The LSU AgCenter estimates Hurricane Ida produced 584-million dollars in damages to the state’s agriculture industry. Jeff Palermo has the story…
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There were several tense exchanges during a Joint Medicaid Oversite Committee meeting Friday where lawmakers questioned LDH’s attorney about nursing home evacuations plans. Brooke Thorington has more
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A north Larose neighborhood that endured a ten-foot storm surge is dealing with almost a foot of sludge and standing water. Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson says the Industrial Park neighborhood was inundated with muck and mud from marsh waters that made it over the levees.
Chaisson says the Corps of Engineers, municipal crews, and private contractors are working to help clear roads, drainage ditches in addition to resident’s yards. He expects it will take another three weeks.
Another issue parish officials are facing is getting answers from FEMA on long-term housing expectations. Chaisson says after posting his frustration on social media he’s now getting feedback.
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After almost four weeks since Ida made landfall, Chaisson says he completely understands that residents are frustrated and tired, but he tries to encourage them to remain hopeful.
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LSU AgCenter experts say the state’s agriculture industry suffered at least 584-million dollars in damages as a result of Hurricane Ida. LSU AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry says timber was hit the hardest as a total of 168-thousand acres of trees were affected costing the industry more than 300-million dollars
Guidry says about 50-percent of the total estimated volume of damaged timber is in Tangipahoa Parish.
Guidry says about 139-thousand acres of sugarcane or a quarter of the state’s total cane crop are projected to have somewhat lower yields due to storm damage. He says much of the affected sugarcane is recovering, but it will come at a price…
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Guidry says sugar mills will also lose revenue due to hurricane damage and the interruption in operations.
There is also a lot of fresh produce and ornamental horticulture growers in southeast Louisiana. Guidry says the estimated damage for these producers is 9.5 million dollars as a lot of greenhouse roofs were damaged.
He says the livestock death toll from Ida is 22, but farm structures and fences need to be repaired and older livestock producers have indicated they are getting out of the business.
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Organizations including Schoolplies are working to help kids get back in school after Hurricane Ida’s devastation in parishes that include Terrebonne and Lafourche. CEO Allie Casey says, that in partnership with the United Way of South Louisiana, hundreds of school supply kits will be given away this Sunday
Classes begin Monday and the weekend event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fletcher Technical Community College along LA-311.
After Sunday’s school kits giveaway, Casey says they will continue to work virtually to get more supplies into the hands of students.
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Be sure to visit Schoolplies.com on the web for more information where can find out how to donate school supply items or students and parents can receive assistance with school supply needs.
Casey says work to put some 600 school supply kits together with everything from pencils to notebooks and erasers for the first day of school has been made less easy without power to their office.
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There were several tense exchanges during a Joint Medicaid Oversite Committee meeting Friday where River Ridge Senator Kirk Talbot questioned Louisiana Department of Health Attorney Stephen Russo about nursing home evacuation plans. The meeting came weeks after hundreds of nursing home residents were crammed into a Tangipahoa Parish warehouse resulting in several deaths
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Russo told the committee to view a nursing home’s evacuation plan they can request to see it through their local emergency preparedness office.
More than 800 patients from seven nursing homes owned by Bob Dean were transported to a warehouse with mattresses on the floor, that took in up to eight inches of water. Talbot questioned Russo as to why patients from the Orleans, Jefferson, Terrebonne, and Lafourche parish nursing homes were sent to Tangipahoa when storm models indicated it was in Ida’s path.
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LDH and Dean are facing lawsuits filed by family members of and nursing home residents.
Committee members stated after the tragic evacuation to the warehouse in Independence and questions over the approval process, along with the decision to move patients to an area within the storm’s projected path inland will need to be addressed with legislation.
Abbeville Senator Bob Henssgens…