[StBernard] UPDATE: TASK FORCE PELICAN]

[Westley Annis]

UPDATE: TASK FORCE PELICAN

Thursday - September 29, 2005

 Overview

·         This is Day 30 since Hurricane Katrina made landfall and Day 5 since Hurricane Rita made landfall.  

 

·         Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco delivered an urgent appeal to the members of the United States Senate Committee on Finance on the need for strong federal support in the rebuilding South Louisiana's economy.   

o        Text from her testimony is available online at www.gov.state.la.us 

 

·         Governor Blanco will convene an informal group of business leaders in order to seek their counsel on the rebirth of Louisiana's economy.  

o        Thursday, September 29th at 2 p.m. 

o        Governor's Press Room, 4th floor Louisiana State Capitol 

 

 

Shelter Populations 
Source: FEMA & Department of Social Services

 

As of Tuesday, there were approximately 30,000 Louisiana citizens in out-of -state shelters throughout the US.  
 

As of today, there were approximately 47,870 Louisiana citizens in in-shelters throughout Louisiana. 
*These numbers are in constant flux as citizens displaced due to Rita and Katrina attempt to return to their homes. 

 

 

Ports & Airports* 
Source: Louisiana Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

 

New Orleans International Airport is open to cargo flights and limited passenger flights. 
 

Ports: 
Port of New Orleans: access available; U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime has made ships available to house displaced port-related workers. 
 

Port of Lake Charles: wind/flood damage; no electrical power. NOAA has moved a survey boat to survey the ship channel. 
 

Port of Iberia: extensive flooding from Rita. Office has one foot of water and no power. 
 

Abbeville Harbor and Terminal District: access road under water but is passable; port operating at 50 percent capacity. No power or communications. Leland Bowman locks are open; Freshwater Bayou locks closed. 
 

 

Main Road/ Bridge Closures 
Source: Louisiana Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

 

·         I-10 Twin Span 

·         Causeway Bridge ( except for emergency vehicles)

·         US 90 at Pearl Bridge

·         LA 23 Belle Southbound in Plaquemines Parish

·         LA 433 at Bayou Liberty Bridge

·         Belle Chasse Tunnel

 

·         Road Closures by Parish

Source: Louisiana Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

 

o        Acadia Parish : LA 91 @ the pontoon bridge

o        Assumption Parish: LA 182 from the Amelia Bridge to LA 662

o        Calcasieu Parish: I-10 at the Calcasieu River Bridge, I-210 near Nelson Rd., LA 14 east of LA 397, LA 27, Holly Hill Road and subdivision, I-210 at Lake Street West-bound on and East-bound off ramps, LA 385, Lincoln Road in South Lake Charles, Prein Road to Nelson Road near the Contraband Bayou Bridge, Sale Road from Prien Lake to Lake Street

o        Cameron Parish: LA 27 from I-10 to LA 14, :A 82 from Deep Bayou Road to Teal Street, LA 27 South of Sweet Lake at Gift Town Bridge

o        Iberia Parish: LA 682 west LA 675 (east of LA 89)

o        Jefferson Parish: US 61 north- and south-bound at LA 3046

o        Lafourche Parish: The LA 1 bridge crossing over the Company Canal in Lockport

o        Orleans Parish: I-10 east and west-bound at Metairie Rd./ City Park Ave.

o        St. Bernard Parish: LA 39 (W. Judge Perez) n/b & s/b at Orleans Parish Line Claiborne Ave. & W. Judge Perez from Central St. to Packenham Dr.

