Southeast Louisiana is prepping to get inundated from Tropical Storm Claudette with landfall predicted to be sometime early Saturday morning.  National Weather Service meteorologist Ben Schott says basically everything east of I-55 from the coast up to the Mississippi state line is expected to be affected and if you live in that area you need to pay attention.

Cut 5  (12) “…Sunday” 

St. Tammany Parish Emergency Preparedness Director Clarence Powe says they’ve opened up sandbagging stations and they closed a few bridges in anticipation of possible flooding. Powe encourages residents to make storm plans and check around their homes.

Cut  11 (09) “…do it early.” 

Rainfall amounts are the biggest threat with the storm however Schott says don’t discount tropical storm winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour and securing outside items should also be on your immediate to-do list.

Governor Edwards takes issue with the label “decriminalization” as a way to describe legislation he signed that removes the possibility of jail time for possession of a small amount of marijuana. Under the legislation, those found to have 14 grams or less of pot can’t be sent to jail and only can be given a 100 dollar fine. Edwards says don’t confuse that for full legalization.

Cut 6 (09) “…marijauna.”

Governor Edwards signs legislation increasing the cost of annual recreational and commercial hunting and fishing licenses starting next July. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala says only two-thirds of recreational sportsmen will only see their yearly costs go up about ten dollars, and with that increase in cost will come more consolidated licenses.

Cut 15 (07) “…package” 

Tropical Storm warnings are in effect for Morgan City east to the Okaloosa / Walton County line in Florida as the disturbance moving north northeast at 16 miles per hour makes its way towards southeast Louisiana. The system is on track to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday.

Jeff Palermo has more on what the area should expect from the soon-to-be named Tropical Storm Claudette.

Cut 1 (27) “ …I’m Jeff Palermo.” 

Governor Edwards declared a state of emergency Thursday ahead of the first system to impact the state this hurricane season.

Six to eight inches of rain could fall to the east and south of New Orleans. St. Benard Parish Emergency Preparedness Director John Rahaim says they have been proactive ahead of the storm…

Cut 12 (12) “…amount of time.”

The center of the storm should be in Mississippi by tomorrow afternoon.

Governor Edwards signs legislation increasing the cost of recreational and commercial hunting and fishing fees starting next July. The proposal was opposed by commercial fishermen who say they’ve already taken a beating from the pandemic, but Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala says their fee increase will be phased in through 2024 and is not steep.

Cut 14 (09) “…dollar.” 

The fee increases are expected to generate about 17 million dollars a year in the next fiscal year.

A disturbance in the southern Gulf is expected to strengthen overnight into a tropical storm and make landfall in Terrebonne or Lafourche parish early tomorrow morning. National Weather Service meteorologist Ben Schott says rain bands are already impacting southeast Louisiana…

Cut 3 (08) “…the area.”

A tropical storm warning is in effect East of Morgan City to the Okaloosa/Walton County line in Florida.

While we are expected to experience our first named storm landfall of the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season projections show the track has shifted east enough that we will likely avoid the worst of it. Despite that GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele says residents still need to be prepared.

Cut 9 (11) “…the state”

With a tropical storm warning in effect, St. Tammany Parish Emergency Preparedness Director Clarence Powe says they’ve opened up sandbagging stations and they closed a few bridges in anticipation of possible flooding. Powe encourages residents to make storm plans and check around their homes.

Cut  11 (09) “…do it early.” 

Governor Edwards signs legislation increasing the cost of annual recreational and commercial hunting and fishing licenses starting next July. Prairieville Representative Tony Bacala says he had to bring this legislation because the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries was running out of money and we hadn’t raised fees in decades.

Cut 13 (09) “…user pay”

The fee increases are expected to generate about 17 million dollars a year in the next fiscal year, rising to 19 million a year in future years.

Potential Tropical Cyclone three has gotten a little stronger as the day has gone along. The National Hurricane Center still expects the system to develop into a tropical storm before making landfall late tonight or early tomorrow morning near Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. As the system moves towards the coast, it is projected to take a more easterly track, which GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele says is good news for Louisiana…
cut 10 (11) “….problem area”
Six to eight inches of rain could fall to the east and south of New Orleans. St. Benard Parish Emergency Preparedness Director John Rahaim says they have been proactive ahead of the storm…
cut 12 (12) “…amount of time”
The center of the storm should be into Mississippi by tomorrow afternoon.

