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• No new funds needed for Okla. tornado recovery

  May 21, 2013 3:05 PM

  WASHINGTON - Top lawmakers and officials say the federal government has plenty of money on hand to pay for recovery efforts in the devastating tornado that struck Oklahoma. The government has more than $11 billion in its main disaster relief fund. Recovery costs in Moore, Okla., are expected to be... more »

• Red Cross volunteers deploy to Oklahoma

  May 21, 2013 10:28 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Teams of Red Cross volunteers in Louisiana left today to help people affected by a devastating tornado in Oklahoma. Red Cross spokesperson Nancy Malone said teams from Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette and Lake Charles all headed north early Tuesday morning with Emergency Response Vehicles. ... more »

• Haliburton seeking settlement over Gulf oil spill

  April 22, 2013 10:14 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP's cement contractor on the drilling rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 says it is trying to negotiate a settlement over its role in the disaster. Halliburton Chief Financial Officer Mark McCollum said Monday that talks are at an "advanced stage." The... more »

• Concerns mount in Bayou Corne

  March 8, 2013 10:22 PM

  BAYOU CORNE - Preparing for a worst-case scenario is what residents are cautious of in the homes surrounding a massive sinkhole in Assumption Parish. Residents are wondering why a remedy is taking so long and are faced with a tough reality. The mess has already cost Texas Brine... more »

• Expert testifies BP cuts led to Gulf oil disaster

  February 26, 2013 10:30 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The first testimony in the civil trial over the Gulf oil spill came from an expert who said he found evidence the company's penchant for cutting costs led to the disaster. Robert Bea, a University of California Berkeley engineering professor, said BP PLC did not put... more »

• President Obama signs disaster declaration for La.

  February 22, 2013 10:43 AM

  WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Barak Obama signed a major disaster declaration today for the state of Louisiana, freeing up federal funds to help pay for damage caused by flooding and storms last month. The funding will be available to state and eligible local governments, as well as certain nonprofit... more »

• Jindal asks for disaster declaration after January floods

  February 18, 2013 5:27 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal asked FEMA today to expedite a disaster declaration after statewide flooding last month. Jindal sent a letter requesting the declaration to the federal government, saying Louisiana saw more than $6.5 million in damage from the widespread floods between Jan. 8 and 17. ... more »

• Congress passes $50.5B Superstorm Sandy aid bill

  January 28, 2013 5:46 PM

  WASHINGTON - Congress is sending a $50.5 billion emergency relief measure for Superstorm Sandy victims to President Barack Obama for his signature. The Senate on Monday cleared the bill, 62-36. Northeast lawmakers say the money is desperately needed to help recovery efforts from the one of the region's worst storms.... more »

• People with flood damage asked to call it in

  January 15, 2013 10:35 AM

  DENHAM SPRINGS - Emergency officials asked Livingston Parish residents to take time from their cleanup efforts and call in any water damage they received from recent flooding. The parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness needs the information to apply for any public assistance that could be made... more »

• Livingston Parish residents fight flooding, more rain

  January 14, 2013 10:27 AM

  DENHAM SPRINGS - Livingston Parish residents continued cleanup efforts after flooding last week and more rain this weekend. The parish declared a disaster after heavy rains last week flooded low-lying portions of the parish and swelled river levels. Gov. Bobby Jindal also issued an emergency declaration for the state... more »

• Mayor Holden signs disaster declaration for EBR

  January 11, 2013 3:52 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Mayor-President Kip Holden officially declared a local disaster for East Baton Rouge Parish after two days of rainfall and localized flooding. The declaration activates parish emergency response plans and other activities. Holden's office noted that while the rain has stopped, the Amite and Comite rivers... more »

• La. buys wetlands with oil spill settlement funds

  January 8, 2013 10:28 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The state has acquired more than 11,000 acres of wetlands in Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes as part of a conservation project funded by a settlement over the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana said Monday that the $6.7 million purchase of the... more »

