US Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson is touring Denham Springs today, one year after the majority of the town was under water. Jeff Palermo reports…:
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo”
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An audit of the state’s foster care system uncovered shortcomings in the state program. Halen Doughty has more…
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”
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Quarterback Lindsey Scott is transferring from LSU. The redshirt-freshman quarterback from Zachary announced his decision on twitter this morning. Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham says Scott is behind starter Danny Etling and true freshman Myles Brennan on the depth chart…
Cut 3 (10) “too much”
Lowell Narcisse and Justin McMillan are the other scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. Scott signed with LSU in 2016 after helping Zachary win a state championship in football. Worsham says Scott faced long odds to get any serious playing time at LSU after Head Coach Ed Orgeron signed Narcisse and Brennan in his first recruiting class…
Cut 4 (05) “better way”
Head Coach Ed Orgeron said in a statement that Scott is a great young man and they wish him all of the best in the future. Scott is the 11th player to leave the LSU program since Orgeron took over and Worsham says you see that happen a lot when a new coach takes over…
Cut 5 (10) “in roster”
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Today, a new boutique paddle wheeler cruise ship makes her maiden voyage from the Port of New Orleans. Port spokesperson Donnell Jackson says the American Duchess is an all-suite 166-guest ship offering inland cruises in the Lower Mississippi River.
Cut 6 (11) “loft suites”
Two dining venues on the shop offer open seating and regionally-inspired cuisine with complementary beer and wine at dinner. Jackson says the paddle wheeler will leave New Orleans and head up river, making stops at historic sites and attractions along the way.
Cut 7 (08) “in Baton Rouge”
The American Duchess is the third vessel in the American Queen Steamboat Company’s fleet. Jackson says 2016 marked the third consecutive year that the Port of New Orleans saw more than a million cruise passengers, and they hope this new paddle wheeler cruise ship will help to continue that trend.
Cut 8 (11) “of New Orleans”
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US Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson is touring Denham Springs today, one year after the majority of the city was under water in the August 2016 floods. He is slated to be with Mayor Gerard Landry who said on Talk Louisiana memories of the devastating event are something no resident in the Livingston Parish city will ever forget…:
Cut 9 (10) “not a sprint”
Landry says a little over 77% of the structures in the city received 18 inches or more. He says, for the most part, businesses that were impacted have either rebuilt or relocated, but it’s the citizens that are having the hardest time in the recovery, especially those not insured…:
Cut 10 (10) “these folks”
Carson is expected to hold a news conference this afternoon at 4:15. Landry says what makes this historic event stand out most was how fast the water rose and essentially took everyone by surprise. He says City Hall itself got 52 inches of water within a matter of three hours, and during that time it was “all hands on deck” to head out and start saving people…:
Cut 11 (09) “to even think”
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An audit of the state’s foster care program unveiled some not-so-surprising shortcomings. Karen Leblanc with the legislative auditor’s office says they found not all foster care providers had the required criminal background checks. They either had no check, or they were not completed in a timely manner. She says that’s not the only shocking discovery they made.
Cut 12 (10) “foster care provider”
The audit also found that not all children who came into the program received the necessary physical and behavioral health services. Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Marketa Garner Walters says they’ve been trying to call attention to the problem after the department lost 2,000 workers under the previous administration. She says cases workers average 16 cases each, putting a heavy burden on vital employees.
Cut 13 (12) “of caseloads”
The maximum recommended case load is 10 per case worker. Walters blames a high turnover rate and increasing number of foster kids in the system. That’s why the legislative auditor recommended the department evaluate staffing levels and request additional funding. Leblanc says they’re also recommending DCFS take advantage of other services offered in the state.
Cut 14 (11) “help them”
Walters says the department has already taken steps to improve the foster care program, like taking extra steps to hire new workers and restructuring the system to decrease the work load. She says they’ve also launched new programs like the Quality Parenting Initiative, which is a new way for the staff to work with foster parents.
Cut 15 (08) “in this problem”