Baton Rouge news

• Flood clean-up safety tips: Don't end up at the emergency room

  17-08-2016 23:45
  
  Ochsner Baton Rouge has already seen more than 100 post-storm patients
  
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• At LSU, Louisiana flooding puts damper on move-in day

  17-08-2016 22:42
  
  Students arrive for fall semester with disaster on their minds
  
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• National Guard will patrol St. Amant streets overnight

  17-08-2016 21:45
  
  ST. AMANT – National Guard truck with Ascension Parish deputies will be patrolling the streets of St. Amant Wednesday night.Fire Chief James LeBlanc advised residents to remain aware of people traveling around their property. Leblanc says that residents should question people, ask who they are, record numbers from boats and take pictures of vehicles to help identify people.“If they say, ‘I am looking for John’ and you have no John that lives aroun
  
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• Classes to move after flooding damages Baker High School

  17-08-2016 20:11
  
  BAKER –School officials said Baker High School may be closed for the first semester after the school was flooded earlier this week.A spokesperson for Baker Schools, Ed Pratt, said the City of Baker schools will reopen Monday, but Baker High School will remain closed.Superintendent Herman Brister said the school took on several inches of water during the historic flooding across south Louisiana this weekend.Brister said Baker High Students will be shifted to Baker Middle School. Classes
  
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• Curfews are still in effect in EBR, Livingston parishes

  17-08-2016 19:38
  
  BATON ROUGE – The curfew that was put in place in East Baton Rouge Parish Tuesday is still in effect, according to the Sheriff’s Office.The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office says the curfew will still be in effect from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday.Multiple arrests were made Monday and authorities were fielding calls Tuesday about businesses being looted.At least 40,000 homes have been damaged and 13 people killed in some of the worst flooding in Louisiana hi
  
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• LSU athletes help campus move-in, other flooding efforts

  17-08-2016 19:06
  
  BATON ROUGE – Athletes and coaches helped students move into residence halls at LSU Wednesday.According to a statement from LSU athletics, athletes from 11 different sports teams helped haul refrigerators, microwaves and other dorm furniture for the upcoming fall semester.“You want their first experience to not be so hectic as what it was when you were first moving into college,” men’s tennis head coach Jeff Brown said.Hectic is just one word that could be
  
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• Shelter at Celtic Studios in need of items for evacuees

  17-08-2016 19:02
  
  BATON ROUGE – The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness has received a donation request for several items for the flood evacuees at the Celtic Media Centre shelter.Officials ask that the items are dropped off to Celtic Media Centre directly at 10000 Celtic Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.The items needed for the shelter are:
  Combs (wide-tooth and all varieties)Brushes
  Shampoo and conditioner
  Moisturizer
  Hair clips, headbands and ponytail holdersSatin head wraps
  
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• Louisiana floods not expected to raise Zika risk

  17-08-2016 18:45
  
  BATON ROUGE - Federal officials tracking the mosquito-borne Zika virus say they aren't expecting an increased risk in flood-ravaged south Louisiana.Flooding and storms often boost the mosquito population. But Dr. Ben Beard with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that those aren't the mosquito types that transmit viruses like Zika.Beard says flooding "can actually make the risk of Zika go down for now," because the two mosquito species that transmit the vi
  
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• EBR schools return a week from today

  17-08-2016 17:07
  
  BATON ROUGE - The East Baton Rouge Parish School System will reopen for students Wednesday. Teachers should report back to campuses Monday and Tuesday, the superintendent said in a live TV interview during continuous coverage on WBRZ Channel 2.Nine schools sustained some sort of flooding - Glen Oaks High, Brookstown Middle, Park Forest Middle, Glen Oaks Park Elementary, Park Forest Elementary, Greenbriar Elementary, Twin Oaks Elementary, Howell Park Elementary and Northdale Superintendent's Acad
  
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• Thousands still without power Wednesday

  17-08-2016 16:23
  
  BATON ROUGE – Thousands are still without power Wednesday after storms and historic flooding downed powerlines and damaged substations.As of 7 p.m. Wednesday, nearly 11,000 Entergy customers and 5,300 DEMCO meters are without power. The vast majority of customers without power are in East Baton Rouge, Livingston and Ascension Parish.According to Entergy, more than 4,700 customers in East Baton Rouge Parish, nearly 2,800 customers in Livingston Parish, and more than 1,600 customers in A
  
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• DEMCO works to restore power to thousands

