If you have questions about the construction of the new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge, there’s an open house in Lake Charles you can attend this evening. Andrew Greenstein reports.
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Preparations are underway for whatever Tropical Storm Bertha plans to bring Jeff Palermo has the story.
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An individual in Ouachita Parish tested positive for the first confirmed human case of West Nile virus of the 2026 mosquito season. Kace Kieschnick reports.
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With construction of the new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge underway, many people have questions about how that’s going to affect them. John Guidroz with DOTD in Lake Charles says there’s an open house in Lake Charles tomorrow evening that you can attend.
Guidroz says people can get an up-close look at what the project entails.
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Guidroz says not only will people get information on what they can expect during construction, but they can also see all the benefits of the finished product once it’s completed in 2031.
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The open house is this evening from 5:30 to seven in the contraband room at the Lake Charles Event Center.
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All eyes are on Tropical Storm Bertha as it makes its way to the Louisiana Coast. State Climatologist Jay Grymes says while Bertha is currently forecast to make landfall in Plaquemines Parish tomorrow morning, it could happen as early as late tonight.
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Grymes warns those of you in South Louisiana not to rely too heavily on the specific forecast track. Instead, he urges you to pay attention to the so-called “cone of uncertainty.”
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Currently, all of south Louisiana and most of central Louisiana is contained within that cone.
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Major impacts are not expected from Tropical Storm Bertha. St. Bernard Parish Emergency Preparedness Director John Rahaim (“ram”) says they’re expecting some wind and rain, but they may not get the worst of it.
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Rahaim says the strong east wind will likely cause some minor coastal flooding. He says if they don’t get a heavy downpour that lasts for more than a couple of hours, they should be okay.
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The American Red Cross of Louisiana is ready to respond to what Bertha might bring to the Bayou State. Kenneth St. Charles, the CEO of the American Red Cross Louisiana Region, says if your family needs to evacuate because of flash flooding and you have nowhere else to go, call the Red Cross.
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St. Charles says the Red Cross had to jump into action last month when Tropical Storm Arthur produced flash flooding in several areas, most notably in Avoyelles Parish. St. Charles says you never know what area of the state will get hit the hardest, so pre-planning is very important.
FEMA reports that 21-hundred homeowners reported they sustained significant damage from Arthur and FEMA has provided storm victims with more than 11-million dollars in assistance.
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The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed its first case of West Nile virus this year in Ouachita Parish. Last year, the state saw 86 confirmed human cases and four deaths. State Epidemiologist Theresa Sokol says there is no human vaccine or specific treatment for West Nile, so it’s important to protect yourself from mosquitoes.
If you’re wearing sunscreen, apply it first and mosquito repellent second.
Sokol says you can also help prevent mosquitoes from multiplying.
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Sokol says most people infected with West Nile virus do not show symptoms. Around 20-percent develop flu-like West Nile fever, and a very small percentage develop a severe neuroinvasive disease.
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LSU visits Kentucky on October 10th in the first meeting between the schools in five years. The Wildcats are led by new head coach Will Stein. Stein spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Oregon and had this to say about why Kentucky can turn its football program around.
Former LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan is the playcaller for the Wildcats. Sloan was named offensive coordinator less than two months after being dismissed by LSU. Stein said Sloan is one of the best coordinators in the game, and Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey agrees.
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Minchey was a four-star transfer portal prospect from Notre Dame. Sloan also welcomed former LSU receiver Nic Anderson in the portal.
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LSU makes a trip to Tennessee November 21st. While it may not have the same vitriol as Kiffin’s return trip to Ole Miss in week three, fans in Knoxville have not forgotten about when the coach left them after just one season for USC in 2009. Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel says that’s a good thing.
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Tennessee fans infamously threw golf balls and mustard on the field when Kiffin returned to Rocky Top with Ole Miss in 2021. Heupel later said the comment was him just having fun, and there is no beef between the coaches.
The Volunteers will first have to decipher an offseason Q-B battle between redshirt freshman George MacIntyre and top-15 freshman Faizon Brandon. Heupel says he is looking forward to the competition.
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SEC commissioner Greg Sankey confirmed conference officials have had real conversations about the SEC breaking off from the NCAA and governing itself. He says there has been frustration with the NCAA and its reluctance to change, but action will not be taken anytime soon.
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