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Morgan City police will enforce curfew

Sun, 08/29/2021 - 10:33am

From the Morgan City Police Department Facebook page:

Chief James F. Blair and the Morgan City Police Department announce that the City of Morgan City will be imposing a CITY WIDE CURFEW that will be in effect tonight at 6:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. Monday morning. We ask that everyone shelter in place at this time and remain off the streets through the duration of Hurricane Ida. Officers will be on patrol assuring the safety of all of our citizens. Again please shelter in place and do not leave your home for sightseeing purposes.
Stay Safe!!!

Safety advice from the St. Mary Sheriff's Office

Sun, 08/29/2021 - 10:13am

This was posted on the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Facebook page:

As we brace for the arrival of Hurricane Ida today, Sheriff Blaise Smith and the deputies of the SMPSO advise the public to be safe and remember these safety considerations that will be important immediately after the storm has passed.
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*Remember to never use portable gasoline generators or camp stoves inside your home, basement, or garage. Keep it outside and at least 20 feet from any window, door, or vent.
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*Please DO NOT go out sightseeing. Law enforcement and emergency personnel will be assessing damage and working. Conditions may be unsafe in some areas and sight-seers make things more complicated for emergency personnel.
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*AVOID downed POWER LINES.
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*Don't drive in flooded waters.
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*If your power is out, use flashlights instead of candles.
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*Take care of any wound or injury to prevent infection.
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*Take care of your emotional health. Connect with family and friends, check on neighbors, and band together.
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Be smart and take steps to be safe during this storm and after.
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We want you to contact us or 911 in the event of an emergency.
However, please avoid calling dispatchers to ask questions about the hurricane or other topics which are not emergency related.
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Dispatchers all over St. Mary Parish with all law enforcement agencies will be BUSY during the next few hours, so we want to keep them dedicated to patrol.
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We are all in this together, St. Mary Parish, and we will make it through.

Assumption Parish shelter of last resort opens

Sun, 08/29/2021 - 8:03am

From the Assumption Parish Police Jury Facebook page:

Assumption Parish Shelter of Last Resort will open at 7:00 a.m. on 8/29/2021. The shelter will be Assumption Parish Community Center (4910 Hwy. 308, Napoleonville, LA. 70390). Temperatures will be checked upon entry, and a mask must be worn while inside the facility. If you show signs of COVID-19 you will be staged in a separate area away from other residents to limit possible spread. Also, remember to bring and prepare the following:
Non-perishable food
Mobile rechargeable battery packs
Water (No Alcohol will be allowed)
First-aid Kit (include any prescription medication you may need)
Personal hygiene items and sanitation items
Flashlights (have extra batteries on hand)
Battery operated radio (have extra batteries on hand)
Waterproof container with cash and important documents
Books, magazines, games for recreation
Special needs items: baby supplies if applicable
A plan for evacuation for if family members are separated
Blankets, Pillows, Sleeping Bags etc.

Patterson sets 12-hour curfew beginning 6 p.m. Sunday

Sun, 08/29/2021 - 4:26am

The Patterson Police Department has announced that it will enforce a curfew from 6 p.m. Sunday until 6 a.m. Monday because of Hurricane Ida.

UPDATED 4 A.M. MONDAY: Ida becomes tropical storm, leaving destruction in its wake

Sun, 08/29/2021 - 4:12am

BULLETIN
Tropical Storm Ida Advisory Number 17
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL092021
400 AM CDT Mon Aug 30 2021

...IDA NOW A TROPICAL STORM OVER SOUTHWESTERN MISSISSIPPI...
...DANGEROUS STORM SURGE, DAMAGING WINDS, AND FLASH FLOODING
CONTINUE OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA AND SOUTHERN
MISSISSIPPI...

SUMMARY OF 400 AM CDT...0900 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...31.0N 90.8W
ABOUT 95 MI...155 KM SSW OF JACKSON MISSISSIPPI
ABOUT 50 MI...75 KM NNE OF BATON ROUGE LOUISIANA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...60 MPH...95 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...N OR 355 DEGREES AT 8 MPH...13 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...990 MB...29.24 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

The Storm Surge Warning has been discontinued from Morgan City to
Grand Isle, Louisiana.