  17-08-2016 16:23
  
  CENTRAL – DEMCO has made progress in restoring power to residents as flood water has started to recede.
  As of 3 p.m. on Wednesday, DEMCO reported the following restorations:East Baton Rouge Parish
  Carriagewood Estates, Oak Ridge Estates, Evergreen Acres, Elliots Meadow, Jefferson Park, Chadsford Avenue, Chancellorsville Avenue, Creekhollow Road, Culpepper Avenue, Culps Bluff Avenue, East Fort Pickens Drive, East Rockbridge Avenue, Five Forks Drive, General Forest Avenue, Newwood Avenue
  
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• Ascension schools will remain closed

  17-08-2016 15:52
  
  GONZALES - Similar to Livingston Parish, Ascension Parish Schools officials are unsure about when schools will reopen in the wake of the flooding this week.Six schools in Ascension Parish have water, officials announced in a news conference Wednesday afternoon.  A number of schools were unaccessible as of Wednesday afternoon.  Forty school buses were able to be moved to higher ground before flooding started.@APSB_official maintenance yard under water.
  
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• Residents warned of asbestos when removing old sheetrock

  17-08-2016 15:51
  
  BATON ROUGE – The Baton Rouge Fire Department said Wednesday that residents should use caution when removing gypsum or sheetrock from flooded homes.“If the materials predate 1980, there is a strong possibility that they may contain asbestos,” officials said Tuesday.Asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen. The use of asbestos declined in the late 1970s when it became evident that asbestos posed a health threat.The warning comes after historic flooding dama
  
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• Man behind hit and run that flipped tanker, shut down I-10 arrested

  17-08-2016 15:42
  
  BATON ROUGE - Troopers reported the arrest of the driver of a stolen vehicle that caused a tanker truck to overturn earlier this month, shutting down I-10 for close to an entire day.31-year-old Brandon Gonzales, of Baton Rouge, was booked on charges of hit and run, reckless operation, aggravated obstruction of a highway of commerce, driving under suspension for prior DWI, illegal possession of stolen things, theft of a motor vehicle, negligent injuring and switched license plates.All lanes of I-
  
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• COX restoring services after historic floods

  17-08-2016 15:41
  
  BATON ROUGE – Cox Communications announced Wednesday that technicians from across the country are now in Louisiana to assess damage after this week’s historic flooding.Cox said crews are now working around the clock to repair its network and restore services in Baton Rouge and Acadiana.“Teams from Cox systems across the country are committed to restoring services of those impacted by outages as quickly as possible, while ensuring the safety of our employees and cust
  
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• COX offering storm recovery package for displaced residents

  17-08-2016 15:41
  
  BATON ROUGE – Cox Communications announced Wednesday that technicians from across the country are now in Louisiana to assess damage after this week’s historic flooding.Cox said crews are now working around the clock to repair its network and restore services in Baton Rouge and Acadiana.“Teams from Cox systems across the country are committed to restoring services of those impacted by outages as quickly as possible, while ensuring the safety of our employees and cust
  
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• Louisiana flooding: West Nile, not Zika, poses bigger threat

  17-08-2016 15:29
  
  "We do not expect to see an increase in Zika virus as a result of flooding." - U.S. Centers for Disease Control
  
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• Have horse experience? Volunteers needed at Lamar Dixon shelter

  17-08-2016 15:12
  
  GONZALES - Volunteers are needed at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales where many residents of Ascension Parish have brought their animals along after flooding displaced them from their homes.The expo center made emergency stalls available for horses that were displaced during the storm, and extra volunteers are needed to haul hay, buckets, feed and other equine necessities.Staff from The Equine Report magazine have joined the efforts there, but they say more manpower and womanpower will de
  
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• Homeland Security official to visit Louisiana

  17-08-2016 15:01
  
  BATON ROUGE - The White House says Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson will visit Louisiana on Thursday to review the federal government's response to the widespread flooding that has damaged tens of thousands of businesses and houses.Spokeswoman Jennifer Friedman says President Barack Obama also spoke with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on Wednesday morning to get an update after Fugate's visit to the state. She says Obama directed Fugate to use all available resources to assist i
  
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• Determination, disbelief as waters recede

  17-08-2016 14:57
  
  ALBANY - Flood waters have receded in Louisiana's Livingston Parish, but they've left behind an atmosphere of determination to recover mixed with disbelief and uncertainty.In conversations, residents and business owners in the town of Albany repeatedly note that the area had never flooded before - and flood insurance wasn't required.Chris Bankston was with workers mucking out his family-owned auto parts store Wednesday. He says his father opened the business close to 70 years ago. He sa
  