o        St. John the Baptist Parish: US 51 n/b & s/b at m/p 8.0 (Ruddock Exit)

o        St. Martin Parish: LA 92 between LA 31 and LA 347

o        St. Mary Parish: LA 317 south of the Intercoastal Waterway, LA 319 south of LA 83

o        St. Tammany Parish: I-10 w/b @Oak Harbor, LA 433 (Bayou Liberty)

o        Tangipahoa Parish: I-55 off ramps to Manchac

o        Terrebonne Parish: LA 665 (Point-Aux-Chenes Rd) at LA 55, LA 56 is closed south of Nonc Eds St. (Chase Bank), LA 57 south of Coast Guard road (LA 3011), LA 58

o        Vermillion Parish: LA 333 is closed from LA 82 to Intracoastal City, LA 82 from LA 27 to LA 3147, LA 82 from the Intracoastal water way bridge to the Cameron Parish

 

Power & Communication Utilities* 
Source: Louisiana Public Service Commission

 

Local, state and federal agencies are working with utility providers to restore power and communications.  
As of 9:00 am today, approximately:   
§         368,858 Louisianianas are without power

 

·         174,000 outages are Rita-related

 

·         194,000 outages are Katrina-related

 

§         352,000 Louisianians are without telephone service

§         24,000 Louisianians are without natural gas utilities

 

 

Oil & Gas Infrastructure 
Source: Louisiana Department of Natural Resources

 

To date, Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) is operating at 100%. 
 

To date, 6 of 12 major refineries in south Louisiana are operating at near capacity. 
These refineries include: ExxonMobil (Baton Rouge), Placid Refining Company (Port Allen), Motiva (Convent), Motiva (Norco), Marathon Ashland Petroleum (Garyville), Valero (Norco) 
 

To date, 6 of 12 major refineries in south Louisiana are currently shut-down. 
These refineries include: Chalmette Refining (Chalmette) Murphy Oil (Chalmette), ConocoPhillips (Alliance), Valero (Krotz Springs), CITGO (Lake Charles), and ConocoPhillips (Lake Charles).  
 

6 of 6 natural gas processing plants in Louisiana are currently shut down. 
3 plants are waiting on power.  These plants are: ExxonMobil  (Garden City), Marathon ( Burns Point), and ExxonMobil  (Grand Isle).  
3 are assessing and/ or reparing damages.  These plants are: Dynegy (Yscloskey), Dynegy (Venice) and Enterprise Products (Toca). 
 

Several pipelines shut down their systems as a result of Hurricane Rita. 
 

 

Hospitals* 
Source: Louisiana Hospital Association

     

All hospitals are operational, except some hospitals in mandatory evacuation areas.

 

Throughout the various stages of recovery, primary emergency room services are being provided by the following hospitals in the affected regions: 
 

Lake Charles Area

West Calcasieu- Cameron Hospital & CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital of Lake Charles

 

Greater New Orleans Area

East Jefferson General Hospital; West Jefferson Medical Center; Ochsner Clinic Foundation; Kenner Regional Medical Center; Lakeside Memorial Hospital; and

Temporary Field House Hospital at the Convention Center

 

Lafayette Area

ALL emergency care services in the Lafayette area are operational.  

 

Other hospital updates: 
Lake Charles Memorial Hospital plans to come back up Saturday or Sunday - with ER, ICU services and approximately 15-20 beds.  
The Gauthier campus of LCMH will re-open on Sun with approximately 15 beds.  They do not have ER services, but will provide walk in services. 
Kenner Regional opens today with 20 beds and their ER is functional.  
Touro Infirmary re-opened their ER yesterday at 7am with a Strike team.  They currently have limited ER capability. 
Lakeside Hospital in Metairie is scheduled to open this Friday with ER services, 20 beds and limited inpatient/medical surgery capabilities.  
            

 

·         Schools Affected By Rita*

Source: Local School Districts

 

o        Calcasieu Parish School Board 

·         Urgent Message for News Media
ONLY news that is obtained from the www.cpsb.org website or as a written communication from Superintendent of Schools Jude Theriot, Chief Financial Officer Karl Bruchhaus, Administrative Coordinator of Technology Sheryl Abshire, or Public Information Officer Charlene Chiasson is to be aired or published. It is important that the information be read or printed directly from the communiqué in order to avoid misinformation concerning school system operations.

