Eye doctors urge people who plan to watch the solar eclipse to do so safely. Halen Doughty has more…
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One year ago today, rains began pouring down on south Louisiana. What followed in the next ten days can only be described as a flood of biblical proportions. Jeff Palermo has more on where we are today…
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Louisiana has moved up a couple of spots to number two when it comes to the most expensive car insurance rates in the country. Don Molino has the story…
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As Louisianans gear up to watch the upcoming solar eclipse, doctors remind the public to do so safely. On August 21, a total solar eclipse will pass over the country from Oregon to South Carolina. Executive Director of the Optometry Association of Louisiana Dr. James Sandifer says in Louisiana, only a partial eclipse will be visible, which is why it’s so important for viewers to protect their eyes.
Sandifer says the only safe way to view the partial eclipse is with approved eclipse glasses. He says looking directly at the sun can damage or destroy the photoreceptors in the retina. He says that can cause permanent damage to the eye.
Regular sunglasses won’t work for this eclipse. They must be much darker to view the sun. Sandifer says people should make sure their glasses are authentic because there’s been reports of knock-off eclipse glasses being sold online.
Sandifer says many of their members are giving away genuine viewing glasses on a first come, first serve basis. Call your optometrist to see if any are available.
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One year ago today, torrential rains began pouring down on south Louisiana. By the time the rain stopped ten days later, 20 parishes had been declared federal disaster areas, and 13 people lost their lives. Livingston Parish was one of the most devastated, with 75 percent of the homes deemed a total loss. Parish President Layton Ricks says the parish is making a good comeback.
Ricks says some people are still rebuilding their homes, and some are just now getting started on the demolition. One cause of the delay could be money, as many are waiting to receive their share of the $2 billion Congress appropriated for flood recovery. Ricks says it all starts by completing the survey at restore.la.gov.
An estimated 146,000 homes were damaged in the August flood. The Lafayette Parish town of Youngsville saw most of its residents displaced because of the water. Mayor Ken Ritter says a drive through the town would give the appearance the devastation never happened, but the reality is many are a long way from recovery. With the water gone, debt is now a big concern.
Flood mitigation has been a big issue for affected parishes trying to protect against future disasters. Ritter says the parish raised development standards within a month of the flood. He says to this day, crews work seven days a week in drainage channels to stay a step ahead of the next rain event.
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Two children are recovering in Avoyelles Parish after being thrown from an ATV when it collided with a vehicle on Wednesday night. State Trooper Scott Moreau says the driver, 30-year-old Jeremy Armand of St. Martinville, was killed in the crash.
The 8-year-old girl suffered serious injuries, and the 3-year-old boy suffered moderate injuries. The driver of the van, 28-year-old Hope Parrish of Bunkie, did not sustain any injuries. But Moreau says Armand was not so lucky.
It is illegal to ride an ATV on a public roadway, and four-wheelers are not meant to carry passengers. Moreau adds none of them were wearing a helmet. He says this was not a safe situation at all.
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Louisiana has moved up two spots to number two in Insure-dot-com’s ranking of states with the most expensive auto insurance rates. The website says Louisiana drivers average annual rate is 19-hundred dollars, 46-percent higher than the national average. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says an excessive amount of litigation is one factor
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Donelon says legislative efforts to address the litigation problem have been unsuccessful over the years. He says another factor for high rates is that 40-percent of drivers carry minimum car insurance limits and that also leads to more lawsuits
He says distracted driving is also pushing auto rates up. There is new technology that can lead to lower your premiums. He says some insurance companies, like Progressive, are using a product called usage-based insurance, which measures how far and how you drive
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LSU’s Kevin Toliver is the likely starting cornerback opposite of Donte Jackson. Coming out of high school in Jacksonville, Florida, Toliver was considered as one of the nation’s top corner prospects. In two seasons at LSU, Toliver has one interception and missed the final four games of last season due to a shoulder injury. Toliver says he’s ready to be an impact player this season
Freshman Grant Delpit has worked with the first unit at free safety as senior Ed Paris is dealing with a minor leg injury. Donte Jackson says he’s impressed with Delpit and the rest freshmen’s willingness to learn…
LSU has to replace two first round draft picks in their secondary, as Jamal Adams and TreDavious White are both in the NFL. But Jackson doesn’t expect much of a talent drop-off…
Jackson says he’s been impressed with the freshmen linebackers, Jacob Phillips, Patrick Queen and Tyler Taylor from Georgia….