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• Edwards order suspends deadlines in various legal cases

  17-08-2016 14:55
  
  GONZALES - Gov. John Bel Edwards has taken a step to make sure widespread flooding in Louisiana doesn't cause problems in pending legal proceedings.Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Johnson said in a Tuesday news release that Edwards has issued an executive order imposing an emergency suspension of all deadlines for legal proceedings in state courts, administrative agencies and boards.The order is effective retroactively to last Friday and lasts until Sept. 9.Permalink| Comments
  
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• Staying ahead of the mold, residents salvage what they can

  17-08-2016 14:51
  
  GONZALES - The heartbreaking task of sorting through waterlogged belongings and ripping out carpets and drywall is kicking into high gear in flood-wracked southern Louisiana.Residents will continue going back to their homes Wednesday, assessing damage and getting to work on repairs, in areas where the waters have receded enough.Downstream many are eyeing swollen rivers to see whether more damage is coming.Hundreds of people evacuated to a shelter in Ascension Parish as the river water that hit a
  
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• Exxon Mobil shuts down Louisiana refinery due to flooding

  17-08-2016 14:49
  
  Exxon Mobil began shutting down its units in Baton Rouge due to the recent flooding in the area.The Baton Rouge refinery shut down its units as the flooding threatened an offsite liquefied petroleum gas storage facility, a person close to the refinery operations told Bloomberg.
  The plant, located along the Mississippi River, can process 502, 500 barrels of crude a day into gas, diesel and other fuels.
  Louisiana is home to 18 operating refineries that account for about 18 percent of U.S. capacity
  
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• River Center shelter causing downtown detours

  17-08-2016 14:34
  
  BATON ROUGE - Traffic officials are advising motorists about road closures and detours in the downtown area as the Baton Rouge River Center continues to operate as a shelter for families displaced by recent flooding.River Road in front of the River Center is currently closed. Westbound Government Street detour is 4th Street to Florida Street to River Road.Southbound River Road detour is Florida Street to 4th Street to Government Street.Questions about road closures should be forwarded to the Tra
  
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• Fifteen Livingston Parish schools damaged by water; Some up to 8 feet

  17-08-2016 14:06
  
  DENHAM SPRINGS - Livingston Parish Schools sustained catastrophic damage and there is no immediate plans to open schools, the superintendent said in a live TV interview during extended coverage of the recent flooding in the region."We went through a fight, but we are still Livingston Parish proud," an emotional Rick Wentzel said discussing the situation in the parish.Fifteen schools were impacted by water, eight were damaged "pretty bad," Wentzel said.  The most severely damaged schools
  
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• Donations, volunteers still needed at Nicholson distribution center

  17-08-2016 13:53
  
  BATON ROUGE - City officials set up a distribution center for supplies on Saturday to receive and distribute donations to residents in need.Here is an updated list of items that are still needed for families displaced from their homes:Lots of BOXES
  Storage crates
  Clothing racks
  New underwear (men/women)
  Ziploc bags
  Personel hygiene supplies
  Styrofoam to-go plates
  LOTS of heavy-duty contractors trash bags
  Markers
  Tape
  First-aid supplies
  LOTS of cleaning supplies
  Washing powder
  Dishwashing liquid
  
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• A look at remaining closures, passable roads in Ascension Parish

  17-08-2016 13:53
  
  GONZALES - Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office deputies have been on top of keeping residents updated with road closures and passable roads as flood conditions continue to affect the area.Here was how their update from this morning shaped up as motorists were beginning to get recovery efforts underway:Permalink| Comments
  
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• 9,000 flood insurance claims already filed in wake of flood

  17-08-2016 13:46
  
  WASHINGTON - The President received updates from FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate on Wednesday morning after Fugate traveled to Louisiana on Tuesday to follow up with ongoing flood response in the state.Administrator Fugate briefed Obama on the resources that have been provided to support the response and recovery, including federal assistance available to individuals who have been impacts and FEMA Corps volunteers.The President has directed Administrator Fugate to utilize all resources available
  
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• Compassion for Baton Rouge-area flood victims is the only acceptable response

  17-08-2016 13:30
  
  Nobody gets blamed for their losses the way that flood victims get blamed.  Ignoring the reality that flooding is the most common disaster in the United States and that it has hurt people all over the country, critics often choose...
  
