A tornado destroyed a neighborhood in Farmerville last night. Jeff Palermo spoke with mayor John Crow….
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Authorities have released the names of the mother and son killed in the tornado that struck Keithville yesterday. They are 30-year-old Yoshiko Smith and eight-year-old Nikolus Little. Marsanne Golsby has more.
Cut 2 (29) “…I’m Marsanne Golsby”
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A 30-year-old mother and her eight-year-old son were killed by a tornado that tore through the town of Keithville in Caddo Parish last night. Caddo Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director Robert Jump says the tornado touched down in the Pecan Farms area
Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator says the young boy was found dead in a wooded area of Pecan Farms and the woman was found deceased one street over from where her home was destroyed. The Caddo Parish Coroner’s office has determined they died of blunt force trauma.
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Last night a tornado also hit Union Parish. Farmerville Mayor John Crow says the tornado hit the northern part of the town.
He said the tornado flipped over cars at the apartment complex, then crossed Lake D’Arbonne and did other damage on the lake’s south side.
Crow estimates about twenty people were checked out for minor injuries. He says the sheriff is bringing in dogs to check the debris but he believes everyone is accounted for. He says there is an emergency shelter in town for those who lost their homes. He says help is pouring into the town.
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Authorities have identified the mother and son killed in the powerful tornado that struck near Keithville yesterday. The Caddo Parish coroner’s office says 30-year-old Yoshiko Smith and eight-year-old Nikolus Little were killed when the storm stuck around 5 pm. Sheriff Steve Prator says their husband and father was at work when the storm stuck and he came home to try to find them.
Prator says he sent about 20 deputies to go look for the house, but they couldn’t find it.
Prator says the search was difficult and took a long time because of the amount of damage in the neighborhood.
Cut 9 (15) “… horrible situation.”
Prator says one person was also seriously injury, four homes destroyed, and at least 20 others damaged.
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In ten months, Louisiana voters will go to the polls to elect the state’s next governor. Southwest Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins says he’s supporting the first Republican, Attorney General Jeff Landry, who officially announced his candidacy. In the video ad Higgins is shown driving his vehicle and talking to the camera about Landry.
Republicans like Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser and Treasurer John Schroder, who are also considering running for governor, have criticized the state party for its early endorsement of Landry. Higgins disagrees.
Less than a week after he was re-elected to a second-term Senator John Kennedy stated he was considering a run for governor but has yet to make it official. Higgins, who was re-elected to his fourth congressional term in November is backing Landry for the state’s highest office.
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New Iberia officials are also reporting tornado damage. Captain Leland Lasiter with the New Iberia Police Department says two tornadoes hit their town this morning…
Leland says first responders were deployed to the Southport Subdivision area and it appears everyone survived the harrowing experience
Cut 14 (11) “…local hospitals”
Leland says a temporary shelter has been set up at New Iberia Senior High School in the gym…