Governor John Bel Edwards has created the Restore Louisiana Task Force to oversee flood recovery. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says getting the flood aid package approved will be an uphill battle. Michelle Southern has more…
CUT 2 (28) “I’m Michelle Southern”
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Governor John Bel Edwards announces the creation of the Restore Louisiana Task Force, which will oversee flood recovery and redevelopment. The task force is comprised of 21 members ranging from cabinet secretaries to state lawmakers and local mayors. There are also business people on the panel, including Lamar Advertising CEO Sean Reilly who was on the Louisiana Recovery Authority, which was formed after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Reilly says the task force will push for extra federal aid to help flood victims, because the majority did not have flood insurance. He hopes we learn lessons after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita when it comes to the rebuilding of homes…
Reilly says the Restore Louisiana Task Force will also help victims of the March flooding in north Louisiana. He says another goal is to aid small businesses in getting back up and running.
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Enrollment at Nicholls State University is up for the first time since 2009. Nicholls President Bruce Murphy says they saw an increase of 103 students, which is just over a 1% hike. He says they have improved their recruitment by empowering recruiters to give scholarships to potential students.
Murphy says as a result of their recruiting efforts, freshmen applications were up 300 over last year. He says even after the confusion over TOPS, having to increase fees, and the flooding, their enrollment is still went up.
Murphy says he doesn’t think reduction of the TOPS scholarship program will bring more students to Nicholls, because tuition is similar at most Louisiana universities. But he says college students from the Houma-Thibodaux area moving back home, may have boosted their numbers.
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LSU Football Coach Les Miles told reporters on the SEC teleconference that he would like to keep it in-house on who will start at quarterback this Saturday against Mississippi State. But the head coach still gave us a strong clue that it will be Danny Etling…
Etling replaced a struggling Brandon Harris in the second quarter of last Saturday’s 34-13 win over Jacksonsville State. Etling led to touchdowns on three consecutive drives. Miles says they have spoken to Harris about being ready to play if they need him….
cut 10 (10) “understands that”
All-American running back Leonard Fournette did not play against Jacksonsville State, because of an injured ankle. But Miles expects Fournette will play against the Bulldogs…
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The Obama Administration has sent a $2.6 billion request to Congress for Louisiana flood relief assistance. Congressman Garrett Graves says it will be an uphill battle to get the request approved. The Baton Rouge Republican says the Louisiana delegation is trying to make other Congressional leaders understand the impact of this flood.
Graves says one problem is that other states have also experienced devastating natural disasters, and they want more funding too. He says although it’s never a good idea to compare one another’s disasters, in this case the numbers speak for themselves.
The federal request is $200 million less than what Governor John Bel Edwards requested Monday. But Graves says some members of Congress just don’t want to spend any money. He says he understands that, but the reality is that this will cost taxpayers money one way or another.
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The Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office says they have located the bodies of the missing couple authorities had been searching for, and believe the victims’ grandson could be involved. Chief Deputy Steven Martel says Hillman and Eloise Mayeaux were found in a barn near their home. He says there is a person of interest in the case…:
Martel says they have not been able to locate 28-year-old Michael Mayeaux:
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