8-31-17
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards asked for an expansion of a federal emergency disaster declaration as Tropical Storm Harvey moved through the state. President Donald Trump already issued such a declaration for five southwestern parishes: Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis and Vermilion. In a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday, Edwards sought the addition of Allen, Acadia, Iberia, Natchitoches (NACK’-uh-tish), Rapides (rap-EEDS’), Sabine and Vernon. The declaration authorizes the federal government to cover 75 percent of costs of certain emergency protective measures.
THE SHERIFF’S IN BEAUREGARD AND VERNON PARISHES HAVE URGED RESIDENTS WHO LIVE ALONG THE SABINE RIVER TO EVACUATE. THE SABINE RIVER AUTHORITY DECIDED TO OPEN THE FLOODGATES AT THE TOLEDO BEND LAKE BY TWO FEET DUE TO RISING WATER. THE SABINE RIVER IS EXPECTED TO CREST AT 30 FEET SOMETIME THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING. BEAUREGARD PARISH SHERIFF RICKY MOSES SAYS THE TOWN OF MERRYVILLE IS OPERATING A SHELTER AT THE MERRYVILLE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH FAMILY LIFE CENTER.
HIGHWAY 713 IS CLOSED IN GUEYDAN BECAUSE OF WATERS THAT HAVE COME FROM A LEVEE BREACH. THE BREACH OCCURRED DURING LAST YEAR’S HISTORIC FLOODING AND HAS NEVER BEEN REPAIRED. VERMILLION PARISH POLICE JUROR LEON BROUSSARD TELLS KATC TV THAT, BECAUSE IT’S ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET THE GREEN LIGHT TO GO AHEAD AND REPAIR IT AND, SINCE THEN, IT’S BEEN TOO WET TO MAKE THE REPAIRS. THIRTY HOMES IN THE AREA ARE UNDER THE THREAT OF FLOODING IF WATERS RISE.
THE CALCASIUE PARISH POLICE JURY ANNOUNCED THEY ARE OPENING THE BURTON COLISEUM AS A TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR EVACUEES FROM HURRICANE HARVEY. IN A PRESS RELEASE, THEY SAY STATE OFFICIALS ASKED THEM TO OPEN A SHELTER. THE JURY SAYS LOCAL RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT CONSIDER THE SITE AS A PERMANENT SHELTER AND EVACUEES WILL BE SENT TO OTHER SHELTERS OUTSIDE HURRICANE IMPACT ZONES ONCE THEY BECOME AVAILABLE. THE JURY SAYS NO SUPPLIES ARE NEEDED FOR THE SHELTER BUT THEY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO MAKE DONATIONS TO THE UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AT THEIR WEBSITE, UNITED WAY S-W-L-A-DOT-ORG.
THE UNITED WAYS IN LAKE CHARLES, LAFAYETTE, AND OPELOUSAS ARE HOLDING DONATION DRIVES TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY TO HELP VICTIMS OF HURRICANE HARVEY IN TEXAS AND LOUISIANA. THEY ARE COLLECTING CLEANING SUPPLIES, NON-PERISHABLE FOOD, BABY ITEMS AND TOILETRIES. THE DROP OFF LOCATIONS ARE THE UNITED WAY WAREHOUSE ON EAST PINHOOK IN LAFAYETTE, THE FORMER SOCIAL SECURITY BUILDING NEXT TO THE UNITED WAY ON RYAN STREET IN LAKE CHARLES AND THE UNITED WAY ON WEST VINE STREET IN OPELOUSAS. THE TIMES TO DROP OFF DONATIONS IS TODAY BETWEEN NINE AND FOUR, TOMORROW BETWEEN SEVEN AND FOUR AND ON SATURDAY BETWEEN NINE AND NOON.
KAJN IMPACT NEWS PAGE TWO
A TORNADO DAMAGED FOUR HOMES IN ACADIA PARISH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. MEGAN KELLY REPORTS.
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ONE ACADIANA REVEALED A NEW MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR THE AREA WHICH FOCUSES ON NAMING THE REGION SOUTH LOUISIANA TO COMPANIES OUTSIDE THE AREA. THE NEW CAMPAIGN TITLED “SOUTH LOUISIANA, REAL CAJUN” WAS DEVELOPED WITH THE HELP OF THE NATIONAL MARKETING FIRM D-C-I, WHICH FOUND MOST SITE SELECTORS AND TALENT RECRUITERS AROUND THE COUNTRY WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE NAME ACADIANA. THE RESPONDENTS ALSO SAID THE REGION WOULD BE BETTER SERVED BY CALLING IT SOUTHWEST OR SOUTH LOUISIANA. THE INTERIM PRESIDENT FOR ONE ACADIANA SAYS THEY HAVE HAD A GOAL FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS OF ESTABLISHING A NEW BRAND AND THEY BEGAN WORKING WITH D-C-I OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
THE HOME OF A EUNICE POLICE OFFICER WAS SHOT AT TUESDAY NIGHT WHILE THE OFFICER AND HIS WIFE AND CHILD WERE THERE. POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR A VEHICLE THAT WAS CAUGHT ON SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AT THE TIME OF THE SHOOTING. POLICE CHIEF RANDY FONTENOT SAYS HE DOESN’T BELIEVE THE SHOOTING WAS RANDOM BUT IT WAS TARGETED BECAUSE A POLICE OFFICER LIVED THERE. HE TELLS KATC TV THAT ALL OFFICERS ARE ON ALERT AND THEY WON’T LET UP UNTIL THEY FIND WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SHOOTING.