• Sandy cost NY, NYC $42B in damage, loss

  November 26, 2012 1:18 PM

  ALBANY, N.Y. - Gov. Andrew Cuomo says Superstorm Sandy ran up a $42 billion bill on New York and the state and New York City will make big requests for disaster aid from the federal government. The cost includes $32 billion for repairs and restoration, but also includes an additional... more »

• Gas explosion reported in downtown Springfield Play Video

  November 23, 2012 5:35 PM

  SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Authorities say a natural gas explosion in one of New England's biggest cities has destroyed two buildings but hasn't killed anyone. They say firefighters and gas company workers are among more than a dozen injured people. The explosion in a downtown area of Springfield blew out all... more »

• New drilling operation near fiery I-10 blowout site

  November 20, 2012 9:43 PM

  RAMAH- Drilling crews have returned to an area where a drilling disaster happened in 2007. Then, a blowout preventer failed and ignited a fireball. The inferno shutdown the I-10 Basin Bridge for ten days. Since then, rules have been changed. Now, a company has received a permit to... more »

• 2 workers shoulder blame for 2010 BP oil disaster

  November 19, 2012 3:14 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Federal authorities have blamed two rig supervisors for the deaths of 11 workers killed when the Deepwater Horizon exploded and spawned BP's massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, even though a string of investigations spread fault among a host of people and companies. A federal... more »

• People who endured Sandy are now recovering from new storm

  November 8, 2012 5:04 PM

  NEW YORK - One man who lives along the New Jersey coast says he just had power restored a couple of days ago following the outage caused by Hurricane Sandy -- and how, he's lost it again. A new storm that struck the Northeast yesterday has caused hundreds of thousands... more »

• Sandy victims to get free gasoline from feds

  November 3, 2012 10:12 AM

  NEW YORK- People here recovering from Superstorm Sandy will receive free gas, on the Federal Government's dime. Gasoline will be distributed with a 10-gallon per-person limit. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday morning that the U.S. Department of Defense will set up emergency mobile fuel stations around... more »

• Romney now is supportive of FEMA, despite earlier suggestion that it be scrapped

  October 31, 2012 12:24 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney is making it clear that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a role to play in dealing with events like Hurricane Sandy. In a statement released by his campaign today, he says FEMA "plays a key role in working with states and localities to prepare for... more »

• Sandy slams NYC, other areas Play Video

  October 29, 2012 10:18 PM

  NEW YORK- What was Hurricane Sandy is now Superstorm Sandy and has knocked-out power to a hospital and some 1.5 million people along the East Coast. New York Mayor Mayor Michael Bloomberg asked residents to only call 911 if "it was a matter of life or death," and implored... more »

• FEMA center opens in Pointe Coupee Parish

  October 22, 2012 10:27 AM

  NEW ROADS - FEMA workers opened a Disaster Recovery Center in Pointe Coupee Parish this morning to help people there file for help dealing with damage caused by Hurricane Isaac. The center opens at 11 a.m. today at the Scott Civic Center in New Roads, with regular hours of... more »

• FEMA extends assistance in 8 parishes

  October 2, 2012 2:57 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Federal Emergency Management Agency is extending federal disaster aid in eight parishes to include supplemental funding for infrastructure repairs in the wake of Hurricane Isaac. Eligible applicants in Catahoula, Franklin, Lafayette, Morehouse, St. Landry, St. Martin, Union and Vermilion parishes can now apply for FEMA... more »

• Disaster declaration extended for Livingston Parish

  September 26, 2012 10:37 AM

  LIVINGSTON - The parish president said a disaster declaration for Livingston Parish has been extended for another month. Residents in the lower portion of the parish saw extensive flooding after Hurricane Isaac passed through southern Louisiana. Parish President Layton Ricks said FEMA is working with parish officials to... more »

• EBR DSNAP locations only open five days

  September 24, 2012 2:20 PM

  BATON ROUGE - People applying for disaster food aid in East Baton Rouge Parish have fewer days to do so than other parishes. According to the Department of Children and Family Services, DSNAP locations in the parish will only be open for five days this week. Other parishes have... more »