 

·         For Parents and Students
With the information that we currently have, we plan to complete the school year with a modified school-year and/or school day schedule. We are not encouraging students to enroll in other school districts, nor are we discouraging it. Of course, it is the choice of all parents to make the decisions that they feel is best for their child.

 

·         Re-opening of Schools
Schools are unable to be opened until all utilities are restored and all schools are certified to be safe. Please continue to visit the website at www.cpsb.org for updates. Adequate advance notice will be given before employees and students are expected back in school.

 

o        Iberia Parish re-opened yesterday.  

 

o        Cameron Parish reports schools are closed until further notice.

 

o        Lafourche Parish reports they plan to re-open schools Monday, October 3, 2005.

 

o        St. Landry Parish re-opened schools yesterday.  

 

o        Terrebonne Parish reports that 11 schools will be closed through at least October 4th.  

 

o        Vermilion Parish schools are closed until further notice.  

 

 

·         Schools Affected by Katrina

Source: Local School Districts

 

o        Plaquemines Parish reports it will reopen schools in Belle Chase on October 17, 2005 to all students of Plaquemines Parish.

 

o        Orleans Parish schools are closed until further notice.

·         School officials also announced that employees will continue to receive health care benefits through the month of October at no cost to the employee.

 

o        Washington Parish schools have re-opened.

 

o        Bogalousa City Schools are scheduled to re-open Monday, October 3, 2005.

 

o        St. Tammany Parish schools are scheduled to re-open Monday, October 3, 2005.

 

o        The St. Bernard Parish School System is closed until further notice.

 

o        Jefferson Parish Public Schools are scheduled to re-open Monday, October 3, 2005.  

 

 

·         Mandatory Evacuation Orders- Rita*

Source: Louisiana Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

 

     Mandatory Evacuation Orders are still in effect for 10 Southwest Louisiana Parishes. 

Parish residents are advised NOT to return to these areas until advised otherwise. 
These parishes include: 
ALL of Calcasieu Parish 
ALL of Cameron Parish 
ALL of Jefferson Davis Parish 
PARTS of Vermilion Parish (low lying areas south of LA 14) 
PARTS of St. Mary Parish (below the Intercoastal Waterway) 
PARTS of Acadia Parish (South of LA 92) 
PARTS of Iberia Parish (below US Highway 90) 
PARTS of Iberville Parish (mobile homes only) 
PARTS of Jefferson Parish (Lafite, Crown Port, Barrataria & Grand Isle) 
PARTS of Lafourche Parish (South of Leon Theriot flood gates) 
 

As of 9:00 am today, 57 parishes have declared States of Emergency due to effects of Hurricane Rita.  
These parishes include: Acadia , Franklin , Rapides, Allen, Grant, Red River , Ascension, Iberia , Richland , Avoyelles, Iberville, Sabine, Beauregard, Jackson , St James, Bienville, Jefferson , St. Landry, Bossier, Jefferson Davis, St. Martin , Caddo, Lafayette , St. Mary, Calcasieu , Lafourche, Tangipahoa, Caldwell , LaSalle, Tensas , Cameron, Livingston , Terrebonne, Catahoula, Madison , Union , Claiborne, Morehouse, Vermillion, Concordia, Natchitoches , Vernon , Desoto, Orleans , West Baton Rouge , East Baton Rouge , Ouachita, West Carroll, East Carroll, Plaquemines, West Feliciana , Evangeline, Pointe Coupee, Winn, Lincoln, Assumption and Washington.  
 

 

·         Mandatory Evacuation Orders- Katrina

Source: Louisiana Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness

 

Mandatory Evacuation Orders are still in effect for 4 Southeast Louisiana Parishes.

o        A curfew is in effect from 6 pm- 6 am for areas where residents are being allowed to return.

o        Residents are urged to monitor the local media for guidance from their local officials for information about returning home.  

o        These parishes include:

§         PARTS of Orleans Parish (low lying areas)

§         PARTS of Jefferson Parish (low lying areas)

§         PARTS of Plaquemines Parish (low lying areas)

§         PARTS of St. Bernard Parish (low lying areas)

 

64 parishes have declared States of Emergency due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina.  

