According to the Governor’s Office, over six-thousand flood victims have already applied for the Shelter At Home Program. The Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Julie Baxter Payer, says the program awards up to $15-thousand for basic homes repairs….
CUT 3 (11) “taken care of”
Payer says flood victims can apply at ShelterAtHome.la.gov.

Forecasters say Tropical Depression Nine in the Gulf of Mexico is still on track to make landfall in Florida. Alek Krautmann, with the National Weather Service in Slidell says the Hurricane Center believes it will have 60-mile hour winds when it hits the western coast of Florida…
cut 8 (07) “…two days’
Krautman says eventually a ridge of high pressure will push the depression towards Florida.

Louisiana Medical Director for the Center for Community Preparedness, Dr. Frank Welch, says there have been three more cases of Zika in Louisiana, bringing the total number to 26, and all of them are travel-related. He says local transmission of Zika is more likely in the parishes around Lake Pontchartrain. But he encourages everyone to tip and toss….
cut 11 (07) “…and environment,.

Crews pulled the small plane that crashed into Lake Pontchartrain last weekend out of the water today and the bodies of the missing pilot and passenger were located inside. Director of Aviation at the New Orleans Lake Front Airport Ben Morris says the chartered plane was on a sightseeing tour Saturday night when they apparently encountered a thunderstorm….
cut 13 (07) “…the water”
The F-A-A is investigating the crash.

The Governor’s Office announces 63-hundred people registered for the Shelter At Home Program during the first day of registration. Michelle Southern has more…

CUT 1 (28) “I’m Michelle Southern”

The Governor’s Office of Emergency Preparedness reports FEMA has already awarded $315 million to flood victims, but many have been denied federal assistance. FEMA encourages people to read their denial letters carefully to see why they are not eligible. Appeals can be made within 60 days of the decision letter date, and it may be as simple as providing more information.

The bodies of two missing people along with the plane wreckage of a small sightseeing plane were pulled out of Lake Pontchartrain this morning. The Cessna went down Saturday night and the Director of Aviation at the New Orleans Lakefront Airport Ben Morris says a large crane brought the bodies and aircraft out of the water…

cut 12 (10) “the accident”

Authorities have yet to identify the victims.

The state department of Health has confirmed 14 cases of West Nile Virus in Louisiana this year, but none of them are flood related. Dr. Frank Welch with LDH says right after the flood we see a decrease in mosquito populations, but could see more West Nile cases soon, as mosquitoes will come back in higher numbers because of all the standing water from the flood.

cut 10 (08)  “this point”

Welch says there have been three more cases of Zika in Louisiana, bringing the total number of cases to 26.

The bodies of two missing people along with the plane wreckage of a small sightseeing plane were pulled out of Lake Pontchartrain this morning. The Cessna went down Saturday night and the Director of Aviation at the New Orleans Lakefront Airport Ben Morris says a large crane brought the bodies and aircraft out of the water…
cut 12 (10) “the accident”

Media Reports say passenger Briana Davis escaped but the pilot from Thibodaux and Davis’ boyfriend, Baton Rouge rapper Reginald Hilliard Jr., died in the crash.

Tropical Depression 9 is expected to upgrade into a tropical storm tonight. Alek Krautmann with the Nation Weather Service says the area of low pressure will stay a tropical storm as it moves toward Florida but…
Cut 8 (07) “two days.”

 
The Governor’s Office announces 63-hundred people registered for the Shelter At Home Program during the first day of registration. Michelle Southern has more…
CUT 1 (28) “I’m Michelle Southern”

Natchitoches Parish authorities are still looking for three inmates who escaped from the Parish detention center on Saturday night. The prisoners are 34-year-old Willie Ethridge, 24-year-old Michael Elliot and 35-year-old Walshea Mitchell. The three men escaped by jumping over two rolls of razor wire fence and are considered dangerous. Their charges range from auto theft to attempted second degree murder.

