8-23-16
MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND POUNDS OF ROADSIDE DEBRIS WAS COLLECTED IN YOUNGSVILLE BY SUNDAY EVENING. THE HARDEST HIT SUBDIVISION IN YOUNGSVILLE IS HIGHLAND RIDGE, WHERE MOST OF THE 300 HOMES WERE FLOODED BY MORE THAN TWO FEET OF WATER. CONTRACTORS FOR THE LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH GOVERNMENT BEGAN HAULING DEBRIS YESTERDAY IN LAFAYETTE AND THE UNINCORPORATED PARTS OF THE PARISH. CITY PARISH OFFICIALS TELL THE ADVOCATE THAT THE CONTRACTORS WILL MAKE THREE PASSES THROUGH THE PARISH OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
RESIDENTS OF LAKE ARTHUR RETURNED HOME YESTERDAY AS A MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER WAS LIFTED. FEMA HAS SET UP AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER ON EIGHTH STREET. UNITED WAY IS THERE AS WELL TO HAND OUT ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES TO RESIDENTS. SCHOOLS IN LAKE ARTHUR REOPEN TODAY AFTER BEING CLOSED MORE THAN A WEEK.
The LSU AgCenter estimates that the floods in south Louisiana have caused at least $110 million worth of damage to agriculture — and the figure is likely to grow. Economist Kurt Guidry says in a news release that factors include damage to crop yield and quality, damage to infrastructure and loss of stored commodities. He says typical summer rains could slow the fall of floodwaters, delaying harvest and doing even more damage. Guidry says few soybeans were harvested before the floods, and that crop has about $46 million in known damage.
THE VERMILLION RIVER AT SURREY STREET WAS STILL ABOVE FLOOD STAGE YESTERDAY AT 16-POINT-48 FEET. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PREDICTS IT WILL DROP BELOW FLOOD STAGE, WHICH IS 16 FEET, BY TOMORROW MORNING. RESIDENTS OF THE DERBY HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION OFF OF CARMEL IN LAFAYETTE ARE AMONG THE FEW THAT ARE STILL DEALING WITH FLOOD WATERS MORE THAN A WEEK AFTER THE RAINS. ONE RESIDENT, JOSEPH PINKNEY, TOLD THE DAILY ADVERTISER THAT HE HASN’T BEEN ABLE TO GET TO HIS HOME BECAUSE HE DOESN’T HAVE ACCESS TO A BOAT.
President Barack Obama will make his first visit to flood-ravaged southern Louisiana on Tuesday as he attempts to assure the many thousands who have suffered damage to their homes, schools and businesses that his administration has made their recovery a priority. The Baton Rouge visit is a reminder of the political dangers and opportunities that natural disasters can pose. Obama took some criticism by opting to complete his family’s two-week vacation in Martha’s Vineyard before inspecting the Louisiana flood damage personally and meeting with local residents. The White House says Obama is willing to assume criticism about “optics” as long as the federal response is up to par.
A former teacher has pleaded no contest to battery after being accused of holding a 9-year-old student and telling another student to hit the boy last year. At a prosecutor’s request, the judge dismissed a charge of contributing to juvenile delinquency against 35-year-old Randy Louis of Jeanerette. Louis had been a teacher at the St. Mary Parish Alternative Program school in Verdunville. The Daily Review reports that his no-contest plea was made Aug. 9.
THE PORT OF LAKE CHARLES BOARD HAS AGREED TO HELP WITH A TEN MILLION DOLLAR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AT THE B-T-ONE DOCK IN SULPHUR. THE BOARD ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND THE LOUISIANA PORT CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY PROGRAM. THE PORT, AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT, HAS TO PROVIDE HALF OF THE MONEY FOR THE PROJECT. THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO TAKE FORTY MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
A VICTIM OF A SHOOTING IN DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE LAST MONTH HAS DIED FROM HIS INJURIES. JULIE DARCE HAS MORE.
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