 

 

Fatalities 
Source: Department of Health & Hospitals & Louisiana State Police

 

To date, the number of Katrina- related fatalities is 896. 
 

To date, there are no confirmed Rita-related fatalities. 
 

 

National Guard 

 

As of Tuesday, there were nearly 17,000 National Guard soldiers on the ground under the command of Governor Blanco. 
 

National Guard troops are working diligently to respond to the needs of citizens affected by Hurricane Katrina and those affected by Hurricane Rita.  
 

Rita 
To date, approximately 4,000 National Guard troops have been dedicated to Task Force Rita.  
In the aftermath of Rita, the National Guard 
Rescued approximately 2,000 citizens 
Delivered the following to citizens in need: 
o        More than 1,400,000 MREs

o        More than 1,600,000 bottles of water 

o        More than 415,000 bags of ice 

 

o        Katrina

In the aftermath of Katrina, the National Guard 
·         Rescued more than 4,200 citizens

Delivered the following to citizens in need: 
o        More than 5,000,000 meals 

o        More than 6,000,000 liters of water 

o        More than 12,000,000 pounds of ice 

 

 

Department of Labor*

 

DOL will be holding a military veterans-only job fair from 8:30 a.m. to noon, Oct. 13 at the American Legion Nicholson Post #38 office, 151 South Wooddale Boulevard, in Baton Rouge. 
 

DOL has paid 177,595 Katrina-related claims for benefits this month, 15 times more than normally paid in a month. 
 

DOL has extended the time that Hurricane Rita-related claims for Disaster Unemployment Assistance can be filed. 
The deadline is November 30, 2005. 
 

 

Department of Social Services*

 

·         From Sept. 2 - Sept. 27, the Office of Family Support has issued nearly $113 million in Disaster Food Stamp Program benefits to nearly 312,000 households who were victims of Hurricane Katrina. 

 

·         Effective today, OFS victims of Hurricane Rita may apply for emergency food stamps through October 5, 2005.   

o        Residents of the following parishes are potentially eligible for Disaster Food Stamp benefits: Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Terrebonne, Vermilion and Washington. Residents of Washington Parish must apply by Oct. 3. 

 

·         Residents may apply at any Office of Family Support Family Assistance office, with the exception of those from Lafayette Parish. These residents should apply at Blackham Coliseum, at the corner of Cajundome Boulevard and Johnston Street, in Lafayette. 

 

·         Displaced citizens may use Disaster Food Stamp Benefits in any state in the nation. For more information about the program and other social services needs, DSS is offers a toll-free hotline at 1 (888) LA HELP U.

 

·         As of 7:30 a.m., today, more than 47,870 displaced citizens were located in 345 Louisiana shelters. Another 523 patients and 83 caregivers are located in 6 special needs shelters

o        However, the number is in constant flux as citizens displaced due to both Rita and Katrina attempt to return to their homes. 

 

·        Shelters housing more than 25 displaced citizens and not currently registered with the parish Office of Emergency Preparedness should call (866) 310-7617 or in Baton Rouge, 925-1938. 

 

 

Division of Administration

 

DOA announced discretionary reopening of state offices yesterday 
This allows state agency heads to exercise their discretion in reopening state offices which had been closed before Hurricane Rita made landfall. 
 

State agency heads in all parishes may reopen state offices as circumstances allow and call employees in those areas back to work in accordance with Civil Service rules 
 

Offices may be reopened as of today.  
 

Commissioner LeBlanc also called for supervisors of state workers to be sensitive to the needs of their employees He also urged state employees to monitor their local media for updates and to stay informed by periodically calling the state office work status hotline numbers. 
 

The work status hotline numbers are: 1-800-360-9660 and 225-342-0498. 
 