• Disaster food aid sites open in Felicianas

  September 20, 2012 1:06 PM

  CLINTON - Sites opened today for people in East and West Feliciana parishes who were affected by Hurricane Isaac to apply for or receive disaster food aid. The sites will be open for the next seven days, and will help people get Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, formerly disaster food... more »

• Disaster food aid sites to open in Felicianas

  September 20, 2012 8:36 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Residents in East Feliciana and West Feliciana parishes who were affected by Hurricane Isaac have seven days, beginning Thursday, to apply for disaster food benefits. State officials say they're opening sites at the East Feliciana Early Learning Center in Clinton and the Independence Community Center in... more »

• Felicianas approved for Isaac-related Disaster Food Stamps

  September 18, 2012 9:29 PM

  BATON ROUGE- East and West Feliciana Parishes are approved for Disaster Food Stamps. Sites open Thursday for those residents. Locations will be open from 8 a.m. Until 6 p.m. Locations: East Feliciana - East Feliciana Early Learning Center, 914 Plank Rd., Clinton West Feliciana -... more »

• Angry over denial for disaster aid, man pulls gun

  September 13, 2012 3:55 PM

  LAPLACE - A man who allegedly got a fully loaded AR-15 assault rifle from his pickup truck after being turned down for disaster food stamps is jailed in St. John the Baptist Parish. Louisiana State Police say a claims processor in LaPlace told officers that a man had become irate... more »

• FEMA disaster recovery center open at Lamar-Dixon

  September 12, 2012 3:08 PM

  GONZALES - The FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is now open at Lamar-Dixon Expo Center. The DRC is located in the banquet room on the second floor of Arena D, above the main office. It will be open seven days a week, 8 a.m. till 6 p.m. until further... more »

• Hours extended to apply for food assistance

  September 12, 2012 7:46 AM

  BATON ROUGE - State officials say hours have been extended in Orleans and Jefferson parishes for residents seeking disaster food assistance following Hurricane Isaac. Suzy Sonnier, secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services, says both UNO's Lakefront Arena in Orleans Parish and the Alario Center in Jefferson... more »

• Iberville, St. Mary parishes approved for FEMA aid

  September 7, 2012 6:17 PM

  BATON ROUGE - FEMA has added Iberville and St. Mary parishes to the list of Louisiana parishes approved for individual assistance grants after Hurricane Isaac. State emergency officials announced the addition Friday. Eighteen parishes are now included in the program that allows residents and business owners to apply for grants... more »

• Livingston Parish FEMA center opens

  September 7, 2012 11:35 AM

  SATSUMA - People who need help with disaster assistance in Livingston Parish can visit a new FEMA center which opened this morning. The center is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the shopping center just north of the I-12 Satsuma exit. After Saturday, the center will stay... more »

• FEMA assessment teams in area today

  September 7, 2012 11:13 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Assessment teams from FEMA are in East Baton Rouge and St. Martin parishes today, looking at damage to see if it qualifies the parish for inidividual federal aid. The teams will survey conditions and damage left behind from Hurricane Isaac, according to FEMA, and present a... more »

• CDC compares wedding preparations to disasters

  July 11, 2012 5:15 PM

  ATLANTA - Health officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention want you to be prepared for a big event many of us will experience: a wedding day. The CDC put up a tongue-in-cheek blog post this week with a wedding season survival guide. They say planning... more »

• Obama offers storm assistance to Florida governor

  June 26, 2012 10:21 AM

  ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE - President Barack Obama has assured Florida Gov. Rick Scott that his state will have "no unmet needs" as it responds to extreme weather and flooding from Tropical Storm Debby. White House spokesman Jay Carney says Obama expressed his condolences for the loss of life, as... more »

• Citizens insurance plaintiffs clear another hurdle

  March 7, 2012 11:04 AM

  BATON ROUGE- A judge has removed another legal hurdle for policyholders of Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. trying to collect more than $100 million for the company's failure to handle claims quickly enough following the 2005 hurricanes. Citizens chief executive Richard Robertson said the ruling late Tuesday gives Regions Bank... more »