The Hurricane and Tropical Storm Warnings have been discontinued
west of Grand Isle, Louisiana.

The Hurricane Warning has been replaced with a Tropical Storm
Warning from Grand Isle to the Mouth of the Pearl River, including
Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Metropolitan New Orleans.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
*Grand Isle, Louisiana, to the Alabama/Florida border

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Grand Isle, Louisiana, to the Alabama/Florida border, including
Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Metropolitan New Orleans

A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening
inundation from rising water moving inland from the coastline in
the indicated locations. For a depiction of areas at risk, please
see the National Weather Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic,
available at hurricanes.gov. This is a life-threatening situation.
Persons located within these areas should take all necessary
actions to protect life and property from rising water and the
potential for other dangerous conditions. Promptly follow
evacuation and other instructions from local officials.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area.

For storm information specific to your area, including possible
inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your
local National Weather Service forecast office.

DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
----------------------
At 400 AM CDT (0900 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Ida was
located by NOAA Doppler weather radars, satellite data, and surface
observations near latitude 31.0 North, longitude 90.8 West. Ida is
moving toward the north near 8 mph (13 km/h), and this general
motion is forecast to continue today. A faster northeastward motion
is expected to begin by tonight and continue on Tuesday. On the
forecast track, the center of Ida will move farther inland over
southeastern Louisiana early this morning and move into southwestern
Mississippi later this morning. Ida is then forecast to move over
central and northeastern Mississippi this afternoon and tonight, and
move across the Tennessee Valley on Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased near 60 mph (95 km/h) with
higher gusts. Additional rapid weakening is forecast during the next
day or so, and Ida is expected to become a tropical depression by
this evening.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km),
mainly southeast of the center. A sustained wind of 32 mph (51 km/h)
and a gust to 52 mph (84 km/h) were recently observed at the airport
in McComb, Mississippi. Along the Gulf coast, a Weatherflow station
in Gulfport, Mississippi, recently measured a sustained wind of 46
mph (74 km/h) and a gust to 66 mph (106 km/h).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 990 mb (29.24 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
Key messages for Ida can be found in the Tropical Cyclone
Discussion under AWIPS header MIATCDAT4, WMO header WTNT44 KNHC,
and on the web at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?key_messages.

STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the
tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by
rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could
reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated
areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Pointe a la Hache, LA to Bay St. Louis, MS including Lake
Borgne..4-7 ft
Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain...4-6 ft
Bay St. Louis, LA to AL/FL border including Mobile Bay...3-5 ft
Grand Isle, LA to Pointe a la Hache, LA... 2-4 ft
Morgan City, LA to Grand Isle, LA...1-3 ft
AL/FL border to Okaloosa/Walton County Line including Pensacola
Bay...1-3 ft

Overtopping of local levees outside of the Hurricane and Storm
Damage Risk Reduction System is possible where local inundation
values may be higher than those shown above.

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to
the east of the landfall location, where the surge will be
accompanied by large and dangerous waves. Surge-related flooding
depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and
can vary greatly over short distances. For information specific to
your area, please see products issued by your local National Weather
Service forecast office.

WIND: Wind damage is likely near the core of Ida as it moves
farther inland over southwestern Mississippi during the next few
hours.

Tropical storm conditions will continue to spread inland over
portions of Louisiana and Mississippi through this morning.

RAINFALL: Through Tuesday morning, Ida will produce additional
rainfall totals of 4 to 8 with localized higher amounts possible
across portions of southeast Louisiana into far southern
Mississippi. Storm total rainfall accumulations of 10 to 18 inches
with isolated maximum amounts of 24 inches is expected. Heavy rain
combined with storm surge has resulted in catastrophic impacts along
the southeast coast of Louisiana with life threatening flash
flooding and significant riverine flooding continuing farther
inland.

Ida is expected to turn northeast this morning and is forecast to
track across the Middle Tennessee Valley, Ohio Valley and
Mid-Atlantic through Wednesday, producing the following rainfall
totals:

Coastal Alabama to the far western Florida panhandle: An additional
4 to 8 inches resulting in storm total accumulations of 6 to 12
inches with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches, today through
Tuesday morning.

Central Mississippi into far western Alabama: 4 to 8 inches with
isolated maximum amounts of 12 inches, today through tonight.