Two plane crash victims have been pulled from Lake Pontchartrain along with the plane wreckage. Emelie Gunn has more…:
CUT 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The state Department of Health has confirmed more mosquito-borne illnesses in Louisiana, including Zika and West Nile Virus. Louisiana Medical Director for the Center for Community Preparedness, Dr. Frank Welch, says there have been 14 cases of West Nile Virus so far this year…:
CUT 9 (08) “recent flooding”

Tropical Depression 9 in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to become Tropical Storm Hermine by this evening. Alek Krautmann with the National Weather Service says the current forecast anticipates this will remain a tropical storm as it moves toward Florida but the Hurricane Center brings it right up to 60 mile per hour strength before landfall on Thursday…:

CUT 8 (07) “two days”
With the exception of some high tides in southeast Louisiana, this storm is not expected to impact Louisiana.

According to the Governor’s Office, 63-hundred people applied for the Shelter At Home Program on the first day of registration. The Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Julie Baxter Payer, says the program will not repair someone’s home completely up to $15,000, but it will make it livable so families can come home while they continue making repairs…:
CUT 4 (08) “your rebuilding”
Payer says people can apply at ShelterAtHome.la.gov.

Registration for the Louisiana Shelter at Home Program opened Monday and so far about 6300 have applied…and the number keeps growing. That’s according to the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Julie Baxter Payer. She says the program awards up to $15,000 so that people can make their homes livable while they rebuild…:
CUT 5 (11) “case basis”
Payer says people can apply at ShelterAtHome.la.gov or call 1-800-927-0216.

Crews pulled the small plane that crashed into Lake Pontchartrain last weekend out of the water today and the bodies of the missing pilot and passenger were located inside. Officials say the chartered plane was on a sightseeing tour Saturday night when they apparently encountered a thunderstorm. The FAA will now investigate the crash. The bodies were turned over to the New Orleans Coroner.

Tropical Depression 9 in the Gulf of Mexico is gaining strength and could become Tropical Storm Hermine sometime today – but is not expected to have an impact on Louisiana. Alek Krautmann with the National Weather Service says currently the system is moving to the north, but will gradually turn east later tonight. He says a ridge of high pressure is pushing it towards Florida…:
CUT 7 (11) “Florida coast”
He says the state can expect high tides along the coast in southeast Louisiana as a result of this storm.

According to the Governor’s Office, 63-hundred people have already applied for the Shelter At Home Program. The Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Julie Baxter Payer, says the program awards up to $15-thousand for basic homes repairs.

CUT 3 (11)  “taken care of”

Payer says people can apply at ShelterAtHome.la.gov.

Congressman Ralph Abraham and the rest of Louisiana’s congressional delegation are asking for a reduction on the state’s flood relief cost-share to lessen the financial burden on Louisiana. Abraham says we got through this together, and we will be a stronger state if we rebuild together.

Cut 9 (08)  “very long”

Abraham says they are asking the federal government to cover 90% of the cost for both historic floods.

The personal finance website Kiplinger reports Louisiana is the sixth most tax-friendly state in the country. Sandra Block with Kiplinger says Louisiana’s gas tax is 10-cents below the national average, and the income tax rate is about 3%. But she says Louisiana did not do well in the sales tax category.

cut 11 (09) “sales tax”

Wyoming came in first in the study as the most tax-friendly state.

Tropical Depression 9 in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to become Tropical Storm Hermine by this evening. Alek Krautmann with the National Weather Service says right now the area of low pressure is not expected to have an impact on Louisiana, expect for high tides along the.

CUT 6 (11) “Florida coast”

Louisiana’s Congressional delegation is asking FEMA for a cost-share reduction for flood relief efforts. Congressman Ralph Abraham says they are asking the federal government to cover 90% of the cost for both historic floods. He says 49 parishes were declared federal disaster areas at some point this year.

Cut 8 (07) “two events”

The US Senate race in Louisiana has taken a back seat to other dramatic events in the state. Jeremy Alford of LaPolitics.com says things should start to heat up soon because the unofficial start date for the election cycle is usually after Labor Day. But he says Republican Congressmen John Fleming and Charles Boustany are not waiting.

Cut 5 (12) “congressional districts”

US Representative Garrett Graves is not pleased with FEMA’s financial aid for flood victims. He says the largest FEMA payment he’s heard of is around $8-thousand, but the max is $33-thousand. He says FEMA needs to be respectful of the fact that some of these victims just lost everything.