• Probe finds Japan hid dangers of nuclear disaster

  February 28, 2012 7:21 AM

  TOKYO - An independent investigation has found that Japan's government withheld information about the full danger of last year's Fukushima nuclear plant disaster from its own people and from its key ally the United States. A report by the Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation says the decision may have put U.S.-Japan... more »

• Japan probe finds nuclear disaster response failed

  December 26, 2011 6:14 AM

  TOKYO (AP) - A Japanese government report has found that the response to the nuclear crisis that followed the March 11 tsunami was confused and filled with errors. The report submitted today outlined a government investigation into the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The investigation will... more »

• BP reaches settlement with maker of failed preventer

  December 16, 2011 6:40 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP will receive $250 million from the maker of the blowout preventer that failed to stop oil from spewing out of BP's fractured well in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Associated Press. Under the agreement announced Friday, BP and Cameron International Corp. will drop all... more »

• BP wants US probes barred from oil spill lawsuits

  November 8, 2011 3:30 PM

  NEW ORLEANS -The companies involved in the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history are trying to prevent government investigations blaming them for the disaster from being used against them by the people and businesses who are suing them. Billions of dollars are potentially at stake in a trial... more »

• Landrieu aide: FEMA has more money than thought

  September 26, 2011 11:32 AM

  WASHINGTON - A Senate aide says the government's disaster aid fund has enough money to last until Thursday, two days longer than earlier predicted. The change might point the way out of a standoff that is holding up passage of legislation to prevent a partial government shutdown. Robert... more »

• FEMA gives $11M to raise homes in Jefferson Parish

  September 10, 2011 9:47 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded more than $11 million to pay for the elevation of 77 homes in Jefferson Parish. FEMA says the homes to be raised are in areas that repeatedly flood. The money comes from FEMA's Severe Repetitive Loss program. The homes... more »

• Santos Takes Over at GOHSEP

  June 29, 2011 4:46 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Pat Santos is the new head of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. He was named interim director after Mark Cooper's resignation earlier this week. Cooper is going to work in private industry. Santos is a retired Colonel with the Louisiana Army National... more »

• Weather records, and Americans, battered by spring

  June 15, 2011 3:35 PM

  WASHINGTON - It was a spring to remember, as America was pummeled by tornadoes, floods, wildfire, snowmelt, thunderstorms and drought. Government weather researchers said Wednesday that, while similar extremes have occurred throughout modern American history, never before have they occurred in a single month, in this case April. ... more »

• BTR airport holding disaster drill Saturday

  June 3, 2011 4:31 PM

  BATON ROUGE - People who hear sirens and explosions near the Baton Rouge Metro Airport on Satudray morning shouldn't be too concerned: it's only a drill. Jim Caldwell with BTR said they'll be doing their FAA-required disaster drill from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday to evaluate the response time... more »

• Confusing conditions as hurricane season starts

  June 1, 2011 4:47 AM

  MIAMI- Hurricane season has begun. The six-month Atlantic hurricane season started today and continues through Nov. 30. Federal forecasters say they expect three to six major hurricanes from an above-average storm season. Last year was the third-most active season on record, with 19 named storms, 12 of which became hurricanes.... more »

• Number unaccounted for in Joplin tornado down to 29

  May 30, 2011 3:56 PM

  JOPLIN, Mo. - The number of people unaccounted for after the Joplin tornado is down to 29. Missouri Department of Public Safety deputy director Andrea Spillars also said Monday that the number of remains is still 146, but that some could be duplicates. As a result, Spillars says she... more »

• Joplin victims offered existing homes

  May 30, 2011 11:32 AM

  JOPLIN, Mo. - Some of the people left temporarily homeless by the Joplin tornado could be placed in housing nearly an hour's drive from town. The Federal Emergency Management Agency told The Associated Press on Monday that its first option for housing the thousands of displaced is to find... more »

