The long term rate of Louisiana’s wetland loss is slowing, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Emelie Gunn has more…
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Monroe is the next Louisiana city to get the Waitr food delivery app. Halen Doughty has more…
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Childhood trauma can impact people in more ways than one, according to experts at LSU Health New Orleans. Michelle Southern has more…
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The U.S. Geological Survey has found the long term rate of Louisiana wetland loss is slowing. Research Geographer Brady Couvillion says analysis finds rates of land area loss have continued to decrease since the 1970s. He says one possible reason for this is the lack of major hurricane activity over the past 8 years.
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About half of the county’s wetlands have been lost over the last 200 years, with the greatest losses in Louisiana where an area the size of Delaware has been lost since the 1930s. Couvillion says one possible reason for the long term decrease in loss is the relocation of the oil and gas industry inland or offshore.
The report does point out that these findings do not indicate that coastal wetland loss has ceased to be a serious issue. Coastal wetlands in Louisiana are vulnerable to natural and human influenced processes like sea-level rise and subsidence. Couvillion says research discovered that coastal restoration efforts are paying off when it comes to saving wetlands.
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The Waitr app is making its debut in Monroe today. The food delivery service has become wildly popular in south Louisiana and other states after its 2015 launch in Lake Charles. Co-founder and Launch Director Addison Killebrew says after adding new markets like Baton Rouge, they’re thrilled to put another Waitr location on the map.
Killebrew says there will be a launch party at SQ’s on the Ouachita tonight at 5 p.m. He says SQ’s is also one of the first restaurants to offer their food for delivery and carryout through the Waitr app. He says other businesses are also expressing interest.
Killebrew says they’re eager to expand their options in Monroe, and they hope to have over 100 restaurants in the system in the near future. He says they’re also creating jobs, as Waitr expects to hire 150 food delivery drivers by the end of the year.
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Experts say trauma can impact children and their health in more ways than one. Joy Osofsky, Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at LSU Health New Orleans, says when children are exposed to negative experiences, it impacts both their mental and physical health. She says stress can lead to physical health problems for young children.
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Osofsky says too often people try to discount the impact of stress by suggesting young children will not remember the trauma, but she says that’s not the case. She says it can also impact a child’s behavior and mental health at the time and later in life.
Osofsky says the brain isn’t fully developed at a young age, and its development can be hindered by negative experiences. That’s why she says young children need support when they’re exposed to trauma to prevent problems in adulthood.
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Three out of four farm recovery grant program meetings are scheduled for today for farmers and ranchers who suffered losses as a result of the March and August 2016 floods. Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain says during these meetings, the guidelines and application process for receiving recovery grant money will be discussed.
The meetings take place today in Welsh, Crowley and Opelousas and more information can be found on the Department of Agriculture’s website. Strain says meetings in North Louisiana are in the process of being scheduled. He says this money was granted to us by the hard work from out legislative leaders in Washington.
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Strain says he wants to make sure Louisiana farmers have the information they need to get as much assistance as they are eligible to receive and this is not a loan.
The next meeting is tomorrow in Hammond.