Cut 15 (11) “whatever else”

Graves says he doesn’t understand why people are still in shelters when there are 13-hundred FEMA housing units around the country.

A report from the personal finance website Kiplinger shows Louisiana is the sixth most tax-friendly state in the country. Sandra Block with Kiplinger says the state did well in several categories.

Cut 10 (09) “very low”

She says Louisiana also has the third lowest property taxes in the US.

Louisiana’s Congressional delegation sent a letter to FEMA asking for a flood relief cost-share reduction for the March and August historic floods. Under the current disaster funding level, the state and local governments will pay 25 percent of costs and the government 75 percent. Congressman Ralph Abraham of Richland Parish says 49 parishes were declared federal disaster areas at some point this year…:
CUT 9 (08) “very long”
He says they are asking the feds to cover 90% of costs instead of 75%.

According to the governor’s office, about 6300 applications have been put in for the Louisiana Shelter at Home Program. Registration opened Monday for flood victims to register to receive up to $15,000 for home repairs that would make a space livable while the rest of the house is rebuilt. The site to register is shelterathome.la.gov.

The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Depression Nine is expected to become a tropical storm today in the Gulf of Mexico, as it moves away from Cuba on a westward path. They say the system will make a turn back toward Florida over the next two days where it is expected to make landfall — probably on Thursday. TD9 is virtually no threat to Louisiana or the central Gulf Coast according to forecasters.

According to the personal finance website Kiplinger, Louisiana is the sixth most tax-friendly state in the US. Spokeswoman Sandra Block says Louisiana’s gas tax is 10-cents below the national average, and the income tax rate is about 3%. She says the state did not do well in the sales tax category, which is now up to 5-cents…:
cut 11 (09) “sales tax”
Wyoming came in first in the study as the most tax-friendly state, and California came in last.

Baton Rouge Congressman Garrett Graves took Florida Congressman John Mica on a tour of flood devastated areas in south Louisiana, and the two were critical of FEMA’s response in getting people out of shelters. Graves says victims are going through tons of red tape including the fact that FEMA
won’t allow the temporary governrment trailer homes to be set up in a flood plain…:
cut 14 (09) “trailer park”
Graves is also not happy that the largest FEMA payment he’s heard of being awarded is around $8,000.

State Police say four children who were reported missing out of California have been found in Louisiana – and two adults, including the mother of the young kids (aged 4,6,7 and 8), have been arrested. Investigators say troopers found the group in Acadia Parish acting on information from the US Marshal’s Service. The man, 37-year-old Joseph Moreno, was booked on a warrant listing three counts of “lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14.” The woman was arrested on a child abduction charge.

Louisiana is the sixth most tax-friendly state in the nation, according to a new report from the personal finance website Kiplinger. Don Molino has more…:
Cut 2 (28) “I’m Don Molino”

Between a police ambush and historic flooding, the US Senate race has taken a backseat. But Jeremy Alford of LaPolitics.com says the campaign should start to ramp up soon and one of the front-runners, Republican Charles Boustany is already running ads…:
cut 4 (08) “as well”

US Representative Garrett Graves of Baton Rouge is not pleased with FEMA’s slow response getting displaced flood victims into long term housing. Jeff Palermo has more…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The flooding and prior police ambush has put the Louisiana US Senate race on the back burner. But Jeremy Alford of LaPolitics.com says there’s still 10 weeks to go before the election day, which can be an eternity in politics, especially in Louisiana…:
Cut 6 (09) “paying attention”

Republican Congressman Ralph Abraham of Richland Parish and the rest of Louisiana’s Congressional delegation sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, asking for a flood relief cost-share reduction for not only the south Louisiana flood, but also the one that hit north Louisiana in March. Abraham says the feds will cover 75% of the flood response and relief costs, while state and local governments are on the hook for the other 25%…:
CUT 7 (07) “afford it”
Abraham says they are asking that the federal government cover 90% of the cost for both historic floods, leaving only state and local governments to pay 10-percent.

According to the personal finance website Kiplinger, Louisiana is the sixth most tax-friendly state in the US. Sandra Block with Kiplinger says there are tradeoffs in states with lower taxes, because there are less dollars for schools, public services, and roads…:
cut 12 (09) “bad shape”