Four thousand flood victims are still in shelters, according to the Department of Children and Family Services. Deputy Secretary Terri Ricks says there has been some consolidation and expects Celtic Studios and the River Center will soon come together. She says no firm decisions have been made on temporary housing, but…

Cut 7 (10) “that out”

More than 85-thousand flood victims have registered for federal aid. FEMA spokesperson Maria Padron says in the next few days FEMA will open disaster recovery centers where flood victims can come ask questions. She says the amount of money a victim receives is determined on a case by case basis.

Cut 13 (08) “dollars”

She says the average payment is about 2-thousand dollars.

The Salvation Army is taking donations for victims of the flood in south Louisiana. Commander of the Salvation Army of Greater Baton Rouge, Capt. Brett Meredith says 100% of all donations go directly to the victims. He says they are continuing to distribute items, even though their facilities in Baton Rouge flooded.

Cut 5 (10) “facilities”

Monetary donations can be made by texting STORM to 51555.

Former Saints player Darren Sharper was sentenced today to 18 months behind bars for raping 9 women in four different states. Legal analyst Chick Foret says Sharper originally worked out a plea deal for 9 years, but US District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo rejected it because it was too lenient.

Cut 11 (07) “18 years”

Sharper’s sentence is 15 months shy of the maximum sentence.

Over 85-thousand people have registered for federal disaster assistance with FEMA after the devastating floods ravaged thousands of homes in south Louisiana. FEMA Spokesperson Maria Padron says once a flood victim registers, an inspector will visit the home to verify the losses…
cut 12 (10) “…that packet”
Padron says FEMA will open disaster recovery centers so flood victims can talk to a rep in person.

Thousands of south Louisiana residents lost everything in the flood, and the Salvation Army is taking donations. Capt. Brett Meredith is the Commander of the Salvation Army of Greater Baton Rouge. He says every donation helps.
cut 3 (08) “…are needed”

Plans are underway to determine temporary housing for flood victims still in shelters. Emelie Gunn has more…
voicer 2 (31) “…I’m Emelie Gunn”

Former-Saints player Darren Sharper was sentenced to 18 years in a federal prison today for drugging and raping 9 women in four states. Legal analyst Tim Meche says Sharper’s sentence is not that long, considering the charges against him….
cut 9 (10) “…incredible deal”
The maximum sentence he was facing was around 20 years.

The Department of Children and Family Services says as of this morning, there are a little over 4-thousand flood victims still in shelters. Deputy Secretary Terri Ricks says some flood victims went back home once the water receded and the power came back on. She says they are working on a plan for housing those who have nowhere else to go…
cut 6 (10) “…childcare”
Ricks says the governor and FEMA meet today to determine housing for displaced residents for the near and distant future.

Thousands of Louisiana families lost everything in the Great Flood of 2016. The Salvation Army is busying trying to provide much needed supplies and clothing…
cut 4 (09) “…for granted”
It doesn’t appear President Barack Obama will end his vacation early so that he can check out the devasting floods in Louisiana first hand. The White House says the President is receiving regular updates and has issued a federal disaster declaration to assist those affected by the floods.

Former NFL star and Saints defensive back Darren Sharper received an 18-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges that he drugged and raped nine women in four different states, including Louisiana. Legal analyst Tim Meche says Sharper received a lenient sentence thanks to good work from his attorneys…
cut 10 (09) “…legal team”
Sharper apologized for his actions before the sentencing was handed down.

Flood victims in the 20 parishes that have been declared federal disaster areas are still applying for federal aid. FEMA reports that 70-thousand people have registered for individual assistance, and registration is open at disasterasssistance.gov.

The Salvation Army is collecting donations to help the thousands of storm victims who lost everything in the flood. Don Molino has more…

CUT 1 (31) “I’m Don Molino”

South Louisiana will soon be at an increased risk mosquitos after the flood. State Medical Director for the Center of Community Preparedness, Dr. Frank Welch, says mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus are not as prevalent in the flooded areas of the state, but the threat should not be ignored.

Cut 6 (10) “New Orleans area”

Welch says floods leave standing water, which allows mosquitoes to breed and the population to grow quickly.

Conditions are improving in Lafayette parish following the devastating flood. Lafayette OEP Director Craig Stansbury says the parish is starting to enter the recovery phase. He says they will be assisting FEMA with setting up a location and whatever else the residents need going forward.

Cut 13 (06) “debris removal”

Stansbury says over 5-thousand homes were damaged in the flood.

Much of interstate 10 between Lafayette and Lake Charles is open at this hour. State Police say I-10 eastbound and westbound is restricted to one lane in each direction at L-A 13. Meanwhile, I-10 eastbound just south of Baton Rouge has been reduced to one lane due to high water.