• Engineers go into Joplin hospital to assess damage

  May 25, 2011 11:02 AM

  JOPLIN, Mo. - Structural engineers are going into the battered hospital in Joplin, Mo., to see whether the nine-story building where five people died in the storm is salvageable. If it's not, administrators say they will rebuild. Sisters of Mercy Health Systems chief executive Lynn Britton says he's confident... more »

• Joplin tornado single deadliest in US since 1950

  May 24, 2011 10:11 AM

  JOPLIN, Mo. - The death toll from a Missouri tornado stands at 117, making it the single deadliest tornado in the U.S. since at least 1950. Gov. Jay Nixon's spokesman, Sam Murphey, said Tuesday morning that the death toll is now 117. Until this week, the single deadliest... more »

• President declares federal emergency for La. flooding

  May 6, 2011 6:11 PM

  BATON ROUGE - President Obama has approved an emergency disaster declaration for Louisiana as the Mississippi River swells past its flood point. The Federal Emergency Management Agency made the announcement this afternoon, saying federal aid would be made available to help with any state and local response to flooding.... more »

• AP: Experts fear another oil disaster

  April 14, 2011 3:46 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - With everything Big Oil and the government have learned in the year since the Gulf of Mexico disaster, could it happen again? Absolutely. An Associated Press examination of the industry and interviews with experts on the perils of deep-sea drilling show there are still serious... more »

• Movie industry poised to aid disaster relief

  April 7, 2011 3:42 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The movie industry in Louisiana is positioning itself to be a major player in the state's disaster relief scenarios. A partnership between the Red Cross and the Louisiana Industry for Film and Entertainment will create new space for thousands of potential evacuees in the case of a... more »

• Japan rules out choppers to cool down nuke reactor

  March 15, 2011 4:30 PM

  TOKYO - The operator of Japan's stricken Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant says it has scrapped a plan to use helicopters to pour water into a reactor whose overheating fuel storage unit was emitting radiation. The storage pool, used to hold spent nuclear fuel rods, caught fire Tuesday in... more »

• Death toll rises as Japan struggles with disaster's aftermath

  March 15, 2011 3:12 PM

  TOKYO - The rescues of two people in the earthquake and tsunami rubble in Japan today come as rare good news. The confirmed death toll is around 3,300 and thousands more are missing. Experts in involved in the 2004 Asian tsunami say there's no question that the toll is... more »

• No-fly zone over damaged Japanese nuclear plant

  March 15, 2011 3:08 PM

  SOMA, Japan - After three explosions and a fire at Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, officials there say they make ask the U.S. and Japanese military for help cooling a storage pond for spent fuel. The idea is for helicopters to spray water into it. While the fire in... more »

• Explosion at Japan nuke plant, disaster toll rises

  March 12, 2011 11:11 AM

  IWAKI, Japan- An explosion shattered a building housing a nuclear reactor Saturday, amid fears of a meltdown, while across wide swaths of northeastern Japan officials searched for thousands of people missing more than a day after a devastating earthquake and tsunami. The confirmed death toll from Friday's twin disasters... more »

• Quake brings modern Tokyo to a standstill

  March 11, 2011 12:07 PM

  TOKYO - Japan's huge earthquake brought super-modern Tokyo to a standstill Friday, paralyzing trains that normally run like clockwork and stranding hordes of commuters carrying mobile phones rendered largely useless by widespread outages. The magnitude-8.9 quake off Japan's northeastern coast shook buildings in the capital, left millions of homes... more »

• Rayne gets assistance from Baptists

  March 8, 2011 12:34 PM

  Rayne, LA - Call it the kindness of strangers...the city of Rayne is getting some much needed relief from the Louisiana Baptist Convention. The Baptists have brought in several work crews with heavy equipment. The crews are trained volunteers and have experience with disaster recovery. If you have downed... more »

• Report: FEMA hasn't tried to recoup $643M in bad payments

  January 3, 2011 2:50 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A government audit says the Federal Emergency Management Agency hasn't tried to recoup roughly $643 million in improper payments made to victims of Hurricane Katrina and other disasters. A report issued Monday by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general's office says the improper payments have gone... more »