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• Curfew for Ascension Parish lifted for residents

  17-08-2016 13:27
  
  ASCENSION – The curfew for Ascension Parish has been lifted for residents, according to the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office.The curfew was originally put in place from dusk until dawn, but did not include in the west side of Ascension Parish.
  According to the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office, the curfew was put into effect for the safety of residents as a precautionary measure.
  However, if the need arises to re-institute the curfew, the parish will do so. According to parish officia
  
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• Residents urged to use tech to help fight contractor fraud

  17-08-2016 13:19
  
  BATON ROUGE - Attorney General Jeff Landry is encouraging Louisiana residents to use technology in order to prevent the inevitable flood that is to come in the flooding aftermath.“Predatory people are able to perpetrate their crimes as long as they remain anonymous,” said General Landry. “In order to protect themselves and others, homeowners are encouraged to use technology in a couple of simple, yet effective ways.” The Attorney General says that if you a
  
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• Traffic officials update interstate closures

  17-08-2016 13:17
  
  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana traffic officials updated the condition of flood-impacted stretches of interstate in and around Baton Rouge on Wednesday.Crews have been monitoring high water and working to quickly remove debris from roadways in the wake of recent flooding.Here’s are the latest interstate flood closures as of 1 p.m. Wednesday:I-10 West on-ramps between I-49 at Lafayette and LA 1111 at Crowley remain closed. Local traffic is urged to use US 190 between the Evangeline Thruway and
  
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• Trooper comes to rescue of fawn trapped in flooded apartment complex

  17-08-2016 13:10
  
  BATON ROUGE - LSP Trooper David Hernandez came to the rescue of a fawn that became trapped in a flooded apartment complex on Wednesday.State Police have joined in the efforts to evacuate both people and animals in need. Trooper Hernandez came across the baby deer in a complex near Burbank Drive in Baton Rouge.Viewers and reporters have submitted several images of deer that have been flushed from their natural habitat by the recent torrential downpour that brought flooding to South Louis
  
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• Disaster relief fund established for Louisiana teachers

  17-08-2016 13:09
  
  BATON ROUGE – The Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana has established a relief fund for teachers who have been affected by the recent severe weather in the state.The A+PEL Disaster Relief Fund is to assist teachers with replacing supplies that were lost in the flooding. According to the organization, 100 percent of the donations go directly to Louisiana teachers.Also, teachers around the state in need of support can apply for financial support  and can do s
  
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• Mason's reopens after closing for three days

  17-08-2016 12:59
  
  BATON ROUGE – A welcome sight, taste and smell around this Baton Rouge neighborhood: Mason’s Grill is back open after closing doors for three days.“It was real bad. We took on water. We had employees that couldn’t get to work even if we were open,” Mason’s executive chef and General Manager Willie Wallace said.The reopening was a welcome sight for Mike Perkins and his wife. They spent a long day of dealing with flood damage at
  
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• BREC opens five emergency camps for children while school is out

  17-08-2016 12:58
  
  BATON ROUGE – While school is still out and parents across East Baton Rouge Parish are returning to work, the BREC team has opened five emergency camps for children across the parish.Camps are being held at Independence, Highland, Jackson, Zachary Community Parks as well as T.D. Bickham Park in Baker. Camps are $14 a day or $50 per week where they will be needed for a longer time.Parents can register for the camps onsite since online registration is not working due to the severe weathe
  
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• Boil water order in place for several Livingston Parish subdivisions

  17-08-2016 12:55
  
  LIVINGSTON PARISH - Another boil water advisory is now in place for all Diversion Water Company water systems in Livingston Parish.The subdivisions below are impacted:Amite River Road
  Bayou Terrace
  Chinquapin Campsites (Chene Blanc, Terry)
  Cline Drive
  Cypress Point
  Diversion Canal Road
  Harbor
  Hilltop
  Montrose
  Oak Forrest Trailer
  Oldmill
  Olivia Rose Trailer Park
  Riverhighlands
  Ruth Lane
  Stone Hill
  The Cove
  Three Rivers Island
  WaterfrontInstrutions about what to do in the event of a boil order can
  
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• Boil water order in place for several Livingston, Ascension Parish subdivisions