Middle Tennessee Valley, Ohio Valley, Central/Southern Appalachians
into the Mid-Atlantic: 3 to 6 inches with isolated higher amounts,
Tuesday into Wednesday.

Considerable flash flooding is possible from the Lower Mississippi
Valley through the Middle Tennessee Valley, Ohio Valley,
Central/Southern Appalachians, and into the Mid-Atlantic. Widespread
minor to isolated major riverine flooding is possible from the Lower
Mississippi Valley into far western Alabama through Wednesday.

TORNADOES: A few tornadoes are possible today into tonight, mainly
across southeast Mississippi, southwest Alabama, and the western
Florida Panhandle.

SURF: Swells will continue to affect the northern Gulf coast
through today. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening
surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your
local weather office.

Ochsner locations will close Sunday and Monday

Sat, 08/28/2021 - 11:15pm

Due to Hurricane Ida, Ochsner Health urgent cares, clinics and COVID-19 testing and vaccine locations in the below regions will be closed Sunday, August 29, and Monday, August 30.

Regions include:

• Greater New Orleans
• Bayou
• Northshore
• Baton Rouge

Greater New Orleans Ochsner urgent cares on the Southshore will close today, August 28, at 1 p.m. Northshore and Baton Rouge Ochsner urgent cares will close at 2 p.m. or 3 p.m., depending on location.

Patients are encouraged to use Ochsner Anywhere Care, which connects patients to Ochsner physicians via virtual visits. Ochsner Anywhere Care users can instantly connect with providers through a secure, interactive video via their smartphone, tablet or personal computer from home, work, or on the go. It’s an integrated and streamlined experience delivered through a free Ochsner Anywhere Care mobile app on iOS or Android or online through a computer www.ochsner.org/anywherecare.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911. All Ochsner hospitals are operating normally, including emergency departments.

Closure status of Ochsner urgent cares and clinics are subject to change during tropical weather. For the most up-to-date information visit www.Ochsner.org/weather. Follow Ochsner Health on social media: Facebook (Ochsner Health), Twitter (@OchsnerHealth) and Newsroom (news.ochsner.org) for updates as additional information becomes available.

Shelter for St. Mary residents established in Rapides

Sat, 08/28/2021 - 5:59pm

From Parish President Hanagriff

Cleco's Franklin, New Iberia offices will be closed Monday

Sat, 08/28/2021 - 4:11pm

Some of Cleco’s customer service offices will be closed Monday, Aug. 30, as part of the company’s storm preparations for Hurricane Ida. Cleco has 13 customer service offices across the state.

The Crowley, Franklin, New Iberia, Covington, Mandeville and Slidell offices will be closed Monday. The other offices will remain open at this time, as they are not in the projected storm path.

Customers can use the following self-service payment options to pay their bill:
• Night Deposit/Drop Box
The night deposit/drop box at each customer service office will not be closed.
• MyAccount
Cleco’s online account management and bill payment system at www.cleco.com.
• KUBRA
Cleco's one-time electronic bill payment service, which allows customers to pay from a checking/savings account or with a credit/debit card online at www.cleco.com or by calling Cleco’s customer service number at 1-800-622-6537 or KUBRA at 1-888-909-4639.
• Mail
Cleco’s postal option. Customers can pay by postal mail using P.O. Box 660228, Dallas, TX 75266-0228
For additional information on how Cleco is preparing for Hurricane Ida, follow the company on Facebook @ClecoPower or visit Cleco’s Storm Center page at cleco.com/storm-center.

Morgan City firefighters help evacuate senior facilities

Sat, 08/28/2021 - 3:02pm

The Morgan City Fire Department posted this picture on its Facebook page after firefighters spent the morning helping move about 50 residents at Maison Jardin and Morgan City Health Care to facilities where they will be safe from Hurricane Ida.

PSB will be closed Monday

Sat, 08/28/2021 - 1:17pm

From Patterson State Bank Chairman Bill Marin:

Based on the latest NWS projected track and windspeeds, we are closing our Patterson, Berwick and Morgan City locations on Monday for the safety of our employees and customers. We are working now to make sure we have generator power at our main office, which will allow continued ATM service at that location in the event of power outage.