• FEMA forgives NO airport's $10.8M disaster loan

  November 11, 2010 5:17 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The Federal Emergency Management Agency is forgiving $10.8 million in community disaster loans to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. New Orleans CityBusiness reports that the airport used the money for repairs after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Aviation director Iftikhar Ahmad says reducing the airport's debts... more »

• Panel probes decisions made after Gulf spill

  September 27, 2010 5:36 AM

  A federal panel appointed by President Barack Obama starts its investigation into how well the White House reacted to the Gulf oil spill disaster. The two-day meeting of the presidential oil spill commission will look at the controversial use of chemical dispersants, a moratorium on deep-water drilling and Obama's plans... more »

• Not many takers for BP Gulf rig worker fund

  September 21, 2010 12:09 PM

  There have been far fewer applicants than expected for money from a $100 million fund BP PLC set up to help deepwater rig workers after a federal moratorium on drilling prompted by the massive oil spill. With nine days left to apply, a spokesman for the charity running the... more »

• Fund set up for LA farmers with 2009 losses

  September 20, 2010 2:17 PM

  Some Louisiana cotton, rice, soybean and sweet potato farmers have a chance to help recover their losses from last year’s flooded harvest. The state Department of Agriculture and Forestry announced today that a $550 million disaster relief program has been created to help farmers that had at least a five... more »

• Experts to hold forth on oil spill at Loyola Law

  September 14, 2010 7:07 AM

  Experts on oil exploration and the law are among those who will weigh in on the BP Gulf oil spill disaster at Loyola University in New Orleans. A Loyola news release says Friday's presentation at Loyola's College of law will include a look at the fundamentals of oil and gas... more »

• HUD hurricane funds to help N.O. health clinics

  August 27, 2010 4:49 AM

  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is allowing the state to use $32 million in unused disaster funds to keep 90 community health clinics open in the greater New Orleans area. The funding for the health clinics comes from HUD's Disaster Community Development Block Grant money. The clinics... more »

• SBA says it's ready to handle next disaster

  August 24, 2010 10:39 AM

  The federal Small Business Administration says over the past five years it has upgraded technology and streamlined the entire loan process to improve how it helps disaster victims. But questions linger about whether the agency is prepared to handle storms on the scale of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which caused... more »

• Former state workers plead guilty in food stamp fraud

  August 17, 2010 10:21 AM

  Four former state employees have pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to disaster food stamp fraud. U.S. District Judge Richard Haik accepted guilty pleas Monday from Angela Gray, 46, of New Iberia; Edie Harrison, 46, of New Iberia; Paula Bell, 54, of Baldwin; and Felicia Carroll, 41, of... more »

• 4 plead guilty in disaster food stamp cases

  August 17, 2010 6:26 AM

  Four former state employees have pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to disaster food stamp fraud. Angela Gray, Edie Harrison, Paula Bell, and Felicia Carroll all pled guilty. Gray, Harrison and Bell were employees of the state Department of Social Services in St. Mary Parish. Carroll worked for... more »

• La: Pre-apply now for disaster food assistance

  August 11, 2010 2:42 PM

  Louisiana's Department of Children and Family Services says now is the time to pre-apply online for disaster food assistance. Officials say the aid shouldn't be needed for the tropical depression approaching Louisiana, but pre-applying can prevent long waits when a disaster does strike. People can pre-apply at www.dcfs.louisiana.gov... more »

• Louisiana sends help to Tennessee

  August 10, 2010 4:59 AM

  Four disaster recovery specialists from Louisiana have been deployed to Tennessee to help with that state's recovery efforts following tornadoes and flooding that occurred in May. The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness says Tennessee asked for the help through a formal agreement that allows states in need... more »

• 100 reasons to visit Louisiana

  July 28, 2010 5:03 AM

  Marking the 100th day of the oil disaster, the Louisiana Office of Tourism is calling on online social networking communities to help develop a list of the top 100 reasons to visit Louisiana. Online supporters are asked to submit a description, video or image of their favorite Louisiana experience. Facebook... more »