Hunting and fishing licenses are set to go up in cost starting next July for both commercial and recreational sportsmen. Matt Doyle has the story.
cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle”

A bill to legalize recreational marijuana did not make it to the governor’s desk this year. But Governor Edwards expects that will happen before his term ends in 2023…
cut 8 (11) “…before us”

Soon-to-be Tropical Storm Claudette is expected to make landfall near Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes during the overnight and cross over the New Orleans area tomorrow morning. National Weather Service meteorologist Ben Schott says areas east of I-55 could see over a half-foot of rain…

Cut 4 (10) “…parish there.”

The forecast track of the potential tropical storm has been shifting east since the first one was posted by the National Hurricane Center on Thursday afternoon.  Which has put Louisiana in better shape to handle this storm, but GOHSEP spokesperson Mike Steele says residents still need to be prepared.

Cut 9 (11) “…the state”

With Tropical Storm warnings for southeast Louisiana St. Tammany Parish Director of Emergency Preparedness Clarence Powe says they’ve opened up sandbagging stations and have already closed a few bridges in anticipation of flooding. Powe encourages residents to make storm plans and check around their homes.

Cut  11 (09) “…do it early.” 

Governor Edwards takes issue with the label “decriminalization” as a way to describe legislation he signed that removes the possibility of jail time for possession of 4 grams or less of marijuana. Edwards says it’s not legalization and getting caught with a small amount of pot will still cause you a real headache.

Cut 7 (06) “…citation.”

Under the legislation, if caught with 14 grams or less of pot you can’t be sent to jail and only can be fined 100 dollars.

Soon-to-be Tropical Storm Claudette is expected to make landfall near Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes overnight and cross over the New Orleans area Saturday morning. National Weather Service meteorologist Ben Schott says basically everyone east of I-55 from the coast up to the Mississippi state line should be on alert.

Cut 5  (12) “…Sunday” 

To incentivize more people to get their COVID vaccine the state is launching a lottery program. And because individuals ages 12 and up can get vaccinated, for those under 18 there will be nine drawings for scholarships. Higher Ed Commissioner Kim Hunter Reed says the money will be put in a START account.

Cut 11 (07)”…program.”

Each scholarship is valued at $100-thousand.

Governor Edwards takes issue with the label “decriminalization” as a way to describe legislation he signed that removes the possibility of jail time for possession 14 grams or less of marijuana. Under the legislation, you can’t be sent to jail and only can be given a 100 dollar fine. Edwards says don’t confuse that for full legalization.

Cut 6 (09) “…marijuana.”

State offices are closed this afternoon in honor of  Juneteenth. House Bill 554 by Baton Rouge Representative Larry Selders making Juneteenth a state holiday was signed into law on Thursday. President Biden also signed legislation making it a federal holiday. Baton Rouge Representative Ted James says it’s a momentous occasion.

Cut 14 (09) “…very exciting.”

It looks likely soon-to-be Tropical Storm Claudette will bullseye the New Orleans area sometime late tonight or early tomorrow morning. National Weather Service meteorologist Ben Schott says for folks in southeast Louisiana expect conditions to deteriorate throughout the rest of the day.

Cut 3 (08) “…the area.”

A tropical storm warning is in effect East of Morgan City to the Okaloosa/Walton County line in Florida.

The state is launching a vaccine incentive lottery program that will give out 2.4 million dollars in total prizes to Louisianans who get their shot. Governor Edwards says the first of five drawings will be held July 9^th with the grand prize drawing on August 4^th.

Cut 10 (12) “…a million dollars.”

Registration for the lotto will begin Monday at noon.

AAA says three-quarters of Americans are planning to travel this summer. Brooke Thorington talks to an expert about what you should do before you take off on your excursion.

Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington.”

Just a day after he was reinstated as Chancellor of LSU Health Shreveport Dr. GE Ghali resigns. Ghali had been placed on administrative leave after several EEOC complaints were filed against the school alleging Ghali fostered a toxic environment and allowed sexual harassment of female workers, but was reinstated yesterday following a letter from human resources.