 

Department of Transportation & Development*

 

·         All state roads in Allen and Beauregard parishes open; major state routes open in Calcasieu (with all exits closed on I-10 since public re-entry prohibited). 



·         I-10 through Lake Charles has reopened after preliminary inspection of Calcasieu River bridge on I-10. 

 

·         14 New Orleans area bridges are closed because of flooding or other damage: Lockport Co. Canal; Clotilda, Boudreaux Canal, Dulac, Falgout Canal, Houma Navigation Canal Country Club, Daigleville, Bayou LaCarpe, Montegut, Prospect Street, Sara, Howard Avenue, Presque Isle. Special note: The La. 1 West LaRose lift bridges crossing ICWW, which received temporary repairs for Katrina damage, have been damaged again. 

 

·         DOTD is partnering with the city-parish to systematically evaluate traffic operations on the primary arterial routes in the Baton Rouge metro area. About 300 signals on high-volume routes are being analyzed. Traffic engineering along Airline Highway and Florida Boulevard (72 signals) started Sept. 19, with target completion of Nov. 11. Remaining corridors are being prioritized. 

 

NOAA completed surveys from the I-10 Bridge at the Port of Lake Charles down the Calcasieu River Ship Channel to within 13 miles of the jetties at Calcasieu Pass.  No significant obstructions were found. 


 

Department of Health and Hospitals*

 

The Department of Health and Hospitals announced the bodies of victims of Hurricane Katrina that have been recovered will be returned to their families as soon as they are identified. 
 

To date, 340 deceased individuals in the St. Gabriel morgue have a presumptive identification and 32 more have been positively identified and released to their family through a family-designated funeral home. Of the 340 presumptive identifications, 281 families have been called by the Find Family National Call Center to begin the process of trying to establish a positive identification. 
 

Families can contact the Find Family National Call Center for help locating their loved ones at 1-866-326-9393. 
 

To date, 896 deceased victims have been recovered and reported to the state. They are being kept at the morgue in St. Gabriel and with various parish coroners throughout the state. 
 

As hotels, restaurants, grocery stores and other businesses proceed with plans to reopen in the New Orleans area, state health officials advise citizens intending to return to their homes and/or visit these establishments as well as business owners that they should do so with attention to public health. 
 

DHH says the two things that are necessary to ensure public health - clean drinking water and proper sewage systems - are not available in the east bank area of New Orleans at this time, and that people who re-enter the city may be exposed to diseases such as e. Coli, salmonella or diarrhea illness if they do not allow time for the necessary inspections to ensure public health and safety. 
 

In order for a food establishment to reopen, the facility must undergo an inspection to ensure the conditions for safe food preparation and storage are in place. Once the restaurant is inspected and approved by health officials, an official placard will be conspicuously displayed at that establishment, indicating the restaurant has been inspected and is approved for reopening. Food establishments that do not have a placard from the health department may not meet the state sanitary code and have not yet been cleared to reopen. 
 

Recent news accounts have reported the Department of Health and Hospitals has been overpaid by FEMA by nearly $340 million, and that DHH has returned that overpayment. 
 

Dr. Fred Cerise, DHH Secretary, explains the federal Cash Management Act only allows state agencies such as DHH to get federal reimbursement for actual expenditures, not for anticipated needs. In addition, the law says agencies such as DHH must pay interest on any and all unexpended amounts. DHH remains eligible for more federal aid when those expenditures can be justified. 
 

Charles Castille, DHH Undersecretary, says DHH's handling of this overpayment was done with the knowledge and approval of the Louisiana Division of Administrations' budget office, as well as with the legislative Auditor and the Office of the Inspector General. 
 

 

Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries*

 

Marine Fisheries 
Fisheries Division offices remain closed in Bourg, Slidell and New Orleans, but biologists continue sampling efforts in those areas as part of habitat damage assessment.  
 

Sampling in the bays near Lake Charles and New Iberia is not yet possible due to blocked access to launch points, but aerial surveys on Monday and Tuesday revealed that at least some of the fishing fleet survived in the central and western part of the state.  
 