• Farmer-doctor convicted of grabbing false benefits

  July 22, 2010 6:05 AM

  A northeastern Louisiana farm owner faces up to 35 years in prison following his conviction of bilking a federal agency out of more than $477,000 in disaster benefits and loans. Daniel Estes Crook, a Mer Rouge doctor who farms in Franklin and Catahoula parishes, was found guilty by a Monroe... more »

• Congressman at hearing: BP did not consider hurricanes in oil plan

  June 30, 2010 10:37 AM

  Rep. Edward Markey says BP's disaster response plan for an oil spill does not mention hurricanes or tropical storms. The comments came during a congressional hearing on a law to improve technology in hopes of preventing disasters like the Gulf oil spill. Officials responding to the spill are scrambling... more »

• Obama to visit the Gulf again

  June 14, 2010 5:45 AM

  President Barack Obama is headed to the Gulf Coast today for the fourth time to see the oil disaster firsthand. Obama is expected to deliver an Oval Office address tomorrow night about the spill and meet with BP's chairman on Wednesday to discuss damage claims. Meanwhile, Louisiana Attorney General Buddy... more »

• Hayward says he wont's step down over spill

  June 7, 2010 10:05 AM

  BP chief executive Tony Hayward said he won't step down over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. He told BBC television Sunday that he had the "absolute intention of seeing this through to the end." Hayward also told the BBC that his company has been left devastated by... more »

• Lacombe man sentenced for fraud linked to Katrina

  May 13, 2010 5:07 AM

  A Lacombe man has been sentenced in connection with a disaster loan he and his wife applied for in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Keith Stobaugh was sentenced to three years of probation and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty. Police say Stobaugh and his wife, Denise, applied for a loan... more »

• Ex-FEMA worker, cousin sentenced in fraud case

  April 30, 2010 8:27 AM

  Former FEMA worker Lashonda Booker and her cousin have to repay more than $720,000 in disaster-relief money intended for Katrina victims. The Sun Herald reports that U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola sentenced both to prison Thursday for conspiring to commit wire fraud. The judge gave Booker six years... more »

• Mayor Nagin's Cuba trip cost taxpayers $29,000

  March 9, 2010 5:11 AM

  According to records provided by the city, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin's fact-finding trip to Cuba in October cost taxpayers more than $29,000. The mayor's trip to Cuba was to learn about disaster preparedness in Cuba, which gets hit with hurricanes nearly every year. Records show that 16 people took... more »

• Nagin to testify before House committee

  March 4, 2010 4:52 AM

  New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin is in Washington D.C. to testify before Congress about the effect of disasters on American cities. Nagin will be one of several people testifying at a House subcommittee hearing that deals with emergency management. Nagin is the chairman of a U.S. Conference of Mayors task... more »

• Pointe Coupee Police Jury seeks recovery funds

  November 11, 2009 6:04 AM

  The Pointe Coupee Police Jury has completed work on its plans to submit a proposal to the state requesting $15.9 million in disaster recovery payments based on damage inflicted by 2008 hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The proposal will have to be approved by the Louisiana Recovery Authority the state agency... more »

• Apply early for Disaster Food Stamps

  September 21, 2009 6:52 AM

  Last year hundreds of residents waited in long lines to get emergency food stamps after Hurricane Gustav. This year you can pre-apply. Gail Denham with the Department of Social Services sat down with John Pastorek to explain how you can apply. To apply residents can visit www.dss.louisiana.gov or www.getagameplan.org... more »

• DSS contracts La. National Guard for disaster duties

  September 15, 2009 6:45 AM

  The Department of Social Services will contract the Louisiana National Guard to lead its emergency support role. DSS Secretary Kristy Nichols says she was concerned about the level of expertise within the agency’s emergency preparedness unit. About 4,500 DSS employees staff shelters, organize evacuations, manage disaster food stamps and handle... more »