The flood waters ruined many important documents and pictures, but there is a way to salvage them. Archivist Doug Harrison, with the State Archives Office, says if you can’t work on drying them right away, then put them in the freezer. But Harrison says the chances of pictures surviving are lower than regular documents…
cut 16 (10) “…salvage those”
If you are able to air dry pictures and documents, try to keep the air circulating around them.

Power outages remain an issue. Entergy reports 15-thousand customers are without power. DEMCO says about four-thousand of their customers are still without electricity.

Even though it’s a hectic week in south Louisiana, LSU will start school on Monday and accommodate local students affected by the flood. Emelie Gunn has more…:
Cut 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Former NFL star and member of the Saints Super Bowl team Darren Sharper has been senteced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to drugging and raping women. Originally, Sharper had worked out an agreement with prosecutors that would have led to a nine-year prison sentence, but the judge rejected it because it was too lenient.

Thousands of people across southern Louisiana displaced by catastrophic flooding are now struggling with where to live. 70,000 victims had registered for individual federal assistance as of Wednesday. In Livingston Parish, all schools are closed until further notice. Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry believes every school in the city took on water.
CUT 9 (12) “it’s bad”
Officials say the death toll has climed to 13.

With all this water comes the increased risk of West Nile. State Medical Director for the Center of Community Preparedness, Dr. Frank Welch:
CUT 5 (09) “after flooding”
He says the state is going to be very vigilant and focus on mosquito control over the next few weeks.

Many people lost important documents and photographs in the recent flood. Halen Doughty has more from the State Archives Office on how to salvage them…:
Cut 3 (28) “I’m Halen Doughty”

St. James, St. John, additional regions in Ascension and also Jefferson Davis Parish are still bracing for the possibility of backwater flooding this week. Chief Deputy Chris Ivey with the Jefferson Davis Sheriff’s Office says they aren’t expecting many more areas to take on, but now they are gearing up for the aftermath…:
cut 11 (08) “still there”

Officials confirmed that there were two deaths in Livingston Parish, two in St. Helena, five in East Baton Rouge, three in Tangipahoa and one in Rapides Parish. Bringing the total to 13.

A state health official says there will be an increase threat of West Nile in the flooded areas of the state. Jeff Palermo has more…:
CUT 1 (28) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Entergy says restoration efforts continue after the Great Flood of 2016, as customers affected by outages grows to new areas with the rising water. Over 12,000 customers are in the dark. DEMCO is working to get over 4600 back up.

The water is leaving Livingston Parish for the most part, but what the flood left behind is catastrophic. Parish-wide, officials say at least 75% of homes were impacted with 2 to 8 feet of water, but that figure could easily grow as this is still very much an ongoing situation. Denham Springs Mayor Gerard Landry says people are coming from all over the US to help:
CUT 7 (09) “and do so”
There were between 15,000-20,000 rescues made during this event.

If you’ve got lots of wet photos and documents from the flood, don’t toss them just yet. The State Archives Office says they could be salvaged. Archivist Doug Harrison specializes in preservation. He says if you cannot separate the paper items enough to air dry, you can wrap them in wax paper and put them in the freezer…:
Cut 15 (06) “calmer”
He says ideally pictures need to be air dried as soon as possible.

The massive flooding in south Louisiana now poses an increased risk for West Nile. That’s according to the State Medical Director for the Center of Community Preparedness, Dr. Frank Welch, who says in the short-term, flooding washes away mosquitoes and their larvae, but floods leave standing water, which allows mosquitoes to breed and the population to grow quickly:
cut 4 (10) “those systems”
Welch says they are going to be very vigilant and focus on mosquito control over the next few weeks.

The State Archives Office is offering advice for salvaging documents or photographs that were damaged in the flood. Archivist Doug Harrison specializes in preservation. He says the best thing people can do is separate the documents into the smallest possible stacks so they can dry:
cut 14 (08) “a bit”
Harrison says pictures need to be air dried as soon as possible.

It’s reported the death toll from the recent storms and flooding in south Louisiana has risen to 13. The state registrar for vital records says an elderly woman in Livingston Parish was confirmed Wednesday as the latest death.

Residents in Jefferson Davis parish are simultaneously recovering from a historic flood and preparing for more water to come. Chief Deputy Chris Ivey with the Sheriff’s Office says the water is receding in many areas of the parish, and people are moving back into their neighborhoods as they can…:
Cut 10 (09) “over them”
Conditions are looking a little better farther east down the I-10 corridor. Lafayette OEP Director Craig Stansbury says over 5-thousand homes were damaged in the flood, and many people are still in shelters…:
cut 12 (06) “or not”
He says they will be assisting FEMA with setting up a location and whatever else the residents need going forward.