Infrastructure update: Fuel and ice are not generally available across the coast for the fishing fleet. 
 

 

Enforcement Division Search and Rescue (SAR) Missions 
o        Rita

§         LDWF has responded to 215 rescue requests 

 

§         A LDWF task force will remain in Abbeville with a second dispatch point in Lake Charles to support SAR efforts in Calcasieu and Cameron parishes. 

 

§         LDWF personnel are also staged in Westwego to respond to needs in the southeastern parishes. 

 

§         Total persons rescued through SAR - still to be compiled.

 

o        Katrina

§         LDWF estimates more than 21,000 lives were saved through LDWF coordinated search and rescue operations in the aftermath of Katrina

 

o        The overall rescue effort was a cooperative air and water approach involving: U.S. Coast Guard, La. National Guard, 82nd Airborne, local Sheriff's Offices, Parish OEP's and civilian volunteers, as well as LDWF enforcement division, fisheries division and wildlife division personnel.

 

 

Department of Environmental Quality

 

·         DEQ issued a Declaration of Emergency and Administrative Order related to Hurricane Rita. The declaration address areas such at: Waste Water Treatment Systems, Solid Waste Management, Hazardous Waste, Open Burning and Air Pollution. 

o        The declaration is on DEQ's web site at www.deq.louisiana.gov 

 

Inspectors also went to Lake Charles and inspected 16 sites, of which 6 are closed. So far, inspections of areas hit by Rita have shown no releases that would be a cause of concern. 
 

DEQ-EPA inspections found that St. Bernard/Gentilly rail yard area had two railcars off the track. 
 

Sediment sampling teams will be in St. Bernard and Orleans parishes. 
 

Air monitoring in St. Bernard is ongoing. Also, the specially equipped EPA air-monitoring van, known as TAGA, will be in St. Bernard Parish. 
 

Today, there will be inspections of East Jefferson, West Jefferson and Algiers wastewater treatment plants. 
 

DEQ & EPA are setting up staging area in North Jefferson and in St. Tammany for hazardous debris pickup. Flyers are being passed out in the areas to inform area residents. 
 

 

Louisiana Economic Development

 

LED is currently working to provide assistance to businesses in the affected region by:

Connecting affected businesses with information and resources 
o        AccessLouiaiana

§         LED staff has serviced: 

·                     More than 6,200 requests from businesses regarding relocation assistance and resource identification.

·                     More than 1,700 other types of requests for direct business assistance.

 

§         LED is launching www.LEDforward.louisiana.gov. This dedicated website will facilitate registration of businesses in affected areas with LED to accelerate the rebuilding effort while directing these businesses to available short term assistance. Business owners can also call LED at 1-866-310-7617 with questions or for further assistance with business related needs. 

 

o        On the Ground Assistance

§         LED has played an important role in temporarily housing employees in critical industries

 

§         As of yesterday (Wednesday) 1,458 travel trailers have been delivered to Louisiana businesses requesting temporary housing for their employees to begin the process of rebuilding Louisiana.  

 

§         LED continues to work with FEMA to deploy additional requested units on an ongoing basis. 

 

§         LED is also helping to facilitate opportunities for Louisiana workers during the reconstruction phase.  Registration information for businesses wishing to contract or subcontract with FEMA and its contractors is available on our website at led.louisiana.gov.

 

o        Creating a comprehensive federal aid package

§         At Governor Blanco's direction, LED has worked on economic development components of the comprehensive Congressional federal aid package introduced last week by the Louisiana Delegation.

 

§         LED Secretary Michael Olivier traveled with the Governor to Washington, D.C. today  in support of the federal aid package.

 

o        Providing Small Business assistance

§         LED is working to connect Louisiana workers with Louisiana.

 

§         A Prime contracting goal has been set at 30% and a subcontracting goal at 40% to direct rebuilding in the affected areas to small businesses in the affected regions.