  17-08-2016 12:55
  
  LIVINGSTON PARISH - Another boil water advisory is now in place for all Diversion Water Company water systems in Livingston and Ascension Parish.The subdivisions below are impacted in Livingston:Amite River Road
  Bayou Terrace
  Chinquapin Campsites (Chene Blanc, Terry)
  Cline Drive
  Cypress Point
  Diversion Canal Road
  Harbor
  Hilltop
  Montrose
  Oak Forrest Trailer
  Oldmill
  Olivia Rose Trailer Park
  Riverhighlands
  Ruth Lane
  Stone Hill
  The Cove
  Three Rivers Island
  WaterfrontThe subdivisions below are impact
  
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• Flooding highlights need to complete Comite River Diversion Canal

  17-08-2016 12:42
  
  BATON ROUGE - State Treasurer John Kennedy has called for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state to make the Comite River Diversion Canal a priority after recent flooding in South Louisiana."Once everyone impacted by the floods is safe, we need to sit down and decide how to get this project completed," said Treasurer Kennedy. "This project has been on the drawing board since the last round of devastating flooding in the 1980s. The sad fact is that the flooding this week would not have be
  
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• Areas of North Baton Rouge experienced rising water Wednesday night

  17-08-2016 12:02
  
  BATON ROUGE - Concerned about the possibility of becoming trapped in rising water, people called police reporting high water in areas around the airport late Wednesday.Police said they received reports of high water along Scenic Highway and Harding Boulevard around 9 p.m. Wednesday. A police spokesperson said as of 9:30 p.m., no rescues had been made. Though, high-water vehicles were being dispatched.It seemed people were mostly worried about not being able to leave if the water continued to ris
  
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• Aerial footage shows Old Perkins flooding

  17-08-2016 09:55
  
  BATON ROUGE - Local drone operator Atmosphere Aerial released some more raw footage of the catastrophic flooding that came to the Baton Rouge area less than a week ago. This time Atmosphere had a drone up over the Old Perkins area.The Old Perkins Road neighborhood is within range of the swollen Bayou Manchac River, and drone footage taken on Tuesday shows the waters have yet to fully recede. In fact, it rose in some areas, according to some residents of the area.More drone footage from Aerial At
  
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• BRCC delays start of semester, extends fall registration

  17-08-2016 08:48
  
  BATON ROUGE - Baton Rouge Community College says it will delay the start of the fall semester until Aug. 29 after widespread flooding ravaged the surrounding community.BRCC says it will remain closed for the rest of the week.School officials say the continued closure will provide the college with an opportunity to assess the institution’s facilities and grounds. Students, faculty and staff will be allowed the opportunity to resolve current situations before classes return to session.Th
  
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• Wednesday morning commute sees some roads return to service

  17-08-2016 08:33
  
  BATON ROUGE - Tuesday saw Interstate 10 begin to open back up in several spots as water begins to recede, and Wednesday's first morning light saw more road openings throughout East Baton Rouge Parish and Livingston Parish.Traffic officials announced major roadway openings on Airline Highway and I-10 East in time for the Wednesday morning commute.Airline Highway is now open between Winbourne and Greenwell Springs. Airline is also now open between Evangeline and Greenwell Springs.Lane closures hav
  
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• Some CATS routes remain in limited services

  17-08-2016 07:59
  
  BATON ROUGE - The Capital Area Transit System says Wednesday will see limited service to most of its lines in the city on Wednesday.Flooding limited access to many routes. CATS buses were also used in rescue and evacuation efforts.Service has been restored to most routes as of Wednesday, but trips are limited, and buses are not running as regularly as they normally do. Riders are instructed to consult RouteMatch or the CATS Trax system on www.brcats.com to determine schedules.CATS says it contin
  
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• Thousands remain without power on Wednesday

  17-08-2016 07:33
  
  BATON ROUGE - More than 22,000 homes are still without power Wednesday morning across South Louisiana after torrential downpours led to the flooding behind massive outages.According to Entergy, 14,182 customers remain in the dark. DEMCO reported an additional 8,313 customers without power.More than 5,000 residents in the Denham Springs area (70726) should be expecting power back on by Thursday or Friday as recovery efforts slowly come to life in one of the hardest hit areas in the region. Power
  
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• Grassroots social media efforts help coordinate rescue, relief in Louisiana floods

  17-08-2016 01:32
  
  Louisiana residents' Facebook feeds and neighborhood Nextdoor groups are full of friends and neighbors collaborating on ways they can help.
  
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• Watch video of flooding devastation at Rouses Market in Denham Springs

  17-08-2016 00:24
  
  Managing partner Donny Rouse walks through the store and surveys the devastation.
  
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