5-14-24
THE SEVERE WEATHER THAT PASSED THROUGH OUR AREA HAS RESULTED IN SOME SCHOOL CLOSURES TODAY. ALL JEFF DAVIS PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED AS WELL AS THOSE IN CALCASIEU PARISH. ALL CECILIA AREA SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED TODAY. HOWEVER, ALL ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL SHOULD REPORT TO WORK AND CECILIA HIGH SCHOOL WILL STILL HOST A GRADUATION PRACTICE AT NOON TODAY.
ONE PERSON WAS KILLED DURING YESTERDAY’S STORM NEAR HENDERSON. THAT’S ACCORDING TO SAINT MARTIN PARISH SHERIFF BECKET BREAUX AND HENDERSON MAYOR SHERBIN COLLETTE. BREAUX SAYS HE BELIEVES A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN HENDERSON AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS SENDING A CREW TO DETERMINE IF THAT INDEED HAPPENED. THERE WAS ALSO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO PAT’S FISHERMAN’S WHARF RESTAURANT IN HENDERSON.
ACADIA PARISH IS ONE OF THE PARISHES HIT HARD BY LAST NIGHT’S STORMS. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
VOICER Q :27
THE LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT REPORTS THAT THERE WERE DOWNED TREES ACROSS ROADS, POWER LINES AND THERE WAS SOME TREE DAMAGE TO HOMES THROUGHOUT THE PARISH. A TREE FELL ON A PICKUP TRUCK BEING DRIVEN ON PINHOOK ROAD IN LAFAYETTE. A WOMAN IN THE VEHICLE WAS RESCUED. THE EXTENT OF HER INJURIES WERE NOT RELEASED.
THE STORMS THAT PASSED THROUGH THE AREA LEFT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS IN OUR REGION WITHOUT POWER. AS OF EARLY THIS MORNING, MORE THAN FIFTY THOUSAND ENTERGY CUSTOMERS IN LOUISIANA WERE STILL WITHOUT POWER. MEANWHILE IN JENNINGS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED MULTIPLE TREES DOWNED IN THE AREA. SOME WERE TANGLED IN POWER LINES.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONFIRMS TORNADOES TOUCHED DOWN IN LAKE CHARLES AND IN SULPHUR YESTERDAY. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT TODAY TO DETERMINE THE INTENSITY OF THE TORNADOES. THEY FLIPPED VEHICLES ON BRIDGES AND ROADWAYS. THERE WAS ALSO SOME PROPERTY DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE TWISTERS.
THE INTENSE STORMS MOVING THROUGH ACADIANA CAUSED SOME FLOODING. EVANGELINE PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES REPORTED HIGH WATERS ACROSS A NUMBER OF ROADS IN THE PARISH. MULTIPLE STREETS IN SAINT LANDRY PARISH WERE CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING. MEANWHILE IN MAMOU, THERE WAS A GAS LINE FIRE ON HIGHWAY TEN NEARS SPEARS LANE LAST NIGHT. A NEARBY RESIDENT TOLD KLFY TV THAT IT WAS STARTED BY A LIGHTNING STRIKE, THOUGH OFFICIALS HAVE NOT CONFIRMED IT.
THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE IS LOOKING AT INCREASING FUNDING TO PREGNANCY CENTERS IN THE STATE. THE BILL BY STATE SENATOR KATRINA JACKSON-ANDREWS, A DEMOCRAT FROM MONROE, WOULD GREATLY INCREASE FUNDING WITH HOPES OF GETTING BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR MOTHERS AND THEIR BABIES. SHE SAYS HER MAIN GOAL IS TO GET MOTHERS CONNECTED TO RESOURCES. THE BILL HEADS TO THE HOUSE FLOOR AND, IF APPROVED, WILL GO TO THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE FOR HIS SIGNATURE.