 

 

Louisiana Department of Education

 

·         The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education met Tuesday, September 27, 2005 and took action on several items in response to both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita including:

o        Giving displaced Louisiana high school students the ability to receive a Louisiana diploma if they have the required 23 Carnegie Units and pass the Graduation Exit Exam, no matter what state they are seeking temporary shelter.

 

Giving State Superintendent of Education Cecil J. Picard the ability to approve revised school calendars for districts that were closed for a significant period of time due to either hurricane, pending legislative approval. 
 

Waiving the high-stakes testing policy for students taking the LEAP tests in grades 4 & 8. 
All students in Louisiana will be required to take the LEAP, iLEAP or Graduation Exit Exam (GEE) in the Spring of 2006, however 4th & 8th grade students will not be held back if they receive a failing score. 
 High school students must still pass the GEE in order to graduate. 
 

o        Giving the Louisiana Department of Education the ability to continue asking the U.S. Department of Education for a partial waiver of Annual Yearly Progress (AYP). 

§          Louisiana has asked that only students enrolled in schools or districts for 2 years be included in School Performance Scores (SPS) and Subgroup Score calculations. 

§         In addition, the state has asked that no schools or districts be moved into a higher level of school improvement based on the 2005-06 calculations.

 

Waiving the maximum class size requirements.  
§         For grades K-3, classes can include 28 students, up from 26.  

§         For grades 4-12, classes can include 35 students, up from 33.  

§         For LA 4 & other Pre-K programs, classes can include up to 22 students, up from 20.

 

 

Board of Regents

 

As a result of Hurricane Katrina and now Hurricane Rita, forty-seven (47) percent of the students enrolled in the LCTCS for the fall 2005 semester have been displaced. 
SOWELA Technical Community College, located in Lake Charles, was damaged significantly as a result of Hurricane Rita.  
According to reports, the hurricane took the roof off of the main building of the college and about ninety percent of the facility is damaged as a result.  
Since officials from SOWELA Technical Community College have not been able to confirm the extent of the damage to the college, a determination has not yet been made on the status of the semester.  
As it currently stands, the administration is optimistic that the college will reopen in the near future. 
·         The Louisiana Community and Technical College System has established five student information lines: 1-866-310-1586, 225-922-1633,225-922-0958, 225-922-0959, 225-922-0804.
 
·         Board of Regents information hotline for students displaced as a result of Rita and Katrina: 1-866-415-2269, or log on to www.regents.state.la.us.
 
·         Other key public postsecondary education information numbers: UL System: 225-342-6950; LSU System: 225-578-2111; Southern University System: 225-771-4500
 

 

 

 

Department of Corrections*

 

Probation and Parole Officers are providing assistance with security at the following locations: 
4 officers at Moss Regional Hospital in Lake Charles 
6 officers in the town of Jennings with patrols and other security measures 
5 officers assisting the Jefferson Davis Sheriff's Office with patrols 
10 officers assisting the Vermilion Sheriff's Office with patrols 
 

Allen Correctional Center in Kinder and C. Paul Phelps Correctional Center in DeQuincy are operating on emergency generator power.  Despite the setbacks, both are helping in their communities. 
 

Allen Correctional Center's Culinary Arts program is preparing meals for Allen Parish's Meals on Wheels program, which serves approximately 150 meals daily to residents. (Normally, this would be done by the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center.) 
 

Phelps Correctional Center is a FEMA distribution site, with inmates and officers handing out food, water and ice to residents in DeQuincy and surrounding communities. 
 

The Department continues to monitor inmate repopulation plans for local prison/jail facilities that had to be evacuated due to both Katrina and Rita. 
 

###


The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation (LDRF), Louisiana's fund for Louisiana's people, has been established by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco in order to support long-term family restoration and recovery and help provide assistance to our citizens in need through a network of Louisiana charities and non-profit agencies.

877.HELPLA1 (877.435-7521)
www.louisianahelp.org