pumping effort helped clear up the area, but in many tributaries, the water is still high.

Cut 16 (11) “…with it”