KAJN Jesus FM 102.9


8-17-16

EIGHT MORE PARISHES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE EXISTING DISASTER DECLARATION BECAUSE OF THE HISTORIC FLOODING.  JULIE DARCE HAS A RUN DOWN.

 

VOICER A :27

 

MORE THAN 15-HUNDRED HOMES, BUSINESSES AND OTHER STRUCTURES WERE AFFECTED BY THE FLOODING IN LAFAYETTE PARISH.  THAT’S ACCORDING TO PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TOM CARROLL, WHO GAVE A REPORT TO THE CITY PARISH COUNCIL LAST NIGHT.  CARROLL SAYS THEY FIELDED ABOUT 15-HUNDRED CALLS FROM PEOPLE SAYING A HOME OR BUILDING WAS FLOODED, AND HE SUSPECTS SEVERAL HUNDRED MORE WERE ALSO FLOODED.  HE SAYS LAFAYETTE RECEIVED MORE THAN TWO FEET OF RAIN OVER THE WEEKEND AND ONE PART OF YOUNGSVILLE GOT ELEVEN-AND-A-HALF INCHES IN A THREE HOUR PERIOD.  THE VERMILLION RIVER CRESTED AT 17-POINT-6-2 FEET ON MONDAY AT SURREY STREET IN LAFAYETTE, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST SINCE IT ROSE TO 16-POINT-8 FEET IN 1947.  THE RIVER WAS STILL AT 17 FEET YESTERDAY THOUGH IT’S EXPECTED TO GO BELOW FLOOD STAGE SOMETIME TODAY.  CARROLL SAYS THE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT HAS A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR READY TO GO TO PICK UP DEBRIS, THOUGH IT WILL PROBABLY NOT BEGIN UNTIL NEXT WEEK.  HE SAYS THE CONTRACTOR WILL MAKE THREE PASSES THROUGH THE PARISH OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

 

CROWLEY POLICE CHIEF JIMMY BROUSSARD SAYS 35 TO 40 PERCENT OF THE CITY WAS UNDER WATER YESTERDAY AND ABOUT TWO HUNDRED RESIDENTS HAD TO BE RESCUED.  ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF K-P GIBSON SAYS ITS BECAUSE LARGE AMOUNTS OF RAIN AND WATER HAVE CAUSED THE MERMENTAU RIVER AND THE BAYOU PLAQUEMINE BRULE TO BACK UP.  THE MERMENTAU IS NOT EXPECTED TO CREST UNTIL SOME TIME TOMORROW OR FRIDAY.  TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, ACADIA PARISH RECEIVED ONE TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN YESTERDAY, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND SOME PARTS OF WESTERN ACADIA PARISH GOT EVEN MORE.

 

THE DEADLINE FOR A MANDATORY EVACUATION IN LAKE ARTHUR PASSED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AT FOUR P-M.  MAYOR ROBBIE BERTRAND SAYS ANYBODY WHO STAYED BEHIND COULD FACE LOSING ELECTRICITY AND RUNNING WATER.  JEFF DAVIS PARISH SHERIFF IVY WOODS SAYS ANYONE CAUGHT WANDERING AROUND OUTSIDE WILL BE STOPPED AND QUESTIONED AND COULD BE ARRESTED.  VOLUNTEERS, SOME FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY, SHOWED UP TO PUT SANDBAGS ON THE LEVEE.

STATE EDUCATION OFFICIALS ARE TAKING STOCK AFTER FLOODWATERS INTERRUPTED THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IN MANY PARISHES.  STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION JOHN WHITE SAYS FOUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE CLOSED INDEFINITELY, THREE OTHERS ARE SHUT DOWN THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK, AND ABOUT TWENTY MORE HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR PARTS OF THE WEEK.  HE SAYS MANY DISTRICTS ARE TAKING IT WEEK BY WEEK AND DAY BY DAY.  HE SAYS SOME DISTRICTS STILL HAVEN’T ASSESSED THE FINAL DAMAGE TO SCHOOLS AS WELL AS THE MEMBERS OF THEIR STAFF.

 

THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES IS PREPARING TO ASK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO INITIATE D-SNAP, FORMERLY KNOWN AS DISASTER FOOD STAMPS.  THEY ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO FLOOD VICTIMS, WHO OTHERWISE WOULDN’T BE ELIGIBLE.  THE STATE IS ACCEPTING PRE-REGISTRATIONS NOW, WHICH HELPS SPEED UP THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE BENEFITS TO HOUSEHOLDS.  APPLICANTS CAN PRE-REGISTER AT D-C-F-S-DOT-L-A-DOT-GOV-SLASH-PREREGISTER.

 

MEMBERS OF THE FENTON POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE ESCORTING A CUSTOM MADE CASKET TO LAKE CHARLES THIS AFTERNOON.  THE CASKET IS FOR THE BODY OF OFFICER SHANNON BROWN, WHO DIED LAST SATURDAY AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A CAR DURING A TRAFFIC STOP.  FENTON POLICE SERGEANT VERNON O’QUINN TELLS KPLC TV THAT BROWN WILL BE REMEMBERED AS A BROTHER, POLICE OFFICER, FRIEND, AND A MAN WHO WILL NEVER BE REPLACED.  THE FUNERAL WILL TAKE PLACE SATURDAY MORNING AT TEN AT OUR LADY QUEEN OF HEAVEN CHURCH IN LAKE CHARLES.