Forecasters are projecting the first Atlantic hurricane of the season will develop tomorrow and will make landfall somewhere between southeast Louisiana and the Florida panhandle. Jeff Palermo has more.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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The Department of Children and Family Services launches a new way for prospective foster parents to get certified. Andrew Greenstein reports.
Cut 2 (30) “…I’m Andrew Greenstein.”
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A newly released economic forecast projects the state will add 55-thousand jobs over the next couple of years. Kace Kieschnick has the story.
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State Treasurer John Fleming is urging school funding to be focused on classrooms and teacher salaries. Fleming says the recently-released Legislative Auditor’s report uncovered significant discrepancies between certain budget and expenditure reports.
Cut 4 (12) “…other budget items.”
Fleming’s call also comes following a review of financial information from the K-Through-12 School Transparency Project, which he says showed some questionable expenditures.
Fleming says eliminating unnecessary spending can get teachers the additional pay that they had been seeking for years. He says it starts with better transparency.
Cut 6 (13) “…that alongside us.”
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An official forecast track from the National Hurricane Center shows a Category Two Hurricane making landfall near the Mississippi-Alabama border Friday night or Saturday morning. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says southeast Louisiana should pay close attention, because it is in the cone of uncertainty.
Keim says the system will bring areas of heavy rainfall to the central U.S. Gulf coast Friday and into the weekend.
According to the National Hurricane Center, there is a slight risk of flash flooding for the next five days over the eastern half of the state.
Keim says there is a risk for dangerous wind and storm surge impacts for the northern Gulf Coast.
Cut 9 (06) “…that storm approaches.”
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The Department of Children and Family Services is revamping foster caregiver training and certification by launching HomeReady. Secretary Rebecca Harris says with more than seven-thousand children in foster care, the state needed an easier, more modern way for prospective foster parents to get certified.
Cut 10 (09) “…and help children.”
Harris says the biggest change with HomeReady is that everything is now done online.
Families can use either a computer or a mobile device to complete their forms, upload their documents and track their progress. Harris says by moving everything online, it simplifies the process and creates much less paperwork.
Cut 12 (12) “…a temporary home.”
HomeReady officially launches today. There’s a link on DCFS’ website.
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Louisiana is expected to add 55-thousand jobs over the next two years, according to an economic forecast. Dr. Loren Scott puts together this economic forecast annually, and he’s projecting more jobs than usual because of the boom in data centers in north and central Louisiana.
Cut 13 (11) “…just about Alexandria.”
Lake Charles is expected to have the highest percentage growth over the next two years, adding about six-thousand jobs. Scott says the big number in Lake Charles is almost exclusively due to three new LNG export facilities — two in Cameron Parish and another just south of Sulphur.
Cut 14 (05) “…of projects underway.”
Scott is projecting the Acadiana area will add 56-hundred jobs because of the Space X facility in Vermilion Parish and the drone industry. Monroe is projected to be the second-fastest growing region in the state as a result of the construction of the 50-billion-dollar Meta data center under construction in Richland Parish.
Scott is only projecting a one-percent job growth increase for New Orleans. He says a continued decline in convention post-COVID is having an impact on the city’s economy.
Cut 15 (08) “…there’s about 60.”
St. Tammany is forecasted to add 11-hundred jobs over the next two years, making it the slowest growing area in Louisiana. Scott says New Orleans slow growth is impact the Northshore.
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LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt says he will be fully healthy by the time tenth-ranked LSU heads to Kentucky Saturday night. Leavitt has played through a hamstring injury the last two weeks and says it has given him a new perspective on staying in the pocket.
Cut 16 (16) “…even more lethal.”
The Tigers have not won in Lexington since the Bluegrass Miracle in 2002. It will be LSU’s second away game of the season, and Leavitt says the team has learned from the mistakes it made when it played at Ole Miss.
Cut 17 (17) “…great job communicating.”
The LSU offense has not missed a beat with star tight end Trey’Dez Green sidelined. The Tigers are still looking for answers at tight end, but Leavitt says wide receivers have stepped up to replace his production.
Cut 18 (13) “…comes their way.”
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UL Lafayette is 4-and-1 and first in the Sun Belt West after a last-second 23-20 win over Arkansas State. The Cajuns will have another big division game against rival Louisiana Tech this weekend. It’s the Bulldogs’ first Sun Belt game, but UL coach Michael Desormeaux says he’s been following their defense for years.
Cut 19 (14) “…they play physical.”
Cajuns star wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. returned in the win over the Red Wolves. The redshirt junior did not have any catches as he came back from a string of injuries, but Desormeaux says his message to him was to just go play.
Cut 20 (14) “…played really well.”